July 20 2017 Edition of the Bay Area Reporter by Bay Area Reporter

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Planning panel OKs Sunset pot dispensary

Vol. 47 • No. 29 • July 20-26, 2017

Lynn Fox, center, emeritus faculty at San Francisco State University’s department of secondary education, was one of the opponents of the Apothecarium’s medical cannabis dispensary in the Sunset.

SJ trans woman describes shooting ex by Seth Hemmelgarn

by Sari Staver

he Apothecarium is moving full speed ahead to open a new medical marijuana dispensary in the Sunset, following the July 13 San Francisco Planning Commission vote approving its proposal to renovate a former drug store at 2505 Noriega Street. Despite hundreds of opponents attending the five-hour hearing, including dozens

who held a news conference in front of City Hall, the commissioners voted 5-1 to allow the family-owned Castro-based Apothecarium to begin renovations on the storefront it has leased. Commissioner Rodney Fong was absent. Dennis Richards, a gay man who’s the commission’s vice president, was the lone no vote. “I’m totally pro-Apothecarium and have always supported them,” Richards said in a

phone call with the Bay Area Reporter Monday. “But with legislation expected soon that would call for MCDs [medical cannabis dispensaries] to be first in line to be approved to sell cannabis for adult use, I thought it would be preferable to postpone the vote until the Board of Supervisors considered” the legislation regulating recreational use, approved by Proposition 64 last year. See page 14 >>

Sari Staver

LGBT community fights to be counted by Matthew S. Bajko

he closet door for many LGBT Americans has been wide open for decades, for coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender no longer engenders the social ostracism it once did. Yet the LGBT community largely remains in the dark when it comes to being visible in government data. Because LGBT people have been ignored in the collection of demographic information, their health issues and other needs are unable to be properly addressed, argue LGBT advocates, health officials, and, increasingly, policymakers. The fight to be counted has been gaining more notice within the LGBT community as it has made strides on other equality issues. In California and San Francisco, officials are aiming to make it routine to be asked sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) questions, as the Bay Area Reporter noted in a story last week about LGBT data collection efforts at the local level and statewide. Across the country there is a greater awareness of the need to include SOGI questions on all manner of surveys, studies, and government forms. “There is a growing movement nationally, and at the state and local levels, to have everyone ask these questions in the health care setting,” said Dr. Tri Do, a gay man who is the chief medical officer at the Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center in San Francisco.

Rick Gerharter

The leadership team of the PRIDE Study, Dr. Juno Obedin-Maliver, left, Mitchell Lunn, Carolyn Hunt, and Micah Lubensky met recently to discuss the project’s progress.

During the decade he spent as a Gay and Lesbian Medical Association board member, Do helped develop guidelines on how to ask, and where to ask, patients SOGI questions. “When I was on the board of GLMA, we developed questions providers could ask about sexual orientation and gender identity, the same questions now being used by a lot of these agencies and health organizations,” said Do, who stepped down from the board last year. In a report it released this spring, the Center for Data Innovation repeated a call it initially made in 2015 for Congress to address the LGBT data gap. A bill currently pending in the House, the LGBT Data Inclusion Act, would require

any federal agency that collects demographic data to include SOGI questions on its surveys and forms, though with Republicans in the majority its chances for passage are slim. “The LGBT data gap is one issue that has gotten more traction and more interest among activists,” said Daniel Castro, the center’s director and lead author of its report. “I think it is a very important example of how policy making in terms of what data the government collects can have significant impact on the public. Most Congress members are not thinking about the important role government can play in solving issues through collecting data.”

he transgender San Jose woman who’s in jail for allegedly shooting her ex-partner in a Costco parking lot said that she did it after years of fear and frustration, and that she hadn’t been trying to kill him. “I shot my husCourtesy Santa Clara band,” said Nori County Sheriff’s office Tejero, 44. “He was Nori Tejero my partner of 24 years, and there were multiple reasons why I shot him.” Mostly, though, “I shot him to let him know he was not going to be the one to put a bullet in my head,” she added. Tejero’s been charged with assault with a firearm in the July 5 incident, which left the victim with a non-life threatening gunshot wound to the leg. In an interview last week at Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas, she said that she’d threatened to leave the victim multiple times, but he’d told her he’d shoot her if she did. Tejero said she finally left, but she eventually returned and shot him at the South San Jose Costco where he worked after he failed to return some of her belongings. The victim told police that Tejero had been upset about his new girlfriend and angry that he wanted her to come get her things, according to court records. The Bay Area Reporter hasn’t been able to reach the victim and isn’t publishing his name. Both Tejero and the victim told police that they hadn’t been married. Tejero, who cried while speaking with the B.A.R., said that after fights they had over the years, when she talked about leaving him, “he told me he would put a bullet in my head if I did that.” She also said, “He didn’t beat me, but there were many instances of rape and sexual assault,” and he was “very degrading” toward her. She didn’t want to discuss details of the rapes, and she said she didn’t tell police about them until after her arrest. Court records say that Tejero told police at the time of her arrest that in 2015, the victim had “pointed a gun at her and told her that he would kill her if she ever left him. This incident was not reported before today.” An officer also reported that Tejero said the victim had been “verbally, emotionally, and mentally abusive toward her.” See page 14 >>

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2 • Bay Area Reporter • July 20-26, 2017

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Rueca, a San Francisco The other suspect Police Department was described as a spokesman, said that at black female, 17 to 18 about 7:50 a.m. Sunday, years old, who’s 5 feet the man later identified 3 inches tall and weighs as French was in the Twin 120 pounds. Peaks lookout area when The suspects’ vehicle a man and a woman apwas described as a dark proached him on foot. gray Honda Accord “Witnesses reported with damage to the a single gunshot,” said rear end. Rueca. “The suspects ran “A camera is beto a vehicle and fled the Edward French lieved to have been scene. A jogger in the stolen from the vicarea administered CPR to tim,” said Rueca. He the victim and a marked SFPD unit added, “The SFPD Homicide Unit is responding to the scene summoned investigating this case and requests medical aid. The victim was transthe public’s assistance in obtaining ported to a hospital where he was relevant photos or videos.” unfortunately pronounced deceased.” People with information may One suspect was described as a call the SFPD Tip Line at (415) black male, 20 to 25 years old, who’s 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411. 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 170 Begin the text message with pounds. He has shoulder-length “SFPD.” Tips may be reported dreads. anonymously.t

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4 • Bay Area Reporter • July 20-26, 2017

Greece offers sunsets, beaches, and ruins by Charlie Wagner

magine a place with delicious food, beautiful beaches, incredible museums, and world famous ancient ruins. My husband and I found all that in Greece, plus great hiking. Everywhere we went the locals were warm and welcoming, and we never encountered a hint of homophobia. Most Greeks we encountered spoke some English so traveling on our own was easy. We learned how to say “please” and “thank you” in Greek and people appreciated that. Because we were especially interested in Minoan culture, we spent half our time in Crete. The island has dozens of certified clean beaches (www.blueflag.global), many with turquoise-colored water, and in spring an abundance of wildflowers. We also explored Athens and visited the legendary islands of Mykonos and Santorini. In Athens, we stayed at Hera Hotel (www.herahotel.gr), where rooms are quiet and the breakfast is generous. From the airport, you take the metro to Akropoli Station in about 30 minutes. The metro, and Athens itself, is clean and feels safe. Woozy with jet lag, we ate at one of the nearby tourist-oriented restaurants. While the food was nothing special, we enjoyed talking with our waiter about the current economic situation, a favorite topic among Greeks. Our favorite restaurant was Manh, Manh (www.manimani.com.gr) whose dishes are based on the Mani region. House-made ravioli was two carefully prepared filo purses filled with a delicious mixture of Manouri (a type of feta cheese), cured beef, almonds, red peppers, and tomato sauce. For dessert, we had Milk Pie, a beautiful custard pie in miniature with cherry pieces inside, covered with a burnt meringue topping. Strofi (Rovertou Galli, 25) is expensive for merely good food but has a panoramic view of the Acropolis. Having a glass of wine as you gaze at the floodlit Parthenon is unforgettable.

Two perfect days in Athens

Athens demands at least two full days and any visit should at least include the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum, the National Archeological Museum, and either the Agora or Syntagma Square and its immediate area. The Acropolis contains multiple structures, most importantly the Parthenon, and deserves its reputation. Artisans are currently reconstructing the damaged columns of the Parthenon so now it looks like a construction site. Eventually the colors of the old and new segments will blend. Sculptural elements have been moved to the Acropolis Museum. Also on the Acropolis are the renovated Temple of Athena and the delightful, renovated Erechtheion, with the famous Caryatids, structural columns in the shape of lovely women. Opened in 2009, the Acropolis Museum (www.theacropolismuseum.gr) is the most important museum in Athens if you have time for only one. It highlights Greek readiness to have important pieces of the Parthenon returned by France, Denmark, and, especially, Britain. Within easy walking distance is Anafiotika, a neighborhood with whitewashed houses built by people from the island of Anafi in the mid1800s. Nearby and more interesting is the largest temple in mainland Greece, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, completed in 131 A.D. by the Roman emperor Hadrian. You can sit peacefully and admire the temple with the Acropolis and Parthenon visible in the distance.

Charlie Wagner

The Parthenon is shown undergoing reconstruction during a visit to Greece in mid-May.

The National Archeological Museum (www.namuseum.gr) has an extensive collection of ancient artifacts, including countless gorgeous male and female statues, often naked. But don’t try to take a picture standing next to a statue while matching its pose. “Posing” is against museum rules. The Agora, or ancient marketplace, was the center of Athens for 800 years, starting in 600 B.C. Our favorites were the Stoa of Atallos, a reconstructed ancient shopping mall with a collection of sculptures found in the Agora, and the Temple of Hephaistos, one of the best preserved Greek temples in the world. In continuous use since 415 B.C., the temple has also been a Christian church and a Muslim mosque over the centuries. Just outside the Agora is the Monastiraki Flea Market, open every day and more of a street bazaar than a true flea market.

Gay life in Greece, then and now

Greece has a special resonance with many gay men since historians acknowledge that men in ancient Greece lived openly in what we today call homosexual relationships. Some historians even claim men in ancient Greece often appeared naked in public, but are silent on whether they carried a towel. In modern Greece, LGBTQ life is generally more discreet, with the possible exception of Mykonos. Greece does not allow same-sex marriage but has civil unions, and there has been an Athens Pride celebration (www.athenspide.eu) since 2005. We visited the hip and gay-friendly Gazi district at night and saw many lively open-air bars, including LGBTQ-friendly Del Sole Cafe on Voutadon. Dinner at the hard-tofind Athiri restaurant (www.athirirestaurant.gr) was excellent. We stopped by BIG, the bear bar of Athens (www.bigbar.gr), and found it quiet at 10 p.m. The friendly bartender suggested we visit after 11 on Friday or Saturday. BIG organizes an annual weekend party called Haircules (www.haircules.gr).

the modernized house was spacious for two people and only a block from the waterfront. The pedestrianized waterfront is lined with restaurants full of locals and tourists. Our favorite waterfront restaurant was Ta Neoria, where I enjoyed my first bite of a very fresh Cretan octopus, a local favorite. For lovers of meat and potatoes, we recommend a lunch spot called Kouzina (Daskalogianni 51) where we shared a large platter of lamb, beef, chicken, and pork with frites. A weekly farmers market happens on Saturday morning on Minoos Street and includes vendors with organic produce. We saw a fantastic selection of cheeses and olives, exotic fish and vegetables, and live rabbits. The farmers knew enough English to help us. One night we visited Ta Duo Lux Bar, recommended by the BIG bartender. One guidebook described it as “a perennial favorite among wrinkle-free alternative types,” but we visited anyway. My gaydar registered nada but maybe we were again too early. Neo Hora Beach is an easy walk so we spent a warm afternoon there and enjoyed the gently sloping beach. We found Sunflower Guides the best for car and hiking itineraries. Greek drivers are much better than their reputation, though when you drive on most roads you are expected to drive half on the shoulder so other vehicles can pass easier. On our first day with a rental car we headed to one of the famous turquoise beaches called Elafonissi. The water was as beautiful as promised, but the day was windy so we strolled on the beach. When we reached the supposedly gay eastern end, we encountered only one very friendly clothed guy. We were interested in seeing the famous Samaria Gorge but heard we’d be joining hundreds of others so we decided to hike the shorter

Diktamos Gorge, which the Sunflower Guide described as “mostly boulder-hopping.” And we did just that for six long hours. Along the trail we encountered small herds of goats that fled as we got near. More alarmingly, we saw carcasses of goats that had tried to climb out of the gorge but did not made it. Great wildflowers though. We circled the Akrotiri Peninsula by car and stopped at the beach where “Zorba the Greek” was filmed. The highlight of Akrotiri is Moni Agia Triadha, established in the 17th century, where seven monks now reside. As you approach the monastery, you pass groves of grapes and olives used by the monks to make wine and organic olive oil. The building glows a beautiful orange in the late afternoon sun.

Eastern Crete

We traveled by bus to Heraklion, the largest city on Crete and the most convenient base for visiting the premier Minoan site, Knossos. The Minoan culture rose and disappeared under mysterious circumstances and their written language, among the world’s earliest, has never been deciphered. Minoan culture lasted from about 2000 B.C. to 1450 B.C., when it was gradually replaced by the Mycenaean. Minoan murals illustrate a culture with gender equality, extremely rare in the ancient world. Our VRBO apartment was smaller than Hania but was completely furnished. If possible, start by visiting the spectacular Archeological Museum of Heraklion. It has the largest collection of Minoan artifacts, including the famous mural of people leaping over a charging bull. Some historians believe this was a way to prove fitness for bearing children since men and women both participated. Heraklion is a pleasant city for walking. The waterfront is mostly used for ferries and large ships, but don’t miss the Koules Venetian Fortress. It was completed in 1540, has fascinating interactive displays, and a panoramic view from the top.

Western Crete

We flew from Athens to Hania, a perfect base for exploring Western Crete. The snow-capped White Mountains loomed over the city, Crete’s second largest. Hania has few architectural gems but does have quirky sites like a church with both bell tower and minaret, as Crete was an Ottoman colony for over 350 years. It’s dotted with partially excavated Minoan ruins and has several small museums. We rented a small house through www.VRBO.com in the former Ottoman Quarter. With three floors,

Charlie Wagner

The snow-capped White Mountains loom over Hania, Crete.

The Historical Museum of Crete has the only El Greco painting in Greece, a good audio tour in English (rare in Greece), and covers the Byzantine era through World War II. At night, you can join hundreds of happy people strolling around Liontaria Square. Fatto a Mano (Liontaria Square, 2) has unusual ice cream (try Rice and Rakomelo). Kirkor restaurant (Liontaria Square, 29) is renowned for Bougatsa (3 euros), a Cretan cheese pie served with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Peskesi (Kapetan Haralabi, 6), whose menu is inspired by the Minoan diet, is excellent and all ingredients are from its own farm. Their wine list is exclusively Cretan and they have some vegan and vegetarian dishes. We drove to Festos, a major Minoan site that gets only a fraction of the visitors to Knossos. Reconstruction here has been kept to an absolute minimum so it’s much more difficult to comprehend. Hire a guide if you can. Nearby Gortyn, the main city in Roman times and home of the famous Law Code of Gortyn, is worth visiting. That code spelled out property rights for women, a radical idea in 500 B.C. Don’t miss Matalan Beach where in the 1960s Joni Mitchell and hippie friends lived for free in caves. Lunch at Scala Restaurant is very good and the beach is perfect for swimming and lounging. Clothing-optional Red Beach is a steep 30-minute walk away. Another day we visited the Lasithi plateau, famous for its picturesque windmills, where we had a delicious lunch at Skapanis in Mesa Lasithi. Most of the windmills did not have their sails because they are only used in late summer. In the same area is famous Dikti Cave, where Cretan legend claims Zeus was born. Cretans believed he was reborn, grew up, and died every year. This was mildly scandalous to other Greeks who believe Zeus, as a god, was immortal. The closest gay beach to Heraklion is about 1.5 km west of Hersonissos, directly in front of Saradari Fish Restaurant. We saw some rock shelves but no sand, and several naked guys enjoying the windy day.

Santorini

Santorini is an island whose villages have beautiful whitewashed houses with blue doors, some overlooking the dramatic Caldera. We stayed at the bargain Pension George (www.pensiongeorge.com) just outside Fira, one of the two main villages on the island. George has a pool that is private enough to feel like a resort. A pool is a valuable amenity in Santorini as the island is not known for its beaches. The most desirable Fira hotels face the Caldera, which makes for a great sunsets, but might mean you are part of the view. And when there are multiple cruise ships docked in the harbor, thousands of tourists overwhelm the small village. Buses run often so we took one to Ancient Akrotiri, where we hired another excellent tour guide and viewed the best ruins on the island, completely covered for protection. Visit the excellent Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira to see the removed artifacts. The Archeological Museum is skippable. Recommendable restaurants are Camille Stefani and for seafood and, for caldera view, 1500 B.C. The other main village on Santorini is Oia, a white and blue village with marble-paved pedestrian lanes. Oia is more chic and expensive than Fira but has fewer tourists. Restaurants were the most expensive of our trip. See page 15 >>

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1995

2001

Since 1974, Shanti has trained 20,000 Bay Area volunteers to offer emotional and practical support to some of our most vulnerable neighbors, including those with HIV/AIDS, women’s cancers, and other life-threatening diseases. We are now excited to announce that our services are being offered to LGBT aging adults and adults with disabilities who face isolation and need greater social support and connection.

Shanti LAASN peer support volunteers: 2009

1. Go through the internationally-recognized training on the Shanti Model of Peer Support TM 2. Make a commitment of 2-4 hours a week for a minimum of 6 months

1987

3. Get matched with one client, for whom they serve as a non-judgmental source of emotional support and reliable practical help 4. Have one of the most rewarding volunteer experiences of their lives!

2009

To learn more about how you can be a Shanti volunteer, please contact Volunteer Services Coordinator, Kayla Smyth at 415-674-4708 or email: ksmyth@shanti.org. If you think you or someone you know could benefit by being a Shanti client, or to learn more about the services, please contact Joanne Kipnis at 415-625-5214 or email: jkipnis@shanti.org

1988

2010

The LGBT Aging & Abilities Support Network is made possible by funding from the City and County of San Francisco’s Department of Aging and Adults Services.

2006

2001

Embracing Compassion. Care, and Community Since 1974

<< Open Forum

6 • Bay Area Reporter • July 20-26, 2017

Volume 47, Number 29 July 20-26, 2017 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 ARTS EDITOR Roberto Friedman BARTAB EDITOR & EVENTS LISTINGS EDITOR Jim Provenzano ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko • Seth Hemmelgarn CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ray Aguilera • Tavo Amador • Race Bannon Erin Blackwell • Roger Brigham Brian Bromberger • Victoria A. Brownworth Brent Calderwood • Philip Campbell Heather Cassell • Belo Cipriani Richard Dodds • Michael Flanagan Jim Gladstone • David Guarino Liz Highleyman • Brandon Judell • John F. Karr Lisa Keen • Matthew Kennedy • Joshua Klipp David Lamble • Max Leger Michael McDonagh • David-Elijah Nahmod Paul Parish • Sean Piverger • Lois Pearlman Tim Pfaff • Jim Piechota • Bob Roehr Donna Sachet • Adam Sandel • Khaled Sayed Jason Serinus • Gregg Shapiro Gwendolyn Smith • Sari Staver • Jim Stewart Sean Timberlake • Andre Torrez • Ronn Vigh Ed Walsh • Cornelius Washington Sura Wood ART DIRECTION Max Leger PRODUCTION/DESIGN Ernesto Sopprani PHOTOGRAPHERS Jane Philomen Cleland • FBFE Rick Gerharter • Gareth Gooch Lydia Gonzales • Jose Guzman-Colon Rudy K. Lawidjaja • Georg Lester • Dan Lloyd Jo-Lynn Otto • Rich Stadtmiller Steven Underhil • Dallis Willard • Bill Wilson

Chief justice should apologize I

t was only recently reported that a California Judicial Council Halloween party last year went completely off the rails, and the reason why the council, which is the policymaking body for the state’s courts, is now being asked for a formal apology. It should issue one immediately. ABC7 News last week reported on the costume party, held at the council’s Sacramento office. The video was difficult to watch, as some employees dressed like inmates and turned their cubicles into mock prison cells. Longtime staffer Michael Roosevelt said that other council employees darkened their faces and wore dreadlocks. One man donned a wig in an effort to imitate transgender TV star Laverne Cox, who plays a prisoner on the Netflix show “Orange is the New Black.” The employees’ depiction of that show won the “best decorations award” at the party, but as Roosevelt told the station, “If you are a person who is transgender and in prison, your life is in jeopardy.” The party photos were removed from the council’s internal intranet, and the supervisor involved was directed to offer a course on diversity and respect. But NAACP San Francisco Chapter President the Reverend Amos Brown told ABC 7 that an apology is needed. Brown also noted that one of the problems with the party was that the participants “adopted in their minds, their spirits, the prison culture. They don’t see these prisoners as being human beings, they see it as being a fun thing,” he said. At the very least, the council employees who participated exhibited a gross lapse in judgment. African-American men are disproportionately incarcerated in this country. Unarmed black men – and women – have been killed by police officers with such frequency that it now fails to register as an outrage by most people. (The fatal police shooting this

by John Entwistle Jr.

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week of a white woman in Minneapolis might “promote an environment of respect in the change that.) Trans prisoners are routinely workplace.” denied access to appropriate medical care and “The images of the event were more disturbother services. And yet, a group of employees ing because they were of staff whose mission is that work for the government agency that inthe advancement of the consistent, indepenteracts with these people thought it dent, impartial, and accessible administration would be funny to dress up like of justice,” Hoshino stated. them and pretend to be in prison. He said he had relayed his apologies to Excuse us, but that is not funny. Cantil-Sakauye. The chair of the Judicial Council That’s a good first step. Now, Cantil-Sakauye is California Supreme Court Chief needs to issue an unequivocal apology to Brown Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye. She has and the greater community. Cantil-Sakauye had little to say about the party, exshould do the right thing and forcefully accept to issue a brief statement that knowledge that these types of costume parties the council “does not condone any won’t happen again, and that the Judicial Counactivity that diminishes the value cil holds itself to a much higher standard.t of individuals or the ideals of our justice system.” Her statement was not as forceful as when she was critical of the federal Departments of Justice and Homeland Security earlier this year for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers allegedly stalking undocumented immigrants in California courthouses to make arrests. The Alliance of California Judges, which is often critical of court bureaucracy, issued a statement calling for better accountability and for the Legislature to take control of the judicial branch. That’s a bad idea, but it condemned council staff members “engaged in activities that were highly offensive and antithetical to the core mission of the judicial branch.” Late last week, Martin Hoshino, administrative director of the Judicial Courtesy ABC7 News Council, issued a statement about the Halloween costume contest, calling California Judicial Council employees dressed up it “insensitive and unacceptable.” He like prisoners for an office Halloween party last said that “corrective action was taken” year, including a man, left, who donned a wig to and that executive staff continue to resemble transgender TV actress Laverne Cox. take steps to rectify concerns and to

17th Street’s dangerous rails

ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Paul Berge • Christine Smith

VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING Scott Wazlowski – 415.829.8937

saw a mother riding her bicycle up 17th Street, two girls on back, headed for the Castro. Passing a double-parked car between Church and Sanchez streets the old Muni tracks caught her tire. They crashed, smashing hard onto the pavement. Those absurdly dangerous tracks have a long history of toppling bikes, mopeds, and motorcycles. Most aren’t reported. Even when people are cut up and bruised, if they can get up and walk away, they do. So, the official record lists only the really bad crashes requiring medical intervention, ambulances, emergency rooms, etc. This has been ongoing for decades on a bike route carrying nearly a thousand riders daily. It’s like the Bermuda Triangle for two-wheeled vehicles. That mom never got up. She couldn’t move to stop her own daughters from walking into traffic as they clambered to their feet, dazed. Fortunately, she was accompanied by a gentleman on another bike who swept up the kids as several pedestrians rendered assistance. Fifteen minutes later four emergency vehicles responded. She left in an ambulance. Armed with home security video of this irrefutably bad thing I asked the supervisors for help. And to our community’s credit it was the gay guys at City Hall who called in the top planners at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and pushed them to finally fix this problem. Conor Johnston (board President London Breed’s former aide) got involved and then Scott Wiener (now a state senator) committed his District 8 supervisor’s office to helping us. Current District 8 Supervisor Jeff Sheehy is continuing the effort. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and a local activists’ group called SF Transformation have also assisted massively. This past year neighbors and crash victims met several times with traffic engineers, department heads, and railroad representatives. These were very candid productive gatherings at City Hall and on 17th Street itself. A lot of communicating and learning has occurred.

John Entwistle Jr.

A woman bicyclist (not the one mentioned above) crashed as the author was taking an unrelated shot.

First the good news: protected bike lanes to prevent the mid-block bike crashes on 17th Street between Church and Sanchez streets are planned for construction this fall. The bad news is that at the intersections (Church, Sanchez, and Noe) as well as on 17th Street from Sanchez to Noe Street the bike wrecks will continue. SFMTA traffic engineers are doing all they can but those old streetcar tracks are like cattle guards for bicycles, especially where they cross intersections. Bike riders cannot use the road safely in the legal manner due to the flangeways (type of railway) catching their tires. They’re also an impediment to disabled pedestrians at crosswalks. This is why the tracks will ultimately have to go even if it takes the California Public Utilities Commission to make that happen. Another thing one might not remember: the original plan was to remove those temporary 17th Street rails back in 1982 when Muni began regular service under Market Street. They were installed for the old streetcar system, maintaining that vital connection between downtown and the Twin Peaks Tunnel while the Church and Castro Street stations, along with Harvey Milk Plaza, were constructed. It was all funded by BART project money, supervised by a genius highway engineer from Washington state, and totally skipped any planning process or safety concerns that would normally be addressed because the tracks were to exist for only a few short years.

And that’s when our local transit agency found itself led into temptation. It saw a benefit to having those tracks. And being railroad folks, they were naturally averse to removing that expensive half grand union junction at Church and 17th streets. So, they never tore them out. For the next 30 years bicyclists paid in blood for that bad decision. Seventeenth Street is too narrow for Muni tracks. Normally Muni runs on wider roads with parking plus two lanes of traffic in each direction, like Church Street. They also used the wrong kind of rails. A close look reveals that Muni tracks on SF streets are “grooved rail” with the flangeway set in steel at the correct size. The T-rail on 17th Street from Church to Noe streets is what you see in train yards. Its flangeways are degraded asphalt ruts alongside the rails. That’s why no engineer in his or her right mind, including the ones who built them, would have made these particular tracks permanent. Streetcar tracks are hazardous by definition so the recommendation of the California Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices is to remove them whenever possible. Yet in the House of the SFMTA the Rail Division has veto power over any decision involving tracks. Inquiries were made about each track on 17th Street, as well as each of the spurs onto Church Street. The Rail Division claims to need or “potentially want to use” every rail asset. These two blocks of non-revenue tracks aren’t on any line and carry no regular passengers. So, what does Muni covet them for that’s worth injuring people? Private streetcar “party” rides for one. Moving empty streetcars to and from Market Street despite having better, safer routes. And for skipping the four stops on Upper Market Street during rush hours because streetcars slow down automobiles. So much for public safety in the Castro. We’re on the wrong side of the tracks. Imagine those rails removed from Church Street to Noe Street. Visualize smooth fresh pavement, unchanged parking, and a safe marked bike path just like the rest of 17th Street already has running clear to Mission Bay. We can’t undo that mother crashing but we can absolutely stop it from happening again.t John Entwistle Jr. is a Castro resident.

Politics>>

July 20-26, 2017 • Bay Area Reporter • 7

South Bay LGBT political group revamps itself in the conversation and moving forward LGBTQ rights,” said Escobar, 29, director of policy and education programs at the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. “Now is a really important time to do that, and I think BAYMEC is well-positioned to be a part of that conversation in a meaningful way.” BAYMEC has a number of new initiatives underway this year. It is developing a Jo-Lynn Otto training for groups and BAYMEC officials held a reception June 11 following the Equality March for Unity businesses around the and Pride, including, from left, board members Mario Lopez, Michael Lomio, topic of religious freeJeremy Avila, co-founder and former board member Supervisor Ken Yeager, and dom and discriminaboard members Dawn Cieslik, Paul Escobar, James Gonzales, Brian Aubineau, tion in response to the and Wiggsy Sivertsen, who is also a co-founder of the group. push by conservatives throughout the country to allow companies of politics, law, academia, and social by Matthew S. Bajko and individuals to discriminate policy. against LGBT people on religious South Bay LGBT political group “For me, I thought it was a great grounds. The issue is at the heart of has revamped itself as it preway to get involved in the community a lawsuit the U.S. Supreme Court pares to play a larger role in the 2018 to work on projects I think, especially will decide during its new session. elections. BAYMEC, which stands after the recent election, are going to Aging issues are another priority for the Bay Area Municipal Elections be big issues not just locally but for for BAYMEC, with the board memCommittee, reconstituted its board California and nationwide,” said Los bers visiting senior living facilities this year and has had a more visible Altos resident Dawn Cieslik, 52, a to talk about how to care for their presence in the community in recent lesbian who works for Santa Clara LGBT residents. months. County and is serving as BAYMEC’s “We are looking to work with deIt hosted a get-together following treasurer. “It gave me an opportunity velopers, policymakers and seniors the Equality March for Unity and to do something new. Not to mention to really work on all of the issues Pride in San Jose June 11 and BAYI think it is a good cause and a good that come up when an LGBT senior MEC leaders took part in a number organization to be a part of.” enters a care facility. Sometimes of events in Santa Clara County held BAYMEC co-founder Wiggsy they are then forced back into the throughout Pride Month. Board Sivertsen is serving on the board, closet and experience discriminamembers were present June 22, for while gay Santa Clara County Sution again,” noted Gonzales, who instance, to witness the city of Santa pervisor Ken Yeager, who also coformerly lived in Sunnyvale and is Clara raise the rainbow flag at City founded the group, is advising the vice president of the San Jose Police Hall for the first time ever. board members. He has Officers’ Association. “It is a big area “We are just beginsuggested people the we are diving into.” ning to build momenboard should meet While Santa Clara County, in partum,” BAYMEC board with and brought the ticular, has made strides on LGBT isPresident James Gonmembers up to speed sues in the last two years, creating the zales told the Bay Area on the various LGBTQ first countywide LGBT affairs office Reporter last month. initiatives he has pushed in the country and appropriating $1 For 33 years BAYhis county to undertake million for LGBT services this year MEC has been the in recent years. and next, it still lags behind other political voice for “I am very excited counties in certain respects. It does the LGBT commuthat BAYMEC is getnot have an affordable housing denity in Santa Clara, San ting re-energized,” said velopment targeted to LGBT seniors Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Yeager. “We seem to have and transgender individuals lack adMonterey counties. Yet last year the many battles ahead of us, and it is all equate health care services. political action committee did not the more important to have LGBTQ “We really feel this is the time to release an official endorsement list organizations in the middle of the sort of ... we need to push to get a hofor any 2016 candidates, nor did it fight.” listic approach to LGBT rights in our host its yearly fundraising dinner. Gonzales, 39, who recently mararea,” said Gonzales. “We have come It did donate a total of $2,600 in ried and now lives in San Francisco, a long way but there are still a lot of political contributions split between is planning to remain board presiareas to close the loop on.” three candidates running in the Bay dent, a position he has held since A main focus for BAYMEC is Area and mobilized to keep a can2012, through the end of the year. political representation in the four didate with anti-LGBT views off “I think BAYMEC is certainly counties it covers. In terms of havthe San Jose City Council. But as benefiting from all the energy suring LGBT elected leaders, the South the Political Notebook reported in rounding protecting our rights,” Bay trails other parts of the Bay Area February, a number of resignations said Gonzales, referring to the LGBT where the LGBT community has from BAYMEC’s board led the group community’s concerns about seeing been making gains at the ballot box, to strictly narrow its focus last year. the Trump administration roll back especially in the East Bay. Rather than a full complement of the LGBT equality gains of recent “I would certainly like to see more 17 board members, BAYMEC was years. of it,” said Escobar, who has lived in down to nine by the start of 2017. Paul Escobar, BAYMEC’s new San Jose the last four years with his Today, the organization has a vice president, agreed that the group domestic partner, Mark Bachman. 15-person board of directors and is is seeing renewed interest in its work In Santa Clara County it has been actively recruiting four more people due to the president. years since an LGBT person has to join it. The board includes people “I am looking forward to reinvigserved on the San Jose City Counof different ages and minority comorating and getting engaged myself cil. BAYMEC board member Shay munities who hail from the fields and getting more people involved Franco-Clausen, a queer woman of

color who works for Assemblyman Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), a former San Jose city councilman, is planning to run for the open District 9 council seat next year. Yeager, the only out person to serve on the council, is set to be termed out of his District 4 seat on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors at the end of 2018. It does not appear an LGBT person will run to succeed him, leaving in doubt if the supervisors will continue to financially support LGBT programs at the same level that Yeager has successfully advocated for in recent years.

“We are going to be particularly interested in Ken Yeager’s seat,” said Gonzales. “The amount of impact from having a gay man on the county board can hardly be measured.” The issue will be front and center as BAYMEC decides which candidate to endorse in the June primary election for Yeager’s seat. In all four counties BAYMEC covers, the board is planning a full endorsement process for the 2018 races, said Gonzales. “We are changing our endorsement process this year. We are not See page 15 >>

Thanks from Pride Brunch organizers

We’re thrilled to report that the 19th annual Pride Brunch June 24 generated $55,000 in revenue, with proceeds supporting the Positive Resource Center. More than 300 guests enjoyed the hosted bars by Barefoot Wine and Bubbly and Tito’s Handmade Vodka, the lively music by the Dixieland Dykes +3 band, decor by Tom Taylor and Sparky’s Fun & Joy, florals by CoCo Butter and Deana Dawn, and centerpiece by IXIA. We’d also like to thank our presenting sponsor Wells Fargo, other sponsors and hosts, Meng Zhang and her amazing staff at the Hotel Whitcomb, PRC staff, media sponsor San Francisco Bay Times, graphics by Karin Jaffie, sound by Ingu Yun and Randy Pocius, our many dedicated volunteers, and donors to the raffle and auction.

Of course, the highlight of this annual benefit is meeting and hearing personal remarks from the grand marshals and honorees. We were honored to salute and hear from Marcy Adelman, Ph.D., Brett Andrews, Bay Area American Two-Spirits, Blackberri, Chris Carnes, Cassandra Cass, El/La Para TransLatina, Alex U. Inn, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, and Amy Sueyoshi. This year’s benefit was a fun nod to the Summer of Love 50th anniversary and a demonstration of this year’s SF Pride theme, “A Celebration of Diversity.” We look forward to our 20th anniversary Pride Brunch next year. Gary Virginia & Donna Sachet San Francisco

Barry Schneider Attorney at Law

family law specialist* • Divorce w/emphasis on Real Estate & Business Divisions • Domestic Partnerships, Support & Custody • Probate and Wills www.SchneiderLawSF.com

415-781-6500 *Certified by the California State Bar 400 Montgomery Street, Ste. 505, San Francisco, CA

LGBT PROGRESSIVE CATHOLICS † OUR FAMILIES & FRIENDS

Celebrating our Sexuality and Love as Gifts of God Liturgy & Social: Every Sunday 5pm First Sunday Movie Night Second Sunday Potluck Supper Third Wednesday Faith Sharing Group 1329 Seventh Avenue † info@dignitysanfrancisco.org Follow us on Facebook!

<< Commentary

8 • Bay Area Reporter • July 20-26, 2017

Uniformly bad

7 NEW BMR

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by Gwendolyn Ann Smith

ince before last year’s election, many have warned of trans law’s precarious position at the federal level. While great strides were made during the Obama years on behalf of our community, a lot of those wins were not legislative, but administrative, consisting of policy changes and legal interpretations that sided with the transgender community. In the last few months, the Trump administration has gone into hyperdrive, working to reverse these rules. These moves started within weeks of President Donald Trump taking office, with the administration rescinding protections for transgender students in February. It would seem that his education secretary, Betsy DeVos, intends to keep things this way, even intending to return the department’s civil rights office to “its role as a neural, impartial, investigative agency.” While I might contend that it has been such, reading between the lines makes it clear that this – as well as recent plans to massively cut funding for education – will all but gut civil rights protections within the Department of Education. The story is the same elsewhere in the administration, where many department heads have a history of anti-transgender and anti-LGBTQ stances. A recent addition to the Office of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the U.S. Agency for International Development is Bethany Kozma, an antiLGBTQ activist who has been outspoken in her opposition to bathroom rights for transgender youth. The very notion of seeing transgender people treated fairly in any way within this administration is simply off the table. I wish I could tell you that there is a silver lining, but a bleak story has gotten even drearier. A victory last week in Congress, which saw an attempt by Representative Vicky Hartzler (RMissouri) to ban the coverage of transition-related health care for transgender troops fail in the House of Representatives has been quickly overshadowed by a far more insidious bill, one that – quite frankly – should scare us all. Sponsored by Representative Pete Olson (R-Texas), HR 2796, aka the Civil Rights Uniformity Act of 2017, may be one of the most discriminatory bills since the Sodomite Suppression Act was axed from consideration in California by thenAttorney General Kamala Harris. The bill claims to be about repealing “executive overreach,” and states, “the proper constitutional authority for social transformation belongs to the legislative branch.” That, however, is but the start. Citing work under former President Barack Obama to define “sex” inclusive of gender identity, including the landmark interpretation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as efforts within the Department of Education to allow transgender students use of appropriate sex-segregated facilities in accordance with their preferred gender, and the Department of Health and Human Service’s regulations that saw transgender people covered in the Affordable Care Act, HR 2796 seeks to reverse all of the above and then some. Now mind you, this is not some general law about overreach, attempting to provide some nebulous guidance on the divisions between the legislative and administrative branches of our government. No, this bill has two stated purposes,

Christine Smith

and both are pointed directly at transgender people. “The purposes of this act are ... to prevent the executive branch from unilaterally rewriting federal civil rights laws by enacting or implementing any policy or undertaking any enforcement action that is based on construing the term ‘sex’ or ‘gender’ to mean ‘gender identity;’ and ... to ensure that gender identity is not treated as a protected class in federal law or policy without the affirmative approval of the people’s representatives in Congress,” the bill states. It actually gets worse. The final section of this bill has three specific things it seeks to put into place. First, it seeks to redefine “sex” and “gender” in “any federal civil rights law, and of any related ruling, regulation, guidance, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States” not to be interpreted in a trans inclusive manner, and further restricts “man” and “woman” to “a person’s genetic sex.” Second, prohibiting federal civil rights law from allowing transgender people to be part of a protected class unless expressly designated as such. Finally, it further clarifies that “federal civil rights law” is inclusive of “any federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex or gender,” and specifically notes Title IX, the Fair Housing Act, and the Affordable Care Act. What this insidious piece of legislation seeks to do is strip transgender people of any and all federal law protections. And this from the party that has claimed for eight years that rights should be up to the states, and not the federal government. As it stands, this bill was introduced to the House of Representatives, and is currently in the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. It could die in committee – but I don’t think any one of us feels confident enough to sit back and let that happen. On the subcommittee are Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee), Ron DeSantis (R-Florida), Trent Franks (R-Arizona), Louie Gohmert Jr. (R-Texas), Trey Gowdy (R-South Carolina), Steve King (R-Iowa), Jerrold Nadler (D-New York), and Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland). If any of these represent you, you need to contact them immediately. You can use sites like www.contactingcongress.org to make this easier. Further, reach out to any others who can speak out. We need everyone we can. I don’t feel I am being overly dramatic saying that a bill like this would be the death knell to the transgender community, and each of us. We need to do everything we can to stop this, before it stops us.t Gwen Smith is in it for the long haul. You can find her at www.gwensmith.com.

Community News>>

July 20-26, 2017 • Bay Area Reporter • 9

LGBTs flagged on Facebook for ‘inappropriate’ content by David-Elijah Nahmod

ome LGBT community members who have been temporarily banned from Facebook for using what it calls “inappropriate” content say the social media giant could do more to address their concerns. Bruce Beaudette, a gay San Francisco man, said that he was recently banned from Facebook for one week for posting the word “dyke.” A queer history buff, Beaudette shared the cover of an issue of Dyke, a quarterly lesbian magazine that was published in New York City during the 1970s. The cover photo featured five butch women with the caption “Dyke Is Out. Are You?” Beaudette added his own comment: “Dyke should always be out. And yes, I am also always out.” The posting was removed by Facebook. “We removed the post below because it doesn’t follow Facebook community standards,” stated the message Beaudette received just prior to his banning, during which time he could not post, comment, like posts, or respond to messages. He noted that Dyke magazine is archived at Radcliffe College and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. “A human being at Facebook was not against what I posted,” Beaudette told the Bay Area Reporter. “Nor do I think that anyone reported me. A computer program flagged and blocked me. A call center and a human operator could figure out the mistake.” Many in the LGBT community have asked Facebook to set up a call center where issues such as these can be resolved without unfairly penalizing someone who has done nothing wrong. Though Facebook has as of yet declined to set up a call center, the company has, according to some, made strides in addressing other issues. “I am happy with the progress that the #MyNameIs team has made with Facebook,” said Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who’s a leader in the #MyNameIs coalition. Two years ago, the issue generated controversy after activists and others criticized Facebook for its real name policy. Facebook has always required people to use their real, or legal, name. But that has created issues as others have flagged accounts, often those of trans people and drag queens, resulting in account suspensions. Domestic abuse survivors were also affected. “We got them to meet with us and really understand how our community, specifically LGBTQ people, use the site authentically with names that can’t be proven by a government ID or piece of paper,” Roma added. “As a result, Facebook changed the ‘fake name’ reporting process to make it more difficult to report someone. They have also made changes to the appeals process and gone as far as to establish a team specifically assigned to address LGBTQ and other users who check the ‘special circumstances’ box. Now you can explain who you are and why your identity is authentic.” Roma feels that Facebook remains safe for queer people. “I know that Facebook embraces diversity and welcomes all users, especially the LGBTQ community,” Roma said. “They never had a personal vendetta against LGBTQ people. Unfortunately, it is the Facebook users who attack and harass our community. Facebook has defenses we can use against that type of behavior, including blocking and reporting bad behavior. However, the site, which I believe now boasts 2 billion users, has a lot of work to do recognizing the difference between queer-positive posts that reclaim and honor queer words that can also be used in a hateful and abusive way.”

“Until marginalized Brooke Oliver is a lesbian TLGBQIA2S folks hold attorney who represents decision-making power at Dykes on Bikes. Like BeauFacebook, or form our own dette, Oliver had a comment social media platform to rival removed and was banned Facebook, we will always be for using the word “dyke.” the last considered when it Dykes on Bikes, a lesbian comes to human rights and motorcycle contingent that the first considered when traditionally leads the San it comes to tokenism and Francisco Pride parade, is, exploitation,” Folkz added, according to Oliver, a brand referring to the transgender, known worldwide. lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, “We’re using the word intersex, agender, and two‘dyke’ to reclaim it and to spirit community. take out its sting,” Oliver said. “Context is essential. Lil Miss Hot Mess, a drag Self-referential speech is performer who was also political speech and is proinvolved in the real names tected by the Constitution. issue, also thinks that more I think it’s important to recan be done to protect claim these words.” queers on Facebook. Oliver said that she got “Facebook doesn’t conthrough to Facebook atsider an unsolicited message torneys by contacting them A screen grab from Bruce Beaudette’s Facebook telling you to kill yourself to via snail mail at Facebook’s page shows that his post was removed. be bullying/harassment, surMenlo Park headquarters. prise surprise,” she posted on She got a response. her page. The B.A.R. was un“The negatively impactful preju“We are insisting that there be able to reach Lil Miss for comment. dice exhibited by Facebook’s deciapologies and that they be public,” Beaudette nevertheless said that sion to target and flag our commushe said. “These are bad business he feels safe on Facebook, and connity is a reflection of the prejudice practices.” tinues to maintain that a call center that we experience in our society,” Other feel that Facebook does not would resolve LGBTQ issues quicksaid Monica Anderson, aka Kin have the community’s best interests ly and fairly. Folkz, an African-American queer at heart. “It is frustrating that Facebook woman.

chooses to ignore people,” he said. “They seem to rely too much on their own cleverness. They could though, staff a call center somewhere in America that is needful of employment opportunities, like Flint, Michigan. Helpful to their users needs like me, and great publicity for them.” While this story was being written, the author was banned from Facebook for one week after being flagged for harassment by Newark, Delaware resident Nancy Kersey, a straight woman. Over a period of years Kersey contacted the author to brag about getting people to unfriend and block him, and claimed to have people monitoring the author’s page and report back to her, among other contacts. In October 2016, Sergeant Bradley Norris of the New Castle County police emailed the author to verify that he had visited Kersey’s home and advised her to cease contact with the author. Facebook spokesman William Nevius and Justin Osofsky, vice president of global operations, did not respond to emails asking how the issues raised by Beaudette or how behavior such as Kersey’s might be dealt with.t

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The Legal Profession: What can you do with a JD today?” Peter Catalonotti, Esq., Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF) Nyla Moujaes, Esq., Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF) Lauren Pietsch, Esq., Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF)

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<< From the Cover

10 • Bay Area Reporter • July 20-26, 2017

LGBT community

From page 1

The center has recommended that all health programs receiving federal funding or other forms of support be required to collect SOGI information. The Strengthening Health Disparities Data Collection Act, which was introduced in 2013 by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), would have enacted such a requirement. But the Senate never voted on the legislation. “There is definitely an appetite among some members to introduce and reintroduce legislation along these lines,” said Castro, a straight man. “The bigger question, of course, is if this legislation gets signed into law. Obviously, it is not clear that is going to be happening anytime soon.” In October the National Institutes of Health designated sexual health minorities a health disparities population, opening the door for more research into the LGBT community’s health risk factors. The data innovation center, in its report, noted that health surveys, clinical trials, and studies funded or performed by the NIH “all present opportunities to collect and analyze data to help researchers better understand the health issues facing the LGBT community and address the disparity.”

Some agencies are collecting data

Some federal surveys already do ask about sexual orientation and gender identity. In 2013, for example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began asking about SOGI in its Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, one of the world’s largest health surveys. The National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants and the Centers for Independent Living Annual Program Performance Report have also included SOGI questions. Attempts by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services this spring to remove the questions sparked a national outcry, and in June, the agency announced it would continue to collect the LGBT data. “Sexual orientation and gender identity questions on these surveys were designed to ensure that vital services were reaching vulnerable LGBT Americans,” a group of 17 senators wrote in a letter they sent the agency this spring calling on it to add back the SOGI questions. “By rolling back data collection, it is possible that the needs of millions of Americans will go unmet.” The attempts by the Trump administration to block the collection of LGBT demographic data in a number of federal surveys have highlighted the importance of LGBT data collection efforts to be undertaken at the state, local, and academic levels. The absence of SOGI questions is also drawing more attention globally. “People in the community said, ‘We are the walking dead because we are not counted anywhere,’” said Greta Bauer, a straight woman who’s with the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario, last month during an online seminar hosted by the Williams Institute, an LGBT think tank at the UCLA School of Law that focuses on LGBT demographic research. National and international health researchers, in particular, have been vocal advocates for adding SOGI questions to studies aimed at delving deeper into the health needs of LGBT people. Their efforts to collect such data have discovered severe health disparities for LGBT communities, as detailed in a 2011 Institute of Medicine review of LGBT research. The report showed that alcoholism, drug abuse, depression,

suicidal risk, and chronic diseases that are often ignored appear to be problems that affect a disproportionate share of LGBT people. “We have been relying on small studies over the years to show we have a number of health disparities, like increased heart disease risk in LGBT individuals as one example,” said Do. Having data from a broader population base, however, will make it easier to seek funding to address the community’s health needs, Do predicted. The SOGI data San Francisco will be collecting, in particular, will provide the evidence the API Wellness Center needs to make the case for why the agency’s services are needed and back up the stories and qualitative data the agency has gathered from the patients it serves. “When it comes to foundations, to be able to say there is this health issue in our community and it is impacting this many people, or doubling the risk for breast cancer or anal cancer or things like that, it goes a long way to getting things funded,” said Do, who has encountered issues in the past in securing funds because of the LGBT data gap. “I could pull in references from a number of small studies here and there on health disparities. But when it came to saying San Francisco has this many LGBT people with an X amount of risk for cancer or mental health concerns and heart disease, there is no data I can point to.”

UCSF’s PRIDE Study

Another LGBT data point will come from UCSF, where a team of researchers is conducting a yearslong national health study of LGBT residents of the United States. Known as the PRIDE Study – the acronym is short for Population Research in Identity and Disparities for Equality – it is the first longitudinal study of a cohort of LGBTQ adults in the country. “We know, first of all, LGBTQ people, or sexual minority people more broadly, exist in the U.S.,” said Dr. Juno Obedin-Maliver, who identifies as a cisgender lesbian and is a co-director of the PRIDE Study. “We also know that, unfortunately, national surveys and even non-national studies don’t tend to include questions about sexual orientation and gender identity. So what that means is we have an absolute lack of information about the health experiences of sexual minority and gender-nonconforming people.” Obedin-Maliver, an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at UCSF, said it is “an exciting time” to be conducting such research because there is “a ton to be learned” about the LGBT community’s health disparities. “There has been a lot more visibility, socially and politically, about LGBTQ people, but there has not been a lot of incorporation in terms of medicine and science about what it means to be a part of these communities,” she said. “For example, LGBTQ people tend to smoke more than the general population, which has a lot of health implications. But because every study and health agency hasn’t been asking about sexual orientation and gender identity, we don’t always have the best information how to intervene and how to support people to stop smoking.” Amanda Wallner, the director of the California LGBT Health & Human Services Network, expects the PRIDE Study will provide valuable information on a host of health issues impacting the LGBT community once it starts to report out its findings. It is just the latest example of how LGBT individuals have taken it upon themselves to care for the community’s health needs, she said. “It has always been necessary for our community to step up and provide for ourselves when the

Rick Gerharter

Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center’s Dr. Tri Do.

government won’t or the private market hasn’t. We did during the HIV epidemic; we created our own hospices and our own hospitals. Nurses stepped up to the plate and so did doctors,” noted Wallner, a lesbian who has signed up for the PRIDE Study. “LGBTQ communities have stepped up to fill in the gap.” Various jurisdictions have either begun to collect LGBT data or are working toward doing so. In 2009 the UC Davis Health System established a task force to look at how to include SOGI data in electronic health records. Four years later it became the first academic health care provider to ask its patients if they identify as LGBT. Yet it has not reached a point where it is ready to share the SOGI data it is collecting with researchers and others. “It is working out well in places and there are problems in places,” said Edward Callahan, Ph.D., a gay man who chairs the vice chancellor’s advisory committee on SOGI. “It is a matter of getting enough people filling it out all the time consistently.” Callahan, who recently retired from his job as associate vice chancellor for academic personnel in the university’s nursing school, said not every patient seen by the health system is asked about their sexual orientation and gender identity. When the SOGI questions are asked, he explained, depends on who their provider is and where they are seen. “It is not built in as a standard procedure for every patient,” said Callahan. “It is happening more often. But it has to happen more often than it is happening.” What the university has learned from asking SOGI questions, he said, is it is critical to teach physicians to think about the issue in a different way so they do not see LGBT people as “less than” other people. “We are working with people to think about sexual orientation and gender identity as another form of normal difference in biological variability,” said Callahan. “We’ve got this biological variability that is a natural part of life. How do you deal with it? Do you make it a big deal or something real simple and straightforward? The more we get into seeing this is normal variance in how people are in the world, the better the care is for the patient.”

Gender identity presents unique challenge

When collecting SOGI data, asking about gender identity presents unique challenges due to the myriad ways people describe their gender. The terminology is in constant flux, as is which pronouns people prefer to use, which can’t all be captured on government forms or databases. It is an issue that has arisen in

New York state, where in 2014, Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered state departments to collect LGBT data. It is a particular challenge for state universities in the Empire State when asking students SOGI questions. Because the questions only allow for one answer to be given, they are not capturing students’ full identities and forcing them to adhere to rigid definitions of sex and gender, said Courtney D’Allaird, who identifies as queer and is the assistant director and coordinator of the Gender & Sexuality Resource Center at the University at Albany. As an example, D’Allaird noted that a large number of students on campus identify as not being sexual or are sexually attracted to all genders but they are not given the choice of choosing asexual or pansexual for their sexual orientation. “So in order to get a wide breadth of our identities and experiences, we need to be able to check all that apply,” said D’Allaird. At UC Davis there is an “other” option on its intake form where people can answer the gender identity question with whatever term they wish. But they are also asked to explain what the term means so their doctor understands it. “Over time the younger students are teaching us very different ways to think about and deal with sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a positive thing overall,” said Callahan. “The younger generation is thinking about SOGI in different terms and that difference is going to help us, ultimately, relate better to people across different ethnicities.” Demographers also note it is essential to ask people what sex they were assigned at birth, in addition to what their gender identity currently is, in order to count all transgender people being surveyed or taking part in a study. Not everyone who has changed their gender identity will identify as transgender, and thus, will not check that off when asked for their SOGI demographic information. “What if I am a trans man, and the world has labeled me as a trans man, but that is not how I identify? I just identify as a man. If I check off sex assigned at birth as female, when I get to gender identity, even if trans male is an option, I might put male,” explained D’Allaird. “I might not identify as the world tells me to. I am just a dude, don’t put me in a trans box. The only way to see that person in the data is if you ask for their sex assigned at birth.” As San Francisco’s health department works to include SOGI questions on all of its forms and electronic records, it consulted with an advisory group of transgender community members. The feedback they provided was that they would like to see a wealth of options for answering the gender identity

question beyond just male, female, or transgender. “Part of what we are working on is how to engage our communities, our very diverse communities, in a linguistically and culturally appropriate way,” said Leslie Dubbin, a gay woman who is the health department’s chief integration officer for ambulatory care and one of a number of employees who have been working out the details for how to ask the SOGI questions. “One thing that is reasonable is to add genderqueer and gender non-binary,” added Seth Pardo, a trans man and a program evaluator for the health department’s behavioral health division who focuses on quality management research and evaluation. “Everybody’s identity is different. We have come a long way from just L, G, B, and T. Identities are a very unique thing. People have the right and a responsibility to identify who they are themselves.” But to ensure the data collected is useable for research purposes, there is a limit to how many choices the department can offer, noted Pardo. Too many options could dilute the demographic pools into being of little value. “There is always a challenge, from a systems perspective, to figure out a way to digest the complexity of identity in a way to do numbercrunching and counting of our constituents,” said Pardo.

Possible privacy concerns

No matter what the department opts to do, Dubbin said she fully expects that people will be “really guarded” about divulging their sexual orientation and gender identity because of the current political environment and growing concerns about the theft of people’s personal information. “It becomes much more broad than just my health care provider wanting to understand who I am and what I am at risk for and what I have and try to come up with a health care plan to address health inequalities at the clinic level,” she said. “Our ultimate goal is community health and how do we make a group of people healthier. The political landscape is certainly not very helpful at the moment in doing these things.” The department is committed to protecting the information it collects and has been testing different options for how to store the data. It is also closely looking at who will be able to access the information. “There are multiple nuances to this. It is not as easy as asking are you straight, gay, or transgender. It is much more complex,” said Dubbin. The benefits from asking people SOGI questions in research studies and on government forms go beyond merely identifying health disparities in the LGBT community. It can also bring about greater acceptance for people who are sexual and gender minorities, argue LGBT advocates, as it sends a message that being LGBT is not a choice or any different from being heterosexual. “When we include things in a structure like that, we are in many ways legitimizing that experience as ‘real.’ When we keep it hidden and not talked about then we are not dealing with the stigma and the violence,” said D’Allaird. “By letting someone who wants to share that info so we can use it, we are sending a message about inclusion and saying we want to know so we can serve you best. Finally, which is equally important, every single person that goes through that form is exposed to LGBT topics.”t This article is the second of three looking at LGBT data collection and was written as part of a California Health Journalism Fellowship project with the University of Southern CaliforniaAnnenberg Center for Health Care Journalism.

Community News>>

July 20-26, 2017 • Bay Area Reporter • 11

4,800-plus calls a month on homeless in SF by Seth Hemmelgarn

an Francisco’s police and customer service departments have received an average of more than 4,800 calls a month this year related to homeless people, according to city data. The data includes duplicated calls, where someone contacted the 311 customer service or 911 police emergency lines more than once for the same incident, but Sam Dodge, deputy director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, acknowledged it’s still “a high number.” “Locally, we do a lot to try to help people in crisis, but for me it really speaks to the need to have more shelter, to have more Navigation Centers, to have more supportive housing, and that’s what those calls represent to me, is a real

community demand for places for people to be, to help them,” said Dodge. The city’s Department of Emergency Management provided more than 29,000 records to the Bay Area Reporter, reflecting calls that came in from January 1 through July 11. Many of the calls are for areas where homeless people living in tents are common, including Division Street and San Bruno Avenue in the South of Market area. There are also several records for spots in the Castro, Mission, and other neighborhoods. It Seth Hemmelgarn wasn’t possible to immeTents on Brannan Street, near Ninth Street, diately determine which of the calls were related to behind the Fitness SF gym people in tents.

Almost all of the calls were marked as priority “C,” which DEM spokesman Francis Zamora said in an email “is the lowest priority call. C calls are typically quality of life calls.” About 500 calls are marked “B,” which “is generally used for a crime that has occurred” but where life or safety “is not at risk,” said Zamora. Almost 50 of the calls were “A” priority, usually meaning there’s “a life/safety emergency that requires immediate response,” he said. Dispositions of the calls were more varied. In about 7,000 cases, the situation was “Handled,” and in approximately 6,000, the subject was “Gone on arrival.” Citations were issues in around 1,300 cases, and about 10,600

indicate the subject was “Advised.” Dodge said Mayor Ed Lee’s office convened a group of department heads that includes Jeff Kositsky, director of the city’s homelessness and supportive housing department, as well as officials from the health, fire, police, 311, public works, and other departments. “It was really to look at when a community member is calling in around an incident, how do we route the calls so there is a proper response?” said Dodge. He said if someone’s called about a person having a mental health crisis, the city shouldn’t be sending a cleaning crew from public works. Officials want to ensure that people know what’s available and what will be done, and that there’s follow-up after a situation See page 14 >>

‘Gay Day’ coming up at CA State Fair compiled by Cynthia Laird

he California State Fair is underway in Sacramento and on its closing day, Sunday, July 30, Out at the Fair will be on hand to celebrate the LGBTQ community. Out at the Fair will be joined by its partner, the Sacramento LGBT Community Center, and is expanding to the state fair for the first time. Originally launched at the San Diego County Fair in 2013 as an “unofficial gay day,” Out at the Fair became an official event there a year later. “After five years of increased success, OATF will be making the jump to the state capital, as part of an expansion plan that intends to spread a message of diversity and inclusiveness to fairs nationwide and abroad,” organizers said in a news release. “What started as an outing by a group of friends in 2011 has become the only official LGBTQ event in the fair industry, winning awards from trade associations, and gaining recognition and respect from the community.” William Zakrajshek is a co-founder of OATF. “We just wanted to have fun at the fair,” he said in the release, “and decided to check in on Facebook as Unofficial Gay Day. Next thing I know, I’m booking entertainment and throwing drag queens off the bungee. It’s kind of crazy.” The group said it would go back to its roots at the state fair, and invites community members to attend on the day that lesbian rocker Melissa Etheridge is scheduled to perform on the Golden 1 Stage. Zakrajshek said the plan is to start with a friendly gathering, and grow the event in coming years. The Sacramento LGBT center said it was happy to get involved. Partnering with Out at the Fair to

create the first unofficial LGBTQ day at the California State Fair provides an opportunity for LGBTQ friends, families, and allies to build community, increase visibility, and have a lot of fun. We’re excited to help promote the event’s inaugural year and hope it will become a highlight of the summer in the state capital,” stated David Heitstuman, executive director of the Sacramento LGBT center. Etheridge is scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. Concert tickets are $37. Fair admission is $12 for adults and $8 for youth. The fair takes place at Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Boulevard, Sacramento. For more information, visit www.castatefair.org or www. outatthefair.com.

HRC equity summit

The San Francisco Human Rights Commission and San Francisco State University will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love with a Summer Equity Summit: Resolution, Revolution, and R-E-S-PE-C-T Thursday, July 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the campus’ Library Annex I, N. State Drive at Lake Merced Boulevard. The free event will include workshops, presentations, and performances. Author D. Watkins will lead a workshop, and there will be sessions featuring Hack the Hood, PolicyLink, and Project Rebound. The keynote address will be given by queer Black Lives Matter cofounder Alicia Garza. The Rick and Russ Show with CJ Flash will also be featured. Following the summit, there will be a mixer from 5 to 7 p.m. Refreshments and lunch will be provided. Interested people can register online at www.eventbrite. com/e/summer-equity-summit-

resolution-revolution-r-e-s-p-e-ct-tickets-33282957221.

GAPA Rising event

The Gay Asian Pacific Alliance will hold GAPA Rising, a free community event, Saturday, July 29 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Concept 190, 190 King Street in San Francisco. GAPA Rising is designed to engage the organization with the community; there will be food, drinks, and entertainment. People can get reacquainted with GAPA alumni and meet new stakeholders and allies. Attendees can also meet the new GAPA board and learn about the organization’s goals for the coming year. Space is limited and people are

asked to RSVP at www.eventbrite.com/e/gapa-rising-tickets35859925001.

LGBTQ Law Day at Hastings

Several organizations will hold LGBTQ Law Day Wednesday, August 2 at 3 p.m. at UC Hastings College of Law, 200 McAllister Street in San Francisco. Presented by the Law School Admissions Council, the National LGBT Bar Association, and UC Hastings, the afternoon will include panel discussions and a networking reception. The keynote address will be delivered by Kellye Testy, president and CEO of the admissions council. Panels will look at deconstructing

the law school admissions process, financing your education, and getting a job; and exploring the various professions where a law degree might be beneficial. Several of the presenters will be members of Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom, the local LGBT bar association. Other panelists will be from the UC Irvine School of Law, the University of Maryland Carey School of Law; Dickinson Law at Pennsylvania State University, and Capital University Law School. The event coincides with the LGBT Bar Association’s annual Lavender Law conference, which takes place in San Francisco August 2-4. To register for law day, email diversityoffice@lsac.org.t

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<< International News

12 • Bay Area Reporter • July 20-26, 2017

Malta legalizes same-sex marriage by Heather Cassell

Malta’s parliament by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, following his alta became the 24th country snap electoral victory last month. in the world and the 13th in The bill amended the existing the European Union to legalize Marriage Act, along with several same-sex marriage in a lopsided other laws, by introducing gender66-1 parliamentary vote. neutral language and allowing The lone dissenter in the July 12 adoption and other changes, acvote was center-right Nationalist cording to media reports. Party Member of Parliament Edwin The vote “shows that our democVassallo, who went against the party racy, our society ... has reached an and voted his conscience, citing his unprecedented level of maturity and Christina faith, reported United a society where we can all say we are Press International. equal,” Muscat told reporters. Nationalist Party leader Simon A victory celebration sponsored Busuttil encouraged his party to by the country’s government took support the new law to avoid a poin front of Auberge de Castille, Bestplace Wedding Photographer tential backlash, the BBC reported the prime minister’s office, in Valas voted by BAR readers ahead of the vote. letta, which was lit up in the colors The news comes on the heels of of the rainbow flag. Germany’s marriage equality vic“The new law is the missing piece tory in late June. in the puzzle when it comes to famThe bill will go to Malta President ily rights in Malta,” said Evelyne Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca for her Paradis, executive director of the Insignature. The Washington Blade ternational Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, reported that advocates anticipate Trans and Intersex Association for that the bill will be enacted before the European region. the end of the month. “The use of gender-neutral terms The Marriage Equality Act means that everyone is equal and it was the first bill introduced to is much more inclusive, particularly

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Homosexuality is criminalized in 36 of the 52 Commonwealth countries, a throwback to Britain’s colonial era antisodomy laws, according to 76 Crimes.

Cathloic leader opposed

However, Archbishop Charles Scicluna isn’t backPakistan tables ing same-sex marriage in the trans bills staunchly Roman Catholic arPakistan’s senate tabled two chipelago, located in the centransgender bills that legal tral Mediterranean between experts said was due to some Sicily and the North African controversial clauses regardcoast. ing gender conversion and Religious Dispatches reCourtesy Prime Minister’s office sexual orientation that contraported that there were about dict Islam. 200 protesters among the cel- The Auberge de Castille, in Valletta, Malta was One of the bills, the Transebrating crowd July 12, dem- lit up in the colors of the rainbow flag July 12, onstrating against the passage following passage of the same-sex marriage bill. gender and Intersex Persons (Promotion and Protection of of the law. Rights) Bill, 2017, in particular, Prior to the vote, Scicluna The trust works for LGBT human proposed some sections that told churchgoers that the law rights internationally, according to caused concern among legal experts. undermines the “true procreative the organization’s website. That bill and another one, the purpose of sexual intercourse beMalta’s LGBTIQ Consultative Transgender Persons (Protection of tween a husband and a wife,” acCouncil also published an ambiRights) Criminal Law (Amendment) cording to the BBC. tious action plan to change and Act, 2017, were authored by a task Yet Scicluna couldn’t get bishops implement pro-LGBT laws in partforce constituted by Wafaqi Mohtasib on board with the anti-marriage nership with the Ministry for Social and headed by Senator Rubina Khaequality hyperbole from the church. Dialogue and Consumer Affairs and lid, reported the Express Tribune. The bishops backed away from the Civil Liberties, reported the Blade. The stalled bills come after the “extreme rhetoric” being used in In June, the Commonwealth rejection of an earlier bill supportadvertising and messaging from Equality Network became the first ing transgender rights that was prothe church. Instead, the bishops LGBT organization accredited by posed by Senator Babar Awan. and many congregation members the Commonwealth. Scotland was The proposed bills were finalized worked with LGBT Catholic present at the meeting. after they received support from organizations, reported Malta has ranked second members of civil society, the MinReligious Dispatches. in European nations for istry of Human Rights, the MinThe Mediterranean advancement of LGBT istry of Law and Justice, the Social island nation, which rights for two consecuWelfare Department, law enforcehas more than 400,000 tive years on the ILGAment agencies, and the transgender inhabitants, is rapidly Europe’s Rainbow Index, community. progressing toward the reported the Blade. Khalid and Pakistan Supreme future and has become “We still witness Court Advocate Ruqiya Samee told the beacon of LGBT considerable homoreporters at a July 13 news conferrights among the Comphobic discourse on ence they were confident that the monwealth countries. social media, and disbills would allow for transgender “Malta wants to keep crimination against LGBT people citizens to enjoy full rights, without leading on LGBT issues and civil libis far from being eradicated,” Joseph promoting LGB rights. erties, to serve as a model for the rest Peregin told the Blade. “At times we “It seems like there is a certain of the world,” Muscat told the BBC. feel that the remarkable legislative group of people, who, just for the Malta joined the EU in 2004, but achievements recently made are to sake of promoting lesbian and gay it wasn’t until six years ago that the some extent making it more chalrights, are trying to make things country began ushering in more lenging at grassroots level.” legal that [are] prohibited in Islam modern laws. In 2011, the country Peregin’s son came out 12 years and want to get hefty funding by legalized divorce and since then has ago, he told the newspaper. Since then showing they are working for the passed pro-LGBT laws, such as banhe and his wife, Joseanne Peregin, ning so-called conversion therapy. It rights of transgender,” said Samee. have been active within the Christian now ranks as one of the top EuroNadeem Kashish, founder of the Life Community and founders of pean countries for LGBT rights. Shemale Association for Fundamenthree LGBT-focused groups, DrachIn 2015, Malta was the first countal Rights, denied Khalid and Samee’s ma Parents, ENP, and the Global Nettry to officially to include meetings claims, stating, “The bill has been work of Rainbow Catholics. focused on LGBT equality during constituted by the people who have Paradis agreed with Peregin. the People’s Forum, the pre-conbecome transgender by choice and in “We know that there are some ference leading up to the Comview of issues they face everyday due parts of society who opposed this monwealth Heads of Government to lack knowledge about their rights.” bill, who had doubts. It is up to the meeting. government to continue to show SF to host global That same year, Baroness Patricia leadership, together with the LGBTI aging confab Scotland, Commonwealth secremovement, and really embed this LGBT aging experts from around tary-general, signaled her policies legal change in society. The talking the world will gather at the World leaning toward LGBT rights, Felicity is finished inside Parliament, but Congress of Gerontology and GeriatDaly, then the executive director of the work must continue outside its rics in San Francisco, July 23-27. the Kaleidoscope Trust, told the Bay doors,” she said. Area Reporter. See page 15 >>

Obituaries >>

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Terry J. Gross

Francis Mark Oliva

September 19, 1948 – July 11, 2017

February 23, 1952 – July 12, 2017

Terry J. Gross, 68, died peacefully at his San Francisco home on Mint Hill (Buchanan Street), Tuesday, July 11, 2017 following chronic illness. Upon relocation from Cleveland, Ohio in 1980, Terry was active in local LGBTQ community events throughout his career and after his retirement from federal government service in San Francisco. He is survived by a brother and nieces, as well as godchildren: Anjelica and Sophia Arnold of Burlingame, California. Terry also worked for Budget car rental at San Francisco International Airport in the mid-1980s, and established lasting friendships with co-workers there that have continued into the present. As a result, these friends have planned a memorial service in September, with date to be announced.

A fifth generation native San Franciscan, Frank is survived by his spouse of 31 years, Steve Mills of Oakland; his brother, Anthony Oliva (Audrey), of Pacific Palisades; and his sister, Marge Oliva Villarreal, (Javier) of San Jose. Frank had numerous careers following graduation from Santa Clara University followed by a graduate degree in fine arts from UC Irvine. He taught at Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, worked as a production assistant at the San Francisco Opera, directed opera as a freelance stage director, and concluded his work as a consulting systems engineer with Bank of America’s residential loan division. Frank expressed his gratitude for his years of AA sobriety by founding a number of meetings in San Francisco, in addition to running a well-known Fourth Step Retreat at St. Dorothy’s Rest.

Frank’s wake will be held at Duggan’s Serra Mortuary, 500 Westlake Avenue in Daly City, California Friday, July 28 at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Most Holy Redeemer Church, 100 Diamond Street in San Francisco Saturday, July 29 at 10 a.m. Donations may be made to the Most Holy Redeemer AIDS Support Group.

Douglas A. Shaffer July 14, 1947 – June 7, 2017 Son of Uyless and Grace Shaffer, Doug passed away peacefully at his home in San Francisco. A graduate of San Jose State University, Doug became a model; he worked as a private chauffer for the Schlitz Brewing Company family, traveling the world with them. Coming back to San Francisco, he worked as a product manager for Pacific Bell until retiring. He leaves behind cousins in Bakersfield, California and Boca Raton, Florida. He also leaves behind a large “family” in San Francisco.

Sports>>

July 20-26, 2017 • Bay Area Reporter • 13

Noteworthy distractions by Roger Brigham

hen Michael Sam came out shortly before the NFL’s player draft a few years back, our hope that he would soon be the first active gay pro football player to play in the NFL regular season were agonizingly smothered. He was drafted, excelled in some exhibition games, but ultimately was released and soon wandered off to sign fleetingly with Canadian football before dropping off the public radar. We heard any number of reasons Sam was passed over in the NFL. Too small to play this position, too big to play that position. A tweener without the speed to compensate, despite being an All-Conference defensive beast in college. Excuse after excuse. Most damning (and stupidly baseless) of all? Having a gay player would be too much of a “distraction” for a team, a coach, owners, or a franchise to handle. Prepare for a bucket load of “distraction” in college football this season. Sophomore offensive tackle Scott Frantz, 6-foot-5, 293 pounds, and a standout in this year’s Texas Bowl, will start again for Kansas State after starting every game last season for the Wildcats. During the offseason, he told his teammates he was gay. “The very first time I said those words was in front of, you know – 110, 120 football guys,” Frantz told ESPN. “You can imagine how scared I was, how nervous I was. This could

come out to his mother, Nadette Lewis, on a trip to the grocery store. “I love you for who you are as a person,” Lewis said she told him. “Sexuality? It doesn’t matter. That’s how I teach my children. Love who you are no matter what you are, or what you look like. You have to love yourself. If you love yourself first, then everybody else will respect that and have no choice but to Kansas State offensive tackle Scott Frantz love you.” recently came out to his teammates. Other gay college football players expected to go either really bad or could go realbe active this year at lower ly good. Thankfully my teammates division schools include sophomore embraced me with open arms, and wide receiver Wyatt Pertusett at it was great. I’ve never felt so loved Capital University in Ohio; junior and so accepted ever in my life than linebacker Kyle Kurdziolek at Uniwhen I did that. Ever since then, it’s versity of St. Francis in Illinois; and been great. I’ve grown so much clossenior center Darrion McAlister at er to my teammates since. It’s been Marian University in Indiana. an amazing experience.” So, more than four decades after Joining Frantz in Diviformer NFL player Dave Kopay sion I, college football’s came out of the closet, are we finally highest, will be freshman going to see widespread disclosure My-King Johnson, a and supportive acceptance through6-foot-4, 225-pound deout the sport? fensive lineman for Ari“A gay man playing college footzona. He’s been out to ball, something that you don’t hear family and teammates or see ever, it’s one of those taboo since the age of 12. things within the football world,” “I’m a very honest Kurdziolek’s linebacker coach person,” Johnson told Josh Mander told Outsports. “You the Arizona Daily Star. wouldn’t expect a gay player to be “I just don’t see how I could be livhere, but ... maybe we start someing an honest, truthful life and have thing that shows kids that it’s fine. that in the background. I do feel like You’re OK to be out and be a memwhen I say that (I’m gay), it can put ber of a football team.” a target on my back – but, whatever.” And from the look of things, not all that distracting.t Johnson told the Star he had

SF sheriff’s trans issues probed in new report by Seth Hemmelgarn

which is a separate unit within the male re-entry pod. The inmates new report from San Francisare being housed there until strucco’s civil grand jury lists several tural improvements that the Prison problems with the way the sheriff ’s Rape Elimination Act requires “can department is handling transgender be made in female housing units inmates. to ensure shower privacy,” Eileen However, the sheriff ’s office says Hirst, the sheriff ’s chief of staff, that there are many inaccuracies said in response to the Bay Area in the study, entitled “The EducaReporter’s emailed questions about tional Parity In Custody (EPIC) the grand jury report. Report: Ensuring Equality of The report, which was issued in Women’s Education In the SF Jail June, says that inmates in A-Pod are System.” “unable to access female education Among other things, the grand programs.” jury members – However, Hirst which included said, “Transwomen Rae Raucci, a trans in A-Pod are eligible woman – say that to participate in, trans women are and regularly atbeing denied educatend, programs with tional opportunities ciswomen.” provided to other Among sevfemale inmates, and eral examples Hirst that trans inmates are pointed to, she said, referred to as “gender “Transwomen who non-conforming.” do not have high But the sheriff ’s school diplomas or department says GEDs are eligible to those statements enroll in Five Keys Kelly Sullivan aren’t true. schools and proThe department, Sheriff Vicki Hennessy grams,” which are headed by Sheriff college classes made Vicki Hennessy, has available “through a been developing a groundbreakpartnership between Five Keys and ing policy, first proposed by former City College of San Francisco.” Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, that could The grand jury’s report refers allow at least some trans female into A-Pod as a “Gender Non-Conmates to be housed with cisgender forming” pod and says, “The confemale inmates in County Jail #2. struct of a ‘Gender Non-ConformIn May 2016, most transgender, ing’ pod for transgender women in gender variant, and intersex inmates a male jail facility is problematic at were moved from a special housing best,” since the term suggests “that unit located inside County Jail #4, a anyone in such a pod is there bemen’s facility, to a Jail #2 unit known cause they don’t conform to their as A-Pod. ‘actual’ gender.” There are usually from three However, Hirst said, “The sherto eight TGI inmates in A-Pod, iff ’s department does not use the

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Bay Reporter.indd 1

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<< Community News

14 • Bay Area Reporter • July 20-26, 2017

Sunset pot

From page 1

The opponents, largely elderly Chinese people, argued that an MCD would endanger children, annoy the elderly, and harm the quality of life in the neighborhood by attracting a criminal element. But those testifying in favor of the proposal argued that the Apothecarium’s first location, at 2029 Market Street, has had no such effect and that the Sunset voters have, in fact, repeatedly voted overwhelmingly in favor of liberalizing local cannabis laws. Apothecarium officials presented the commission with more than 1,500 letters of support, including 111 from residents living within 1,000 feet of the proposed site. Commenting on the commission’s approval, Dr. Floyd Huen, medical adviser to the Apothecarium and a co-owner of the new Sunset facility, said in a prepared statement that the decision “was a huge victory for Sunset cannabis patients.” Huen’s wife, former Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, is also co-owner of the new dispensary. “Health care happens in-person. Patients deserve a well-run dispensary in their own neighborhood where they can receive consultations about their medication and dosage,” Huen said in the statement. He also said the dispensary plans to incorporate other medical components. “The vision for the Apothecarium Sunset is unique: a bilingual (Cantonese), bicultural facility that works in tandem with traditional Asian medical practices such as acupuncture and Chinese herbs,” Huen said. Ryan Hudson, co-founder and executive director of the Apothecarium, said, “I want to thank the planning commissioners for their support of medical cannabis patients and the Apothecarium. I’d also like to thank the dozens of Apothecarium patients and supporters who came out to speak on our behalf before the commission. Many waited for hours to tell deeply personal stories about the positive impact medical cannabis and our dispensary have had on their lives.” The new facility is expected to open in 2018.

SJ trans woman

From page 1

‘Nothing but the clothes on my back’

The victim had acquired “about a dozen” guns over the years, Tejero told the B.A.R. They’d gone shooting together, and guns played “a prominent role in both our lives.” She said she’d tried to leave him four times, but he’d come after her at least once. Finally, in February, she said, she fled with “nothing but the clothes on my back” to the Stockton area. She eventually returned, and she and her ex started talking about when she’d be able to get her things, which included jewelry, a childhood teddy bear, and woodworking tools.

Homeless calls

From page 11

is addressed, said Dodge. The goal is to have a new process and guidelines by this fall, but Dodge said officials also want to make sure it’s done right. With the “huge volume” of 311 and 911 calls, “it’s important that we’re able to respond and be at the service of people in the city and county, but it’s also important that we just don’t spin our wheels, and that we’re actually able to make progress and help people in need,” said Dodge. “I’m on the receiving end from a lot of stuff from 311 and people’s

Appeal possible

that the estimated number of vehicle trips during peak hours could be accommodated by the existing available parking supply within 1,000 feet of the proposed MCD site.

been proven to lead to earlier addiction. The use of marijuana can affect a child’s IQ and can adversely affect problem solving, violence, and bullying behavior, among other things, she said. “If it’s accessible, they’ll use it. And they won’t get high. They’ll get stoned out of their mind,” she said.

“Children should be kept as far as possible” from illegal drugs, he said, pointing out that although Prop 64 legalized adult use of recreational cannabis in California, it is still illegal under federal law. In addition, said Hacke, the “cash on hand” in a dispensary will attract “criminal elements” to the neighborhood. Also, Hacke said that individuals could purchase cannabis from the dispensary, then resell it on the street, promoting the “evils of drug trade” in the Sunset. Hacke told the commissioners that if they approved the new Apothecarium dispensary, they would be “facilitating” a federal crime. “You are on notice that we will hold you accountable,” he said. Hacke compared an MCD to a bar, tavern, or an adult bookstore or movie theatre, all of which, he said,

should be located where they will have the “least effect on children.” Frank Lee, the president of the Organization for Justice and Equality, another right-wing group, said that parents have told the owner of the Ark of Hope preschool at 2701 Noriega Street that they are already looking for other facilities for their children to attend, if the MCD is approved. “How can you impose this on our children?” Lee asked the commissioners rhetorically. Many businesses in the Sunset will have to close, he predicted, because customers will no longer want to come into the area with an MCD. “Why are profit-oriented companies given priority over children and minorities?” he asked. If San Francisco approves this MCD, the city’s image “will be tarnished” and objections to the decision “will drag on for years in the courts,” he predicted. Bernie Chung, senior pastor of the San Francisco Chinese Baptist Church, 1811 34th Avenue, said that smoke from marijuana “permeates further” than cigarette smoke and is especially difficult for the elderly to tolerate. “Young people can just hold their breath for 10-15 seconds” to avoid breathing the smoke, but the elderly cannot, he said. Also, because cannabis is already “accessible by mail order,” he said, dispensaries should be located “in areas where more people” need them. Lynn Fox, a member of the emeritus faculty in the department of secondary education at San Francisco State University, said she has been part of the movement to create drugfree schools and communities for the past 35 years. Fox pointed out that some 500 Sunset residents had spent over five hours at the hearing, asking the commissioners to “protect the children.” None of these people, she noted, is getting any sort of financial benefit for appearing at the hearing. Fox said research indicates that adolescents will get involved with drugs “if they think it’s harmless and readily available.” If a sixth or seventh grader tries marijuana, they are at risk for addiction, she said. “The sooner they use, the sooner” they can get addicted, she added. “Marijuana is one of the worst drugs out there,” she said, and has

At first, she said, “We had met amicably,” and she got some of her things back, but after not hearing from him for several days, he told her things had been thrown out. He soon told her he hadn’t really thrown away her possessions, but she said she was “mad” because he was playing the same games he had in the past. She said when she went to Costco that Wednesday, she mostly wanted “to let him know that I could not be played with like that anymore.” According to court records, Tejero took her roommate’s vehicle and his Taurus .357 revolver without his knowledge and waited in the Costco lot until her ex was leaving work at about 12:30 p.m. She told police that “she asked the victim why he was treating her so

badly and they began to argue,” the records say. “The suspect stated that the victim began to yell at her,” and she pulled out her gun. Tejero also told police that “she initially had pointed the gun at the victim’s ‘nuts’ ... but then she felt bad” so she shot him in the leg instead. At first, she told police, “the victim just stood there,” but then he ran and she chased him for about four parking spaces before she stopped, according to court records. The victim reported that when he saw Tejero in the parking lot, “She asked him why he was avoiding her. He told her he had been on vacation. She said, you were with her weren’t you. He said he was,” and Tejero shot him. As he ran from Tejero back into Costco, the victim

said, he’d yelled for co-workers to call police. He told police that Tejero had been “upset because of their relationship ending and he has a new girlfriend,” the records say, and she’d recently sent him emails “in which she was angry because he wanted her to come get her property.” The victim also reported that Tejero had “told him if he discarded her property she would kill him.” A witness told police that just after the shooting, Tejero asked the witness “if she should leave, and he told her to stay,” police stated. The man asked her for the gun and she gave it to him. Court records say the victim’s brother told police that Tejero had emailed her ex in late June

“threatening to shoot him if he did not come back to her. The suspect said, ‘I want you back, you need to come back to me.’” Asked about the email, Tejero told the B.A.R., “I do remember sending him something about him begging for his life like I had begged him to treat me like a human being.” Tejero, who said she still loves the victim, is being held on $175,000 bail. She’s expected to enter a plea July 31. Deputy Public Defender Dennis Dawson said that he didn’t have any information related to Tejero’s allegation that her ex had raped her, and he said he didn’t want to discuss details of the case. “I’d rather have this argued out and litigated in court,” he said.t

emails, and I understand the volume is very high,” said Dodge. “I think it really does speak to people’s concerns about the current situation and the need for solutions, and somewhat that the tools that are being applied don’t really work.” He said that callers “want a resolution of the issue, but what is able to happen is a cop goes out and talks to them or the homeless outreach team or public works cleans up,” but the data reflect the lack of housing and shelter available in the city. “People have to be somewhere,” said Dodge. “The assumption is call 311 and they can be disappeared somehow, and that’s just not

possible. We do our best to house and shelter everyone, but we’re challenged with not enough shelter beds and not enough housing options.”

“Damn, look at this shit,” said John, who didn’t want to give his last name. “This shit is how people are living in this city.” He didn’t know whether anyone had made calls about tents in the area, but he said the homeless outreach team had just been there. He was hoping to get into housing or a Navigation Center, where people can bring their belongings and stay with their partners. John said he feels safe in the tent. Shelley, who was sitting inside the tent, said, “I don’t like being by myself down here at night, but as long as we’re together, I feel safe.” A worker at the gym who answered the phone recently said that

people have complained “a little bit. They’ve asked if we were going to do anything about the tents, just because it’s so close to the parking lot.” The woman, who didn’t want her name published, said her co-workers have called police “a couple of times,” but she wasn’t sure if officers had shown up. “I don’t think it’s a huge problem, and I don’t see it getting better,” she said. “I think these people are just looking for a place to live. It’s a really sad situation that they’re out here on the street, but I don’t see it as a huge problem, nor do I feel they’re threatening when I walk by.”t

The opponents are allowed to appeal the commission’s decision to the Board of Supervisors. Repeated attempts by the B.A.R. to contact them were unsuccessful. At press time, nobody had publicly announced an intention to appeal. The night before the hearing, District 4 Supervisor Katy Tang, who represents the neighborhood where the planned MCD would be located, submitted a letter with “a few issues” about the proposal. Tang did not share her position on the MCD, because the commission’s decision is appealable to the Board of Supervisors. In her letter to the commission, Tang cautioned that a new dispensary could draw additional traffic to the neighborhood, possibly causing safety issues. Tang also criticized the Apothecarium for using “offensive” tactics in conducting outreach in the Sunset, pointing to an op-ed piece in the San Francisco Examiner by the president of the Castro Merchants association attempting to link her to the anti-LGBT Pacific Justice Institute, a group she met with earlier this year. “The project sponsor’s constant reference to our office and its alleged association with the Pacific Justice Institute has been absolutely offensive,” she wrote. But Apothecarium attorney M. Brett Gladstone, a partner and head of the land use practice at Hanson Bridgett LLP, took issue with Tang’s letter. “The Apothecarium has not, and will not, talk about an association between the Pacific Justice Institute and the supervisor’s office,” said Gladstone. Gladstone pointed out that the Apothecarium hired a well-known transportation consultant, Fehr and Peers, to prepare a parking and traffic study as part of its application, “to our knowledge ... the first time an MCD has ever done a third party produced parking and traffic study as part of an approval hearing.” The consultant found that any parking needs triggered by the new MCD are expected to be fewer than that of the average retailer along Noriega Street, including the average restaurant – the most common, said Gladstone. The report also found

Opponents speak

At the hearing, dozens of the opponents spoke out in opposition. Ray Hacke, an attorney with Pacific Justice Institute, a right wing anti-LGBT hate group, objected to the establishment of an MCD near a preschool. According to Hacke, the private Ark of Hope Christian preschool and day care is within 600 feet of the proposed dispensary.

Sari Staver

Apothecarium land use attorney M. Brett Gladstone.

‘Eyesore’

The Fitness SF gym at 1001 Brannan Street in South of Market is near where many people have set up tents in recent years. An elevated section of Highway 101 in the area provides shelter from the elements, and there isn’t much across from the gym except for a large parking lot and street parking that’s empty at night. On a recent Tuesday morning, a man who’s been in a tent near the gym for a couple months referred to tents in the area as “an eyesore.”

Supporters tell their side

But Apothecarium supporters told another side of the story. Brianna Scott, Ph.D., who teaches psychology at Santa Rosa Junior College, said there is no evidence that state laws legalizing cannabis had any correlation to increased use by adolescents. Increased use by children and adolescents is linked to parental use, she said. “Children learn from modeling ... not from storefronts” where medical cannabis is sold, she said. Charles Yingling, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and professor at UCSF, submitted testimony about his role as a caregiver for a friend suffering with stage 4 cancer. Yingling, who has lived near the proposed dispensary for many years, said that having a location in the Sunset would help his friend, who uses medical cannabis to treat her pain and has difficulty traveling to obtain her medicine. “As a caregiver, I have gone to the Apothecarium on Market street, which is an outstanding example of what a pharmacy should be, but the location is inconvenient for us,” he said. Joseph Ewald, a recently discharged veteran, testified that cannabis can be used to “save veterans from addiction.” Ewald said he had a friend who, after discharge, turned to heroin use and died, after getting addicted to opioids they were prescribed to treat service-related injuries. The arguments made by the opponents at the hearing have been filled with “misinformation and lies,” he said, noting that the Apothecarium is fully in compliance with all laws and has established a program geared to help veterans. Ewald urged the commissioners to “rise above this madness and honor the spirit of San Francisco by supporting the Apothecarium and making this business a reality.”t

Community News>>

July 20-26, 2017 • Bay Area Reporter • 15

Safe injection bill clears Senate committees by Liz Highleyman

bill that would allow supervised drug consumption facilities in California won the approval of two state Senate committees this month, clearing the way for a vote by the full body. Assembly Bill 186, introduced by lesbian Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) and co-authored by gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), permits exceptions to state controlled substances laws, allowing local governments in several counties – including San Francisco – to authorize supervised injection facilities on a pilot basis. The Senate Health Committee passed the bill by a vote of 5-3 July 5, and the Public Safety Committee

Political Notebook

From page 7

looking for just supporters of LGBT rights,” he said. “If you are not a supporter, we will work to keep you out of office. But we will only endorse a person who champions our rights

Out in the World

From page 12

The confab, hosted by the Gerontological Society of America, will include a July 22 pre-conference workshop, “Global Ageing: Building

SF sheriff

From page 13

The report also lists some recommendations and findings that the sheriff ’s department finds problematic. “By August 2018, the SF Sheriff ’s Department should move all transgender women to appropriately female housing in the SF jail system,” the report recommends. Hirst said that Hennessy “is implementing a policy by which TGI prisoners are provided an opportunity to state their housing preference, in addition to their preferred pronoun, name, and gender identity of the deputy who may search them.” She added, “Gender identity is not binary. Thus, the assumption that all transgender women prefer to be housed with ciswomen and all transgender men prefer to be housed with cismen is incorrect.” (Sheriff ’s officials have said that trans male inmates are infrequent.) The grand jury stated that one of its findings was that “The sheriff ’s department lacks proper classification directives to classify transgender females as a part of the female

Greece

From page 4

For those who stay overnight, watching the sunset is the main activity. Dinner at good, though not fabulous, Sunsets Restaurant was about 140 euros with wine, but the view was incredible. Don’t miss the delightfully quirky Atlantis Books, whose walls have quotes from writers and poets and where a young employee explained how he sleeps on a cot above the bookshelves. We rented a car to visit the other major ruin on Santorini, Ancient Thira, a city started around 800 B.C. and built high on a mountain. A visit requires walking along an exposed ridge with a huge drop on one side. If you have acrophobia, skip this one.

did so by a 5-2 margin the risk of overdose July 11. fatalities. They pro“This bill has the vide clean syringes potential to save so and other injection many lives in Califorequipment to prevent nia and to give us the transmission of HIV tools to better address and hepatitis B and public drug use here in C. They also reduce San Francisco,” Laura street-based drug use Thomas, interim state and discarded syringdirector for the Drug es, and offer clients an Policy Alliance, told the entry point for seeking Bay Area Reporter. “Suaddiction treatment Assemblywoman Susan pervised consumption and medical care. Talamantes Eggman services send the mesSan Francisco is sage that we care about one of several cities people who use drugs, that we want vying to open the first supervised them to be safe and healthy, and that injection facility in the United we care about our neighborhoods.” States. There are currently around Supervised consumption facilities 100 safe injection sites in countries offer a place to inject drugs under including Canada, Switzerland, the the watch of medical staff, cutting Netherlands, and Australia.

The Senate votes come at a time when drug overdose deaths are rising in California and nationwide. In 2015 there were over 52,000 fatal overdoses in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The San Francisco Department of Public Health estimates that there are more than 22,000 people who inject drugs in the city and around 100 overdose deaths per year. At the same time, improper syringe disposal appears to be increasing in the city. San Francisco Public Works says it collected more than 10,000 discarded syringes in March, compared with less than 3,000 in March 2016, according to an ABC7 News report. “AB 186 gives cities like San Francisco an additional tool to address

the drug addiction we see every day on our streets, help get more people into treatment, and reduce the number of needles we see on the ground,” said Wiener, who spoke in favor of the bill at the Public Safety Committee hearing. Concern about overdoses and frustration with street drug use led Board of Supervisors President London Breed to create a Safe Injection Services Task Force, which will study the feasibility of supervised consumption facilities in the city. The task force is expected by issue a report by late August. The full Senate will likely vote on AB 186 after it returns from recess August 21. If the bill passes, it will go back to the Assembly for concurrence, and then to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk.t

and will put dollars and policies in place from day one.” An overarching goal for the new BAYMEC board is to energize and engage with LGBT residents in the quartet of counties it covers. It plans to revive its candidate debates next year and has asked Terry Christensen,

a gay man and professor emeritus of political science at San Jose State, to serve as moderator. It is also making changes to its gala fundraiser this fall in order to attract more attendees. The event will be a champagne brunch instead of a dinner and will be held sometime in

October at the GlassHouse in downtown San Jose. It is still finalizing a date and time for the event. “We cover four counties so we are looking at what are some new and exciting things we can do to make the gala bigger than it has ever been,” said Gonzales.

For more information about BAYMEC, including a full list of the new board members, visit its website at www.baymec.org.t

Framework for Culturally Informed Sexuality, Gender, and LGBTQ Health Research.” Speakers from Africa, Australia, Canada, China, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States will discuss the recent research and specific examples of

growing concerns worldwide about the disparities of health, social, and economics experienced by people of different sexual orientations, genders and ages, according to the workshop description. The presenters will also share feasible strategies to move work

on LGBT aging issues globally forward within differing cultural, social, political, and research environments and settings. The separate symposium, sponsored by Global Aging with Pride, will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. at Moscone Center West, 747 Howard

Street in San Francisco. A separate fee and pre-registration is required. For more information, visit www.iagg2017.org.t

population of the SF jail facilities.” The panel recommends that “By July 2018, the sheriff ’s department should rewrite the SF jail classification directives to classify transgender females [as] part of the female population in the SF jail facilities.” Grand jury members even said how the directives should look: “Transgender females are a part of the female population, and shall be accommodated and treated as such. Transgender males are a part of the male population, and shall be accommodated and treated as such.” But Hirst said, “Such a policy would be inconsistent with PREA, and would not give prisoners the opportunity to state their preference regarding housing.” The grand jury report also criticizes the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association, saying that the deputies’ union is “unduly” influencing what’s happening. Eugene Cerbone, a gay man who is the group’s president, has expressed concerns about changes to the way trans inmates are housed. In 2015, he told the B.A.R. that he doesn’t consider people who have not had surgery to be transgender. “Transgender is you have the

surgery,” he said at the time. “What I know of someone who’s actually transgendered [sic] is they’ve had the complete change.” Hirst said this week that Hennessy “is committed to implementing a TGI policy consistent with PREA and is making steady progress toward that goal.” Asked in an email about the grand jury report, Cerbone said, “I am not sure how the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association has unduly influenced the department in denying trans women the ability to be housed with cis women when the law already prohibits it.”

was falsely accused of “assaultive” behavior. Despite her desire to move, Pryor said in an interview last week that she doesn’t think trans women should be kept with ciswomen unless they’ve had “an actual sex change.” She cited the possibility of ciswomen being overpowered in physical altercations, among other reasons. “I know I have more strength than a [cis]woman,” said Pryor, who hadn’t yet seen the grand jury’s report. She said she’s faced mistreatment by a neighboring inmates and staff, among other problems. The inmate in the cell next to hers yelled that she is a “fucking faggot ass bitch,” said Pryor, who expects to be released in August. She said that a deputy who’d clearly overheard the slur told her, “That’s not my business” and didn’t take any actions against the other inmate. Pryor also said that another deputy recently called her “Sir,” and when she corrected him, he said “Oh, dude, fuck you.” Asked about Pryor’s allegations, Hirst said, “Although Ms. Pryor did

not report her complaint to us, we consider her statement to you sufficient to look into the matter. If corrective action is warranted, it will be taken.”

an excellent dinners at LGBTQpopular Fish Tavern Kounelas, near City Hall, and Kastro’s, on the waterfront in Little Venice. A short walk from our hotel was the Elysium Hotel and Sunset Bar (www.elysiumhotel.com), the liveliest LGBTQ resort at the time we visited. The Sunset Bar is on a terrace with an incredible view over Mykonos town and serves an excellent lunch. There’s a different live show every night featuring talented drag queens and sexy dancers. Drinks were pricey but there was no cover charge. Mykonos has beautiful sandy beaches. Both locals and visitors said good things about the gay beaches. One gay local said his favorite was Paradise Beach in front of the Jackie O’ Beach Club. Another mentioned Elia Beach

and nearby Agrari Beach, which he described as “mostly nude and for the sexually adventurous.” I strongly recommend an excursion with guide to the tiny island of Delos, ancient shrine, sacred treasury and one of the most important archeological sites in Greece. Delos became the most important commercial center in the Eastern Mediterranean and ultra-wealthy residents added temples to their hometown gods. Plan on spending a day here if you want to see the entire site and the museum. There’s a restaurant, a gift shop, and beautiful wildflowers throughout the ruins. Don’t miss the monument dedicated in 300 B.C. to Dionysus, god of pleasure and protector of those who do not belong to conventional society. There’s something for everyone in Greece.t

Trans inmate disagrees with report

The grand jury report includes excerpts from the B.A.R.’s coverage of the sheriff ’s trans housing policies, which included comments from Laitya Pryor, 48, who’s in jail after pleading guilty to second-degree commercial burglary. Pryor is being held in administrative segregation in County Jail #4, the men’s jail, despite several requests to move to Jail #2 with other trans inmates. She said she’s being housed separately because she

Santorini has many wineries and several produce exceptional wine. I recommend the combination winery and art gallery called Art Space (www.artspace-santorini.com), whose talkative owner loves to give free tours.

Mykonos

We took the high-speed ferry to Mykonos and stayed at the Hotel Geranium (www.geranium-hotel.com), whose owner told us he purchased the hotel recently. We were given a huge room but the free breakfast was temporarily not available. The pool was large and clean, but across a busy road from the lane to Mykonos Town. All of the Charlie Wagner guests were gay men. Mykonos is a charming white- Skyla Versai and Dinn Papas perform in washed village and large enough the Elysium Sunset Cabaret in Mykonos. that tourists are dispersed. We had

Political Notes, the notebook’s online companion, will return Monday, July 31.

Got international LGBT news tips? Contact Heather Cassell at oitwnews@gmail.com.

Deputies’ training

Along with the portion devoted to trans inmates, the grand jury report also includes several other statements that Hirst corrected. “Approximately one day of a deputy’s six-month initial training is spent focused on the specific skills needed for a deputy whose duty is inside the jail,” the report says. “The vast majority of the time in a deputy’s initial training is focused on the job responsibilities of a police person whose duty is on the street.” Hirst responded, “This statement is not accurate.” Among other things, she said, “Deputy sheriffs must pass a sixmonth POST (California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training) academy. They then must pass a four-week POST-certified jail operations course, called CORE, which includes training in direct supervision of prisoners, gender awareness training, and crisis intervention training.”t

<< Classifieds/Legal Notices

16 • Bay Area Reporter • July 20-26, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037650800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SNOW, 2175 MARKET ST #K, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MICHAEL HO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/20/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/20/17.

JUNE 29, JULY 06, 13, 20, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037652700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MANAGE, 1203 UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JU LEE KANG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/16/16. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/21/17.

JUNE 29, JULY 06, 13, 20, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037646000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BUREAU, 498 WALLER ST #9, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed PHILIP TRAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/01/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/19/17.

JUNE 29, JULY 06, 13, 20, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037644700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GROW YOUR FUNNEL, 44 TEHAMA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed PETER CHENG WANG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/13/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/19/17.

JUNE 29, JULY 06, 13, 20, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037641300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BERRIES, 566 YALE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SHAUN MITCHELL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/15/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/15/17.

JUNE 29, JULY 06, 13, 20 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037655600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TREECRAFT DISTILLERY; TREECRAFT SPIRITS; TREECRAFT CRAFT DISTILLERY, 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 NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/23/17.

JUNE 29, JULY 06, 13, 20, 2017 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-036310700 The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: BUREAU, 498 WALLER ST #9, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by LAWRENCE LI. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/17/15.

JUNE 29, JULY 06, 13, 20, 2017

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-17-553143

In the matter of the application of: CINDY WONG DASTIDAR, 325 BERRY ST, #616, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94158, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner CINDY WONG DASTIDAR, is requesting that the name CINDY WONG DASTIDAR, be changed to CINDY VAN WONG. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 22nd of August 2017 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

JULY 06, 13, 20, 27, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037662400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TIP TOP BEAUTY SALON, 1547 CHURCH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed NGA TU LAM. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/29/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/29/17.

JULY 06, 13, 20, 27, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037634700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: COGNIGENCIA, 2355 LEAVENWORTH ST #405, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed RYAN HANAU, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/05/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/12/17.

JULY 06, 13, 20, 27, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037660400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PARTRIDGE, 575 10TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CLARA ROSE, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/01/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/28/17.

JULY 06, 13, 20, 27, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037661700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAN FRANCISCO INSIGHT AND INTEGRATION CENTER, 4257 18TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed GREGORY WELLS INC, (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/29/17.

JULY 06, 13, 20, 27, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037658300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE WORTHINGTON LAW CENTRE, 582 MARKET ST 17TH FLR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104. This business is conducted by an unincorporated association other than a partnership, and is signed BRIAN M. WORTHINGTON. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/08/13. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/27/17.

JULY 06, 13, 20, 27, 2017

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037659800

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037661300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NOE VALLEY FAMILY CHILDCARE, 309 30TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed NOE VALLEY FAMILY CHILDCARE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/27/17.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ZANELLO PROPERTIES, 1869 MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed ARTHUR ZANELLO & SYLVIA ZANELLO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/00. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/28/17.

JULY 06, 13, 20, 27, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037660900

JULY 13, 20, 27, AUG 03, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037664800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ROCKSTAR CELLPHONE COMPUTER REPAIR, 2601 SAN BRUNO AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed CELLPHONE DEVICE REPAIR LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/27/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/28/17.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BUCHANAN’S BIRTH AND BABYCARE, 124 DARTMOUTH ROAD #4, SAN MATEO, CA 94402. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed BUCHANAN’S BIRTH AND BABYCARE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/03/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/03/17.

JULY 06, 13, 20, 27, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037668500

JULY 13, 20, 27, AUG 03, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037667700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CONTAINER SURVEYOR SERVICES, 4308 IRVING ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BEHZAD SADEGHI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/05/17.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: REVEILLE COFFEE CO., 937 HARRISON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed EVER88 LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/05/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/05/17.

JULY 13, 20, 27, AUG 03, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037674000

JULY 13, 20, 27, AUG 03, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037663700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE HUMMINGBIRDS, 155 BORICA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ADELA MACMILLAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/07. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/10/17.

JULY 13, 20, 27, AUG 03, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037669000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ILL-MONOTONOUS ENVOY, 11555 VISTA PLACE, DUBLIN, CA 94568. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ROBERT ANDERSON. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/04/2017. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/05/2017.

JULY 13, 20, 27, AUG 03, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037672100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GLC CONSTRUCTION, 2420 TARAVAL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed GLC AND COMPANY (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/07/2017. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/07/2017.

JULY 13, 20, 27, AUG 03, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037659700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: UNCLE JOE, 2101 21ST AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed UNCLE JOE, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/27/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/27/17.

JULY 13, 20, 27, AUG 03, 2017

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: EMPORIUM SAN FRANCISCO, 616 DIVISADERO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed EMPORIUM SF, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/30/17.

JULY 13, 20, 27, AUG 03, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037670500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TRUE LAUREL, 753 ALABAMA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed FLOWER SHOP, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/06/17.

JULY 13, 20, 27, AUG 03, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037678400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DESKABLE, 6923 CALIFORNIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ZAREH SARKISSIAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/12/17.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JENNY’S RESTAURANT, 91 6TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SHI YAN YAO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/11/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/11/17.

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The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE PARTNERS TRUST; PARTNERS TRUST; PT COMMERCIAL, 1699 VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed PACIFIC UNION INTERNATIONAL, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/10/17.

JULY 20, 27, AUG 03, 10, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037675500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FEVE ARTISAN CHOCOLATIER, 2210 KEITH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed FEVE CHOCOLATES LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/11/17.

JULY 20, 27, AUG 03, 10, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037661200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ESSENTIAL INVESTMENT CAPITAL, 2820 PACIFIC AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed KAC FAMILY INVESTMENTS, LLC. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/28/17.

JULY 20, 27, AUG 03, 10, 2017 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-037684100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MOSHI MOCHI CREAMERY, 945 TARAVAL ST #281, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SAY YA! PHOTOBOOTH, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/17/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 07/17/17.

JULY 20, 27, AUG 03, 10, 2017

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Vol. 47 • No. 29 • July 20-26, 2017

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Ethnic energies Courtesy SFJFF

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or four decades the hottest dance entertainment of the summer has been the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival. There is nothing like it anywhere else in the country. Even New York falls behind our concentration of cultural variety and mutual goodwill. There are over 450 dance companies in the network of World Arts West, which organizes and presents the festival, so when they present the year’s best, it’s both hugely popular and aesthetically and intellectually distinguished. See page 24 >>

Hebrew’s cool

Jenny Lucero-Rivera of Alayo Dance Company.

RJ Muna

Scene from directors Amy Geller and Allie Humenuk’s “The Guys Next Door.”

by David Lamble

Valentina Sadiul

he 37th San Francisco Jewish Film Festival plays San Francisco’s Castro Theatre (July 20-30), Albany’s Twin, Oakland’s New Parkway, San Rafael’s Smith Rafael Film Center, Palo Alto’s Cinearts, and SF’s ODC/ Theater. This year’s festival puts special emphasis on Holocaust observances. More info: sfjff.org. See page 24 >>

Packing an emotional punch by Philip Campbell

pera Theater Unlimited made good on its name last week with the world premiere of an original opera at Exit Theatre in San Francisco’s Tenderloin. The plucky company presented the powerful music drama “Hunter,” with a libretto by San Francisco-based Caitlin Mullan and music by Joseph M. Colombo, as its third production since starting in 2015. Ambitiously exploring a complicated variety of political and psychological themes, the earnestly impassioned work may occasionally stretch credibility, but still rivets attention over three acts, owing to the clear stage direction of OTU founder Sarah Young and equally committed portrayals by a talented cast of six. See page 18 >>

Hunter (Katie Nix) and the love of her life, Addison (Jill Morgan Brenner), in Opera Theater Unlimited’s production of “Hunter.”

{ SECOND OF THREE SECTIONS }

<< Out There

18 • Bay Area Reporter • July 20-26, 2017

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WEDDINGS, HEADSHOTS, PORTRAITS

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ut There was invited to a reception for American astronaut and U.S. naval aviator Mark Kelly at Shreve & Co. in downtown San Francisco last week. It was a celebration timed to the arrival of the historic Breitling DC-3 in San Francisco during its World Tour. Kelly is a hero of aviation, having logged 6,000 flight hours in more than 50 different aircrafts, 375 aircraft carrier landings, and 39 combat missions. He spent more than 50 days in space during his career with NASA. The astronaut was sporting a 500-piece Navitimer Breitling DC-3 limited edition watch that he has worn onboard the vintage aircraft for his entire journey. At the party he posed for photographs with a pair of comely young women who wore pilots’ caps, then disappeared into a VIP holding area for a spell. Waiting for his return, we examined the luxury watches on display at Shreve & Co. OT is not much of a material boy, but we do understand the appeal of expensive watches. Not only are they flashy and attractive-looking, they bolster the illusion, with their sweeping hands and importantlooking dials, that their owners can control time itself – something that none of us, lowly scribe or billionaire kleptocrat, can do. Then Kelly was back in the room, describing his four trips to space on the Shuttle, the experience of lift-off (“nothing like it’s portrayed in the movies”), of splashdown, and of seeing our lonely home planet Earth from outer space. “Apologies to [SpaceX founder] Elon Musk, but we’re not living in colonies on Mars anytime soon. This planet – an island in space, really – is all we’ve got.” Kelly’s identical twin brother is also an astronaut, and in fact holds the record for longest time spent in space. Kelly’s wife, former US Congressman Gabrielle Giffords,

CMY

Hunter

From page 17

There are also six excellent musicians in the orchestra, seated against a brick wall to the side of the intimate venue. Conductor Elliott James Encarnación shaped an effective performance that added emotional punch to an already highly-charged score. There are problems with the dramaturgy of Mullan’s script, but none big enough to stop the cumulative impact. Minor editing might focus the title character’s journey and avoid repetitive exposition. Hunter is a young female soldier in “a world not unlike our own,” but she could just as easily be facing oppression for her gender and lesbian orientation in any small American army town. A dream sequence, which opens the opera, contains a grim prophecy from “the oracles,” prompting her to make some unwise decisions before the drama resolves. The oracles are never satisfactorily explained, but Hunter is a bright and sympathetic woman, so we can easily chalk them up to her subconscious, part of the challenging path to awakening. She is secretly in love with Addison, the girlfriend of fellow soldier Max. Her mysterious behavior does not go unnoticed by Iago-like colleague Olivia. Max turns out to be a stand-up guy, eventually accepting as his almost-affianced town richgirl guiltily returns Hunter’s love. Hunter’s mom is down with it, too, and so is Addison’s sister Vanessa. It is the jealous Olivia who

speak for an art-historical examination of homosexuality as a subject in the museum’s storied collection. Among the works in the show are “The Rape of Ganymede” by the old master Peter Paul Rubens, in which “the artist shows Ganymede and a quiver of arrows in a juxtaposition that suggests anal penetration” (We’re all aquiver!); Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s homoerotic study “David with the Head of Goliath”; and in a nod toward transgender issues, Juan Sanchez Cotan’s “Bearded Lady of Penaranda.” Courtesy the subject The Times noted that the Prado’s first “gay Astronaut and naval aviator Mark Kelly. show” (our term, not theirs) follows rather a was the victim of American gun little boomlet of major violence, surviving an assassination museums confronting the theme of attempt when she was meeting with homosexuality in their collections constituents in 2012. What for the first time. These include the an amazing family. Thyssen-Bornemisza’s “Inclusive On our way to Love” (also in Madrid) and the Shreve & Co., we Tate Britain’s “Queer British Art, passed by Martin 1861-2017” (in London). It’s about Lawrence Gallery, 366 bloody time, we’d say.t Geary St., to check out a painting by French pop artist Philippe Bertho that prominently features an astronaut. All while we were on our way to meet an astronaut! Are we not truly a child of the Space Age?

Museum queers

An article in The New York Times earlier this month highlighted Courtesy Martin Lawrence Galleries a new exhibition at the Prado Museum in Ma- “11 h am” by Philippe Bertho, acrylic on drid called “The Other’s canvas. Now on view at Martin Lawrence Gaze, Spaces of Dif- Galleries, San Francisco, through July 28. ference,” which is art-

bitterly resents their privileges. She’s determined to rise in the ranks of the military and society herself, using any means possible. Her meddling builds to fever pitch in the last act, triggering an ugly reaction by the “public” (why not just violent townies?). It serves as a useful plot device, forcing Hunter’s decisive epiphany. That’s all I can say without spoiling the outcome of a really good yarn. Let’s just say there are good and bad choices to be made when struggling with the truth. Caitlin Mullin has a lot to convey. When she keeps it down to earth, it has universal resonance. Colombo’s propulsive score is functional in dialogue and lyrically appealing in some of the arias, most notably when characters grapple with coming-out issues or voicing their feelings of love. Olivia gets a good and necessary solo to explain her reasons for being such a bewildering joy-killer. Soprano Yemonja Stanley, graduate with honors from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, defines her character’s anger with subtlety and an astonishing vocal range. As the mother Bronwyn, mezzosoprano Corinne Elizabeth Rydman relies on her considerable acting skills and rich-toned voice to create a sweet portrayal of Hunter’s spiritual mentor. Briefly appearing as the stern Commanding Officer, and more significantly as Addison’s pragmatic sister Vanessa, soprano Maggie Manire (Master of Music degree

from SFCM) adds another role to her growing repertoire, making her third appearance with OTU. Her bright and pure voice handled the demands of Colombo’s tessitura with calming warmth. Ease with the wide range of vocal writing also kept the characters embroiled in the love triangle from tiring listeners’ ears. Tenor Jonathan Smucker has an impressive resume, with numerous appearances throughout the Bay Area. His cuckolded Max was finely sung, etched with dignity and a real sense of moral decency. Soprano Jill Morgan Brenner (Master of Music degree, SFCM) made a moving case for Addison’s conflicted emotional state. Her previous performance with OTU as Ottavia in “L’incoronazione di Poppea” was enthusiastically received, and her beautiful tone is well-supported by distinguished acting. In the title role, soprano Katie Nix had her work cut out for her. Bearing the weight of the story on her shoulders, she embodied her part with a touching combination of strength and vulnerability. As an OTU veteran she has already proven her vocal agility. In “Hunter,” Nix sings with star-quality self-confidence. Her confrontation with Max in Act II was simply breathtaking – for us, but not for her.t “Hunter” continues Fri. & Sat., July 21 & 22, 8 p.m., Exit Theatre. operatheaterunlimited.com/ hunter.

Theatre>>

July 20-26, 2017 • Bay Area Reporter • 19

Musical from the American melting pot by Richard Dodds

ou’d almost think it was Barnaby and Cornelius, putting on their Sunday clothes and discovering a world outside of Yonkers. But instead of the turn-of-the-century characters of “Hello, Dolly!” making the bold leap into Manhattan, these buoyant lads in their occidental finery have headed from Japan to San Francisco. They herald their journey in song-and-dance style that gives its regards to Broadway with nary a nostalgic look back. That’s to come, but mostly the title characters in “The Four Immigrants” are taking in their new land in the rhythms of ragtime, vaudeville, and the spirit of Jerry Herman. The source material for this new musical that TheatreWorks is presenting at its Palo Alto venue is reflected in its subtitle: “An American Musical Manga.” Based on his own experiences as an aspiring Japanese artist recently arrived in San Francisco, Henry Yoshitaka Kiyama created a series of comic-strip panels that he self-published as a book in 1931 after returning to Japan, making it arguably one of the first illustrated novels. “Manga Yonin Shosei” became a largely lost artifact, with the first

English translation not aporiginal source, Kahng pearing until 1998. It was doesn’t let us stray far three years ago that playfrom a comic-book world wright and composer Min where tomorrow is always Kahng stumbled upon it another day, and director in a used-book store, and Leslie Martinson makes so began the process leadsure the sun will come out ing to the current world with her upbeat direction. premiere. The cast of eight is evenIn various ways, “The ly split between men and Four Immigrants” acwomen, with the women knowledges its comicplaying multiple roles of strip roots, with projecboth sexes and various tions announcing the nationalities mostly in carpassing years, and the toonish fashion. Kerry K. scenes often played as Carnahan is a domineerstylized vignettes, with ing mail-order bride and a occasional drawings from Chinatown gambling-hall Kiyama’s book displayed hustler, and Lindsay Hirata in parallel to the action is a play-acting geisha girl on stage. Kahng’s songs at the exposition’s Japacontribute to this spirit nese tearoom who moonKevin Berne with catchy melodies and lights as a hoochie-coochie Phil Wong, left, James Seol, Hansel Tan, and Sean uncomplicated lyrics. girl making the strongest The four buddies who Fenton play the title characters in the new comic impressions. The men, on arrive together in San book-inspired musical “The Four Immigrants” at the other hand, are solidly Francisco each have very TheatreWorks. identified with their indifferent dreams of what dividual roles. They are a their lives in their new motley but brotherly crew the 1906 earthquake, the optimism homeland will look like. Starting painted with bright individuality by of the 1915 Pan-Pacific International with menial jobs, they stumble forthe performers. Exposition, and service in the First wards, backwards, and sideways as Hansel Tan is able to find nuance World War that they expect will help opportunities arise and barriers apin Charlie, the de facto leader of the end laws against gaining citizenship pear. They live through the horror of quartet, while still exploding with and owning land. But true to the

optimistic energy that finds memorable expression in Dottie LesterWhite’s choreography. Phil Wong endearingly plays Frank, whose big dream is to sell shoes, as a bit of a dim-bulb with a sensitive filament. Sean Fenton brings brash bravado to Fred, the one member of the group to strike it rich, while James Seol gives Henry, the artist of the group, the intensity of a passionate observer who would go on to write the musical’s source material. Computer problems on opening night limited the projections meant to fill out Andrew Boyce’s scenic design, but Noah Marin’s costumes capture the comic-book spirit of the piece. William Liberatore, TheatreWorks’ resident musical director, again displays his ability to get a rich sound from a chamber-sized orchestra. “The Four Immigrants” is a melting-pot musical, both in its story and in its style. The takeaway song is titled “Optimism,” and that’s the spirit that sends us out of the theater.t “The Four Immigrants” will run through Aug. 6 at the Lucie Stern Theatre. Tickets are $40$100. Call (650) 463-1960 or go to theatreworks.org.

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<< Music

20 • Bay Area Reporter • July 20-26, 2017

Earthly concerns by Tim Pfaff

efore they had handles and Grindr profiles, gay men had sobriquets, and in grad school mine was “Another dollar, another Mahler,” used affectionately by all but the business office. I once forwent meals to buy DG’s then-new “Das Lied von der Erde” (Jochum), which became the first LP I bought new later to appear in the Historical section of “Gramophone” magazine. We live with these things. My love for “Das Lied” has only increased over time, peaking so far with the live 2011 Berlin Philharmonic performance (now in its Digital Concert Hall) conducted by Claudio Abbado with veteran mezzo Anne Sophie von Otter and reigning tenor Jonas Kaufmann. Even the differing “age perspectives” of the singers worked. Both are still singing, von Otter beloved, Kaufmann besieged. For my money, both are exemplars of voice conservation, but again, in terms of monetary investment, I need only my fingers to count the number of live concerts and operas I’ve been “in the house” for this century. I get how frustrating it must be for ticket-holders, having paid premium prices for Kaufmann performances, to hear his replacements instead. But that barely accounts for the Kaufmann-bashing that has become international opera’s blood sport (while friend-of-Putin Anna Netrebko gets pass after pass for similar

behavior; do I make my point?). Kaufmann’s largely vilified new recording of “Das Lied” (Sony), in which he sings all six songs, really is for die-hard fans only. There is vagueness in the “mezzo” songs that his baritonal voice-range extension does not compensate, and the “tenor” songs lack the ping they had for Abbado. The scheduled conductor was Daniel Harding, and Kaufmann might have been wise to postpone when he withdrew. But contracts can be unyielding, and the tenor was coming off months of cancellations – of roles, not just performances – that occasioned some cognoscenti cracking wise about his farewell symphony. I thought the cancellations exactly the right decisions in terms of vocal husbandry, but then I wasn’t left holding ticket stubs. But the far bigger problem is Jonathan Nott’s conducting of the Vienna Philharmonic (of which

it has been said that, if they don’t like the conductor, they play it their way, to which I say, Ha!), which is all over the place and nowhere at the same time. Were more evidence needed, Nott – whose Mahler symphony cycle I have often admired – hands in the same blank, errant performance with his Bamberger Symphony (Tudor), in which tenor Roberto Sacca and baritone Stephen Gadd come to ends far more grim than Kaufmann’s. As for Kaufmann’s singing all six songs, we resort to the authoritative words of 45: “We’ll never know.” I’ll probably always be sentimental about Leonard Bernstein’s first recording of Mahler’s Third Symphony, which reached my waiting, palpitating teenage heart by way of the Columbia Record Club. But Ivan Fischer’s new recording of the Third (Channel Classics) with his Budapest Festival Orchestra has just blown out

the competition catalog-wide. There are many other recordings of this beast of a piece to cherish, and I will, I promise, but from now on, Fischer’s will be my first grab. If this boundary-pushing score wants any one thing, it’s spaciousness, and everyone involved in this recording provides it. The recording itself seems to come out of the purest silence to open up and bloom inside the listener, and I mean bodily. Far from micromanaging it, like some antic Prime Mover, Fischer releases it, and there’s an unavoidable sense of both his and his players’ witnessing as much as participating in the creation of a world both natural and super-. It’s Mahler with awe, not pizzazz. Much of it is actually hard to take, what with Fischer’s taking Mahler up on trying the patience of listeners in pursuit of the ordinary. The long introductory passage of the

first movement more than once simulates labor pangs, the pauses – as they should be on the “Tristan” Prelude but hardly ever are – are as long as you can stand and then a second. The long movement gathers momentum organically, pausing along the way to show off the brass band tattoos and the Klezmer music, the impending Nietzschean “O Mankind” lament still a wall graffito in charcoal. Fischer’s reading so wipes the slate clean that it’s hard to say if the subsequent, even more “programmatic” movements are more nature-drenched than usual, or more abstract. The sheer revelry in the mathematics in nature has its sonic parallel in the distant horn calls, at the edge of audibility but attentionseizing in their aching purity. This is the Mahler who bothered to learn program music from Tchaikovsky now saddling up for the tempestuous, often harrowing ride into the 20th century. Gerhild Romberger’s “O Mensch” takes the measure of its often-invoked deepness cleanly, eschewing making a meal of it. The double choir (boys, women) Mahler asks for the work’s shortest movement (here the Cantemus Children’s Choir and the Bavarian Radio Chorus) sings like angels falling from the heavens. A finale that far too often seems interminable bypasses emotional manipulation to leave you chasing after its benediction.t

New wave of summer by Gregg Shapiro

o you remember when a new Blondie album was cause for celebration? No matter how un-

even they might have been (see The Hunter), it didn’t matter because Debbie Harry could sing the dictionary and still make you want to dance. Pollinator (BMG), Blondie’s

first studio disc of new material since 2014’s Ghosts of Download, is a radiant, star-studded affair that will keep fans buzzing for a while. Harry, whose solo career kept her busy between Blondie albums, is in good voice throughout Pollinator. “Doom or Destiny,” a duet with Joan Jett, gets things off to a rocking start. “Long Time,” co-written by Harry and Blood Orange, is a solid reminder of Blondie’s connection to the dance floor. So are the vintage disco of “Fun,” co-written by Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio, and the new wavy “Too Much,” co-written by band member Matt Katz-Bohen. The album also includes compositions by Johnny Marr (“My Monster”), Sia (“Best Day Ever”) and Charli XCX (“Gravity”), while Laurie Anderson helps the band bring things to a close on “Fragments.” Coming as it does after 2014’s remarkable The Violet Flame, Erasure’s 17th album World Be Gone (Mute) had some big shoes to fill. While it doesn’t quite equal its scorching predecessor, World Be Gone spins forth on its own merits. Wondrous opening track “Love You to the Sky” deserves to be a hit single for the duo, gay vocalist Andy Bell and keyboard master Vince Clarke, now in its 32nd year. The mood is one of trouble, a musical reflection of the times. From the “struggle to survive” of “Be Careful What You Wish For” to the social commentary on “Lousy Sum of Nothing,” World Be Gone sounds like a companion piece to Depeche Mode’s similarly-minded Spirit disc. The “ghosts along the Castro” and the “fight for rights” in “Still It’s Not Over” may be Erasure’s first official gay anthem. With the bouncy final track “Just a Little Love,” Erasure gives us something to think about while we dance. If the bands Jellyfish and ABBA had an orgy with the

soundtrack to La La Land, the resulting progeny might sound something like Hang (Jagjaguwar), the amazing new album by Foxygen. Hang features eight lush and lustrous pop songs that traverse

time periods, sometimes even in the same song. “Avalon” merges ABBA with tin-pan alley. “Follow the Leader” pays homage to retro soul, and “Mrs. Adams” crosses Lou Reed with Broadway. The glam “America” tosses red, white and blue sparkles at the flag, and “On Lankershim” is a 21st-century country-rock update. The anthemic “Rise Up” closes the disc on an empowering note. On Heartworms (Aural Apothecary/Columbia), its first album in five years, The Shins (led by James Mercer, also busy with Broken Bells) deliver a disc full of earworms. Beginning with the giddy feminist pop of “Name for You,” the psychedelic flashback of “Painting a Hole,” and the Beach Boys update “Fantasy Island,” Mercer also includes a number of 21st-century new wave touches on “Cherry Hearts” and “Rubber Ballz (FCC).” He even refers to his teenage flat-top, “so new wave,” on the personal “Mildenhall.” The goth subculture sprang fully formed, black eyeliner, dyed-black hair and black clothing, from the 1980s newwave scene. A debt of gratitude is owed to The Cure, Siouxsie & the Banshees, and Bauhaus. On Goths (Merge), the gorgeous new concept album by John Darnielle’s band The Mountain Goats, some of those darkwave devotees get their due. Because Darnielle is a prose writer, his songs have a depth and intellect often missing from something written by, say, The Chainsmokers. Seriously, where else can you hear the level of genius in the songs “We Do It Different on the West Coast,” “Rain in Soho,” “Unicorn Tolerance,” “Andrew Eldritch Is Moving Back to Leeds,” “Stench of the Unburied,” “Paid in Cocaine” and “For the Portuguese Goth Metal Bands?” And a horn section? Very highly recommended.t

Theatre>>

July 20-26, 2017 • Bay Area Reporter • 21

Thespians on wheels

T Public Relations

Meghan Moore

SF playwright Peter Sinn Nachtrieb was looking for a little fresh air with “The Making of a Great Moment,” opening soon at Z Space.

Danny Scheie and Aysan Celik play often-bickering actors who are touring an epic play via bicycles in Peter Sinn Nachtrieb’s “The Making of a Great Moment.”

by Richard Dodds

the audience who really loved it, and some who were a little mystified by it. One of my jobs has been trying to make the play a little easier to enter, but without sacrificing the depth at the same time.” Perhaps part of the confusion came from the fact that “The Making of a Great Moment” is about putting on a show titled “Great Moments in Human Achievement.” Scenes from the ups and downs of the duo’s schlepping their show are intercut with moments from the play-within-a-play that are meant

n what he calls his wheelhouse, you’ll find apocalypse and destruction – but playfully so. “I like to explore fundamental human questions in bizarre and entertaining ways that give us a chance to laugh, and then maybe stir debate,” said Peter Sinn Nachtrieb. But in his newest play, the San Francisco playwright has chosen to step out of his wheelhouse for a little fresh air. With “The Making of a Great Moment,” Nachtrieb decided to “write about something that had brightness outside of this terrible state of affairs that seems to consume us these days.” The comedy about two bickering actors bicycling across the continent to threadbare venues with their epic play about human achievement begins performances July 26 at Z Space, where Nachtrieb is the Mellon Foundation’s playwright in residence. In his play “The Totalitarians,” seen in numerous cities since its debut in 2004, he conjured a pandering populist politician of dubious ethics that, at the time, reminded no one of the man who would become president. In 2008, his doomsday comedy “boom” imagined how a Craigslist ad could help preserve remnants of humanity after an apocalypse. And for the past five years, he’s been working on a musical about a town sinking from over-fracking the cosmetic essential oils beneath it. And then came Trump, and while Nachtrieb’s past works have gained new relevancy, he has a play percolating tentatively titled “A One-Room Sex Comedy About Empathy” that definitely flows from – and against – current affairs. “All I know so far is it’s about an overbooked hotel room, and it will have something to do with empathy and how difficult that is to achieve especially now, to be able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes,” he said. “The energy I get from social media is so overwhelmingly negative and inescapable, it’s exhausting, and it’s triggering the next piece.” “The Making of a Great Moment,” his current play, “also feels outside of that stuff that we’ve talking about right now,” the playwright said. “It was about writing something to es-

cape for a little bit our terrible state of affairs. I wanted this play to live in a world not as corrupt and dark as the real world. Optimism and pessimism are always something I’m in battle with, and it always comes out in the work.” In the production, Danny Scheie plays world-weary Terry, an actor with a string of failed gay relationships, and Aysan Celik is the starryeyed Mona, roles that were created specifically for these performers by Nachtrieb and director Sean Daniels. These four had originally worked together in 2011 at Louisville’s Humana Festival in Nachtrieb’s comedy “Bob: A Life in Five Acts,” and were looking for a chance to come creatively together again. It started happening in, of all places, Abu Dhabi. Born in California and of Turkish descent, Celik had landed a job teaching at New York University’s new campus in Abu Dhabi. As a professor, she had resources for professional development and was able to bring Scheie, Daniels, and Nachtrieb to Abu Dhabi to explore a new project they could do together. They did head out to the sand dunes to ride a camel, but in the city, life was not particularly exotic. “Giant malls and theme parks,” Nachtrieb said, but tight reins on alcohol consumption kept their own imbibing to a night at the Holiday Inn where a Filipino karaoke cover band was on the bill. On the NYU campus, they did set up a performance of “House Tour,” Nachtrieb’s previous play at Z Space that starred Scheie as the eccentric, probably gay docent at an historic house. “We were very nervous about that because we were breaking many laws,” Nachtrieb said. “It’s a very explicit play with a lot of gay themes and sexual content, and they have very strict morality laws. But on the NYU campus, they have completely protected speech.” The team regrouped at the Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Massachusetts where Daniels is artistic director, and the debut production of “The Making of a Great Moment” opened earlier this year. “The reviews were mixed,” Nachtrieb acknowledged, “and I’m trying to figure that out. There were people in

to be inspirational but are mostly screwy bunk. “Is this play they’re doing,” Nachtrieb said, “a noble effort, or is it ridiculous?” His characters’ quixotic mission, one filled with absurd hardships, is meant to be funny but not dismissed. “In the play, Mona really believes the work she is doing is important and has the potential to change lives, and Terry loves the energy and rhythms of life in the theater, and I guess I have both of those inside me,” Nachtrieb said. “Why have I dedicated my life

to writing plays? Because I think it’s the most effective way for me to contribute to the fabric of the world, and also I love it more than anything else. I do have that selfawareness that the work I do isn’t necessarily going to transform millions of people, but I still have the kernel of hope that it actually can affect some people.”t “The Making of a Great Moment” will run through Aug. 26 at Z Space. Tickets at (415) 626-0453 or zspace.org.

We are the future of the LGBT community. “The world still has its challenges but things are getting better. From the way we first met on line to marriage equality to our daughter’s upcoming Quinceañera our life together is more fulfilling every day. We keep up with events and entertainment on EDGE, because that’s where we see our future at its brightest.” The people depicted here are models. Their image is being used for illustrative purposes only.

<< Fine Art

22 • Bay Area Reporter • July 20-26, 2017

Ugo Rondinone: No laughing matter by Sura Wood

tealing into the large, preternaturally still suite of rooms, one feels compelled to be quiet so as not to awaken a congregation of 45 life-sized clowns, a secret society that assembled in the dead of night. Perhaps they were ferried there, induced into an enchanted slumber by a sorcerer. With red bulbous noses and gloved hands, the eyes of their white-masked faces closed, the clowns have been arranged on the floor by an unseen hand in a variety of calculated poses and states of repose. Slumped against the wall, seated cross-legged, silently pondering an existential crisis, lounging or snoozing, a tiny black bowler hat inches away from an extended hand, they’re costumed in bright polkadot, rainbow-striped, screaming purple or gold sequined jumpsuits with pom poms and tulle-neck ruffles in tangerine, electric blue, scarlet, fuchsia, and other boisterous colors, capped off with chartreuse, turquoise and shocking pink socks. Having wandered into their inner sanctum, you’ll find yourself transfixed, as driven by the impulse to satisfy your curiosity as the urge

to flee. Have you stumbled into an arcane ritual? A radical new-age retreat? The stage set of an absurdist avant-garde theater production? No, none of the above: you’ve entered the “vocabulary of solitude,” the sleep-perchance-to-daydream universe of Ugo Rondinone, a Swissborn contemporary artist endowed with the perfect moniker for a circus performer. His first solo West Coast show, “the world just makes me laugh,” is currently at BAMPFA. Clowns tap into a deep psychological vein, engendering complex responses. One need look no further than the lurid horror stories of Stephen King to know they can be a scary breed, even homicidal, dissolute and creepy like Bozo, or emblems of pathos like the tragic figures that haunted films by Fellini and Pasolini. Self-involved, stubbornly oblivious to our gaze, and by no means jolly, each clown sculpture stationed here was cast from an individual person – 23 men, 22 women – and though passive in affect, each is titled for a solitary daily activity represented by a single verb: be. breathe. wake. rise. sit. think. eat. cry. laugh. love. remember. touch. feel. love. hope. curse. float. yawn. undress. lie,

etc. Every clown troupe needs a break, but this crew broadcasts a bone-weary melancholy, as do the four worn pairs of giant, aged-leather clown shoes left in an adjacent gallery. Named mute, quiet, calm, and gone, they hang by their laces on hooks, abandoned by their owners and awaiting their return. Possibly influenced by Samuel Beckett, Surrealism and the Romantic artists, the man behind this magnetizing perplexity is something of an Courtesy Frahm & Frahm enigma. Some critics have viewed his work Ugo Rondinone, “vocabulary of solitude” (detail, 2014). Milled foam, epoxy resin, as a reinterpretation and fabric, 45 parts. Private collection. or reimagining of German Romanticism, that clearly obsessed him, about a in Vienna, they’re a map of mental especially the art of psychologist who conducted an exdeterioration, isolation and despair. 19th-century painter Caspar David periment in which she spent a year An inordinately huge beeswax light Friedrich, whose mythical, hyperby herself in a cave-like subterrabulb in an ill-favored ghoulish hue real landscapes of mist-shrouded nean room. She committed suicide hangs down at eye level in the center cliffs and mountaintops explored 18 months after she came out. “She of the dark-walled gallery where the relationship of the individual to thought of elephants, nothing but the uniformly-sized panels are disthe grandeur of wild nature. Rondielephants for a week in there,” Ronplayed. Hand-lettered in block print none, however, is much more interdinone muses, adding that he cut of varying sizes, they record the ested in the inner wilderness of the out her picture and posted it over increasingly dissociative observapsyche, and we are passengers on his his bed. And he periodically invokes tions of an unhappy camper in the cosmic journey to the interior. a nameless man who, among other throes of a Kafka-esque descent into His nihilistic bent finds exprespunitive indictments, handed down insanity. “It’s like a room no one has sion in 60 framed pages of ruminaa life sentence to solitude: “No one entered. A room with no windows, tions from his 1998 diary, created will ever love you. Only I could love or doors. A place where nothing the same year he moved to New you. You’ll always be alone.” happens,” he writes. “I see my face York. Written on ink-blackened Someone send in the clowns.t reflected thousands of times in the white paper with drawings of shattered mirror.” He makes repeatlevitating ashtrays and Alpine vistas ed references to a magazine article that hark back to his student days Through Aug. 27. bampfa.org.

When Irish eyes are smiling by Brian Bromberger

Best Breakfast & Best Late-Night Restaurant Celebrating our 40th year!

inding your own voice can be excruciating when you’re a teenager expected to conform to the conventions of your peers. If you’re an outsider or gay, this process of accepting yourself can be doubly burdensome. This theme of not living life with a borrowed voice is effectively explored in the new DVD “Handsome Devil,” just released by Breaking Glass Pictures. The film was screened last month at Frameline and was a big crowdpleaser. Though it takes place at a posh Irish boarding school, its joyful exuberance gives it an almost universal appeal. “Devil” begins with a snarky voiceover narration as part of a national essay competition by Ned (Fionn O’Shea), a 16-year-old red-haired rebel whose mother died, and father has remarried and lives in Dubai, so he has been exiled to Wood Hill, an all-boys school outside Dublin. Ned is ridiculed and bullied for being gay, which he defines as “bad, crap, different,” and for disliking rugby, the obsession of all Wood Hills students and faculty. It’s to the film’s credit that Ned remains sexually ambiguous and we never find out for sure whether he is gay. He rejoices when he discovers he doesn’t have a roommate, but later the headmaster (Michael McElhatton) assigns him Conor (Nicholas Galitzine), a transfer student who left his previous school under a cloud of inciting violence. Conor will also become the school’s star rugby player, whom Ned sees as the enemy, erecting a Berlin Wall in the dorm room composed of luggage and bookcases to avoid speaking with Conor. The new English teacher, Dan Sherry (Andrew Scott), doesn’t tolerate laziness or stupidity, and exposes Ned’s plagiarism of song

lyrics as his essay in front of the class. He discovers Ned playing a guitar (he knows only one chord), convincing him and Conor to participate as a duo in a talent show at a neighboring girls’ school. Thrown together against their will, the ice cracks, the wall comes tumbling down, and an unlikely friendship develops. Ned discovers Conor secretly entering a gay bar. Conor sees Sherry there with his “fella.” They both agree to pretend it never happened. Meanwhile the fanatic homophobic rugby coach Paschal O’Keefe (Moe Dunford) resents Ned’s time infringement on Conor’s game-playing, especially as they prepare to enter their first final match in 10 years. He attempts to split the two guys apart, discovering the real reason why Conor left his old school, threatening to expose him if he doesn’t devote himself fully to rugby. Conor needs to hide his identity and puts his friendship with Ned on hold to protect himself. Can an angry Ned (who didn’t realize how lonely he was until he had a friend) keep Conor’s

secret? How will all this personal drama affect the outcome of the big game? “Handsome Devil” winds up being better than it had a right to be. Much of the plot is predictable, and you would have to be mentally challenged not to see the finale coming from a mile away. The coming-of-age/coming out story is old hat, and this film uses well-worn stereotypes: the closeted jock, the gay-hating coach, the geeky outsider, the inspiring teacher who will learn from his students. Yet in spite of this emotional manipulation, the movie is irresistible. The cast is a winning one. O’Shea is spot-on as the charismatic, cynical rebel. Galitzine is quite handsome, but also conveys the sadness of always trying to be someone he’s not. The openly gay actor Scott, best known as Moriarty in the hit PBS series “Sherlock,” is the real star. Witty, sardonic, and compassionate, he makes believable the English teacher we all wish we had. The sensitive but self-hating Sherry’s philosophy is epitomized in his challenge to his students: “If you spend your whole life being someone else, who is going to be you?” Writer/director Butler exposes the hypocrisies of Irish masculinity and satirizes sports mania. In the excellent bonus material, a Q&A with Butler and Scott at the Krakow Netia Off Camera Festival, Butler critiques conformity in all its guises, and rejects all labels as stifling, revealing that he is 50% Ned and 50% Conor, having attended a similar school engrossed in rugby culture. Cinematographer Cathal Watters’ effective use of split-screen montages and vibrant colors, galvanized by an alternative 80s soundtrack (Big Star, The Undertones, and The Housemartins, but oddly not The Smiths’ song that gives the movie its title), moves the narrative along.t

Film>>

July 20-26, 2017 • Bay Area Reporter • 23

Beauty & brains weren’t enough by Tavo Amador

“A

ny girl can be glamorous. All you have to do is stand still and look stupid,” quipped Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000), who, despite a messy personal life, was smart and one of classic Hollywood’s greatest beauties. In 1942, she and composer George Antheil invented and patented a telecommunications frequency-hopping system intended to safeguard Allied transmissions during WWII. It’s the basis for today’s cellular telephones and other technologies. She’s the subject of “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story,” a documentary that will be shown as part of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. Born Hedwig Eva Kiesler in Vienna to an upper-class Jewish family, she made her film debut in 1930. More small parts followed. In Berlin, she studied with the great Max Reinhardt and appeared in two plays. In 1933, she was glimpsed running naked through the woods in an otherwise forgettable CzechAustrian film, “Ecstasy.” She created a sensation. Because she was Jewish, the movie wasn’t shown in Germany. America saw it 1937. Her wealthy munitions-maker first husband, Fritz Mandl, also Jewish, whom the Nazis nonetheless made an “honorary Aryan,” unsuccessfully attempted to buy all prints of the picture. She divorced him in 1937. That year, she met MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer in London. He was struck by her dark-haired, greeneyed beauty, but wondered if her image was right for his studio. They were on the same transatlantic voyage, however, and by the end of it, he signed her to a seven-year contract and changed her last name because she reminded him of a beautiful silent-screen siren, Barbara Lamarr. MGM had nothing for her, so she was lent to Walter Wanger for John Cromwell’s “Algiers,” (1938), opposite Charles Boyer, a remake of the

French film “Pepe Le Moko.” As the woman for whom Boyer sacrifices everything, she created another sensation. Critics and public raved about her breathtaking beauty and her performance. Mayer believed she would become his biggest star, eclipsing the often-difficult Greta Garbo. No one could meet such expectations. She was an unhappy “Lady of the Tropics” (1939), co-starring Robert Taylor. “I Take This Woman” took so long to make that wags labeled it “I Retake This Woman.” Both flopped, but she had a hit tempting Clark Gable away from Claudette Colbert in “Boom Town.” She and Gable reteamed for “Comrade X,” (1940), a pallid copy of Garbo’s triumphant “Ninotchka” (1939). James Stewart asked her to “Come Live with Me.” She played a gorgeous Austrian immigrant seeking asylum in America by marrying for convenience. She, Judy Garland, and Lana Turner were each a “Ziegfeld Girl” (1941), a hit, and she got good notices as the woman helping restore Robert Young to emotional health in “H.M. Pulham, Esq.,” from the John F. Marquand bestseller. She had been the first choice for Ilsa in “Casablanca” (1942) at Warners, but MGM wouldn’t lend her, although she would later claim to have foolishly rejected the part. Instead, she moved to John Steinbeck’s “Tortilla Flat,” got stuck at the “Crossroads” and became “White Cargo” (1942), uttering, “I am Tondeleyo.” She flaunted her “Heavenly Body” opposite William Powell as her astronomer-husband, who feared her interest in astrology would end their marriage – a dull comedy. MGM now lent her to Warners, where she was one of “The Conspirators” about the Dutch underground. Jacques Tourneur’s “Experiment Perilous” (1944) at RKO was better. It resembled George Cukor’s “Gaslight,” which Lamarr had rejected, but which earned Ingrid Bergman the Best Actress Oscar.

Courtesy SFJFF

Hedy Lamarr as a “Ziegfeld Girl,” as seen in “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story.”

She and Robert Walker were “Her Highness and the Bellboy” (1945), in which he briefly forgets girlfriend June Allyson when he meets a beautiful princess. MGM dropped her. She had been earning $7,500 a week, but hadn’t had a hit in years. At United Artists she was “The Strange Woman” (1946) and a “Dishonored Lady” (1947), poor melodramas. She decided “Let’s Live a Little” (1948), a weak romantic comedy. Her marriages to writerproducer Gene Markey (one child) and actor John Loder (two children) ended in divorce. Although still famous, her stardom appeared over. Then Cecil B. DeMille and Paramount paid her $100,000 for “Samson and Delilah” (1949). Flabby Victor Mature often seemed constipated as the Biblical strongman, but Lamarr looked glorious as the legendary temptress. Critics trashed

it, but the public made it the year’s top-grossing film. MGM asked her back for “A Lady without Passport,” and Paramount sent her to “Copper Canyon” (1950), both failures, but Bob Hope insisted she was “My Favorite Spy” (1951), which did well. She was off the screen for three years before returning in an Italian film about Helen of Troy, dubbed into English and called, “The Face That Launched a Thousand Ships.” It did little business. In 1957 she was an unlikely Joan of Arc in “The Story of Mankind,” and the next year made her last picture as “The Female Animal,” playing a movie star competing with her alcoholic daughter (Jane Powell) for the same man. Tabloids kept her name before the public. In 1965, she divorced her sixth husband and was charged with shoplifting, but not convicted.

In 1966, her ghostwritten memoirs, “Ecstasy and Me,” were published. They included salacious passages about her sex life, which earned her more notoriety. She later claimed that her publisher and the author had misrepresented her and sued. She died impoverished. Beautiful women were abundant in Hollywood, but Lamarr set a new standard. That may have been her undoing, however, because she was seldom properly used. The explosive promise of “Algiers” wasn’t realized. She was intelligent enough to understand that, but powerless to stop it. In her case, neither brains nor beauty were sufficient. But what other star’s legacy includes a crucial invention that changed the way society lives?t

Lillian, meanwhile, stays home with their three kids, one of whom is autistic. We follow the couple’s struggles as they fight to keep a roof over their heads during lean times, and to properly care for their children. Years later, when the kids are grown, Lillian begins working in a film research library. She rapidly becomes the go-to person directors call for the information they need regarding their films. Directors Francis Ford Coppola and Danny DeVito become not only clients, but

also friends who hang out for coffee. Through it all, Harold and Lillian’s deep love for each other shines through. They’re a lovely couple, and their story, as told by Raim, becomes engagingly sweet. The filmmaker illustrates the film with archival photographs, interviews, and a series of greeting cards that Harold gave to Lillian across the span of their 60-year marriage. “Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story” is a delightful charmer. The film opens July 21 at the Roxie Cinema, and the Elmwood in Berkeley.t

Showtimes for “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story”: check sfjff.org.

Unsung Tinseltown artists

by David-Elijah Nahmod

arold and Lillian Michelson spent their Hollywood careers largely under the radar. For most of his career Harold was a respected storyboard artist. Later in life he got

some recognition when he picked up a few gigs and two Oscar nominations as an art director. In the latter capacity, he worked on several notoriously campy films that remain of interest to gay men: “Mame” (1974), “Can’t Stop the Music” (1980) and

Courtesy Zeitgeist Films

Harold and Lillian Michelson, as seen in “Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story.”

“Mommie Dearest” (1982). Lillian, whose own career began in middle age, became a beloved film researcher. She was the person directors called when they needed information on how to make their films as realistic and as true-to-life as possible. During one amusing interlude, Lillian recalls meeting with a drug lord so she could get information on how cocaine kingpins live and do business – she needed to provide this information to the producers of the Al Pacino film “Scarface” (1983). “Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story” is their story as they lived it within the film industry and in their home. The film, directed by Oscar nominee Daniel Raim, will have audiences looking at the movie business in a whole new light. The film raises a number of interesting questions about who the actual creator of our favorite films are. Mention “The 10 Commandments” (1956), and most people will think of director Cecil B. DeMille. Bring up “The Birds” (1963), and everyone assumes that Hitchcock was the guiding force. But were they? As the storyboard artist for both films, Harold sat at his sketchpad with each film’s script in front of him. Shot-by-shot he draws each film’s scenes onto paper. When comparing his drawings to the finalized film segments, it becomes clear that both directors merely copied Harold’s drawings. Harold toiled for decades on film after film, earning a living but receiving little if any credit for his work until his art-director days.

<< Dance

24 • Bay Area Reporter • July 20-26, 2017

Ethnic Dance

From page 17

Typically for the Bay Area, the dance groups are themselves inclusive. Nearly all of them welcome students from any background who are interested in learning dance traditions of a culture not their own. It’s a common sight to see a black face in a Chinese dance company, or a white guy in a Japanese one. It’s the rule rather than the exception, and gays are welcome everywhere. The only question that seems to matter is, “Can you dance?” They got their start with grants from the SF Hotel Tax Fund (now known as Grants for the Arts) back in the 70s, when in the dance world all boats were rising. The Ford Foundation sent help to rescue the bankrupt SF Ballet, and helped the Dance Coalition get strong. Stanford and UC Berkeley brought in professors of African dance from West and Central Africa, setting up centers for training at the highest levels outside Africa. Classical Indian exponents came to San Jose and Marin County, and gladly trained all comers. As a result we have a well of resources that’s astonishingly deep, and the audiences to appreciate them. After the Ethnic Dance Festival hit its stride with what looked like a permanent residency at the Palace of Fine Arts, filling the houses, it has only grown more popular, so that even the auditions now draw huge crowds. This summer’s festival was grander and more glamorous than ever, as fits their ascendance to the War Memorial Opera House, which they filled. Let’s hope next year the

Opera House will be available for a longer run, for they certainly have more superb companies to show than they could squeeze into the two big shows this season. But both weekends were blazing with energy. The first was more political, with respect shown for all traditions but a strong undercurrent of protest against the European cultures who had subjugated the Americas. These were contemporary dances created from traditional materials. The satirical dancers of De Rompe y Raja (Peruvian) followed a Stanford group of antiquarians who revived European ballroom steps (beautifully, with great style) then flat-out mocked the minuets of the conquistadores with grotesque parodies of steps we had just seen. Similarly, the superb hula group Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu presented a ravishingly delicate “new hula,” with ladies in silk gowns dancing as if their hands were flowers, to the “Flower Duet” from Delibes’ grand opera Lakme, sung exquisitely in French by the countertenor Cortez Mitchell (in white tie and tails) and the soprano Maya Kherani (in a satin ball gown). All softness and elegance, but given what followed, perhaps graciousness masked an equivocating underlayer of meanings. It was followed by a reconstruction of a 19th-century piece where dancers stamped the floor with staves in protest against American annexation of the Hawaiian kingdom. The music was fabulous throughout. The great tablaist Zakir Hussein, the Latin jazz musician John Santos, the Flamenco singer Jesus Montoya are all superstars in their

Courtesy SFJFF

Former Vice President Al Gore in “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power.”

SFJFF

From page 17

“The Guys Next Door” The festival’s queer accent comes by way of Amy Geller and Allie Humenuk’s highly personal account of a 40-something Jewish gal providing surrogate services for her gay buddy and his Italian-born boyfriend. Things go so well that the deed is repeated. It’s a provocative, diary like-account that follows this newstyle family for their first three years. (New Parkway, 8/6) “In Between” This unusual peek at the party-down side of the Palestinian culture begins with an older woman sharing what she regards as basic survival lessons in a maledominated, insanely sexist culture to a young woman just entering the dating pool. “Don’t raise your voice. Men don’t like women who raise their voices. Remember to always say a kind word and cook him good food. Don’t forget to put on perfume, and to keep your body smooth, so that when he desires you, he’ll know where to find you. In bed, do what he tells you. Don’t let on that you know what you’re doing.” Director Maysaioum Hamoud methodically takes us through a volatile social scene in a place where we’ve been led to believe that piety

rules. Warning: for a great deal of smoking, both tobacco and pot, for a brutal rape scene, a great deal of male violence against women, and for a free-spirited female couple where one asks, “Did your mother know you are a lesbian?” In Hebrew and Arabic, with English subtitles. (Castro, 7/23; Albany Twin, 7/31) “Paradise” It’s hard to reinvent the Holocaust docudrama, but Russian Andrei Konchalovsky takes a valiant stab in this B&W mix of reenacted concentration camp drama (reminiscent of “Schindler’s List”) and personal apologias staged in direct address to the camera veritestyle. At its best, a demonstration of French anti-Semitism. The core of the German-Russian co-production concerns Countess Olga’s bid to hide Jewish boys in WWII, Nazi-held France. A tad long at 130 minutes, but with both brutal and tender moments. In Russian, German, French, and Yiddish, with English subtitles. Winner of Silver Lion at Venice, Russian entry for 2017 foreign-language Oscar. (Castro, 7/29; Albany Twin, 8/2; Smith Rafael, 8/4) “Fanny’s Journey” In a Holocaust-era thriller with beats right out of the 1963 John Sturges-directed “The Great Escape,” French director Lola Doillon embeds us with a group of Jewish schoolkids desper-

fields, and we even got a quick set fornia, danced her farewell to the dancers in brilliantly disciplined in the first weekend of jamming stage, an Allegrias from Cadiz. She synchrony flashing their fans. They between Hussein and Santos, who can plant herself center stage, pawshowed the discipline of maintainbacked up the Cubans in their ing and stamping the ground, then ing compas, drilling their heels into bring-down-the-house folkloric spread her thighs and swing her the floor with the precision the set, which began with a jazz funeral pelvis like a bucket. All this earthy proud tradition demands. entrance. They paraded through the energy is sublimated, becomes like a Perhaps the highlights were the house to the stage, then morphed flame flowing out her outstretched two Indian companies performing from the old traditions through fingertips so you can’t tell where that night. First was a Bollywood rumba into casino salsa. Yismari her body ends and the air begins. troupe, the Gurus of Dance, who had Ramos Tellez lit up the stage like a Ole, Tania. Her act was followed the energy and panache of club dancBroadway star. seamlessly by Theater Flamenco, the ers and seemed inspired by hip-hop. Both weekends featured procesoldest flamenco company in town, The second was a classically-based sions that led into the house onto who made an elegant foursome of company, the Natyas of Berkeley, an the stage. Both weekends undergraduate club of stuconcluded with Africandents who don’t want to let go diaspora companies with of their dance-addiction. fantastic drummers who The grand finale was led the audience out of the about getting down, Tahitian house after it was over for drummers pounding out an more dancing in the lobby, intoxicating beat for young then on the stairs in front. women in feathery grass The Brazilian company Fogo skirts, bending their knees na Roupa, who ended the and roiling their hips in every first weekend, cast the stronway you can think of, makgest spell of all. They evoked ing their skirts go wild. They a spirit of solidarity that were followed by Biteza bia seemed an antidote to the Congo, who also got down climate of fear in this couninto their hips and followed try since the election. Many their drummers’ commands of these companies’ followreligiously. They led us out of ers have reason to fear the the house, into the lobby, and immigration service – if not back into the night. for themselves, then for their For my money, the future friends. It reminded me of of dance lies in response dances in the AIDS era perto music, to rhythm, to formed by people with AIDS the mysterious way that who were dancing as if there ideas rise in the mind when was no tomorrow. you’re dancing with others The second weekend was responding to a rhythm that simpler. All you had to do belongs to you all. I believe if was listen to the music, and you can hear it and respond, you could see it in the dancit is yours. Long may the SF RJ Muna ing. The great artist La Tania, Ethnic Dance Festival thrive. Tanisha Reshke of Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu. widely regarded as the finest It supports the best things Flamenco dancer in Caliabout our world.t ate to reach the Swiss border before being captured by the Gestapo and sent to the death camps. The heroine is Fanny (Leonie Souchaud), who manages to keep morale up for the kids in moments when it seems that all is lost. Will remind some of the Louis Malle WWII classic “Au Revoir Les Enfants.” (Cinearts, 7/22; Castro, 7/25; Smith Rafael, 8/5; Albany Twin, 8/6) “1945” Ferenc Torok opens his adaptation of a Hungarian Holocaust short story with the sight of a huge steam locomotive belching its way into the station of a tiny village. It’s the wedding day of a charming young man, the son of the magistrate. But all is not well in this rural haven. WWII has just ended, but ominously two men climb down from the train, bearing with them a mysterious package. Word spreads quickly, and soon everyone comes to dread these visitors. Russian troops circle the town, sent to crush hopes of a Hungarian postwar democracy. Strangers recruit men with shovels to dig in the graveyard. From first sight to surprise ending, “1945” keeps us riveted. (Castro, 6/26; Cinearts, 7/27; Albany Twin, 7/29; Smith Rafael, 6/6) “Moos” The title character is a 20something Dutch Jewish woman saddled with caring for her widowed dad. With increasing pressure on her to marry and serve the community, Moos is suddenly faced with the reappearance of a childhood male friend, the handsome Sam, just back from serving in the Israeli Defense Force. She really wants to pursue a singing career, but the elders fear losing her skills. Attractive young men and women, topical references to alleged misdeeds by Woody Allen, co-ed exercise classes: this romantic comedy from Job Gosschalk, in Dutch with English subtitles, hits all the right notes. (Castro, 7/21; Cinearts, 7/27; Albany Twin, 7/31) “Intent to Destroy” This year’s Freedom of Expression Award winner Joe Beringer explores the disturbing issues still remaining about the 1915 Turkish-led genocide of a million-and-half Armenians, an atrocity still denied by the presentday Turkish government and its

increasingly authoritarian leader. Beringer is the acclaimed creator of hard-hitting nonfiction films such as “Paradise Lost: The Child Murders of Robin Hood Hills,” which, with two sequels, aided in freeing three wrongly accused men. (Castro, 7/27) “Fritz Lang” This celebrated Austrian-born filmmaker was so skilled he was wooed by both Hollywood and Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels. His career began with genius-level silent works “Metropolis” and “M.” Then Lang adapted to the commercial demands of Tinseltown, creating a body of work still celebrated: “While the City Sleeps,” “The Big Heat,” “Cloak and Dagger,” “Ministry of Fear,” “Hangmen Also Die!” German director Gordian Maugg’s bio-pic details the career of a great director, and links his work with humanity’s darkest impulses. (Castro, 7/27; Albany Twin, 8/3) “Gilbert” Director Neil Berkeley probes the profanity-prone comic Gilbert Gottfried, with glimpses of his home life, along with revealing insights from colleagues such as Whoopi Goldberg. (Castro, 7/29) “Keep the Change” Rachel Israel creates a sensitive but realistic portrait of young people living along the autism spectrum in Manhattan, with opportunities for fully realized lives and romantic relationships.

(Castro, 7/20; Cinearts, 7/23; Albany Twin, 7/30; Smith Rafael, 8/5) “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power” This follow-up to former Vice Pres. Al Gore’s pioneering doc manifesto on global climate change examines what’s happened in the past decade-and-a-half, with 14 of 15 hottest years recorded, and with our current climate change denierin-chief in the White House. (Castro, 7/24) “The Boy Downstairs” In Sophie Brooks’ romance, a young woman returns to New York from London. Diana (Zosia Mamet) is confronted with a living arrangement where the downstairs flat is occupied by her ex-boyfriend (Matthew Shear). (Castro, 7/29; Albany Twin, 8/5) “Body and Soul: An American Bridge” Robert Philipson spends 58 minutes riffing on the connections between African American and Jewish culture as expressed in modern jazz and blues. (Castro, 7/23; Cinearts, 7/24; Albany Twin, 7/28) “The Young Karl Marx” In director Raoul Peck’s 1844-set drama, a young, politically charged duo, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, create the Communist Manifesto, a much embraced, feared and despised document that still rocks distant political worlds. (Cinearts, 7/25; Albany Twin, 7/27; Castro, 7/28; Smith Rafael, 8/5)t

Courtesy SFJFF

Scene from director Rachel Israel’s “Keep the Change.”

Out & About

Leather

Shining Stars Vol. 47 • No. 29 • July 20-26, 2017 Courtesy Sausalito Historical Society

www.ebar.com V www.bartabsf.com

o t i l a s u a S y c Sau Marin’s gay life was only a ferry away

by Michael Flanagan

f you have moved to the Bay Area recently, you no doubt think of Sausalito as a quaint touristy town – the perfect sort of place to take visiting relatives. You do not think of it as a party town and certainly don’t think of it as an LGBT party spot. It hasn’t always been that way. See page 26 >>

Juanita Musson, owner of Juanita’s Galley, behind the bar with her restaurant’s chef. Juanita’s Galley welcomed gays “in or out of drag.”

et’s go out and have som e fun. You know how it’s done. Dress up sharp, don’t be so glum!

Steven Underhill

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July 20-27

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Serving the LGBT communities since 1971

26 • Bay Area Reporter • July 20-26, 2017

Courtesy Sausalito Historical Society

The dining area of Juanita’s Galley.

Saucy Sausalito

Tin Angel last night and H (Harriet Sohmers From page 25 Zwerling) asked me to come. Until I got drunk In her 1966 book Lady of I thought it all rather the House, the future mayor depressing – H was high (and former madam) Sally right away and spent the Stanford described it this way: evening being hysterically “Sausalito attracts characamiable to all the women ters. Our beatniks are deluxe, whom she’d slept with and wash all the way down during the last year (and to their necklines. We boast a now loathed)….B and A large colony of ‘gay’ citizens. got very drunk, naturally, Our bars are rated to the deand broke out one of the gree of heterosexuality.” windows.” Stanford knew what she If this sounds a bit like was talking about. One of the a madhouse, it’s worth waiters in Valhalla, the resknowing that Tolk-Wattaurant she opened in 1950, kins and company were was Dick Walters, who would not at all out of the ordigo on to become known as a nary in Sausalito. Another San Francisco bartender and character, Juanita Musson, Bay Area Reporter columnist ran a number of small res(and legend) Sweet Lips. No taurants in Sausalito beone was better at rating a fore settling into Juanita’s bar’s degree of heterosexualGalley on the Charles Van ity than Sweet Lips. Damme ferryboat. In his By the time Stanford Courtesy Sausalito Historical Society memoir, Let No Stranger arrived, Sausalito had a Wait Outside Your Door, long-established bohemian Juanita Musson Lou Kief describes her: reputation. During the Pro“Juanita Musson was hibition era, it was a hotbed never a beautiful woman, of bootlegging and rumThe Sausalito Tin Angel was the nor was she articulate or polite…. running. The book Sausalito from first of Peggy Tolk-Watkins’ Bay Area At almost three hundred pounds she the Sausalito Historical Society exbars. It would later become the gaywas definitely a force to be reckoned plains that the only way into town friendly Glad Hand from 1952 to with and never shied away from a was by ferry boat – and a simple call 1969. Both Tolk-Watkins and Varda good fight. Juanita was a restaurafrom a member of the ferry crew had attended Black Mountain Colteur like none you’ve ever known.” before leaving San Francisco made lege; she as a student, he as a profesMusson’s biography Juanita! by sure that by the time Feds arrived sor. Arthur was also known as Gavin Sally Hayton-Keeva talks about her “an air of temperance pervaded the Arthur and would later cast the hororelationship to the gay community: town.” scope that set the date for the Human “People of the gay persuasion The first place that could propBe-In in Golden Gate Park. Works by gravitated to the Galley where they erly be called a gay bar was The Tin Arthur are currently on display in the were warmly welcomed either in Angel (588 Bridgeway). On FebruLavender-Tinted Glasses exhibition drag or out….One early evening ary 21, 1949 Herb Caen’s column at the GLBT Historical Museum. she received a call that a sizable announced: A 16-year-old Susan Sontag gives contingent of her customers had “Chester Arthur, grandson of the us a glimpse of the Tin Angel on been arrested for dancing naked 21st President of the U.S. will act May 28, 1949, its opening night in on the sand of a nearby beach… as chef (he’s a gourmet) on the site Reborn: Journals and Notebooks she got into her station wagon and of the old crab market. Artist Jean 1947 – 1963: roared off to bail them all out.” Varda is doing the re-doing.” “A (Tolk-Watkins) opened the

Courtesy Sausalito Historical Society

An October 1954 Independent Journal cover story with a threatening headline, “’Keep Out Of Marin,’ Sex Deviates Told.”

The Advocate/Crawford Barton

A July 1975 travel feature in The Advocate called Sausalito “a playtown with a view.”

Musson was an avid animal lover known for walking around her restaurant with a live chicken (named “Chickenshit”) and asking men, “Do you think my cock is bigger than yours?” There is a hint of her serving style in the title of her cookbook, Juanita’s Eat It or Wear It Cookbook. Musson’s Galley lasted in Sausalito till 1963, when the IRS moved her on to Sonoma (and she opened another in a series of restaurants). One thing is certain: if she hadn’t existed, John Waters would have invented her.

Courtesy GLBT Historical Society

The slim catalog for the Surf n Sand of Sausalito featured designer Richard Smart (Left) and his men’s swimwear line. Smart also designed costumes for numerous theatre companies in the Bay Area.

Arrests of the sort Juanita intervened in were unfortunately common in Sausalito in the late 1950s and early ‘60s. The Independent Journal had been publishing headlines like “’Keep Out Of Marin,’ Sex Deviates Told” since 1954. In 1959 there were arrests at the Flamingo Inn (2007 Bridgeway) and the bar was referred to as a “hangout for sexual perverts” in August 1959 in the Chronicle. The Alcohol Control Board tried to revoke the license of the Bridgeway Inn (621 Bridgeway) because of homosexual conduct in June, 1963. The Independent referred to the bar as “a place where men talk in high voices and women talk in low gruff voices.” True to its contrarian nature, however, Sausalito fought back. Following a March 31, 1959 article in the Independent entitled “Sausalito Holds War Council on Sex Deviates” in which the Mayor and Police Chief discussed efforts to “rid Sausalito of homosexuals,” there was a raid on the evening of April 11. The Chronicle reported it the next day: “Sausalito ‘Surprise’ Raid—but No Vice.” It seems there were no gay people to be found in the bars when the task force of State, county and city law enforcement attempted their raid. Somehow the news had gotten out. The spirit of resistance from the days of prohibition was still alive in Sausalito. It is somewhat ironic that the police were trying to “clean up” Sausalito. Late in life Sweet Lips told his caregivers Coy and Sal Meza that the See page 27 >>