07
06
Bathhouse rule change delayed
SF revives LGBTQ panel
New D8 safety liaison
ARTS
03
10
Musical Grooves Pt. 2
The
www.ebar.com
Serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities since 1971
Postal panel will take up drag stamp request
Courtesy Ricardo Lara
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara
Lara order supports trans youth accessing medical care
by Matthew S. Bajko
by Matthew S. Bajko
A
postal service stamp advisory panel will consider issuing stamps honoring three deceased drag icons who have become heroic figures within the LGBTQ community. The trio would be the first drag performers to be honored in such a manner if the stamps are approved. Those being considered by the U.S. Postal Service’s Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee are JosÊ Julio Sarria, Marsha P. Johnson, and Sylvia Rivera, according to a December 9 letter the federal agency sent to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. On the last day of LGBTQ History Month in October, the 11-member board
C
alifornia Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is taking steps to ensure transgender youth are not denied access to medical care by their insurance company. Lara announced December 30 that he had directed the Department of Insurance to issue a General Counsel Opinion Letter clarifying that under exSee page 8 >>
Boudin under fire in hit-and-run case by John FerranniniÂ
Illustrations: Thomas Haller Buchanan
An artist rendered proposed postage stamps honoring drag icons JosĂŠ Julio Sarria, Marsha P. Johnson, and Sylvia Rivera.
became the first elected body to officially endorse the postage effort. In the letter thanking the supervisors for their resolution, the federal agency disclosed that the advisory committee would take under consideration issuing the stamps for the drag performers possibly in 2023 or a year later. The advisory panel recommends ideas for commemorative stamps, but it is up to the U.S. postmaster general to make a final determination. “Currently, stamps for 2023 and subsequent years are being considered. I understand that the Committee wiil (sic) be considering proposals to issue stamps honoring Jose Julio Sarria, Marsha P. Johnson, and Sylvia Rivera,� wrote Nadine Munson, the postal service’s government rela-
tions correspondence manager. “If they do not receive approval for issuance in the future, the announcement will be made publicly, in keeping with our standard practice. The Board of Supervisors’ support for this subject is being included in the Committee’s files.� San Diego resident Nicole Murray Ramirez launched the campaign in the summer after the Bay Area Reporter contacted him for comment about several stamps issued to commemorate the 80th birthday of Bugs Bunny depicting the animated rabbit in drag. It is believed to be the first time drag has been featured on U.S. stamps. Known as the Queen Mother I of the Americas and Nicole the Great within the Imperial Court See page 8 >>
Campos, now DA chief of staff, sees chance for ‘real reform’
S
an Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who campaigned on a criminal justice reform platform, is facing heightened scrutiny in the wake of a parolee allegedly involved in a hitRick Gerharter and-run incident that San Francisco killed two pedestrians in the South of Market District Attorney Chesa Boudin neighborhood on New Year’s Eve. Those criticisms include a petition calling on Boudin to resign. Police arrested San Francisco resident Troy Ramon McAlister, 45, on December 31 for driving under the influence after a reported stolen vehicle he was driving allegedly struck Elizabeth Platt, 60, and Hanako Abe, 27, while they entered a crosswalk at Mission and Second streets. Boudin’s office charged McAlister with a series of felonies January 4 related to the deaths of Platt and Abe, including two counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (McAlister pleaded not guilty in court January 5) – but at issue for Boudin’s critics is the fact that McAlister was arrested several times in recent months, including for car theft and auto burglary, but was not charged. McAlister, who was paroled in April, was arrested again in June, August, October, November, and on December 20. Boudin said some of
Vol. 51 • No. 01 • January 7-13, 2021
by John Ferrannini
T
See page 2 >>
he mileage on David Campos’ car’s odometer is not increasing as quickly since he took on the job as District Attorney Chesa Boudin’s chief of staff a little over two months ago – his previous role as a deputy county executive of Santa Clara County had him regularly driving between the South Bay and his San Francisco home. “I’d commute by transit from time to time but it was easier to drive since Santa Clara County is spread out and I oversaw a number of agencies and office locations,� Campos, a gay man, told the Bay Area Reporter recently in a wide-ranging phone interview. Campos, 50, is already familiar to San Franciscans from his eight years as the District 9 supervisor and now as the chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party. On the Board of Supervisors, he represented the Mission district and Bernal Heights. He hopes to add another job – as the B.A.R. recently reported, Campos announced December 21 that he is seeking the position of vice chair of the California Democratic Party. It was the opportunity to work with Boudin, however, which led him to return to San Fran-
Courtesy SF DA’s office
David Campos serves as chief of staff to San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin.
cisco government. He told the B.A.R. that he was inspired by Boudin’s November 2019 victory and the top prosecutor’s desire to be a progressive reformer. “I loved my job in Santa Clara County. I was overseeing operations at a number of agencies in the last few months, helping with COVID re-
sponse,� Campos said. “When the opportunity of working with DA Boudin came up, I thought that it was the right move for me. When you think about where criminal justice reform is possible, if it can’t happen here in San Francisco, it’s hard to see it happening anywhere else. “In San Francisco, with the leadership of this DA, it’s possible, and I wanted to be a part of it,� he added. Campos said that his roots as a gay man, and as an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, from where he came to the United States as a teenager, inform his perspective as the number two person in the DA’s office. “The administration of justice in San Francisco – that’s a very serious responsibility,� Campos said. “So you have to have humility in this work. Being formerly undocumented, an immigrant, the experience of being an outsider shapes how you see things, and that’s an important perspective. I hope that the LGBTQ community knows we are dedicated to serving the diverse communities of San Francisco.� One way in which the DA’s office plans to serve those communities, Campos said, is through the appointment of liaisons to the various supervisorial districts. See page 8 >>
ENT PRESS SF INDEPEND ION ASSOCIAT
<< Community News
t Out judge, councilwoman take oaths in East Bay 2 • Bay Area Reporter • January 7-13, 2021
by Cynthia Laird
L
esbians took oaths of office January 4 for a seat on the Alameda County Superior Court and the Oakland City Council. Elena Condes, the first Latina lesbian judge elected to the Alameda County bench, was sworn in by retired Superior Court Judge Cecilia Castellanos, the first Latina on the county bench, in a virtual ceremony from Presiding Judge Tara Desautels courtroom at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland. There were a few people in attendance, including Condes’ spouse, Danielle. “It is a momentous occasion,” Desautels said before the ceremony began. During her remarks, Condes thanked her family and supporters. A longtime criminal defense attorney, Condes recalled entering a courtroom in another county with her client, a young boy. She was told she couldn’t bring her child to court. “It was moments like these that I thought I could and should do something,” she said. “As the first Latinx to run, I showed that we do not need to wait for someone to choose us,” Condes added, referring to the fact that most judges
Screengrab via BlueJeans.
Alameda County Superior Court Judge Elena Condes, left, was sworn in by retired Judge Cecilia Castellanos, right, as Condes’ spouse, Danielle, records the proceedings and Presiding Judge Tara Desautels looks on.
in the state are appointed by the governor. Condes won her election in November by defeating Mark Fickes, a gay man and longtime attorney. According to certified results, Condes received 55.91% of the vote to Fickes’ 43.64%. Prior to her swearing in, Condes’ spouse enrobed her with the plain black garment that is stipulated judges wear when on the bench. Desautels said at the close of the ceremony that Condes would be assigned
to family law at the Hayward Hall of Justice.
Oakland City Council
Also on Monday, new and reelected members of the Oakland City Council were sworn in, as were City Attorney Barbara Parker and members of the Oakland school board. Rebecca Kaplan, a lesbian and, until Monday the council’s president, took her oath of office after winning reelection to the at-large seat in November. She remains the council’s only LGBTQ
Screengrab via Zoom
Oakland City Council member Rebecca Kaplan was sworn in to her third term January 4.
member. Following the ceremony, Councilwoman Nikki Bas was elected by her colleagues to serve as president; Kaplan will serve as vice mayor. During her remarks, Kaplan, who started her third term representing the entire city, spoke of several initiatives that were either completed or need to continue. She thanked voters for approving a ballot measure that will see the city’s civilian police commission gain more authority and one that will allow 16-year-olds to vote in local school board elections.
“We have vital and important work to do,” she said, noting that crews were hired to combat illegal dumping in the city and measures were implemented to combat illegal gun dealing. On housing the homeless, Kaplan said the council approved quicker building of affordable housing and streamlined the application process for projects. She also said the council approved hiring civilian mental health workers. Speaking about the health crisis, Kaplan reminded people to wear masks and distance from others. “This pandemic is not over,” she said. “Together, we must pursue justice, we must pursue peace,” Kaplan added. Councilmembers Dan Kalb, Carroll Fife, Noel Gallo, and Treva Reid were also sworn into office. Kalb and Gallo were reelected; Fife and Reid are new members. The Oakland school board saw four new members sworn in: Sam Davis, VanCedric Williams, Mike Hutchinson, and Clifford Thompson Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf spoke at the start of the ceremony. She said that 2021 “will not be an easy year” as the effects of the global pandemic continue to be felt in the city and beyond. t
Out Peninsula councilwoman to seek supe seat by Matthew S. Bajko
A
n out Peninsula city councilwoman is running for an open seat on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in 2022. Should Laura Parmer-Lohan, serving this year as mayor of San Carlos, be elected then she would become the first out woman to serve on the county board, likely its lone LGBTQ member, and the first mother on it in recent memory. Parmer-Lohan would also be the first out lesbian elected to a board of supervisors in a Bay Area county outside of San Francisco. And her election would double the number of out county supervisors in the nine-county Bay Area region should gay San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman win reelection that fall to his District 8 seat.
<<
Boudin
From page 1
these were referred to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Elected in 2018 as the sor.com/. In a Facebook first out person on the post she unveiled her camSan Carlos City Council, paign signage and tagline Parmer-Lohan is president of “Vision, Leadership & and CEO of the marketing Results.” and consulting firm Ruck“I am honored to serve us Partners. She is part as Mayor of San Carlos of a rainbow family that this year. I will work hard includes her wife, Kathy to ensure our community Courtesy Twitter Parmer-Lohan, executive remains vibrant during director of the San Carlos San Carlos Mayor these challenging times. I Education Foundation, Laura Parmerlove this work. As many of and their sons Bradley, a Lohan the issues that we face in freshman at UC Davis, San Carlos are regional in and Gregory, a high school nature, I am announcing junior. my candidacy for San Mateo County She announced her decision to Supervisor District 3 in 2022,” wrote seek the county board’s District 3 Parmer-Lohan, who has already seat Monday, January 4, after being raised $50,000 toward her race. the first to pull papers for the race The incumbent, Supervisor Don and going live with her campaign Horsley, will be unable to seek reelecsite at https://www.lauraforsupervition that year due to term limits. Also
seeking to represent the sprawling supervisorial district that stretches from the coastal towns along Highway 1 to the suburban cities of Atherton, San Carlos and parts of Menlo Park and Belmont is Menlo Park City Councilman Ray Mueller, who also pulled papers for the race Monday. In a phone interview Tuesday with the Bay Area Repporter, Parmer-Lohan cited three issues she has worked to address in her city that she would focus on countywide: affordable housing, access to child care, and controlling wildfires. “When I look at the issues we are working on in San Carlos, they are regional in nature. This is an opportunity to really drive solutions for our shared concerns,” said Parmer-Lohan, who has tapped into her experience working for various health care com-
panies for guidance as her city confronts the impacts of the COVID-19 health crisis. “I will work to make sure we recover from this pandemic in an equitable way too, so our community remains vibrant and can thrive.” Tom Nolan was the first openly gay politician to hold elected office in a suburban part of the Bay Area when he won a seat on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in 1984. Rich Gordon then became the county’s second gay supervisor, serving for roughly 13 years until his election in 2010 to the state Assembly. Gordon is among those who have early endorsed Parmer-Lohan, as has Ken Yeager, a gay man who was the first out supervisor in Santa Clara County. t
Neither Boudin’s office nor the San Francisco Police Department responded to requests for comment for this story. Tony Montoya, a gay man who is the president of the San Francisco Po-
the top prosecutor’s time at the public defender’s office. Indeed in 2018, Boudin was listed as McAlister’s public defender during a court hearing after McAlister was accused of robbery. But according to
a January 5 statement by Public Defender Mano Raju, it would be a mischaracterization to claim this constitutes representing McAlister. “Chesa Boudin never represented See page 6 >>
lice Officers Association, also did not respond to a request for comment. He did say during a KPIX-TV interview however, that Boudin should have recused himself from this case because he once defended McAlister during
‘Tis the season for turning your fireplace into an efficient gas heater! This winter, enjoy the warmth and ambiance of a new gas fireplace, even on Spare the Air days!
Following state and CDC guidelines, we are available to safely meet with you in your home and in our showroom, or answer your questions by phone.
415-626-1110
OKELL’S FIREPLACE
130 Russ Street, SF
okellsfireplace.com
LX2 3-sided fireplace shown here as a room divider with decorative glass, reflective glass liner, and the HeatShift™ system
info@okellsfireplace.com
t
Community News>>
January 7-13, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 3
SF HRC to relaunch its LGBTQ advisory panel by Matthew S. Bajko
T
hree years after it went on hiatus due to months of lacking the quorum needed for meetings, the San Francisco Human Rights Commission’s LGBTQI Advisory Committee will relaunch in 2021 under a new membership structure. Recruitment of community members interested in serving on it will begin in February, with the first meeting expected to take place in the spring ahead of Pride Month. It will mark “the relaunch, rebrand, and really the reigniting of the LGBTQI Advisory committee,” noted HRC Executive Director Sheryl Davis. First established in 1975, the committee is tasked with advising the HRC on issues affecting the LGBTQ community. Among its more recent accomplishments, the panel played a part in the creation of the city’s LGBT Aging Policy Task Force, which produced policy proposals instituted at both the city and state level, and making gender identity a protected category in San Francisco, similar to race, age, and sex. The committee’s 12 members were expected to meet monthly except for December, due to the holidays, and June, in recognition of Pride Month. Members had to be city residents and were not paid for their service. But in October 2018 the Bay Area Reporter disclosed that the advisory panel’s last meeting had been in March of that year. A HRC spokesman chalked up the reason for the panel going dormant to the city agency having to follow more rigid rules and regulations on how it conducts its meetings than what community-based LGBTQ organizations have to follow. At the time Susan Belinda Christian, a lesbian then serving on
Steven Underhill
San Francisco City Hall was lit in rainbow colors last year to honor the life of lesbian pioneer Phyllis Lyon, who died April 9.
the HRC, had told the B.A.R. that the advisory panel should be reenvisioned so that it worked closer with the full commission, the city’s LGBTQ residents, nonprofits, and other queer organizations. And in fact, that is what has occurred under a reimagining of the panel that was adopted by the HRC in August 2019. Under the advisory committee’s revamped makeup, it will be expanded to have 25 members. There will be 10 seats dedicated for community members, five seats for elected officials, and 10 seats for the executive directors of city-based LGBTQ nonprofits and social service agencies. “We decided to update the bylaws to ensure that we have a diversity of voices included in the new advisory committee. Having a body that includes elected officials, executive directors, and community members provides the opportunity to advance advocacy, policy, and funding opportunities,” explained Tuquan Harrison, the HRC’s LGBTQI policy adviser. “We want to ensure the LGBTQI Advisory Committee’s reach and
impact are deeply embedded in all parts of San Francisco’s LGBTQI community.”
Delayed by pandemic
Implementation of the revised LGBTQI advisory body, however, was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said Harrison, who will serve as the agency’s liaison to the committee. HRC staff had met with LGBTQ community members and leaders last March right before the health crisis led to stay-at-home orders being instituted that month. “We were planning for the relaunch of it, but it never happened due to COVID,” said Harrison, adding that Davis “really wants this body to come back to the city. In the new year we will make sure it is launched.” Harrison told the B.A.R. that the city department plans to meet with different community members this month to update them on what the next steps are for reconstituting the advisory panel. “We will be hosting our announcement meeting in early February to begin the advisory
recruitment process. We will have a formal application process and should have more details in the coming weeks,” Harrison informed the B.A.R. in early December. The advisory committee will only need to meet at least quarterly, rather than requiring that it meet 10 times a year. The political leaders and agency heads given seats will be able to name proxies who can take part in meetings on their behalf. “I think that makes a lot of sense,” gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman told the B.A.R. about the reconstituted makeup of the committee. In presenting the revised timeline for getting the panel up and running at the HRC’s November meeting, Vice Chair Joseph Sweiss told his fellow commissioners that, “I personally like to think of this as the LGBTQI commission” for the city that can weigh in on citywide directives, provide guidance to city leaders on LGBTQ initiatives, and highlight funding and grant opportunities for community groups. “I know this is a bold vision. I know we are asking for a lot,” he said. “We are shooting for the stars. But that is exactly what we do in San Francisco.” Sweiss, a queer man who works on policy and public affairs at the city’s Department of the Environment, has taken a lead role in revising the advisory panel along with Harrison and fellow out commissioners Melanie Ampon, a trans woman who is a longtime employee of the transgender cabaret dining club AsiaSF, and Mark Kelleher, an associate vice president of development at San Francisco State University who is married to the city’s treasurer-tax collector, José Cisneros.
We’re doing what we’ve always done.
Taking on the biggest challenges. ucsfhealth.org/hereforyou
Peter Chin-Hong MD Infectious disease physician
Sweiss described the new makeup for it as “the United Nations model” for San Francisco’s LGBTQ community. “We wanted to figure out a body that is always diverse, inclusive, and has room for everybody who wants to be involved,” said Sweiss. Ampon said at the meeting that she was “excited” to see the city have a forum that brings together public officials, grassroots organizations, and community leaders on a regular basis. “I am really excited to see what we can do and how we can elevate community leaders and grassroots organizations,” said Ampon. “Hopefully, we can do some real good in San Francisco.” Kelleher said he believes the new model for the advisory panel will produce a “really useful partner going forward” as the city grapples with the various challenges confronting its LGBTQ residents. “We don’t want the LGBTQI Advisory Committee to be duplicative or its work to be duplicative of what organizations throughout the city are doing,” he said. “We really want it to be value-added.” Mandelman said the panel is needed not only to address such topics as how to assist more LGBTQ people get elected or appointed to positions in the city but also to provide a forum for the city’s various LGBTQ nonprofits to confer with one another and collaborate better on issues. “It is a place to cultivate a new generation of leadership,” said Mandelman, currently the lone out member on the Board of Supervisors. “It is also a place for, I think, this vision to have queer nonprofits get together around a table on some See page 8 >>
<< Open Forum
4 • Bay Area Reporter • January 7-13, 2021
Volume 51, Number 1 January 7-13, 2021 www.ebar.com
PUBLISHER Michael M. Yamashita Thomas E. Horn, Publisher Emeritus (2013) Publisher (2003 – 2013) Bob Ross, Founder (1971 – 2003) NEWS EDITOR Cynthia Laird CULTURE EDITOR Jim Provenzano ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko • John Ferrannini CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tavo Amador • Roger Brigham Brian Bromberger • Victoria A. Brownworth Philip Campbell • Heather Cassell Michael Flanagan • Jim Gladstone Liz Highleyman • Lisa Keen Matthew Kennedy • David Lamble David-Elijah Nahmod • Paul Parish Tim Pfaff • Jim Piechota • Gregg Shapiro Gwendolyn Smith •Sari Staver • Charlie Wagner Ed Walsh • Cornelius Washington • Sura Wood
ART DIRECTION Max Leger PRODUCTION/DESIGN Ernesto Sopprani PHOTOGRAPHERS Jane Philomen Cleland • FBFE Rick Gerharter • Gareth Gooch Jose Guzman-Colon • Rudy K. Lawidjaja Georg Lester • Rich Stadtmiller • Fred Rowe Steven Underhill • Bill Wilson ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Christine Smith
VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING Scott Wazlowski – 415.829.8937
NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Rivendell Media – 212.242.6863
LEGAL COUNSEL Paul H. Melbostad, Esq.
CA vaccine efforts must ramp up
W
e are several weeks into COVhealth care workers vaccinated by their ID-19 vaccine distribution and employers and 90% of the residents the pace is woefully slow in California. at Laguna Honda Hospital, Bay City Governor Gavin Newsom acknowlNews reported.) edged Monday that only about 35% Newsom has promised to get more of the vaccine doses that arrived in the aggressive in the vaccine rollout, but state have been administered so far, he must act now. While the state was which he said was “not good enough.” able to suppress the virus early on, According to the Los Angeles Times, that has now completely evaporated Newsom has pledged $300 million in with record numbers of cases reportAP/pool the 2021-22 budget for vaccine dis- California ed daily. The Times reported that Matt tribution, but that money won’t be Governor Gavin Willis, public health officer for Marin available for months. According to Newsom County, said that the state issued what Bloomberg News, the Golden State’s amounted to a “course correction” to vaccinations lag behind every other give local health departments more large state, using just 28.1% of distributed doses, latitude to broadly vaccinate health care workers below the national rate of 33.1% (which isn’t instead of following earlier state guidance to prigreat either). Texas, of all places, is at 40%. Overoritize primary care clinics over specialty clinics, all, California ranks 41st out of the 50 states – not for example. Meanwhile, Dr. Mark Ghaly, Calieven close to where we should be. fornia’s Health and Human Services secretary, To be clear, it’s not just California that is expesaid the state is working to clarify that vaccine riencing problems. The Times reported that the doses don’t go to waste. issues are due in part to layers of federal, state, and All in all, the sluggish rollout of COVID vaclocal rules governing how health care providers cines reminds us of the disaster that was – and prioritize patients and administer vaccines. The remains – testing for the virus. Right now, Color, lack of coordination traces all the way up to the the lab doing testing in San Francisco, is “experiTrump administration and the president abdicatencing high demand” for tests, the city’s website ing his job as his days in office tick down. But the states. Those with health insurance are supposed state is also to blame, as California has received just to go through their physician. Last fall, testing at under 1.3 million vaccine doses but has only vacthe city sites was open to anyone, with or withcinated about 454,000 people. Meanwhile, doses out symptoms, and there were no wait times on sit in storage as more COVID cases are reported. some days. That’s how it should be all the time, (San Francisco, to its credit, has seen some 80,000 until everyone can get vaccinated.
O
n his way out the door, former Attorney General William Barr delivered one last slap to minority groups, potentially including LGBTQs of color. The Justice Department quietly embarked on an 11th-hour bid to undo some civil rights protections in a change that, the New York Times reported, “would mark one of the most significant shifts in civil rights enforcement in generations.” At issue is how the department carries out Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits recipients of federal funding from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin. The regulation covers housing programs, employers, schools, hospitals, and other orga-
A division of BAR Media, Inc. © 2021 President: Michael M. Yamashita Director: Scott Wazlowski
News Editor • news@ebar.com Arts Editor • arts@ebar.com Out & About listings • jim@ebar.com Advertising • scott@ebar.com Letters • letters@ebar.com Published weekly. Bay Area Reporter reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement which the publisher believes is in poor taste or which advertises illegal items which might result in legal action against Bay Area Reporter. Ads will not be rejected solely on the basis of politics, philosophy, religion, race, age, or sexual orientation. Advertising rates available upon request. Our list of subscribers and advertisers is confidential and is not sold. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, and writers published herein is neither inferred nor implied. We are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork.
nizations. The Times reported that under the change, the Justice Department would continue to narrowly enforce the law’s protections, but no longer in cases where a policy or practice had a “disparate impact” on minority or other groups, like old Jim Crow laws. That’s a key difference, as patterns of discrimination are often used as evidence by plaintiffs in bias cases. It’s just the latest effort by the Trump administration to scale back protections for minorities. Barr, of course, did not issue the draft language for public review or comment, as is usually the case. And, it can’t be undone by an executive order once President-elect Joe Biden takes office. However, Merrick Garland, whom
s
Biden nominated to be his AG on Wednesday, could choose to put implementation of the rule change on hold. That’s exactly what he should do once the Senate confirms him. This is a serious development that undermines the disparate-impact approach to rooting out discrimination under Title VI and could undo many laws and policies that rely on it. It’s disgusting that in the waning days of the administration, Trump officials have done everything they can to deny justice for those who experience discrimination. t
Emergency depts: It’s NOT normal now it may be impossible to transfer you to see a cardiologist. Sometimes choosing t is no secret that many hospital the best hospital isn’t possible if you emergency departments are struglive in the middle of nowhere. But if gling. I recently tweeted some tips you live in a city and usually go to the about how to access care during this small private ED with the better wait overwhelming wave of COVID-19 times and nicer rooms, maybe now is in the U.S. These aren’t ideas I ever the time to think more about what serthought I would suggest to anyone vices the hospital has instead. outside of Mass Casualty Incidents 4. Expect a wait. We always say Courtesy Twitter (MCIs), where need for care greatly this, but we like really, really, REALLY Dr. Nick Gorton exceeds the ability of the involved mean it this time. Also expect not to health care systems to provide care. see your family. Bring everything you However, millions of Americans decided seeing may need (including a cellphone charger). ExGranny for the holidays was more important pect to sit in the ED and maybe not go up to a than a functional health care system. So here we room on the floor. For days. Or possibly to be are: the U.S. COVID-19 clusterfuck is a nationsent to a tent or a field hospital in a stadium or wide MCI. parking garage. It’s not going to be nice. For those considering a trip to the ED during 5. Be kind to the nurses. These amazing prothe pandemic, here are a few suggestions: fessionals have the highest exposure risk 1. Ask yourself: is this something that really to COVID-19 and are not just risking needs an ED visit? If you have access to other care, their lives, but their families’ lives to and your local EDs are overwhelmed, maybe this help you. Show them the goddamn isn’t the time to go for a sprained finger. If you can, respect they deserve and if they get call an advice nurse before you go or try one of upset, or are exhausted, or gruff, those fancy new telemedicine apps. If you have a or curt with you, the correct reserious emergency, we will try our best to be there sponse is “THANK YOU FOR for you, but we can treat more serious emergencies RISKING YOUR LIFE FOR better if we keep the flow manageable. ME.” 2. If you think you have COVID and aren’t ei6. If you or your family get COther very sick or high risk, don’t come “just to get VID-19, talk early about what level of a test.” Waiting rooms may be full and you could care you want. Grandpa is 98, has diabetes, kidney quite literally kill someone by breathing on them. failure, and told you he doesn’t want heroics: REIf you have red flag symptoms like shortness of SPECT HIS WISHES. Even if you aren’t high risk, breath, bad chest pain, or confusion, please come. tell your family before you go what you want if you But if your roommate has COVID-19 and you get really sick. If you can do so without infecting have mild flu-like symptoms and can’t smell anysomeone, hug them and tell them how much you thing, you have COVID-19. I don’t need a test to love them like it is the last time. Because it might tell you that: so please stay home and save lives. be the last time. 3. If you think you need specialty care pick your 7. Be realistic and remember you probably ED wisely. If you had surgery at hospital X and won’t get the level of care we usually expect in the come to hospital Y, we probably can’t transfer you U.S. It won’t be fast and we probably can’t transto your surgeon at hospital X because NO ONE fer you for the lifesaving care we usually can: no has beds. If possible go where your specialist is. If one is accepting transfers. A transfer center nurse you come to a small hospital with a heart attack, told me recently that last month they got trans-
I 44 Gough Street, Suite 204 San Francisco, CA 94103 415.861.5019 • www.ebar.com
It’s clear that leaders need to implement a focused, concentrated effort to get these vaccines to people. Of course, if Trump had prepared for that in the beginning of the pandemic, we probably wouldn’t be in this situation now. But here we are, and Newsom needs to take command of the situation because it’s up to state leaders to determine how their doses are administered. Yes, we know the crazies want to recall him and he needs to pay attention to that. But he needs to step up, develop a plan, and stick to it. The state also needs a massive public education campaign about vaccine safety. Just this week a pharmacist in Wisconsin allegedly tried to ruin 57 vials of the Moderna vaccine (enough to inoculate 500 people) because he thought they would manipulate people’s DNA. As the Associated Press and many other outlets have reported, misinformation about the COVID vaccines has flourished online, with social media companies unable to keep up and remove inaccurate posts. Leaders should have anticipated this would happen; anti-vaxxers have been alive and well on Facebook and other platforms for years, even though their conspiracy theories have been debunked again and again. At the rate vaccinations are going, one doctor suggested last week on CNN that it would take 10 years to get everyone inoculated. That is obviously unacceptable and immediate improvements must be made both here in California and across the country. t
Barr’s parting slap at Title VI
by Nick Gorton
Bay Area Reporter
t
fer requests from Idaho and Colorado. We work in California. With a few notable exceptions like pediatrics (since kids get seriously ill from COVID-19 less frequently than adults) and major trauma (because Level 1 Trauma Centers always accept trauma) you may only get the specialty care, which may be limited, available at the hospital you walk into. 8. Realize none of us want this. We want to provide the best care possible to every patient, but the resources just aren’t there. This is what Americans chose when we decided that we couldn’t skip one Christmas or Thanksgiving. And as bad as it got after Thanksgiving, it’s going to be astronomically worse in January when we start to see the infections and deaths from Christmas. 9. This is going to be the reality in the U.S. until we either get herd immunity through vaccination OR Americans grow up, break their addiction to science denialism and conspiracy theories, start wearing masks, socially distance, and follow basic public health guidance. We’re so damn close. If every American changed nothing else and just wore a mask 100% of the time while outside of their home, we could beat this back and keep 2021 from being 2020 part 2 – COVID-19: The Reckoning. t Dr. Nick Gorton is a gay and transgender physician. He volunteers weekly as a primary care provider focusing on transgender patients at Lyon-Martin Health Services. He serves on the executive committee and is an instructor and medical consultant for Project HEALTH in San Francisco. He has worked as a medical consultant for the Transgender Law Center, the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights and is an active member of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
January 7-13, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 5
WALLBEDS
City Hall hearing expected on SF LGBTQ cultural strategy
by Matthew S. Bajko
T
he San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ lone LGBTQ member plans to request a hearing be held this year on the city’s plan to preserve its LGBTQ cultural heritage. Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who represents the city’s LGBTQ Castro district, will be seeking a public airing on San Francisco’s groundbreaking LGBTQ+ Cultural Heritage Strategy. First released in draft form in 2018 and then published with revisions last summer, the 56-page document provides city leaders myriad ideas for preserving and strengthening San Francisco’s LGBTQ community. Other than being taken up by the city’s historic preservation commission in the fall of 2018, there has yet to be a public hearing about the final version of the strategy before any city oversight panels or a supervisors’ committee. The planning department, whose staff helped shepherd its creation, considers the document to now be finalized with its publication online in August. Throughout the fall and winter a spokeswoman for the planning department had told the Bay Area Reporter the agency was awaiting further instructions from the city’s elected leaders on how they wanted to move forward with the document. In an interview last month, Mandelman told the B.A.R. he would make the formal request that city planners present the cultural strategy to the board. “I think we will be scheduling that for early spring,” said Mandelman, adding that such a presentation was needed not only to gather public feedback on the various proposals called for in the strategy but also to thank those who helped write it. “I think a lot of people have done a lot of work on it and there are some important ideas in there.” The supervisors will meet Friday, January 8, at noon (virtually) to swear in the winners of the November races for the board’s odd-numbered seats and to elect a new board president. That person will then assign committee memberships to the 11 supervisors, and it will likely fall on the chair of the board’s Government Audit & Oversight Committee to schedule the hearing. “I think it makes sense to surface those ideas whether or not we can act on them in the short term,” said Mandelman. The 50 proposals contained in the strategy run the gamut from supporting the city’s trio of LGBTQ cultural districts; constructing the country’s first large-scale, freestanding LGBTQ museum; addressing the lack of affordable housing for LGBTQ artists, seniors, and youth; and offering financial support to queer-owned
businesses and arts institutions. One idea, the creation of a citywide drag laureate, has already been taken up by West Hollywood, which is expected to vote early this year on a plan for establishing such a position in the LGBTQ haven in Los Angeles County. As the B.A.R. reported in August, the cost to implement the cultural strategy’s multitude of initiatives is estimated to be at least $10.2 to $15.7 million. The price tag to pay for the top 10 prioritized steps called for in the document is pegged to cost anywhere from $1.3 to $2 million. According to the document, 23 of the initiatives listed in it have received some form of funding or support to get underway. But with San Francisco expecting a $411.1 million budget deficit in the 2021-2022 fiscal year that begins July 1 and a $242.1 million deficit in the fiscal year after that, it remains to be seen how many of the strategy’s proposals will be able to be funded in the coming years. Clair Farley, a transgender woman who is director of the city’s Office of Transgender Initiatives, told the B.A.R. that a main focus of hers this month will be determining what in the document can receive funding. “One of my priorities for early in the new year is to review the recommendations and determine what we can move forward considering the current budget landscape (awaiting updated budget guidance – with hiring freeze/cuts we were not able to bring on a staff member to support implementation), COVID, city priorities, what items require additional support from the City since the plan is not currently funded outside of planning’s development of the report,” Farley wrote in an emailed reply in midDecember. To read the cultural strategy online, visit https://sfplanning.org/ project/lgbtq-culturalheritage-strategy.
CA rolls out LGBTQ teacher training materials
As the B.A.R. reported last week, the state Department of Education has until July 1 to develop and update its resources and training materials so they incorporate LGBTQ cultural competency and how to address LGBTQ-based bullying to teachers and other certificated staff members. It is due to the adoption of the Safe and Supportive Schools Act of 2019. Jonathan Mendick, a spokesman for the agency, told the B.A.R. December 30, after the article was initially published, that it has already posted some resources online at https:// www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ee/supportlgbtq. asp and expects it will complete the website by the final date of June 30.
space saving f urniture
Open Saturday Noon-5pm and by appointment
Courtesy SF Planning Dept.
Latinx transgender elder Felicia Elizondo, right, recalls life in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood in the 1960s during a 2016 talk at the GLBT Historical Society Museum.
AND
t
Politics >>
415.822.0184
www.roomax.com
Visit our Showroom 1355 Fitzgerald Ave, SF
Platform Storage Beds • Closet Systems • Armoires • Home Office • Dressers
Barry Schneider Attorney at Law
family law specialist*
The law, he noted in an emailed reply, requires the California De• Divorce w/emphasis on partment of Education to “create Real Estate & Business Divisions resources but local educational agen• Domestic Partnerships, Support & Custody cies (districts, schools, counties) are • Probate and Wills encouraged to use it as part of their training.” www.SchneiderLawSF.com Backed by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Assembly Bill 493 was signed into *Certified by the California State Bar law by Governor Gavin Newsom with the condition that the train400 Montgomery Street, Ste. 505, San Francisco, CA ing not be mandatory as it was estimated to cost the state’s 343 school districts a combined $3.25 million. In exchange, Newsom promised to work with LGBTQ lawmakers and advocates on providing funding for school districts to train their teachers in his 2020 budget proposal. But due to the COVID pandemic, no such funding was awarded. Last February, gay former Assemblyman Todd Gloria, now the mayor of San Diego, had introduced a follow-up bill to the one he had co-authored with Thurmond that would have required the state education department to create by July 1, 2022 an online training delivery platform and curriculum about community and schoolsite resources for LGBTQ students that both public and charter schools could use. The bill also required the state agency to hire a lead community partner through a competitive grant process to assist in the creation of the online training. And it would have led to the creation of an advisory committee of representatives from up to 20 nonprofits that work with LGBTQ people or at-risk When you plan your life celebration and lasting remembrance in youth and pupils. advance, you can design every detail of your own unique memorial The legislation, AB and provide your loved ones with true peace of mind. Planning ahead When your celebration lasting 2240, ended up getting protectsyou your plan loved ones fromlife unnecessary stress and and financial burden, tabled due to the health When you remembrance plan your celebration and lasting in allowing themlife to focus what will matter at design that remembrance time—you. in on advance, youmost can every crisis and is one of sevadvance, you canofdesign every detail of your ownand unique memorial detail own memorial provide Contact usyour today about theunique beautiful ways to create a lasting legacy eral bills that were held atyour theloved San Francisco Columbarium. and provide loved ones with true peace mind. Planning ahead last year that the Legislayour ones with true peace ofof mind. Planning tive LGBTQ Caucus may protects your loved ones from unnecessary stress and financial ahead protectsProudly yourserving loved onesCommunity. from unnecessary burden, the LGBT revive this year. The afallowing them focus on whatburden, will matter most them at thattotime—you. stresstoand financial allowing finity group for out lawmakers is also expected focus on what will matter most at that time—you. to seeking the funding Contact us today about the beautiful ways to create a lasting legacy for the 2019 law in the FranciscousColumbarium. today about the beautiful ways to create 2021-2022 budget. at the San Contact “There was no funding in the a lasting legacy at the San Francisco Columbarium. budget this year due to the COVID One Loraine Ct. | San Francisco | 415-771-0717 Proudly serving our Community. collapse. I’m confident the bill and SanFranciscoColumbarium.com funding request will be reintroduced Proudly serving the LGBT Community. FD 1306 / COA 660 in 2021,” gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) told the B.A.R. last month. t
415-781-6500
@eBARnews
PlanningAhead Ahead isisSimple Planning Simple The benefits are immense.
Planning Ahead is Simple The benefits are immense. The benefits are immense.
Political Notes, the notebook’s online companion, will return Monday, January 11. Keep abreast of the latest LGBTQ political news by following the Political Notebook on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/politicalnotes. Got a tip on LGBTQ politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or e-mail m.bajko@ebar.com.
One Loraine Ct. | San Francisco | 415-771-0717
SanFranciscoColumbarium.com FD 1306 / COA 660
<< Community News
6 • Bay Area Reporter • January 7-13, 2021
SF gay bathhouse rule change delayed by Matthew S. Bajko
S
an Francisco health officials were supposed to rescind by January 1 the restrictions that have kept traditional gay bathhouses from operating in the city since the mid-1980s. But they failed to meet that deadline and
have asked for a 30-day extension. The Bay Area Reporter had inquired with the city’s Department of Public Health last week prior to the new year about the status of the rule revision for adult sex venues. Due to the holiday, with staff out on vacation, the department responded January 4 that it need-
DISPLAY OBITUARIES & IN MEMORIAMS
The Bay Area Reporter can help members of the community reach more than 120,000 LGBT area residents each week with their display of Obituary* & In Memoriam messages.
RATES:
$21.20 per column inch (black & white) $29.15 per column inch (full color)
DEADLINES:
Friday 12noon for space reservations Monday 12noon for copy & images
TO PLACE:
Call 415-829-8937 or email advertising@ebar.com
* Non-display Obituaries of 200-words or less are FREE to place. Please email obituary@ebar.com for more information.
44 Gough Street, Suite 204, San Francisco, CA 94103
DUGGAN’S FUNERAL SERVICE
DUGGAN WeLCh fAmiLy the
3434 – 17th StREEt SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110
Thomas V. Halloran General Manager A native San Franciscan with 40 years of professional experience assisting families in need. A longtime resident of the Eureka Valley, Castro and Mission Districts; a member of the Castro Merchants Association and a 25 year member of the Freewheelers Car Club. At Duggan’s Funeral Service, which sits in the heart of the Mission, we offer custom services that fit your personal wishes in honoring and celebrating a life. We are committed to the ever-changing needs of the community and the diverse families we serve.
Please call for information 415-431-4900 or visit us at www.duggansfuneralservice.com FD44
ed more time. “DPH has requested a one-month extension for this work,” stated the department. It did not explain the reason for the delay, but health officials have been dealing with a surge in COVID cases since November. As it is, bathhouses will not be allowed to operate in San Francisco until after the coronavirus outbreak subsides. Local health officials have indefinitely extended their order requiring all nonessential employees to remain home and for residents to avoid traveling outside of the Bay Area. Those who do travel are asked to quarantine for 10 days upon their return. Nearly a year ago gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman instituted the process to revise the city’s bathhouse rules following decades of demands from gay men that they no longer made sense in light of advancements in preventing HIV transmission. People can now take PrEP to help keep them negative, while people living with HIV who are taking medication to control their viral loads are considered to be unable to transmit the virus. Mandelman told the B.A.R. he has no issue with the delay in seeing the rule revision take place. “With COVID-19 cases surging, the Department of Public Health understandably has more urgent priorities than updating the bathhouse rules,” Mandelman responded to a request for comment. “A one-month extension is a reasonable request and should still provide plenty of time for prospective operators to open new businesses that can be a part of the City’s economic recovery when it is safe to do so.” Since the Board of Supervisors adopted the ordinance in July, Mandelman has received several messages attacking
<<
Boudin
From page 2
Troy McAlister. Some are misinterpreting court minutes that show Mr. Boudin as ‘special[ly] ... appearing for the attorney of record’ on a ‘motion to continue,’ but this was strictly an administrative appearance that lawyers routinely make when a colleague is unavailable on an uncontested matter,” Raju stated. “On the date at issue here, Mr. McAlister’s lawyer was in trial in another case and she filed the motion to continue as a result.” Raju added. “It is common for attorneys to make ‘stand-in’ appearances on behalf of an unavailable colleague. Mr. Boudin was apparently such a ‘stand-in’ on an uncontested postponement of the case to a new date. He would not have had any confidential information nor presented any arguments on Mr. McAlister’s behalf. Our overburdened courts could scarcely function without such courtesies.” In the wake of the deaths, District 2 Supervisor Catherine Stefani has requested a hearing to analyze the city’s public safety protocols and policies. In a January 5 facebook post, Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman said he has requested to co-sponsor this hearing. “This hearing is necessary. It is necessary because two women – Hanako Abe and Elizabeth Platt – are dead who did not have to die, and we need to understand what happened and how. And it is necessary because we need to understand if this tragedy is an isolated one or, as many of us fear, one that reflects broader policy and administrative failures. We must ask the uncomfortable questions, and we must be willing to pursue those questions even when they lead to uncomfortable places,” Mandelman wrote. “We proceed at our peril, and at the peril of the project of reform, if our people come to believe that reform and safety are incompatible. And that
t
Jane Philomen Cleland
The San Francisco Department of Public Health has asked for more time to rescind restrictions to allow bathhouses like Steamworks in Berkeley to open in the city.
him for pushing to revise the bathhouse rules amid a global health pandemic. One message posted online in August by a group calling itself Recall California accused Mandelman of hypocrisy as “gym, salons, schools, churches closed. But, let’s go f**k some strangers.” In an interview last month, Mandelman had told the B.A.R., “We are not reopening bathhouses while keeping restaurants closed.” Coming during the height of the AIDS epidemic, the city’s bathhouse regulations required the businesses not to have private rooms with locked doors and to monitor the sex of their patrons. It in effect banned gay bathhouses from operating in San Francisco, leaving residents to have to travel to such businesses in Berkeley and in San Jose. While The Watergarden in the South Bay shuttered for good last year due to the COVID pandemic requiring it to close, Steamworks in Berkeley is expected to reopen when the health crisis subsides. To date, there have been no announcements of a gay bathhouse operator wanting to open in San Francisco. Blow Buddies, which had been one
of San Francisco’s last two adult gay sex clubs, closed its doors last year because of COVID. Eros, the gay sex club in the Castro, had briefly reopened its doors when the city allowed certain businesses to reopen in late summer but at reduced capacity only for solo-play with patrons required to wear masks and remain socially distanced. It is once again closed temporarily because of the rising COVID cases in San Francisco. A note on its website tells customers it is unknown when the Market Street sex club will be able to reopen. When it does it is not expected to transition to being a bathhouse. The owners of Eros had told the B.A.R. last year they were unlikely to add locked, private rooms to their location. Last month, Mandelman had suggested one location in the Castro that would be an ideal space for a gay bathhouse to seek permits to open in. “The empty 24 Hour Fitness seems like an ideal site,” said Mandelman, referring to the now shuttered gym that happens to be a block away from Eros near the intersection of Market and Church streets. t
is why I believe it is so important that we dig in to understand how Troy McAllister came to crash a stolen car into Ms. Abe and Ms. Platt on New Year’s Eve,” he added.
being suppressed as long as the city mandates shelter-in-place.” Joel Engardio, a gay man who is the vice president of Stop Crime SF and who ran for District 7 supervisor last year, issued a statement from the group January 5 saying that “if an elected prosecutor fails to keep residents safe, voters must hold them accountable at the ballot box.” When asked what holding Boudin accountable means, Engardio told the B.A.R. that he is not supportive of a recall effort at this time. “I think there’s been a lot of talk of a recall and I think that’s premature,” Engardio said in a phone interview. “We are not involved with the recall effort. It’s too soon, but what we can do is hope that this incident is a wakeup call for Boudin so that he pays more attention to the victims of crime and doesn’t let repeat offenders fall through the cracks.” Engardio said that he is not opposed to everything on the agenda of the self-styled progressive prosecutor. “We agree with many of the reform efforts of District Attorney Boudin,” Engardio said of his group. “We think they are needed, but as he pursues reforms he has to be more balanced so it doesn’t hurt public safety.” For his part, Boudin said in a contentious interview on KGO-TV that his office didn’t think adding charges was the best way to reduce McAlister’s recidivism. “Mr. McAlister will be held accountable,” Boudin said during the interview, adding that “there are numerous law enforce agencies and we all have to depend on each other to do the job properly.” Boudin said that Daly City police knew McAlister’s name and address from the woman whose stolen car he allegedly used in the New Year’s Eve deaths, but that the San Mateo County law enforcement agency did not plan to act until after the New Year’s holiday. The Daly City Police Department did not respond to a request for comment. t
Resignation petition picks up steam
A petition on Change.org calling upon Boudin to resign has garnered 6,190 signatures out of a goal of 7,500 as of the afternoon of January 5. Richie Greenberg, a business adviser and activist who in 2018 was a Republican candidate for mayor, started the petition late January 2. “Mr. Boudin has been in office barely a year, and in his disastrous social experiment of criminal justice ‘reform’ and the so-called restorative justice model, he has instead dismantled the criminal justice system,” the petition states before it goes on to address the New Year’s Eve deaths. “The time has finally come for a mass call to action. Residents and business owners are fleeing. People are literally dying. Join Us In Demanding DA Chesa Boudin Resign. Show your support and sign this petition to demand San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin leave office.” Greenberg told the B.A.R. that “enough is enough.” When he was asked if he was surprised at the traction his petition has garnered, he said “yes and no.” “At the beginning it didn’t have traction, but it was a Saturday night,” Greenberg said. “But I shouldn’t be surprised at the dissatisfaction and shock at Chesa being at the helm of the DA’s office.” Greenberg said he has been involved in efforts to recall Boudin, but that the COVID-19 lockdown makes it much more difficult than usual to gather the requisite signatures to get a recall on the ballot. Because of that, the petition asks for Boudin to resign. “The recall is dead-in-the-water, dormant, and on-hold since we don’t have the ability to get signatures,” Greenberg said. “Our democracy is
t
Community News>>
January 7-13, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 7
New safety liaison tapped for SF District 8 by John Ferrannini
S
an Francisco’s District 8, which includes the Castro, Noe Valley, and other neighborhoods, has a new public safety liaison. Working through the civilian arm of the San Francisco Police Department, David Burke started in the position in late November. He was introduced to members of the Castro Merchants at their December 3 meeting. Burke, 54, is a straight ally who has been active for years in the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association. He replaced Jessica Closson – another straight ally who had started in the role in 2019 – after she and her family moved to Seattle last year. Burke focuses on crime prevention and safety, and facilitates communication between District 8 residents and businesses, the police, and the supervisor’s office. “Burke was hired by the San Francisco Police Department; he’s their employee but I recommended him,” gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman told the Bay Area Reporter. “He is a concerned dad in the Duboce Triangle and has a wealth of experience in city government.” District 8 got the funding for the community liaison through $75,000
Rick Gerharter
New District 8 community liaison David Burke holds Daisy, his family’s new rescue pooch, during a visit to Duboce Park.
that was secured by gay former Supervisor Jeff Sheehy in 2018. Mandelman said he’s known Burke for years – “long before I was a supervisor.” “He knows most of the processes and the players and he’s passionate about getting help for the most challenged and challenging folks on our streets and helping neighbors with public safety and other issues that arise in D8,” Mandelman added. Burke also spoke with the B.A.R. “Rafael had talked to a mutual friend of mine that the position would be vacant and available,” Burke said. “I loved my work at the city attorney’s office for eight years, but I loved the opportunity to get
out and solve problems.” Burke worked at the city attorney’s office as “a private investigator for the city,” working on issues “as mundane as someone who slipped and fell on a city sidewalk all the way to litigating cases, slum lords. It ran the gamut.” “I began to understand how the city works and how the city doesn’t work,” he said of his time there. “How to make things happen.” Before working for the city attorney’s office, Burke worked for the district attorney’s office for five years as part of the Brady unit, which reviews police personnel files. He was hired for that role by thenSan Francisco District Attorney Ka-
mala Harris, now the outgoing U.S. senator from California and the vice president-elect. “I have a great photo of my daughter, just a few months old, at a DA picnic,” Burke recalled. “She was a spitter-upper, and seconds after they grabbed her back from Kamala, she threw up all over and I said ‘thank you for not throwing up all over my boss,’ who is now going to be vice president of the United States.” Burke’s wife, Yvonne, is still with the city attorney’s office, he said. The couple live in the Duboce Triangle neighborhood with his mother-inlaw, now 12-year-old daughter, “and a dog named Daisy.” “She’s a rescue so the guess is that she’s a Yorkie and Chihuahua mix,” Burke wrote in a follow-up message about his pooch. Burke said that the intergenerational living situation is something he’s “grown to appreciate” even if it isn’t what he was raised with. “It’s a source of great humor,” he said. He said that Closson “did a very good job,” and that he will continue her work organizing public safety meetings and trying to connect people with services. Closson also came to the liaison post through SFPD’s civilian branch. Burke hopes to get more involved in the community after the CO-
VID-19 pandemic ends, though he added “it’s surprising how much you can get done remotely.” “Cities decay and die block by block,” Burke said. “They’re saved the same way. A lot of people feel very powerless about their businesses and homes, so how can we address it? None of us are at our best in the pandemic, and the city is in a tough spot, but we can do better. I really do feel that way.” Masood Samereie, a straight ally who is the president of the Castro Merchants business group, indicated that he is pleased with the choice. Burke; Mandelman aide Tom Temprano, a gay man; and Matthew Donahue, a bisexual man who’s an assistant district attorney and was recently named the DA office’s District 8 liaison, have joined Samereie on merchant walks in the Castro. “His experience at the DA’s office would make him a great asset for us in communication with the DA and SFPD,” Samereie recently stated to the B.A.R. “I have met with Mr. Burke, and have started our monthly merchant walk with him, Matthew Donahue, and Tom Temprano last week.” There will be a Noe Valley safety meeting Thursday, January 7, at 4:30 p.m. To sign up, go to https:// bit.ly/3pUXStH. To contact Burke, email dave.burke@sfgov.org.t
SFMTA picks approved by supervisors compiled by Cynthia Laird
Attention SF youth: SFMTA wants you
T
he San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved two of Mayor London Breed’s nominees to serve on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s board but not without a lengthy discussion on diversity for one of them. Emanuel “Manny” Yekutiel, a gay man and the owner of the eponymously named cafe and event space at 16th and Valencia streets in the Mission district, was approved on a 9-2 vote Tuesday, January 5. He will be the transit board’s only LGBTQ member and an advocate for local merchants who for years have called for such a representative on the oversight panel. Fiona Hinze, a disability rights advocate who lives with cerebral palsy, was approved 11-0. Her appointment brings the number of women on the seven-person SFMTA board to five. SFMTA is a city department that’s responsible for all ground transportation. It has oversight of Muni, as well as bicycling, paratransit, parking, traffic, walking, and taxis. Leading it is Jeffrey Tumlin, a gay man. The supervisors discussed the need for the next nominee to be someone from the Latinx community. Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer, attending her last board meeting, started off the discussion by stating while she likes Yekutiel, the next nominee “should be a Latinx person” and that she would not be voting for him. Yekutiel was nominated largely because of his small business experience. He currently serves on the Small Business Commission but will be leaving that post to join the SFMTA board. But several other supervisors praised Yekutiel and pointed out the lack of representation from the small business community on the transit board. “It’s important to represent small business,” Supervisor Matt Haney said. Supervisor Ahsha Safaí pointed out that until recently, SFMTA had
In other SFMTA news, the agency has announced the creation of a youth advisory board and is now soliciting applications. The Youth Transportation Advi-
Courtesy Facebook
Emanuel “Manny” Yekutiel was approved for a seat on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors.
two Latinx people on it. One of them, Art Torres, is also a gay man. Safaí also noted that Yekutiel is a member of the LGBTQ community. Supervisor Dean Preston was the other no vote on Yekutiel’s nomination. In a statement, Breed said she was grateful to the board for approving the nominations, noting the SFMTA board now has its full complement of seven members. “With Manny and Fiona on the board, I’m confident that we’ll have the leadership we need to help the SFMTA as it does the hard work of keeping our transit system running while advancing our efforts to make transit more convenient, easy to use, and equitable,” Breed stated. Yekutiel said he was pleased to have been approved. “On this board my goal is to serve as a bridge builder at a moment when our city and its public transportation system sits at a crossroads,” he stated in the mayor’s release. “I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work.” Hinze stated that she looks forward to serving. “I am excited to work with SFMTA and community members to ensure that San Francisco’s transit system and streetscape is accessible and equitable for all San Franciscans, including seniors and people with disabilities,” she stated.
sory Board seeks young people who are interested in transportation, the environment, public health, local government, or social justice. The advisory board members will be selected from each of the city’s 11 supervisorial districts plus up to six
at-large members. “The Youth Transportation Advisory Board will include voices of young people from across the city to better inform our policies and practices,” Gwyneth Borden, SFMTA See page 9 >>
A community you can connect with.
Life at San Francisco Towers is everything you love about the city and more. It’s a smart, sophisticated, inclusive senior community. Stay involved in your favorite activities. Enjoy the conveniences of a Life Plan Community. And experience the peace of mind that comes with planning for the future now. For singles or couples, San Francisco Towers is the welcome you’ve been looking for. Get to know us. Call 415.447.5527 for more information or to schedule a visit.
1661 Pine Street, San Francisco, CA 94109 covia.org/san-francisco-towers A not-for-profit community owned and operated by Covia. License 380540292 / COA #325
<< Community News
8 • Bay Area Reporter • January 7-13, 2021
<<
Trans youth
From page 1
isting California law, health insurance companies may not deny coverage for male chest reconstruction surgery for female-to-male patients undergoing gender-affirming care for gender dysphoria based solely on a patient’s age. The letter, signed by General Counsel & Deputy Commissioner Kenneth B. Schnoll, was in response to an inquiry the department had received from a transgender agency in San Diego. TransFamily Support Services had contacted the state department after learning about several youth under 18 years old who are transitioning from female to male and were denied coverage for male chest surgery. After looking into the matter, the insurance department determined that denying coverage for mastectomy and reconstruction of a male chest based solely on age is impermissible under state laws requiring coverage of reconstructive surgery. The department is now instructing health insurance companies that they must consider a patient’s specific clinical situation in determining medical necessity. According to the state agency, health insurance companies should evaluate their coverage criteria for gender dysphoria treatment and eliminate any noncompliant practices to avoid
<<
Drag stamps
From page 1
System, Murray Ramirez is now the titular head of the 55-year-old organization. He helped push to see the U.S. stamp that was issued in 2014 for the late gay San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk and has signed up close to two-dozen LGBTQ leaders as honorary co-chairs of the drag stamps campaign. He had the San Diego Human Relations Commission, on which he serves, also send a letter in support of the drag stamp campaign to the advisory committee. Murray Ramirez told the B.A.R. Monday that a formal campaign to get other elected officials, LGBTQ luminaries, and community members to write letters in support of
<<
Campos
From page 1
As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, Matt Donahue, a bisexual man, has been appointed as the liaison to District 8, which covers the city’s Castro neighborhood, Noe Valley, and the surrounding area. “Matt Donahue is doing a great job in his district,” Campos said. “Having been a district supervisor, I know the importance of close relationships.” Campos said that more liaisons are expected to be announced this year. “We will have an announcement on this ... on how we are building on that progress,” Campos said. “Government is most effective when connecting to communities.” Boudin, a straight ally, said he doesn’t remember who approached who first but that he’s been seeking Campos’ advice since he first decided to run for district attorney. Prior to becoming a supervisor, Campos worked for the city attorney’s office and represented the San Francisco Unified School District in its school desegregation efforts. He also served on the Police Commission. “I’ve known David for a while and I don’t remember how it all started but he was one of the first people I talked to when I decided to run for district at-
<<
SF HRC
From page 3
regular basis to talk about issues of concern to the community. I think it could only be to the good.” Michael Nguyen, a gay attorney who chairs GAPA, a social club and political group for queer Asian and Pacific Islanders, attended the
t
needlessly delaying and interfering with medical care recommended by a patient’s doctor. “For far too long, individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria have had to battle a host of challenges to get access to gender-affirming care in order to be their true selves,” stated Lara, a gay man who is a former state legislator from Los Angeles County. “Social stigma, misconceptions about gender dysphoria and its treatment, and outdated medical criteria create barriers to necessary medical care that can lead to tragic results for individuals with gender dysphoria, especially for our transgender youth.” California law already provides protections meant to reduce these barriers to gender-affirming care for gender dysphoria, the state agency stated in a news release. But it noted, due to complaints from young Californians and their parents, some health insurance companies may still use coverage criteria and processes that wrongfully deny coverage, and place the burden on consumers to pursue their legal rights to transgender health services through time-consuming appeals and independent medical reviews. In its letter to the San Diego agency, the insurance department referenced Insurance Code section 10123.88 that requires all health insurance policies to cover reconstructive surgery necessary
to “improve function” or “create a normal appearance, to the extent possible.” It also referenced Insurance Code section 10140 regulations prohibiting discrimination “on the basis of an insured’s or prospective insured’s actual or perceived gender identity, or on the basis that the insured or prospective insured is a transgender person.” The letter also pointed to Section 2561.2(a)(4) of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations, which specifically prohibits the denial or limitation of coverage, or denial of a claim, for services due to an insured’s actual or perceived gender identity or for the reason that the insured is a transgender person. The insurance department thus determined that imposing strict age limits on coverage of male chest reconstruction surgery when it is requested to treat gender dysphoria but not other medical conditions, such as breast cancer or trauma, constitutes discrimination in health coverage based on age, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and health conditions in violation of state and federal law. “TransFamily Support Services is proud to partner with the California Department of Insurance to remove the age barrier for gender-affirming care,” stated Kathie Moehlig, the agency’s executive director. “This barrier
was discriminatory and detrimental to the lives of trans youth. To have to navigate the overwhelming barriers to health care should not be a part of their experience. Transgender youth already face so many challenges from unsupportive families, bullying at school, social stigmas, and even violence.” The World Professional Association for Transgender Health, an international organization that provides evidencebased standards of care for transgender people, states that male chest reconstruction surgery to treat gender dysphoria could be carried out in individuals under 18 “depending on an adolescent’s specific clinical situation and goals for gender identity expression.” The use of rigid age criteria in determining medical necessity, and thus insurance coverage, for female-to-male chest reconstruction surgery does not allow consideration of each individual’s unique clinical situation, noted Lara’s office in its release, contrary to the generally accepted standards of care for transgender health and the requirements of state and federal law. “Today the state of California has put insurance companies on notice that they cannot deny access to medicallynecessary care based on outdated rules that are not supported by evidence or scientific consensus,” stated Dr. Ward Carpenter, co-director of health services at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. “In so
doing, the state not only expands access to health care but also takes an important step in saving the lives of transgender and non-binary adolescents struggling with gender dysphoria, depression and suicidal thoughts. Decisions about an adolescent’s health must be left to the patient, their families and their care providers, not to insurance companies.” Gay Assemblyman Evan Low (DCampbell), chair of the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, thanked Lara and his office for their “careful consideration” of the insurance problems trans teens have faced, as well as the Southern California agencies for their advocacy around the issue, in a statement he released December 30. “The state of California has always led the way on issues of equality, and this legal opinion takes a much-needed stand to protect the rights of California’s LGBTQ residents, regardless of age,” noted Low. “Every patient, including those experiencing gender dysphoria, deserves to have their specific clinical situation taken into consideration. Discrimination does not have a place in California and should not have a place anywhere in health care.” The insurance department’s sixpage letter to the San Diego agency laying out its determination about insurance coverage for such medical procedures can be read at https://bit. ly/2JxpBRR. t
the stamps for the drag icons would launch later this month once President Donald Trump leaves office. “We are encouraged with the postal department’s response and will be launching a full-fledged national campaign in support of the stamps after January 20 when President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in,” said Murray Ramirez when informed about the letter sent to the San Francisco County board. Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman authored the resolution in support of seeing the stamps be approved. Mandelman represents San Francisco’s LGBTQ Castro district, which includes the one-block portion of 16th Street in front of the neighborhood’s library that was renamed José Sarria Court.
“I am glad we were able to get the attention of the United States Postal Service,” Mandelman told the B.A.R. “Representation and visibility of LGBTQ people, and especially queer people of color, is more important than ever and here the USPS has an opportunity to share the names and stories of these three extraordinary queer Americans with millions of people.” Sarria, who died in 2013 at the age of 90, was a legendary San Franciscobased drag queen who founded the Imperial Court in 1965 and grew it into an international philanthropic drag organization. The Latino Army veteran had made history four years prior as the first out gay person to seek elective office in the U.S. with his ultimately unsuccessful bid to become a San Francisco supervisor.
Rivera, who died in 2002 at the age of 50, and Johnson, who died in 1992 at the age of 46, both were trans women who also performed in drag. They were prominent participants in the Stonewall uprising of 1969 who went on to become beloved vocal advocates for gay and transgender issues up until their deaths. Johnson, who was Black, and Rivera, the child of a Puerto Rican father and Venezuelan mother, co-founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries to provide support to poor young people in New York City who were shunned by their families, as the New York Times noted in a 2019 story about city officials planning to install a monument featuring the close friends not far from the Stonewall Inn. Among the LGBTQ leaders and ad-
vocates signed on to the campaign in support of the stamps as honorary cochairs are drag queens Sister Roma, with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence San Francisco chapter, Chad Michaels, who won the first season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars,” and CoCo LaChine, an empress with the Imperial Court of New York; Matthew Shepard Foundation founders Judy and Dennis Shepard; and Jack Thompson, the first trans person of color to be named International Mr. Leather. Lesbians state Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and former Salt Lake City mayor Jackie Biskupski, and gay San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria are also signed on as honorary chairs of the drag stamp campaign. t
torney,” Boudin told the B.A.R. “I have admired his leadership on the Board of Supervisors and the Police Commission for years. We talked politics and policy for a while.” Boudin said he knew the commute down to Santa Clara County had been “taking a toll” on Campos and pointed out that the chief of staff had to take a pay cut when he got the new position. (Campos made about $267,000 in Santa Clara, according to Transparent California. DA spokesman Alex Bastian stated to the B.A.R. that Campos “took a $50K pay cut” and cited a salary figure of $290,000 for Campos’ previous job in Santa Clara County.) “He’s been a huge asset and a real coup for the office,” Boudin said. “David has deep relationships with all the stakeholders in San Francisco. He knows what works and what doesn’t work at City Hall, in city departments.” Bastian told the B.A.R. that he is grateful for the expertise Campos brings to the job. “We’re all very fortunate to have David’s experience,” Bastian said. “He’s the greatest guy ever.”
Campos touted the accomplishments of Boudin’s tenure thus far, such as the elimination of cash bail,
and defended the office’s track record on decisions about whether to charge law enforcement personnel for alleged crimes against civilians – a hot-button issue that was a major feature in the police reform protests last year in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis officers. On December 10, Boudin’s office declined to file charges in two officerinvolved shootings: the killing of Cesar Vargas October 11 in the mid-Market neighborhood and the attempted shooting of Thomas O’Bannon April 21 in the Tenderloin. “My office is committed to holding police accountable when they commit a crime as well as to notifying officers who are investigated – and the community at large – as soon as possible when an investigation is complete,” Boudin stated in a contemporaneous news release. “My office carefully reviews the specific facts in each case involving officer use-of-force so we can determine when charges are warranted as well as when officers acting under stressful situations behaved lawfully. In these two incidents the evidence showed that the officers’ use of force was lawful self-defense.” However, the office did announce charges in three other cases. On November 23, former police Officer Chris Samayoa was charged in the 2017 kill-
ing of Keita O’Neil, which is the first prosecution case against a law enforcement officer in the city’s history, Boudin noted at the time. (Samayoa pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance December 28.) The DA’s office also announced an indictment against Officer Christopher Flores in the 2019 Jamaica Hampton case; in that case the indictments were returned by a grand jury. The grand jury also indicted Hampton on various charges stemming from the alleged incident. On December 14, Boudin announced felony charges against a police officer, Terrance Stangel, who allegedly beat Dacari Spiers, a Black man, in the Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood in 2019. In that case, the complaint states that Stangel broke Spiers’ leg and wrist while the former was responding to a 911 call of a man assaulting a woman. Nobody witnessed Spiers committing an illegal act, and he was not arrested, though his injuries required surgery. “Officers responding to a call have a duty to promote public safety – not to turn to violence as a show of authority,” Boudin stated in a news release. “This case is an example of an officer unnecessarily escalating a situation and then violently beating a Black man whom he had no legal basis to even arrest.
Officers who not only fail to promote safety but actively harm others must –and in my administration will – be held accountable.” “The filing of those cases are important, but at the same time we tried to be fair in how we look at cases,” Campos said. “As we announced charges being filed we announced in a couple of cases that charges wouldn’t be filed to provide closure to the families involved and people impacted by these incidents.” According to Campos, the protests for criminal justice reform last summer did not so much change minds in the DA’s office as much as underscore their convictions. “I think that what the protests and activism have done has been to shed light on the importance of reform so it hasn’t in that sense changed where the DA has been, but it has brought attention to those issues and helped people to understand that it’s real,” Campos said. “I used to be on the Police Commission, on the Board of Supervisors, and I can tell you that talking about police reform was very difficult. There were not a lot of people on board with that message. If there’s any silver lining to the death of Mr. Floyd, it’s that it’s given us an opportunity for real reform that, prior to this, I wasn’t sure was possible.”t
March 2020 meeting about the advisory panel revamp and believes the new vision for it will attract more interest in serving on it. “I think it is good to have community members, agency CEOs and nonprofit leaders interacting with elected officials. It will make it more attractive to serve on that committee,” said Nguyen. “Hope-
fully, it becomes more productive and more functional. I think I definitely want to apply to serve on it.” Members should now live or work in San Francisco, though exemptions can be sought for those who do not but “have particular knowledge, experience, or skills unrepresented by other members of the LGBTQIAC and have dem-
onstrated significant ties to San Francisco,” according to the new bylaws. Exemptions can be given only to three members of the oversight panel. HRC Chair James Loduca, a gay man who leads global diversity and inclusion at Twitter, said at the commission’s November meeting that through the work of the ad-
visory committee, “We can make sure we continue to be the beacon for young LGBTQ people around the world.” t
DA starting to make an impact
t <<
Community News>>
News Briefs
From page 7
board chair, stated in a news release. “By specifically amplifying the perspectives of local youth, the SFMTA is investing in the next generation of transit riders, whose experiences can and should shape the development of our transportation system.” SFMTA director Jeffrey Tumlin, a gay man, encouraged interested youth to apply. “We are excited to create an inclusive board that represents the diverse identities, backgrounds, and experiences of San Francisco youth,” he stated.
January 7-13, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 9
The advisory board members will attend two meetings per month and assess and recommend city transportation policies, programs, and projects to the SFMTA board based on their experiences and community’s needs. A seat on this board will provide an opportunity for members to explore their interests and gain professional – and paid – experience while serving the city. Board members will receive a $25 stipend per meeting attended. All youth between the ages of 14-18 who live in San Francisco are qualified. No prior work experience or specific academic standing is required.
Applications are due by noon Monday, January 18. For more information and to apply, go to https://bit.ly/3rUWfOn.
business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/12/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/30/20.
proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: January 13, 2021, 9:00 am, Rm. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the latter of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: JOSHUA M. KO (SBN 235331), GAW POE LLP, 4 EMBARCADERO CENTER #1400, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114; Ph. (415) 766-7451.
SF supes finalize supportive housing rent reduction
The Board of Supervisors at its January 5 meeting finalized the adoption of a rent reduction for nearly 3,000 residents living in supportive housing units in the city. Expected to cost roughly $6 million a year, the board set a deadline of October 1, 2023 to implement the change in light of the budget deficits the city is facing because of the COVID pandemic.
Tenants will see their rent requirement decrease from 50% of their monthly income to 30%. It will bring the city in line with the same threshold used by the federal government for all supportive housing units. Tenants in buildings constructed since 2016 in the city are already paying the lower rent threshold. The unanimous vote Tuesday was expected as all 11 supervisors had voted in favor of the ordinance authored by District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney in early December. Haney had secured $1 million in the city’s current budget to grant rental relief to more than 500 tenants of sup-
portive housing units in the city who saw their monthly payments reduced to the 30% threshold. Many LGBTQ leaders backed Haney’s ordinance and signed onto the #30RightNow Coalition to advocate for its passage. Despite its high price tag, supporters of the rent reduction argued it will cost the city far more if the tenants are unable to pay their rents, end up homeless, and need emergency room care that is paid for with taxpayer dollars. t
liability company, and is signed PETITE SWAN LLC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/21/02. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/15/20.
The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/11/20.
Matthew S. Bajko contributed reporting.
Legals>> FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039200000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as SOUL CROWN CO., 146 CORTLAND AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KELLY MEGAN WILSON. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/28/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/04/20.
DEC 17, 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039194400
The following person(s) is/are doing business as NOE VALLEY CUTS AND SHAVE BARBERSHOP, 4137-1/2 24TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ARVIN DEL SOCORRO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT NOTICE TO PROPOSERS - GENERAL INFORMATION The SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT, 300 Lakeside Drive, Oakland, California, is advertising for proposals to provide Independent Audit Services, Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 6M2075, on or about December 29, 2020, with proposals due by 2:00 PM local time, Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at the District Secretary’s Office, 23rd floor, 300 Lakeside Drive, Oakland, California 94612. DESCRIPTION OF WORK TO BE PERFORMED The District intends to engage the services of a firm (Consultant) to provide Independent Audit Services and enter into a five (5)-year Agreement with the firm selected, more particularly described in the Scope of Services, Exhibit 1 Sample Form of Agreement, Attachment A of the RFP. A Pre-Proposal Conference Call will be held on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 via WebEx. The Pre-Proposal Conference Call will convene at 10:00 A.M., via WebEx. At the Pre-Proposal Conference Call, the District’s Non-Discrimination Program for Subcontracting policy will be explained. All questions regarding MBE/WBE participation should be directed to Mr. Javieree PruittHill, Office of Civil Rights at (510) 464-7534 – FAX (510) 464-7587. Prospective proposers are requested to make every effort to call in for this only scheduled Pre-Proposal Conference Call and to confirm their attendance by contacting the District’s Contract Administrator, Rhonda Lockhart, telephone (510) 874-7318 or email at Rlockh2@bart. gov, prior to the date of the Pre-Proposal Conference Call. REQUIRED REGISTRATION ON BART PROCUREMENT PORTAL In order for prospective Proposers to be eligible for award of an Agreement being solicited on the BART Procurement Portal, such Proposers are required to be currently registered to do business with BART on the BART Procurement Portal on-line at https:// suppliers.bart.gov and have obtained Solicitation Documents, updates, and any Addenda issued on line so as to be added to the on-line Planholders List for this solicitation. If a prospective Proposer is a joint venture or partnership, such entity may register on the BART Procurement Portal with the entity’s tax identification number (“TIN”) and download the Solicitation Documents so as to be listed as an on-line planholder under the entity’s name prior to submitting its Proposal. If such entity has not registered on BART Procurement Portal in the name of the joint venture or partnership prior to submitting its Proposal, provided that at least one of the joint venturers or partners registered on line on the BART Procurement Portal and downloaded the Solicitation Documents so as to be added to the on-line Planholders List for this solicitation, such entity will be required to register with the entity’s TIN as an on-line planholder following the submittal of Proposals, in order for the entity to be eligible for award of this Agreement. PROPOSERS WHO HAVE NOT REGISTERED ON THE BART PROCUREMENT PORTAL PRIOR TO SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL, (OR FOR A JOINT VENTURE OR PARTNERSHIP AS DESCRIBED ABOVE PRIOR TO AWARD) AND DID NOT DOWNLOAD THE SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS FOR THIS SOLICITATION ON LINE SO AS TO BE LISTED AS AN ON-LINE PLANHOLDER FOR THIS SOLICITATION, WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR AWARD OF THIS AGREEMENT. Any questions regarding this Notice to Proposers should be directed to the BART Procurement Department, Attention: Rhonda Lockhart, 300 Lakeside Drive, 17th Floor, Oakland, California 94612, email address: Rlockh2@bart.gov, telephone (510) 874-7318. Dated at Oakland, California this 28th day of December 2020. /s/ John Mazza John Mazza Director of Procurement 1/7/21 CNS-3428618# BAY AREA REPORTER
DEC 17, 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039197000
The following person(s) is/are doing business as GAPPIFY, 1161 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed GAPPIFY, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/30/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/02/20.
DEC 17, 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039197700
The following person(s) is/are doing business as FU YUAN FOOD MARKET, 1251 STOCKTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed FU YUAN FOOD MARKET, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/29/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/02/20.
DEC 17, 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039202100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as BLCK VC, 1355 MARKET ST, 3RD FL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ALL RAISE (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/14/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/09/20.
DEC 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 2021 BURK CHUNG FOUNDATION
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039202400
The Annual Report f the Burt Chung Foundation, 465 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 is available at the Foundation’s office for inspection during regular business hours. Copies of the Annual Report have been furnished to the Attorney General of the State of California. Burk Chung, Trustee. Fiscal year ended November 30, 2020.
DEC 17, 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 2021
SUMMONS IN A CIVIL ACTION IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEVADA: MARCUS ANDRADE AND NAC FOUNDATION, LLC, PLAINTIFF V. JAPHETH DILLMAN, ET AL., DEFENDANT, CIVIL ACTION NO.: 2:20-CV01021-JAD-NJK
DEC 17, 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 2021
The following person(s) is/are doing business as FOUND, 981 MISSION ST #64, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed INDIE TECHNOLOGIES, INC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/03/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/09/20.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039200400
The following person(s) is/are doing business as THE ENTREPRENEUR’S SOURCE, 655 EDDY ST #6, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed JONATHAN ORTIZ CONSULTING LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/04/20.
DEC 17, 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039193100
The following person(s) is/are doing business as SF HOUSE OF NAILS, 1610 POLK ST, SANN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LIEN LOI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/14/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/24/20.
DEC 17, 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039190300
The following person(s) is/are doing business as CANOPY, 353 KEARNY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed CANOPY FINANCIAL DISTRICT LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/18/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/18/20.
DEC 17, 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039190400
The following person(s) is/are doing business as CANOPY, 595 PACIFIC AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed CANOPY JACKSON SQUARE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/23/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/18/20.
DEC 17, 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 2021 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF DHIREN DWIJEN DESAI IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-20-304098
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of DHIREN DWIJEN DESAI. A Petition for Probate has been filed by ANEESHA VIKAS JOSHI in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that ANEESHA VIKAS JOSHI be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the
DEC 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 14, 2021
To Defendant Japheth Dillman, a lawsuit has been filed against you. Within 21 days after service of this summons on you (not counting the day you receive it) – or 60 days if you are the United States or a United States agency, or an officer or employee of the United States described in Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(a) (2) or (3) – you must serve on the plaintiff an answer to the attached complaint or a motion under Rule 12 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The answer or motion must be served on the plaintiff or plaintiff’s attorney, whose name and address are ERIC R.OLSEN, GARMAN TURNER GORDON, LLP, 7251 AMIGO ST #210, LAS VEGAS, NV 89119; (725) 777-3000. If you fail to respond, judgment by default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint. You must also file your answer or motion with the court. Date: Dec. 18, 2020; signed by the Clerk or Deputy Clerk of the Court.
DEC 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 14, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039194200
The following person(s) is/are doing business as THE ART OF AESTHETICS, 4105 19TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed NICOLE LISA TORELLI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/28/97. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/30/20.
DEC 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 14, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039204900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as DE LA PAZ REMEDIOS, 1385 37TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JORDON BACADELAPAZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/20/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/14/20.
DEC 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 14, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039205000
The following person(s) is/are doing business as HEARTROOT CONSULTING, 234 GARCES DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ROBIN H. HUNTER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/25/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/14/20.
DEC 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 14, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039208700
The following person(s) is/are doing business as RS HOME SOURCE TEAM, 1699 VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed STACIE O’CONNOR. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/06/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/16/20.
DEC 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 14, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039206300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as WHITE SWAN INN, 845 BUSH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a limited
DEC 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 14, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039206400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as PETITE AUBERGE, 863 BUSH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed PETITE SWAN LLC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/21/02. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/15/20.
DEC 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 14, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039199600
The following person(s) is/are doing business as ACCESS TO ZEN, 640 TURK ST #18, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SUDDEN LEAP (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/25/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/04/20.
DEC 24, 31, 2020 JAN 07, 14, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039204600
The following person(s) is/are doing business as JB ROMM PHD, 201 MISSION ST, 12TH FL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JESSICA BETH ROMM. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/07/11. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/11/20.
DEC 31, 2020 JAN 07, 14, 21, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039201700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as PS SALON & SPA, 1661 PINE ST, 2ND FL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SALON PS CALIFORNIA LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/08/20.
DEC 31, 2020 JAN 07, 14, 21, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039198000
The following person(s) is/are doing business as HEADPRINT STUDIO, 2848 WEBSTER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed BRAND BENJAMIN LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/15/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/03/20.
DEC 31, 2020 JAN 07, 14, 21, 2021 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-037972000
The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as DOJIMA-ANN, 219 O’FARRELL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business was conducted by a corporation and signed by NEW SUN RESTAURANT CORPORATION (CA). The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/26/18.
DEC 31, 2020 JAN 07, 14, 21, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039204400
The following person(s) is/are doing business as ART SPA WORLD; AONDREA MAYNARD FINE ART, 1890 BRYANT ST #209, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ANDREA HELEN MAYNARD. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/01/20.
JAN 07, 14, 21, 28, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039219000
The following person(s) is/are doing business as FAMILY & COMMUNITY CIRCLES, 3288 21ST ST #230, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ZOILA CARTAGENA VELASQUEZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/29/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/30/20.
JAN 07, 14, 21, 28, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039219300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as MUSE JUICE BAR, 2056 POLK ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SARAH WRIGHT. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/31/20.
JAN 07, 14, 21, 28, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039204200
The following person(s) is/are doing business as CHINA CENTRAL SERVICE,1235 STOCKTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed BAY AREA CENTRAL SERVICES LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/23/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/11/20.
JAN 07, 14, 21, 28, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039211900
The following person(s) is/are doing business as MUMBLERS PRESS LLC, 159 CASELLI AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed MUMBLERS PRESS LLC. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/20/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/22/20.
JAN 07, 14, 21, 28, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039219600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as CENSORED VODKA LLC, 849 AVENUE D, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94130. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed TREEHOUSE CRAFT DISTILLERY LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/13/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/31/20.
JAN 07, 14, 21, 28, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039204100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as LENORA LEE DANCE, 1255 29TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed LENORA LEE PRODUCTIONS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/11/20.
JAN 07, 14, 21, 28, 2021 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-039116400
The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as ARGUELLO WASH & DRY, 790 ARGUELLO BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by DOUGLAS T.K. WOO. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/30/20.
JAN 07, 14, 21, 28, 2021
Classifieds Hauling>> HAULING 24/7
(415) 441-1054 Large Truck
Tech Support >> MACINTOSH HELP 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE SFMacMan.com
RICK
415.821.1792
Tech Support >>
Tech Support Ralph Doore 415-867-4657
Professional 30+ years exp Virus/Malware GONE! Device setup Mobile Support Network & wireless setup Discreet
Yelp reviews
Izzy Heltai
by Gregg Shapiro
F
rom dazzling debuts to familiar faces, in 2020, musicians produced a treasure trove of awesome audibles. Recorded in late 2016, but not released until 2020, Nobody Cries Today, the brilliant debut by Southern gay singer-songwriter Matt Lovell was well worth the wait. In possession of a powerful and expressive set of pipes, Lovell delivers an album of original, soulful and country-influenced tunes that are worthy of repeated listens, including the knockout tracks “90 Proof,” “Be Free,” “Alligator Lily,” “The Way That It Was,” and a pair of duets with Leigh Nash – “The Gospel” and “Dime Adios.” Father, the debut album by trans singer/ songwriter Izzy Heltai, whose powerful voice at times recalls Jeff Buckley, goes a long way in giving his songs the necessary passion to convey their messages to listeners, as you can hear on “Marching Song,” “To Talk About Yourself,” “Songbird” and “Anyone to Anybody.” Pass Like Pollen is the debut album by non-binary transmasc singer/songwriter Cartalk aka Chuck Moore, plays like a hybrid of modern twang and vintage grunge with a general indie rock vibe, which works well on “Noonday Devil,” “Las Manos,” “Driveway” and “Sleep,” parking itself in a space reserved for irresistible pop on “Wrestling” and Elliot Smith-like folk on “Something or Nothing.” Expectations (Rounder), the debut album by young, lesbian singer/songwriter Katie Pruitt, is an admirable introduction to a talented artist, especially fans of Brandi Carlile and the aforementioned Becca Mancari. Pruitt’s extraordinary and commanding vocal abilities, as well as her way to draw in the listener with her personal lyric style, are exemplified on the amazing “Georgia” (“There is a place past the Georgia pines/With people who welcome you with an open mind”) as well as “Normal,” “Loving Her” and “It’s Always Been You.” Young, queer, Scottish-Canadian singer/ songwriter Evangeline Gentle made an indelible impression with their eponymous Sonic Unyon debut album on which she struck the
Girl Friday
Musical grooves Best LGBT music, part 2 right balance between personal love songs (“Sundays,” “Long Time Love,” “Neither of Us”) and universal observations (“Ordinary People,” The Strongest People Have Tender Hearts”) and the lightly twang-tinged tune “Even If.” Almost everything you need to know about gay singer/songwriter Kyle Motsinger, a self-described “theater queen who loves his pop,” can be found in the title track to his debut album Any Way I Want To, on which he sings “My music sounds any way I want it to,” and then follows it with “My voice sounds different than the other boys/It’s not a sound that everyone enjoys,” but he thinks it suits him well. If you’ve ever wondered what it might sound like if David Sylvain (of Japan) fronted Prefab Sprout, your answer can be found on the soaring Flight by Tenant From Zero (aka queer Brooklyn musician Paul Darrah); a 21stcentury reimagining of the best of `80s Brit-pop. Fiddler and banjo player Jake Blount, described as “one of the few queer, Black voices in Appalachian music,” called his album Spider Tales (Free Dirt), and proceeded to spin
Jake Blount
an elaborate and beautiful web on this reclamation project, adding a distinctly queer perspective to many of these tunes from early-to-mid 20th century. Blount’s take on Lead Belly’s “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” was particularly dazzling. L.A.-based quartet Girl Friday’s brilliantly titled Androgynous Mary (Hardly Art), with a cover photo depicting what can be best described as an old school butch, merged Riot Grrrl sensibilities with those of groundbreaking acts such as The Raincoats and Kleenex/ LiliPUT. Gay modern rock legend Bob Mould is among the hardest working men in music, proving that point by following up 2019’s aptly titled Sunshine Rock with the somewhat bluer Blue Hearts (Merge). Blue in terms of sexual content (check out “Leather Dreams”) as well as in the liberal political messaging in songs such as “American Crisis,” “Next Generation” and “Heart on my Sleeve,” all delivered in his trademark crunchy and blazing guitar rock style.
Still going strong after more than 35 years, Indigo Girls returned with its first studio album in five years, Look Long (Rounder), which continues the musical tradition that Amy Ray and Emily Saliers established all those years ago; a blend of modern Americana pop on the title tune, “Country Radio,” “When We Were Writers” and “Sorrow and Joy,” and memorable rockers including “Change My Heart,” “Shit Kickin’” and “Favorite Flavor,” all with an eye towards social commentary. Rufus Wainwright took even longer – twelve years!– between albums of original pop music, and thankfully Unfollow the Rules (BMG), didn’t disappoint, setting the political tone with opener “Trouble In Paradise,” which is echoed in “Only the People That Love.” Wainwright also didn’t skimp on the operatic excesses on the dramatic “Early Morning Madness” and “My Little You.”t
Twilight’s Kiss is director Ray Yeung’s follow-up to his award-winning Front Cover (2015), about two elderly closeted married men in Hong Kong, who meet in a park and fall in love for the first time. They must choose between their desires for each other or the biological families they have proudly created; an excruciating decision as blood relations are prized above everything in that society. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix). August Wilson’s 1984 Tony Awardnominated play is adapted for a thrilling film, chronicling Ma Rainey (“Mother of the Blues”) as she and her band gather in a 1927 Chicago recording studio to make a new album of her songs. Ma (Viola Davis), based on a real-life figure, is a lesbian with a girlfriend (who also flirts with Levee), but her sexuality is only a minor portion of the film, whose themes of a black woman claiming her own power and autonomy, living by her own rules, making sure her voice is heard, in a blues of defiance, will resonate with LGBTQ audiences. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Criterion DVD). Filmed last year but screened in the U.S. in February, this coup de grace French lesbian gem was nominated for nine Cesar (Oscar) awards. Set in 1770 on a remote island off the Brittany coast, it’s
the story of a five-day affair between a female artist and her subject, a countess’s daughter betrothed to a wealthy Milanese nobleman. With a combustible passion between the two leads, intoxicating visual poetry, and its dreamy sensual evocation of the transformative power of art, the exhilarating, never boring Portrait is one of the best lesbian films ever made. Cured (PBS, Fall 2021). A great documentary by definition allows the viewer to see a person or event in a new light, reinterpreting their importance or historical significance. Cured is the captivating account of activists (especially Frank Kameny and Barbara Gittings) who in 1973 fomented a pivotal victory of the American Psychiatric Association to remove homosexuality from its manual of mental illnesses. Suspenseful and including riveting interviews and testimonies from key players just before they died, Cured is not only this year’s best documentary, but the best LGBTQ film of 2020.t
Breaking Fast
Best movies of 2020, part 2 LGBT cinema’s best, plus honorable mentions by Brian Bromberger
2
020 will go down as a banner year for lesbian-themed films, both in terms of quality and visibility. Four of my picks for best queer movies of 2020 were lesbian-oriented and two others came very close to making the final cut. Here are our Top Five in cinema. Shiva Baby (On Demand) and Breaking Fast (Wolfe Video DVD) tie in comedy. Both comic films are breakthroughs as they depict religion, not as an obstacle, but a source of strength and harmony for LGBTQ people, even though both lead characters are a bit of a mess. Shiva, one of the best bisexual movies ever, essays a fascinatingly confused Danielle (Rachel Sennott in a star-making performance), who at-
tends the Jewish funeral of someone she barely remembers, to satisfy her parents, hoping she might find a suitable husband. She encounters both her ex-girlfriend and the married man she is currently having sex with for pay. The film hilariously explores Danielle’s misguided attempts to figure out who she is and what she wants personally and professionally. This grand slam is un-missable at all costs. Goddess of Fortune (YouTube; Breaking Glass DVD) and Twilight’s Kiss (Strand Releasing DVD) tie in the foreign language category. Goddess, directed by the great Turkishborn Italian director Ferzan Ozpetek (Steam, Saturn in Opposition), concerns an aging, passionless gay couple whose relationship is tested when their best friend, facing a medical crisis, must leave her two children in their care.
Indigo Girls
Read the full article on www.ebar.com
Read the full article, plus honorable mentions, on www.ebar.com
Shiva Baby
BARchive>>
t When Marlene played the Bay
Marlene Dietrich in a London concert in 1972, aired on CBS.
by Michael Flanagan
M
suggested Dietrich had a look of “amused depravity” and danced in a white tie and tails. LGBT sources help to understand how Dietrich was perceived before Stonewall. One author who mentioned her was Barbara Grier, writing as Gene Damon in the Daughters of Bilitis magazine The Ladder. In her July 1967 “Lesbiana” book review column of Bikini Beach by Geoffrey Bocca , Grier referred to nightclub owner Mickey Provost as “The former lover of Marlene Dietrich … also one of the most beautiful women in the world.” An interesting pilgrimage occurred for the March 1973 performances at the Circle Star Theater. Around ten members of the Angels of Light went to see her perform. I interviewed Beaver Bauer about the event and she explained the interest in Dietrich:
“We idolized her because of how she lived her life; her work against the Nazis and her bisexuality and her freakiness. We just loved her. We had this book called Four Fabulous Faces. It was Swanson, Crawford, Garbo and Dietrich. It was a gigantic coffee table book with fantastic photographs, mostly of their faces, and we would look at it all the time for makeup tips especially and for lighting.” Bauer went on to tell me about meeting her at the theater. “Everyone got dressed up in gowns and dresses and crazy things. It was like a dream come true to us. We waited outside the stage door inside and rushed right up to her and told her how we worshiped her. I had my son with me, Sean. She was very excited to see a baby and she took him, held him in her arms and kissed him. I felt like this was a huge blessing on my son, to be kissed by Marlene Dietrich.” Greg Cruikshank was also with the Angels for the trip to see Dietrich at Circle Star. “She came out to the lobby and greeted us after the show,” he recalled. “That was when I got to kiss her cheek and she said she agreed with me that Mr. Von Sternberg was a great director. I still remember the softness of her skin.” Michael C. Anstadt, a bartender at the Red Lantern Saloon (188 Golden Gate) saw Dietrich at the Fairmont Hotel on April 6, 1975. “It was a dinner show. My friend Rexanne [a bartender at the Gangway and the Kokpit] took me and Tenderloin Tessie [a bartender at the 222 Club] to see Miss Dietrich as birthday gifts. He was a big fan and did Marlene in drag and sang with his own voice. I remember him telling me she wore a rubber suit under her bugle-beaded dress and she wore this fabulous full-length white fur coat. She sang all her standards. I was only 24 at the time and thought I was in heaven. She had a fabulous talking voice.” Mark Abramson’s boyfriend Armando also saw the 1975 show. “He told me the place was packed,” said Abramson. “At the opening of her show, she simply let a bit of a feather boa peek out from one side of the proscenium curtain and the crowd cheered and screamed for five minutes before she gave them any more of a sight of her greatness. He loved the show and raved about it!”t
arlene Dietrich blurred all boundaries and checked all of the boxes. In Josef von Sternberg’s Morocco (1930) she appeared onstage in a top hat and tails; during a performance she asks a woman for the flower in her hair, kisses her, and throws the flower to Gary Cooper. She was nominated for an Academy Award in the film in which she cross-dressed and implied bisexuality; not a bad start for her first film in America. The opportunity to see her in person came 23 years after that film. In 1953 the Sahara Las Vegas offered her $30,000 per week to perform, And so her career as a cabaret singer was born. From 1960 to 1975 Dietrich appeared in concert six times in the Bay Area: at the Geary Theater from Sept. 6-12, 1960, the Masonic Theater on Sept 25-27, 1964 and May 21-25, 1968, the Circle Star from March 22-24, 1973 and the Venetian Room of the Fairmount Hotel on Dec. 6-16, 1973 and March 27-April 6, 1975. On September 12, 1960 she was front-page news in the San Francisco Chronicle: “Only for Marlene: They Gather and Gasp for Dietrich.” But nothing suggested ambiguous sexuality in the coverage – except perhaps the suggestion by June Ericson, a singer at the Purple Onion, that if there had been a horse-drawn carriage, she would let the horses go and pull Dietrich herself. However, in its review San Francisco Chronicle ad for Marlene Diet“Marlene Is All You Expect- rich’s shows at The Fairmont, Dec. 6-16, 1973 ed,” the Chronicle reviewer
Read the full article on www.ebar.com
Gay New Year’s circuit parties in Mexico and Atlanta defy COVID health precautions
I
n events that have been harshly criticized in social media and by LGBT publications, hundreds of gay men, many from California, traveled to circuit parties near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and in Atlanta over the New Year’s Eve holiday week. Photos and accounts of the events show few, if any, precautions were taken by attendees. In related Puerto Vallarta events, a small cruise boat sank. Read the full article on www.ebar.comt
January 7-13, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 11
Personals People>>
PLAYMATES OR SOULMATES Browse & Reply FREE! SF - 415-692-5774 1-888-MegaMates Free to Listen & Reply, 18+