February 7, 2013 Edition of the Bay Area Reporter by Bay Area Reporter

'Heart of a Giant'

Stores 'chained' down

'Pearl Earring'

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Vol. 43 • No. 06 • February 7-13, 2013

Black LGBT elders face isolation by Seth Hemmelgarn

L Photographer Duane Cramer is one of the spokesmen for a new HIV app.

HIV apps assist PWAs

by Matthew S. Bajko

eople living with HIV and AIDS now have another tool to help manage their health needs and medications: their smartphones. A variety of downloadable applications for cellphones, as well as computers, are aimed at helping HIV-positive people keep track of when to take their medicines and record health data to share with their physicians during doctor visits. Two of the earliest options were PozTracker and iStayHealthy, which was recommended by Poz magazine. The HIV and Your Heart app uses research and guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American Academy of HIV Medicine to provide suggestions on how to live healthy with HIV. Drug giant Merck Sharp and Dohme Corp. has created the My Health Matters and My Positive Agenda mobile and desktop apps. The digital tools help users track symptoms they incur from their HIV treatments and allow for the creation of reports that display those symptoms users can then email to their doctor. When Merck introduced the apps last year the company teamed up with Project Runway contestant Mondo Guerra, who revealed his HIV status on the show’s Season 8, to promote them through the national I Design campaign. This year it has engaged San Francisco-based photographer Duane Cramer, who splits his time in Manhattan, to join Guerra as a paid spokesman for the campaign. “I want to encourage people not to be victims but to really be victorious,” said Cramer. “It is 2013, and when it comes to HIV, we now can use online electronic tools to better manage our health.” Cramer, 50, is a well-known black gay man who has been a longtime advocate for people See page 13 >>

Cheers can’t help 49ers Rick Gerharter

packed house of screaming and cheering San Francisco 49er fans at Hi Tops sports bar in the Castro, including Philip Garcia and Ivan Ferrer, was not enough for the team to win its sixth Super Bowl Sunday, February 3. While the Niners made a comeback late in the game, it was the Baltimore Ravens who carried home the Vince Lombardi Trophy with a 34-31 victory. The Bay Area Reporter, which lost a wager with the Washington Blade, has sent a check for $1,000 to Chase Brexton Health Services in Baltimore, which was the Blade’s charity of choice. For more on Super Bowl XLVII, see Jock Talk, page 12.

arry Saxxon knows firsthand about the isolation and loneliness that researchers and others say are among the main challenges facing black LGBT elders. February is Black History Month, and in a recent interview, Saxxon spoke of going to the Castro district, the largely gay neighborhood with a reputation for favoring people who are young and white. He Rick Gerharter said the area is “flowing with the sea of Larry Saxxon wonderful humanity,” but he indicated his time there hasn’t always been pleasant. “People walk past you, and they turn their heads,” he said. The reaction appears to be, “What am I going to do with this old black queen?” said Saxxon, 60, who’s been with his See page 12 >>

AOF prepares for Oscar gala

by Seth Hemmelgarn

San Francisco nonprofit that’s raised more than $8 million for Bay Area HIV and AIDS charities over the years is preparing for its annual Academy Awards gala. Academy of Friends, which started more than 30 years ago, will hold “Boas, Bowties and Bubbly” Sunday, February 24 at Terra Gallery. The Oscar viewing party begins at 5 p.m. This year’s Academy Award nominees include Daniel Day-Lewis for best actor in Lincoln and Jessica Chastain for best actress in Zero Dark Thirty. It remains to be seen whether Ben Affleck’s hit, Argo, about the Iranian hostage crisis, will emerge as the dark horse winner for best picture. Affleck was snubbed by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences in the best director category, but the movie has already won top honors at the Golden Globes and from the Screen Actors Guild. AOF board Chair Howard Edelman said the organization’s six beneficiaries for 2013 are “putting their heart and their soul” into the gala, and “the energy level this year is just amazing.” The focus this season is on HIV prevention, and AOF started over this year with beneficiaries. It did invite back Maitri, which provides hospice and short-term care for people living with HIV and AIDS. Others partners are AIDS Legal Referral Panel, Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center, Larkin Street Youth Services,

Rick Gerharter

Clayton Fields, left, from Nordstrom, makes an adjustment to Dion Repple’s bowtie, after showing him how to tie one in preparation for the Academy of Friends annual Oscar night gala, at a pre-event party last month at the Bubble Lounge. This year’s Academy Awards viewing party and benefit is at Terra Gallery Sunday, February 24.

Mission Neighborhood Health Center’s Clinica Esperanza, and Pets Are Wonderful Support.

{ FIRST OF TWO SECTIONS }

“It’s important to keep the focus on HIV/ AIDS,” Edelman said. “For us it’s not about keeping AOF alive, but about helping other people and the community.” Lance Toma, executive director of API Wellness Center, said in an email, “We have developed a strong partnership with Academy of Friends over many years. They have been tremendous supporters as we have grown, particularly when we expanded last year to provide services to all HIV-positive residents, of any race or ethnicity, in the Tenderloin,” which is one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods. “We are thrilled to take part in this year’s event,” Toma said. Edelman said the amount that AOF distributes to beneficiaries this year “really depends on people’s generosity” when it comes to raffle and gala ticket sales, and silent auction proceeds. Those funds are set aside for the partners. AOF is hoping to raise a total of $95,000 to $150,000 from those three sources for the beneficiaries, Edelman said. “It wouldn’t make sense to have this event if we couldn’t give away a lot of money,” he said. AOF has asked beneficiaries to participate by supplying volunteers for the gala and selling tickets, among other means. The amount each partner raises is tracked. The organization is working to keep people who attend entertained. This year, AOF will be holding its first-evSee page 13 >>

<< Community News

2 • Bay Area Reporter • February 7-13, 2013

Nudists cited as law takes effect

s San Francisco’s public nudity ban went into effect Friday, February 1, four urban nudists, including Trey Allen, above,

Rick Gerharter

were cited by police when they held a rally in the buff outside City Hall.

Man to stand trial in anti-gay battery of child

by Seth Hemmelgarn

man who allegedly elbowed an 11-year-old boy and called him a “faggot” has been ordered to stand trial. Nicholas Frabasilio, 46, faces battery and child endangerment charges in the case, which is being prosecuted as a hate crime. Frabasilio, who was recently convicted in another case involving battery and appears to have made antigay remarks numerous times over the past several months, was in San Francisco Superior Court Wednesday, February 6 for a preliminary hearing. During the hearing, Xuan Vo, 30, the boy’s aunt, testified that on January 21 she and other family members were by an elevator at Portsmouth Square in the Chinatown district. She said that as Frabasilio walked by, he put his arms up and hit her nephew’s cheek with his elbow. “He was shocked,” Vo said of the child. “We were all shocked.” She added her nephew “looked scared.” San Francisco police Officer David On testified that a family member told him that after the incident, Frabasilio had raised his fist in the air and said, “Yeah, I fucked up that faggot boy.” A backpack allegedly belonging to Frabasilio with a patch that said “Heterosexual” was at the scene. The child, who was wearing a pink sweater, had been playing with a toy before the incident, Vo said. She also testified that nobody in the family had had contact with Frabasilio prior to him allegedly elbowing her nephew. Frabasilio is in custody on $75,000 bail. With the hate crime allegations, the charges he faces are felonies. Court records indicate that at his January 24 arraignment, Superior Court Judge Monica F. Wiley ordered an examination related to Frabasilio’s mental health. After the brief hearing Wednesday, Wiley said there was “satisfactory” and “sufficient” evidence to hold Frabasilio on all counts and allegations. She ordered him to next appear in court February 20 for arraignment. Before the session, Deputy Public Defender Ariel Boyce-Smith declined to comment on the case.

Previous incidents

On September 18, a jury found Frabasilio guilty on misdemeanor counts of assault and battery. According to court documents, Frabasilio had punched an employee of the Trader Joe’s supermarket on Bay Street in the face. The strike broke her glasses and resulted in her suffering a cut upper lip. The police report of the August 2 incident says that Frabasilio had been inside the store “creating problems by

Courtesy SFPD

Nicholas Frabasilio

being loud and yelling at customers,” and that there had been “previous problems with him.” The victim, who declined the Bay Area Reporter’s interview request, and others had asked him to leave and were escorting him out when he attacked her, according to police. Frabasilio received three years of probation with a suspended sentence of about six months in the case, and credit for time served of 30 days. (Some court documents list the defendant’s name as Frababilio). The day he was convicted, one of many Facebook messages that Frabasilio apparently authored was posted to the page for the Straight Liberation Movement. “I had been asked to leave for objecting to being sexually harassed by a gay male employee,” the message says, referring to the August incident. The note also refers to Frabasilio’s time in custody. “The conditions at the jail are horrendous, and exponentially so for heterosexual men ... . Why do they separate the straight male and female prisoners from eachother (sic), and then put us in with the gays and lesbians respectively, to be preyed upon by them?” Frabasilio appears to be the Straight Liberation site’s administrator and most of the comments on the page bear his name. Court records indicate it wasn’t long after Frabasilio’s conviction before a man working at Westside Community Services, a South of Market area agency that provides behavioral health and other services, had trouble with him. In documents filed October 23, the man said that Frabasilio had used chalk to write “huge letters” in front of the clinic calling him a “gay harasser.” The man, who said that Frabasilio was

a new patient at the agency, sought a restraining order, but the request was denied. The B.A.R. wasn’t able to reach the man for comment. Apparently around the same time, a flier with the headline “Defend heteronormativity” was posted on a city street. The flier said, “Local anarchist activist, Nick Frabasilio, has been under attack for many years and had his life ruined by Mr. Bang for being a real activist.” The flier was signed Straight Liberation Movement and Bay Area Right to Sit/Lie. The bulletin referred to “Aragorn Bang,” who it said was one of the people responsible for a plan “which essentially abolishes heterosexuality and forces straights to share their sexuality with the queers,” among other complaints. “The East Bay Anarchist Bookfair December 1 in Oakland is one of [Bang’s] theatrical recreations,” the flier, which called for a demonstration at the event, said. Much of the text from the bulletin is also posted under Frabasilio’s name to the Straight Liberation Movement Facebook page. In a brief call with the B.A.R. in late November, a woman with the book fair who didn’t give her name acknowledged Frabasilio was “protesting a member of the book fair community.” Asked what his problem with the person was, she said, “That’s a complicated question.” Reached again last week, the woman said she couldn’t talk at the time, and she didn’t respond to a subsequent phone message. Frabasilio appears to have posted many other anti-gay remarks on the Straight Liberation Movement Facebook page. A May 13 message refers to the 37-year-old transgender woman who’d been murdered in downtown Oakland two weeks beforehand. “So there is going to be yet another protest for ‘Brandy Martell,’ this ‘transgender’ ‘woman,’” the note says. “... The gays, including large numbers of whites, are currently trying to take over downtown Oakland, making them the front line of gentrifying Oakland. Forward to the straight liberation movement – take back our streets.” Besides the attempt at a restraining order, other recent San Francisco court records list Frabasilio as a defendant in an unlawful detainer lawsuit involving a Geary Boulevard apartment. It isn’t clear what Frabasilio’s punishment might be if he’s convicted on the current charges. Anyone with information that may be helpful in Frabasilio’s prosecution is asked to call Assistant District Attorney Victor Hwang at (415) 734-3104.t

Community News>>

February 7-13, 2013 • Bay Area Reporter • 3

Edgy sculptor finds her ‘heart’ for philanthropy by Tom Kilduff

he past few months have been a game changer for Brit Howard, a lesbian sculptor and avid San Francisco Giants fan who works out of a studio deep in the Mission and will see one of her works auctioned off next week. While scanning the Internet looking for art contests, Howard stumbled upon “Heroes and Hearts,” San Francisco General Hospital Foundation’s annual Valentine’s Day event that has raised nearly $10 million for the public hospital since 2004. Each year hospital committee members choose 10 to 15 artists that have created heart sculptures representing the best of San Francisco. The hearts are then auctioned off to raise money for the public hospital. Larger ones are often loaned to the city for public display in Union Square. Howard stitched together an idea that would bring her closer to her own heroes and at the same time raise money for San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. Howard’s winning submission, the table-top “Heart of a Giant,” is an ode to the home team, featuring a redesigned base from AT&T Park with the signature of every current player. Originally from Los Angeles, Howard, 30, moved to San Francisco at age 16 and attended Academy of Art University, where she majored in sculpture and minored in printmaking. The work of her college days had a moody, punk aesthetic. It was a time she describes as “angsty, fueled by listening to Tool.” What’s ironic is Heart of a Giant is a far cry from Howard’s other pieces, which still carry that darker, edgier tone. Her studio contains one piece that looks like another sort of organ pierced with porcupine quills. Where did she find the materials? “EBay, you can get anything on eBay. I even have a giraffe leg. Most of that is real except for the triceratops,” she said, motioning to her wall of materials and a plastic dinosaur head. “I went through this period where I purchased weird, organic materials and I wanted the materials to inspire the idea.” Her somewhat darker work collides with her affable personality of someone who owns “a demanding” pit-bull mix and reads science fiction. Her fiancee, a hairdresser, is taking Howard on a whirlwind trip to France, Switzerland, and Italy. Howard will be in Paris for Fashion Week. Does this mean she likes fashion? “No, I don’t like fashion,” she said. “I would honestly wear sweats all day.” Don’t mistake Howard for a slacker though. Not every artist or fan is able to get the attention of the

Tom Kilduff

Sculptor Brit Howard

San Francisco Giants. In fact, it was a back-and-forth game of reaching out and waiting for responses. “Since the Giants travel so much and have a game nearly every single day, I had to get the heart to them way before the heart even had to be done, so I got the heart together and it was very limited, very bare bones. Still they were super impressed with it and I got to work on it during playoff season while getting into the spirit of the game,” she said. It would take three days for the team to fully sign the piece. Julie Richter, a spokeswoman for the SFGH Foundation, said that Howard is in good company with this year’s artists. “Thirteen artists are featured this year at Heroes and Hearts, having made eight large hearts and five table-top hearts. They’re all different but represent San Francisco in a specific way.” Richter said. “All the proceeds will benefit the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation.” The foundation’s projects include the Avon Comprehensive Breast Center, renovating the Trauma Center Triage Room and the Women’s Option Center, bringing care to HIV infected children, and providing education and support to cancer patients, Richter said. There were between 40 and 50 heart submissions this year but Howard’s stood out. “We liked Brit’s heart because it is iconic of San Francisco. It was an unusual design, especially with the incorporation of the synthetic leather,” said Connie Shanahan, SFGH Foundation board member, and one of several who helped select this year’s artists. Shanahan explained that when they selected Heart of a Giant to be a part of this year’s series, the outcome of the 2012 World Series was

Irja Elisa

Brit Howard’s “Heart of a Giant” replicates the concept of an arrow piercing the heart using a baseball, bat, and a base pad.

still unknown. While the bidding for each heart starts at a baseline of $15,000 Howard’s submission was deemed so hot that the opening bid is marked for a cool $50,000. SFGH Foundation board member Patrick Smith said he was surprised at the starting bid, but it “shows the love and power of two brands – the San Francisco Giants and San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.” He added that the Giants connection is what attracted him to Howard’s piece. “Many San Franciscans have an emotional connection to the Giants, that same emotional connection translates to San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center; people caring for their community,” Smith said in an email. “Brit’s artistic style was very natural, handmade, and real – just like the sports team, as well as ‘holistic’ and natural caring like SFGH.” Howard already has a heart in mind for next year’s contest. “I’m going to submit a big taxidermy heart next year. Not real because I don’t want PETA to come after me but something with giant bunny ears,” she said, referring to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.t The table-top hearts are premiering at Macy’s in Union Square until February 13, in the Stockton Street window. The Heroes and Hearts luncheon will take place on Thursday, February 14 at AT&T Park from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Tickets start at $300. For more information, visit http://www.sfghf.net/hh/. Check out Howard’s website at http:// brithoward.virb.com/.

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<< Open Forum

4 • Bay Area Reporter • February 7-13, 2013

Volume 43, Number 06 February 7-13, 2013 www.ebar.com PUBLISHER Thomas E. Horn Bob Ross (Founder, 1971 – 2003) NEWS EDITOR Cynthia Laird ARTS EDITOR Roberto Friedman ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko Seth Hemmelgarn Jim Provenzano CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dan Aiello • Tavo Amador • Erin Blackwell Roger Brigham • Scott Brogan Victoria A. Brownworth • Philip Campbell Heather Cassell • Chuck Colbert Richard Dodds • David Duran Raymond Flournoy • David Guarino Liz Highleyman • Brandon Judell John F. Karr • Matthew Kennedy David Lamble • Michael McDonagh David-Elijah Nahmod • Elliot Owen Paul Parish • Lois Pearlman • Tim Pfaff Jim Piechota • Bob Roehr • Donna Sachet Adam Sandel • Jason Serinus • Gregg Shapiro Gwendolyn Smith • Ed Walsh • Sura Wood

ART DIRECTION T. Scott King ONLINE PRODUCTION Jay Cribas PHOTOGRAPHERS Danny Buskirk Jane Philomen Cleland Marc Geller Rick Gerharter Lydia Gonzales Rudy K. Lawidjaja Steven Underhill Bill Wilson ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Paul Berge Christine Smith GENERAL MANAGER Michael M. Yamashita DISPLAY ADVERTISING Simma Baghbanbashi Colleen Small Scott Wazlowski NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Rivendell Media – 212.242.6863

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Supes should pass tax relief plan

his month, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors will consider a proposal that would level the playing field for same-sex couples who are city employees. Under the plan by District 2 Supervisor Mark Farrell, the city would cover the tax costs LGBT city employees incur for their same-sex spouses or partner’s health care coverage provided by the city’s Health Services System. Referred to as “grossing up,” the move is needed because the federal Defense of Marriage Act does not recognize the marriage of same-sex couples and, as a result, LGBT city workers face a federal income tax penalty when they add their spouse or partner to their city-provided health care coverage. As we reported last week, the Internal Revenue Service treats any employer contribution for a same-sex partner or spouses’ health insurance premium as taxable income, unlike straight married couples. Under Farrell’s ordinance, the city would pay 20 percent of the portion of the employee’s health insurance premiums attributable to the same-sex spouse or partner as determined by the Health Services System. Farrell told us last week that the remedy, currently used in some form by some businesses and the cities of Cambridge, Massachusetts and Hallandale Beach, Florida, would go a long way toward San Francisco treating all of its workers equally. “It’s an issue I never knew existed until about a year and a half ago,” Farrell, who is straight, said. “I view this as economic discrimination.” It was while he was discussing various issues with Google that he came across the tax inequity. Google, it turns out, has offered the benefit to its same-sex employees and helped Cambridge develop its program. The board’s two gay members, Supervisors David Campos and Scott Wiener, are co-sponsors of Farrell’s plan. Wiener called the proposal “long overdue” and praised Farrell, a straight colleague, for his “strong support of the LGBT community.” Farrell said that so far, there is support for his ordinance on the board. Just recently, Supervisor Carmen Chu asked to be added as a co-sponsor, he said. “From my perspective, San Francisco has a long-standing practice of being a leader on LGBT rights and this is another step along the line,” Farrell said. It’s important to realize that this isn’t some sort of added financial bonus for gay city work-

ers with partners or spouses. If adopted, it will be an annual payment that will put LGBT employees on par with their straight counterparts. This is just one of many injustices of DOMA, and the city’s plan to ease the tax inequality for such workers is long overdue. Of course, if the U.S. Supreme Court rules later this year that DOMA is unconstitutional, then same-sex partnered employees will get the more than 1,000 benefits currently denied them, including not being taxed on health care premiums for their partners. But until that happens, Farrell’s legislation is needed and should be approved by the board. Finally, we join with Wiener in thanking Farrell for being a strong ally of the LGBT community. There aren’t that many LGBT voters in his district, and when he ran for office Farrell did not have any major LGBT support. Neither this publication nor the two LGBT political clubs endorsed him. There really isn’t much in this for him. Yet he saw an injustice and set out to correct it. For that, we think he deserves a shout out.

Distractions cost 49ers

Sunday’s Super Bowl was disappointing for San Francisco 49ers fans, as the team came up short in the Baltimore Ravens’ 34-31 victory. But for the LGBT community, the week leading up to the football championship game can be seen as a victory even in the fallout from an anti-gay rant by one of the 49er players and the distancing of two others from the team’s groundbreaking It Gets Better video. As the world knows by now, 49ers defensive player Chris Culliver decided that to get his 15 minutes of fame, he had to spew homophobic trash talk, and a shock radio jock provided the perfect opportunity. “I don’t do the gay guys, man,” Culliver said. “We don’t got no gay people on the team, they got to get up out of here if they do. Can’t be with that sweet stuff. Nah ... can’t be ... in the locker room, man. Nah.” The 49ers’ front office immediately said that it rejected Culliver’s remarks and he issued a garbled apology, followed a day later by a more coherent statement. And it turns out that Culliver has a gay relative, Andrew Brown, who was one of the directors of Word is Out, a 1977 gay documentary. Just before the Super Bowl, it was reported that Culliver would be working with the Trevor Project, a Los Angeles-based organization for LGBT youth. Team owner Jed

York praised the announcement, telling the San Francisco Chronicle that he hoped Culliver “will live up to his comments of wanting to expand his horizons, wanting to get to know the LGBT community.” In the second bit of news, players Ahmad Brooks and Isaac Sopoaga distanced themselves from an anti-bullying It Gets Better video they had made with teammates Donte Whitner and Ricky Jean Francois last summer. They claimed they didn’t know it was a video aimed at LGBT youth, and thought it was a general anti-bullying video. Dan Savage, who created the It Gets Better project following a spate of gay suicides, promptly removed it from the site. We expect the 49ers to make another anti-gay bullying video and to make sure that the players know exactly what they are participating in. The team has a sizable number of LGBT fans and, for now anyway, plays in San Francisco. It’s kind of ridiculous that the players chose Super Bowl week to make their comments, further ratcheting up the anti-gay rhetoric when the team should have been focused on football. It is especially ironic for 49ers fans that Ravens’ linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo is publicly supportive of the LGBT community and marriage equality – and has been since 2009. He had planned to use the Super Bowl media frenzy to speak out in support of marriage equality and against bullying, and his support was noted by media outlets that were covering Culliver. The contrast was stark. On Monday, a day after winning the Super Bowl, Ayanbadejo continued talking about equal rights issues with Russell Simmons. The larger victory for the LGBT community, however, is that with Culliver’s diatribe, it put the issue of gays in sports back on the front burner at the biggest sporting event in the country. It focused national attention on homophobia. The 49ers organization made it clear that it strongly supports tolerance in and out of the locker room. The reality is that it’s just a matter of time until an active player in one of the men’s major professional sports comes out – a topic that was also discussed last week. Homophobia, in and out of sports, continues to exist and there’s no sense in sugar-coating it. Flare-ups like Culliver’s provide a teachable moment and allow the public to see that his view is not shared by his colleagues. On the field, the Ravens provided some karmic revenge. Culliver was beat badly by the Ravens offense at one point, resulting in a touchdown. Maybe next time he’ll keep his comments to football.t

Surveying our LGBT elders by Larry Saxxon

an Francisco is truly a gifted and unique world-class city. It’s one that has very few, if any, rivals in America. The Board of Supervisors’ recent creation of the San Francisco LGBT Aging Policy Task Force as a first-in-the-nation is proof positive of this fact. The task force is a diverse representation of the racial, gender, and ethnic rainbow that is our community. Having worked in the HIV/AIDS service sector for more than 20 years, I feel blessed to be here during this moment. I am also mindful of the scores of friends and loved ones who did not make it. I remember them with love and a sense of loss that cannot be measured with mere words. I’m also mindful of just how few of us who are 50-plus that are left to enjoy the freedoms that our fallen comrades sacrificed in order to make San Francisco the LGBT capital of America, and indeed in many respects, the world. On a typical day when shopping for coffee or just strolling on Castro Street, I am acutely aware of just how few LGBT members there are walking down the street who, like me, sport a thinning snowy top or beard. We have become a rarity in our own community with so many who have had to leave the city, relocating to Palm Springs, Sonoma, and the East Bay, to name a few places. Many did not leave out of choice but out of financial and social necessity given the high cost of living and the social isolation that comes with aging in San Francisco. There are many times when I feel like I am a stranger walking in a strange new land simply

because I don’t often see my reflection in the faces of those that I pass. Many younger LGBT individuals do not speak to me, either out of politeness, shyness, or perhaps even awkwardly bearing witness to the fact that I am old. Given America’s obsession with its “youth culture,” much of which is simply motivated by marketing and sales, it makes sense to me, although that does not lessen the sting in my heart. As a black gay man, I have learned to coexist with the pain of social micro-aggression but I am hopeful that with time and exposure it will cease to exist. I monitor the HIV/AIDS statistics with an obsession-like concern, silently and fearfully. I wonder, “What can I say to warn and/or assist these young people” so that they do not fall into the midfields that my generation fell into? “Do I know how to communicate with them in a culturally competent, compassionate, and respectful manner, and will they even bother to listen to me?” In many countries elders hold an honored place in society. Not so much in America, however. Add that to the oppression that the LGBT community members already suffer from and you have a dialogic gulf that can be difficult to bridge. The San Francisco LGBT Aging Policy Task Force is conducting what will prove to be a first-of-its-kind LGBT community survey and research project. It is a first in that it endeavors to include the total rainbow that is the LGBT community, representing people of color, lesbians, gay white men, and transgender community members, African American and Asian/

Pacific Islanders, LGBT veterans, bisexuals, and everyone else who comprise our diverse community. If you’re interested in obtaining more information of both the task force and the upcoming survey, please take a few moments and visit our website: http://www.sf-hrc.org/index. aspx?page=201. This will offer a wide and exciting window of opportunity for what should be an intergenerational dialogue. Moreover, we who have survived society’s racism, homophobia, sexism, heterosexism, and a host of other oppressions can bear witness to the fact that, “We are still here and deeply desirous to contribute to our community as elder activists.” The task force has the potential to change the social values narrative by empowering the LGBT elders within the community and by offering an opening for the young to see that, among other things, we are a resilient people who have much to offer. Please join us at this important, first-of-its -kind function and both witness the fact that “We are truly still here and that we bring much in the form of seasoned wisdom that invariably comes with age.” If you have any questions about either the task force or the research project, please feel free to contact either Tom Nolan at (415) 3353517 or Tom.Nolan@sfgov.org, or Jason Alley at (415) 260-4597 or alleyjason@earthlink.net. Remember also, they who are old are an honored reflection of your future. Let us honor this gift together.t Larry Saxxon is a member of the San Francisco LGBT Aging Policy Task Force. For more on the upcoming survey, see story, page 6.

Letters >>

Shortcomings with MUMC, CBD

February 7-13, 2013 • Bay Area Reporter • 5

While unable to support Michael Komar’s position relative to dissolving both the Merchants of Upper Market and Castro and the Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District [Mailstrom, January 31], I do agree with the frustration that generates the premise expressed in his letter. Of late, MUMC seems more concerned with adding members – no matter who they represent – rather than developing a vision for the clearly changing and maturing neighborhood. Attend any of its bloated monthly meetings and you’ll quickly see there is little time to adequately discuss projects brought before the membership let alone a true discussion on the vision and direction needed for the neighborhood in general. Meanwhile we are buffeted by the waves of ever increasing business closures and related vacancies presently gripping the Upper Market and Castro business districts and the not unrelated fall off in business and foot traffic that is its result. How many vacancies will it take for MUMC leadership to begin to display just that – leadership – on the future of this historic, overly expensive, and soon to be more dense neighborhood? Or will it continue to cede its wellearned leadership position to other groups? The CBD, on the other hand, has taken a different approach. One no less troubling in its reach. Having decided they were constrained by their mission statement: “The mission of the Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District is to provide services that improve the quality of live in the neighborhood, emphasizing clean, safe, beautiful streets,” the board decided at some point to involve themselves in voting on land use issues. At the same time they also voted to limit public comment on that which the board discusses or votes to six minutes total. That means if six people show up each is limited to one minute of comment. If more than six people show up; well, you do the math. This is in effect at the same time the CBD implores the public to come to one of their meetings to be “involved.”

Apparently, the selfish absurdity of this rule is lost only on the CBD board since someone from the public has derided it at each of the last three meetings I’ve attended. How can one respect a group that on the one hand wants to be an arbiter of public policy yet, at the same time, clamps down on public discussion? It’s time for the CBD to get out of the business of voting on land use issues. I believe both these groups have, over the years, served the Castro and Upper Market business districts well and to their benefit. But, I also believe it’s now time for some reassessment of the direction these groups have chosen before they, like the historic neighborhood they choose to represent, both become any more irrelevant. Patrick Batt San Francisco

Much work still to do

Four years ago I ventured into the Bay Area motorcycle club community. I decided to forgo the usual: “Hey I’m gay, are you okay with that?” and just get to know people first. After a lengthy period of thought I decided to join one of the local clubs. I joined the Bay Area Delinquents. I was immediately made an officer and even started a San Francisco charter of the club. I didn’t talk about my sexuality and nobody ever asked. Right before Christmas I decided it was time to tell them. I announced I was leaving the club first. I was wished well and the officers of the club let everyone in the community know that they thought highly of me. Then I sent out an email to the club’s members and came out to them. I was threatened, told they didn’t want a homosexual associated with their club, and told they wanted me to disappear from the club scene and never come back. Same attitude as San Francisco 49er Chris Culliver had. I was patient and respectful, I try and give people time, but things don’t change until someone makes change. Brian DiCrocco San Francisco

Arts panel OKs LGBT history plaques compiled by Cynthia Laird

an Francisco arts commissioners gave their approval this week to the design for LGBT history plaques set to be embedded in the sidewalks in the city’s gay Castro district. Known as the Rainbow Honor Walk, the project aims to bring attention to the achievements of LGBT individuals whose sexual orientation or gender identity the public may not readily know about. Among the first inductees are artists Frida Kahlo and Keith Haring. Last fall the project’s volunteer board selected Venezuelan-born architect Carlos Casuso’s design for the square-shaped plaques. Made out of bronze, each would feature the photo of an honoree with a short bio and the person’s signature. Casuso, who lives in Madrid, Spain, is the brother-in-law of project co-founder David Perry, who owns his own public relations firm. The men’s familial ties were made known to the project’s board prior to voting for Casuso’s entry. In January the arts commission’s civic design review committee gave its support to the proposed design. But members did express concerns about the safety measures being taken to ensure the plaques will not be stolen. A plaque honoring the late gay Supervisor Harvey Milk was stolen from the Castro Muni station in 2011. Perry said the committee has been talking to the city’s Department of Public Works on how to ensure the new plaques are secure from theft. At their meeting Monday, February 4 arts commissioners voted to support the decision to choose Casuso’s concept for the honorary markers. The commission unanimously approved the design without any discussion or comment; Commissioner Roberto Ordenana recused himself from voting due

to financial ties between his employer, the LGBT Community Center, and the Rainbow Honor Walk, which has rented space from the center. “It is now a go, so we can move forward with aggressive fundraising,” said Perry. The project’s steering committee estimates it needs to raise at least $100,000 to pay for and install the first batch of 20 plaques. Five each will be placed on both sides of the 400 and 500 blocks of Castro Street. City planners working to expand the neighborhood’s sidewalks are coordinating their work with the honor walk promoters. No date has been set yet for when the plaques will be installed and publicly revealed, but the project boosters are shooting for spring 2014. “Our hope is, even though they won’t be installed until 2014, to get these plaques produced this year and find a place to exhibit them so people can come visit them and use this as a fundraising tool,” said Perry. For more information about the Rainbow Honor Walk, including the first 20 honorees, visit http:// rainbowhonorwalk.org/.

Woman robbed of purse in Castro

A woman was robbed of her purse while walking with a male friend at Castro and 16th streets early Saturday morning. According to San Francisco police, the incident occurred February 2 at 1:50 a.m. when the pair was walking northbound on Castro Street. They were approached by the suspect, who demanded property as he pointed a handgun at the victims. The suspect then grabbed the woman’s purse and ran northbound on Castro Street, turning right onto Beaver Street. Police reported that the purse contained credit cards, cash, and the victim’s ID.

The suspect is described as a black man, 30 years old.

WORLD to hold community forum in Oakland

Women Organized to Respond to Life-Threatening Diseases will hold a community forum entitled, “Count Us In California” Wednesday, February 13 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza (14th and Broadway streets, near 12th Street BART station). The meeting is to increase community awareness in issues that affect HIV-positive women. Experts will address topics such as the Alameda County HIV/AIDS epidemic, how the HIV-positive community is affected by the upcoming health care chances; and what the community can do to advocate for positive people and ensure they receive the care, support, and leadership that they deserve. The meeting is also an opportunity for people to speak out on their health care experiences and to get involved in the Count Us In campaign.

Freedom to Marry event at SF City Hall Feb. 14

Marriage Equality USA, the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, and others will be at San Francisco City Hall on Valentine’s Day for the annual Freedom to Marry event. The festivities start at noon in the South Light Court. Same-sex couples will ask the city clerk for marriage licenses, and likely will be politely turned away as such marriages are not now legal in California. Alice officials noted, however, that with the U.S. Supreme Court hearing two same-sex marriage cases next month, including California’s Proposition 8 federal lawsuit, this year’s event is important. The justices are expected to issue decisions in the two cases by June. For more information on next week’s action, or events in other cities, visit www.marriageequality.org.

Nominees sought for Youth Courage Awards

The Colin Higgins Foundation is See page 13 >>

<< LGBT Seniors

6 • Bay Area Reporter • February 7-13, 2013

Report details SF LGBT senior issues by Matthew S. Bajko

new report is giving San Francisco officials some sense of what issues the city’s LGBT senior population is grappling with as a task force works to address their concerns. The findings contained in the report paint a complex picture about the city’s aging LGBT residents. When compared to their counterparts in other cities, elderly LGBTs in San Francisco are more likely to be living in poverty, single, childless, renters, and living with HIV. Most have also experienced the death of a partner. Conversely, nearly all LGBT seniors in the city have some form of health care coverage, most consider themselves to be in

good health, and many show strong resilience when faced with adversity. About 81 percent regularly see a doctor, though 7 percent felt seeing a physician was cost prohibitive. Called “LGBT Older Adults in San Francisco: Health, Risks, and Resilience,” the report’s findings are based on the responses from 295 older LGBT San Franciscans who took part in a national research project in late 2009 and early 2010 known as “Caring and Aging with Pride.” Karen I. FredriksenGoldsen, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Washington and director of the Institute for Multigenerational Health, conducted the federally financed study and is working with San Francisco’s LGBT Aging Policy Task Force on developing a

Rick Gerharter

Researcher Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen, Ph.D. made a presentation at last month’s meeting of the San Francisco LGBT Aging Policy Task Force. Jane Philomen Cleland

new survey to delve deeper into the needs of the city’s LGBT seniors. Because the majority of respondents to the initial survey were single white gay men, the report only gives “an initial snapshot” of San Francisco’s LGBT senior population and “limits the generalizability of the findings,” stressed FredriksenGoldsen. More information is needed, she added, to better gauge what issues transgender and bisexual older adults face as well as the concerns of specific racial and ethnic communities. Despite the report’s limitations, Fredriksen-Goldsen said it does provide a wealth of information for city officials and community advocates working to develop a plan to address LGBT aging issues. “It is taking a very extensive look within the San Francisco community, one that has not been done previously,” she said. “I really think the report and the information in it really shows some significant challenges for older LGBT adults.” The report’s findings and the work that the aging task force is undertaking will have benefits not just for LGBT seniors, added Fredriksen-Goldsen. “I think it is important to realize too that better understanding the experiences and needs of older LGBT adults really does help us understand the needs of seniors in general,” she said. It is estimated there are at least 162,000 San Franciscans age 60 and older, with at least 18,000 of those being LGBT. The aging policy task force has been assigned to develop a detailed plan to address the needs of those LGBT seniors that is due by early 2014. To help guide its work, the task force asked Fredriksen-Goldsen, an out lesbian who is 55, to pull out the responses from San Francisco residents to her earlier national study and analyze the data. Gay men accounted for 198 of the participants, with 81 lesbians, 11 bisexuals and five people who chose “other” also taking part. Among the total, eight people identified as transgender. The age range was from 50 to 70 and older, with 42 percent in the 60 to 69 years old age bracket. In terms of the respondents’ race, the study included 249 white non-Hispanics, 17 Hispanics, eight Native Americans, six Asian Americans, and five African Americans. Ten people listed themselves as multi-racial. The San Francisco specific report found that 41 percent of the participants had “seriously considered” suicide, 62 percent lacked companionship, and 58 percent felt isolated. One-quarter wasn’t out to their neighbors. When asked about being victim-

Ashley McCumber, left, of the LGBT Aging Policy Task Force, thanks San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón on receiving a $3,500 grant that will be used to conduct focus groups with LGBT seniors on the issue of public safety. The groups are expected to be held in the Castro, South of Market, and Tenderloin neighborhoods. The grants are a result of funds collected from Neighborhood Court directives and held by the district attorney’s office for the sole purpose of disbursement through grants once a year to communitybased organizations.

ized during their lifetimes, 79 percent had been subjected to verbal insults, 53 percent said they had been threatened with physical violence, and a third said they had been hassled by police. In terms of employment discrimination, 31 percent said they had not been hired for a job due to being LGBT, 29 percent were denied a job promotion and 21 percent said they were fired. In January when she presented the findings to the task force, Fredriksen-Goldsen noted that, “Many services fail to take into account the unique needs facing LGBT older adults and their caregivers.” Sue Englander, 60, said the report mirrors her own experiences as a bisexual woman and having worked as a nurse for 25 years. “It wasn’t a surprise to me to know how fragile the LGBT elder community is,” said Englander, the lead convener of this year’s Howard Grayson LGBT Elder Life Conference, which will take place Saturday, March 30 and is sponsored by the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club. “Circumstances can change in 24 hours for somebody, unless you are well-connected and have people checking on you regularly. Many of us don’t have a financial and emotional reserve we can rely on to take care of ourselves. A lot of the community is just living on the edge.” She also was unfazed by the findings that 14 percent of LGBT older adults were not out to their physician and that 13 percent said they had been denied health care services or felt they had received inferior health care due to their actual or perceived sexual orientation and/or gender identity. “First of all, even after so many years of training and talking about the necessity of discussing these things, medical and social service professionals sometimes are reluctant to raise issues about sexuality, sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Englander. “Professionals are still going to have to go a long way to bridge the gap between themselves and the communities they are serving.” Although slightly less than 3 percent of the 295 people in the study identified themselves as being transgender, the researchers were able to draw some conclusions about those seniors. Transgender participants reported higher rates of depressive

symptoms, high rates of anxiety, and high rates of suicidal ideation. The study also found that transgender respondents had low levels of community belonging. “The thing that really strikes me the most about this report is what a terrible situation transgender seniors are in,” said Bill Ambrunn, 50, the aging task force’s chair. “If you look at the statistics where LGBT seniors are doing poorly, you find that the transgender portion are doing twice as bad.” Yet it is unclear what the exact reasons are behind those statistics, noted Ambrunn. “The experts point to a lifetime of stigma and discrimination will have both economic and medical consequences. I think in seniors, especially transgender seniors of color, there is just this huge piling on of socioeconomic factors that are really impacting them at the end of their lives.” The task force has prioritized seeing larger numbers of transgender seniors and LGBT adults of color fill out the new survey it plans to launch in late March or April. Several key areas the locally based questionnaire is expected to focus on include housing needs, social services, discrimination, and elder abuse. “What we found when the task force reviewed city data on LGBT seniors is that people of color, transgender seniors, and seniors for whom English is a second language are under-represented. The task force survey will be focusing on those communities,” said Marcy Adelman, Ph.D., 66, a task force member whose career since the 1970s has focused on LGBT aging. Larry Saxxon, 60, a gay black man on the aging task force, is helping spearhead efforts to recruit a diverse pool of LGBT people to take part in the new survey. More than 400 respondents age 60 and older are needed for the data to be statistically significant. “At the end of the day we have to be able to say this research represents the entire rainbow” within the LGBT community, Saxxon said. “There are also a lot of people who don’t identify as LGBT but live an LGBT lifestyle.” To download a copy of the “LGBT Older Adults in San Francisco ...” report, visit http://www.sf-hrc.org/ index.aspx?page=201#Resources. It is the last PDF file listed.t

Politics>>

t Planning policy could restrict chain stores in the Castro by Matthew S. Bajko

ith a number of new retail spaces coming to the upper Market corridor running through the city’s gay Castro district, planning officials are looking at how to prevent only chain stores from opening in the area. Already the city’s planning department has informed Starbucks, Chipotle, and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf that it is not supportive of their applications to open in prime corner retail locations at three different intersections in the gayborhood. “Personally, I don’t think it is appropriate with those visible corner spots for a chain store to go in there,” said Planning Director John Rahaim during the Castro/Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association’s January 30 meeting. He said the department is leaning toward recommending CVS’s bid to open inside the former Tower Records space as the drugstore chain has wide community support and plans to completely alter the facade of the drab concrete building near the intersection of Noe and Market streets. “We are talking to CVS about that site. We know people are supporting it because the space has been vacant for so long and the building is such a mess,” said Rahaim, a gay man and former Seattle resident hired to the city’s top planning job five years ago. For months planning staffers have been working with gay District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener and leaders of various Castro neighborhood groups on a new policy that would restrict the ability of formula retail to set up shop along Market Street. While the exact boundary is still under review, the area being targeted is Market Street between Octavia Boulevard south to Castro Street. “We are working with the supervisor’s office about how to put more stringent controls on that part of Market,” said Rahaim, noting that up to 50,000 square feet of new ground floor retail is set to come online in the area in the next two years. A Whole Foods has already been approved for a corner space at Market and Dolores streets, as has a new Bank of the West at 16th, Market and Noe streets. In recent years both a Chase bank and a Verizon phone outlet opened in corner spots at the intersection of Market, 15th and Sanchez streets where Starbucks wants to open. The infusion of national retailers to the area has altered Rahaim’s view on using planning codes to restrict their proliferation, as when he initially arrived in town he viewed the city’s controls on formula retail with some skepticism. Any retailer with 10 or more stores anywhere in the country needs to apply for a conditional use permit from the Planning Commission to open in the city. A few neighborhoods have gone further and adopted outright bans on chain stores. Rahaim is now taking a harsher stance toward allowing chain stores in certain parts of town. “I share the concern. I am getting a lot crankier about formula retail,” said Rahaim, who lives in the Mission. Wiener, who lives in Duboce Triangle, is on record in opposition to seeing a blanket restriction against chain stores in his district. Instead, he favors policies that would allow those companies with support from residents to open and require those with opposition to come under heightened review.

Rick Gerharter

Planning Director John Rahaim

“I am not a fan of blanket prohibitions on chain stores,” he told the Bay Area Reporter in a phone interview this week. “I think that is using a sledgehammer instead of a scalpel and can have pretty bad unintended consequences.” Under the policy being proposed for upper Market Street, whenever an application for formula retail comes into planning, staff would map a certain number of feet around the proposed site, likely a 300-foot radius, to determine the percentage of storefronts in that area that are also formula retail. If the percentage is above a certain threshold, which has yet to be determined, then planning staff would automatically recommend against approval for the store. The applicant could still go before the Planning Commission to seek their permit, and it would allow for neighborhood interests to voice their support for certain applicants. “That way if there is strong community support for a particular store there would still be that flexibility to approve it,” said Wiener. “It is a good balance between monitoring formula retail and not having a ban.” Because the disallowance of a business’ permit can be appealed to the Board of Supervisors, Wiener would not comment on if he agreed with the planning department’s position on specific retailers. What he would say is that he thinks “it is important to continually monitor the level of formula retail in the neighborhood to make sure that we don’t end up having so much formula retail it undermines the uniqueness and character of the retail district.” C/EVNA President Alan BeachNelson, who has participated in the discussions on the new chain store restrictions, is supportive of the approach. “I like the idea of a policy position and trying to figure out the percentage for chain stores versus mom-andpops,” he said. The encroachment of chain stores in the Castro has been a topic of debate for decades. Ironically, one of the first chains to move in, Diesel, shuttered its Castro location in late January. Another, Pottery Barn, said in 2010 it wanted to vacate its space kitty-corner to Diesel but remains open. Rumors that Apple was looking at the two storefronts appear baseless, according to several sources. Other recent fights have centered on Levi’s opening a retail space on Castro Street and Walgreens’ continued expansion in the area. Opinions often are mixed depending on the type of store and the location. “I am disappointed about the Diesel store closing,” said Steve Adams, president of the city’s Small Business Commission and past president of

the Castro’s merchant group. “In my opinion there needs to be a balance between the two – formula retail and non-formula retail.” But Gary Weiss, who owns Ixia flowers on Market Street, cautioned that the problem with chain stores is they drive up landlord’s expectations on what they can charge for commercial rents, making it cost prohibitive for locally owned businesses. And when a chain closes, the rents remain inflated often leaving the space vacant for months or years. “The majority of people would favor more mom-and-pop stores,” said Weiss during last week’s C/EVNA meeting. “But if a store remains vacant people get angry, so if a chain is going in they would rather have that instead of nothing.” It has been evident for months that the aforementioned trio of chains was facing obstacles to seeking city approval for their Market Street store plans. A clear signal was the fact none have yet been scheduled for a Planning Commission hearing. In 2011 Starbucks announced it wanted to open a new store at 2201 Market Street on the corner of Sanchez where it could provide outdoor seating. The plans were immediately met with opposition from nearby residents and merchants, while fans of the Seattle-based coffee brewer voiced their backing. Last summer Chipotle announced plans to move into 2100 Market Street, the former Home restaurant site, and open a branch of the Mexican burrito chain run by gay founder and co-CEO Steve Ells. But it, too, has faced fierce opposition from the neighborhood, and last week it launched an online survey and advertising campaign in the B.A.R. to try to drum up support. So far 34 people have signed it, with several saying it would increase customer traffic to the area and be a benefit to nearby businesses. “It is time to act with common sense. We have too many vacant storefronts in the Castro because there are a select group of very vocal people who are opposed to everything. Chipotle will bring jobs, sales tax revenue, and people to shop in the area,” wrote Daniel Paulsen. The latest retailer to run into trouble is Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, whose local franchisee announced in October plans to open at 2301 Market Street. The spot on the ground floor of the Fitness SF building has been vacant for some time. None of the three chains are likely to go before the Planning Commission until the new policy is adopted. Planning staff is expected to present the final rules for upper Market later this spring. “It would allow us to test it out as it would be the first time in the city for us to do this sort of policy,” said Rahaim. In the meantime a number of Castro groups are conducting a retail leakage study to better gauge the kinds of stores needed in the neighborhood and how to attract them to open there. “It will determine what businesses are missing, making people get in their cars and leave the neighborhood,” explained Beach-Nelson.t Got a tip on LGBT politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 861-5019 or e-mail m.bajko@ebar.com.

On the web Online content this week includes the Bay Area Reporter’s online column, Political Notes; the Out in the World and Venture Out columns; an article on the new Eden Pride Foundation; and a photo of a vigil for World Cancer Day. www.ebar.com.

February 7-13, 2013 • Bay Area Reporter • 7

<< Sports

12 • Bay Area Reporter • February 7-13, 2013

Bittersweet stuff by Roger Brigham

usings on Sunday’s Super Bowl, which annually marks the official countdown to the opening of spring training. • Interactive TV is a wonderful and entertaining invention, but Sunday reminded me how far from perfection it remains. No matter how many times I replayed those final moments, the Niners still tried to pass rather than run and came up a few yards short in the Ravens’ 34-31 win. • Maybe it’s just the California cynic in me, but when the lights went out, I immediately suspected Enron and deregulation. • Funniest tweet during the Super Bowl has to belong to Yahoo sports columnist Dan Wetzel. The karmic weight of the world was on cornerback Chris Culliver’s shoulders going into the game because of anti-gay remarks he had made in the days leading up. Tell-

ing an interviewer, “I don’t do the gay guys, man,” Culliver said openly gay players would not be welcome on his team. “We don’t got no gay people on the team, they got to get up out of here if they do,” Culliver said. “Can’t be with that sweet stuff. Nah ... can’t be ... in the locker room, man. Nah.” The Niners’ front office swiftly denounced the comments and Culliver said he had not meant to be hurtful and the words did not reflect what was in his heart, but the Niners image then took another beating when fellow defensive players Ahmad Brooks and Isaac Sopoaga distanced themselves from an anti-bullying It Gets Better video they had made with teammates Donte Whitner and Ricky Jean Francois. The Niners had scored major good-will points in August when they became the first NFL team to make such a video. After Brooks and Sopoaga first denied making the video and then said

Courtesy CBS

San Francisco 49er Chris Culliver tries to backpedal his antigay comments during a press conference last week.

they had made it but just to oppose bullying, not to support gay rights, the campaign yanked the video from its website. So as the Ravens torched Culliver, who was the target of much of Baltimore’s passing attack, with a 56-yard touchdown pass for a 21-3 score in the first half, Wetzel tweeted: “Dear Chris Culliver: It Gets Better.” • Check your contract, Chris. You were signed and drafted by the Nin-

ers in 2011. That same year, antidiscrimination language protecting the rights of gay players to be in the league was put in the NFL player agreement. It is intolerance that has no place in the locker room. Can’t be with that bigot crap. Although the Niners verbally rebuked Culliver, they announced no suspension or fine. No surprise; as I noted in my column last December, when the NFL and the Cleveland Browns took no sanctions over homophobic remarks made by linebacker Tank Carder, the NFL lags behind the other major sports, which have used sanctions ranging from $50,000 to three-game suspensions. It was announced that Culliver and his family have contacted the Trevor Project and will undergo sensitivity training. • Ray Lewis must think we’re pretty naive if he thinks we’re going to believe those deer antler velvet denials. You can’t tell me Santa’s able to distribute millions of presents across the globe in 24 hours without dipping into Rudolph’s stash now and then. • Maybe we’ve just gotten spoiled with success in the Bay Area. The men’s and women’s basketball teams at Stanford and Berkeley are having great seasons;

The big three by Gwendolyn Ann Smith

he 25th annual Creating Change conference for LGBT equality was held recently in Atlanta. While I was unable to attend this year, I have in the past and have found it an enlightening and useful event. At the very least, it is a wonderful time to get out and network with other activists doing similar work, and figuring out ways one can work even better. Not having the ability to travel to the Peach State this year, however, I would like to put forth a few things for those who work in transgender rights – either directly or as part of a larger LGBT organization – to consider. These are all things that I feel are possible pitfalls for those of us who call ourselves activists to work to solve, or perhaps agenda items for the future. Let’s call this my big three list.

1. The deception assumption

The notion that transgender people are inherently deceptive is probably the deepest cultural belief that transgender people end up having to fight against. It is the root of nearly every movie ever created with a transgender theme, from comedies like Some Like It Hot, thrillers like Silence of the Lambs, or even

LGBT elders

From page 1

partner for 33 years and said, “I’m not trying to get laid.” “I’m a human being, and I am an LGBT brother who’s an elder who has some amazing stories to share,” he said. The experiences that Saxxon has lived appear to reflect those of many African American LGBT elders. Among other issues, they’ve lost numerous friends to AIDS while dealing with homophobia and racism. Saxxon is HIV-negative, which he called a “miracle,” but he said, “I’ve lost 95 percent of my friends” to the disease. He recalled being the San Francisco AIDS Foundation’s first black social worker in the 1980s. “They said, ‘There may not be a lot of black clients, Larry,’” Saxxon,

the Sharks opened the belated NHL season with seven games of perfection; the Warriors are relevant in the NBA season (and tons of fun to watch) for the first time in recent memory; and the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants finished exciting regular seasons with dramatic playoff runs and a championship for the G-men. I’m pretty sure the sudden resurgence of the Niners almost immediately after the lengthy stadium blackout at the start of the second half had to have been inspired by a Hunter Pence pep talk. We’ll get those pep talks soon enough. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training next week.

Sports info. night

A community team dodge ball tournament and LGBT sports information night will be sponsored by Team San Francisco Saturday, February 9 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Eureka Valley Recreation Center at 18th and Collingwood streets. The event will be followed by a party at Hi Tops sports bar, 2247 Market Street. Ten-player teams can pre-register by writing to teamsfgaygames@ gmail.com. More information is available on the Team San Francisco Facebook page.t preys on their basic fears over safety.

3. Securing a common ground

largely positive films like Boys Don’t Cry. It is also the basis of the so-called transgender panic defense, where the murderer of a transgender person claims victimhood status, declaring that they only attacked and killed another human being because they had been “deceived” as to that person’s gender identity, and acted out accordingly. It is this assumption of deception that causes people to consider transgender people untrustworthy, that makes others believe that if we’re trying to “deceive” them about our gender, we are somehow capable of “lying” about, well, anything. In many ways, we may be our own worst enemies when it comes to fighting this assumption. We often talk about “passing” in our preferred gender; a term associated initially with passing as something the user was not. We also talk about not being “read,” which has similar linguistic issues. So often we talk about living “stealth,” and “woodworking” so that no one knows our history. This is all the language of deception, and does little to defeat this notion of our lives being unauthentic. Adding to the difficulty is the notion that expecting our lives to be accepted at face value, we have to

somehow be out about all aspects of our lives. We should be allowed the same basic privacies of any other person, and not have to spend our days detailing our surgical status, previous names, and so on as a passport into “realness.” If we can, as a community, figure out a way to effectively combat this notion that transgender people are inherently liars, we will solve a lot of issues. Indeed, I think that this ties strongly into the next thing to consider.

who’s multi-racial, said. However, he said, “The word came out, honey, and all these black queens came flying in from the Tenderloin,” another San Francisco neighborhood. Eventually, most of the people on his caseload died. Raven Mahosadha, 53, is a clinical case manager at SFAF, where he works with two black-focused programs. Mahosadha, who identifies as African American and same-gender loving, said the Bay Area is one place “that has been more traumatically impacted by HIV and AIDS, and so we have elders now who have seen a significant part of their generation die.” The clients Mahosadha works with who are in their late 40s to early 70s face some of the same concerns as their straight counterparts, such as loneliness, isolation, and

“the ongoing impact of racism in America,” he said. However, he said, those feelings “might be more intense” in the gay community “because I personally believe the LGBT community is more youth obsessed.” He said the general African American community is centered in what he calls “the black church,” and “many LGBT elders are disenfranchised from the black church because the black church continues to be rather homophobic and non-welcoming of LGBT people.” Mahosadha said he has “a strong support system,” mostly made up by people who identify as straight. He said he’s a “very spiritually motivated” person and sources of support include church and East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland.

Christine Smith

2. The bathroom meme

This is a common cultural belief that has taken hold over the last few years. In short, it is the belief that allowing transgender people to have access to public accommodations – and other equal rights – you are giving rapists and child molesters access to your wives and children when they use public restrooms. It’s a horribly crude notion. It plays into all sorts of irrational

fears, assuming that the government wants to take away your right to protect those you hold dear, or open you up to legalized assault. It’s also an utterly ridiculous claim, and ignores the obvious fact that a molester or rapist is breaking the law to fulfill their interests in the first place, and would not be given any more rights to do so. Nevertheless, this is also an argument that has been used successfully to hold back transgender rights in multiple cases, and will continue to rear its ugly head in any future transgender rights battles until it is finally stopped. I don’t feel that the solution is to make highbrow arguments against it, nor to assume you can appeal to logic: this requires a gut-level response, aimed not at those who would use the bathroom meme, but those who would be swayed by it. It requires speaking directly to the “reptile brain” of those who would be persuaded by an argument that

Local efforts

There are efforts in San Francisco to recognize the contributions of black LGBT elders. Byron Mason is the curator of Legendary: African American GLBT Past Meets Present, an exhibit showcasing the diverse history of Bay Area African American gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender lives since the 1970s. Mason, who identifies as a black gay man, is also research partnerships director for the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at UCSF. Mason, 40, said, “valuing the history and knowledge and contributions of African American LGBT folks should be a higher priority.” He said another issue is “the changing demographics of San Francisco. ... Many working class people of color can’t afford to stay here anymore.”

If you felt the above were difficult, consider the state of our community. We are a diverse group of transsexuals, cross dressers, gender queers, and all sorts of people exploring their gender identity and expression in their own ways. We cut across all ethnicities, all ages, all socio-economic levels, all interests – and we rarely are able to agree. I would go so far as to say that we often relish in our outsider status, and seek to remain so. We’re often more busy pushing others away, carving our own niches, and correcting those who we find wanting. We tear each other down regularly, and question the works of all. This makes it difficult to build a coalition: how do we find out common ground, and how can we manage to keep a focus and purpose over a long term? I think this is key to our future success, and yet near impossible to obtain. I want to see our best minds come together: our writers, our policy makers, our street activists and everyone with a stake in the transgender community at any level. I want to see the “big three” explored – and solved. In doing so, we will be able to set our path to our future. Let’s do it now.t Gwen Smith always believes things come in threes. You can find her online at http://www. gwensmith.com.

Saxxon appears to have seen that firsthand in San Francisco’s Fillmore district, which he moved to about 30 years ago. “I remember when it was absolutely, solidly all black” in a large chunk of the neighborhood, he said, but “now I’m actually the only African American left in my whole block.” He said that although he regrets the loss of African Americans, he embraces the presence of Latinos, Asian Americans, and others. “I’m trying to do the best I can to move with the winds of change,” Saxxon said. “If you resist them, you snap.” Bartholomew Casimir, a black gay man who helped start San Francisco’s Black Coalition on AIDS and other efforts, is currently employed, See page 13 >>

Community News>>

February 7-13, 2013 • Bay Area Reporter • 13

CA justices hear medical pot dispensary case by Chris Carson

ollowing oral arguments Tuesday, it appears that the California Supreme Court was not persuaded that medical marijuana dispensaries could operate in cities that have banned them. The main questions in front of the justices, which held a special session on the University of San Francisco campus, were: do municipalities have the power to ban medical marijuana dispensaries within their city or county limits or can state law strip them of their power to regulate land use within their borders? The case, City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patients Health and Wellness Center, was one of three the justices heard February 5 on the college campus. Arguing for the wellness center, attorney J. David Nick told the justices that the city of Riverside does not have the power to ban the Inland Empire dispensary, or shut it down, for doing

AOF

From page 1

HIV apps

From page 1

living with HIV and AIDS. He was first diagnosed with HIV in October 1996, a decade after his father, Joe J. Cramer, Jr., Ph.D., an accomplished academician, died from AIDS. Merck purposefully chose today, Thursday February 7, which is National Black HIV Awareness Day, to officially announce Cramer’s participation in the campaign. In a phone interview last week with the Bay Area Reporter, Cramer said he had already downloaded the apps and has begun using them to track his own health. “They are easy-to-use tools,” said Cramer, adding that in terms of his own health he is “doing fantastic. My viral load is undetectable.” Through his involvement in the I Design campaign Cramer is particularly focused on reaching young

juana under state law (the federal government currently does not recognize the law); in 2004 state legislation was enacted to clarify Prop 215. Through most of the oral argument Nick seemed on his heels because of the justices’ quick challenges to his ar-

LGBT elders

er live auction. Items include two tickets to the finale party for the fifth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race TV show. Former Drag Race contestants Pandora Boxx and Latrice Royale are set to perform at the AOF benefit. “We’re trying to get a younger demographic to come to the gala,” Edelman said. Len Broberg, a well-known

Shawn Calhoun/University of San Francisco

California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu

News Briefs

From page 5

now accepting nominations of LGBTQ youth activists for its annual Youth Courage Awards. The dead-

guments. Yet Nick continually fell back to his point that municipalities cannot ban what state law made lawful. “To allow dispensaries to be banned in Riverside would be opposite of what the voters asked for,” Nick said, when they passed the Compassionate Use Act. The justices were equally as challenging to Jeffrey V. Dunn, who argued on behalf of the city of Riverside. While Justice Kathryn M. Werdegar acknowledged Dunn’s argument that the Compassionate Use Act does not guarantee cities and counties provide access to medical marijuana and the language of the law is “limited to provide defense against criminal prosecution,” she wondered if banning a dispensary would not be the exact opposite of the Compassionate Use Act. “Does regulation mean prohibition?” she asked. Dunn said “yes,” but the justices seemed hesitant to accept his definition of the word.

Speaking about the Medical Marijuana Program, the supplemental law responsible for creating identification cards for qualified patients and caregivers, Justice Goodwin Liu asked Dunn why the county would go through the trouble of the ID cards if they have the power to ban medical marijuana outright and “be done with it?” Liu noted the ID cards would be useless if counties had the power to prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries. In his closing arguments, shortly after the noon alarm cut him off, filling the McLaren Conference Center with laughter, Dunn said that the purposes of the Compassionate Use Act and the Medical Marijuana Program were to provide a “safe distribution system” of medical marijuana and “that has not happened.” The justices are required to give their written ruling within 90 days. Whatever they decide, Corrigan made clear the first place they will look for their decision is the “plain language of the law.”t

of care is really important for queer people,” Gomez, who’s African American and Native American, said. For people of color, she added, many “are not hooked into the mainstream. Sometimes it makes it a little more difficult to gain services or knowledge about services.” Asked about what needs to be done about issues facing black LGBT elders, Mason, the Legendary exhibit curator, said, “I think it starts by maybe just acknowledging that there’s a problem. It’s very difficult to address or have a conversation about a problem if people don’t think it’s a problem.” An opening reception for the exhibit will be held from 7 to 9 p.m., February 20, at the GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th Street, San Francisco. For more information, visit http://www.glbthistory.org.t

outreach coordinator, said one aim of research the panel’s involved in is

to find out “what the lived experiences are of the LGBT community

that’s aging in San Francisco.” Race is among the factors the group is looking at. Being part of the task force has already been helpful. It’s “given me a reason to come out every day,” he said. Jazzie Collins, 54, a transgender woman of color who is vice chair of the task force, said, “My concern is long-term care facilities for our elderly community members.” She pointed to worries that residents “end up going back into the closet” when faced with discrimination. Lesbian author and poet Jewelle Gomez, 64, president of the San Francisco Library Commission, also pointed to health care challenges for LGBT elders. “The majority of gay people aren’t generally partnered, so if you’re living far from your family or estranged from your family, creating networks

leatherman and San Francisco police inspector, will be the live auctioneer. There will be dancing with a DJ after the awards show. This year’s venue, Terra Gallery, is different from where previous AOF galas have been held. Edelman said the space feels more intimate and would help drive down costs. AOF is hoping for a total of 1,500 people to attend, including 200 volunteers. Total attendance last year was 1,200. Also new this year is the Send a

Friend program. People can nominate someone to go to the gala for a $10 donation, which goes to the beneficiary. For every $500 raised, two tickets will be given away. AOF already had four tickets to give away as of mid-January. Funds from corporate sponsorships and underwriters are used to pay for the gala itself, which is expected to cost over $100,000, Edelman said. Nordstrom is returning as the presenting sponsor. New sponsors include Comerica

Bank and Swiss International Airlines. Recent years had seen trouble for AOF, with beneficiaries receiving less than what they had expected from the nonprofit. But Edelman, who took the lead at the organization in June 2011, and others worked to simplify operations for the 2012 gala and continue to move forward this year. AOF’s board has 11 members, six of whom are new. There are two women on the panel. Edelman said

he hopes to further involve the lesbian community. AOF will have a pre-gala kick-off from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., February 20, at the Capital One 360 Cafe, 101 Post Street. Tickets for this event are $20 for guests; but free for beneficiaries, corporate sponsors, and underwriters. General tickets for the Oscar night gala are $250. VIP tickets are $750. For more information visit http:// www.academyoffriends.org.t

black gay and bisexual men who continue to be at alarming risk for contracting HIV. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, black gay and bisexual men account for more than a third of the nearly 30,000 new HIV infections each year among men who have sex with men. Young black gay and bisexual men continue to bear “the heaviest burden,” accounting for more new HIV infections than any other group in the U.S., adds the CDC. “There is such high prevalence of HIV in the black MSM community that my personal mission has been to really focus on not only all people living with HIV but black MSM and black women in particular,” said Cramer. A key to HIV prevention these days is making sure those with the disease know their status and are in

care. Studies have shown that suppressing viral loads can reduce HIV transmissions. Cramer sees the new HIV apps as an easy way for HIV-positive men to maintain their treatment regimens and monitor their health. “I figure if we have time to go on Facebook, Grindr, or other apps we can click onto My Health Matters and input some info so when we get to our doctor appointment we have updated info,” he said. “I would have certain issues with things I might feel in-between doctor visits and when I get to my doctor again forget about it. With these apps you don’t forget anything.” As for privacy concerns, the apps’ names are purposefully generic so as not to be easily identified as having to do with HIV. Those with concerns should carefully read the privacy policies used by both Merck and Apple’s

iTunes store before choosing to enable the apps. Asked about the issue, Cramer said he feels his personal information is secure. “It is all encrypted. No one is mining the data or scanning this info, it is really just for the individual,” he said. The apps have helped him monitor his medications, said Cramer, since he has struggled to adhere to the required dosages in the past. “It is really exciting to be able to track and monitor your own personal progress. These things make it easier to do it,” he said. “I love having reminders to take my meds on time and knowing when I have exactly taken them. I am more adherent to taking my meds when I am supposed to take them and how to take them.” For more info visit www.ProjectDesign.com.

Local Black HIV Awareness Day events planned

line is 5 p.m. (Pacific time) Thursday, February 28. This year, the foundation will be awarding $10,000 grants to LGBTQ youth activists (through age 20) who have bravely stood

up to hostility and intolerance based on their sexual orientation or gender identity and triumphed over bigotry through working for LGBTQ rights and social justice. The foundation was estab-

lished in 1986 by screenwriter Colin Higgins, who wrote hit movies such as Harold and Maude, 9 to 5, and Foul Play. He died of AIDS-related complications in 1988.

For more information, visit www.colinhiggins.org and click on “Youth Courage Awards.”t

From page 12

but he’s been looking for a job in the HIV/AIDS field, and he’s been having trouble. Casimir, who’s 60 and has been living with HIV, said he’s “got the credentials,” but “I’ve aged out of it.” He said his partner told him the problem is ageism, and Casimir expressed disappointment. “We are a natural resource,” he said. “That’s what it means to be elderly to me.” However, Casimir also indicated he’s hopeful about the prospects of the LGBT Aging Policy Task Force, which was launched in October and advises the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. “I think that’s going to make a difference,” Casimir said. Saxxon, the task force’s volunteer

what state law allows it to do. But Chief Justice Tani G. CantilSakauye and Justices Carol A. Corrigan and Joyce L. Kennard quickly zeroed in on what they saw as the “crux” of the issue: that of land use. Kennard said firmly that the power of municipalities, the governing body of a city or town, to determine how their land is used does not derive from the Medical Marijuana Program of 2003, but is a preexisting power granted them by the state constitution. “The question,” she said, “is not whether the Medical Marijuana Program gives power to cities but whether state law restricts preexisting police power.” Justice Marvin R. Baxter then asked why medical marijuana laws didn’t just state plainly that municipalities could not have the power to ban dispensaries, if that is what the law intended. California voters in 1996 passed the Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act, which legalized medical mari

Rick Gerharter

Raven Mahosadha, a clinical case manager, sits at his desk at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

To mark National Black HIV Awareness Day in San Francisco, the Department of Public Health’s HIV Prevention Section and various community groups are hosting a rally at 4:30 p.m. on the steps of City Hall followed by a candlelight march at 5 to Glide Memorial United Methodist Church, 330 Ellis Street. A community discussion titled “Freedom from HIV. What Does It Mean to You?” will be held at 6 p.m. at the Tenderloin church with keynote speakers UCSF associate clinical professor Dr. Malcolm John and Glide pastor Theon Johnson. The event will also feature free HIV and STI testing, along with entertainment and refreshment. For more info visit h t t p s : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / events/171742799616388/.t

Matthew S. Bajko contributed to this report.

Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

14 • BAY AREA REPORTER • February 7-13, 2013

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JAN 17, 24, 31, FEB 07, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-034807100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SCOUT’S HONOR CLOTHING COMPANY, 1408 8TH AVE. #6, SF, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Clare Marie Myers. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/07/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/07/13.

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Legal Notices>> FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034792300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: EXPLORE SAN FRANCISCO, 39 ROSEMONT PLACE, SF, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Michael Moran. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/27/12.

JAN 17, 24, 31, FEB 07, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034824100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HUMMINGBEAR DESIGN, 457 ALVARADO ST., SF, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Tanya Kimball Napier. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/14/13.

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JAN 17, 24, 31, FEB 07, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034814100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HILLSIDE SUPPER CLUB, 300 PRECITA AVE., SF, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed Antonio Ferrari, Jonathan Sutton, Marcelo Gomez & Maria Gomez. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/08/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/09/13.

JAN 17, 24, 31, FEB 07, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034827300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: STELLADORO PIZZERIA, 808 DIVISADERO ST., SF, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed California Pizza Corporation (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/11/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/15/13.

JAN 17, 24, 31, FEB 07, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034801600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MISSION ORTHODONTIC, 2460 MISSION ST. #215, SF, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Yang DDS Inc. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/03/13.

JAN 17, 24, 31, FEB 07, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034798900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAISON RESTAURANT, 178 TOWNSEND ST., SF, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed Saison Dining Group LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/02/13.

JAN 17, 24, 31, FEB 07, 2013 STATEMENT OF ABANdONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FIlE A-034246500 The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: CAFFE COZZOLINO, 300 PRECITA AVE., SF, CA 94110. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by Marcelo Gomez. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 04/03/12.

JAN 17, 24, 31, FEB 07, 2013 STATEMENT OF ABANdONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FIlE A-032230900 The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: STELLADORO PIZZERIA & RESTAURANT, 808 DIVISADERO ST., SF, CA 94117. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by Ann Ngo. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/02/09.

JAN 17, 24, 31, FEB 07, 2013 NOTICE OF ApplICATION TO SEll AlCOhOlIC BEvErAgES Dated 01/18/13 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: SHABU HOUSE CLEMENT. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 33 New Montgomery St. #1230, SF, CA 94105 to sell alcoholic beverages at 354 CLEMENT ST., SF, CA 94118-2316. Type of license applied for

41 - ON-SAlE BEEr & WINE EATINg plACE JAN 24, 31, FEB 07, 2013

OrdEr TO ShOW CAUSE FOr ChANgE OF NAME IN SUpErIOr COUrT OF CAlIFOrNIA, COUNTy OF SAN FrANCISCO FIlE CNC13-549225 In the matter of the application of: JENNIFER THUY HO-TRAN for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner JENNIFER THUY HOTRAN is requesting that the names TAYLOR TIGER HO-TRAN be changed to TAYLOR TIGER TRAN, TYLER KIM LONG HO-TRAN be changed to TYLER LONG TRAN, and SOPHIA EMILY HO-TRAN be changed to SOPHIA EMILY TRAN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Rm. 514 on the 14th of March 2013 at 9:00 am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

JAN 24, 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013 OrdEr TO ShOW CAUSE FOr ChANgE OF NAME IN SUpErIOr COUrT OF CAlIFOrNIA, COUNTy OF SAN FrANCISCO FIlE CNC13-549230 In the matter of the application of: KAREN LYNN BERRYMAN, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner KAREN LYNN BERRYMAN, is requesting that the name KAREN LYNN BERRYMAN, be changed to LIAM COLLINS BERRYMAN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514 on the 26th of March 2013 at 9:00 am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

JAN 24, 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034799200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FRONT WINDOW PRODUCTIONS, 1519 OAK ST. #5, SF, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Cameron Lee Stiehl. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/02/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/02/13.

JAN 24, 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034829800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FIMJAM TRADING, 935 GEARY ST. #303, SF, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed David M. James. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/15/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/16/13.

JAN 24, 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034833000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FOG CITY TAX PREP, 717 PAGE ST., SF, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Ronald L. Seely. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/16/13.

JAN 24, 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034838300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAN FRANCISCO CONVENTION & MEETING PLANNERS, 3527 OLIVER CT., LAFAYETTE, CA 94549. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Shmuel S.Finkelstein. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/18/13.

JAN 24, 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034825500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KIRBUS SCREEN PRINTING, 3150 18TH ST. #223, SF, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Karl Kirbus. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/14/13.

JAN 24, 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034825600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LATITUDE 38 FLIES, 3150 18TH ST. #223, SF, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Karl Kirbus. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/14/13.

JAN 24, 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034825600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LATITUDE 38 FLIES, 3150 18TH ST. #223, SF, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed Karl Kirbus & Alexander Stotler McHuron. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/14/13.

JAN 24, 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034837400

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034851000

NOTICE OF ApplICATION TO SEll AlCOhOlIC BEvErAgES

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: VALENCIA DENTAL CENTER, 3532 20TH ST., SF, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Juan F. Luque Inc. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/18/13.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CHOU CHOU BAKERY BISTRO, 400 DEWEY BLVD., SF, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Sarah National Enterprises (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/05/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/24/13.

Dated 01/23/13 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: WALGREEN CO. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 33 New Montgomery St. #1230, SF, CA 94105 to sell alcoholic beverages at 2238 WESTBOROUGH BLVD., SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94080-5405. Type of license applied for

JAN 31, FEB 07, 14, 21, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034817200

20 - OFF-SAlE BEEr & WINE FEB 07, 14, 21, 2013 NOTICE OF ApplICATION TO SEll AlCOhOlIC BEvErAgES

JAN 24, 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013 NOTICE OF ApplICATION TO SEll AlCOhOlIC BEvErAgES Dated 01/22/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: GEARY STREET RESTAURANT GROUP INC. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 33 New Montgomery St. #1230, SF, CA 94105 to sell alcoholic beverages at 468-74 GEARY ST., SF, CA 94102-1223. Type of license applied for

75 - ON-SAlE gENErAl BrEW-pUB JAN 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013 NOTICE OF ApplICATION TO SEll AlCOhOlIC BEvErAgES Dated 01/25/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: RYAN SCOTT 2 GO LLC. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 33 New Montgomery St. #1230, SF, CA 94105 to sell alcoholic beverages at 300 DE HARO ST. #342-344, SF, CA 94103-5165. Type of license applied for

41 - ON-SAlE BEEr & WINE EATINg plACE JAN 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013 NOTICE OF ApplICATION TO SEll AlCOhOlIC BEvErAgES Dated 01/17/12 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: PLAYLAND ABC, LLC. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 33 New Montgomery St. #1230, SF, CA 94105 to sell alcoholic beverages at 2545 24TH ST., SF, CA 94110-3508. Type of license applied for

48 - ON-SAlE gENErAl pUBlIC prEMISES JAN 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013 NOTICE OF hEArINg By pUBlICATION (MINOr NAME ChANgE), STATE OF MINNESOTA dISTrICT COUrT, ST. lOUIS COUNTy, SIXTh JUdICIAl dISTrICT, COUrT FIlE NUMBEr 69dUCv-12-3680, CASE TypE: NAME ChANgE In the matter of the application of RACHEL CAROLINE PETERSON, on behalf of ELI THOR HARKNESS, for a change of name to ELI THOR PETERSON; to SCOTT FISHER, parent, homeless. An Application for Name Change has been filed by RACHEL CAROLINE PETERSON for a change of name for the minor child ELI THOR HARKNESS to ELI THOR PETERSON. A hearing on this Application will be held at St. Louis County Court House, 100 N. 5th Ave. W., Duluth, MN 55802 on March 11, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. You may obtain a copy of the Application for Name Change from St. Louis County Court Administrator, 100 N. 5th Ave. W., Duluth, MN 55802. If you do not appear at the scheduled hearing, the Petitioner’s Application for a Name Change for the minor child may be granted. January 11, 2013, Marieta Johnson, Court Administrator, by K. Carlson, Deputy.

JAN 31, FEB 07, 14, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034829600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FOLLOW MY LEAD, 3935 18TH ST., SF, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Sonia Martinez. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/15/13.

JAN 31, FEB 07, 14, 21, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034862400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ANDY BLUM MASSAGE & WELLNESS, 129 FILLMORE ST., SF, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Andrea Blum. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/22/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/13.

JAN 31, FEB 07, 14, 21, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034852800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: REBALANCED SF, 1543 MCALLISTER ST. #2, SF, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Justin Grinius. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/25/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/25/13.

JAN 31, FEB 07, 14, 21, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034862300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MIKMOI, 1666 GOUGH ST. #306, SF, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Michael K. Coyle. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/13.

JAN 31, FEB 07, 14, 21, 2013

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GOT GRAFFITI?, 696 AMADOR ST., SF, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed San Francisco Bay Distributors Inc. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/09/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/10/13.

JAN 31, FEB 07, 14, 21, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034843900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PSOAS MASSAGE + BODYWORK, 333 3RD ST. #205, SF, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed Psoas Massage + Bodywork LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/03. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/22/13.

JAN 31, FEB 07, 14, 21, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034823900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MEDINA TRUCKING, 1238 12TH AVE. #1, SF, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed Suad Felic & Mirzeta Kuduzovic. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/14/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/14/13.

JAN 31, FEB 07, 14, 21, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034846600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AHF PHARMACY, 4071 18TH ST., SF, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed AIDS Healthcare Foundation (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/23/13.

JAN 31, FEB 07, 14, 21, 2013 NOTICE OF ApplICATION FOr ChANgE IN OWNErShIp OF AlCOhOlIC BEvErAgE lICENSE Dated 01/28/13 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: CREW & SORA, INC. THE. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 33 New Montgomery St. #1230, SF, CA 94105 to sell alcoholic beverages at 1330 NORIEGA ST., SF, CA 94122-4410. Type of license applied for

41 - ON-SAlE BEEr & WINE EATINg plACE FEB 07, 2013

Dated 01/08/13 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: PMAB-5, LLC. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 33 New Montgomery St. #1230, SF, CA 94105 to sell alcoholic beverages at 60 31ST AVE. #1000, SAN MATEO, CA 944033404. Type of license applied for

47 - ON-SAlE gENErAl EATINg plACE FEB 07, 14, 21, 2013 NOTICE OF ApplICATION TO SEll AlCOhOlIC BEvErAgES Dated 01/31/13 To Whom It May Concern: The name(s) of the applicant(s) is/are: LORIS DINER INTERNATIONAL INC. The applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control at 33 New Montgomery St. #1230, SF, CA 94105 to sell alcoholic beverages at 449 POWELL ST. 3RD FL., SF, CA 94102-1503. Type of license applied for

47 - ON-SAlE gENErAl EATINg plACE FEB 07, 14, 21, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034861900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE PERFECT STORM GROUP; PERFECT STORM PARTNERS; 1865 GOLDEN GATE AVE. #3, SF, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Robert F. Eisenbach. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/28/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/13.

FEB 07, 14, 21, 28, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034870400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ARACELY RESTAURANT, 1201 8TH ST., SF, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed Aracely Hospitality Inc. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/31/13.

FEB 07, 14, 21, 28, 2013 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE A-034869900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ACE LEGAL SUPPORT, 938 GEARY ST. #505, SF, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed Adam Clarke. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/30/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/31/13.

FEB 07, 14, 21, 28, 2013

SUMMONS (FAMILY LAW) SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO NOTICE TO RESPONDENT: SANDRA jAMILET MARTINEz, YOU ARE BEING SUED. PETITIONER’S NAME IS RUBEN CABRAL CASE NO. FDI-12-776833 You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120 or FL-123) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter or phone call will not protect you. If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnerships, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the clerk for a fee waiver form. If you want legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. You can get information about finding lawyers at the the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), or by contacting your local county bar association. NOTICE: The restraining orders following are effective against both spouses or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, a judgment entered, or the court makes further orders. These orders are enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement officer who has received or seen a copy of them. NOTE: If a judgment or support order is entered, the court may order you to pay all or part of the fees and costs that the court waived for yourself or the other party. If this happens, the party ordered to pay fees shall be given notice and an opportunity to request a hearing to set aside the order to pay waived court fees. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, 400 MCALISTER STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102; PREPARED BY ROSS MEYERS, LDA #2, SAN MATEO COUNTY, 520 SO. EL CAMINO REAL #650, SAN MATEO, CA 94402, 650-347-2500; the name, address, and telephone number of petitioner’s attorney, or the petitioner without an attorney, is: RUBEN CABRAL, 1352 HAMPSHIRE ST., SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110; 415-509-0614; APR 09, 2012 WARNING: California law provides that, for the purposes of division of property upon dissolution of a marriage or domestic partnership or upon legal separation, property acquired by the parties during marriage or domestic partnership in joint form is presumed to be community property. If either party to this action should die before the jointly held community property is divided, the language in the deed that characterizes how title is held (i.e., joint tenancy, tenants in common, or community property) will be controlling, and not the community property presumption. You should consult your attorney if you want the community property presumption to be written into the recorded title to the property. STANDARD FAMILY LAW RESTRAINING ORDERS: Starting immediately, you and your spouse or domestic partner are restrained from: 1. Removing the minor child or children of the parties, if any, from the state without the prior written consent of the other party or an order of the court; 2. Cashing borrowing against, canceling, transferring, disposing of, or changing the beneficiaries of any insurance or other coverage, including life, health, automobile, and disability, held for the benefit of the parties and their minor child or children; 3. Transferring, encumbering, hypothecating, concealing, or in any way disposing of any property, real or personal, whether community, quasi-community, or separate, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court, except in the usual course of business or for the necessities of life; and 4. Creating a nonprobate transfer or modifying a nonprobate transfer in the manner that affects the disposition of property subject to the transfer, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court. Before revocation of a nonprobate transfer can take effect or a right of survivorship to property can be eliminated, notice of the change must be filed and served on the other party. You must notify each other of any proposed extraordinary expenditures at least five business days prior to incurring these extraordinary expenditures and account to the court for all extraordinary expenditures made after these restraining orders are effective. However, you may use community property, quasi-community property, or your own separate property to pay an attorney to help you or to pay court costs. FEB 07, 14, 21, 28, 2013

Brock is back

MF with a H

Balletic moves

Out &About

O&A

The

Vol. 43 • No. 06 • February 7-13, 2013

www.ebar.com/arts

by Sura Wood

irl with a Pearl Earring,” (ca. 1665), Johannes Vermeer’s luminous, bewitching portrait, is second only to the Mona Lisa in the woman-of-mystery department. The lovely, anonymous ingénue is posed in three-quarter profile, regarding us over her shoulder with a sweet gaze and soft face, an exotic gold-and-blue Middle Eastern turban (the expensive ultramarine pigment, made of lapis lazuli, was mixed on the canvas) tied around her head, and a single, glistening, exceptionally large pearl, hanging from her ear, grazes her white collar. The provenance of the masterpiece is equally enigmatic. It disappeared shortly after it was completed, resurfacing 200 years later at auction in The Hague in 1881, where it fetched a meager two guilders, the equivalent of one dollar. But, who was she? Questions surrounding her identity prompted Tracy Chevalier’s 1999 novel and subsequent movie adaptation: both speculated about the model’s relationship

with the artist, whose own origins are so sketchy he was nicknamed the “Sphinx of Delft.” Thirty-six Vermeers have survived; the rest have been lost to history. Now his most famous masterpiece is the undeniable star of Girl with a Pearl Earring: Dutch Paintings from the Mauritshuis, a small show of modestly scaled works which recently opened at the de Young. The 35 paintings from the 17th century, an era rightly dubbed the Golden Age, are part of a collection belonging to a gem-like museum in The Hague housed inside a palace, which, you guessed it, is currently undergoing renovations. Ergo, a touring exhibition that includes a selection of its genre paintings, portraiture, still lifes and landscapes by artists such as Jan Steen, Frans Hals, Gerard ter Borch, and prolific landscape painters Salomon van Ruysdael and his nephew, Jacob. The latter’s “Winter Landscape” (1660-70), a primer on the mercilessness of nature, is awash in swirling black clouds that dwarf an isolated snow-covered farmhouse and threaten to engulf it as winds whip up grasses that crest like ocean waves See page 18 >>

“Girl with a Pearl Earring” (ca. 1665), oil on canvas, by Johannes Vermeer.

Independents days by David Lamble

he 15th edition of Jeff Ross’ narrative-movie circus SF IndieFest unspools at the Roxie (Feb. 7-21). While slim in queer pickings, the 2013 IndieFest does feature two great holdovers from last year’s Sundance Film Festival, The Story of Luke and Simon Killer. The Beginning Queer Bay Area director Brian Tolle (with writer Tom Swift) kicks off his blank-verse short with a male couple

Slide Rail Riders shorts program, 2/17, 19) Simon Killer At 24, the slightly-built dirty blonde Scottsdale, AZ native Brady Corbet is pushing through the dark side of his acting resume. In Antonio Campos’ erotic thriller, Corbet presents himself as a once clean-cut naïf now way over his head in the bowels of a Parisian red-light district. As Corbet’s Simon slips all moral moorings, are we redeemed by his journey, or do we

Scene from director Brian Tolle’s The Beginning.

Michael Doucett

New York-based performer Joey Arias.

Joey Arias swings into town by David-Elijah Nahmod

n 1920s Hollywood, the great screenwriter Anita Loos described a star as someone who had that indescribable “it.” “I know it when I see it,” said Loos.

When a star has “it,” their mere presence is mesmerizing. It’s impossible to turn away from them. In the new promo video See page 26 >>

SF IndieFest

verbally dueling about whether they’ll hang for a second carnal round. “I guess I better get going,” declares Richard (Liam Vincent). “Okay,” sighs a clearly disappointed Daniel (Jason Frazier). “Well, a shower would be cool.” “Do I smell?” “Yes, no – I love the way you smell! I offered you a shower because I thought you were going to leave.” In a rare short whose special effects are confined to wordplay, Tolle invokes how truly naked we are after shooting our wads with naked strangers. (Cults, Manholes &

{ SECOND OF TWO SECTIONS }

merely feel like the wretched voyeurs wielding the camera? (2/10, 13) Inside Lara Roxx begins so badly, with an ineptly filmed porn scene, I nearly shut it off. That said, Mia Donavan develops a playful intimacy with her subject, a Quebecraised “wild child” who helps destroy her old-fashioned parents’ marriage, becomes a teen stripper, and acquires HIV infection working in the LA porn industry. It was filmed over six years as a series of chatty diary entries. Each time Lara and Mia arrive at a new location – a Las Vegas porn convention, a Quebec hotel for hookers, the See page 26 >>

Courtesy of the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague

‘Pearl Earring’ shimmers, but Rembrandt reigns

<< Out There

18 • Bay Area Reporter • February 7-13, 2013

Coming right up by Roberto Friedman

ut There has advance word on four scintillating cultural events coming to venues near you this month. 1. San Francisco Ballet welcomes the Hamburg Ballet to the Opera House stage in Nijinsky, choreographer John Neumeier’s dance-theater epic based on the tumultuous life of dancer Vaslav Nijinsky (Feb. 13-17 & 19). Performed by the acclaimed Hamburgers for whom Neumeier serves as Artistic Director, Nijinsky sounds like pure catnip for dance-lovers. The ballet features scenery, lighting, and costumes by Neumeier, whose work includes the SF Ballet sensation The Little Mermaid. Info: www.sfballet.org. 2. Contemporary opera company Opera Parallèle performs composer Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar, inspired by the confrontation between poet Federico García

Lorca and the Fascist regime during the Spanish Civil War. Lorca lived a poetic, heroic gay life, and this opera seems right up Out There’s alley. It’s infused with the passion of flamenco: dancers, appearing as minor characters, have rehearsed with local flamenco legend La Tania. Should make for an interesting evening – it’s unusual for dance to play such a large part in an opera. Soprano Marnie Breckenridge heads the cast as Margarita Xirgu. Mezzo-soprano Lisa Chavez is featured as the poet and playwright Federico. Soprano Maya Kherani portrays Nuria, and the San Francisco Girls Chorus joins singers from the SFCM New Music Ensemble. Rounding out the cast are bass John Bischoff as Tripaldi, acclaimed gypsy flamenco singer Jesus Montoya as Ruiz Alonso, Andres Ramirez as the bullfighter, and Ryan Bradford as the teacher. Ainadamar plays Feb. 15, 16 & 17 at the

Russian dancer Vaslav Nijinsky is the title subject of choreographer John Neumeier’s dance-theater epic coming to the San Francisco Ballet season.

YBCA Theater. Tickets ($35-$85): (415) 978-ARTS or ybca.org. 3. This month also brings the West Coast premiere of composer Ricky Ian Gordon’s Green Sneakers, a 19-part song cycle for baritone Jesse Blumberg and string quartet Del Sol Quartet, about love, loss and finding solace. One of the only operas to deal with AIDS, it plays Tues., Feb. 19 (7 p.m. pre-concert lecture; 7:30 p.m. performance) at the Southside Theater, Bldg. D, Fort

Mason, SF. Tickets at (415) 3457575 or www.fortmason.org. 4. The 46th California International Antiquarian Book Fair runs Feb. 15-17 at the Concourse Exhibition Center (635 8th St., SF). More than 220 booksellers from the U.S. and abroad will share their collections, including books, manuscripts, maps, incunabula, fine bindings, children’s and illustrated books, ephemera and more. This year’s Book Fair has a special

focus on Asian books and artifacts. An exhibit will offer Chinese, Japanese and Korean imprints, manuscripts, graphics and objects dating from the eighth century into the 20th from the rare book room of the C.V. Starr East Asian Library, UC Berkeley. Three-day admission is available at www.cabookfair.com or at the door on Fri. for $25. Tickets online or at the door Sat. and Sun. are $15, and allow return admission. Fellow antiquarians, rejoice!t

de Young Museum

From page 17

in the stormy gray light. Although the Mauritshuis show is slight in comparison to the impressive Van Otterloo exhibition that arrived at the Legion two years ago and featured stunning examples of Dutch paintings of the same period, it has something the other lacked: five spectacular Rembrandts, including renderings of mythological and Biblical scenes, as well as his portraits – he was the undisputed master of the form – that grow more magnificent the longer one drinks them in. Simultaneously earthy and dwelling in a state of grace, they’re the main reason to trek out to Golden Gate Park. Take “Man with a Feathered Beret” (1635), a bustlength portrayal or “tronie” reminiscent of Caravaggio in its humanity, drama, and chiaroscuro – the con-

Rick Gerharter

Accompanying the de Young Museum’s exhibit Girl with a Pearl Earring: Dutch Paintings from the Mauritshuis is a selection of prints from the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, Rembrandt’s Century.

trast of astonishingly beautiful light, shadow and dark background. The prosperous, haughty man of means brought to life here dons an ostrichfeathered beret, which partially shades the side of his face farthest from view, and light reflects off his horn-shaped earring and the gold embroidery decorating his black cloak. Once you get past Rembrandt’s virtuoso technique and commanding brushstrokes, there remains that awesome atmospheric light whose only sources were the glow of candles and nature. “Portrait of an Elderly Man” (1667), a strikingly accessible, robust work painted two years before the artist’s death, and the last dated in his own hand, is an extraordinary depiction of an ordinary hail-fellow-wellmet. Ruddy-cheeked and slumped in a chair as if he had just sat down to join you for a pitcher of ale, his soft belly thrusts forward in his loose-fitting dark shirt; he’s nearly three-dimensional and bursting with life. Rembrandt employed a variety of brushstrokes, and applied layers of material, wielding his palette knife and brush handle to scratch the wet paint on the canvas. (His studio infamously reeked of fumes.) While the painting show is compact, even sparse, Rembrandt’s Century, a complementary exhibition of over 251 etchings and engravings from FAMSF’s Achenbach Graphic Arts Collection, is

immense. Its title capitalizes on the master’s name, but the bulk of the prints are by Rembrandt’s predecessors and acolytes, produced during a period when Dutch printmaking flourished. An avid creator and collector of etchings, Rembrandt is represented by 63 works and studies that lend insight into his creative process and astounding talent. Curator Jim Ganz’s comprehensive text amplifies artworks throughout. A gifted “stage director,” Rembrandt orchestrated every aspect of gesture, pose, costume, setting and lighting in his paintings, and translated that level of hands-on involvement into the black-andwhite medium of etching. He often, one could say compulsively, used himself as model, immortalizing his visage in both painting and etching. One can witness an autobiographical record of his changing tastes, moods and physiognomy as he aged from the 1620s to his death in 1669 at 63. Stirring religious imagery in nocturnal settings like “The Annunciation to the Shepherds” or “Descent from the Cross by Torchlight”; stories from mythology, from a devastated Medea to the huntress Diana; a sleeping puppy; and a few nudes are among the pleasures on offer.t Both exhibitions are on view through June 2 at the de Young.

Theatre >>

February 7-13, 2013 • Bay Area Reporter • 19

Welcome back, Mr. Entertainment! by Richard Dodds

is Broadway and TV veteran Anita Gillette (Feb. 22-24) taking audiences through her adventures with Ethel Merman in Gypsy, David Merrick and Gower Champion during Carnival, and Neil Simon with Chapter Two. But the jewel in the crown has to be Patti LuPone, who will offer her acclaimed Far Away Places show on March 19-24. The Tony-winning star who was Broadway’s original Evita performed Far Away Places last summer as the first attraction at New York’s 54 Below nitery. The New York Times raved that the

imon Cowell’s scorching tongue has probably scarred enough aspiring singers to warrant a dedicated burn unit. But the talent-show judge’s excoriating words, often preceding by the disclaimer “I don’t mean to be rude,” can actually help energize a performer if the spirit is strong and the talent is there. So it is with Jason Brock, an SF performer whose underground renown has been climbing into higher altitudes since his splashy run as a finalist on The X Factor. That run came to a sudden halt based on a veto by Cowell, who seemed revolted by the performer’s unabashedly, flamboyantly gay stylings. The coming weeks will see Brock return in both pre- and post-X Factor modes, as he rejoins the cast of Boxcar Theatre’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch in a run that has been extended for his return, and who also gets a headliner gig at the prestigious Live at the Rrazz nightclub. His X Factor “mentor,” record producer L.A. Reid, branded Brock as “Mr. Entertainment” as he surrounded the performer in Vegas-like spectacles, but Brock also displayed talents as a serious song stylist in several strippeddown “sing for your life” elimination heats. Brock was part of the cast of Boxcar Theatre’s original 2012 production Hedwig that retooled the musical (with permission from creator John Cameron Mitchell) by dividing up the title character’s role among multiple actors. The summer production was such a success for the small theater that it was back in December (though

Ethan Hill

Patti LuPone is bringing her wildly acclaimed new cabaret show Far Away Places to Live at the Rrazz in March. Courtesy Fox Television

Jason Brock, in his “Mr. Entertainment” mode on The X Factor, will rejoin the cast of Boxcar Theatre’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch, while also gaining a headline spot at Live at the Rrazz.

sans Brock). Brock’s run is set for Feb. 20-March 2, and he will offer a cabaret turn immediately following the 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday performances. More info at www.boxcartheatre.org. But first, Brock will be at the cabaret for his Feb. 16 debut at Live at the Rrazz. The act is titled So Much Soul, with songs by Anita Baker, Beyonce, Tina Turner, and Adele in the set list,

along with new material and past favorites. More info at www.liveattherrazz.com.

LuPone zone

There have been some hiccups as the Rrazz Room at the Nikko Hotel had to be quickly transformed into Live at the Rrazz at 1000 Van Ness in January. After hosting several acts, the nightclub has had to cancel, postpone, or move its bookings to other venues as noise and permit issues are being addressed. By the time you read this, a scheduled hearing should have taken place, and a Rrazz spokesman expressed optimism that all will then be well. It’s hard to imagine otherwise, perusing the packed schedule of upcoming acts. It’s a wildly eclectic collection, but our eyes are always drawn to those bookings with a theatrical hook. For example, there

“brilliant show … deserves many lives, perhaps even a Broadway run in an expanded version,” while likening LuPone to such greats as Piaf and Dietrich. The show’s musical repertoire is made up of songs about, appropriately enough, far away places. The footloose sentiments are reflected in songs familiar, rare, and exotic. Cole Porter’s “Come to the Supermarket in Old Peking,” Brecht and Weill’s “Pirate Jenny,” Stephen Sondheim’s “By the Sea,” and the Bee Gees’ “Nights on Broadway” are a few exSee page 20 >>

<< Theatre

20 • Bay Area Reporter • February 7-13, 2013

Hat tricks by Richard Dodds

t’s a curious mental trick when we can see “motherf**ker” in print as sufficiently redacted for public consumption even as our minds quickly fill in the missing letters. In other words, within us is both awareness of the vulgarity and the floating concessions needed to accommodate it. It’s an analogy that playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis probably could not have anticipated when he titled his play The Motherfucker with the Hat – most commonly rendered with the “**” substitutions – but it turns out to be serendipitously apt for this examination of ethics and the compromises needed to keep humanity afloat. Guirgis already had a substantial theatrical reputation when Hat gave him his Broadway debut in 2011,

which gained event status as comedian Chris Rock also made his first Main Stem appearance. But the play is an ensemble piece, not a star vehicle, and if anything, the balance tips away from the role that Rock played toward a pair of lovers who begin to feel like a hellacious version of The Honeymooners. At San Francisco Playhouse, which is presenting the West Coast premiere of Hat, Gabriel Marin and Isabelle Ortega quickly pull us into their tumultuous world, in which words of passionate endearment and shocking invective are easily interchangeable. Although in love since their teens, their current circumstances are rooted in dysfunction. Jackie is on parole and in AA, while Veronica blithely snorts cocaine with no deference to her partner’s struggle to stay sober.

But the mood at first is bright as Jackie arrives home with news of his first post-prison job, as maneuvers toward a celebratory shag suddenly turn accusatory when Jackie notices an unfamiliar hat in the room. In the turn-on-a-dime world that Guirgis has created, Veronica denies infidelity by alternately suggesting they calmly head out to their “sacred place,” a pie shop, and angrily offering to fuck Jackie’s late mother with a dildo. Marin and Ortega play this pivotal opening scene with a stunning ferocity, which ends with Jackie determined to take revenge on whoever is the motherfucker with the hat. We then enter the seemingly peaceable kingdom of Ralph, Jackie’s AA sponsor, where a blender churns out health drinks and Ralph churns out positive-thinking homi-

Jessica Palopoli

Isabelle Ortega and Gabriel Marin play lovers who quickly become combatants in Stephen Adly Guirgis’ provocative play The Motherfucker with the Hat, now at San Francisco Playhouse.

lies with graceful authority. But this 12-step haven is actually on a rocky foundation, as first indicated by Ralph’s wife, who responds to his gentle requests with hostility before far deeper cracks are revealed. Carl Lumbly, a familiar face from television and movies, plays Ralph (the Chris Rock role) with an unwaveringly sturdy dignity that makes the character’s transgressions, and his easy self-absolutions, all the more unsettling. You begin to see why his wife, played with an anger both amusing and sad by Margo Hall, has found the tarnish on her Prince Charming. There is considerable humor inherent in Guirgis’ colloquially edged dialogue, though more specific comic relief is provided by Jackie’s cousin Julio, obviously gay (if not

completely out), who imagines himself a clone of Jean-Claude Van Damme. Rudy Guerrero is a welcome recurring presence as Julio, which the production needs as its repetitious patterns drain some of the full-tilt energies before its 100 minutes are up. Despite this, you have to admire the work of director Bill English (who also designed the multiroomed set) for his ability to so effectively cultivate the many moods and tones that are swift to change. These are probably not your lives on view, but it’s hard not so see where close-to-home truths are illuminated. As Jackie says, “This song is debilitated to you.” t The Motherfucker with the Hat will run at San Francisco Playhouse through March 16. Tickets are $30-$70. Call 677-9596 or go to www.sfplayhouse.org.

Backstage

From page 19

amples of LuPone’s unpredictable notions of traveling music. Rrazz co-founder Robert Kotonly told the Chronicle last month that LuPone’s engagement will mark the official opening of the new space. The quick move from the Nikko Hotel meant launching the space as a work-in-progress, but when LuPone steps onto the stage, Kotonly said, “That’s when the final product will be here.”

Adventures at sea

Two of New York’s most forward-looking theater companies have joined forces to present a trio of Eugene O’Neill’s first plays. The Wooster Group and New York City Players share the same stage for Early Plays that aim to interpret anew O’Neill one-acts written between 1914 and 1918. This collaboration, first presented last year in Brooklyn, will have its West Coast premiere at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. The tramp steamer S.S. Glencairn is the setting for Moon of the Caribees, Bound East for Cardiff, and The Long Voyage Home, as O’Neill explores the harsh lives of the disposable souls aboard. Director Richard Maxwell of the NYC Players is known for his stripped-bare approach to dialogue, and a knack for subversive deadpan absurdity. Performances are Feb. 14-16 in YBCA’s Forum. Ticket information is available at www.ybca.org.t

Dance >>

February 7-13, 2013 • Bay Area Reporter • 21

Erik Tomasson

San Francisco Ballet in Serge Lifar’s Suite en Blanc, a glow-in-the-dark classical ballet.

Dancing in the dark by Paul Parish

an Francisco Ballet’s first program was rather hard on the audience, aside from the Jerome Robbins ballet In the Night, which was glorious. These dancers could perform it their sleep, they know the idiom and the style of it so well, and they danced superbly, especially the corps dancer Jennifer Stahl, who had a triumph in the second nocturne. But aside from that ballet, the dancers were not at ease with the unfamiliar moves in two gut-crunchingly difficult ballets. They were clearly heroic, and at Friday night’s performance they received applause for conquering the difficulties. But the sound of the applause was different for a dancer like Sophiane Sylve, who sailed through her difficulties with

sovereign ease. Then the audience roared, and you could hear the sound of people who’d been relieved to have been taken for a wonderful ride by a dancer who didn’t make you pull for her all the way. In the Night is another of Robbins’ ballets to Chopin’s piano music – in this case, four nocturnes (played well by Roy Bogas), with three couples dancing their romances against a starry background, coming together for a last dance in which they remain lost in each other. The dreamy pair (Vanessa Zahorian and Ruben Martin Cintas) float through their time together; the stately pair (Stahl and Tiit Helimets) have a magnificent tenderness for each other; the stormy couple (Sarah van Patten and Luke Ingham) can’t live to-

gether or separately; at one point, both rush off the stage, in opposite directions. She comes back first; their making up is one of the great moments in ballet. That ballet formed the emotional center of the evening. It was framed by a pair of high-energy, rapid-fire movements. First up was Serge Lifar’s 1943 Suite en Blanc, a glow-in-the-dark classical ballet for a large corps and many soloists dressed in white. Suite has rarely been seen in this country, is new to the company, and comes in a style few of us are familiar with. It was made for the Paris Opera Ballet during the Nazi occupation, and showcases the strengths and style of that company. Many people today still condemn Lifar for collaborating with the Nazis (though he was tried in 1947, and exonerated).

Erik Tomasson

SFB dancers Sofiane Sylve and Vito Mazzeo in Wayne McGregor’s Borderlands, inspired by paintings of Josef Albers.

Some see a Nazi-placating militaristic cast to the display of technical strength that every dance in Suite requires. Others see it as the opposite, as an assertion of the gloire de France and the unbowed majesty of “the French School.” Lifar was a Russian – he had been a star of the Ballets Russes, and had created the title roles of The Prodigal Son and Apollo Musagete, Balanchine’s first triumphs. He’d entered the POB after Diaghilev’s death broke up the Ballets Russes. Lifar became their new star choreographer. Suite en Blanc is certainly in the tradition of POB ballets by Clustine and Staats. But SFB’s performance of Suite en Blanc was rocky at times. Some of the phrasing was harsh and descended into bathos. It was touch-and-go until

the French-trained ballerina Sylve entered and made her section completely intelligible, poignant, and moving. The difference between the way she danced and everybody else did was so striking I found myself thinking maybe the rest just don’t get it. Namely, the French style involves a lot of work in the torso – rib-cage, breast-bone, clavicle, shoulders, and spine – so the neck is like a cat’s, and the arms move with odalisque subtlety, like in Ingres. Most of SFB’s women had very square torsos with arms trying to make exotic shapes but only reaching from the shoulders – no intrigue, no softness in the collarbone. Their timing was square and metroSee page 24 >>

<< Out&About

22 • Bay Area Reporter • February 7-13, 2013

Classical Recitals @ SF Conservatory of Music

Hippy Icon @ Berkeley Marsh

Instrumental and vocal concerts by students and faculty. Free-$20. Feb 7, 8pm: Donald Weilerstein, violin & Vivian Hornik Weilerstein, piano. Feb 8, 8pm: Thomas Conroy faculty composition. Student concerts Feb 9-14, 7:30 or 8pm. 50 Oak St. at Van Ness Ave. 503-6275. www.sfcm.edu

Wavy Gravy performs his informal unpredictable solo show Hippy Icon, Flower Geezer and Temple of Accumulated Error, his stories of Woodstock, meeting Bob Dylan, Albert Einstein, and other people and events. $15-$50. Fri 8pm, Sat 5pm, Sun 2pm. Thru Feb 10. 2120 Allston Way at Shattuck. 282-3055. www.themarsh.org

Cuba Gooding and The Main Ingredient @ Live at the Rrazz R&B trio performs their classic hits and other soul tunes. $35-$40. 8pm. Thru Feb 9 (7pm & 9:30pm). 1000 Van Ness Ave. (800) 380-3095. www.liveattherrazz.com

A Doll’s House @ Hastings Studio Theater American Conservatory Theatre MFA student production of Henrik Ibsen’s classic drama (thru Feb 15), in repertory with Molier’s farce, Tartuffe (Feb 12-16). $20 two-show deal. Various nights, 7:30pm. 77 Geary St. 749-2228. www.act-sf.org

Kehinde Wiley’s art.

Contextile by Jim Provenzano

ee another culture through its art, be it through sculpture, paintings, or perceptive textural and fascinatingly contextualizing imagery.

Sat 9: Migration @ Visual Aid Estudio Nomada exchange show from Barcelona, Spain, featuring works by Iris Tonies, U.B. Morgan and Kirsten Campbell. Thru Feb 28. 57 Post St. 7778242. www.visualaid.org

Navigating Queer Pacific Waves @ Galeria de la Raza Group exhibit of new works in various media by collaborating artists who focus on their Pacific Islander roots and explore colonialism and LGBT oppression. Exhibit thru March 2. Tue-Sat 12pm-6pm. 2857 24th St. at Bryant. 826-8009. www.galeriadelaraza.org

Quinn DeVeaux @ Yoshi’s Oakland Jazz guitarist performs gospel-rock-fused original music and innovative covers. $23. 8pm. 510 Embarcadero West, Jack London Square. (510) 238-9200. www.yoshis.com

SF Indie Fest @ Roxie Cinema Annual independent film festival, with annual fun parties (The Big Lebowski bowling party Feb 9; Roller Disco party Feb 15). $10-$90 (full pass). Thru Feb 21. 3117 16th St. Also other events at Brava Theater (2781 24th St.) and other venues for parties. www.sfindie.com

Various Films @ Castro Theatre

Thu 7: Tribal & Textile Arts Show @ Fort Mason 27th annual large-scale show of hundreds of sellers of sculpture, rugs, fabric, crafts art works from Africa, India and other countries. Preview gala Feb 7, 6pm-9pm ($150-and up.). General admission $15. Feb 8 & 9, 11am-7pm. Feb 10, 11am-5pm. Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center, Buchanan St. at Marina Blvd. (310) 455-2886. www.sanfranciscotribalandtextileartsshow.com

Sun 10: Eye Level in Iraq @ de Young Museum The new exhibit, Photographs by Kael Alford and Thorne Anderson, brings a personal perspective on the war-torn country. Thru June 16. Also, Girl With Pearl Earring: Dutch Paintings from the Mauritshuis, a new touring exhibit of Dutch Masters paintings, drawing and etching; Thru June 2. Also, Rudolf Nureyev: A Life in Dance, an exhibit of costumes, photos, videos and ephemera documenting the amazing dancing and choreography of the world-famous gay dancer. Thru Feb 17. Also, $10-$25. Tue-Sun 9:30am-5:15pm. (til 8:45pm Fridays) Thru Dec. 30. Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive. 750-3600. www.famsf.org

Wed 13: Kehinde Wiley @ Contemporary Jewish Museum Sat 9: Rising Dragon: Contemporary Chinese Photography @ San Jose Museum of Art The group ehxibit showcases arresting images of the Asian country. Thru June 30. Also Eric Fischl, a touring exhibit of a dozen-plus large paintings, and other works by the prominent post-modern neo-realist. Thru May 12. 110 South Market St. www.SanJoseMuseumofArt.org

Thu 7 Anthony Rizzi @ Kunst Stoff An attempt to fail at groundbreaking theater with Pina Arcade Smith, the former Pina Bausch dancer’s eccentric re-interpretation of the famed German choreographer’s work, in self-referencing, skewed performance art drag style. $15. 8:30pm. Also Feb 8 & 9. 1 Grove St. 7770172. www.kunst-stoff.org

Opening night party and performance for the new exhibit, The World Stage: Israel, (photo, top) with Kalkidan Mashasha and DJ Alarm. $60-$100. 7:30pm. 21+. Reg hours Thu-Tue 11am5pm (closed Wed). Exhibit thru May 27 (Also, The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats, an exhibit of original artwork from the popular children’s book author/illustrator, The Radical Camera: New York’s Photo League and other exhibits). 736 Mission St. 6557800. www.thecjm.org

4000 Miles @ American Conservatory Theatre A.C.T. presents Amy Herzog’s Obie Awardwinning comic drama about growing up and growing old; when a 19-year-old visits his grandmother after a cross-country cycling trip, political and personal sparks fly. $30-$125. Tue 7pm. Wed-Sat 8pm. Sat & Sun 2pm. Thru Feb 10. 415 Geary St. 749-2228. www.act-sf.org

Our Practical Heaven @ Aurora Theatre, Berkeley Anthony Clarvie’s drama about a family facing the decline of their beach home, and the changing nature of generations, family and gender roles. $35-$60. Tue 7pm. WedSat 8pm. Sun 2pm & 7pm. 20181 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 843-4822. www.auroratheatre.org

Sat 9 Dancing in the Dragon’s Jaws: Gay San Francisco @ SF Public Library Thomas Alleman’s exhibit of fascinating new large-print photos from San Francisco’s mid-1980s gay community, from the onslaught of AIDS to nightlife and arts celebrations. Thru Feb 10. Jewitt Gallery, lower level, 100 Larkin St. at Grove. www.allemanphoto.com www.sfpl.org

Black Swan @ MOAD The Jetta Martin Dance Company performs Black Swan, a balletic study in classical dance and the dearth of black ballerinas. Free-$10. 2pm-4pm. 385 Mission St. 3187200. www.moadsf.org

Swing Jam Festival @ Hotel Whitcomb

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof @ Buriel Clay Theatre

Queer Jitterbugs presents a three-day partner dance festival, with shows, classes, competitions and fun, same-sex or opposite-partner. Retro-themed nights and contemporary, too. $10-$75. Free under 15. Day and night events. 1231 Market St. at 8th. 305-8242. www.SFSwingJam.com

African-American Shakespeare Company performs Tennessee Williams’ classic play of an injured drunk Southern heir and his feisty wife, trapped in a mansion for the birthday celebration of the family patriarch. $10-$35. Sat 8pm. Sun 3pm. Thru Feb 17. 762 Fulton St at Webster. (800) 8383006. www.african-americanshakes.org

Tom Orr @ Live at the Rrazz The local gay comic singer-songwriter gets a little serious as he performs Cowboys and Angels: The George Michael Songbook, with the Tom Shaw Quartet. $ 10pm. 1000 Van Ness Ave. (800) 380-3095. www.liveattherrazz.com

Tommi Avicolli Mecca @ Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists’ Hall The local gay singer-songwriter-activist is the featured artist at the monthly open mic event. Sign-up 6:30pm, show 7pm. 1924 Cedar St. at Bonita, Berkeley. www.avicollimecca.com www.bfuu.org

Welcome to the Dollhouse @ Castro Theatre Peaches Christ welcomes “Dawn Wiener,” actress-producer Heather Matarazzo, at a screening of the darkly funny suburban New Jersey film; with a live set by rock band Zbornak,and costumes contests. $20. 7pm. 429 Castro St. peacheschrist.com

Crab Feed @ St. Anne of the Sunset Castro and Park Presidio Lions clubs host a benefit for Lighthouse for the Blind, AIDS and Breast Cancer Emergency Funds and Guide Dogs for the Blind, with a big crab dinner; cocktails, beer and wine, too. $50. 6pm-10pm. Judah St at Funston. (800) 838-3006. www.brownpapertickets.com

Courtly Love @ The Edge Imperial Council fundraiser and drag show. 4pm. 4149 18th St. 863-4027. www.qbarsf.com/EDGE

The Motherf**ker With the Hat @ SF Playhouse Gabe Marin and Carl Lumbly costar in Stephen Adly Guirgis’ verbal cage match about love, fidelity and misplaced haberdashery. $30-$100. Tue-Thu 7pm. Fri & Sat 8pm. Also Sat 3pm. Thru Mar 16. 450 Post St., 2nd floor. 677-9596. www.sfplayhouse.org

Enjoy scenic, panoramic and comic flicks. Feb 7, Killing Them Softly (7pm) & Animal Kingdom (8:50). SF Sketchfest with stars from films: Feb 8, The Naked Gun, 1pm. $20. Twilight (with comic commentary), 4:20pm. Welcome to the Dollhouse (7pm: $20). Bruce Campbell and Patton Oswalt, plus a screening of Army of Darkness ($25). Pootie Tang, 10pm. $20. 8:30pm. Feb 10: Nashville (1pm, 7:30) and The Deer Hunter (4pm). Feb 11, Samsara (2:15, 7pm) and Ikiru (4:10, 9pm). Feb 12, Samsara (2:15, 7pm) and The Razor’s Edge (4:25, 9pm). Feb 13, Random Harvest (2:20, 7pm) and Revanche (4:40, 9:20). $8.50-$12. 429 Castro St. www.castrotheatre.com

Waiting for Godot @ Marin Theatre Company The classic Samuel Beckett absurdist comic drama about two men who wait for Godot, with a few strange passersby. $15-$57. Tue, Thu-Sat 8pm. Wed 7:30. Sat & Sun 2pm. Thru Feb 17. 397 Miller Ave. Mill Valley. 388-5208. www.marintheatre.org

Fri 8

Batman on Robin. Art: Gregoire Guillemin.

Beach Blanket Babylon @ Club Fugazi Musical comedy revue, now in its 35th year, with an ever-changing lineup of political and pop culture icons, all in gigantic wigs. Reg: $25-$130. Wed, Thu, Fri at 8pm. Sat 6:30, 9:30pm. Sun 2pm, 5pm. (Beer/wine served; cash only). 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd (Green St.). 4214222. www.beachblanketbabylon.com

Dear Harvey @ New Conservatory Theatre Patricia Loughrey’s play recounts the life of the groundbreaking gay activist and politician, based on dozens of interviews of friends and those inspired by Harvey Milk; with music by Thomas Hodges. $18-$40. Wed-Sat 8pm. Sun 2pm. Thru Feb 24. 25 Van Ness Ave at Market, lower level. www.nctcsf.org

Se Llama Cristina @ Magic Theatre Octavio Solis’ drama, a multi-layered fever dream where a young man and woman wake up in a strange room, and must piece together their past identities and relationship while constructing a new future and grappling with the possibility of being parents; directed by Loretta Greco. $20$55. Wed-Sat 8pm. Sat & Sun 2:30pm. Tue 7pm. Thru Feb 17. Fort Mason Center, Bldg. D, 3rd floor. 441-8822. www.magictheatre.org

Drawn out T

wo new exhibits, one of superhero cartoons, the other from private collections, queerify costumed icons and elevate one-time regular folk to historic heroes. – J.P.

Fri 8: Batman on Robin @ Mission Comics & Art Opening reception and reading for Justin Hall’s group exhibit of made and found Batman and Robin artwork that outs them as a gay couple, with works by dozens of artists. 7pm. Reg hours 12pm-8pm (6pm Sun). 3520 20th St. 695-1545. www.missioncomicsandart. com

Fri 8: Migrating Archives @ GLBT History Museum The new exhibit, Migrating Archives: LGBT Delegates From Other Collections, features historical items from nearly a dozen countries and archives, each showcasing an archive of prominent LGBT person. $3-$5. Opening reception 6pm-8pm. Reg hours Mon & Wed-Sat 11am-7pm. Sun 12pm-5pm. 4127 18th St. www.glbthistorymuseum.org

Out&About >>

February 7-13, 2013 • Bay Area Reporter • 23

Hella Gay Comedy @ Rebel How I Came Out, comedic and touching monologues with performers, comics and queens: Nick Leonard, Blue Buddha, Tuesday, Jessica Sele, TJ Kelsall and Jennifer Dronsky. Charlie Ballard hosts (Also Feb 26, with a different line-up). $10. 21+. 8pm. 1760 Market St. 431-4202. www. charlieballard.com www.rebel-sf.com

Carrie.

Jack Jones @ Live at the Rrazz Grammy-winning singer performs his classic romantic hit songs and other popular ballads. $45-$75. 8pm. Thru Feb 17 (7pm). 1000 Van Ness Ave. (800) 380-3095. www.liveattherrazz.com

Wed 13 Candlelight Flow Yoga @ LGBT Center

Burning desire T

he flames of passion and anger, aided by telekenesis and/or arson, make for some scary stories. Fortunately, Valentine’s Day, headed by performer Joey Arias, includes more romantic, less flammable, events (See Feb 14). – J.P.

David Clark leads various yoga poses and practices, plus meditation and breathing exercises. Bring your own mat and water bottle, etc. $10. 7pm-8:30pm. 1800 Market St. www.4dbliss.com

Thu 14 Comedy Bodega @ Esta Nocha

Fri 8: Carrie @ Victoria Theatre Screening of the original Sissy Spacek horror classic; proceeds benefit Ray of Light Theatre company’s upcoming production of Carrie, the Musical. $15. 7pm. 2961 16th St. www.rayoflighttheatre.com

The weekly LGBT and indie comic stand-up night. This week, a special Valentine’s Free Love and Comedy special, with Yayne Abeba, Zahra Noorbakhsh, Kurt Weitzmann, Frankie Quinones and Sandra Risser. 8pm-9:30pm. 3079 16th St. at Mission. www.comedybodega.com

Wed 13: Upstairs @ Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley

Joe Goode Performance Group @ Joe Goodee Annex

Wayne Self’s touring multi-character musical drama-in-progress about the the 1973 arson of a New Orleans gay club, and the 23 people who died. $20. 7pm. 1798 Scenic Ave., Berkeley. Also, Feb 14, at Metropolitan Community Church, 150 Eureka St., San Francisco. upstairsthemusical.wordpress.com

Thu 14: Joey Arias @ Castro Theatre The legendary nightlife icon and chanteuse performs Love Swings, an evening of song, seduction and celebration. Guest performers include Veronica Klaus, Connie Champagne, plus a fashion show by Mr. David. VIP post-show event in the mezzanine. $22-$75. 8pm. 429 Castro St. www.castrotheatre.com

Shamanism Class @ LGBT Center

SF Hiking Club @ Marin Headlands

Find your LGBT spirit guide at this drumming meditation and spiritually-focused workshop. $25. 1800 Market St. www.sfcenter.org

Join GLBT hikers for a 9-mile hike from Rodeo Beach through the Marin Headlands mostly along the Coastal Trail to the Golden Gate Bridge. The hike will go along the bay and Crissy Field and will end in the Marina. 794-2275. www.sfhiking.com

The Wild Bride @ Berkeley Rep Return engagement of the hit play, a ‘fairy tale for adults’ about a young woman’s adventures, with visually striking storytelling, humor and music. $35-$89. Tue, Thu-Sat 8pm. Wed & Sun 7pm; Sat & Sun 2pm. Thru Feb 17. Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 647-2949. www.berkeleyrep.org

Sun 10 Gimme TLC @ Aunt Charlie's Lounge Imperial Council candidate Danielle hosts a fundraiser for the Transgender Law Center; raffle prizes. 4pm. 133 Turk St. www.auntcharlieslounge.com

Love Fest @ Sprinkle/Stephens Home

Sundance Saloon Sweethearts Ball @ Space 550 The popular country western LGBT dance night celebrates Valentine’s Day with its optional underwear dress code; Free clothes check $5. 5pm-10:30pm with lessons from 5:30-7:15 pm. 550 Barneveld Ave. www.sundancesaloon.org

Sunday’s a Drag @ Starlight Room Donna Sachet and Harry Denton host the weekly fabulous brunch and drag show. $45. 11am, show at noon; 1:30pm, show at 2:30pm. 450 Powell St. in Union Square. 395-8595. www.harrydenton.com

Mon 11 Monday Musicals @ The Edge

Annie Sprinkle’s fundraiser, a warm-up for Valentines Day with an evening of cocktails, tarts and crafts and lovey-dovey fun. A fundraiser for Annie Sprinkle and Elizabeth Stephens’ new film and Visual Aid. $50-$150. 5:30pm-9pm. 310 Andover St. www.visualaid.org

The renovated bar now shows fun musicals each week, with Broadway touring performers stopping by to sing, too! This month, cast members from Wicked. 7pm2am. 2 for 1 cocktail, 5pm-closing. 18th St.

Mardi Gras Madness @ Martuni’s

Comedy Returns @ El Rio

Hedonistic sing-along to celebrate the “Nawlins” holiday, with Trauma Flintstone, Alan Choy and Carol Chen “the butchest showtunes lesbian in the world.” $5. 7pm. 4 Valencia St.

Odd Owls, Foxtails Bridage @ Yoshi’s Two folk-rock mini-orchestral local bands perform in a shared concert. $8-$12. 7pm. 1330 Fillmore St. 655-5600. www.yoshis.com

Richard Kane @ Castro Country Club Opening reception for an exhibit of multimedia child-like portraits and mixed media sculptures. 12pm-2pm. Thru March 31. 4058 18th St. www.castrocountryclub.org

at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com Enjoy diverse comic stylings from Sammy Obeid, Yayne Abeba, Nathan Habib, Rachel Gill, and Lisa Geduldig. $7-$20. 8pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

Ten Percent @ Comcast 104 David Perry’s talk show about LGBT people and issues. Mon-Fri 11:30am & 10:30pm. Sat & Sun 10:30pm. www.comcasthometown.com

Tue 12 Renee Wilson @ Yoshi’s Young R&B and jazz singer performs a tribute to Ms. Lena Horne in a special Fat Tuesday concert. $22. 8pm. 1330 Fillmore St. 655-5600. www.yoshis.com

Irresistibly Drawn: The Songs of Joe Goode Performance Group, music, dance and monologues performed with Holcombe Waller, other musicians and dancers. Comp wine, chocolate and hors d’eouvres. Thru Feb 16. $50. 8pm. 401 Alabama St. (800) 838-3006. www.joegoode.org

One Billion Rising @ First Congregational Church, Oakland Night for the One Billion : An Oakland Performance Ritual ‘mash-up’ featuring Dance Brigade, Youth Speaks, Destiny Arts, Holly Near, Hand to Hand, Afia Walking Tree, Gina Breedlove & Shelly Doty and more. $10-$100. 7pm. 2501 Harrison St at 27th. www.bayarearising.org

Out in the Bay @ KALW 91.7 Radio program with interviews of Daughters of Bilitis founders and life partners Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin. 7pm. www.OutintheBay.org

Rise Beyond Borders @ El Rio Fundraiser for collaborative political groups working for global women’s rights; performances by Kaylah Marin, Vixen Noir, Isis Starr, Voodoo Cabaret and others, plus DJed music. $3-$20. 6pm-2am. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

Spin the Bottle Nightlife @ Cal. Academy of Sciences Special Valentines’ Day with micro-brewery beer-tasting galore; science exhibits, plus food, cocktails and DJed dancing. $10-$12. 6pm-10pm, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. 379-8000. www.calacademy.org

Valentine’s Dinner @ Canela Bistro Bar Enjoy a four-course meal with oysters, fish filet, oxtail, chocolate soufflet cake and more; vegetarian options, and lovely wine selection. $55 per person. 5:30, 7:30, 9:30pm seatings. 2272 Market St. 5523000. www.canelasf.com

Wine & Chocolate Night @ Dogpatch Wineworks Enjoy tasting stations of wines and chocolates at the stylish dogpatch warehouse and winery. $40. 6pm-8pm. 2455 3rd St. 525-4440. www.dogpatchwineworks.com

Early Plays @ YBCA The Wooster Group and New York City Players perform a collaborative staging of the Glencairn Plays by Eugene O’Neill ( Early Plays recounts the tales of a group of sailors on a tramp steamer, exposing the underbelly of turn-of-the-century maritime life and the longing and loneliness of life at sea.); directed by Richard Maxwell. $10$25. 8pm. Thru Feb 16. Forum, 701 Mission St. at 3rd. 978-2787. www.ybca.org

To submit event listings, email jim@ebar.com. Deadline is each Thursday, a week before publication.

VOTE NOW!

<< Leather

24 • Bay Area Reporter • February 7-13, 2013

It’s contest season again! by Scott Brogan

ebar.com

t’s been a fairly quiet few weeks. The big event was the recent Leathermen’s Discussion Group’s (LDG) celebration of our own Race Bannon and Larry Shockey. It took place on Jan. 23 at the SF LGBT Center on Market St. Both men are more than deserving of praise, especially when considering how much experience they bring to the table, and how they give of their knowledge and time. Our community is ever changing, and keeping up with the swift changes is no easy task, but they seem to be able to, with ease. We have “Old Guard” and “New Guard,” and in the words of the LDG, “a newer ‘What the Fuck’ generation” that doesn’t have much use for rules, roles or protocol. Nothing wrong with that. Whatever works, as long as it’s safe, sane, and consensual, you can’t go wrong. Don’t overanalyze. Relax. Give and take. But most of all, have fun. Life’s too damn short, don’t you think? Speaking of what some might consider “Old Guard,” the leather contest season is upon us. It coincides with the awards-show season in Hollywood. I wonder if that’s a coincidence. Every year, the same ol’ debate rages about whether there is a real need for titles and contests, or if they’re just relics refusing to die. I’ve gone back and forth with my feelings on the subject. I think there are too many contests out there for an already-tapped audience, but they usually do nothing but good in giving participants experiences they’ll remember all their lives. As a rule, these experiences build character, strength, and confidence. Anything that achieves that is well worth it, regardless of any community expectations. At any rate, as of this writing, the Mr. Edge Leather contest hasn’t happened, but as of the publish date, it happened “last night.” The outgoing Mr. Edge 2012, Will Martin, did a great job this past year. I hope we get to see more of him in the future! This Saturday night is the popular Mr. Powerhouse contest. As with Mr. Edge, it’s a rollicking good time with hot bartenders and a hot audience. Oh yeah, some hot contestants, too. Good luck, everyone! The fun starts at 9 p.m. Next weekend we’re treated to the Northern California Leather Sir/boy/Community Bootblack contest. Fri., Feb. 15 is the contestant meet-and-greet at The Powerhouse. Saturday is the actual contest, taking place at The

SF Ballet

From page 21

nomic, whereas Sylve’s was full of rubato – she stole time from one measure to pay back another. Her phrasing was idiomatic and creamy, the steps suited the music and never seemed out of place. Even the most difficult, as when she descended from pointe into a genuflection and rose again as if by magic, seemed to be the inevitable effect of Lalo’s beautiful music. I’m inclined to give Lifar the benefit of the doubt, and to hope that SFB will repeat the ballet next season and get a POB coach like Violette Verdy to work with the dancers on phrasing.

Rich Stadtmiller

Lenny Broberg at his roast/tribute last year. He’s the new emcee for International Mr. Leather in Chicago this May.

Beatbox (314 11th St.) from 7-9 p.m. Sir Ray Middling and boy Seth will end their year of service to whoever the lucky winners for 2013 are. The judges are, for Sir/boy: Graylin Thorton, Ms. Margaret, Miguel Rubio, Jessie Vanciel, Leland Carina, Sir Jack, and Boy Bamm Bamm. The judges for the Bootblack contestants are: boyjean, Ruin, and Q. Tickets are $15 if pre-purchased from Brown Paper Tickets (www.brownpapertickets.com/event/289170) or $20 at the door. While there, be sure to thank the producers Shawn Kinnear, Jessie Vanciel, Richard Sprott, and Deborah Wade for their hard work. Coming on the heels of February is the Leather Alliance Weekend featuring the Mr. SF Leather contest and the roast of the Bay Area Reporter’s own Queen Cougar. Yep, we’re roasting her to within an inch of her life! Come and join the fun. Cougar is an awesome woman and someone whom I greatly admire. She’s one of a kind! The weekend’s festivities will be fun, and a fitting end to February’s busy happenings. It all starts on March 1. Go to: www. leatheralliance.org for details. The producers of the International Ms. Leather contest hap-

pening here in SF in April have announced Lolita Wolf as their keynote speaker. The actual contest is just one part of a very full weekend featuring workshops, presentations, play spaces, and more. Wolf ’s bio reads in part: “Lolita Wolf discovered the BDSM scene back in the late 80s when ‘online’ meant being on the phone-sex lines. She is an activist who defends the sexual freedom for all consenting adults, spreads the word about BDSM, sex and poly, and helps the community grow and flourish. Yet her goal remains ‘to have fun.’” You can check out her website at: www. leatheryenta.com. For details about IMsL, go to: www.IMsL. org. It’s a few months away, but it’s never too early to register and get tickets. Finally, I’m happy to report that Lenny Broberg, our most recent International Mr. Leather (he brought the title home to SF in 1992), has been chosen to be the emcee for this May’s IML weekend festivities in Chicago. You know what that means: The contest will run into more overtime than the Oscars. Just kidding, Lenny! I think it’s about time that Lenny is emceeing the weekend’s events. He’s the best, and who doesn’t want to see the best at the granddaddy of all leather contests? Go to: www. imrl.com for details.t

Wayne MacGregor’s futuristic ballet Borderlands similarly only came to life for me when dancers with strong personalities like Sylve, Maria Kochetkova, and Pascal Molat molded their moves into phrases that you could believe they meant. MacGregor had been inspired, the program notes said, by the paintings of Josef Albers, and we did see a huge square floating center-stage, which floated back mysteriously, shrank and disappeared, to re-emerge in different colors – but it was hard to tell why. The music nearly gave me a tonic-chord meltdown. I kept falling asleep, but when Sophiane came back on, I was alive to everything, though I can’t say

what she meant. Borderlands had an interesting look – the dancers were nearly naked, in pale blue underwear, but they were shrouded by the lighting, which, when the strobes started their flickering, created an effect like you were looking at a Xerox copy-of-a-copy, or an old video recording where the snow had eaten away most of the image. Strangely flattening. The effect could have been fascinating, but it wasn’t. This is the sort of ballet in which casting and luck can make a huge difference. On another night, it could have melted the walls of the building if the dancers were on. I wish I’d seen that, but I didn’t.t

Karrnal >>

February 7-13, 2013 • Bay Area Reporter • 25

Sex appeal for the ages by John F. Karr

was a big fan of Josh Weston. He was handsome of face and cock, and oh, I’m pleading mercy, his smooth, luminous skin slayed me. He was always a full-throttle performer, most often with a particular warmth, although sometimes his eyes were glassy and his face hardset. I didn’t speculate on the cause. Nor did I speculate on the cause of his death, which certainly saddened me. Not just because he died young, but because I sensed a sadness behind it. Some months before his death, Josh was apparently homeless, and was welcomed for a stay in the home of a friend of mine, who said Josh was friendly and had a huge heart, but could also seem distracted, aloof. One day, Josh was gone, leaving behind his single suitcase and few possessions. He turned up some time later to collect his simple belongings, and disappeared once again – out of our lives until we read his death notices. This progression of events made me sorrowful. Something about him had long given me the feeling he was a lonely porn star. Yet he’d given me an intangible and cherishable gift – in his shared sexuality, a part of himself. Porn is a means of possession. To possess through the eyes. It allowed me to possess something special: Josh Weston. I miss him. Something else I’d like to possess are the homemade solo films Josh made of his dates with a variety of (large) dildos. A long time ago, Josh had the flicks posted for download at his website, and they were available for a while at Falcon.com. I had em, replayed em, and lost em when my hard drive crashed. Can anybody help them find their way back to me? I make this appeal because another I made recently was so quickly

Josh Weston, seen here in homemade movie dildo play, a scene once available at Falcon.com.

successful. A well-informed (and subsequently well-rewarded) reader helped me identify Lucas Difubbiano, and find a mind-blasting video of him with topmen Darren and the astounding Igor (it’s at Machofucker.com.). Lucas has a masterful way of mastering his tops: his ass technique takes hold and they’re conquered. In one episode, he asks his partner, “You like me to take control of your cock?” As Lucas repeatedly pops the guy’s cock out of his ass like a champagne cork, the guy answers, “Fuck, yeah! Milk me like an animal!” Now, I’ve milked a cow, and also a goat. But I wouldn’t want to wank

on a creature any more wild than that. So I wonder what animal the guy was thinking of. Still, I got the general idea. There’s another sort of reference, though, that entirely throws me: mixing in the terms for female genitalia when calling out gay men’s body parts. You know, like when your fuckhole’s called a boypussy. Makes me laugh. But it seems some guys think talking like that is hip, butch, Str8 Acting or Not Gay Acting, or something. I think they can be considered butch not in their use of those terms, but in the fact that they don’t break out laughing when they say them. I had to roll one ostensibly macho gentleman right off me and disguise a snicker when he slipped a finger up my ass (OK, OK, it was maybe

Adult education by Jim Piechota

The Bible of Gay Sex by Stephan Niederwieser; Bruno Gmunder, $32.99

ny book whose title includes the words gay, sex and bible deserves more than a smirk and a cursory inspection. The sexy, highgloss guided tour of everything gay and sexual The Bible of Gay Sex proves itself much more than just a coffee-table book. It’s a guide to becoming the best homo you can be, with smarts and personality. Composed by Berlin psychotherapist, novelist, and sex authority Stephan Niederwieser (see his 2011 anal sex instructional Bend Over! The Complete Guide to Anal Sex!), this artful manual of homosexual manhood consists of 18 chapters dedicated to subject matter like the gay scene, the man chase, foreplay, cocks, mouths, asses, addiction, barebacking, and old age, with supplemental sections on sex toys, extreme sports, and navigating emotional connections. Dedicated to “all those disciples who are striving for sexual freedom,” the fun begins with an introspective interview with cultural activist Patrick Moore, whose body of work charts the course of gay sex and the progress made (and still to be made) on sexual independence, freedom from shame, and liberation from societal expectations. The sexiness flows through chap-

ters on finding a man (with a focus on online methods and contemporary warnings), oral sex (“sword-swallowing for beginners”), anal fun, the wide world of fetishes, and responsible self-care. Much of the advice is straightforward, sensible, painfully honest, and maybe just a tad snarky (is hooking up with someone after Midnight really considered “fucking the leftovers?”). Photographs of masculine eye-candy are courtesy of studios like Falcon, Raging Stallion, All Worlds, Hot House and Colt. If there’s a quibble to be found with Niederwieser’s Bible, it’s a lack of information and counsel to those who consider themselves part of the transgender community, are in the midst of a gender transformation, or are seeking out transgender friends, sex partners, or lifemates. A chart of abbreviations lists TG for transgendered, but FTM/MTF (female-to-male, male-to-femaleidentifying) would be a more contemporary acronym. Clever quotes like adult per-

former Colton Ford’s “You need intelligence and humanity to be a successful bottom” are scattered throughout, and Niederwieser concludes the volume with the complex issue of unexpected romance, i.e., what to do when somewhere “between the upper thigh and the lower back you have to confess that you’ve fallen in love.” But perhaps this thoughtfully smutty handbook is best summed up by the author’s closing words, universal advice for all of us: “Don’t just talk about it, do it!”t

two fingers, but definitely not more than three) and whispered, “I wanna stuff that hot cunt.” Since no one wants to be deemed prissy during sex, I refrained from saying, “Excuse me, sir, you must be mistaken. I don’t have a cunt.” There are activities when the application of such terms may be less risible. Securely butch as I am, though, I resist feminization and am definitely not into humiliation. So I prefer guys keep such language off me. And while linguistic creativity should be admirable, you just have to draw the line when you hear something as hilarious as

“mangina.” The only thing you can do with a guy who talks like that is stuff his throat with something rigid. There was this guy ravening over me who was so big he caused a total eclipse of the ceiling. And then, dammit, he screamed something about my manpussy. When I requested he foreswear the term, he wanted to know why. “Well,” I said, “how about if instead of saying, I wanna suck your cock – your big, fat, oh-so-magnificent manmeat – how about if I said, I wanna suck your manclit?” I didn’t hear a peep about pussy out of him again.t

Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

26 • BAY ayAREA rea REPORTER eporter • February February 7-13, 7-13,2013 2013

Joey Arias

From page 17

for Joey Arias: Love Swings, which master showman Marc Huestis presents at the Castro Theater on Valentine’s Day (Thurs., Feb. 14), Joey Arias clearly has “it.” In the video, the New York-based performer stares hypnotically into the camera. His dark eyebrows and full lips invite you to join his otherworldly persona. “When I sing, I go into a trance,” Arias said in a phone interview with the B.A.R. “My voice comes from somewhere in heaven.” He’s become well-known for his almost-ghostly interpretations of the Billie Holiday songbook. “I just do what I’m doing. I’m not pretending to be her. Singing is very spiritual for me.” Though he adopts a quasifemale persona onstage, Arias doesn’t identify as a drag queen. He has, he says, a great deal of respect for drag performers. “I’m inbetween,” he says. “I’m not male,

SF IndieFest

From page 17

private home of a female psychiatric couple – they put a positive spin on Lara’s latest calamity: a downturn in her health, a worsening of her multiple addictions, liaisons with even crumbier men. Against the backdrop of the hetero porn industry, the film reveals two women who are ultimately there for each other. (2/17, 18) The Story of Luke Alonso Mayo’s humane family comedy tackles the radical idea that the label “autistic” need not follow one to the grave. At 25, but could pass for 13, Luke’s life is in full meltdown: his beloved grandmother, his guardian and best friend, has died, leaving Luke to the tender mercies of his grandfather’s uncomprehending clan. The night of the funeral, Luke shares a narrow bed with Gramps, who’s rapidly losing it. Lou Taylor Pucci steers clear of Dustin Hoffman’s idiot-savant approach to creating a cuddly autistic guy (Rain Man), instead producing a canny little guy who seduces or outsmarts everyone blocking his path. Pucci, who was “fag-baited” as a hetero, slightly effeminate New Jersey schoolboy, here invokes his feminine voice to command respect. In this third in a trio of takes on truly special kids (Thumbsucker, The Music Never Stopped), Pucci is a major talent just shy of his breakout moment. (2/16, 20) Ghosts with Shit Jobs Canadian satire alert: This SciFi humor piece is hosted by condescending Chinese news anchors from 2040. “We bring you people in the West who are struggling to survive, doing jobs that no one in China would do. Are they branded as outcasts and losers, or is there a richness to their lives that news reports don’t show?”

not female. I’ve always pushed the boundaries.” His musical tastes are quite eclectic. Besides Holiday, Sinatra, and other crooners of that period, he includes Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, D y l a n and Bette Midler as being among his musical idols. New York-based He draws performer Joey Arias. upon all of them for inspiration in his performances. “I enjoy a lot of music. I like to take a song and put life into it.” He’s not exaggerating. His repertoire includes the 60s psychedelic anthem “White

Ranging from a spunky spoof of the PBS NewsHour to a hipper SNL, this one probably hits the ennui expressway before you discover just what we’ve left our kids. (2/15, 18) Faceless Swiss director Tristan Albrecht tracks the 9/11 tragedy through the viewpoint of illegal service-workers at the World Trade Center’s famous Windows on the World restaurant. The tale centers on border resident Miguel, as his widow recalls how he endured a deadly pilgrimage from his village to the 90,000-sq.-ft. eatery. Albrecht’s vividly filmed doc illustrates the fate of hundreds of undocumented workers whose anonymity adds poignancy to their fate. (2/17, 18) Antiviral Judging by this debut feature, which got him to Cannes, director Brandon Croenenberg has his famous dad’s wit and facility with hair-raising SciFi gags. Like the dystopian thriller Looper, Antiviral opens in a future-shock universe where somebody neglected to spray for zombies. We’re sitting in a Clorox-white clinic as celebrity-besotted kids wait to be injected with a disease from their favorite star. Jason Porous sits next to a woman resembling Mama Cass. “I’m here for Michael Felix. Did you know he used to torment his lovers by packing his foreskin with spices before intercourse?” I see Justin Bieber watching this one in his workout gym. Antiviral illustrates the perks and problems of Anglo-Canadian satire. The premise is clever, the actors eye-candy, but the execution is excruciating: the polar ice-caps are melting at a faster clip. Catching this one at the Roxie, be aware of ghosts from 1980s Atom Egoyan videos. Celebrity alert for a second-act Malcolm McDowell sighting. (2/9, 12)t

E. Walt White

Room” by Cream, performed with an African beat. When Arias appears at the Castro to perform Love Swings, romance will be in the air, albeit with the star’s unique edge. He will be accompanied on the baby grand by Eliot Douglass, who joins Arias directly from Cirque De Soleil’s Zumanity. “This evening of song and spectacle will feature Arias singing songs of love with a sly touch of seduction,” said Marc Huestis. “All in Arias’ own inimitable style. It’s an evening of fine romance and dirty fun.” Arias feels that his perfor-

▼ t

mances of these older tunes help to introduce them to the younger generation. “These songs were written at a time when people were at war,” he said. “It’s a lost art-form. If I keep singing them to the younger crowd, they’ll get into it. I now have 18-year-olds asking me for Billie Holiday’s ‘Them There Eyes.’” The exciting night will include performances by chanteuses Veronica Klaus and Connie Champagne. There will also be a fabulous fashion show presented by Mr. David. VIP ticket-holders may also join Arias for a bubbly aftershow reception in the Castro Theater Mezzanine. VIP tickets cost $58. General seating is $32, while balcony seats go for $22. Tickets may be purchased through Ticketfly, or by calling (415) 863-0611.t View the trailer for the show by Leo Herrera at https://vimeo. com/58723784.

ST IndieFest

One of the Ghosts with Shit Jobs in a Canadian satire, part of this year’s SF IndieFest.

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