June 14 2018 Edition of the Bay Area Reporter by Bay Area Reporter

Gay bank seeks biz

'F' word flies in Castro

ARTS

Frameline 24

Years & Years

The

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Since 1971, the newspaper of record for the San Francisco Bay Area LGBTQ community

Vol. 48 • No. 24 • June 14-20, 2018

Lesbian behind in E. Bay race by Matthew S. Bajko

or two days last weekend Jovanka Beckles, a lesbian who sits on the Richmond City Council, was in the second-place spot for the open 15th Assembly District seat, Jane Philomen Cleland which stretches from Jovanka Beckles Richmond south into parts of Oakland. Late Friday Oakland City Councilman Dan Kalb had fallen to third place. But by Sunday night he had again surpassed Beckles in the race. And his vote edge has continued to grow in recent days. As of the Bay Area Reporter’s press deadline Wednesday, Kalb was leading by 704 votes. He had 16 percent of the vote, according to the unofficial returns, while Beckles had 15.3 percent. On her Twitter account Monday morning, Beckles quoted the Yogi Berra quip, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” In an email message to her supporters later that day, Beckles wrote, “We are in this until the final vote is counted.” Former Obama staffer Buffy Wicks continues to have a dominating lead with 33, 945 votes. Under the state’s “jungle primary” system, the top two vote-getters in the June 5 primary race will compete against each other in the November 6 general election. In southern California, lesbian health care leader Marge Doyle has not budged from her third-place showing in the 8th Congressional District race. As of Wednesday morning, she had 21.8 percent of the vote, while former Republican state Assemblyman Tim Donnelly remained in second-place with 22.8 percent of the vote. Representative Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley) remains in first place with 41.1 percent of the vote. Like Beckles, Doyle has said she will not concede until the final vote is counted.

San Mateo ed race remains close

On the Peninsula, Gary Waddell, Ph.D., has a razor-thin 75-vote lead in the contest for San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools. As of Tuesday afternoon both he and his opponent, Nancy Magee, were in a statistical tie of 50 percent of the vote. Waddell currently has 40,487 votes, while Magee has 40,412 votes. The next update will come Friday at 4:30 p.m. “I am hopeful that our lead holds out and I can get to work on behalf of all of our students, but it is in the hands of the voters,” Waddell told the B.A.R. The two out candidates are colleagues at the county education office and are running to succeed lesbian San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools Anne E. Campbell. After serving two four-year terms in the position, Campbell opted not to seek re-election. Waddell, a gay resident of Pacifica, currently serves as deputy superintendent of the instructional services division at the county education office. Magee, a lesbian resident of Half Moon Bay, is the county’s associate superintendent for the student services division.t

Cynthia Laird

Mark Leno conceded the mayor’s race Wednesday.

Leno concedes mayor’s race by Matthew S. Bajko

G Warriors rule!

olden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry raises his arms in celebration of back-toback NBA championships at the victory parade in downtown Oakland Tuesday, June 12. This year, Curry and other players mingled on the street with fans during part of the parade. The Warriors

Jane Philomen Cleland

swept the Cleveland Cavaliers four games to none with their 108-85 win Friday night on the road. Gay Warriors President Rick Welts told the Bay Area Reporter that the team will bring the championship trophy to this year’s San Francisco Pride parade.

ay mayoral candidate Mark Leno conceded defeat Wednesday in his bid to become San Francisco’s first LGBT mayor. He had remained stuck in second place over the last four days as the election returns were updated. It was a reversal of fortunes from last week, when he had eked out a first-place finish after elections officials determined the first ranked-choice voting results. Board of Supervisors President London Breed, who represents District 5 and initially was in second place, began closing in on the top spot with each successive update of the vote tally. By Saturday she had overtaken Leno and, ever since, has seen See page 10 >>

Salazar may be moved from ICU

by Alex Madison

aron Salazar, the young, gay Latino man who was found critically injured adjacent to the train tracks near Truckee, California may soon be transferred from the intensive care unit to another facility at the Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nevada, according to his family. Salazar, 22, was a passenger on an Amtrak train found lying near the railroad tracks at the far east end of Truckee May 15, Truckee Police Chief Rob Leftwich said in a statement last month. Salazar had suffered major injuries and was transported to the hospital in Reno. The Salazar family has been continually critical of the Amtrak Police Department’s investigation, which is still ongoing. At a May 29 news conference, Amtrak Police Chief Neil Trugman said that Amtrak believes the young college student was “very distraught” while on the train and may have attempted suicide. The family strongly disagrees with this narrative and believes Salazar was attacked and is calling it a hate crime. Amtrak is the lead on the investigation. Family members want the FBI to take over the investigation and have started an online petition to garner support for that. So far, nearly 300 people have signed the petition. A new statement released June 7 to the Bay Area Reporter by Amtrak spokeswoman Christina Leeds said that the agency has brought on two additional lead investigators to work on the case and

Courtesy Facebook

Aaron Salazar

that investigators have accessed Salazar’s cellphone. “The contents [of the cellphone] continue to support that Mr. Salazar had life concerns and challenges, and he had shared that with friends and family,” Leeds said. The family held a fundraiser for Salazar Saturday, June 9, at the University of Nevada, Reno and has raised more than $60,000 through a GoFundMe campaign set up for Salazar’s medical expenses. On Facebook, the family’s spokesman, Austin Sailas, a cousin of Salazar’s, posted a letter he received from Brody Levesque, chief political

{ FIRST OF THREE SECTIONS }

correspondent for the New Civil Rights Movement, a New York City-based online magazine. The letter gives support to the family and condemns Amtrak’s investigation and its preliminary finding that Salazar attempted suicide. It was sent on behalf of “several journalists and editors” following the case. [The B.A.R. is not a signatory to the letter.] The letter also references the 2012 case of Robin Andrew Putnam, 25, who was traveling on an Amtrak train from Emeryville, California to Colorado. At the time, Amtrak claimed Putman got off the train in Salt Lake City, leaving all of his possessions behind. Three years later Putman’s remains were found near train tracks outside of Elko, Nevada, at which point Amtrak concluded it to be a suicide. The Putnam family was also critical of the way Amtrak conducted the investigation, including withholding information. “One of the factors that has struck this working group has been Amtrak’s continuing claim that these young men were somehow directly responsible for the circumstances that led up to their horrific injuries, and in the case of Robin, his death,” Levesque wrote. “In our opinion, the evidence and facts that we’ve gathered over the course of our investigation into both young men’s cases belies these specious claims by Amtrak investigators, and the public pronouncements of the company’s current police chief, Neil Trugman,” the letter stated. The letter also urged the Salazar family to have See page 16 >>

A next step for adults with HIV who have been undetectable* for at least six months. *Undetectable means keeping the amount of HIV in the blood at very low levels (less than 50 copies per mL).

What is JULUCA?

JULUCA is a prescription medicine that is used without other antiretroviral medicines to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) infection in adults to replace their current anti-HIV-1 medicines when their healthcare provider determines that they meet certain requirements. HIV-1 is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is not known if JULUCA is safe and effective in children.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION Do not take JULUCA if you: • have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine that contains dolutegravir or rilpivirine. • are taking any of the following medicines: dofetilide; carbamazepine; oxcarbazepine; phenobarbital; phenytoin; rifampin; rifapentine; proton pump inhibitors (including esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole sodium, rabeprazole); St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum); or more than 1 dose of the steroid medicine dexamethasone or dexamethasone sodium phosphate. What are the possible side effects of JULUCA? JULUCA can cause serious side effects including: • Severe skin rash and allergic reactions. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop a rash with JULUCA. Stop taking JULUCA and get medical help right away if you develop a rash with any of the following signs or symptoms: fever; generally ill feeling; tiredness; muscle or joint aches; blisters or sores in mouth; blisters or peeling of the skin; redness or swelling of the eyes; swelling of the mouth, face, lips or tongue; problems breathing. • Liver problems. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus who have certain liver function test changes may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening changes in certain liver tests during treatment with JULUCA. Liver problems, including liver failure, have also happened in people without history of liver disease or other risk factors. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your liver function. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop any of the following signs or symptoms of liver problems: your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice); dark or “tea-colored” urine; light-colored stools (bowel movements); nausea or vomiting; loss of appetite; pain, aching, or tenderness on the right side of your stomach area. • Depression or mood changes. Tell your healthcare provider right away or get medical help if you have any of the following symptoms: feeling sad or hopeless; feeling anxious or restless; have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself. • The most common side effects of JULUCA include: diarrhea and headache. These are not all the possible side effects of JULUCA. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking JULUCA.

Before you take JULUCA, tell your healthcare provider if you: • have ever had a severe skin rash or an allergic reaction to medicines that contain dolutegravir or rilpivirine. • have or have had liver problems, including hepatitis B or C infection. • have ever had a mental health problem. • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if JULUCA will harm your unborn baby. • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take JULUCA. You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. It is not known if JULUCA can pass to your baby in your breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some medicines interact with JULUCA. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. • You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of medicines that interact with JULUCA. • Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take JULUCA with other medicines. Important Safety Information continued on next page. Please see Important Facts about JULUCA on the following page.

Printed in USA.

832817R0

March 2018

My doctor and I are proud of how far I’ve come. Now, I want to ask about staying undetectable with fewer medicines in my HIV pill. I started treating my HIV and reached an undetectable viral load. And whenever I become aware of other treatment options, I talk to my doctor. Here’s what I learned about JULUCA: Rodney†

Undetectable since 2008

JULUCA is the only once-daily complete HIV-1 regimen that combines 2 medicines in just 1 pill.

Ask your doctor about JULUCA. Learn more at JULUCA.com T:15.67”

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION (cont’d) How to take JULUCA? • Take JULUCA 1 time a day exactly as your healthcare provider tells you. • Always take JULUCA with a meal. A protein drink alone does not replace a meal. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088. †

Real patient diagnosed with HIV-1. Individual compensated for his time by ViiV Healthcare.

IMPORTANT FACTS

This is only a brief summary of important information about JULUCA and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and treatment.

(Jah-LOO-kah) ABOUT JULUCA • JULUCA is a prescription medicine that is used without other antiretroviral medicines to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) infection in adults to replace their current anti-HIV-1 medicines when their healthcare provider determines that they meet certain requirements. • HIV-1 is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). • It is not known if JULUCA is safe and effective in children.

HOW TO TAKE JULUCA • Take JULUCA 1 time a day exactly as your healthcare provider tells you. • Always take JULUCA with a meal. A protein drink alone does not replace a meal.

DO NOT TAKE JULUCA IF YOU • have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine that contains dolutegravir or rilpivirine. • are taking any of the following medicines: dofetilide; carbamazepine; oxcarbazepine; phenobarbital; phenytoin; rifampin; rifapentine; proton pump inhibitors (including esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole sodium, rabeprazole); St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum); or more than 1 dose of the steroid medicine dexamethasone or dexamethasone sodium phosphate.

BEFORE TAKING JULUCA Tell your healthcare provider if you: • have ever had a severe skin rash or an allergic reaction to medicines that contain dolutegravir or rilpivirine. • have or have had liver problems, including hepatitis B or C infection. • have ever had a mental health problem. • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if JULUCA will harm your unborn baby. • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take JULUCA. You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. It is not known if JULUCA can pass to your baby in your breast milk. Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: • Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. • Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with JULUCA. • Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF JULUCA JULUCA can cause serious side effects, including: • Severe skin rash and allergic reactions. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop a rash with JULUCA. Stop taking JULUCA and get medical help right away if you develop a rash with any of the following signs or symptoms: fever; generally ill feeling; tiredness; muscle or joint aches; blisters or sores in mouth; blisters or peeling of the skin; redness or swelling of the eyes; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; problems breathing. • Liver problems. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus who have certain liver function test changes may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening changes in certain liver tests during treatment with JULUCA. Liver problems, including liver failure, have also happened in people without history of liver disease or other risk factors. Your healthcare

provider may do blood tests to check your liver function. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop any of the following signs or symptoms of liver problems: your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice); dark or “tea-colored” urine; light-colored stools (bowel movements); nausea or vomiting; loss of appetite; pain, aching, or tenderness on the right side of your stomach area. • Depression or mood changes. Tell your healthcare provider right away or get medical help if you have any of the following symptoms: feeling sad or hopeless; feeling anxious or restless; have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself. The most common side effects of JULUCA include: diarrhea and headache. These are not all the possible side effects of JULUCA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking JULUCA. You may report side effects to FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch, or at 1-800-FDA-1088.

GET MORE INFORMATION • This is only a brief summary of important information about JULUCA. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more. • Go to JULUCA.com or call 1-877-844-8872, where you can also get FDA-approved labeling. ViiV Healthcare Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 Trademark is owned by or licensed to the ViiV Healthcare group of companies. ©2017 ViiV Healthcare group of companies or its licensor. December 2017 JLC:2PIL ©2018 ViiV Healthcare group of companies or its licensor. Printed in USA. 832817R0 March 2018

Community News>>

June 14-20, 2018 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 5

A breakthrough solution for men seeking better erections and Optimal Sexual Performance

Pulse victims honored

embers of Singers of the Street sang at a vigil for the victims of the Pulse massacre Tuesday, June 12, the second anniversary of the tragedy at the gay club in Orlando, Florida. Over 100 people gathered at 18th and Castro streets to commemorate the deaths of

Rick Gerharter

49 mostly LGBTQ people in one of the nation’s deadliest mass shootings. Speakers urged the crowd to remember the victims by committing to social action to strengthen gun ownership laws.

Duboce neighbors relieved pot store hearing delayed by Sari Staver

ome residents in Duboce Triangle are relieved that a city hearing for a proposed retail cannabis store in the neighborhood has been delayed. The proposed shop, the Flore Store, at 258 Noe Street, would be operated by a team headed by Terrance Alan, a gay man who also owns Flore, a cafe located at Castro and Noe, just across the street. “We were happy to hear that the process has slowed down,” said David Troup, a gay man and chair of the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association’s Land Use Committee, in an interview with the Bay Area Reporter at the DTNA general meeting Monday, June 11. Troup said the city’s delay involves the state’s complicated permit and license procedures and, as far as he knew, had nothing to do with the application, per se. The hearing was scheduled for midJuly but has been postponed, as the B.A.R. reported last week online. A new date should be announced soon, Alan wrote in an email to the B.A.R.

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June 4 meeting of the DTNA land use committee, that his ownership group REQUEST plans for the flat above the store to be (415) 384-9360 APPOINTMENT an artist-in-residence space. Troup said that, at the DTNA land use committee meeting in May, Alan told the group he also hoped to open a hotel in an apartment located on the second floor, above the proposed store. After he heard the objections, Alan withdrew the application to open a hotel, Troup said. A division of Golden Gate Urology When voters approved Proposition 64 in November 2016, the initiative 45 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA 94114 opened the floodgates to new applications for retail cannabis businesses in the city beginning in 2018. The city began accepting applications in May. 5/30/18 The interest from people “remind-FogCityUrology.indd 1 ed me of a (swarm of) locusts,” Troup said at the DTNA meeting Monday. Alan was not at the meeting. Alan’s group has a permit approved by the city, but must secure a change of use application from the planning commission. If that’s approved, he would need a license from the state. In addition to the Flore Store, others have made it known that they are also interested in opening cannabis businesses See page 17 >>

Fog City Urology

Sari Staver

David Troup

Alan, a longtime cannabis activist, is also the chair of the city’s state cannabis legalization task force, which makes recommendations on implementing the new law. DTNA members are primarily concerned about the retail store being located next to a public park and that it would take a rent-controlled apartment upstairs and make it a “hotel,” a term Alan disputed last week. He told the B.A.R., following the

TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR BRAIN

Kaplan sees path for progressive in Oakland mayor’s race by Cynthia Laird

akland City Councilwoman atlarge Rebecca Kaplan last week decided not to run for mayor herself, and instead endorsed a progressive African-American woman with an eye on challenging Mayor Libby Schaaf from the left. Kaplan, the City Council’s only lesbian member, ended speculation she would again seek the mayor’s office when she endorsed Cat Brooks Thursday, June 7, at Joyce Gordon Gallery in downtown Oakland. She attended with her wife, Pamela Rosin, and she thanked the 50 or so people present for their support. Schaaf, whose campaign released a poll showing her with a strong 46point lead just hours before Kaplan’s announcement, faces Oakland voters in November. That same poll, an online survey conducted May 30-June 4 among 449 likely voters by EMC Research, showed Kaplan at 15 percent, and Brooks, whose legal name is Sheilagh Polk, with 11 percent. Combined, that’s 26 percent, if Kaplan’s strong name identification translates to Brooks’ campaign.

Jane Philomen Cleland

Oakland City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan, left, embraces mayoral candidate Cat Brooks after endorsing her June 7.

Kaplan represents the entire city, and has run successful citywide races for her council seat. Her mayoral campaigns, however, have come up short twice before, in 2010 when she lost to Jean Quan, and then again in 2014, when Schaaf won. Kaplan had been spotted at a recent Alameda Labor Council dinner handing out “Kaplan for Mayor” stickers,

and acknowledged to reporters, including the Bay Area Reporter, that she was exploring another mayoral campaign. That ended last week. Brooks, a leader of Black Lives Matter and former KPFA radio host, co-founded the Anti-Police Terror Project. Police misconduct was a See page 16 >>

Everyone with a brain is at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. During Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month in June, learn the facts about brain health.

LEARN MORE AT ALZ.ORG/ABAM Steven Krzanowski, Alzheimer’s Association Events Manager (left) and Jaime McElmon, RN at Sutter Health and Alzheimer’s Association Volunteer (right)

11:41 AM

6 • BAY AREA REPORTER • June 14-20, 2018

Volume 48, Number 24 June 14-20, 2018 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 • Alex Madison 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 Christina DiEdoardo • 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 • Juanita MORE! David-Elijah Nahmod • Paul Parish Sean Piverger • Lois Pearlman Tim Pfaff • Jim Piechota • Bob Roehr Adam Sandel • Jason Serinus • Gregg Shapiro Gwendolyn Smith • Tony Taylor • Sari Staver Jim Stewart • Sean Timberlake • Andre Torrez Ronn Vigh • Charlie Wagner • Ed Walsh Cornelius Washington • Sura Wood ART DIRECTION Max Leger PRODUCTION/DESIGN Ernesto Sopprani PHOTOGRAPHERS Jane Philomen Cleland • FBFE Rick Gerharter • Gareth Gooch Jose Guzman-Colon • Rudy K. Lawidjaja Georg Lester • Dan Lloyd • Jo-Lynn Otto Rich Stadtmiller • Kelly Sullivan Steven Underhil • Dallis Willard • Bill Wilson ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Paul Berge • Christine Smith ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATION Colleen Small Bogitini VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING Scott Wazlowski – 415.829.8937 NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Rivendell Media – 212.242.6863

LEGAL COUNSEL Paul H. Melbostad, Esq.

News Editor • news@ebar.com Arts Editor • arts@ebar.com Out & About listings • jim@ebar.com Advertising • scott@ebar.com Letters • letters@ebar.com Published weekly. Bay Area Reporter reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement which the publisher believes is in poor taste or which advertises illegal items which might result in legal action against Bay Area Reporter. Ads will not be rejected solely on the basis of politics, philosophy, religion, race, age, or sexual orientation. Advertising rates available upon request. Our list of subscribers and advertisers is conﬁdential and is not sold. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, and writers published herein is neither inferred nor implied. We are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork.

<< Open Forum

t More answers needed from Amtrak T

he Amtrak Police Department has not been forthcoming in the case of Aaron Salazar, the young gay college student who was found severely injured along the railroad tracks on the edge of Truckee, California last month. Salazar had been a passenger on an Amtrak train traveling from Denver t o Portland when he was found by the side of the tracks. He was transported to a Reno hospital, where he remained in a coma for weeks. His family said this week they are hopeful he can soon be moved out of the intensive care unit. Initially, it appeared that Salazar might be the victim of an anti-gay hate crime – and part of that was because media outlets received no real response from the rail line. But late last month, Amtrak Police Chief Neil Trugman said that Amtrak’s investigation now shows that Salazar was “very distraught” while on the train and may have attempted suicide. Salazar’s family believes it was an attack and is critical of Amtrak for a number of reasons. It would behoove Amtrak to be more proactive both with Salazar’s family members, and the media. Salazar’s family has a point that, in fact, Amtrak is basically investigating itself, and that may pose a conflict of interest or the perception of one. It would be better if another law enforcement agency took the lead in the investigation, and Salazar’s family has urged the FBI to become involved. Amtrak only recently obtained access to Salazar’s cellphone, and a spokeswoman confirmed that its contents “continue to support that Mr. Salazar had life concerns and challenges, and he had shared that with friends and family.” But more answers are needed. From the beginning, Amtrak dragged its feet in talking to reporters about the incident, which occurred May 15. A full week later, in its first response, the rail agency

offered very little information, saying, “The Amtrak Police Department, in coordination with local authorities, is conducting an ongoing investigation into this incident and we are in contact with the family to provide them updates. At this time, there is nothing to suggest criminal intent.” Then, it was left to Truckee Police Chief Rob Leftwich to issue a statement May 24 – after media outlets in California and Nevada picked up the story and began contacting him – in which he said that Salazar did not get off the train in Truckee. Salazar was found along the tracks before the Amtrak station, and never made it there, the chief said. The location where Salazar was found falls within the federal jurisdiction of Amtrak, relegating the Truckee police to a supporting role in the case. Finally, on May 29, Trugman and Leftwich offered their most detailed comments to date, stating that a Union Pacific Railroad worker saw the Amtrak train pass by with an open window, but did not alert Amtrak. This was a mistake. Trugman also disclosed that investigators “have a good explanation” for why Salazar had burns near his groin, even though his jeans were apparently undamaged. Unfortunately, Trugman won’t elaborate on that

explanation, fueling mistrust among family members and speculation among the media. Then there is Amtrak’s tendency to classify missing passengers as suicide victims. As we report this week, in 2012, a young gay man, Robin Andrew Putnam, 25, was traveling on an Amtrak train from Emeryville, California to Colorado. At the time, Amtrak claimed Putman got off the train in Salt Lake City, leaving all of his possessions behind. Three years later Putman’s remains were found near train tracks outside of Elko, Nevada, at which point Amtrak concluded it to be a suicide. The Putnam family was critical of the way Amtrak conducted the investigation, including withholding information. In that case, based on what we know, it seems Amtrak should have investigated further from the beginning. Not many people disembark a train and leave their possessions on it. That should have been a clear sign that something was wrong. In this latest case, Amtrak should have held its news conference sooner than two weeks after Salazar was injured. And going forward, it should be more transparent with its findings and release more detailed information. Salazar’s family claims that Amtrak investigators did not take DNA samples from under his fingernails, which could help establish or refute the attack theory. In the interest of a thorough investigation, that should have been done. Maybe it was, but if so, Amtrak has not acknowledged that important piece of information or the result. It should. We hope Salazar gets the treatment he needs and recovers. In the meantime, railroad workers – Amtrak’s and others – should be trained to immediately call in suspicious or unusual circumstances, like that open window the Union Pacific worker observed. That one action could have resulted in Salazar being discovered sooner, and evidence could have been collected earlier. Amtrak should also call in other federal, state, or local authorities to assist with this matter, and defer to an outside agency for control of the investigation.t

Thank you, District 8 by Rafael Mandelman

am so grateful to the voters of District 8 for putting your faith in me as your next supervisor. At a time when our city faces tremendous challenges, with thousands of people suffering on our streets and neighborhood small businesses closing daily, your belief in me is a trust I will work tirelessly to honor. I am especially grateful to our sometimesfractious LGBTQ community, which came together in unprecedented fashion in support of my campaign. We were able to unite the Alice B. Toklas and Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic clubs, the Bay Area Reporter, and queer elected officials from all sides of the aisle. This kind of unity is especially important now, at a time when LGBTQ representation locally has diminished – I will be the sole queer member of the Board of Supervisors – and hard-won legal advances are threatened by a hostile Trump administration and a federal judiciary that will increasingly reflect the values of that administration. From the beginning of my campaign, I have argued that city government needs leaders committed to bringing people together, rising above ideology, and moving our city forward. District 8, the geographic and ideological center of San Francisco, demands that kind of leadership, and I pledge to work everyday to provide it. The voters of District 8 are liberal, but we are pragmatists. I plan to spend my time in City Hall showing that there is no necessary conflict between progressive values and pragmatic solutions. Knocking on doors and talking to constituents on street corners over the last year, I have been continually impressed by how much our residents care about their neighborhoods and their city, but I have been saddened by how many people seem to have despaired of our local government actually delivering the services we deserve. We have an $11 billion city budget, a mind-boggling figure that has almost doubled in the last decade, yet rare is the San Franciscan who feels she is getting twice the

Rick Gerharter

Supervisor-elect Rafael Mandelman

level of services she was 10 years ago. Far from it. Despite all our wealth, and despite a swelling city budget, City Hall has for too long failed to live up to San Francisco’s reputation as the “city that knows how.” When we started this campaign, I knew that homelessness was going to be my first priority if elected. I’ve spoken often about my own family’s experiences with mental illness and homelessness. But beyond being a personal priority for me, I believe the presence of so many seriously sick people on our streets is our city’s greatest public failure. For too long, politicians in City Hall have used homelessness as a weapon against their opponents, while the problem festered, human misery increased and neighbors grew increasingly frustrated. The fight locally over state Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) conservatorship legislation, SB 1045, reflects that history of dysfunction and distrust. Wiener and

I do not agree on everything, but we agree on the need to get the sickest folks off the streets and into care, whether or not they recognize their inability to care for themselves. From my first day in office I will be working tirelessly to expand the number of psychiatric beds and drug treatment facilities, establish longer term sub-acute care facilities for people who simply cannot live on their own, and, if passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, implement SB 1045 compassionately and effectively at the local level. Of course, these steps alone will not solve our homelessness crisis, but they can significantly improve the condition of our public spaces and help ensure that the sickest homeless people get the care they need. The issues that are of the biggest concern to District 8 residents – homelessness, filthy streets, vacant storefronts, housing unaffordability, rising traffic congestion, and an inadequate public transportation system – are not “progressive” or “moderate” issues. They are issues that affect everyone and require dedicated and pragmatic leadership to solve. Forty years ago Harvey Milk was elected on a promise of hope; as I prepare to take the seat that Milk once held, I have, of course, been thinking quite a bit about his legacy. Four decades later, the need for hope is no less. Today our task is to restore San Franciscans’ belief that our future can be better than our past, that our city’s growth and prosperity can benefit everyday people, that our government can be as innovative, compassionate, and effective as our people. It won’t be easy, but few things worth doing are. I am excited to get to work.t Attorney Rafael Mandelman, a gay man, is the supervisor-elect for District 8, which includes the Castro, Noe Valley, Glen Park, and other neighborhoods.

Letters >>

June 14-20, 2018 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 7

Good use for Milk plaza money

I believe that the group that wants to tart up the Castro Muni station should take its $10 million, give it to the AIDS museum, have it named after Harvey Milk, and consider their job done [“AIDS Museum in visionary stage,” May 31]. Jerry Lang San Francisco

Disagrees with neighborhood preference

At a recent Openhouse panel discussion, I was the person who asked: “What is the thinking behind the neighborhood preference?” I don’t think I got a satisfactory answer. The neighborhood preference is the third criteria for eligibility for winning the lotteries for senior affordable housing at 55 Laguna and 95 Laguna: (3) Households that submit acceptable documentation that at least one member lives in supervisorial District 8 or within a half-mile of the project will be given the third highest preference in the lottery ranking process under the Neighborhood Resident Housing Preference (NRHP). The NRHP applies to up to 40 percent of the units in this project (16 units). Former Openhouse board member Marcy Adelman, and Openhouse Executive Director Karyn Skultety, attempted to answer my question. My understanding of their response is that they (Openhouse and Mercy Housing) felt it was important to give priority to residents of and near the Castro. Still not sure why. My thinking is that although the Castro remains a center for the LGBT community in San Francisco, many in the LGBT community have either never been able to afford to live there or have more recently been forced to move from the Castro. That shouldn’t make them less eligible to land a new home at 55 Laguna or 95 Laguna.

And to set aside 16 units out of a total of 39 units at 55 Laguna for those who live in the neighborhood effectively says to the rest of us: others need not apply here. Mike Zonta San Francisco

Helping in red areas of CA

This is the letter to the editor I did not write before June’s primary election to invite a discussion if, in the Trump era, local politics may be a luxury we cannot afford. I think I’ll live if my candidate Mark Leno wins or London Breed is mayor, same if my District 8 candidate Rafael Mandelman won or the incumbent; but literally might not survive two more years of a Republican congressional majority. So now with Leno’s lead sadly reversing, but Mandelman having won, while I gave each support and/or money, I traveled some Saturdays from San Francisco to Modesto to knock on voters’ doors, and recruited others to do same and /or make phone calls from San Francisco to there. We will still live in San Francisco. But the progressive voter turnout and results in California Congressional District 10 in Modesto – to create the conditions to defeat Republican conservative Congressman Jeff Denham in a district Hillary Clinton won in the last presidential election – are affirming. From now to November, consider joining us at http:// www.resistry.net/ or email me at charlesspiegellaw@ gmail.com to make these trips or calls and have the conversations yourself. It’s the activist help outside the city that I’ve wanted San Francisco progressives to do since moving here 30 years ago, in addition to fighting for overall reasonable folks locally. Charlie Spiegel San Francisco

Mandelman faces token opposition in fall D8 race by Matthew S. Bajko

ith no major opponent filing to run against him in November, District 8 Supervisorelect Rafael Mandelman is all but assured of winning a full four-year term in the fall. The gay attorney decidedly won the seat in the special election June 5 to fill out the remainder of gay former supervisor Scott Wiener’s term through the end of the year. Wiener had resigned in late 2016 after being elected to the state Senate. Mandelman received 60 percent of the vote in the primary race, according to unofficial returns. His strong showing prompted Supervisor Jeff Sheehy, who had been appointed to the seat by the late mayor Ed Lee, to abandon his plans to run again in the fall. Because of that decision, the deadline for candidates to file to run in November will remain open through June 18. The only other person who qualified Tuesday was theatrical technician Lawrence “Stark” Dagasse, who came in a distant third in the primary race with just 1.74 percent of the vote. With moderate leaders like Wiener and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), as well as nine members of the Board of Supervisors, already backing the progressive Mandelman, it is highly unlikely he will draw a viable opponent for the seat that represents the gay Castro district, Noe Valley, Diamond Heights, and Glen Park at City Hall. “I hope that is right,” Mandelman, who already has a fall campaign war chest of more than $200,000, told the Bay Area Reporter Wednesday morning. His winning the seat flips control of the board to the progressives, who will have a 6-5 majority once Mandelman is sworn into office sometime in early July. With board President London Breed the expected winner of the mayor’s race, he will have a hand in

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District 8 Supervisor-elect Rafael Mandelman takes the oath of office after filing candidate papers to run for a full term in November.

helping to elect a progressive to be board president. (Breed is sure to appoint a moderate as her replacement who will need to run for a full term in November.) No supervisor has yet to reach out to Mandelman about the position, and he told the B.A.R. he was “just beginning to think” about who he would support. Whoever becomes president will be up for re-election to the post in January when the winners of the even-numbered supervisor races, and the District 5 race, this November are sworn into office. Those contests could also swing control of the board back to the moderates. In a surprise move Tuesday, District 4 Supervisor Katy Tang announced she would not run for re-election in order to seek new opportunities in the private sector. She is backing her aide, Jessica Ho, in the race against two male candidates, Adam Kim and Mike Murphy. Due to Tang’s decision, the filing deadline to run for her seat will remain open until Monday. In the District 2 race, Kat Anderson

announced this week she was dropping her bid and endorsed Supervisor Catherine Stefani in the race. Former supervisor Mark Farrell appointed Stefani to the seat after becoming mayor in January. BART board director Nick Josefowitz is running to oust Stefani, as are businessman John Dennis and Schulyer Hudak, a documentarian who has worked for several Democratic officials. School board member Matt Haney is running for the open District 6 seat against two moderate candidates, prodevelopment advocate Sonja Trauss and former planning commissioner Christine Johnson. Supervisor Jane Kim is termed out. The District 10 supervisor seat is also open, as Malia Cohen is termed out and running for a seat on the state’s tax board in November. Running to succeed her are Human Rights Commissioner Theodore Ellington, the Golden State Warrior’s director of public affairs, and school board member Shamann Walton, executive director of nonprofit Young Community Developers. Also running are Tony Kelly, a Potrero Hill resident who has run before, and community leaders Uzuri Pease-Greene, Asale-Haquekyah Chandler, and Gloria Berry. Mandelman has endorsed Stefani, Haney, and Walton but has yet to endorse in the District 4 race.

Lesbian Oakland candidate fined

Margaret “Peggy” Moore, a lesbian political consultant, is being fined $2,500 by the state’s political watchdog agency for failing to include the required language on mailings she sent out during her failed bid for Oakland City Council in 2016. Moore, a former adviser to Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, is a well-known national Democratic Party leader. Two years ago she tried to oust from office lesbian Oakland At-Large Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan, who easily won re-election that November. According to the California Fair Political Practices Commission, See page 17 >>

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<< National News

t Conservatives join Kennedy in narrow cake ruling 8 • BAY AREA REPORTER • June 14-20, 2018

analysis by Lisa Keen

hings appeared to be winding down last Monday on the live blog at Scotusblog, a website popular with observers and journalists covering the U.S. Supreme Court. Whenever the court issues decisions, http:// www.scotusblog.com has seasoned journalists posting, within seconds, the quick details of the news: what case has been decided, which justice wrote the decision, and the result – whether the court affirmed the lower court decision or reversed it. On June 4, LGBT legal activists were awaiting a decision in one major LGBT case: Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado. And they were hoping to see the words “affirmed.” A state court had ruled that Jack Phillips, the owner of a bakery in Colorado, could not use his religious beliefs to circumvent a state anti-discrimination law. Phillips had done just that, when he refused, in 2012, to sell a cake to a same-sex couple for their wedding reception. Many court observers believed that court’s most veteran member, Justice Anthony Kennedy, would be the likely author of the Masterpiece decision. He has written most of the important LGBT-related decisions in recent years. And on a court whose other eight members were evenly split between those who tended to support equal rights for LGBT people and those who tended not to, Kennedy had always been the tiebreaker. Supreme Court decisions are typically announced from the bench, starting at 10 a.m., by the justice who wrote the decision. The decisions are announced in order of seniority, so Kennedy – if he had a decision to announce that day – would be last. There were 29 decisions still pending, so there was no guarantee that Masterpiece would be one that day. In fact, in past years, LGBT-related decisions

Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips won a narrow ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.

were almost always announced on the last day of the court’s session at the end of June. Just before 10 a.m., scotusblog noted that the press office had just brought out paper copies of the day’s decisions in “two boxes.” This is Supreme Court press code for “probably two decisions, maybe three.” But reporters can’t see the paper copies until the court has started announcing the decision from the bench. 10:02 a.m.: First decision announced is from Justice Sonia Sotomayor. It’s a bankruptcy case. So the next decision would have to come from Sotomayor or any of the more senior members of the bench. 10:07 a.m.: The next decision is out. It’s from Kennedy. It’s a case involving an issue in sentencing. 10:12 a.m.: Scotusblog notes that the court is suddenly diverting from its usual protocol around seniority. Justice Samuel Alito, one of the more junior members, is announcing a third decision to be released that day. It’s another sentencing case. Then two minutes later, a fourth

decision is announced: “We got Masterpiece,” says scotusblog. “It is by Kennedy and it is reversed.” Not Kennedy “affirmed.” Kennedy “reversed.” And only Justices Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg were in dissent.

The stunning complexity of it all

The longer one watches the U.S. Supreme Court, the stronger one feels trepidation about predicting outcomes. But the outcome with Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado brought a new level of unpredictability to Supreme Court decision-making, particularly for LGBT people. Yes, many court observers opined last December that the questions Kennedy asked and the remarks he made during oral argument seemed to indicate he was leaning away from the pro-LGBT trend he had established for years. He admonished a member of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission – the commission that initially ruled against baker Phillips – for

making remarks that he, Kennedy, said showed “hostility to religion” and were disrespectful of Phillips’ religious views against marriage for same-sex couples. He wondered aloud why the gay couple that was turned away by Phillips didn’t just go to another bakery. But even with that backdrop, it was a stunning result to have the justice regarded by many as the court’s champion for LGBT equality rule against the community’s position in a case critical to the viability of what few laws in this country prohibit discrimination against LGBT people. It was stunning, too, to see that two other justices who typically vote for the LGBT legal position – Justices Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan – voted with Kennedy and the court’s conservatives. Then legal activists and analysts began to study the details of Kennedy’s decision, and the view transformed. The 7-2 majority had not ruled that a business owner’s religious views gives him a free pass to violate civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. They ruled only that, in their judgment, the record showed there had been significant hostility shown by the Colorado commission for Phillips’ religious views against marriage for same-sex couples. The First Amendment’s guarantee that people shall have free exercise of religion, said the majority opinion, means the government (in this case, the commission) cannot “act in a manner that passes judgment upon or presupposes the illegitimacy of religious beliefs and practices.” The Supreme Court set aside and invalidated the rulings against Phillips and said the greater issues in the case – concerning religious beliefs and civil rights laws protecting LGBT people – would have to be “resolved in the future ....” The striking thing about how the

majority handled the case, however, was that it could have easily resolved its concern about the commission’s “hostility” with a brief order. Instead, it provided an 18-page majority opinion that signaled the Supreme Court’s concern that gay people be treated with “dignity and worth,” that laws “can, and in some cases must” protect them, and that their efforts to be treated equally must be given “great weight and respect” by the courts. Kennedy, Breyer, Kagan, and three conservative members – Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Alito and Neil Gorsuch – signed onto this language: “Our society has come to the recognition that gay persons and gay couples cannot be treated as social outcasts or as inferior in dignity and worth. For that reason the laws and the Constitution can, and in some instances must, protect them in the exercise of their civil rights. The exercise of their freedom on terms equal to others must be given great weight and respect by the courts.” Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund’s Jenny Pizer said the paragraph could have “great significance.” “It is dicta,” she explained, referring to the fact that the paragraph was not a ruling on the matter at hand – the way the commission handled the complaint against the baker. But, she said, it is “a strong statement of how Kennedy is thinking about this question, and probably how he’s engaging the other justices.” “He got Roberts, Alito, and Gorsuch to join that language,” said Pizer. Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, agreed. “The decision is so narrow that almost everything in the opinion is dicta, including that statement, but it’s still powerful,” Minter said. See page 16 >>

Alert

Bus Substitutions The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is making major infrastructure improvements to century-old Twin Peaks Tunnel. Planned improvements include replacing train tracks and seismic reinforcements in the tunnel between Castro and West Portal stations.

Starting June 25 for 2 months

Construction will begin in summer 2018, during a tunnel closure lasting up to two months. During the closure, Forest Hill and West Portal stations will be closed, the K Ingleside will travel on a shortened route, and bus service will run for the L Taraval and M Ocean View lines.

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<< Business News

t Gay-owned bank taps into digital financial future 10 • BAY AREA REPORTER • June 14-20, 2018

by Matthew S. Bajko

olin Walsh, the founder and CEO of Varo Money Inc., envisions a day where the local bank branch is a relic of financial history. Rather, people will do all of their banking transactions online. Whether it is paying a bill, depositing a check, or applying for a loan, Walsh argues all one needs to manage their finances is a computer or smartphone with access to the internet. “You don’t have to wait in line at a branch and pay a lot of fees,” said Walsh. He launched Varo nearly three years ago to offer people an alternative to traditional banks like Wells Fargo and Bank of America. The company, which is based in San Francisco, has raised $78 million to date, led by the investment firm Warburg Pincus. “I thought there was a huge opportunity to create a bank that really had people’s back,” said Walsh, a gay man in his late 40s who lives in the city. “We are using modern technology to improve their financial health.” Last year, the company unveiled the Varo app for iPhones, which has since been downloaded more than 250,000 times, and will soon make one available for Android phones. Walsh, however, would not disclose how many people are active users. Those who do sign up with Varo have a bank account offered through Bancorp Bank and deposits are FDICinsured up to $250,000. Through the company, customers not only have access to checking and savings accounts but also can apply for loans. Unlike more traditional banks, Varo does not charge users fees. “Banks often succeed when people make mistakes, like with overdraft fees. They made $34 billion last year on overdraft fees. To me, I think that

is wrong,” said Walsh, who early in his career worked for global financial institutions, including American Express and Wells Fargo. “People Courtesy Varo Bank need a bank in this world to do Varo CEO Colin good and help Walsh people out. That is what was my motivation to start the bank.” Advising Walsh and serving on Varo’s board of directors is Caryl Athanasiu, 58, a lesbian who is a former executive vice president at Wells Fargo. The San Mateo resident, who has two children and is in the middle of divorcing her wife, had retired from the San Francisco-based bank early due to family issues. Looking for a new opportunity that didn’t require a fulltime commitment, Athanasiu was introduced to Walsh by a mutual friend and agreed to advise him on launching Varo. She joined the company’s board last spring and now chairs its audit and risk committee. While mainstream banks aren’t going to disappear anytime soon, Athanasiu sees Varo as being on the vanguard of where banking is headed. As the company’s billboards around the city note, “‘Let’s go to the bank,’ said no one ever.” “I think it is going to be a long time before the big banks give up all their brick-and-mortar locations because they are so invested in it. And they are invested in using it as a sales opportunity,” she said. “We think it is a much better answer to have a simplified, customer focused, fee-free, pocket banker, and that really is the direction customers want.” Because Varo doesn’t have to lease retail locations and hire the employees

Courtesy Varo Bank

Varo Money Inc. is a gay-owned bank based in San Francisco.

needed to oversee branches, it doesn’t need to charge its customers all sorts of banking fees, Athanasiu pointed out. It is also able to offer a higher annual percentage yield, currently at 1.35 percent, on savings accounts. “When you put everything on the phone and don’t have a ton of real estate to support, you have a much lower cost structure. You can pass those savings on to customers in a way that is really sustainable,” she said. “We don’t give you no fee to start with and charge you in a year, or offer you a teaser rate to start with and then charge you more.” The company aims to turn a profit, instead, from the interest rates it charges Varo users who take out loans. “There is no need to charge consumers a fee,” said Andy Bandyopadhyay, 29, Varo’s director of research and insights since March. “You only need a small fraction of users to take out loans to make a profit as a business.” Nor does Varo charge its users who pay off their loans earlier than expected, noted Bandyopadhyay.

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“We can offer them to pay down their loans early and faster without penalizing them. It makes good business sense and good customer sense,” he said. “I don’t see why you wouldn’t do it.” The transgender man, who is bisexual, had worked for Salesforce when he first moved to the Bay Area in 2014 and then was hired at Facebook. Unhappy with having to commute out of the city, Bandyopadhyay applied for a job with Varo in early 2016. He transitioned after being hired and said the support he received from the company and his coworkers during that time was “actually amazing.” While Varo does not yet offer Bandyopadhyay and his husband the ability to create a joint account on the app, Bandyopadhyay is using it for most of his financial transactions. Athanasiu has a debit card and bank account through Varo that she uses on a daily basis. She uses the account aggregation feature Varo

Leno concedes

From page 1

her edge in the vote count increase. Wednesday morning Leno called Breed to concede the race and thank her on her win. He told reporters crammed into the front office of his Budget Signs business not far from City Hall that she had been “gracious” on the call and said she would welcome his help as mayor. In addition to congratulating Breed on her victory, Leno said he also called “to wish her every success, both personally and professionally, in her new job as mayor of San Francisco.” He added that Breed is “a remarkable young woman who is going to do a fine job as mayor.” Leno, however, did not rule running again for mayor against Breed in 2019, when she will be seeking a full four-year term in Room 200 at City Hall. Twice he told reporters that “is a decision for another day.” As of the Bay Area Reporter’s press time Wednesday afternoon, Breed was at 50.42 percent of the vote after nine rounds under the city’s ranked-choice voting system. Leno was at 49.58 percent and trailing Breed by 1,861 votes, according to the unofficial returns. Because none of the eight mayoral candidates received a majority of the votes in the first round, the third and second place votes of the candidates with the least number one votes are tabulated until a winner emerges with 50 percent plus one of the vote. Elections officials said Tuesday they still had 8,000 ballots to process and expect the process to take several more days to complete. They have been updating the tally daily at 4 p.m. Breed is set to become the city’s first elected African-American female mayor. Her campaign did not respond to a request for comment by the B.A.R.’s press deadline. She briefly served as acting mayor

offers to manage her accounts with various banks – be it checking, savings, or her auto loan through a credit union – all at once and move money between them via the app. “I can see my whole banking picture in Varo. I can’t do that with Wells Fargo but can do that with Varo,” she noted. One thing Athanasiu has not used Varo for is to deposit cash into her accounts. To do so, users need to go to a retail location that is part of the Green Dot network, such as a Safeway or Walmart, and make a deposit at the cash register. Locations are listed on its website at www.greendot.com; the company charges a transaction fee of $5.95 or less for doing so. Varo users can take money out at numerous ATM locations for no fee via the Varo debit card; however, the ATM operator may charge them a fee. The app offers an ATM locator to find the nearest one. Checks can be deposited via the Varo app by taking a photo of them. And Varo recently rolled out a feature where it will automatically round up a purchase to the next dollar amount and put the difference in users’ savings accounts. A $4.12 coffee purchase, for example, would see .88 cents be deposited into savings. “Within 48 hours, 2,000 people had signed up for that,” said Walsh. “We are helping lots of customers improve their financial health and encourage your readers to switch their bank to Varo.” To find out more about Varo and how to sign up for an account, visit www. varomoney.com.t Got a tip on LGBT business news? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or e-mail mailto:m. bajko@ebar.com.

upon the sudden death of the late mayor Ed Lee on December 12 until a majority of her board colleagues in January elected former District 2 supervisor Mark Farrell mayor on an interim basis. “We await the final results to see if our citywide success will translate into an eventual victory,” wrote Breed in a note to her supporters Monday evening. “The important thing for now is that every ballot be counted. The hardworking staff at the Department of Elections are working tirelessly to process a historic number of ballots.” District 6 Supervisor Jane Kim has remained in third place, and as of Tuesday she was at 27.65 percent of the vote. She had teamed up with Leno to urge their supporters to vote for the other one as their number two choice in the race. And until the weekend, it had looked like the strategy was working to the benefit of Leno. Kim, in fact, had all but conceded the race to Leno last week, stating in an emailed statement June 6 that, “it looks very likely that Mark Leno will be elected San Francisco’s next mayor.” On Wednesday she issued a statement to offer her own congratulations to Breed. “I’m proud to live in the largest city in America with a woman as mayor,” stated Kim. “I also want to thank Mark Leno and acknowledge his nearly two decades of service as a publicly elected official who has accomplished so much on behalf of our city.” She wasn’t the only one to incorrectly call the election for Leno. Equality California, the statewide LGBT advocacy organization that had endorsed Leno, early in the morning of June 6 issued a statement saying that Leno “was poised to make history” as San Francisco’s first openly gay mayor. But it increasingly became clear this week that Leno would not break through the city’s political rainbow glass ceiling. t

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<< Community News

12 • BAY AREA REPORTER • June 14-20, 2018

Queer SF State film program gets $50K grant by Alex Madison

Saving space beautifully!

s Johnny Symons, co-founder of the Queer Cinema Project and an assistant professor at San Francisco State University, put it; queer filmmaking is a way for LGBT community members to express the complexities and nuances of their lives to the world. Thanks to a $50,000-matching grant QCP recently received from the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, more students will be able to share their stories on screen. The filmmaking program, open to graduate and undergraduate students, fosters amateur queer filmmakers at SF State through community building, education, and guidance from established queer filmmakers. The grant money will be used to strengthen the mentorship program for the 20 or so current students involved, organize monthly meetings, pay for the cost of student productions, and help

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San Francisco State Queer Cinema Project co-founder Johnny Symons

launch an online platform in partnership with Frameline, an LGBT media arts organization that holds San Francisco’s annual LGBT film festival, which will be used to promote student films to the public. The Jonathan Logan Family Foundation gave $25,000 initially, now QCP must raise an additional $25,000 before receiving the $25,000

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Teams organizing for AIDS Walk

compiled by Cynthia Laird

matching donation from the foundation, for a total of $75,000. “We are looking at how we can tell LGBT stories to the world and make them as high quality as we can and get as much traction as we can for them,” Symons, a gay man, told the Bay Area Reporter in a recent interview. Symons, along with two other queer SF State professors of cinema – Scott Boswell and Cheryl Dunye – founded the program almost three years ago. As part of the expansion of the QCP mentorship program, the founders and other queer filmmakers will pair with students to give them feedback and guidance on their projects. Dunye is well known for her 1996 award-winning film, “The Watermelon Woman,” the first feature film to be directed by a black lesbian. “We have a queer sensibility and are all active queer storytellers,”

onprofits, companies, and others are organizing teams for this year’s AIDS Walk San Francisco, and people can join them or create their own for the charity event that raises about $2 million for HIV/AIDS organizations. AIDS Walk San Francisco, a 10K walk, takes place Sunday, July 15, in Golden Gate Park. The National AIDS Memorial Grove sent out an email to supporters last week encouraging people to join its team and help meet its $90,000 fundraising goal. People can sign up as a walker, a virtual walker, make a general donation to the team, or spread the word about the grove. Other top fundraising teams so far include the Castro Country Club, PRC, and UCSF’s AIDS Research Institute, according to the AIDS Walk website. Organized by the AIDS Walk San Francisco Foundation, the event is easy to participate in.

Rick Gerharter

Troy Brunet, holding flag, and other walkers from PRC took part in last year’s AIDS Walk.

The 2018 primary beneficiaries are ACRIA, a leading research organization on HIV and aging; PRC; and Project Open Hand. To register, or for more information, visit https://sf.aidswalk. net/. To join the AIDS grove’s team, visit https://sf.aidswalk.net/ nationalaidsmemorial.

Rec and Park Pride events

The San Francisco Recreation

and Parks Department is involved with a number of events during Pride Month. Rec and Park is hosting the Trans March and Dyke March rallies at Mission Dolores Park on June 22 and 23, respectively. The Trans March event begins at 11 a.m. next Friday; the Dyke March starts at 5 p.m. Saturday. But before that, on Saturday, June 16, there will be an Art and Pride opening reception at the Harvey Milk Photo Center, 50 Scott Street. The party, which is free, takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. For more information, visit http://sfrecpark.org/.

Open house at Milk branch library

The Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk Memorial Branch Library will hold a free open house Saturday, June 16, from noon to 3 p.m. at 1 Jose Sarria Court in San Francisco. The event will feature a fun afternoon of music, stories, and entertainment. A special storytime by the Sisters of Perpetual See page 16 >>

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<< Community News

14 • BAY AREA REPORTER • June 14-20, 2018

Castro bar owner spit on, called ‘faggot’ by car driver

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he owner of Last Call Bar in the Castro district, Kevin Harrington, was allegedly spit on and called a faggot twice by a young man Monday morning. When Harrington reported the incident to San Francisco police officers, he said they refused to take witness statements and asked if Harrington was a faggot. On his way to work June 11, Harrington, 52, and his partner, Karl Kopplin, parked their car on Noe Street near 18th Street around 9:15 a.m. Harrington got out of his car and walked to the trunk to grab his backpack. He then saw a man aggressively driving a navy Toyota Prius in his direction. Harrington yelled at the man, “Hey, slow down. I’m walking here.” The man in the Prius then stopped his car, got out, and started to approach Harrington while yelling at him, Harrington said. “He was so angry and in my face,” Harrington told the Bay Area Reporter. “I’ve lived here for 18 years. I stood my ground.” Harrington said the man threatened to kill him and his partner, spit in Harrington’s face and called him a faggot. The suspect was described as 6 feet, skinny, and in his early 20s with bleach blond hair, Harrington said. “Instead of hitting me, he spit in my face,” Harrington said. “At that point, I chased him.” Harrington said the Prius driver then got back in his car while threatening to “fuck up” Harrington’s car and drove off erratically on 18th Street before turning and driving on the wrong side of Noe Street. Harrington and his partner thought the man was going to leave the area. Meanwhile, an employee of the 7-Eleven located next to Last Call Bar, at 18th Street, saw the incident and called the police while it happened. The police asked to speak with Harrington. The 7-Eleven employee handed the phone over to Harrington, who completed the call. At that point, Harrington and his partner began to head into Last Call to wait for the police when they saw the Prius turn on Sanchez Street and begin heading back in the direction of Harrington and his partner. Harrington started walking back to his car, afraid the man would try and vandalize it. Kopplin remained in the bar. The suspect then parked his Prius near Harrington, who said the suspect had keys in

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Karl Kopplin, left, and his partner, Kevin Harrington

his hand, indicating to Harrington that the man was going to key his car. It was then that Kopplin came out of the bar and approached the scene. The suspect spit on Kopplin, called him a faggot, and spit on Harrington a second time. The man got back in his car and drove off.

Police response

Around 9:50 a.m., about 30 minutes after calling the police, officers had not arrived. Waiting in the bar, Harrington saw two police officers enter the 7-Eleven. Thinking the officers were responding to the call, Harrington and his partner approached the officers. The officers were not responding to the call, but happened to be in the area. Harrington began to tell Officer Michael Marcic and Officer Frisk, whose first name wasn’t immediately available, what happened near the scene of the incident. When Harrington told the officers that the suspect spit on him and called him a faggot, Marcic responded by saying, “Well, are you?” Harrington said. Harrington asked if the incident would be investigated as a hate crime and Marcic said that calling Harrington and his partner a faggot and threatening to kill them was a First Amendment right and not concise enough to be considered a hate crime, Harrington said. “He called us faggots and threatened to kill us. How much more concise does it need to be?” Harrington said. When Harrington asked if the officers would speak to the 7-Eleven employee, the officers responded by saying they didn’t need to talk to him, Harrington said. “It’s our word against the guy if he doesn’t get a witness statement,” Harrington said.

When the B.A.R. spoke with San Francisco Police Department spokeswoman Officer Grace Gatpandan, she said it was too early to define the incident as a hate crime. But she did say the hate crimes unit was informed of the incident and will be given further information and evidence once it is gathered. The incident is currently being treated as a battery investigation. Gatpandan said the area is going to be canvassed and inspected for cameras. When asked why the officers did not take witness statements, Gatpandan said the officers had enough information at the time for the report. Harrington posted the incident on the online community forum Nextdoor and another witness came forward who said the episode may have been captured on their home security cameras. “I want to make sure he is prosecuted. I want him in court,” Harrington said. The event left Harrington angry with both the suspect and the police. “There are great police officers out there but some of them, frankly, seem to side with the people doing these crimes over us,” he said. “[The police] look at the merchants around here like there is some kind of problem.” Harrington talked to gay District 8 supervisor-elect Rafael Mandelman about the incident. Mandelman reached out to Mission station Captain Gaetano Caltagirone and asked him to call Harrington. “It’s concerning to me if people are reporting crimes and if they are not being treated well or their reports are not taken seriously,” Mandelman told the B.A.R. Mission Station Captain Gaetano Caltagirone personally called Harrington Tuesday afternoon. Harrington gave Gaetano the names of some of the witnesses. “I explained to him what happened and told him [the suspect] spit in my face twice and called me a faggot,” Harrington said. “[Gaetano] said, ‘that’s not nice.’ I told him it’s more than not nice, it’s assault.” Gaetano told Harrington he would contact the witnesses and look into the incident. In regards to the officer asking if Harrington was a faggot, Mandelman said, “If that is what happened, that is absolutely unacceptable.” “I’m sick of it,” Harrington said. Referencing the June 11 incident Harrington said, “It’s 2018 and it’s Pride Month and that’s how the police responded.”t

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Rachele Sullivan, center, cuts a ribbon outside the Stud bar Tuesday to celebrate the designation of San Francisco’s Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District.

about 10 blocks in an area South of Market that was once home to dozens of watering holes catering to the community, aims to preserve and support leather- and queer-oriented businesses in one of the most rapidly gentrifying parts of the city. Tuesday’s celebration featured a social hour at Mr. S Leather on Eighth Street, a ribbon-cutting outside the Stud at Harrison and Ninth streets,

and a champagne toast at the Eagle on 12th Street, all of which fall within the boundaries of the new district. “To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time a city has officially acknowledged that leather culture is inherently important,” said Bay Area Reporter leather columnist Race Bannon. “It serves as a beacon of hope for people throughout the country, and indeed the world.” The cultural district is one of several efforts to recognize and preserve the area’s leather and queer history in the face of rampant development, including the establishment of the Eagle Plaza outside the bar of the same name and a leather history installation on Ringold Alley. “The leather and LGBTQ culture which has thrived here for decades is an outgrowth of the tolerance and acceptance that make San Francisco an outstanding place to live, work, and play,” Bob Goldfarb, another leader of the group that spearheaded the cultural district, told the B.A.R. “Preserving and nurturing that culture helps keep this city a unique and diverse place.” t

Commentary>>

June 14-20, 2018 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 15

Sex workers draw support at Oakland rally by Christina A. DiEdoardo

Frontier Foundation, said at the rally. “It’s about your right to organize.” As their names would indicate, FOSTA, or Fight Online Sex Trafficking, and SESTA, or Stop Online Sex Trafficking, began life as House and Senate bills that were sold to the public as anti-child trafficking measures. To Harmon, the real purpose of the law is far different. In Harmon’s view, under FOSTASESTA the internet “is going to become a more restrictive and more censored platform,” he said. “And if [internet providers] think you’re too high-risk, there’s a real danger of you

t’s often said that for members of marginalized communities, their simple existence requires complicated acts of resistance. There are few more salient examples of this than the lives of sex workers in the Bay Area and across America. Since 2014, the biggest websites they used to screen clients and spread the word about dangerous ones – such as the former myredbook.com – have been seized by the federal government, which has also pressured banks and other financial services providers to close or freeze the accounts of sex workers. As shown by their “Aye” votes on FOSTA-SESTA, which makes internet sites and providers criminally liable if they “promote” consensual prostitution, apparently one of the few things Democratic politicians – including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senator Dianne Feinstein (DCalifornia) – agree with Republicans about is making the lives of sex workers more difficult. Despite this background, on Saturday, June 2, nearly 500 sex workers and allies assembled at Frank Ogawa Plaza (also known as Oscar Grant Plaza) in Oakland at a rally sponsored by Bay Area Prostitution Support to send a clear message to their adversaries. “We are here, we will continue to be here, and we will never apologize

Christina A. DiEdoardo

At a June 2 rally, a protester asks how they are to keep themselves safe from abusive clients following the federal government’s crackdown on websites assisting sex workers.

for how we survive,” Nikki Darling, a porn performer and sex worker, told an enthusiastic crowd. “Whether you are a sex worker, have been a sex worker, have loved a sex worker, or known a sex worker, I think I speak for all of us when I say that we are tired,” Darling said. “We are tired of being expendable. And we are tired of our lives being pushed further and further underground.” The Bay Area has a long history of resistance like this by sex workers. From Margo St. James’ founding of COYOTE (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics) in 1973, which advocated for the

decriminalization of sex work for decades, to the creation of the St. James Infirmary in San Francisco in 1999 to serve the medical needs of those in the profession, sex workers here have been a shining example of what a community can accomplish if it taps its collective power by organizing. Even so, the stakes have rarely been as high as they are at present. Worse, sex workers may be only the first target of laws like FOSTA-SESTA, not their last. “When you really boil it down, [FOSTA-SESTA] is not really about [sex] trafficking and it’s not about sex work,” Eliot Harmon, associate director of activism for the Electronic

FIFA to LGBT fans: Be yourself, but be careful by Roger Brigham

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was shocked, shocked I tell you, to learn that even though the U.S. men’s soccer team did not qualify for it, FIFA nonetheless has decided to hold its men’s World Cup soccer tournament in Russia, starting this week. You remember Russia, don’t you? Long before it was pulling the chad on presidential ballots across the country, it was passing anti-gay legislation shortly before hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics – laws forbidding any positive communications about gays and lesbians and which the Center for Independent Social Research now tells us is the reason for hate crimes in Russia doubling. FIFA, soccer’s governing body, has declared to bring its acceptance index into the 21st century and be inclusive of all fans and athletes regardless of sexual orientation or expression. In the same breath, it is warning LGBT fans to watch out for homophobic hooligans bent on violence and more or less put a lid on being expressively gay for the duration of the World Cup. “Since 2012, the government has unleashed the worst human rights crackdown in Russia’s contemporary history,” Human Rights Watch reports. “Russian police consistently fail to prevent harassment and attacks and to investigate anti-LGBT crimes”. The Football Against Racism in Europe Network, or FARE, is encouraging LGBT fans to go to the World Cup but is warning those same fans not to be affectionately demonstrative or outspoken about gay issues, publishing a guide of “do’s and don’ts” for gay soccer fans. “Wearing a rainbow pin, rainbow flag, or holding hands is not an offense unless police treat it as a demonstration,” the guide warns. “According

being pushed off the platform.” Prior to FOSTA-SESTA, the federal Communications Decency Act generally provided internet service providers with a safe harbor from liability if they could plead ignorance of what the government considered to be illegal activities on their sites. As a result, prosecutors were limited to going after sites like myredbook. com, which was designed to provide support services to sex workers (like a “bad date” list, which describes clients who don’t pay, are violent, or both) or

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Football Against Racism in Europe is warning LGBT fans to be wary at the World Cup in Russia.

to assurances from the local organizers and FIFA, you can wear rainbow symbols in the stadiums and official FIFA Fan Fests. Nevertheless, be aware of the possibility of negative reaction from people nearby. You CAN: Wear rainbow symbols on clothes or as accessories, hold hands, discuss the topic of protecting the rights of LGBT people. You CANNOT: Participate in protest action in defense of LGBT rights, even if you are just standing alone with a rainbow flag in the middle of a square.” The guide goes on to warn people about booking one hotel room for two men, the risk of blackmailers on dating apps, and the care needed with “LGBT+ symbolism or expressions away from city centers or when the environment seems less welcoming.” Want to order a cake to celebrate your same-sex marriage while you are at the World Cup? Probably not a good idea. Apparently, not being obviously gay but being part of an ethnic or racial minority can also put you at risk. “Ethnic profiling and ID checks are very common on the metro in Moscow and St. Petersburg,” the diversity guide warns. “You can be asked to go through a metal detector and have the contents of your bags searched.

Russians can be less sensitive to racist language and often lack tact when communicating with black or Asian people. The word historically used to refer to black people as ‘negr’ which might sound close to the ‘N-word’ but is still widely used and considered neutral by Russians. If your religious dress sets you apart, take extra care.” FARE has also created an app with which individuals can report instances of violence or discrimination; and will run a Diversity House similar to the Pride Houses that have been run at other major sports events. In 2014, conservative Cossacks grabbed headlines when they attacked performing members of Pussy Riot, using pepper spray and whips on the protesting performers. This go round, Cossacks will be used to reinforce crowd control in Ristov, one of the sites for World Cup matches, and the leader of the Cossack group said his men will report any same-sex kisses to police. Even before this year’s World Cup got started, there was serious concern about possible sites for future World Cups. The United States, Canada, and Mexico have teamed up for a bid to host the 2026 World Cup, and FIFA announced Wednesday that it received the bid. The team was competing See page 16 >>

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<< Community News

16 • BAY AREA REPORTER • June 14-20, 2018

Salazar

From page 1

their supporters reach out to state and local representatives for help on the case. Sailas’ Facebook post on June 3 read, “Here is a list of your local representatives, contact them. Let them know that their constituents want Amtrak to open their investigation. For Robin, for Aaron, and the many other victims swept under the rug.” A member of the Putnam family, Cindy Putnam, also asked followers to contact representatives “to demand that Amtrak be investigated by the FBI for their handling” of the cases in a June 2 Facebook post.

Significant injuries

Salazar suffered significant injuries. He was reported to have multiple head injuries, with an MRI showing damage to his brain stem, a broken pelvis, and severe burns near his groin and upper thighs. The May 29 news conference held by Amtrak and the Truckee Police Department, which initially responded

Kaplan

From page 5

theme that Kaplan returned to during her speech. “The level of police misconduct is totally unacceptable,” she said, calling out the fact that officers in the Oakland Police Department were promoted even after their roles in a police sex scandal came to light. “I know we need a person dedicated to justice,” Kaplan told the audience, “and the best way to strengthen Oakland is that I’m endorsing and supporting Cat Brooks for mayor. I’ve had the opportunity to spend time with, and listen to, Cat Brooks, who has been speaking up for justice.”

Cake ruling

From page 8

It’s powerful to realize, too, that any of the conservative justices could have concurred in the judgment in favor of Phillips without signing onto Kennedy’s opinion. That’s what Justice Clarence Thomas did. He wrote his own opinion, concurring in the majority’s judgment but saying he thought the baker should have won on the First Amendment issue. Thomas said cakes constitute an “expression” and that Phillips’ creation of cakes

News Briefs

From page 12

Indulgence will take place at 2. All ages are welcome to attend this free event. For more information, visit https:// sfpl.org/index.php?pg=1032915001.

Openhouse art show

Openhouse, the agency that serves LGBTQ seniors, will have an art show Saturday, June 16, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Bethany Center/Ruth’s Table, 580 Capp Street in San Francisco. Art from several Openhouse community members will be featured. Ruth’s Table offers programs that encourage personal growth and wellbeing by promoting community

Jock Talk

From page 15

against a bid from Morocco. Before the winning bid was announced, Athlete Ally was quick to criticize the fact that although Morocco’s law forbids homosexual conduct and people have been imprisoned in recent years for being gay, soccer’s governing body recently assessed the risk for human rights violations is equal between the two bids. “Morocco has an explicitly

to the call of Salazar being found, revealed more details on the case and some reasoning as to why authorities see it as an attempted suicide. “There is no physical evidence or witness statements to [suggest] a physical altercation occurring on the train,” Trugman said at the news conference. He said investigators spoke with 300 customers, crewmembers, and Salazar’s friends, and said that “individuals who noted interactions with Mr. Salazar shared that he expressed to them a number of life concerns and challenges he was having.” Trugman said Salazar was “very distraught” and that the incident “appears to be an attempted suicide.” Trugman said at 9:27 a.m. May 15, “a Union Pacific Railroad foreman adjacent to the tracks saw the Amtrak train go by with an open window on one of its coaches, but did not notify Amtrak at that time.” Trugman confirmed Salazar was found at 11:10 a.m. by Union Pacific workers between Reno and Truckee. Trugman said that the open window was not a passenger window, but a window used by conductors

and train employees, although it is accessible to passengers. The window was attached to one of the exit doors. He also said that a similar incident had occurred in which a passenger jumped from an exit door window while the train was moving. Salazar’s family claims the evidence of the incident being a hate crime includes what they believe to be signs of self-defense, including blood under Salazar’s fingernails and scrapes and bruises on his knuckles and hands. The family claims Amtrak did not take any forensic evidence. There were burns near Salazar’s groin, something the family said is not concurrent with injuries that could result from jumping off of a train. “[Trugman’s] claims about Aaron’s injuries falling from a train are not consistent with what anyone who has seen Aaron can attest to. For one, those burns that were supposedly from jumping out of a train are not consistent with the facts because Aaron’s jeans were not damaged and his injuries themselves do not match jumping out of a train,” read a statement from Salazar’s

parents that was first released to the Los Angeles Blade. When Trugman was asked by reporters at the news conference about the burns near Salazar’s groin, he explained that they “have a good explanation for that.” Though he would not disclose the explanation, he did say, “When you fall out of a moving car down the highway you’re going to have friction, you’re going to have scrapes, and you’re going to have burns. Just imagine falling on hard surface from a train. We are comfortable with the explanations we have.” He said the train was traveling at 40 miles per hour, and that there were no cameras in the area where the incident occurred. Sailas and the family also cited a text message sent by Salazar a few hours before he was found as evidence of an attack. Salazar sent a text message to his great-grandmother that he found a new friend and was going to go exploring with them. Sailas believes that Salazar got off the train in Truckee with this new friend and was attacked. Leftwich, the Truckee police

chief, said Salazar did not get off the train in Truckee. “We do not believe at this time that there is anything to suggest that Aaron reached the Truckee Amtrak station,” Leftwich said at the news conference. “It was not a situation where he arrived in Truckee and disembarked in a normal manner. It’s not a well traveled area of the railroads, there are no pedestrian access points, no vehicle access points, and not easily walked to or driven to. You have to be there with purpose.” Trugman said the Amtrak Police Department spoke with the person Salazar was allegedly talking about in the text message and said they found nothing to believe the two had any physical altercation. To donate to Salazar’s medical costs, visit http://www.gofundme. com/bv5cn-just ice-for-aaron. To sign the online petition, visit h t t p s : / / w w w. t h e p e t i t i o n s i t e . com/218/267/003/demand-justicefor-aaron/. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Amtrak Police Department at (800) 331-0008. t

Kaplan also showed a map of the Oakland results for the Alameda County district attorney’s race. While DA Nancy O’Malley won re-election in the countywide race with 59.59 percent of the vote, according to unofficial returns, Kaplan pointed out that her challenger, civil rights attorney Pamela Price, won in the city. “Oakland voted for justice,” Kaplan said. “This is how people in Oakland voted.” Brooks pledged to make the city a sanctuary for all. “I spend 50 percent of my time arguing with Libby and protesting Libby,” Brooks told the crowd. “And I thought, what if there’s no Libby? “I have spent my time building

an Oakland we want to live in,” she added. At the announcement, Kaplan denounced the Schaaf campaign’s “push poll” and said it was done illegally because it was not disclosed who paid for it. Emily Matthews, with the Schaaf campaign, responded: “Rebecca’s wrong. This is common practice in thousands of polls done every year, and surely some done by Kaplan herself the same way. This is how polls get objective data.” Brooks said her campaign would be a “people’s campaign.” She plans to do a series of people’s assemblies, or town halls, over the next two months. “We can do this,” she said.

Brooks said she wanted to make Oakland a sanctuary city “for black people, for queer people, teachers.” “It can be done,” she said. The Oakland City Council could see the addition of more out members after the November election. In District 6, lesbian Filipino-American nurse Marlo Rodriguez is running in a crowded field against incumbent Desley Brooks, who was found liable for assaulting former Black Panther Elaine Brown at an Oakland restaurant. Brown, who sued Desley Brooks and the city, won a $1.2 million judgment from the city and $75,000 from Desley Brooks personally.

In District 4, where Councilwoman Annie Campbell Washington decided not to seek re-election, bi lesbian community activist and nonprofit professional Pamela Harris announced she is running for the open seat. That field is also expected to be crowded. Two months ago, Campbell Washington cited the “toxic” tone at City Hall as the reason why she was stepping down. Schaaf, who had held the District 4 council seat before becoming mayor, laid the blame for the dysfunction on Desley Brooks. In District 2, Councilman Abel Guillen, who identifies as two spirit, is seeking re-election. He is being challenged by Nikki Fortunato Bas, a community organizer. t

makes him an “active participant” in the weddings where his cakes are served. Therefore, said Thomas, the baker’s refusal to create a cake for a same-sex couple is protected by the First Amendment. “By forcing Phillips to create custom wedding cakes for same-sex weddings,” said Thomas, “Colorado’s public-accommodations law ‘alter[s] the expressive content’ of his message.” It is worth mentioning here that neither the Colorado law nor the commission that enforced that law forced Phillips to “create custom wedding cakes for same-sex weddings.” The commission just said that, if

Phillips was going to sell wedding cakes to male-female couples, he must sell them to same-sex couples. The cake designs shown on Masterpiece Cakeshop’s website illustrate that the vast majority of the wedding cake designs Phillips offers have neither religiously oriented symbols nor male-female images. They include flowers and swirls. And, as Ginsburg explained in her dissent, the gay couple that sought a cake from the Masterpiece Cakeshop “simply requested a wedding cake: They mentioned no message or anything else distinguishing the cake they wanted to buy from any other

wedding cake Phillips would have sold” to a male-female couple. “What matters is that Phillips would not provide a good or service to a same-sex couple that he would provide to a heterosexual couple,” wrote Ginsburg. The gay couple was “denied service based on an aspect of their identity that the state chose to grant vigorous protection from discrimination.” Ginsburg, joined by Sotomayor, said she would have affirmed the lower court decision. And thus, three justices have put their cards on the table: Thomas would give a First Amendment-based pass to business owners who wish to

discriminate against LGBT people; Ginsburg and Sotomayor would not. It will take another case – one untainted by side issues, such as commission neutrality – to decide the matter. “The outcome of cases like this in other circumstances,” said Kennedy, writing for the majority, “must await further elaboration in the courts, all in the context of recognizing that these disputes must be resolved with tolerance, without undue disrespect to sincere religious beliefs, and without subjecting gay persons to indignities when they seek goods and services in an open market.”t

participation, lifelong learning, and creative expression. It regularly hosts art openings, shows, and lecture events attended by the general public, local schools, and community partners that foster social capital and promote positive aging. Organizers said that the goals of this exhibition are to stimulate conversation and showcase LGBTQ seniors’ lives and perspectives. There is no cost to attend.

their work is having on the community. There will be light refreshments. There is no cost to attend, but donations will be accepted. People are asked to RSVP by June 15, and can do so at http://www.sfcenter.org/centerofpride.

festive afternoon co-sponsored by the Trans March and Openhouse. All ages are welcome. It is a sober event and will feature a Southern picnic brunch. There is no cost to attend. For more information, email kristina@lyric.org.

LYRIC trans youth, elder brunch

Interfaith collective launches Pride campaign

United in Spirit, a local interfaith collective of progressive religious congregations, has launched a Pride campaign to help members of the LGBTQ community find safe and supportive spiritual spaces. Dignity/San Francisco, a group for LGBT Catholics, is the nonprofit sponsor of the group. The Reverend Michael Leslie, a gay

man and ordained minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and Rita Goldberger, Northern California co-chair of Emergence, an LGBT Christian Science organization, are with the campaign. In a news release they said that it asks inclusive congregations to host specially designated LGBT religious services and related events during the Pride season. Each group determines what constitutes such a service. United in Spirit hosts a list of inclusive congregations on its website and it is listing special Pride religious services. Leslie said the campaign currently includes 15 religious groups and more than 25 events. It will also be participating in San Francisco Pride. For a list of services, or to join the campaign, visit www.unitedinspiritsf.org. t

and athletes is to deny their existence.” Remember: this is the same FIFA that has been plagued by allegations of corruption and bribery and decided to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar: a country with no soccer traditions whose biggest human rights advance in recent years has been to reduce the punishment for gay sex from five years to three.

policies more accepting and inclusive, with many now thinking to include sexual orientation and gender identity. USA Track and Field spelled out acceptance of transgender athletes in 2005. Think that means all track and field officials are cool with that? Guess again. A glance at the USATF officials public Facebook page shows it is loaded with loathsome, ignorant, and hostile transphobic comments about transgender runners. The comments are largely based on the scientifically disproven prejudice that

transgender women have innate biological advantages over their rivals. Hey, I know what they could do. They could include information about track and field’s transgender participation policies in the officials’ training materials, they could remind the officials that they are supposed to be inclusive and supportive of all track and field athletes, not just those who conform to their cisgender perceptions, and if they can’t conduct their jobs in that context, they are free to drop out. t

LGBT center holds Pride reception

The San Francisco LGBT Community Center will hold its Center of Pride reception Monday, June 18, at 6 p.m. at 1800 Market Street. The event will provide an opportunity to hear from center staff about the impact anti-LGBTQ law on the books that would allow LGBTQ athletes and fans to be imprisoned for who they love,” Athlete Ally said in a statement. “FIFA has promised to respect, protect, and remedy human rights abuses when it developed its new human rights framework, yet assigning the same level of risk to hypothetical laws as to actual laws is incredibly troubling – and undermines the integrity of the new bid process. The World Cup brings a global, diverse fan base – and to discount the experience of LGBTQ fans

The Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center will hold its annual trans youth and elder brunch ahead of the Trans March Friday, June 22, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Dolores Park (near the playground at Dolores and Cumberland streets). The intergenerational celebration will bring together trans and gendernonconforming youth and elders for a

Track transphobia

In general, sports organizations have made wonderful strides in making their

Other races

t <<

Community News>>

Resist

From page 15

those like http://www.backpage.com, which prosecutors contended was dependent on sex worker advertisements for its economic survival. After FOSTA-SESTA, prosecutors have the power to go after social networks like Facebook and FetLife if they find evidence that members are using the network to “promote” sex work, which is why Harmon believes there’s a strong incentive for those networks to err on the side of restricting the behavior of their users. To many sex worker advocates, all laws like FOSTA-SESTA accomplish is to push more and more sex workers into street-level prostitution, a segment of the market where workers often face the highest level of risk of arrest, injury, or death. Cat Brooks, co-founder of the AntiPolice Terror Project and candidate for mayor of Oakland, told rally attendees the struggle was personal for her. “In my 20s, I lost a dear friend who was a sex worker to violence at the hands of a client,” Brooks

Queer film program

From page 12

Symons said. “We look at what the students are doing and give them advice not only in film making techniques, but we also give them our knowledge of queer culture.” Since QCP’s inception, students have produced more than 30 LGBTthemed films. Throughout the year students produce and direct their own short films, participate in screenings, and listen to guest speakers from the queer cinema industry. Symons said, with the grant money, he hopes to increase community-building meetings to once a month for students. One student, Sam Davis-Boyd, a master’s student at the School of Cinema and QCP’s intern for the last two years, said networking with other queer filmmakers has been one of the most important aspects about being a member of QCP. “To be able to be in a room with other queer filmmakers, watching them cut their films, and getting their feedback has been very valuable,” the 26-year-old lesbian said.

Pot store

From page 5

in the neighborhood, said Troup. The Castro Merchants business group was expected to hear proposals about Flore Store and another cannabis retail shop at its June meeting but delayed the presentations to a future date. The other proposal is from Ray Connolly, a gay man who had expressed interest in opening a store at 2352 Market Street. The storefront was formerly the home of Worn out West, which closed in February after several decades in the neighborhood. Connolly and his business partner are apparently now thinking of applying for a permit to open a cannabis location at 3989 17th Street, where the Wild Card was located. The business and the building were listed for sale for $3 million earlier this year. Neither Connolly nor the other man associated with the project returned messages from the B.A.R. seeking comment, and they were not at the DTNA meeting Monday. The location on Market Street

Political Notebook

From page 7

Moore’s campaign failed to include the proper sender identification on two emails it had sent to voters. One linked to an online poll purportedly “about local issues in Oakland” that mostly asked about Moore and was conducted by EMC Research. But the FPPC found that Moore’s campaign failed to disclose the name

June 14-20, 2018 • BAY AREA REPORTER • 17

said. “What if she had access to platforms that could have helped her stay safe?” After a march to the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse by Lake Merritt and then back to Frank Ogawa Plaza, some attendees received a stark reminder that their safety wasn’t guaranteed. There’s a long tradition in Oakland of protests, like this one, taking place on the streets without permits or formal road closures. In most cases, volunteers block intersections as needed with their bodies until marchers can pass, then withdraw and normal traffic flow resumes. In a shocking departure from that tradition, at least three cars tried to run the blockade. One, a silver Scion, got through and struck a bicyclist – and, according to witnesses, did so intentionally. Another vehicle was stopped by two volunteers who kept it in place until the rear guard of the march was clear. The third was a Volkswagen Touareg with Idaho plates whose white male driver not only got out of his car, but got physical with multiple protesters, most of whom

were women. It seemed a matter of time until he’d swing and connect with someone’s head when a sudden BANG rang out. I’ll never know who spiked the guy’s back tire, but whomever it was deserves a lot of credit, because they probably stopped the driver from hurting or killing someone. As the murder of Heather Heyer in Charlottesville, Virginia last August demonstrated, the only prudent way to treat cars whose drivers don’t respect blockades is to recognize them as the deadly weapons they are and act accordingly. It says a lot, too, that while the Oakland Police Department did literally nothing to stop the driver as he physically attacked multiple people, their officers came running after property was damaged – and even tried (and failed) to help him change the tire. So long as the lives of sex workers and their allies are seen as less worthy of protection by the government than a piece of rubber, safety lies in self-help.t

Davis-Boyd’s first film with QCP was a seven-minute film, “The Body I Live In,” about being a fat woman in a lesbian relationship with her wife. She is now working on a documentary series that explores the relationships queer people have with their bodies and the social stigma related to societal body standards. Davis-Boyd also conducted research for the grant proposal to the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation. She said she was grateful for the grant and looks forward to focusing on connecting QCP students with faculty and staff from the School of Cinema and other departments of the university. She said QCP students will be able to meet with teachers on campus for research, ask them to be a part of their film, or seek advice. “It’s so nice to have a lot of support from queer faculty, members, and students,” she said. As a lesbian, LGBT movies were instrumental during Davis-Boyd’s coming out. She expressed the importance of QCP as it is one of the only programs of its kind at an academic institution in the country.

“That’s what matters for a lot of LGBT people, is seeing themselves represented on screen, especially for people of color,” she said. “It’s very important to have these stories shown and told on mainstream outlets.” She said the program helped her grow into her place as a queer, feminist filmmaker and she hopes it will be able to do the same for more queer students. Another QCP student, Candy Guinea, who has since graduated, won a film award from the Princess Grace Foundation in 2016 for her film “Mariposa,” which she created in the program. The story follows the challenges Guinea, a lesbian, and her partner faced while trying to conceive, as well as the challenges Guinea’s masculine-presenting female spouse faced while carrying their child. Symons hopes the grant money will help bring more awareness to the program and inspire students to create queer film, something that inspired him as a young gay man to mitigate stereotypes and stigma against the LGBT community through the big screen. t

would have been problematic because it is located less than 600 feet from the proposed Flore Store; city regulations require cannabis stores to be located at least 600 feet from other cannabis businesses, said Troup. Troup said that a number of Duboce Triangle residents had issues with Flore’s landlord, J.D. Petras, who also owns the building where the new store would be located. Recently, a number of neighbors complained that, despite frequent complaints, Flore employees often did not lock the front gate to the prep kitchen, located adjacent to 258 Noe, because homeless people had begun to congregate there. The issue has since been resolved. Petras did not respond to a request for comment. Troup urged DTNA members who have concerns to stay abreast of the issue through the DTNA website, where the date of the hearing will be announced. “If you have concerns, please come to the hearing” to testify, he said. Troup suggested concerned residents should try to convince the city of, or any other information regarding, Moore or her campaign committee as required under the state’s Political Reform Act. While the maximum penalty that could be imposed for the mistakes is $5,000, the FPPC decided to fine Moore half that amount. The agency’s commission is expected to sign off on the fine at its June 21 meeting. t Political Notes, the notebook’s online companion, is going on

Got a tip? Email me at christina@ diedoardolaw.com.

to include whatever requirements they feel the business should meet (operating hours, security, etc.) in their conditional use application. “In my years as land use chair, I’ve learned that everything should be in writing on the application. Leaving things to chance does not work,” he said. Troup said that most of the organization’s concerns have nothing to do with the store wanting to sell marijuana. “Most of the concerns are not about cannabis,” said Troup. “We want to be sure the business and property owners have high standards.” A number of people testified that the Apothecarium, a medical and recreational marijuana dispensary at 2029 Market Street, has been an excellent neighbor and has been an asset to the neighborhood. Troup said that when Apothecarium founder Ryan Hudson first discussed the new business with DTNA, he said his goal was to make the dispensary “the Nordstrom of cannabis.” “Flore said they’d like to be the Tiffany” of the industry, Troup said.t summer hiatus. It will return Monday, July 30. Keep abreast of the latest LGBT political news by following the Political Notebook on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/politicalnotes. Got a tip on LGBT politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or e-mail m.bajko@ebar.com.

Legal Notices>> SUMMONS (FAMILY LAW) SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO NOTICE TO RESPONDENT: FRANCIS “FRANK” XAVIER DONNER, YOU HAVE BEEN SUED. PETITIONER’S NAME IS AMANDA EUAN CASE NO. FDI-17-788762

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120 or FL-123) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter or phone call will not protect you. If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnerships, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs. For legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. Get help finding a lawyer at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp), at the California Legal Services website (www.lawhelpca.org) , or by contacting your local county bar association. NOTICE – RESTRAINING ORDERS ARE ON PAGE 2: These restraining orders are effective against both spouses or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, a judgment is entered, or the court makes further orders. They are enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement officer who has received or seen a copy of them. FEE WAIVER: If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the clerk for a fee waiver form. The court may order you to pay back all or part of the fees and costs that the court waived for you or the other party. The name and address of the court are SUPERIOR COURT SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY 400 MCALLISTER STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102; The name, address, and telephone number of petitioner’s attorney, or the petitioner without an attorney, are: AMANDA EUAN, PRO PER, 252 BOCANA STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110, 415-933-1982 NOV 15, 2017 Clerk by Jocelyn Wong, Deputy. STANDARD FAMILY LAW RESTRAINING ORDERS: Starting immediately, you and your spouse or domestic partner are restrained from: 1. Removing the minor child or children of the parties, if any, from the state without the prior written consent of the other party or an order of the court; 2. Cashing borrowing against, canceling, transferring, disposing of, or changing the beneficiaries of any insurance or other coverage, including life, health, automobile, and disability, held for the benefit of the parties and their minor child or children; 3. Transferring, encumbering, hypothecating, concealing, or in any way disposing of any property, real or personal, whether community, quasi-community, or separate, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court, except in the usual course of business or for the necessities of life; and 4. Creating a nonprobate transfer or modifying a nonprobate transfer in the manner that affects the disposition of property subject to the transfer, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court. Before revocation of a nonprobate transfer can take effect or a right of survivorship to property can be eliminated, notice of the change must be filed and served on the other party. You must notify each other of any proposed extraordinary expenditures at least five business days prior to incurring these extraordinary expenditures and account to the court for all extraordinary expenditures made after these restraining orders are effective. However, you may use community property, quasicommunity property, or your own separate property to pay an attorney to help you or to pay court costs. NOTICE – ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE: Do you or someone in your household need affordable health insurance? If so, you should apply for Covered California. Covered California can help reduce the cost you pay towards high quality affordable health care. For more information, visit www.coveredca.com. Or call Covered California at 1-800-300-1506 WARNING – IMPORTANT INFORMATION: California law provides that, for the purposes of division of property upon dissolution of a marriage or domestic partnership or upon legal separation, property acquired by the parties during marriage or domestic partnership in joint form is presumed to be community property. If either party to this action should die before the jointly held community property is divided, the language in the deed that characterizes how title is held (i.e., joint tenancy, tenants in common, or community property) will be controlling, and not the community property presumption. You should consult your attorney if you want the community property presumption to be written into the recorded title to the property.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-18-553793

In the matter of the application of: CARMEN OCHOA, c/o Ghervy Jhon Tesoro (SB: 298501), Tesoro Law, 1630 TARAVAL ST #B, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116, for change of name having been ﬁled in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner CARMEN OCHOA, is requesting that the name CARMEN OCHOA, be changed to MARIA MAGDALENA DIAZ GUZMAN. 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 26th of June 2018 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038111500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TASTEBUDS, 600 FIFTH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CATHERINE TROOSH. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 04/24/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 04/25/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038152400

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038145600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NAILS FOR ME, 17 DRUMM ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LONG CAM TIEN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/15/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/15/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038119300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ROBBINS FAMILY LAW, 44 MONTGOMERY ST #3750, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KELLY J. ROBBINS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 10/06/05. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/01/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038153300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TIERRA BIOSCIENCES, 953 INDIANA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SYNVITROBIO, INC (DE). 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 05/21/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038154200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CHANVI, 1063 MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed BHUWAN FOOD INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/21/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/21/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038138600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PORTOLA SMILES DENTAL OFFICE OF DR. ARIELLE LIBERMAN, 2497 SAN BRUNO AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ARIELLE LIBERMAN DMD, 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 05/10/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038147500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: POLYCHROME INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION, 2732 36TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed POLYCHROME INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 03/25/08. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/16/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038147600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JESSICA SCLAMBERG, LLC, 3322 BUCHANAN ST #310, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed JESSICA SCLAMBERG LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 12/04/17. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/16/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038135700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SPIRITS; PROOF COCKTAIL CO; GREAT WESTERN SPIRITS; OLD KENTUCKY ROOH, 849 AVE 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 05/08/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038137200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BLACK PEPPER, 1555 YOSEMITE AVE #8, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed BLACK PEPPER NATION LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 04/17/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/09/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-038087800

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: RAAVI EATERY, 1063 MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business was conducted by a corporation and signed by BHUWAN FOOD INC (CA). The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/01/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF RENA SANGIACOMO IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES18-301947

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BLUMEN, 548 CASTRO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BRUCE ALLEN SCARROW. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/09/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/18/18.

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of RENA SANGIACOMO. A Petition for Probate has been filed by ADRIENNE LANGENHAN & MICHAEL SANGIACOMO in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that ADRIENNE LANGENHAN & MICHAEL SANGIACOMO be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: JUN 26, 2018, 9:00 am, Dept. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the latter of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: Terrence P. Murphy SBN 104739, 5 Third St #1100, San Francisco, CA 94103; Ph. (415) 495-3950 Ext 103.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018

MAY 31, JUNE 07, 14, 21, 2018

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BRANCH & SQUIRE, 3301 CLAY ST #204, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ANUAR RAMIREZ-MEDINA. 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 05/18/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038140200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SABAI SABAI THAI MASSAGE, 326 LA GRANDE AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed PRIYALON BORANRAT STRASSER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/10/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/10/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038146200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FINANCIALSOLUTIONS.IO; FINANCIALSOLUTIONS, 404 BRYANT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOHN H. FULLEN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/14/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/16/18.

MAY 24, 31, JUNE 07, 14, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038151100

<< Classifieds

18 • BAY AREA REPORTER • June 14-20, 2018

Legal Notices>> ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-18-553916

In the matter of the application of: CARIE LYNN-KESSEL PAGE, 44 20TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121, for change of name having been ﬁled in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner CARIE LYNN-KESSEL PAGE, is requesting that the name CARIE LYNN-KESSEL PAGE AKA CARIE LYNN PAGE, be changed to CARIE LYNN PAGE. 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 10th of July 2018 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MAY 31, JUNE 07, 14, 21, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038148100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: IPOWER SF ELECTRIC, 77 NORTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GERMAN MATIAS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/16/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/16/18.

MAY 31, JUNE 07, 14, 21, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038160300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SOKC CO., 3251 20TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed RICHARD MA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/24/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/24/18.

MAY 31, JUNE 07, 14, 21, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038153500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: T.HAYNES LIGHTING, 1322 47TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOSHUA PINE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/21/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/21/18.

MAY 31, JUNE 07, 14, 21, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038150100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JOSE’S HAULING & HOME IMPROVEMENT SERVICES, 126 PRENTISS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOSE M. DELCID. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/17/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/17/18.

MAY 31, JUNE 07, 14, 21, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038162700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ENGINEER.AI, 600 CALIFORNIA ST 11TH FLR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SD SQUARED NORTH AMERICA LIMITED (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 11/06/17. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/25/18.

MAY 31, JUNE 07, 14, 21, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038153600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KIEM’S PRODUCE, 1901 JERROLD AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed GRUBMARKET INC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/18/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/21/18.

MAY 31, JUNE 07, 14, 21, 2018

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038146800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: YO TAMBIEN CANTINA, 205 HUGO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed YO TAMBIEN, 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 05/16/18.

MAY 31, JUNE 07, 14, 21, 2018 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-18553945

In the matter of the application of: BIMALA GURUNG THING, 255 HYDE ST #619, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102, for change of name having been ﬁled in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner BIMALA GURUNG THING is requesting that the name BIMALA GURUNG THING, be changed to BIMALA THING. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Rm. 514 on the 19th of July 2018 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-18553947

In the matter of the application of: STACEY CHONG, 227 MOSCOW ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112, for change of name having been ﬁled in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner STACEY CHONG, is requesting that the name STACEY CHONG, be changed to ALEX KOI CHONG. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, RM. 514 on the 17th of July 2018 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038175800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HARLEQUINN TOURS, 333 JEFFERSON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DEREK DEWITT. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 08/18/03. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/05/18.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038169600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: OCEAN BLUE LAUNDRY & CAFE, 8 VALENCIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MARJORIE V TOBILLO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/30/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/31/18.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038162500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SELA MAC, 550 SPRUCE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SARAH MCNAMARA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 03/01/12. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/25/18.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038157700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: POST DRY CLEANERS, 1610 POST ST #102, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed TSEDENISH TSOGZOLGARAV. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/23/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/23/18.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038170200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SEE. SAW.SEEN OPTOMETRY; SEE SAW SEEN OPTOMETRY; SEE.SAW.SEEN; SEE.SAW.SEEN EYEWEAR; 515 GOUGH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SEE.SAW. SEEN OPTOMETRY (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 04/23/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/31/18.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038170000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THATCHER’S GOURMET POPCORN, 1201 MINNESOTA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed X GOURMET PLUS 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 05/31/18.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038166900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LAKESIDE NAIL BAR, 2671 OCEAN AVE, SAN FRANCISO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed LAKESIDE NAIL BAR (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/14/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/29/18.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038166500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GIRON CONSTRUCTION, 170 QUINT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed GECMS INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/31/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/29/18.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-03816000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PIZZA FLIRT; CYBELLA’S, 464 BROADWAY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CITY PIZZA AND BURGER INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/20/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/24/18.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038159300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LUMINATE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC, 16B FUNSTON AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94129. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed LUMINATE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/13/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/24/18.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038167200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: EMPAWTHY, 3215 20TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed EMPAWTHY LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/15/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/30/18.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018

Classifieds Cleaning Services>>

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ARTFARM PRODUCTIONS, 40 POND ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed BRET PARKER & KATRINA BARMA. 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 05/30/18.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-037005201

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: EUROGIRLS, 537 JONES ST #2166, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by VITA CAMPISI. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/22/16.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-037841300

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: 18/8 FINE MEN’S SALON SAN FRANCISCO, 1 EMBARCADERO CENTER, LOBBY LEVEL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business was conducted by a limited liability company and signed by JB DESTINY PARTNERS LLC (CA). The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/13/17.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-037119200

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: T HAYNES LIGHTING, 1322 47TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by LUIS H. PINE. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/31/16.

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038184400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AMERICAN CHINESE HERBAL COLLEGE, 4651 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed XUSHI LIANG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 04/04/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/12/18.

JUN 14, 21, 28, JULY 05, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038176000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ALTERNATIVE MORTGAGE SOURCES, 2358 MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BETH MARCIA HOFFMAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/01/86. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/05/18.

JUN 14, 21, 28, JULY 05, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038179900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HAVEN GROUP, 1400 VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOHN SOLAEGUI. 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 06/08/18.

JUN 14, 21, 28, JULY 05, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038179000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BABY & MOM NUTRITION, 4992 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed GUIMEI WU & LIFENG WU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 06/07/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/07/18.

JUN 14, 21, 28, JULY 05, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038161200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GOURMET NOODLE HOUSE INC, 3751 GEARY BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed GOURMET NOODLE HOUSE INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/25/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/25/18.

JUN 14, 21, 28, JULY 05, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038174800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SENIORES PIZZA, 320 11TH STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed 11TH STREET PIZZA INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 06/04/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/04/18.

JUN 14, 21, 28, JULY 05, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038176800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BWG PARTNERS, 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 06/05/18.

JUN 14, 21, 28, JULY 05, 2018

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JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038167400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KONG LAI CONSTRUCTION CO, 2242 22ND AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ALLEN KWONG SETO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 10/02/89. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/08/18.

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The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ROYAL OIL COMPANY, 704-708 BRYANT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed H4L 3 LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 05/16/18. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/30/18.

JUN 14, 21, 28, JULY 05, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038180800

Ralph Doore 415-867-4657

CLEANING PROFESSIONAL

(415) 441-1054 Large Truck

JUNE 07, 14, 21, 28, 2018 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038168700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KELLY’S JANITORIAL, 3600 SIERRA RIDGE ROAD #4106, RICHMOND, CA 94806. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SONIA RAQUEL HERNANDEZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed ﬁctitious business name or names on 01/23/13. The statement was ﬁled with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/04/18.

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The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RAW VINO, 1307 DE HARO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed RAW VINO 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 05/30/18.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038174300

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FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038168400

May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, gloriﬁed, loved and preserved throughout the world now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us. St. Jude, worker of miracles, pray for us. St. Jude, helper of the hopeless, pray for us. Say prayer nine time a day for nine days. Thank you Jesus and St. Jude for prayers answered. Publication must be promised. B.K.

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Human nature

Kathy rebounds

Self-made men

Heartland

Vol. 48 • No.24 • June 14-20, 2018

www.ebar.com/arts

Courtesy Frameline

Scene from directors Fiona Dawson & Gabriel Silverman’s “TransMilitary.”

Forever Frameline: opening week!

by David Lamble

orty-two years ago, what would become the mighty San Francisco International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Queer Film Festival kicked off in a modest apartment in an Inner Mission neighborhood. The 2018 edition of Frameline will unspool from Thurs., June 14, through Sun., June 24, at the Castro, Roxie, and Victoria Theatres in San Francisco, the Rialto Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley, and the Piedmont in Oakland. See page 28 >>

Lights, camera, lesbians @ Frameline 42

Courtesy Frameline

by Sari Staver

I “Snapshots,” directed by Melanie Mayron, is part of Frameline 42

n a nod to the #TimesUp movement, more than half the films at this year’s Frameline LGBTQ film festival are either directed or co-directed by queer women. “Supporting films made by women is an ongoing, longterm trend at Frameline,” said senior programmer Peter Stein in a recent telephone interview with the B.A.R. Frameline’s “historic commitment to making sure there’s a diversity of voices” is reflected in the program, said Stein, now in his fifth year at the LGBTQ festival. See page 25 >>

{ SECOND OF THREE SECTIONS }

“A revelation” —San Jose Mercury News

A Gay Fantasia on National Themes

LE A D S P O N S O R S

PA R T O N E : M I L L E N N I U M A P P R O A C H E S PA R T T W O : P E R E S T R O I K A BY

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<< Out There

20 • Bay Area Reporter • June 14-20, 2018

More books for LGBTQ Pride Month by Roberto Friedman

ast week we previewed two books that are being released in time for LGBTQ Pride Month. This week we follow up with a passel more, books with publication dates this June. The beauty of this list is that you can tell by their very titles what these books are all about. “Harvey Milk – His Lives and Death” by Lillian Faderman, part of the “Jewish Lives” series of biographies from Yale University Press. “Has the Gay Movement Failed?” by Martin Duberman, University of California Press. “The Annotated Prison Writings of Oscar Wilde,” edited by Nicholas Frankel, Harvard University Press. “Jewish, Gay & Avant-Garde in Nazi Germany – Uncle Alfred Flechtheim’s Unexpected Legacies in Art, AIDS & Law” by Michael Hulton, Kieran Publishing. “The Path to Gay Rights – How Activism and Coming Out Changed Public Opinion” by Jeremiah J. Garretson, NYU Press. “Trans Like Me – Conversations for All of Us” by CN Lester, Seal Press. “Unbound – Transgender Men and the Remaking of Identity” by Arlene Stein, Pantheon.

Theatre world

Lists: you gotta love em! Last week The New York Times published a special section listing what their theatre critics consider the best 25 American plays of the last quarter-century – that is, since the original production of Tony Kushner’s “Angels in

America,” the “gay fantasia” that stands out as the last great masterpiece of 20th-century American theatre. Amazingly, Out There found that we had seen productions of 10 of them, not bad considering how far out in the provinces (SF) we are from the bright lights of the Rialto (Broadway, NYC). They are: “Topdog/Underdog” by Suzan-Lori Parks (NY production: 2001), which we saw at the Curran Theatre; “An Octaroon” by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (2014), which we saw at Berkeley Repertory Theatre;

“Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play” by Anne Washburn (2013), at ACT; “Clybourne Park” by Bruce Norris (2010), at ACT; “Ruined” by Lynn Nottage (2009), at Berkeley Rep; “The Designated Mourner” by Wallace Shawn (2000), which we saw in the film version; “The Humans” by Stephen Karam (2015), now playing at SHN’s Orpheum Theatre, and reviewed in this issue; “The Laramie Project” by Moises Kaufman and the members of Tectonic Theater Project (2000), which has had multiple runs at various Bay Area theatre companies; “August: Osage County” by

Tracy Letts (2007), in an SHN production; and “The Realistic Joneses” by Will Eno (2012), at ACT. In addition, although we never saw Annie Baker’s “The Flick” (2013), we did see Baker’s “John” at ACT’s Strand, and loved it. And though we haven’t seen Stephen Adly Guirgis’ “Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train,” we loved the same playwright’s “The Motherfucker with the Hat” at SF Playhouse. Similarly, we’d replace the NYT-listed “Three Tall Women” from Edward Albee with that playwright’s “The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?” (ACT). And though we never saw David Henry Hwang’s “Yellow Face,” the playwright’s collaboration with com-

poser Jeanine Tesori “Soft Power” is in our datebook for its upcoming production at the Curran. The Times also published an email correspondence between two actors currently performing in dueling performances of “Angels in America,” at Berkeley Rep and on Broadway. Andrew Garfield, now wowing them as Prior Walter in the B’way revival, exchanged messages with Stephen Spinella, who originated the role a quartercentury ago. Spinella plays evil attorney Roy Cohn in the Berkeley production. Discussing the character they both have played, Spinella writes, “The Prior of the early 90s will never happen again. That gay man with AIDS who wrestled a misguided reactionary Angel of America and won more life – the impact of that Prior was as a secular prophet at that moment in history after 10 gruesome years of heartbreaking loss, with still three years to come before the three-drug cocktail changed everything.” Spinella also wrote, “Being out at the 93 Tonys, I thanked my lover, Peter Elliot, and caught some crap for that. Peter’s mom, whom I was close to, was upset I called Peter my ‘lover,’ an epithet for her generation that smelled of a sordid secret affair. We didn’t even have acceptable words for each other then.” Garfield writes to Spinella, “Two-show Wednesday done! Ethel Rosenberg’s son and granddaughter were in today. Remarkable to meet them afterward. Warm and soulful people. I feel they got some good healing from our show, too.” Also recommended in the Rosenberg literature: E.L. Doctorow’s masterful novel “The Book of Daniel,” told from the point of view of the Rosenberg progeny. Including the electrocution.t

Monsters & Gods: Circe’s story by Tavo Amador

econd novels are tough, especially when the author’s debut was highly acclaimed. This was the challenge facing Madeline Miller, whose “Song of Achilles” (2012) was a superb retelling of the legendary Greek hero’s homoerotic love affair with Patrocles. Her second book “Circe” (Little, Brown, $27) is even more ambitious: a fictional autobiography of the immortal nymph and sorceress. Fortunately, Miller has triumphed with another excellent recreation of Greek mythology. Miller does not simply recount what Homer’s “Odyssey” and other ancient writings say about Circe. Instead, she weaves them in with her own imagination to create a fully realized character, beginning with her unhappy childhood at the court of her father, the Titan sun god, Helios, and his wife, Perse, a minor naiad. Circe is mocked for being “ugly” and having a “horrible,” mortal-like voice. Her beautiful, cruel sister Pasiphae misses no chance to ridicule her. Circe is initially close to her younger brother Aeetes, but she is lonely and rebellious. The Titans have been overthrown by the Olympian gods, of whom Zeus is King. He has punished the Titan Prometheus for having given mortals fire, and cruelly tortures him. Circe defiantly comforts Prometheus, even giving him nectar to slake his thirst. She also seeks companionship from mortals. She meets Glaucus, a fisherman, befriends him, and falls in love with him. Discovering her powers, she transforms him into a god. Once he is immortal, however, he

becomes indifferent to her and is soon enchanted by another nymph, the beautiful Scylla. Jealous, Circe uses her sorcery to transform Scylla into a 12-headed monster. She and another monster, Charybdis, occupy islands on either side of a strait from where they devour sailors and destroy ships. Alarmed by her powers and fearful, Zeus orders Helios to banish Circe to Aiaia, a lush island. There, she increases her knowledge of magical herbs and potions, surrounds herself with obedient lions and wolves, has an affair with Hermes, messenger of the Gods, who is charming, handsome, and untrustworthy. Dangerous men who arrive are transformed into swine. She is summoned by Pasiphae to Crete. Pasiphae, married to King Minos, a mortal son of Zeus, is pregnant with the monstrous Minotaur, the product of her gleeful mating with a magnificent white bull. But she needs Circe to deliver the offspring. She does so, and with the help of Daedalus, builds a cage to contain him. Daedalus eventually creates the famous Labyrinth, where, as Circe foresees, the monster will terrorize all who come near it until Theseus slays him and escapes with the help of Ariadne. Others who seek Circe’s help are her niece Medea and Jason, who ask her to purify them. Medea, also a sorceress, is the daughter of Aeetes, ruler of Colchis and keeper of the Golden Fleece. Medea, to help Jason, has killed her brother. Circe complies with their request, but senses that Jason is not worthy of Medea’s love and loyalty.

Her most famous visitors are Odysseus and his men, sailing home to Ithaca after having led the Greeks to victory in the Trojan War. Circe transforms the first group of sailors who approach her house into swine. One, however, has escaped, and warns Odysseus. Hermes intervenes and tells the Greek hero how to protect himself. Odysseus and Circe charm each other and begin an extended affair. His remaining men are fed and cared for. Eventually, however, he leaves for Ithaca. Unknown to him, Circe is pregnant and delivers their son, Telegonus, herself. Like most offspring of gods and men, Telegonus is mortal. Circe is protective of him. As he grows to manhood, he wants to know more about his father. He is determined to sail to Ithaca. A fearful Circe acquiesces, but carefully casts spells to protect him. Telegonus does not know what will happen when he reaches his father’s kingdom, but Athena does. She and Circe engage in a fierce struggle over the boy’s fate. Circe succeeds in protecting him, but cannot rest, fearing that the cold, gray-eyed warrior goddess will find a way to penetrate her defenses and harm her son. The last part of the novel brings Odysseus’s wife Penelope, their

son Telemachus, and Telegonus to Aiaia and into Circe’s life. Many truths are revealed, and each character confronts his/her destiny. The last chapters are thrilling and imaginative. “Circe” conveys the fearsome world of classical Greek religion, a world filled with powerful, capricious, often cruel gods, who reside not only on Mount Olympus and in the heavens, but in rivers, streams, seas, woods and valleys. Humans may placate them with animal sacrifices and reverence, but those are

often insufficient to prevent tragedy. It is a dark, frightening universe where terror may lurk at every turn. With vivid, suspenseful prose, Miller also captures the dreadful ennui of immortality: each year the same as the thousands that came before it. Only meddling in the affairs of mortals provides the gods with any relief from boredom. Only by choosing sides in human conflict do the gods entertain themselves and settle their often petty rivalries. Miller’s Circe is a multi-faceted creature, intelligent, generous, often kind, but flawed. Courage is her greatest virtue, and she demonstrates that throughout this memorable novel. She is a Homeric hero. This is a page-turner with a conclusion that is surprising and touching. For readers whose knowledge of Greek mythology is rusty or vague, Miller has provided a glossary of gods: Olympians and Titans, as well as monsters and mortals who appear in her story. Not since Mary Renault’s landmark “The King Must Die” and “The Bull from the Sea,” her reworkings of the legend of Theseus, has an author so brilliantly made Greek mythology relevant for modern readers.t

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<< Theatre

22 • Bay Area Reporter • June 14-20, 2018

Blake family values

Julieta Cervantes

Richard Thomas, Pamela Reed, Daisy Eagan, Luis Vega and Theresa Plaehn in Stephen Karam’s “The Humans.”

by Jim Gladstone

tephen Karam carves deep into the dark meat of middle-class America in “The Humans,” his Tony Award-winning hybrid of kitchen-sink drama and dreamlogic creep show. It’s a feast of sharp dialogue, fine acting and subtle stagecraft, but like many a family gathering, it ends with some awkward straggling. Neither Karam nor his characters can quite figure out how to say good night. At the Orpheum Theatre through Sunday, this intermissionless 100-minute Arthur Miller-cumchiller finds the Blake family assembling for a makeshift Thanksgiving in the grotty Manhattan apartment

that daughter Brigid (Daisy Eagan), an aspiring composer who works shifts as a bartender, and her boyfriend Richard (Luis Vega), a social work grad student, are still in the process of moving into. In for the evening from their hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, are world-weary father Erik (Richard Thomas, of “The Waltons” fame), frazzled optimist mother Deirdre (Pamela Reed), and wheelchair-bound, dementiaafflicted grandmother Momo (Lauren Kline). And up from Philadelphia, keeping her chin up through incessant bouts of colitis, is older sister Aimee (Therese Plaehn), a lawyer and lesbian who has recently lost both her partner-

track job and her romantic partner. Among a uniformly excellent cast, Thomas and Reed stand out, with wry line readings and reactive facial expressions that lay bare a 46year marriage’s exquisite blend of love and pain. “Maybe,” observes newly single Aimee, musing on her own relationship as well as her parents’, “loving someone long-term is more about deciding whether to go through life unhappy alone, or unhappy with someone else.” Whether onstage, on screen, or at the in-laws’ place, we’ve all seen our share of home-for-the-holidays, come-to-Jesus family maelstroms in which affection and resentment get whipped around like cows in

a twister. But Karam and director Joe Mantello deliver a particularly well-wrought rendition. Volleys of backhanded compliments and laserfocused condescension beams alternate with upswells of genuine fondness and empathy. That the six cast members are often dispersed around David Zinn’s bi-level set makes their rapid overlapping dialogue – and metaphorical inability to hear each other – all the more believable. The ripped-from-the-headlines issues touched upon over the course of the evening’s conversations include health insurance, the 9/11 attacks, mortgage loans, sexual dysfunction, class resentment, and income inequality. It’s all probing, often funny, and never pedantic, but

still very much within the bounds of stage realism. What most separates “The Humans” from scores of other family dramas is Karam’s eerie overlay of foreboding and malevolence. Fuses blow and lights flicker throughout the dim, shadowy apartment. Sonic booms shake the building, as if echoing the emotional distress that Erik and Aimee experienced on September 11 years before. Most compelling, yet cryptic, are conversations in which Erik shares details of a recent nightmare – women with eyes, mouths and ears sealed shut by skin – and Richard, a comic book fan, describes a fictional race of “half-alien, half-demon creatures with teeth on their backs.” On the creatures’ planet, Richard supposes, “The scary stories they tell, they’re all about us. The horror stories for the monsters are all about humans.” Karam invites audiences to consider the Blakes’ behavior anthropologically, as if – while distinctly written as individuals – his characters should also be read as representative of a part of contemporary American society. The lower half of the two-story set, a basement beneath the surface of the New York streets, evokes both subconscious darkness and an archaeological site. Perhaps, in the distant future, the skeletons from the Blakes’ closets will be exhumed as relics, with tales to tell about a dark past. In the play’s last few scenes, yet another family secret is revealed, further efforts at kindness are made, and the Blakes, with all their fearful symmetries of humanity and monstrosity, slowly slip out of the apartment into the darkness of the night. “The Humans” is uncomfortably anti-climactic, offering no sense of closure. Which is to say, it’s a sort of realism after all.t

Kathy Griffin, back from the backlash

by Sari Staver

athy Griffin is killing it at the box office again, after a yearlong boycott by the entertainment industry after the celebrity gossip website TMZ leaked a picture of Griffin with a fake severed head of Donald Trump. Griffin’s photo went viral, and in the midst of a 50-city tour, venue after venue started cancelling. At the same time, friends and colleagues stopped returning her calls. But when Griffin announced her new world tour “Laugh Your Head Off,” chronicling her yearlong exile, dozens of prestigious venues – including Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall in New York – signed up immediately. Next week, Griffin kicks off the tour here when she performs two shows at the Nick OFFERMAN

Kiersey CLEMONS

Ted DANSON

Masonic, 1111 California, on June 14 & 15. The first show sold out quickly, but as of press time, limited tickets were still available for the latter show. In a recent telephone interview with Griffin, the two-time Emmy and Grammy award-winning comedian sounded like she was at the top of her game, while soberly confessing that she spent an oftendepressing year, which included death threats and a government investigation. The interview began with a Griffin one-liner. After a quick hello, Griffin took charge, asking me if I was male, female or transgender. “I just want to be sure to get your pronouns right,” she said dryly. Griffin’s tone was upbeat, but she turned serious when she spoke of Sasha LANE

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the “horrible period” right after the picture was published. “I was convinced I was never going to work again,” she said. Friends in the gay community were among those who rejected Griffin, she said, including CNN reporter Anderson Cooper and Bravo’s Andy Cohen. “They threw me under the bus,” said Griffin, who has received many awards from the gay community, including one this month from the city of West Hollywood, after Griffin raised more than $5 million for HIV services and LGBT causes. But reaction to the picture brought more than just criticism, said Griffin. “My lawyer told me that the Secret Service and the Department of Justice were investigating me,” she said. “Wait! What happened to free speech and the first amendment? “I was getting death threats all the time,” said Griffin. “The left seemed to embrace many of the Trump critics, but they most definitely turned their back on me. I was toxic. Nobody wanted me.” Hoping the backlash would end quickly, Griffin got a “sinking feeling” that things weren’t going her way after CNN cancelled her annual New Years Eve gig, “which I so loved doing. It felt like I had lost about 90% of my friends.” Support came from unexpected people, including comedian Jim Carrey, “who I hardly knew.” Carrey encouraged her to use the experience as material for a new show, advice Griffin took to heart. “I hunkered down in my house and started writing immediately. I didn’t have very much else to do anyway.” A few weeks later, Griffin said she called her agent with the idea that

Courtesy the subject

Kathy Griffin: “I was toxic. Nobody wanted me.”

she might be welcome in venues abroad. “I wondered what cities might welcome me,” she said. Much to her surprise, Griffin’s agent put together a world tour that included stops in Europe, Australia, and Iceland. “Everywhere I went, there was tremendous curiosity about Trump. We sold out at the London Palladium.” Last year’s tour turned out to be a “rough draft” of the new show she is launching. “It might sound twisted, but I even read the audience the death threats I had received,” she said. “I’ve been doing stand-up so long that I automatically filter everything that happens to me through the prism of comedy.” Griffin believes the backlash against her would not have been as

harsh had it happened “post-Weinstein,” referring to the news that the Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was accused of assaulting dozens of women. Given the enthusiastic early ticket sales, Griffin says she is certain the upcoming tour will be a “huge success.” Along with the disappointment that so many people turned their backs on her, “Now I realize most comedians would give their right arm to have material like this,” she said. “I’m thinking of this tour as a ‘Fuck you’ to the Trumps.”t Tickets available for Kathy Griffin’s June 15 performance ($49.50-$60) at https://www1. ticketmaster.com/event/1C00547 EB628A575#efeat4212.

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<< Film

24 • Bay Area Reporter • June 14-20, 2018

Heartwarming drama with lesbian love young woman who lives with Frank, her widowed father (Nick Offerman). The two share a spacious loft in Red Hook, a trendy neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. Dad is a failed musician who runs a record store. He yearns to get back into playing, composing and recording music. Sam is a musical prodigy who wants to become a doctor. On a lark, the two record a song in their apartment, which Frank Gunpowder & Sky posts on Spotify. To his surprise, the song goes Sasha Lane and Kiersey Clemons star in “Hearts Beat Loud.” viral. Sam and Frank start getting offers to ing in theaters on June 15, is the perform. Whether or not by David-Elijah Nahmod casual nature with which the screenthey will take to the stage together, ne of the most delightful asplay deals with the lesbianism of the and whether or not Frank’s record pects of “Hearts Beat Loud,” a story’s female lead. store will survive the rising rents sweet, heartwarming drama openSam (Kiersey Clemons) is a in their hipster hood, become the

story’s focus. The fact that Sam is a lesbian who has a girlfriend is never talked about; it’s simply accepted as a normal fact of life. Nor is it discussed that Sam is mixed race – her late mom was black, while Frank is white. Sam, as she’s presented in “Hearts Beat Loud,” is a lovely example of American society’s new normal. We have largely become a society where race and sexual identity no longer matter. Sam never needs to “come out.” She meets another girl, they go out on a date and quickly fall in love. Neither Sam nor anyone else in her sphere gives it a second thought. “Do you have a girlfriend or a boyfriend?” Frank casually asks his daughter. The scenes between Sam and her girlfriend Rose (Sasha Lane) are a delight. It’s first love for both, and they fall for each other hard, even as they realize their time may be limited. Sam will soon be moving across the country to go to medical

school. In one touching scene, Rose teaches Sam how to ride a bicycle, which Sam had been afraid to do in the aftermath of her mom’s death in a biking accident. The film also focuses on the deep father-daughter love between Sam and Frank. Frank is a middleaged man coming to grips with the fact that none of his dreams have come true. He sees the song he recorded with Sam as his last chance. He’s slowly forced to accept the reality that he and Sam want different things, and that he needs to let her go. “Hearts Beat Loud” is not the kind of mega-blockbuster moviegoers flock to. It’s a quiet, reflective film, featuring characters who feel things deeply. The film gets a boost from its soft rock score, beautifully performed by stars Offerman and Clemons. You couldn’t ask for a more heartfelt evening at the movies.t

Muscle is as muscle does by Erin Blackwell

“M

an Made” is a slick, upbeat documentary about four biological women bodybuilders transitioning or transitioned to male, which makes the title something of a misnomer. These self-made men, loudly and proudly proclaiming their right to physically self-define, were women when they decided to become men, so they are in fact “woman made.” Never mind. The point is they’re living the dream of rejecting their natural bodies for a gender more closely aligned with what they feel themselves to be. Weightlifting is the way out. “Man Made” plays Frameline, June 16, 1:15 p.m., at the Roxie. Director T Cooper, himself trans, discovered the world’s only alltranssexual bodybuilding contest in Atlanta, GA, shortly after moving to the city four years ago. He filmed contestants living their everyday lives before the event, the third and last of its kind. The Trans FitCon Bodybuilding Competition of 2016 was held three hours after the city’s trans march, making it very much a community event. The website for the producing organization,

the International Association of Trans Bodybuilders, seems not to have been updated for a year. This obsolescence is not part of the film, which focuses narrowly on the individuals’ sense of self-fulfillment. Dominic Chilko was 26 at the time of filming, freckled with an orange jawline beard and allover body tattoos including headphones below his clavicles. He’s a rapper. Sometime before the contest, he decides to have a double mastectomy with a nipple graft. We see his breasts as the surgeon draws on them, then some graphic shots of the surgery, including the removal of blood-engorged breast tissue. His girlfriend nurses him through his post-op recovery, after which he’s very excited to have a horizontal scar across his chest. Unfortunately, the procedure has impeded training, leaving him a bit pudgy on the big day. Mason Caminiti, 40, is never not cut. A bodybuilder before he began transitioning, he follows an obsessive feeding regime that keeps him at 4% body fat. His wife, a blonde zaftig nurse, supports him all the way, even though she’s never seen him completely naked. He exudes the least drama, but he’s already

been through a suicide attempt and a three-year breakup from his now-wife. His age gives him an edge: he’s figured himself out. Kennie Story, 34, is assistant director of the fitness center at the University of Arkansas at Conway. She’s in a loving relationship with a lesbian worried she’ll no longer be attracted to Kennie once the testosterone kicks in. Nonetheless, she dutifully injects Kennie with the first dose Frameline to the cheers of their Scene from director T Cooper’s “Man Made,” playing Frameline 42. assembled friends. Kennie’s mother, who Exuberantly embracing his newlectual. He breaks up with his girlloves him, is scared found family of origin, he’s ready to friend but stays positive. “I’m gonna for his safety, and a friend says Kenbetray the woman who raised and show the guys,” he says. “Don’t give nie was already beat up for being still loves him. He doesn’t seem to up. It’s okay if you’re not in tip-top gay. This is the threat inherent to realize he can have both families. shape. It’s all about showing your exhibiting a self that not everyone is Nor does he see the irony of preferscars. Or if you’re pre-op, like I was ready to applaud. ring a biological mother to a chosen last year, showing your chest and Dominic’s domestic drama overone. Biology is demonstrably not being proud of it. What matters is, shadows his iron-pumping when he destiny, but Dominic isn’t an intelyou get up on that stage.”t goes to meet his biological mother.

Kidnapping Andrea Riseborough by Erin Blackwell

ndrea Riseborough is a marvelous actress. She’s one of those chameleons who can be anybody, given the right makeup, costume, and script. In 2008 she was both Margaret Thatcher in “The Long Walk to Finchley” and Angelica Fanshawe in “The Devil’s Whore.” The second film is not about Thatcher. Now she plays a lost soul somewhere in this godforsaken country trying to eke out a lifestyle by pretending to be whatever it is strangers are looking for. The prospect of seeing her in a new independent film exploring the paradox of identity in an age of slippery online personae makes me so happy. “Nancy” opens Friday at Opera Plaza. Nancy lives alone with her aged mother, who has Parkinson’s, in a nondescript but comfortable house. Nancy has an orange cat named Paul and temps at an office where the staff get on her nerves. We know this because she looks at them funny in many silent, lingering close-ups. First-time director Christina Choe seems not to realize that one can have too much of a good thing, or

anhood while retaining an adolescent frame. Even the big brown wig on her head infantilizes her. Snippet follows snippet illustrating the limits of Nancy’s dead end life with Mother (Ann Dowd) until finally a subplot beckons involving John Leguizamo as a man whose child has died. After a brief online exchange, Nancy makes herself look pregnant to meet him in a coffee shop, where he seems entranced by the identity she’s chosen Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films to entrance him with. Next Andrea Riseborough as the title character in director Christina Choe’s “Nancy.” comes the tidy, painless, invisible death of the mother. Like a sick old cat, she simeven a bad thing. Too many listless if narrative elements were a novelty ply vanishes. Then Choe close-ups of Riseborough’s eyes, for unknown to us. Hers is a linear apinexplicably curtails the promising example. They are huge, almondproach, which might work if her subplot, the audience’s one hope shaped, and soulful, a redoubtable images had depth or gravitas. The for complication and conflict, leavcinematic weapon. Here, however, only thing they have is Nancy’s ing her morose heroine alone in an their affect is unremittingly blank, discomfort in her own skin, her inempty house. bleak, or cringing. ability to be herself, and her disdain At minute 22, Nancy sees a TV Choe, who also wrote the script, for those in her immediate vicinnews story about a child kidnapped does not trust the audience’s power ity. So far, so good. Riseborough age 5, whose loving parents are still to assimilate plot. She introduces catches the angst perfectly. She’s an hoping she’s alive 30 years later. one narrative element at a time as Edward Gorey waif grown to womWait! Nancy is 35 years old. She

could be that child! So she phones the house, speaks to the mom, packs the cat in the car and drives for hours. Everything that’s gone before is a character sketch and everything from here on in is either an exercise in con artistry, existential brinksmanship, or, who knows?, that million-to-one shot that pays off. Maybe Nancy really was kidnapped: it’d explain so much! And these people have a far nicer house and education level than the hag who just died. For the next hour we watch frail, pale, sad sack Nancy shamble around a well-appointed country house with her maybe mom and dad. Steve Buscemi is distant and interrogative, but J. Smith-Cameron is huggy and willing to believe. These characters never progress beyond a thumbnail sketch as Choe tippytoes around the sinkhole that is Nancy’s arrival. Incipient emotional tangles remain unexplored as their saliva swabs are processed for DNA. No one loses their cool or speaks out of turn. Not to spoil the end for you, but it doesn’t justify sitting through the beginning and middle. “Nancy” is an 80-minute dud.t

Film>>

June 14-20, 2018 • Bay Area Reporter • 25

Courtesy Frameline

“It’s Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School” is Debra Chasnoff’s groundbreaking 1996 documentary.

Frameline lesbians

From page 19

Frameline 42 runs from June 14-24 at four venues in the Bay Area: the Castro Theatre, the Roxie, the Victoria, and the Piedmont. The online program can be found at www.frameline.org. More than 52% of the films, including narratives, documentaries, and shorts, were directed or co-directed by queer women, with dozens more featuring stories about women, Stein said. The theme of this year’s 11-day festival, “Lights. Camera. Take Action,” “speaks directly to our mission to change the world through the power of queer media,” wrote executive director Frances Wallace in the program guide. A “standout set of programs” reflects the times we live in. “Rise Up! Queer Women Filmmakers Take the Helm” showcases films and discussions from the unique perspective of queer, lesbian, and transgender women. As part of a special initiative supported by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Frameline 42 “shines a spotlight on the historic achievements and current state of queer women in filmmaking, through a robust selection of new films by women directors, a panel discussion, an onstage conversation with award-winning filmmaker Madeline Olnek and a special tribute program to the late Oscarwinning documentary director and activist Debra Chasnoff, who died last year,” wrote the programming team in the catalog. Browsing through the 136-page program is rewarding but timeconsuming, so the B.A.R. asked programmer Stein to cut to the chase with recommendations and comments. Stein pointed out two free programs about women. One, “Queer Women Documentarians in the Spotlight” (Castro, 6/19, 5 p.m.), features an “all star group” who take a look at the present and future of the queer women’s documentary. The discussion takes place immediately following the screening of “Dykes, Camera, Action!” at 4 p.m., and is expected to include that film’s director, Caroline Berler, as well as Kimberly Reed (director, “Dark Money”); B. Ruby Rich, professor of film and digital media at UC/Santa Cruz; and Yvonne Welbon, producer of “Living with Pride: Ruth Ellis@100.” Another free program, a conversation with filmmaker Madeline Olnek, will be held at the Roxie (6/21, 4 p.m.). Olnek directed this year’s U.S. Centerpiece film, “Wild Nights with Emily,” which will be screened

at the Castro (6/20, 6:30 p.m.). “Emily,” which stars Molly Shannon as a defiantly gay Emily Dickinson, premiered to enthusiastic reviews at the prestigious South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, said Stein, calling the film “a subversive and very funny counternarrative revisionist view of the life of Emily Dickinson,” noting that there has been a “strong archival record” of the author’s relationship with her sister-in-law, who lived next door. “It’s a fiction film, but deeply researched,” he said. As part of its retrospective program, the festival will screen “It’s Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School,” Debra Chasnoff ’s groundbreaking 1996 documentary about teaching LGBTQ issues in elementary schools. The film, which screens at the Castro (6/20, 4 p.m.), will be followed by a posthumous presentation of the 2018 Frameline Award and a tribute to Chasnoff by Kate Kendell of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. According to Stein, the tribute will include a “sneak preview” of the film Chasnoff was making when she died., called “Prognosis.” Chasnoff spent over two years chronicling her struggle with cancer, Stein said, and colleagues who worked on the film with her intend to complete it. “It was her way of remaining an activist as her life focused more and more on her health,” he said. Other films directed by women include: “Lez Bomb,” directed by Jenna Laurenzo, a comedy about a New Jersey family Thanksgiving (Victoria, 6/16, 6:45 p.m.). “Skate Kitchen,” directed by Crystal Moselle, a narrative film with a largely non-professional cast in a coming-of-age tale based on the lives of real-life Skate Kitchen girls Moselle met on a train. It screens at the Roxie (6/18, 9:15 p.m.). “Snapshots,” directed by Melanie Mayron, tells the story of three generations of women who come together for a weekend at the family’s lakeside home, featuring Piper Laurie. (Victoria, 6/21, 6:30 p.m.) “Chedeng and Apple,” directed by Rae Red and Fatrick Tabada, tells the story of two veteran Filipina beautyqueen actresses who reunite, in a black comedy about wacky women on the run. (Roxie, 6/23, 1:45 p.m.) “Bixa Travesty,” the winner of the Teddy Award for best documentary at the 2018 Berlin International Film Festival, is directed by Kiko Goifman and Claudia Priscilla. It showcases the life and political artistry of Brazilian performer Linn da Quebrada. (Victoria, 6/15, 9:30 p.m.)t

Courtesy Frameline

“Skate Kitchen,” directed by Crystal Moselle, is part of Frameline 42.

<< Music

26 • Bay Area Reporter • June 14-20, 2018

Finnish conductor proves her mastery

by Philip Campbell

less audience fervor, but the of the Helsinki Philharmonic, MalThe Russians are coming! response was still positive, kki has also been touring extensively This week the SFS is transforminnish conductor Suquite a compliment for the after concluding her four-year tenure ing the stage at DSH to Tsarist Russanna Malkki returned to relatively brief but mysterias principal guest conductor of the sia when Michael Tilson Thomas Davies Symphony Hall last ously eventful score. It is a Gulbenkian Orchestra. In recent and the SFS present semi-staged week to lead the San Francispleasing piece, characterseasons she conducted the Metroperformances of the Mussorgsky co Symphony in an exciting istic of Saariaho’s alluring politan Opera premiere of Kaija epic “Boris Godunov,” featuring program featuring Tchaisound world. Glittering Saariaho’s “L’amour de loin.” She was the composer’s original orchestrakovsky’s Violin Concerto in orchestration with shifting also music director of the prestigious tion, June 14-15 & 17. The fascinatD Major with violinist Nikoflashes of light and color Ensemble Intercontemporain from ing story of the rise and fall of the laj Znaider, and the first SFS and the surprising intro2006 to 2013. She made her SFS title character is filled with magperformances of compatriot duction of words spoken debut in 2012, and we hope to see nificent choruses and stirring solo Kaija Saariaho’s absorbing into their instruments by much more of her in future seasons. vocals. Mussorgsky’s earthy and “Laterna Magica.” the musicians comraw orchestration vividly Throughout the season bine to wonderful depicts the anguish of the the SFS has welcomed effect. Ingmar Berg16th-century Tsar. “House international conductors man’s fascination with of Cards” is a romp in the presenting music from their contrasts is readily park by comparison. native lands. Malkki finished apparent. The production is the the guest list, leading the It is said Alexander brainchild of MTT, and orchestra for the brief but Scriabin told a friend, directed by James Darrah kaleidoscopically packed “Look straight into with the same creative Saariaho “Laterna Magica” the eye of the sun!” team that collaborated (“The Magic Lantern”), when listening to his previously on highly sucwhich alludes to the autobi“The Poem of Eccessful productions ography of the same name stasy.” Malkki sensibly including “Peer Gynt” in by film director Ingmar took a less reckless 2013, a darkly memorable Simon Fowler, courtesy SFS Bergman. approach in her care“Peter Grimes” in 2014, Malkki bookended the Finnish conductor Susanna Malkki ful molding of the and most recently, the local premiere with Znaid- returned to DSH. sumptuous work. The joyously exuberant Berer’s whirlwind traversal of sense of wild abandon nstein, Comden & Green the mighty Tchaikovsky and cosmic exaltation “On the Town” in 2016. For many, the biggest takeaway and a thrilling Scriabin “The Poem was there, but no one went Between 2018 San of the evening was Znaider’s feverof Ecstasy.” It was a big night for blind observing the orchestra Francisco Pride, “The ish Tchaikovsky Concerto, but I the dynamic conductor, which also under her energetic control. It Ring” at San Francisco was equally impressed by Malkki’s solidified enthusiastic support from was a breathtaking rendition Opera, and big bad Boris’ gracious support of the soloist and SFS audiences. Malkki proves her that prompted one audience tremendously dramatic her strong handling of the ormastery of varied scores and commember to say, “I liked that appearance at Davies Hall, chestral backdrop. The violinist’s posers with every visit, and visibly better than ‘The Firebird.’” June really is bustin’ out all stratospheric tone was weighted elicits unanimously sympathetic Lars Gundersen, courtesy SFS In her debut year as Principal over.t beautifully by the richly majestic and precise orchestral response. The Guest Conductor of the Los backdrop. Violinist Nikolaj Znaider. musicians are clearly willing to folAngeles Philharmonic and secsfsymphony.org Kaija Saariaho’s aptly named low her baton-free lead. ond season as Chief Conductor “Laterna Magica” was received with

Preaching to the converted by Jim Gladstone

ollowing the inspirational lead of Jeff Sessions – who bears a striking resemblance to Leslie Jordan – I feel a duty to recuse myself from future reviews of the Del Shores oeuvre. “Six Characters in Search of a Play,” his one-man show that wrapped up a short, hot-selling run at the New Conservatory Theatre Center this past weekend, was my second encounter with Shores’ sentimental, country-fried camp. The first was a years-ago VHS screening of his signature work, “Sordid Lives,” in the common room of a Provincetown guesthouse owned by two devastatingly handsome, Barbie-collecting Brazilian men. The film’s highlight, for me, was the hypnotic motion of my hosts’ laugh-convulsed abs. Otherwise, nada.

At NCTC, I felt a similar disconnection with both the material and the audience, whose laughter and post-show chatter indicated immense enjoyment. I’m willing to accept that this show may just not be my cup – uh, Mason jar – of sweet tea. But as long as we’re here, there are other concerns worth mentioning. Shores, bless his heart, is a skilled purveyor of a very specific sort of comedy. Drawing on a Texas Baptist upbringing and extended family of eccentrics – including Crayola-cosmeticized Aunt Bobby Sue and legless Uncle Humpty, both of whom make appearances in “Six Characters” – he specializes in writing broad, buffoonish characters, gilded with a cloying touch of honey-gold tenderness. If you’re a gay man with southern or religious roots and an abiding affection for your kin, you’ll get it.

In his films, plays, and the “Sordid Lives” television series, these over-the-top folks are played by first-rate character actors, like Rue McClanahan and the aforementioned Leslie Jordan, a fan-favorite in his recurring role as the crossdressing Brother Boy. If that aforementioning didn’t ring a bell for you, you’d likely have joined me in feeling alienated at “Six Characters.” Shores opened the evening with an explanation that we were about to see a sextet of yarns about people he’d met who’d inspired his imagination but hadn’t yet been transformed into characters in one of his films or plays. Yet throughout the evening, Shores consistently frames his anecdotes by noting that such-and-such relative of his was the inspiration for such-and-such character in “A Very Sordid Christmas,” or that soand-so was the actress who played whozawhat in his play “Yellow.” He was preaching to the converted, and heathens like me were left in a contextual desert. There are some chuckle-worthy bits: a waitress, Yvonne, who insists her name is properly pronounced “Why-vonne”; intimate autograph sessions that find Shores applying his Sharpie to mammoth bosoms and a micropenis; a handgun-harvested dinner of fried squirrel. The whole “Six Characters” conceit is pretty much abandoned from the get-go, Shores’ title more a winky Pirandello joke than an accurate description of the show. Five of his stories, told primarily in the third person rather than as character monologues, focus as much on the author himself as his purported inspirations, and in the sixth, he plays a latently gay redneck unexpectedly smitten with Channing Tatum (pronounced “Tater,” hardy-har!). Clearly built for Shores’ existing fan-base, “Six Characters” is not so much a fully crafted theater piece

Above: Jason Grindle Below: NCTC

Above: Del Shores wrote and performed “Six Characters in Search of a Play” at NCTC. Below: Emerson Collins directed “Six Characters in Search of a Play” at NCTC.

as a career byproduct, the well-educated cousin of a meet-and-greet. Part storytelling, part stand-up, and a couple of overserious mood-lit monologues, it provides aficionados of Shores’ past work with the opportunity to peek behind the scenes and into his creative process. Shores is a warm and charming

raconteur, though he does lean a bit too hard on his status as a “minor celebrity in the gay community.” And if he continues to make work set in the “Sordid” universe without creating access points for new audiences, that’s what he’ll likely remain. As for to your humble reviewer, I stand recused.t

Music>>

June 14-20, 2018 • Bay Area Reporter • 27

Playlist for Pride & beyond

by Gregg Shapiro

less-than-subtle branding project by MGM Resorts, Universal Love: Wedding Songs Reimagined (Sony) is a six-song EP on which queer and queer allies flip the script on popular tunes, making them about same gender love, intact pronouns and all. Bob Dylan, who won an Oscar for “Things Have Changed,” theme song to the 2000 queer-oriented movie Wonder Boys, maintains his ongoing love affair with the American songbook with his rendition of “He’s Funny That Way.” Death Cab for Cutie’s Benjamin Gibbard (who has a lesbian sister) leaves his distinctive mark on the Beatles’ “And I Love Him,” and Valerie June belts out Noel Coward’s “Mad About the Girl.” Naturally, queer artists are also represented. St. Vincent has her way with the Spector-Greenwich-Berry chestnut “And Then She Kissed Me,” Kele Okereke goes for the Motown number “My Guy,” and Kesha wails on Janis Joplin’s “I Need a Woman to Love.” Various artists’ compilations such as Universal Love and Revamp: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin (Rocket/Island) are often a mixed bag. This is especially true in the case of Revamp, beginning with opener “Bennie and the Jets” by Elton John, Pink and Logic. It must have looked good on paper, but crashes and burns in execution. The strongest renditions

on Revamp are those by artists that honor and expand on the original versions. The best examples include Miley Cyrus (“Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”), Florence + The Machine (“Tiny Dancer”), Sam Smith (“Daniel”) and, while they are certainly not Elton and Kiki Dee, Q-Tip and Demi Lovato (“Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”). Biggest disappointments include Mary J. Blige (the overwrought “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word”), Ed Sheeran (the bland “Candle in the Wind”) and Mumford & Sons (the sludgy “Someone Saved My Life Tonight”). With his beard and bulk, Donovan Woods may look like a bear, but he’s not. So don’t be misled by the title of this Canadian singer-songwriter’s new album Both Ways (Meant Well); dude is straight. Nevertheless, the incredible music video for the first single, “Burn That Bridge,” features a same-sex male couple performing the dance of new love. The song stands on its own, but you should make a point to see the video. Woods, who cites short story writer Alice Munro and the late feminist poet Bronwen Wallace among his inspirations, will amaze you on songs “Our Friend Bobby” and Rose Cousins duet “I Ain’t Never Loved No One.” More same-gender couples and spouses are becoming parents. Whether it’s via adoption, surrogacy or alternative insemination, gay dads and lesbian moms abound.

Like their straight counterparts, LGBTQ parents are probably in search of family music. There’s an added bonus when a specifically queer angle exists, as with Songs for the Rainbow Family (LeatherWestern) by the Diesel Tykes. Another project of prolific gay musician Scott Free, the Diesel Tykes’ album features a marvelous assortment of guest musicians including lesbian family musician Laura Doherty (vegan tune “Adopt a Cow”), lesbian duo Congress of Starlings (“The Out Song”), trans artist Elias Krell (“Dress Me in Yellow”) and soulful singer JC Brooks (“Pride and Joy”). Because kids love to dance, Songs for the Rainbow Family gives them plenty of opportunity to move. Consider spinning Wild Is Everywhere (Unbreakable Chord) by SF-based Sara Lovell. “Raspberry Pickleberry Wormnut Pie” adds a touch of twang to the electro beats. “Bounce” encourages listeners to “wear your sparkle” and “shake the ceiling and floorboards, the wall and windows, too.” “I Want It Now” takes a retro path, while “Stand Together” and “How To Love Yourself ” have meaningful messages. It’s hard to imagine what old man Disney would have thought of one of his former child stars being christened “lesbian Jesus,” so it’s a good thing he’s not here to follow the career of Hayley Kiyoko. A long way from Disney’s other Hayley (Mills), Kiyoko has just released her long-awaited debut album, the ironically titled Expectations (Atlantic). Seriously, you are asking for trouble with a title like that. So does it live up to expectations? Yes and no. “What I Need,” featuring fellow out artist Kehlani, has summertime hit written all over it. “ “Under the Blue-Take Me In” reveals Kiyoko’s experimental side. The sunny “Palm Dreams” could benefit from a clubby remix, and “Molecules” has an atomic charge. The remainder tends toward the generic. You have heard out singersongwriter Daphne Willis’ funky dance track “Do It Like This” on the Comcast commercial, right? If you’ve been following her since her 2010 debut album, you’re aware of her transformation from latter-day, goggles-wearing hippie chick to fullon Nashville funkster. That soulful persona dominates on her latest album Freaks Like Me (Barefeet) on songs “Dopamine” and “Lose Control.” You can also hear the effect of old Nashville on Willis on the powerful closing ballad “The Letter.” Maybe you recognize the name of lesbian singer-songwriter Sera Cahoone from when she was in the bands Carissa’s Wierd (sic) or Band of Horses. Perhaps you know her solo work from when she was signed to the legendary Sub Pop Records label. On Cahoone’s new EP The Flora String Sessions (Lady Muleskinner), she performs gorgeously rendered “revisited arrangements” of seven songs from her four full-length studio albums. Pianist and composer Fred Hersch is easily the most productive gay man in the world of jazz, releasing at least one album a year since 2009. Hersch also found time to write his memoir, Good Things Happen Slowly: A Life In and Out of Jazz, published in 2017. On his latest live album Live in Europe (Palmetto) with the Fred Hersch Trio, he performs six originals along with two covers each by Thelonious Monk and Wayne Shorter.t

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<< DVD

28 • Bay Area Reporter • June 14-20, 2018

Foot fetishists, rejoice! by Brian Bromberger

arilyn Monroe once cooed, “Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.” She may have had the right shoes, but alas not a pair of Manolos, since she died before he appeared on the scene. Considered by the fashion world to be the greatest shoe designer of the 20th century, “the godfather of soles,” Manolo Blahnik is the subject of the documentary “Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards,” released on DVD by Music Box Films. The film is a love letter to the now almost-76-year-old artist, though he thinks of himself as a simple cobbler. Former Vogue editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley calls him a “visionary poet, up there with Baudelaire.” Designer Isaac Mizrahi opines, “Manolo wearers have the happiest feet in the world.” Model Iman comments, “Manolo has become part of every woman’s language,” and the queen bee of fashion herself, Anna Wintour, pays him the ultimate compliment by being interviewed without her trademark sunglasses, observing, “I can’t remember when I’ve worn someone else’s shoes. I don’t even look at them.” Manolo entered the pop culture pantheon when Princess Diana wore his shoes in the 1980s, which

made him a household name in England. Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) in the hit HBO TV series “Sex and the City” praised him as if he were a god, in one famous episode being robbed of her Manolo shoes by gunpoint, which helped immortalize him here in the U.S. Directed by fashion illustratoreditor Michael Roberts, this documentary borders on being an advertisement for Manolo’s shoes rather than a penetrating exploration of his life or his craft. Manolo Blahnik was born on La Palma in Spain’s Canary Islands in 1942 to a wealthy family. His mother nurtured his creativity, as he made foil wrappers from Cadbury chocolates into shoes for reptiles. All his pocket money was spent on fashion magazines. Sent at age 14 to school in Geneva, his parents envisioned him becoming a diplomat at the UN. Bored to tears, he went to Paris in the early 1960s and eventually immigrated to London in 1971, then the height of the fashion world. Talley introduced him to Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland, who encouraged him to concentrate on shoes. At his first shoe show in the early 70s, he forgot to put steel into the rubber high heels, causing his models to stumble as they promenaded down the runway. He became a fashion item himself, famous for

his lavender suits or dressing like a 17th-century Sicilian gentleman, the first man on the cover of British Vogue. Partying nonstop in the 70s, he worked nonstop in the 80s establishing his brand and a store in NY. All the major fashion designers had their models wear his shoes. He provided the shoes for Sofia Coppola’s movie “Marie Antoinette,” which helped costumer Milena Canonnero win an Oscar. The documentary provides few biographical details, which is probably not Roberts’ fault, as in interviews, Manolo is never unguarded, using humor as a defense against any real revelations. We learn some of his influences, such as the painter Goya, nature (especially flowers), gardens, fashion photographer-costume designer Cecil Beaton, and Lucian Visconti’s film “The Leopard.” The joy of his life is spending time at his factory in Milan. His gay identity is never mentioned, but it is inconceivable that a straight man could have designed Manolo’s shoes. Still, any gay identity would be based more on aesthetics than on sexuality. If camp came in the form of shoes, they would be Manolos. Talley comments that Manolo has never had or sought a relationship, and is naive when it comes to sexual practices. Manolo has a severe case

Frameline

Scene from director Steve McLean’s “Postcards from London.”

Frameline 24

From page 19

This year’s 136-page guide and festival website provide a comprehensive look at what’s available to see, as well as info on tickets, parking and transit links to the four festival venues. Now for my capsule reviews of a dozen programs from the festival’s first week, thru Wed., June 20. More next issue. “TransMilitary” The American military is this country’s largest employer of transgender people. But ever since the 2016 presidential election debacle, President Trump’s tweets have cast a shadow over the jobs and identities of about 15,000 transgender military workers. “TransMilitary” provides moving tales of a quartet of transgender soldiers who are the current shock troops for the US battle for LGBTQ rights. The Castro screening will be followed by a Gala party at Terra Gallery. (Castro, Opening Night, 6/14) “Man in an Orange Shirt” The BBC’s Michael Samuels explores British queer history through a pair of connected love stories. Set 60 years apart, the film’s dueling episodes demonstrate the evolving challenges of gay life for men in the UK from just after WWII to now. This hip drama, with its sublime ensemble Julian Morris, Vanessa Redgrave and “Downton Abbey”’s Laura Carmichael, gives us a glimpse a mindbending era of

history with just the right orches tration of emotion. (Castro, 6/15) “Fun in Boys Shorts” Along with its “Girl Shorts” twin, arguably Frameline’s most popular program (always lines around the block), this year’s eight short films span the waterfront from Will Gordh’s sly, funny Tinseltown sendup “Matt & Dan’s Sex Notes” to Alden Peters’ “Femme,” where cute Carson is told to butch it up, to English boy Rocket Ear’s diction lesson, “Don’t Fuck With England.” Stephen Winter’s “Bad Friend” features a cameo from Justin Vivian Bond. In Edward Jack’s “The Fix,” oral obsession plagues a fast-food worker. In Wes Akwuobi’s “Routine,” a standup comic reveals a secret. Canadian Chintis Lundren’s “Manivald” finds a mom and son after the same hottie, and in “High Rocks,” Tyler Wallach offers two hunky hikers with secrets of their own. (Castro, 6/16, 24) “Fun in Girl Shorts” The female side is well-represented by seven shorts with great stories and titles to match. In “Grace and Betty” from Zoe Lubeck, a girl’s decision to come out to her grandmother has unexpected consequences. In Nate Trinrud’s “Pop Rox,” a young woman discovers that telling a best friend a romantic secret is a task best done without company. Lauren Garroni’s “Dick Sisters” provides this program with a plot twist Hitchcock would have loved. Jana Heaton offers a lovely tangled romantic mess in “Lesbehonest:

I’ll Be All Right,” where a lesbian caps her bad breakup with a party that features too many prospective girlfriends. In Swedish director Julia Bostrom’s “Children Alike,” a brother foolishly takes his latest female lover home to meet his sister. In “Ice Cold” from Sekiya Dorsett, a young bride’s wedding day features a rollercoaster of highs and lows. In “Dyke Bars Never Last,” Stacy McKenzie illustrates this sad truth. (Castro, 6/16, 24; Piedmont, 6/23) “Postcards from London” When the handsome but shy redhead Jim (Harris Dickinson, “Beach Rats”) leaves his provincial home for the bright lights of London’s Soho, he quickly falls in with a gang of male escorts (don’t say “rent boys!”) who give him a crash course in the art world’s erotic dark side. Jim is called a raconteur, meaning a young stud paid by older men to breathe excitement back into their canvasses. Written and directed by Steve McLean, this is both a sexy art appreciation course sampling some of Western Civilization’s greatest painters (Caravaggio, Botticelli and Michelangelo) and a primer on the influence of passionate, contemporary homosexuality on the evolution of modern painting styles. (Castro, 6/16; Elmwood, 6/17) “Paper Boys” Soap opera has arrived at this year’s queer fest, and director Curtis Casella’s six-episode caper is no gay slumber party. Our hero is Cole, a young East Coast queen experiencing a bit of cultural

of germophobia, thus the idea of intimately touching another body is probably repulsive to him. Whatever sexual energy he possesses is sublimated into his shoes. His friend, the witty actor Rupert Everett, notes that some of Manolo’s shoes “look like giant tattooed cocks with concord heads” and that he once bought a pair of zebra-skinned pumps for men that seemed more feminine than women’s shoes, but has never worn them. Manolo can be chatty in a playful vertigo in SF. He’s visiting to find a job and to witness the hetero engagement of his best friend Daren. Tensions rise as Cole urges Daren to break off his engagement, with resulting domestic chaos. (Victoria, 6/16) “Every Act of Life” Jeff Kaufman performs a great service, an act of love, with his moving oral history of the life and career of gay playwright Terrence McNally. You probably know McNally works “The Lisbon Traviata,” “Lips Together, Teeth Apart,” “Master Class” and “Love! Valour! Compassion!” Born in Corpus Christi before Gay Liberation hit urban Texas, McNally experienced the brutal bigotry of religious-fueled homophobia, but he also lucked out with mentoring from a wise teacher. Kaufman deftly weaves the highlights of McNally’s stage career with an A cast of interviews with Nathan Lane, Angela Lansbury, Christine Baranski and Edie Falco. (Castro, 6/16) “1985” Texan director Yen Tan returns to the fest with a mid-80s family drama. Adrian (Cory Michael Smith) returns to his religiously afflicted family’s rural Texas home wondering whether to come out to them. Delivered by an all-star cast including Smith (“Carol”), Dad (Michael Chiklis) Mom (Virginia Madsen), and childhood girlfriend Jamie Chung (“Once Upon a Time”). (Castro, 6/17) “The Gospel of Eureka” Narrated by Justin Vivian Bond, this documentary focuses on the quaint Arkansas town of Eureka Springs as its residents prepare to vote on a historic LGBTQ rights ordinance,

manner, but one suspects there is a shadow side underneath this elegant exterior. Roberts begins the film with Manolo yelling to the camera that the project will be a disaster, and it’s “sheer nonsense” that it has taken two years to create it. He can be caustic, telling English model Penelope Tree she has peasant’s feet. Clearly Manolo’s work is his life. While at his factory, he still makes his own legendary heels, and doesn’t tolerate any opinion that differs from his own. The movie is cluttered with cheesy reenactments from Manolo’s childhood as well as (inexplicably) the “Hot Voodoo” scene from the Marlene Dietrich film “Blonde Venus.” There is a scene of Manolo with his white gloves sketching a shoe design, but precious little on the craft behind his shoes, which most mortals cannot afford. More close-ups of actual shoes (which Manolo calls his creatures; to each one he gives a name, such as Agatha) would have helped, instead of presenting them in dreamlike, surreal environments. The ultimate film on Manolo will probably have to wait until after he dies. For foot fetishists, this film will evoke delight. But for most viewers, the fawning praise, however deserved, will become tiresome.t against a backdrop of gospelthemed drag shows and the nation’s largest outdoor passion play. (Castro, 6/17) “When the Beat Drops” Famed choreographer Jamal Sims directs this bold, energetic film about “bucking,” a dance subculture popular in the South’s black LGBTQ community, from its beginnings at black colleges and universities, through its evolution at underground clubs, on to fierce competitions at large venues. (Castro, 6/18; Piedmont, 6/21) “Hard Paint” In this moody, sensual Brazilian drama, winner of the 2018 Teddy Award, Pedro (Shico Menegat) makes his living doing webcam shows while smearing his naked body with neon paint. When a mysterious performer begins copying his act, Pedro confronts him and finds something unexpected. Co-directors Filipe Matzembacher & Marcio Reolon offer a Latin American slacker comedy in the tradition of “Y Tu Mama Tambien.” (Castro, 6/19) “Just Friends” This Dutch treat from director Ellen Smit provides two gay boys in love with a modern twist. Aspiring doctor Yad (Majd Mardo) has traded life in party-down Amsterdam for the quiet of a small Dutch berg where his parents reside. Yad’s job as a domestic comes with the bonus of an older friend, Ans (Jenny Arean). Ans introduces Yad to her dashing young grandson Joris (Josha Stradowski), and romantic sparks fly. (Castro, 6/20, 24)t www.frameline.org.

Frameline

Scene from director Ellen Smit’s “Just Friends.”

Leather

Arts Events

Shining Stars Vol. 48 • No. 24 • June 14-20, 2018

www.ebar.com V www.bartabsf.com

Years & Years

Olly Alexander on being a gay pop sensation

by Jim Gladstone

“M

Hannah Diamond

y mum really liked George Michael,” says Olly Alexander, the gamin lead singer of British pop act Years & Years. “He was the first performer I was aware of as being openly gay when I was growing up. Now I understand that he had a somewhat embattled relationship with his sexuality, but for me as a kid, he was gay, and my mother liked him.” See page 30 >>

Olly Alexander

Rick Hamer

Tastefully proud Papi Rico, Hamburger Mary’s, Indo and Wooden Spoon serve it up by Jim Gladstone

T The intimate dining area at Papi Rico

his year, just in time for Pride, a small bouquet of eateries has bloomed in the Castro. Whether you’re a local who’s not often in the gayborhood, or you’ve got out-of-town visitors stoked to see the GLBT History Society Museum, Harvey Milk’s old camera shop, or one of our bountiful dildo emporiums, swing on by and bring your appetite for something new. See page 31 >>

{ THIRD OF THREE SECTIONS }

<< Music

30 • Bay Area Reporter • June 14-20, 2018

Olly Alexander and Years & Years at 2018’s Summertime Ball.

Years & Years

From page 29

Alexander, 28, will play the Regency Ballroom with bandmates Mikey Goldsworthy and Emre Türkmen on June 27. It’s their first local appearance since a set at Outside Lands in 2016 and one of only three U.S. shows scheduled to build buzz for the July 6 release of Years & Years’ second album, Palo Santo. “Coming across a gay man in pop music was really helpful,” Alexander recalls about first connecting with Michael’s music. “Before then,” he notes with unabashed affection, “I was drawn mostly to women performers: The Spice Girls, Britney, Christina, Destiny’s Child.” Alexander is part of a still-small wave of male musical performers including Sam Smith and Troye Sivan—call them Gen2 GayPop— who are simultaneously aiming for mainstream commercial success and publicly acknowledging their

sexuality from the very beginning of their careers. Unlike George Michael, Elton John, Boy George, Michael Stipe and other pop stars of earlier generations, Alexander and company are not waiting for the financial security of enormous success before coming out publicly. Nor, to be fair, are they contending with the same social attitudes about gay men that challenged their musical forebears (and foretwinks). But Alexander wants to make it clear that he doesn’t consider himself part of any “post-gay” movement of artists, anxious to minimize discussion of their sexuality. “Whether I like it or not,” he said during a recent phone call from London, “people are going to be asking me things that have to do with my being gay. I feel very lucky to have this platform and I believe in helping other queer people succeed and thrive. The world has a long way to go in terms of public policy toward us, so I’m totally fine with

being asked about sexuality and speaking about that. “I think there’s a lot that we need to do,” he says, tacitly acknowledging a common denominator among those gay pop stars who have achieved a degree of mainstream popularity, “to unpack our own privileges as white gay men.” Years & Years’ best-known hit is 2015’s “King,” a number one smash in the UK and huge success throughout Europe. The song’s U.S. impact was largely limited to the dance music charts. Part of the band’s Eurocentric success is certainly due to the fact that, despite the steady electronic dance beats underpinning much of their music, the songs—co-written by Alexander—also incorporate more challenging elements: unconventional structures, theatrical vocals that don’t retreat into the mix, and a vein of heightened cabaret style that generally goes over better outside of the U.S.; think Mika, Patrick Wolf, and Bat for Lashes. The performative, vocalist-driven nature of Years & Years’ music is all the more heightened on Palo Santo, most notably on the recently released second single, “If You’re Over Me,” a bouncy ditty that evokes a vaudevillian English music hall more than the basketball arenas the band nonetheless aspires to headline. “I do think,” says Alexander, “that in the UK and Europe there’s more room for different kinds of musical expression to be successful. You don’t need to have 10 million fans to be considered popular.” He points to singular artists like Rufus Wainwright and Perfume Genius as admired American exemplars of the genre. Before a curtain rises in the open-

Above: Emre Türkmen, Olly Alexander and Mikey Goldsworthy of Years & Years. Below: Olly Alexander

ing sequence of the video for “If You’re Over Me” video, an emcee introduces “the amazing and incredible Olly Alexander,” with no mention made of Years & Years. Is this a band, or a solo act? Alexander laughs. “We’re still a band. I guess we have a unique way of working together. When we started on this album, we spent a few weeks and wrote twelve songs. But I think we’ve used only one of those on the album. To be honest, I think it’s a relief to them that I’m getting all the attention.” In any case, the vision behind Palo Santo is clearly Alexander’s. “Before we even started any music, I knew I wanted to do something very ambitious where it would

live inside of a fantasy world. I love science fiction and artists who create worlds: Gaga, Bowie, Ursula LeGuin, Margaret Atwood.” The world of Palo Santo—which borrows its name from a South American herbal cleansing ritual— says Alexander, “is a place where things are predominantly run by androids. The few humans that remain are superstars who perform in cabarets. It doesn’t matter what your sexuality is. You’re a star because you’re human.”t Years & Years at The Regency Ballroom, Wednesday June 27. $30. 8pm. 1300 Van Ness Ave. www.yearsandyears.com www.theregencyballroom.com

Olly Alexander in a rainbow dreamcoat, performing at Glastonbury Music Festival.

Food>>

June 14-20, 2018 • Bay Area Reporter • 31

ness crab, mascarpone, bacon or huckleberry pancakes, to simple lunch-leaning fare including entrée salads and creative sandwiches (Curried chicken salad with golden raisins and pistachios, please!). If you’re looking to eat even lighter, there are pastries and Sightglass coffee to enjoy around a communal table. And, this being the Castro, there are cocktails—but they’re specifically concocted for day drinking, including a Breakfast Spritz with bubbly, aperol and white peach puree and whisky spiked “Coffee du Nord.” Wooden Spoon, 2172 Market Street. www.woodenspoonsf.com

Rick Hamer

Tastefully Proud

From page 29

Beach party vibes Opened on Cinco de May, the kitschy-cool Papi Rico brings a permanent Puerto Vallarta vibe to the heart of the Castro. Its frenetic fiesta decor begins with a wall of skimpy swimsuits that greets you at the front door. The mood is extended all the way into the sunny back courtyard, where a mural of studly beach boys gazes down upon a crowd that gives them a run for their money on sunny weekend afternoons. The star of the tight food menu is one of the city’s best bargain bites: Big belly-filling quesadillas for only $5 and $6, depending on your choice of protein: The garlic sautéed prawn and tangy carnitas are standouts. Generously portioned shrimp ceviche and guacamole are also good bets. The advance forecast for Pride weekend has temperatures in the mid-70s, so expect big crowds to gather at the back bar for Papi Rico’s signature frozen drinks, including the Punta Negra, an intoxicating slush of tequila, lime, passion fruit and kicky habanero chile. Tequila, mezcal and socol cocktails flow freely and the beer selection includes five different Mexican imports. Playing den mother, soul sister and—as needed—chief disciplinarian at this permanent beach bash is one of the gems of San Francisco’s hospitality scene, Katrina Parlato. She keeps the fast-moving staff on its toes and works the room, checking in on guests with a smile as bright as the Mexican sun. Papi Rico, 544 Castro Street. (415) 655-3514 www.papiricosf.com Mary me a little Just down the block away is the reincarnation of local legend, Hamburger Mary’s. The original Mary’s, a South of Market staple, opened in 1972, when burgers were the least of the meat up for grabs in that part of town (A nearby bar was named The Hungry Hole). Before closing down after three decades in the same location (currently gay-friendly taproom The Willows, which does a solid burger of its own), the tightly packed favorite of the leather scene and its hangers-on developed an

outsized reputation, attracting drop-ins by everyone from Divine to a young Chelsea Clinton. Beginning in the late ‘70s, a small gaggle of Marys was spawned through franchising, with branches as far afield as Berlin (now defunct). Today, there are Mary’s in seven states and, while some old school San Franciscans may scoff at the phenomenon as too commercial, the fact that gay iconography, double-entendre menu items, and servers in drag have found homes in the likes of Saint Louis, Milwaukee, and Jacksonville points speaks to a major cultural shift over time. The months-old Castro location also wins points for finally putting a business in its prime gayborhood location, once home to another community favorite restaurant, The Patio, which closed in 1999. A vacant-eyed drag queen is always preferable to a 20-year vacancy. And there’s this: the juicy namesake dish, at $10 with most toppings, is well-priced and well-portioned at a hefty half-pound. In a city where burgers can cost twice that much once you add a slice of cheese, that’s worth a Hail Mary. Saturdays and Sundays feature drag performances at brunch, and for Pride weekend, reservations are recommended. Hamburger Mary’s, 531 Castro Street. (415) 580-7145 www.hamburgermarys.com/sanfrancisco Getting Indo mood Looking to take out-of-towners out for dinner and quiet conversation after a Frameline screening at the Castro Theatre? The newest option for a more upscale dining experience in the neighborhood is Indo, a San Francisco location of the successful Palo Alto restaurant featuring “Indonesian-fusion” cuisine and a warm, relaxed atmosphere. No need to fear the unfamiliar: Chef-owner Diana Anwar incorporates favorite Indian and Thai flavors in dishes like green seafood curry, pad Thai noodles (including a version with lobster), and lamb korma as well as venturing into authentic Indonesian specialties: Instead of a papaya salad, consider opting for gado gado, which features vegetables, hard boiled egg, tofu and crispy crackers, all drizzled in a distinctive peanut sauce. Another salad option—and per-

Drag style and burgers at Hamburger Mary’s.

Kristen Loken

Friends enjoy the patio and cozy dining area at Papi Rico.

Clockwise from top left: The Guacamole BJ at Hamburger Mary’s; Bloody Mary and breakfast bite at Wooden Spoon; Rainbow macarons at Kahnfections; Satay at Indo.

haps the menu’s most traditional Indonesian dish—is rujak manis, morsels of vegetables and fresh fruit to be dipped in a pungent sweetand-spicy sauce made with tamarind and shrimp paste. The fusion dishes aren’t limited to Asian hybrids. Anwar works western favorites into the mix as well with the likes of osso bucco served in a red coconut curry sauce and Norwegian salmon scented with kaffir lime and chili. Indo, 4039 8th Street. (415) 3469700 www.indorestaurant.com

A new breakfast nook The neighborhood’s most recent opening is Wooden Spoon, a breakfast-and-lunch-only spot in the former Aatxe space at the Swedish American Hall. With cute country kitchen décor, including a mini-mural made of its namesake utensils, this is a welcome alternative to old reliable Café Flore and a worthy successor to the late lamented Blue. Open only from 8am to 3pm, Wednesdays through Sundays, Wooden Spoon features spiffed-up breakfast dishes like soft scrambled eggs with Dunge-

Taste the rainbooze When Judy Kahn decided to cook up something special to celebrate Pride this year at her Mission District bakery, Kahnfections, she knew that rainbow colors alone wouldn’t cut it. From the rainbow layer cakes that draw oohs and aahs on the counter at the Castro Fountain, to the infestation of Technicolor cupcakes all over town, brightly hued June goodies are old hat in this town. But Kahn’s concocted something to take things up a notch: Her rainbow-toned macarons come with built in beverages; cocktails, to be more precise. Kahn stirs up batches of seven mixed drinks that she then uses to infuse rich buttercream fillings. While each macaron’s middle is white, the colors of the almond meringue cookies that sandwich them indicate their cocktail flavos: Red holds strawberry daiquiri; orange, Bellini; yellow, pina colada; green, Midori sour; blue, blue moon; and violet, purple haze. Because the macarons are baked before they’re filled, the alcohol is not cooked off, which makes these cookies a little kicky. Why not belly up to the bakery and give them a shot? Pride Cocktail Macarons, $12 for a selection of six, at Kahnfections, 3321 20th Street. (415) 525-3328t

RAISE THE CURTAIN. AND A GLASS OR TWO. Blue Angel invites you to enjoy a martini with Tony Award nominee Andrew Lippa and give back to the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus SF Pride concert, “Unbreakable”. June 16 | 6:30-9:30 p.m. Lookout on Market St. | Free Admission

DRINK ALTRUISTICALLY BlueAngelVodka.com

<< Leather

32 • Bay Area Reporter • June 14-20, 2018

40 Years of Leather International Mr. Leather’s celebrates four decades

by Race Bannon

his year’s recent International Mr. Leather (IML) weekend was its 40th anniversary. 40 years since Chuck Renslow decided to have a leather contest, a contest and weekend that in large part helped form the foundation of the modern leather experience. Considering I have long and strong ties to Chicago (I was born and raised there), IML, and Mr. Renslow, it felt especially important for me to be there. Chuck passed away in June 2017, a loss that resonated throughout the leather world. This year’s IML was a beautiful honoring of one of the most important men of the American, indeed international, leather scene. He was certainly kind to me back in the 1970s when I was a newly minted kinkling leatherguy cruising Chicago’s leather bars, sex clubs and baths. Chuck’s kindness to me will never be forgotten. He was a truly remarkable man. This year’s IML weekend was packed with its usual share of amazing social gatherings, play parties, dances and other happenings, but throughout the weekend there were also many events, exhibits and tributes specifically to honor Chuck, an amazing man who was a mentor, leader, daddy and friends to so many of us. One of the more beautiful tributes to Chuck came in the form of the speech delivered by Jon Krongaard, President of International Mr. Leather, Inc., on the final night of the International Mr. Leather (IML) and International Mr. Bootblack (IMBB) competition. Chuck himself utilized the speech timeslot each year prior to his passing. He’d focus on a message he felt would empower the community he loved so much. Every snippet of Jon’s speech was a touching remembrance of Chuck. “And this fraternity. This brotherhood of leather that Chuck so strongly believed in is real. Need proof? Think of your chosen families here with you tonight or those back home and realize that these amazing people probably would never have crossed your path if it wasn’t for Chuck Renslow. His vision. His passion. His love of community is what ultimately brought us together. And even in today’s internet-driven world, we are stronger than we have ever been.” Truer words were never spoken. Of course, as Chuck would have wanted, the show must go on, and IML weekend yet again met high expectations for an extremely well run and welcoming event. It remains the gold standard of those big leather events that cater to the gay men’s factions of our diverse leather and kink world.

International Mr. Leather, Inc.

IML/IMBB winners podium (left to right): first runner-up, Sandro Cossero, Mr. Leather Belgium 2017; the new IML 2018, James Lee, Mr. Kentucky Leather 2017; the new IMBB 2018, Lucky Rebel, Mr. Oregon State Leather 2016; and second runner-up, Stephan Ferris, Mr. Friendly SF 2018.

Many assume that the contest is what draws so many to Chicago each year. For some, yes. But for most of the people I queried about why they enjoy IML, their reasons aren’t related to the contest at all. Rekindling friendships. Connecting with family. Brotherhood. The love. More sex and play than anyone could want. The onsite Leather Market that once a year becomes the largest kink and gear shopping opportunity in the world. Great dance parties. The sense of living history. Meeting new people. Exploring newly discovered kink proclivities in a place that feels safe and comfortable. Experiencing a few days where one can be their authentic self. Eye candy. Seeing how the leather/kink scene is changing in new and positive ways. Laughing a lot. Volunteering. Knowing there’s a sober support system while getting one’s kink on. Seeing the international scene in one place. The special, long-awaited play date. Amazing conversations. Lots of hugs and kisses. Those were just some of the reasons people told me they loved about their IML experience this year. And yes, many did mention the contest. Contestants, handlers, friends and the audiences enjoyed an extremely well-run contest emceed this year masterfully by our own local, Thib Guicherd-Callin. There were dozens of official IML events taking places Thursday through Sunday of IML. I can’t possibly highlight them all. But if you meander over to the IML website you can still scan the Visitor’s Guide Event Schedule and see all that takes place. And that’s just the “official” stuff. There are countless events that happen outside of the official schedule as well. There’s something for every type of kinky guy at IML. I attended a few of the official and unofficial events. www.imrl.com The Flashback event co-emceed by our own Lenny Broberg was a standout for me. I’m not going to go into

the specifics of what Lenny did for me personally in front of hundreds of my family in attendance because I’ll cry again while typing this, but he showed what an incredibly decent and kind man he is, and I’m honored to call him a long-time friend. At the Flashback event during which some friends of the outgoing titleholders lovingly poke fun at them, Ralph Bruneau, IML 2017, and Ryan “Pawlish” Garner-Carpenter, IMBB 2017, endured with smiles and laughter as their friends pummeled them with jibes and dish. Then these two fine outgoing titleholders delivered passionate speeches as they stepped down from their title year to welcome in the new titleholders to be chosen 48 hours later. Both of these men did the titles proud and showed what decency looks like. A highlight for me was yet again the San Francisco dance party held each year in the host hotel, sponsored by Folsom Street Events. At 64 years of age I danced in nothing but a jockstrap, boots and a harness, a rarity for me lately, and it was joyful and liberating. I’m still glad some of our events allow for such spaces to be ourselves in a hyper-sexualized social environment. As for the contest, our two local entrants, Matt Welch, Mr. SF Leather 2018, and Stephan Ferris, Mr. Friendly SF 2018, both did our Bay Area proud. In the end, Stephan ended up proceeding into the Top 20 competition Sunday night and ultimately wowed the crowd with a rousing speech on HIV stigma that helped propel him into the second runner-up spot on the podium. Atop the IML podium were: the new IML 2018, James Lee, Mr. Kentucky Leather 2017; first runner-up Sandro Cossero, Mr. Leather Belgium 2017; and second runner-up, Stephan Ferris. In the IMBB competition, the new IMBB 2018 is Lucky Rebel, Mr. Oregon State Leather 2016. First runner-up is Pup Roke and second runner-up is William Bootblack Knight, 2017 Colorado Bootblack. There were 71 contestants this

photo All photos: International Mr. Leather, Inc.

Top: Three of the many hunky men who were among the thousands attending the most recent IML weekend in Chicago. Middle: Deadpool was a popular choice for many who attended the Superhero Fetish Meetup at IML. Bottom: Attendees at the Spitshine Bootblack Party at IML were able to enjoy some loving and care on their boots by the available bootblacks while raising money for the IMBB travel fund.

year for IML and 4 for IMBB. I know or met a wide swath of them and I was impressed by the quality of men who entered this year. It was a stellar class and they should all be proud of themselves. IML/IMBB winners aren’t chosen in a vacuum. There is always a panel of judge notables for both competitions. This year judging IML were: Ralph Bruneau, IML 2017; Q Darkwolf, Mr. Eagle NYC 2016; Werner Hall, Bavarian Mr. Leather 2016; David Kloss, IML 1979 (yes, the very first IML); Drew Kramer, Palm Springs-based community activist and organizer; Sammy Sklover, IMBB 2013; Rick Storer, Executive Director of the Leather Archives & Museum 2002-2017; Sal Susino,

New Jersey-based producer and community activist; and Karen Ultra, long-time IML past staffer and well-known emcee and educator. This years’ IMBB judges were: Ray “Pawlish” Garner-Carpenter, IMBB 2017; Bay Area local Tegan, International Ms. Bootblack 2018; and Richard Savvy, Sydney Mr. Leather 2012, also known as “The Naked Barber.” Few realize the amount of work that goes into judging IML/IMBB. Having been a past IML judge myself, I can attest to the amount of time and dedication it takes to be one of these judges. They did their job, and did it well, and we have a great set of men representing the titles for 2018. I noticed quite a few women in attendance this year. While the weekend is absolutely focused on kinky gay men, a small percentage of women have always attended and, in fact, make up quite a few of the volunteers that make the weekend happen. Chuck was always about inclusion and IML has done a good job with that historically. Oh, and I got laid a few times at IML this year. For me, it’s still about the friends, connection, sex and play that ultimately brings me back to IML just about every year. If you haven’t been, I highly recommend it. Maybe you’ll get laid too.t For Leather events, visit http://www.ebar.com/events/ Race Bannon is a local author, blogger and activist. You can reach him on his website, www.bannon.com.

Arts Events>>

June 14-20, 2018 • Bay Area Reporter • 33

Thu 14

Playmates and soul mates...

Rain Embuscado

Alice Shepard and Laurel Lawson at Fresh Meat Dance Festival @ Z Space

San Francisco:

1-415-692-5774 Megamates.com 18+

Arts Events June 14-21 For full listings, visit www.ebar.com/events

Thu 14 Fresh Meat Dance Festival @ Z Space The 17th annual transgender and queer performance festival features a transgender superhero rock opera, world champion gay ballroom dancers, queer disabled dance pioneers, gender-bending dance theater, and trans comedy; Sean Dorsey Dance, Alice Sheppard and Laurel Lawson, Blackberri, Shawna Virago, Breanna Sinclaire and many others. $15-$20 ($20$50 for Saturday gala) 8pm. Thru June 14-16. (ASL interpreter Friday June 15.) 450 Florida St. http://freshmeatproductions.org/

Queer Slam @ SF LGBT Center Spoken word, literary readings with a prize for best readers. Free. 6:30pm. 1800 Market St. www.sfcenter.org

Shortlived VII @ PianoFight 48 plays by Bay Area theatre companies are performed in a 9-week competition for a $5K prize. Thru Aug. 25. $20-$40. 144 Taylor St. www.pianofight.com

Straight White Men @ Marin Theatre Company Young Jean Lee’s serio-comic play about identity and privilege. $10$37. Thu-Sat 7:30pm. Sat & Sun 2pm/4pm. Thru July 8. 397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley. http://www.marintheatre.org

Fri 15 Gwenaël Rattke @ Romer Young Gallery Opening reception for the Berlin artist’s multimedia art exhibit. 6pm-9pm. Thru July 21. 1240 22nd St. www.romeryounggallery.com/

Madeline Miller @ Book Passage, Corte Madera The acclaimed author of Song of Achilles reads from and discusses her new novel, Circe, a goddess’ retelling of The Odyssey. 7pm. 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera. www.bookpassage.com

RAW Presents @ SAFEhouse June 14: Octavia of Earth, a biographical scifi film/theatre work by Octavia E. Butler. $15-$20. 8pm. 145 Eddy St. www.safehousearts.org

Sat 16 Art + Pride @ Harvey Milk Photo Center Opening reception for a group exhibit of Pride-themed photography and mixed media by dozens of LGBT artists and photojournalists. 6pm-9:30pm. Thru July 22. 50 Scott St. harveymilkphotocenter.org

BodyTabooDefiance @ Shelton Theatre Red Hots Burlesque’s midnight cabaret of political and sexuallythemed performances, with Alotta Boutté, Maya Songbird, Dottie Lux, Suppositori Spelling, Peter ‘U-Phoria’ Griggs and more. $20$100. 11pm door, 12am show. 533 Sutter St. www.sheltontheater.org

Finks @ Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s production of Joe Gilford’s musical play about his father’s McCarthyera red-baiting blacklist from the entertainment industry. $40-$100. Tue-Wed 7:30. Thu-Sat 8pm. Wed, Sat, Sun 2pm. Also Sun 7pm. Thru July 1. 500 Castro st., Mountain View. www.theatreworks.org

Intimate Aphorisms @ Mission Cultural Center Exhibit of works by 15 queer Latinx artists. $5. Thru June 30. 2868 Mission St. www.missionculturalcenter.org

Spill the Disabili-tea @ Anchor Alex Locust, aka Glamputee, hosts two workshops on discussing disability rights, awareness and interaction, with a queer edge. $20. 1pm-4pm. Also June 17. 1540 Market St. www.glamputee.com

Sun 17 Unique Derique @ The Marsh The comic juggling solo performer’s new family-friendly show, Fool La La! Over the Rainbow includes a free juggling workshop after each show. $15-$100. Sundays, 1pm. Extended thru June 30. 1062 Valencia St. www.themarsh.org

Womxn, Omen, Women in Chinatown @ Chinese Cultural Center Exhibit of works by Bijun Liang, Shisi Huang and Vida Kuang that challenge gender roles and equity in communities. Thru Aug. 18. Thu-Sun 11am-4pm, thru June 17. 41 Ross Alley. www.cccsf.us

Mon 18 Expedition Reef @ California Academy of Sciences Exhibits and planetarium shows with various live, interactive and installed exhibits about animals, plants and the earth; Deep Reefs, Giants of Land and Sea, Gems and Minerals, and more. $20-$35. Mon-Sat 9:30am-5pm. Sun 11am5pm. 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. 379-8000. www.calacademy.org

Rae Senarighi @ Strut Transcend, the artist’s exhibit of large portraits of various transgender people. Exhibit thru June. 470 Castro St. transpainter.com www.strutsf.org

Tue 19 2nd Anniversary Party @ Dog Eared Books Celebrate two years of the Castro bookstore, with champagne, treats and cake, plus readings by Annalee Newitz, Virgie Tovar and Tongo Eisen-Martin, plus Jessica Tanzer’s photo exhibit (thru June). 6:30pm. 489 Castro St. www.dogearedbooks.com

Alexander Nowik @ Et Al Gallery The local artist’s paintings and drawings. Thru June 23. 620 Kearny St. http://etaletc.com/#/ galleries/1/shows/83

Pride! @ Spark Arts Group exhibit of LGBT-themed paintings and other art work by Ramon Pablo Vidali, An Luke Nguyen, Alan Beckstead, Susan Voix, and Sabrina Reid. Thru June 25. 4229 18th St. sparkarts.com

Wed 20 Martin Machado: Fluid State @ SF Art Institute Exhibit of works by the artist that visualize shipping containers traveling through the Bay. Thru Aug. 19. Pier 2, Fort Mason, 2 Marina Blvd. http://sfai.edu

Trans Resistance is Beautiful @ SF LGBT Center Group exhibit of original art from trans liberation activist-artists Micah Bazant, Chucha Marquez, Ethan X Parker, Art Twink, Amir Khadar, Rommy Sobrado-Torrico, Mojuicy, Edxie Betts, and others. Thru July 27. 1800 Market St. www.sfcenter.org

Thu 21 Carlo Fantin, Sara Lish @ Mercury 20, Oakland Duo exhibit of works by the artists who focus on political, sexual and personal themes. ThuSat 12pm-6pm. Thru July 28. 475 25th St, Oakland. www.mercurytwenty.com

Empowerment in Print @ GLBT History Museum Empowerment in Print: LGBTQ Activism, Pride & Lust, a miniexhibit of periodicals from the collection. Also: Angela Davis: OUTspoken, and Faces of the Past: Queer Lives in Northern California Before 1930. $5. 4127 18th St. www.glbthistory.org

Hattie McDaniel: What I Need You to Know @ Cowell Theatre Singer-actress Vickilyn Reynolds performs the musical life story of the Oscar-winning African American actress ( Gone With the Wind ). $25-$100. Various times thru June 24. Bldg. C, #260, Fort Mason, 2 Marina Blvd. www. hattiewhatineedyoutoknow.com

<< Nightlife Events

34 • Bay Area Reporter • June 14-20, 2018

Disco Daddy @ SF Eagle DJ Bus Station John’s fifth anniversary T-dance celebrates the music of Gloria Gaynor and Linda Clifford. $5-$7. 7pm-12am. 398 12th St. sf-eagle.com

Mon 18

Bob the Drag Queen @ Oasis

Out in Tech @ Oasis Pride kickoff party for tech industry gays, with Smirnoff cocktails, Sneaky’s BBQ on the roof deck. 2pm6pm. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

Nightlife Events June 14-20

For full listings, visit www.ebar.com/events

Thu 14 Buffy Sing-Along @ Lone Star Saloon Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical scenes sing-along, with MC Jimmy Swear, DJ Suppositori Spelling, drag, trivia and vampire-slayin’ fun! 9pm1am. 1354 Harrison St. lonestarsf.com

Karaoke Dokey @ Flore Monty Quilla hosts the new weekly amateur singing night. 9pm-12am. 2298 Market St. www.flore415.com

Kathy Griffin @ The Masonic The popular, ostracized, now redeemed comic performs two nights of searingly truthful comedy. $50-$60. 8pm. Also June 15. 1111 California St. www.kathygriffin.com

The Monster Show @ The Edge The weekly drag show with host Sue Casa, DJ MC2, themed nights and hilarious fun. $5. 9pm-2am. 4149 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com

Puff @ The Stud DJ Dank and Maria Konner’s pot appreciation Pride show, with drag and live music (no pot smoking or sharing in or outside the club!). 7pm10pm. $5-$10. 10pm-4am. 399 9th St. www.studsf.com

Pride Comedy @ Ashkenaz, Berkeley Veteran gay and lesbian comics Karen Ripley, Irene Tu, Nick Leonard, Dom Gelin, and Lisa Geduldig. $15-$20. 8pm. 1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. http://www.ashkenaz.com

Sundance Saloon @ Space 550 The Country-Western line-dancing two-stepping dance event celebrates 20 years. Free thru April 29; $5 after. 5pm-10:30pm. Also Sundays. 550 Barneveld Ave. sundancesaloon.org

Fri 15 Access Happy Hour @ Oasis Linty hosts the drag show and fundraiser for The Arc, benefitting young adults with disabilities in the arts; raffles and entertainment. 5pm7pm. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

Beige @ Powerhouse Celebrate classic gay hanky codes at the cruisy night with Spencer Adam (Mr. Powerhouse 2018), DJs Cody Lee Cooksey and PopTart. $5. 9pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. powerhousebar.com

Creature @ The Stud DJs Jibbz, Ond4, San Cha, Gossip Cat, with Nikki Jizz, Yves St. Croissant, queerness unleashed. $5-$10. 10pm4am. 399 9th St. studsf.com

Daddy Saddle @ Lone Star Saloon Colin Bass and Heavy Breather spin grooves at the bear/drag/women’s night. $5. 9pm-2am. 1354 Harrison St. www.lonestarsf.com

Fauxnique @ Oasis The faux queen star reads from her new drag memoir-in-progess; proceeds benefit Radar Productions, the LGBTQ literary nonprofit. $27.50$45. 7pm. 298 11th St. sfoasis.com

Prism @ Qube Bar & Grill, San Mateo New weekly LGBT night at the Peninsula restaurant and bar. 8pm11:30pm. 4000 South El Camino Real, San Mateo. https://qubelyfe.com/

Sat 16 Beatpig @ Powerhouse Juanita MORE! and crew’s eclectic drag and butch and queer night. $5. 9pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

GAMeBoi SF @ Rickshaw Stop The monthly Gaysian dance party’s Bubbles & Bae party. $8-$15. 9:30pm-2am. 155 Fell St. www.rickshawstop.com

Green Eggs and Bam! @ Flore Drag shows and brunch at the central restaurant-café, with hostess Camille Tow. Shows at 12pm, 1pm, 2pm. 2298 Market St. www.flore415.com

Impulse Pride @ El Rio Grace Towers, Anita Moment, Pinche Queen and more!. 2pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

Jackie Beat @ Oasis L.A.’s razor-sharp drag comic performs her Gayest Hits, comedy and song parodies. $27.50-$45. 7m. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

Mascara @ Eureka Valley Rec. Center Castro Country Club’s monthly sober drag show is a hoot; hosted by Minnie Happyreturns. $15-$20. 7:30pm. 100 Collingwood at 18th. www.castrocountryclub.org

Mixed Forms @ The Stud Eclectic music night, with DJs Ciel, Sold, Sepehr and Trevor Sigler. $5$10. 10pm-4am. 399 9th St. www.studsf.com

Queer Tango @ Finnish Hall, Berkeley Same-sex partner tango dancing, including lessons for newbies, food and drinks. $5-$10. 3:30pm-6:30pm. 1970 Chestnut St, Berkeley. www.finnishhall.org

Mon 18 Bob the Drag Queen @ Oasis The RuPaul’s Drag Race-winning star performs unusual drag solo shows, between his gig in Berkeley Rep’s Angels in America. $20-$45. 8pm. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

Center of Pride @ LGBT Center Hear about the Center’s programs with light food and drinks; donations requested. 6pm. 1800 Market St. www.sfcenter.org

Piano Bar 101 @ Martuni’s Sing-along night with talented locals, and charming accompanist Joe Wicht. 9pm. 4 Valencia St. at Market.

Underwear Night @ 440 Strip down to your skivvies at the popular men’s night. 9pm-2am. 440 Castro St. 621-8732. the440.com

Tue 19 Karaoke Night @ The Stud Sing Till It Hurts with hostess Sister Flora; 2 for 1 happy hour, no cover, plus raffle prize drawings. 8pm-2am. 399 9th St. www.studsf.com

Naked Night @ Nob Hill Theatre

Pullin’ Pork for Pride @ Pilsner Inn

Strip down with the strippers at the clothing-optional night. $20. 9pm. 729 Bush St. at Powell. 397-6758. www.thenobhilltheatre.com

48 Hills and the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club’s annual Pride beer bust and pork, veggie food fest. Donations. 6pm-9pm. 225 Church St. http://www.pilsnerinn.com/

Rainbow Tuesday @ Oasis Join YAD, Keshet, the JCCSF, and A Wider Bride for a Pride kickoff happy hour with Jewish LGBTs; donate new unused underwear for Covenant House. 6:30pm-9pm. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

Vice Tuesdays @ Q Bar Queer femme and friends dance party with hip hop, Top 40 and throwbacks at the stylish intimate bar, with DJs Val G and Iris Triska. 9pm-2am. 456 Castro St. www.QbarSF.com

Wed 20 B.P.M. @ Club BnB, Oakland Olga T and Shugga Shay’s weekly queer women and men’s R&B hip hop and soul night, at the club’s new location. No cover. 8pm-2am. 2120 Broadway, Oakland. www.bench-and-bar.com

Club 88 @ Flore New weekly piano bar sing-along night with alternating hosts Maria Konner, Kitten on the Keys and Alan Choy. 9pm-12am. 2298 Market St. www.flore415.com

Gigante @ Port Bar, Oakland Juanita MORE! and DJ Frisco Robbie’s new weekly event, with Latin, Hip Hop and House music, salacious gogo gals and guys and a drag show. $5. 9pm-2am. 2023 Broadway, Oakland. www.portoakland.com

Karaoke Night @ Club 1220, Walnut Creek Sing along at the East Bar gay bar; dance nights on weekends, and drag shows, too. 9pm-1am. 1220 Pine St., Walnut Creek. www.club1220.com

The sexy third annual strip & dance fundraiser benefits the Richmond/ Ermet Aid Foundation, with Jai Rodriguez, Cassandra Cass, and a bevy of dancing disrobing men and women. $45-$100. 8pm-11:30pm. 375 11th St. www.dnalounge.com

Broni Mitchell Show @ The Stud Laundra Tyme, Scarlettt Letters, Crème Fatale and Hexate perform drag tributes to Cher and her film roles. $7. 10pm-4am. 399 9th St. studsf.com

Daytime Realness @ El Rio Heklina, Stanley Frank and Carnita’s outdoor drag and dance party. $10. 2pm-8pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com/

Sampson McCormick, Natasha Muse, Julia Jackson, Nick Leonard and Lisa Geduldig perform at the 9th Annual Obligatory Gay Pride Comedy Show. $10-$20. 7pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

CrazySexyQueer @ Virgil’s Sea Room Pride kickoff party at the cool mission bar. 9pm-2am. 3152 Mission St. http://www.virgilssf.com/

High Tide Pride @ Hornblower Cruises Honey Soundsystem and Le1f DJ Noise Pop and Do the Bay’s Pride boat party, with performer Saturn Rising and more. $40-$60. 5:30pm boarding. www. eventbrite.com

Pride Party @ Cal. Academy of Science DJ crews Hella Gay Dance Party and Swagger Like Us, with MC Heklina, celebrate Pride, with dragsters House of Glitter, Sue Casa and Militia Towers, food, multiple bars, demos and exhibits. $18-$22. 6pm-10pm. 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. www.calacademy.org

Speakeasy Pride @ Goorin Bros. The interactive Prohibition & drinks show hosts two LGBTQ happy hours. Also June 22. 5:30pm-7:30pm. 1612 Stockton st. https://www. thespeakeasysf.com/lgbtq-night/

Tubesteak Connection @ Aunt Charlie’s Lounge DJ Bus Station John spins grooves at the intimate retro music night. $5. 10pm-2am. 133 Turk St.

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Ginger Snap, Mutha Chucka and Pinky Maraschino perform a drag show in the bar’s uptairs lounge. 7pm. 510 Larkin St. at Turk.

Sun 17

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Mind Shaft Theatre staging of a one-act play. $5. 7:30pm. 399 9th St. www.studsf.com

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June 14-20, 2018 • Bay Area Reporter • 35

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Photos by

Underhill

West Coast Craft @ Fort Mason

undreds of craftspeople, designers of homewares, clothing, soaps, art, jewelry and more showcased their handmade wares at the annual West Coast Craft show, held June 9 & 10 at Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion. Visitors sampled various locally made food and drinks as well. www.westcoastcraft.com/ See plenty more photos on BARtab’s Facebook page, facebook.com/lgbtsf.nightlife. See more of Steven Underhill’s photos at StevenUnderhill.com.