March 12, 2020 Edition of the Bay Area Reporter by Bay Area Reporter

SF responds to virus

Bathhouse hearing delayed

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Queer bands

The

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Coronavirus raises concerns for people with HIV by Liz Highleyman

ith much still to be learned about the new coronavirus, experts are offering recommendations for people at higher risk for severe complications and making provisions Courtesy CDC for vulnerable popDr. John Brooks ulations. of the CDC At press time, the San Francisco Department of Public Health reported 14 cases of COVID-19, as the respiratory illness caused by the virus is known. Nationwide, there have been 938 cases in 38 states and D.C. and 29 deaths as of March 11, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Public health officials from the United States and China, where the novel virus first emerged, gave an update on the growing COVID-19 epidemic during a special session at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections March 10. Two days before the conference was set to open in Boston, organizers decided to make the meeting virtual, with presentations given by webcast, due to concerns about the coronavirus. CROI was just one of many conferences canceled in recent weeks. Organizers of the large International AIDS Conference, scheduled for San Francisco and Oakland in July, have not yet made a decision. “At this point, we are too far away from AIDS 2020 to have a definitive decision yet on whether it will be held in person or virtually until we can observe the course of containment over the next month or so,” conference co-chair Dr. Monica Gandhi of UCSF and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital told the Bay Area Reporter. “We will make this decision thoughtfully and with plenty of time for people to arrange travel if needed.”

Vulnerable populations

While a majority of people infected with the coronavirus have mild symptoms – most often fever, a dry cough, and shortness of breath – around 20% develop more serious illness, including pneumonia. The most severe cases require intensive care and mechanical ventilation. Older people, individuals with underlying health conditions, and people with compromised immune systems have a higher likelihood of developing severe illness. Health officials are particularly worried about the spread of the coronavirus in nursing homes and other residential care facilities, such as See page 8 >>

Vol. 50 • No. 11 • March 12-18, 2020

Permanent SFO Harvey Milk installation set to open to the public

The permanent SFO Harvey Milk installation will open to the public March 24.

by Matthew S. Bajko

ome March 24, the public will be able to see San Francisco International Airport’s permanent installation honoring the late gay supervisor Harvey Milk in the under-renovation terminal named in his honor. That Tuesday the airport will open to travelers nine new gates in what is known as South Harvey Milk Terminal 1. American

Airlines, Southwest, and JetBlue airlines will relocate their check-in operations to that portion of the building, as where they are now located will be the next area of the terminal to be renovated. Immediately to the left of the new American Airlines check-in area, directly in front of the entrance doors to that section of the terminal, airport visitors will find a small nook that houses the Milk installation. Its design is reminiscent of a 1970s den or rec

room in a private home, as it sports wood paneling, olive green and burnt orange swivel chairs, and a wavy carpet featuring a maroon, green, and red color palette. “It should be a wonderful amenity for everyone flying through here,” said Tim O’Brien, assistant director and curator of exhibitions for the SFO Museum. O’Brien provided the Bay Area Reporter a sneak peek Friday, March 6, of the instalSee page 14 >>

Protest planned over Lyon-Martin clinic’s move

Rick Gerharter

by John Ferrannini

yon-Martin Health Services and the Women’s Community Clinic will be moving, tentatively in May, to parent organization HealthRIGHT 360’s Integrated Care Center at 1563 Mission Street. The shift, two blocks away from where the clinics currently operate, has angered some trans people and union members, who plan a protest Thursday (March 12). The head of HealthRIGHT 360 said the relocation of the two programs was being made for financial reasons. “Both of them, independently and together, have had significant financial losses every year,” said Vitka Eisen, a queer woman who is HealthRIGHT 360’s president and CEO, in a phone interview with the Bay Area Reporter March 9. “In a good year, it was a loss of $400,000 and it peaked out at $1.7 million – it was a total of $5 million over the last six years. Since they can’t be sustainable independently as independent locations we are moving and consolidating them to a block-and-a-half away.” As the B.A.R. previously reported, LyonMartin Health Services has been part of HealthRIGHT 360 since 2015, and Lyon-Martin moved to its current location at 1735 Mission Street in 2017. Founded in 1979, 59% of the patients

Cynthia Laird

Lyon-Martin Health Services and the Women’s Community Clinic are expected to move into HealthRIGHT 360’s Mission Street headquarters this spring.

identify as transgender or genderqueer, and it was named for longtime lesbian activists Phyllis Lyon and her late spouse, Del Martin. The Women’s Community Clinic has been part of HealthRIGHT 360 since 2017 and moved to the 1735 Mission Street location in 2018. It opened in 1999 and seeks to provide a welcoming environment and services for low-income women.

{ FIRST OF THREE SECTIONS }

The moves will be protested with a Community Rally for Lyon-Martin & Women’s Community Clinic Thursday at 6 p.m. at 1735 Mission Street, where the clinics now operate. “We’re trying to preserve the service and minimize losses,” Eisen said, noting that HealthRIGHT 360 would have trouble making payroll, See page 14 >>

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

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

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including: } Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section. } Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY. } Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY. } Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. } Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. } The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%). These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. 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. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including: } Worsening of Hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains: } dofetilide } rifampin } any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you: } Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection. } Have any other health problems. } Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY. } Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: } Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. } BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

Get HIV support by downloading a free app at

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HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION } This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more. } Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5. } If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, DAILY CHARGE, the DAILY CHARGE Logo, KEEP EMPOWERING, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: December 2018 © 2019 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0105 02/19

KEEP EMPOWERING. Because HIV doesn’t change who you are. BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you. To learn more, visit BIKTARVY.com.

Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.

<< Open Forum

4 • Bay Area Reporter • March 12-18, 2020

Volume 50, Number 11 March 12-18, 2020 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 • John Ferrannini CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ray Aguilera • Tavo Amador • Race Bannon Roger Brigham • Brian Bromberger Victoria A. Brownworth • Philip Campbell Heather Cassell • Belo Cipriani • Dan Renzi Michael Flanagan • Jim Gladstone David Guarino • Liz Highleyman Brandon Judell • John F. Karr • Lisa Keen Matthew Kennedy • Joshua Klipp David Lamble • Max Leger David-Elijah Nahmod • Paul Parish Lois Pearlman • Tim Pfaff • Jim Piechota Bob Roehr • Gregg Shapiro • Gwendolyn Smith Sari Staver • Tony Taylor • 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 • Fred Rowe Steven Underhil • 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

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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.

Why social distancing matters

an Francisco and Santa Clara counties have implemented aggressive social distancing measures to slow the spread of coronavirus. Last week, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax, and the Department of Emergency Management announced several recommendations for the public, the most restrictive of which was the request to cancel or postpone scheduled gatherings of more than 50 people. Health Officer Dr. Tomás J. Aragón followed with an order over the weekend banning group events in city-owned buildings. That has effectively canceled ballet performances, plays at the gay-focused New Conservatory Theatre Center, meetings at the main library, and all other events from city facilities. Various LGBT organizations are heeding the city’s health advisement by canceling in-person meetings and other functions. (We have a running list on our website.) On Wednesday, Breed issued another order banning large gatherings of more than 1,000 people until at least March 25. Earlier this week, Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody issued a legally binding order prohibiting events with 1,000 people or more in the South Bay for the next three weeks. That drastic action was needed, she said at a news conference, because the county had recorded additional cases of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, and its first death. “This is a big decision to issue a legal order,” she said. “The last five days, the uptick in cases where we found no link to travel – that is a tipping point for us.” (The order does not apply to airports, shopping malls, and other places that may have large numbers of people passing through.) As of Wednesday, there have been 14 reported cases of coronavirus in San Francisco, according to the Department of Emergency Management, and new recommendations were issued beyond avoiding large public gatherings. Those 60 and over, considered to be a vulnerable population along with those with weakened immune systems, are advised to limit outings. Suggestions

Esther Kim, Carl T. Bergstrom via World Economic Forum

The flattened curve shows how a reduced rate of coronavirus infection could reduce the impact on hospitals and the wider healthcare system.

for workplaces include suspending nonessential travel, maintaining an arm’s length distance from co-workers, and possibly telecommuting. Officials also asked everyone to wash their hands with soap and water often, cover coughs or sneezes, stay home if feeling sick, avoid touching their face, and trade shaking hands for an elbow bump or wave. Federal, state and city public health officials in other jurisdictions have offered similar information and policies to encourage social distancing, a public health tool that has shown to be effective, experts said. Social distancing means people should not be in close proximity to one another in order to slow the virus from spreading since its containment is no longer a realistic option. Retarding transmission reduces the number of infections and gives hospitals and other health care facilities time to prepare for when more people get sick. Virtually every public health expert has said that we can expect many more cases of coronavirus in the U.S., especially once testing ramps up. (Federal public health workers lost valuable time testing

people and implementing a plan because President Donald Trump continues to downplay the seriousness of what the World Health Organization is now calling a pandemic.) But the Bay Area is not under a lockdown, like Italy, and people should use their common sense when following instructions to keep hands clean and a safe distance from others when doing their regular activities like shopping or stopping for coffee. The Guest Opinion by San Francisco Travel President and CEO Joe D’Alessandro notes that we must strike a balance between good hygiene and supporting our economy when possible. D’Alessandro, a gay man who’s led the tourism agency for many years, also criticized the irrational fear of Chinatown because the coronavirus originated in China as simply xenophobic – reminiscent of the ugly scapegoating at the beginning of the AIDS pandemic. Right now, commercial districts all over the city, including the Castro, are hurting and will need our support if we don’t want to see more vacant storefronts. This is the dilemma we face between two competing priorities. To shorten the effects of COVID-19 as soon as possible, we must each monitor our health, strike a balance in our daily lives, and contact health care providers if necessary. t

COVID-19: It’s time to help, here’s how by Joe D’Alessandro

Dine out

Get reservations at those restaurants you love or have been meaning to try. San Francisco and the Bay Area have more Michelin three-star restaurants than any other city in the United States. Sixty-eight percent of the Michelin stars in California are here. (See https://bit.ly/38BO5Qb.) Did you know that there are 30 semifinalists for the James Beard Awards in the Bay Area? Check it out at www. jamesbeard.org/blog/the-2020-jamesbeard-award-semifinalists.

hanks to the ongoing work of the San Francisco Department of Public Health and the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, we are all aware of how we can be active participants in ending Courtesy SF Travel the spread of the coronavirus (COJoe D’Alessandro, VID-19), including: • Wash your hands thoroughly and president and CEO of SF Travel often • Cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands • If you’re sick, stay home There’s one more thing that we can do to help Enjoy the extra elbow room make the situation better – “visit” San Francisco. at the museums Even before the first coronavirus cases in San Don’t miss “Levi Strauss: A History of AmeriFrancisco were confirmed on March 5, seven can Style” at the Contemporary Jewish Museum. conventions had either canceled or rescheduled. This exhibition tells the distinctly American story That means that 182,046 hotel room nights went of Levi Strauss – a Jewish immigrant, businessunsold, representing nearly $138 million in lost man, and philanthropist whose lifelong commitrevenue to hotels, restaurants, attractions, retail, ment to family and civic life were fundamental and tax collections. to the history of San Francisco. Starting with the Others soon followed. company’s foundation and early local renown Another kind of loss has developed, as purveyors of “waist overalls” for gold one very surprising for a city known miners and famously indestructible for its diversity and inclusion. People garments for farmers and tradespeohave been avoiding Chinatown as if ple, the exhibition follows the evoluthe virus that first appeared in Wution of Levis Strauss & Co. han, China suddenly landed in this Continuing into the early 20th historic Asian neighborhood. Rescentury, the exhibition illuminates taurants and shops that rely heavily the pivotal role Levi Strauss & Co. on visitor business are struggling to played – through finely crafted keep their doors open. clothing and advertising – in capturRead my lips: There is no reason to avoid ing the expanding mythology of the American Chinatown. West. The exhibition culminates in the second Now is the time for healthy San Franciscans – half of the 20th century, when the democratic which is most of us – to get out and rediscover blue jean became a cultural staple and a blank our city. Here are my suggestions: canvas for the rising international youth culture – a symbol of effortless cool for youth, rockers, Take a staycation and revolutionaries alike. Spend the night in a local hotel. Beginning March 21, you can see “Frida Kahlo: You know you deserve it. Is there a place that Appearances Can Be Deceiving” at the de Young holds special meaning for you and your partner? Museum. In 1930, Kahlo, a bi artist, first visited Have you experienced the newer hotels in town? the United States, traveling to San Francisco with There are last-minute deals and excellent values her husband, Diego Rivera. Ninety years later available when you book through our official she returns to the de Young museum in this exsite, http://www.sftravel.com. hibition. Offering an intimate perspective on the

iconic artist and examining how politics, gender, trauma, sexuality, and national identity influenced Kahlo’s diverse modes of creativity, the exhibition showcases a trove of the artist’s personal items from the Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City, including photographs, clothing, jewelry and hand-painted orthopedic corsets, alongside about 20 of Kahlo’s paintings and drawings. Beginning March 25, the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) will feature Sam Vernon’s “Impasse of Desire.” This is a site-specific installation by Vernon, a San Francisco-based artist. Using Matt Richardson’s “The Queer Limit of Black Memory” as a primary source for this project, Vernon uses the first-floor gallery space to interrogate the boundaries and possibilities of queer representation within the museum. Her installations combine Xeroxed drawings, photographs, and sculptural components in an exploration of personal narrative and identity.

Take a walk

How well do you really know Castro Street? Fillmore? Clement? Divisadero? 24th? Have you been to Dogpatch lately? The Inner Richmond? The Outer Sunset? Take a springtime stroll in the fresh air and stop in at the local shops and businesses. They will be so happy to see you.

Get out of town

Book a flight at San Francisco International Airport. Sadly, I hear there is plenty of room. If you fly JetBlue, Southwest, or Delta, you’ll depart and arrive through the new Harvey Milk Terminal, Terminal 1. (http://www.flysfo.com/ about-sfo/airport-development/t1) The airport and airlines are following long lists of protocols to protect passengers and staff against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). If you’re still feeling stressed about flying, look for the Wag Brigade and get some puppy love. Our community excels at rising to the occasion and supporting those in need. During this unpredictable time, I encourage you to take action to keep our tourism economy healthy, while taking good care of yourselves. t Joe D’Alessandro, a gay man, is president and CEO of San Francisco Travel.

Politics>>

March 12-18, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 5

In a 1st, SF trans women win local party posts

by Matthew S. Bajko

wo transgender women for the first time have been elected to local party posts in San Francisco. Erin Smith took top place in her contest for seats on the Republican County Central Committee, while Honey Mahogany won election to a seat on the Democratic County Central Committee. The committee members are responsible for the day-to-day management of their respective local political parties and elect their local party chair. Both Smith and Mahogany had been appointed to serve on their respective central committees and ran for election to their seats for the first time on the March 3 primary ballot. San Francisco voters have yet to elect a transgender person to a municipal office, despite a number of candidates seeking various elected positions over the years. In terms of local party positions, which are decided solely by registered members of the political party, the first transgender man elected to the DCCC was Gabriel Haaland in the early 2000s, which he served on for a decade. The first transgender woman to win a local party election in San Francisco is believed to have been Mia Satya. In 2016 she was elected a delegate to the Democratic National Convention on behalf of presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont. In Mahogany’s case, she is also the first drag queen to win any type of elected post in San Francisco and can now claim being the first black transgender person to win an elected post in California. As of Tuesday, Mahogany was in seventh place with 35,533 votes for one of the 14 seats on the DCCC from the city’s 17th Assembly District. “To be the first drag queen elected in San Francisco feels surreal. To be the first black trans person elected in California, is even more surreal!” wrote Mahogany in a Facebook post about her electoral win. “And of course none of this would have been possible without the incredible leadership of David Campos who appointed me to the body 2 years ago.” Campos, a gay man and former District 9 supervisor, is currently chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party. He was in second place with 44,632 votes as of Tuesday behind former supervisor Jane Kim (47,805 votes) and is expected to be reelected party chair for another four-year term in April. As for Smith, she was appointed to the RCCC last February and is currently deputy vice chair of communications for the San Francisco Republican Party. She had also run against gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) for his 11th Senate District seat but came in third place in the primary race behind queer Democrat Jackie Fielder and will not advance to the November election. As of Tuesday Smith was in first place in the RCCC contest for 11 seats from AD 17 with 2,874 votes. As the top-place finisher, it means Smith will serve as the organizational chair when the San Francisco Republican Party elects its new officers this year, though she won’t seek the chairmanship. “I’m deeply humbled to be elected in my own right to the San Francisco Republican Central Committee, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside so

Courtesy Honey Mahogany

Elected DCCC member Honey Mahogany

many wonderful people I now consider my friends. I’m also honored to have received the most votes of all the candidates, and thus serve as organizational chair for our next election of committee officers,” Smith told the B.A.R. “Not only am I one of the first two trans (women) to be elected to a contested seat in San Francisco, I’ll also be the first to – at least temporarily – lead a local party, and it’s only fitting that it be the Republican one.” (Editor’s Note: As the final count in the DCCC race is still to be tallied, see the B.A.R.’s online Political Notes column Monday, March 16, for coverage of the contest to lead the San Francisco Democratic Party.)

Gay SF planning commissioner resigns

Dennis Richards, a gay man who was the lone LGBT community member on the San Francisco Planning Commission, resigned last week. He is in an ongoing legal dispute with the city’s Department of Building Inspection over a housing renovation project he coowns with Noe Valley real estate broker Rachel Swann, a lesbian who recently stepped down as president of Noe Valley’s merchants association and opened real estate firm The Agency’s new offices in the Castro on 16th Street. As the website Mission Local has extensively reported, DBI last fall revoked permits for their project at 3426-3432 22nd Street, a four-unit historic Italianate building, due to various zoning violations. Richards had countered the agency acted in retaliation for his repeated complaints about corruption within DBI; last month he filed a federal lawsuit against the city department laying out his various claims. Coincidentally, the FBI visited DBI’s offices as part of a City Hall corruption probe that led to the resignation of the city’s former public works director. This week news broke that the city attorney had determined DBI Chief Tom Hui abused his position and Mayor London Breed had placed Hui on paid administrative leave and had asked the DBI commission to fire him. As Richards is a board appointee to the planning body, several progressive supervisors had called on him to resign in December after news reports highlighted that Richards and Swann had purchased the building for $2.7 million in 2017 and put it on the market for $7.88 million, after fixing it up and buying out longtime tenants. Richards had said none of the

tenants wanted to remain and were fairly compensated for moving out. But critics noted Richards has harangued other developers who pushed out tenants to flip buildings. Amid the controversy, Richards had taken a leave of absence from the planning commission at the start of the year. He informed Board President and District 7 Supervisor Norman Yee of his decision to resign in a letter dated March 4. In his letter, Richards said he was able to take care of “family medical issues” during his leave of absence and had come to the conclusion “it is time for me to pass the torch to new commissioners.” He noted his lawsuit against DBI officials and expressed hope “this action will help root out any corruption or abuses and restore confidence in the department. I am very well aware that seeing the lawsuit to a jury trial will take a great deal of my time.”

Castro Merchants prez seeks transit seat

In other city oversight panel news, the president of the Castro Merchants business association is seeking appointment to the board of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Masood Samereie, who co-owns Aria Properties on 18th Street, took over leadership of the merchant group last spring. Local business owners are asking Breed to appoint a merchant to the oversight panel for the city’s public transit agency since its policies and positions can have serious repercussions on merchants and their customers. SFMTA board member Cheryl Brinkman’s last day is March 31, while current board chair Malcolm Heinicke, whose term ended March 1 but can remain for at least 60 days, is expected to step down April 29. Samereie, a straight ally who was born in Iran and whose family left before the country’s revolution in 1978, moved into the Castro last summer. He is seeking a second one-year term as president of Castro Merchants, whose members are expected to reelect him when they vote on the board positions at their April meeting. He told the B.A.R. he wanted to serve on the SFMTA board to ensure the city’s small business community has a seat at the table since in the past the agency hasn’t done “enough outreach to merchants.” “They do directly affect all the merchants, so we thought it would be good to have a voice and representation so we can ask in the beginning about some of the information into the projects and also the need to do outreach,” said Samereie. t

Web Extra: For more queer political news, be sure to check http:// www.ebar.com Monday mornings for Political Notes, the notebook’s online companion. This week’s column reported on updated vote counts in three California primary races with out candidates. 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) 8298836 or e-mail m.bajko@ebar.com.

Barry Schneider Attorney at Law

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

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

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<< Community News

6 • Bay Area Reporter • March 12-18, 2020

SF officials respond to coronavirus emergency by John Ferrannini

ive San Francisco city supervisors held a noontime news conference at Civic Center Plaza March 10 to call for new legislation intended to stave off the economic effects of the novel coronavirus, even as other city officials propose and implement plans to deal with the outbreak. The five pieces of legislation will be introduced this week and next, largely by the progressive bloc on the Board of Supervisors. As of March 11 there have been 14 cases of coronavirus reported in San Francisco and no deaths, so far. At the news conference, the supervisors stood at arm’s length from each other to demonstrate that people should not stand close to each other as much as possible to prevent spread of the virus. “We are standing apart to show the need for social distancing,” District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen said. Ronen is introducing an ordinance that allows the city treasurer to take out a line of credit in the amount of $20 million from a bank and then distribute it as no-interest loans to small businesses that would close down otherwise due to inability to pay rent or a mortgage. She is also introducing a resolution, along with District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safai, calling upon banks to suspend foreclosures, fees, and penalties to small businesses. “We have already seen businesses in Chinatown hit hard and hit for a while,” Ronen said. District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney, who represents the South of Market and Tenderloin neighborhoods, said that in his district “some businesses have seen a 50% hit in revenue already. We can’t wait as a city to step up and support them.” Haney is introducing legislation to “support employees who experience a

John Ferrannini

Supervisor Hillary Ronen speaks at a March 10 news conference where she was joined by Supervisors Shamann Walton, left, Gordon Mar (partially obscured), Matt Haney, and Dean Preston.

loss of income because of COVID-19,” according to a news release. (COVID-19 is the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.) He said nointerest loans to people furloughed or laid off are being discussed. During the federal government shutdown in late 2018 and early 2019, some $20 million in loans were made available for federal workers who were going without pay. District 4 Supervisor Gordon Mar is introducing legislation to create a multilingual workers rights hotline, and to create a new category of paid sick leave for public health emergencies. In 2006, San Francisco was the first city in the country with a paid sick leave ordinance for all employees who work in the city. Employees earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. But Mar said that “our existing paid time off laws were not designed with public health emergencies in mind,” and people shouldn’t have to use sick time for a self-quarantine. “Nobody should have to choose between their health and their job” Mar said. “Working families deserve to know that the city has their back.”

Eviction protection sought

One of the more dramatic pieces of legislation, introduced by District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston, would ban specified evictions during the coronavirus state of emergency. Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency for San Francisco February 25 because of coronavirus. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said last week he was pushing for a similar measure in his city. Preston has been a longtime tenants rights advocate, having founded the nonprofit Tenants Together in 2008. Preston’s legislation would halt nonpayment evictions related to coronavirus, such as following government guidelines or loss of income due to avoiding work because of a self-quarantine. It would also ban most no-fault evictions, and late fees due to non-collection of rent during this time. “We, as a city, cannot allow residents to lose their homes unless absolutely necessary,” Preston said. “We know as a result of the state of emergency that many people have already experienced

income loss and that income loss is almost certain to continue.” Preston said that landlords who need the rent money to prevent foreclosure would be eligible for a loan from Ronen’s legislation. When asked about Preston’s eviction protection legislation, a spokeswoman for Sheriff Paul Miyamoto said in a phone call with the B.A.R. March 10 that “we can’t comment on something we haven’t seen.” “We follow court orders, so whatever the courts tell us to do, we do,” sheriff spokeswoman Nancy Crowley said. “I don’t know what else to say. It’s too soon. The reason we perform evictions is because it’s in the constitution. We’ll do whatever we’re supposed to do.” Rounding out the news conference were Supervisors Shamann Walton (D10) and Aaron Peskin (D3). Walton signaled his broad support for the legislative package. “We are going to do everything we can as a Board of Supervisors to minimize those impacts,” Walton said. Peskin said that the kinds of public health measures taken in the South Bay – such as Santa Clara County’s ban on public events of more than 1,000 people after its first coronavirus death – will likely come to pass in San Francisco. “It’s only a matter of time,” Peskin said. “This is the largest public health crisis of our time,” Peskin added. “This is a quickly, rapidly evolving situation hour-by-hour, day-by-day.” Peskin was questioned as to why the March 14 St. Patrick’s Day parade was canceled but the Golden State Warriors are playing a home game the night of March 10 at Chase Center. “I’m aware of the Warriors game scheduled for tonight,” Peskin said. “Until we issue an order, it’s between the Warriors and their guests.”

Concurrent with the news conference, Mission Local reported that the Warriors have rebuffed requests from Peskin and other public officials to cancel games. Buildings owned by the city and county have already banned events of 50 or more people until March 20. On Wednesday, the mayor issued a new order banning large gatherings of 1,000 people or more. Absent from the news conference was gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who represents the Castro on the board. Mandelman, in a written statement March 10 at 10 a.m. said that he hadn’t “seen the language of any legislative proposals from my colleagues” and that they did not ask him to participate. Wednesday, Mandelman’s office said he was asked to participate two hours before the news conference but was unable to. “My office is in close communication with the Department of Public Health, the mayor’s office and other city departments to ensure that the city is taking the necessary actions to protect our residents and support our small businesses and workers,” Mandelman stated. “Residents of the Castro and people across the city should be closely following the latest Department of Public Health guidelines. “These include recommendations that vulnerable populations (people aged 60 and older and people with certain health conditions) limit outings, that large gatherings and non-essential events be canceled and that workplaces minimize close contact, have adequate hand washing capabilities and offer the ability to telecommute if possible,” Mandelman continued. Mandelman’s office said he would comment on the proposals once they were drafted and shared with him. See page 12 >>

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Complete applications must be received by MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020 AT 5:00PM. Lottery drawing date is T UESDAY, MAY 1 2 , 2 02 0 AT 3 : 3 0PM at the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, 1 S. Van Ness Avenue, 5th Apply online through DAH LIA, the SF Housing Portal at H O USI N G.SFGOV.OR G or mail in a paper application Floor. Please contact 415-701-5613 or visit SF MOHCD.ORG for more information with a self-addressed stamped envelope to: BM R 2 177 3RD ST., SA N FR A N CI SCO, CA 94107. Postmarks about lottery preferences. are not considered. Paper applications can be downloaded from HOU SI N G.SFGOV.OR G or picked up from one of the 5 approved housing counseling agencies listed at H O U SI N G.SFGOV.OR G/ HOU SI N G-COU N SELOR S Units are monitored through the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development and are subject to owner occupancy and other restrictions. Applicants for 2177 THIRD must obtain a loan pre-approval from one of the approved participating lenders listed at For more information and assistance with your application, contact HomeownershipSF: SFMOHCD.ORG/MOHCD-AUTHORIZED-LENDER-LIST to apply. All adult household members who (415) 202-5464 or info@homeownershipsf.org. For questions about the building and will be on the title of the BMR unit must complete first-time homebuyer education through one of the City’s 5 units, contact 2177 Third: (415) 450-6343 or info@2177third.com. approved housing counselling agencies in order to apply. All applicants are encouraged to apply. Lottery preference will be given to: *Certificate of Preference, **Displaced Tenant Housing Preference holders, ***Neighborhood O P E N H O U S E D AT E S Residents and households that currently live or work in San Francisco. TH U R SDAY, M A R C H 12 , 1- 4P M Open Houses to be held at *Certificate of Preference (COP) holders are primarily households displaced in Redevelopment Project Areas during the 1960’s and 1970’s.**Displaced TH U R SDAY, M A R C H 19, 1- 4P M 2177 Third St.,

SAT U R DAY, M A R CH 2 1, 5 -7P M San Francisco, 94107

Tenant Housing Preference (DTHP) holders are tenants who were displaced by an Ellis Act eviction, Owner Move In eviction and tenants displaced by fire.***Neighborhood Resident Housing Preference (NRHP) are residents living in the same supervisorial district or within ½ mile buffer of the project. ordinance passed into law Dec, 18, 2004. The specifications are subject to change at any time and should not be relied on as representations, express or implied. Square footage or floor areas shown in any marketing or other materials is approximate and may be more or less than the actual size.

Commentary>>

March 12-18, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 7

My life is not your A community hypothetical you can connect with. by Gwendolyn Ann Smith

cross the country, right now, state legislators continue pushing bills that seek to legislate transgender lives. In some states, as I wrote recently, the focus is on young transgender athletes, and an assumption that if you let transgender people compete – particularly transgender women – non-transgender women or girls might be disenfranchised. The argument is that transgender women would have a distinct advantage over non-transgender women – that their bodies are always going to have a physical advantage. Further, having some sort of rule in place would prevent non-transgender men from simply claiming to be women to steal awards and prize money from women and girls who would be outclassed by competing against a man. Yet there is no evidence that any of this would be the case. While transgender women have been allowed to compete for decades, you have not seen transgender women among the ranks of the top athletes in the world. Further, aside from the plotlines of some very weak comedies, you have not seen any men attempting to claim they are transgender in order to compete in women’s sports. Other states are pressing to criminalize transgender care, especially for young transgender people, claiming that medical professionals, backed by Big Pharma and a shadowy trans lobby, must be misleading young men and women into identifying as transgender or nonbinary in an effort to rake in fat paydays as they conduct irreversible medical procedures on children. This particular argument has also been popular in some so-called radical feminist circles, with many claiming that doctors are doing this in order to make kids who might otherwise be gay or lesbian into “straight” men and women, misleading them into believing they might be transgender rather than, for example, a butch lesbian. These arguments fall apart under close examination. There is no “trans lobby” pulling the strings from the dark recesses. Most transgender people are barely scraping by, and have enough issues getting their own medical care, let alone leading a conspiracy to turn everyone transgender. Big Pharma and the rest of the medical establishment, likewise, makes more money off non-transgender bodies, and tends to prefer serving up high bills for insulin and other care over treating the relatively few transgender people in the world. What’s more, young trans and nonbinary people are not offered surgery or even standard hormone treatment, but puberty blockers. The same stuff that is prescribed for “precocious puberty,” or puberty occurring at an unusually early age. It’s not some sort of hocus-pocus. I shouldn’t even have to note how many transgender people I know who are not straight-identified, and never intended to be so. That argument isn’t really worth the bother. There are other bills out there too. Such as attempts to define “man” and “woman” from a legal standpoint that voids trans and nonbinary lives, or efforts to disallow transgender people to change their birth certificates to better reflect their gender. All of the arguments behind these bills – heck, all of these arguments against trans rights overall – boil down to pure bigotry. Sure, they’re dressed up in hypotheticals and

Christine Smith

abstracts, but it’s really all code for “transgender people are icky.” Go back to the arguments against transgender people using restrooms that match their gender identity. Rather than talk about actual transgender people, those opposed painted pictures of malicious men who would somehow use these laws to go into women’s rooms unhindered, and prey upon women and young girls. Sometimes they would clarify that this was an unintended consequence of allowing transgender people into restrooms, while others would simply imply that transgender people themselves could not be trusted in appropriate facilities at all. The same thing comes up in the above arguments: with the debates about sports competitions, these are so often framed as damaging women and girls, ignoring that transgender women and girls also exist and are harmed by such bills. Rather, transgender people are equated with a nonexistent male who seeks to steal the prize money given to women athletes. Likewise, the argument about “making” people transgender treats us as both victims and victimizers, those who were “made” into trans people by a shadowy trans illuminati, and that group of conspiracists themselves. The thing is, there is a problem with debating transgender issues as some abstract concept when real lives are on the line. By disenfranchising transgender people; by pushing us out of society; by making us second-class citizens in sports, in public accommodations; and making our care non-viable for medical professionals to practice, you don’t make people decide they are not transgender or nonbinary. Rather, you push us further to the margins, you make our lives harder, and you facilitate our deaths. You give cover to those who kill us, who view us as deceptive, harmful, or evil. You help breed hopelessness among transgender and nonbinary people, leading us to practices that may shorten our lives, or into the grip of suicidal thoughts or actions. Maybe, for those who would argue against trans rights, that’s OK. For me, this simply isn’t acceptable. I think it is safe to say that being nonbinary or transgender isn’t something any of us had hoped to deal with in our lives. We are well aware of how much more difficult this makes our lives, and would honestly rather not be transgender or nonbinary in the first place. It’s not something we would choose, any more than someone might choose their sexuality, for example. Making it that much harder on us is simply cruelty. We are real people who live and breathe. Treating our lives as some hypothetical, abstract concept serves no one. We’re not some creature from the shadows, and we’re here, ready to share our stories. We just need people to listen. t Gwen Smith will bleed when pricked. You’ll find her at www. gwensmith.com.

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BALIF gala goes on

ay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom held its 40th anniversary gala Friday, March 6, at Bentley Reserve just as San Francisco officials were urging people to avoid large in-person gatherings due to the coronavirus outbreak. But attendees had access to hand wipes and many greeted each other with elbow bumps instead of hand shakes. Above, gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), left, was on

Electric

Trish Tunney

hand to present the Community Service Award to Openhouse, which was accepted by Executive Director Karyn Skultety, Ph.D., right. Other awardees were Oasis Legal Services, which received the Legal Service Award, and UC Davis law student Rachel Schiff, who received the inaugural Julius Turman Award, named for the gay attorney and former San Francisco police commissioner who passed away in 2018.

Artists explore queer culture as part of SF Pride 50 compiled by Cynthia Laird

he San Francisco Arts Commis-

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ther’s bar that was the first blackowned gay bar in San Francisco. The New Eagle Creek Saloon catered to a multi-racial clientele at 1884 Market Street when it operated between 1990 and1993. A news release noted that the arts commission invited artists to explore and honor the diverse people, places, and events of San Francisco’s rich queer culture for this year’s Market Street art project. For Barnette’s posters, she mined the archival materials from the bar, then created and photographed six tableaus that celebrate and honor the characters, artifacts, politics, and style of the saloon. The posters are on display along Market Street through April 30. “San Francisco is world-renowned

Coronavirus

From page 1

the recent outbreak that led to more than a dozen deaths in Seattle. The mortality rate for COVID-19 will likely be in the range of 0.5% to 3.5%, making it five to 35 times more deadly than the seasonal flu, said Dr. John Brooks of the CDC. “How many people die depends on how quickly the disease can be detected and treated,” he said. However, the true mortality rate is not yet known because it is unclear how many people have contracted the virus. If a large number of people have no or mild symptoms and never seek medical attention, the infected population could be much larger and the death rate could be lower. This uncertainty is exacerbated by a shortage of tests for the new virus. Symptoms emerge about five days after exposure and transmission can occur before symptom onset, according to Brooks. This raises the possibility that the coronavirus has been spreading undetected in the United States for some time. According to a recent study of more than 45,000 cases in China,

Courtesy SF Arts Commission

A poster recalling the New Eagle Creek Saloon is part of the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Art on Market Street poster series.

for its celebration of gay Pride, which makes this year’s theme so fitting for the Art Commission’s Art on Market Street poster series,” stated Rebekah Krell, acting director of cultural affairs. “It is beautiful to see Sadie Barnette’s poster series paying

people with coexisting conditions had higher death rates, including about 6% for those with cancer, high blood pressure, or chronic respiratory disease; 7% for those with diabetes; and nearly 11% for those with cardiovascular disease. The greatest risk was seen among people age 80 or older, at nearly 15%. Although people with HIV or AIDS were not included in this study, based on experience with other respiratory viruses, their risk is “all based on level of immune suppression,” Dr. Steve Pergam of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Res`earch Center wrote in an email to the B.A.R. “For an HIV patient who is on stable antiretroviral therapy and has a normal CD4 count, their risk may be slightly increased,” he said. “HIV is a different disease than it was years ago. For people who have a reconstituted immune system because of treatment, I think the risk is not going to be tremendously different.” Noting that nearly half of the HIV-positive population is over 50 and therefore more vulnerable, Brooks recommended that people living with HIV ensure an ample

homage to this inclusive establishment. Her visuals represent the diversity of San Francisco’s gay movement reflected through a personal lens.” Barnette’s poster series is an extension of a larger project that reimagined her father’s bar and was installed at the Lab from May-June 2019. Following that installation, the bar was turned into a float for last year’s LGBT Pride parade.

GAPA Foundation changes name

The GAPA Foundation has announced that it has rebranded and is now known as the Prism Foundation. The grassroots philanthropic organization provides funds and leverages resources to empower the Asian and Pacific Islander LGBTQ+ community. Its mission and work will remain the same, including the popular Runway competition show, but will See page 15 >> supply of their medications – which can be difficult due to cost and insurance restrictions – and get vaccinated against flu and pneumonia. “Establish a plan for clinical care if isolated or quarantined,” he advised. “Maintain a social network, but remotely – social contact helps us stay mentally healthy and fights boredom.” Unfortunately, some people with HIV are not receiving consistent antiretroviral treatment and do not have an undetectable viral load, which takes a toll on CD4 T-cell counts. Just 33% of HIV-positive homeless people in San Francisco have full viral suppression, according to the latest DPH HIV epidemiology report. On March 10, Mayor London Breed, Supervisor Aaron Peskin, and DPH announced measures to increase protection for people who are living on the streets, in homeless shelters or in single-room-occupancy hotels. These include increased cleaning of shelters and SROs, expanded shelter hours, more meal deliveries, deployment of handwashing stations, and providing temporary isolated housing for those who need to be quarantined. See page 14 >>

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<< Community News

10 • Bay Area Reporter • March 12-18, 2020

Coronavirus outbreak postpones SF bathhouse hearing by Matthew S. Bajko

he first hearing on allowing gay bathhouses to reopen in San Francisco has been postponed in light of the coronavirus outbreak. After initially issuing an order banning events with 50 people or more in city-owned buildings, San Francisco Mayor London Breed issued another order Wednesday placing a moratorium on all large gatherings of 1,000 people or more. That is in effect until March 25 and can be renewed. In light of coronavirus developments, Board of Supervisors President Norman Yee over the weekend

asked his colleagues to postpone their legislative proposals likely to draw a large contingent of the public to speak on the matter at City Hall hearings. Thus, gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman made the decision to postpone the planned hearing for Thursday, March 12, on his ordinance aimed at updating the city’s policies regarding private rooms in adult sex venues. It was to be taken up by the supervisors’ public safety and neighborhood services committee, which he chairs. As the committee meets every other week, the soonest the proposal could be heard is Thursday, March 26, though Mandelman’s office told

the Bay Area Reporter it would work in concert with the city’s Department of Public Health on rescheduling the hearing. Depending on if the coronavirus outbreak is under control or not, the hearing could be pushed back until April 9 or later. “It is a very dynamic situation and the top priority for the Department of Public Health has to be responding to the coronavirus,” said Mandelman. As the B.A.R. first reported in February, Mandelman’s ordinance would jettison the long-standing prohibition against having locked doors for private rooms rented by bathhouse patrons and rescind the requirement that such venues hire people to monitor the sexual activities of their customers. This week Mandelman told the B.A.R. he saw no reason not to continue to push for a change in the bathhouse policies in light of the coronavirus outbreak. Health officials are asking the public to limit social interactions in large settings and those with underlying health conditions to self-quarantine by working from home and curtailing travel. “I think it is kind of different issues,” Mandelman said. “This period of social distancing is not going to be forever.”

Bay Area bathhouses

So far the Bay Area’s two gay bathhouses, the Watergarden in San Jose and Steamworks in Berkeley, remain open and have not shut down due to the coronavirus. Both are operating on their usual 24-hours a day, seven days a week schedule. Curtis Jensen, Steamworks’ marketing and graphics coordinator, wrote in an emailed response to the B.A.R. Tuesday that the company has taken various actions at its clubs to protect both members and employees. It also has locations in Seattle, Chicago, Toronto, and Vancouver. “We have increased our cleaning protocols to include more frequent wiping

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A Thursday hearing to discuss a policy change to allow bathhouses like Steamworks in Berkeley in San Francisco has been canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

and disinfecting of touch points such as door handles, handrails, and sinks and restroom stall doors. We will be maintaining our intensive regular cleaning routines,” Steamworks said in a statement. “We are using disinfectant in our cleaning routines which has been shown to be effective against human coronaviruses. We will ask members displaying common cold symptoms to please refrain from checking in during this time and look forward to welcoming them back when they are feeling better.” The Watergarden did not respond to a request for comment from the B.A.R. Tuesday.

SF bathhouse rules

San Francisco’s bathhouse restrictions were instituted in 1984 during the height of the AIDS epidemic in response to a lawsuit the city had filed and resulted in the businesses shutting their doors. That October a San Francisco Superior Court judge issued a temporary restraining order that shuttered nine gay bathhouses and sex clubs. In late November of that year an-

other judge lifted the restraining order but imposed new rules on how the bathhouses and sex clubs could operate. No longer could they rent private rooms, unless they secured a hotel license, and employees had to monitor the sexual behavior of patrons. Bathhouse owners, however, refused to open their doors as the court heard challenges to the new rules. The judge hearing the court case at one point toughened his order and banned any sex from occurring in the bathhouses. The legal case came to an end in 1989 when the city dismissed its lawsuit. By then the city’s gay bathhouses were no more, but over the ensuing years sex clubs opened their doors. Several, like Eros and Blow Buddies, remain in business, albeit without private rooms patrons can lock shut. By the 1990s the city’s health officials saw the sex clubs as avenues to reach gay men and educate them about safe sex practices. But they had remained resolute in their opposition to allowing gay bathhouses to open See page 14 >>

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man who pleaded guilty last year to misdemeanor counts of vandalism and false imprisonment stemming from an elder abuse case is featured in an ad campaign from the San Francisco Tobacco-Free Project. Natthakarn Laohacharoensombat, 34, who goes by “Ray,” is a model in the ads encouraging people to stop smoking featured on Muni buses. Laohacharoensombat’s face was also featured on the Department of Public Health’s website as recently as March 5. An individual once acquainted with Laohacharoensombat, who asked to remain anonymous because of safety concerns, said he finds his image on Muni buses to be offensive. “That is totally disrespectful to his victims,” the individual said. “That person left a wake of destruction in San Francisco. It’s jarring to see those ads.” As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, the charges Laohacharoensombat pleaded guilty to involved damaging the victim’s eyeglasses with graffiti, causing damages of less than $400, and falsely imprisoning the elder he was allegedly caring for, according to a copy of the criminal complaint against him. Laohacharoensombat currently is the subject of two stay-away orders. One is from the victim in the false imprisonment case. The second is from a former lover, according to court documents reviewed by the B.A.R.

A smoking cessation ad poster on Muni buses features a man who was convicted in connection with an elder abuse case.

As the B.A.R. previously reported, Laohacharoensombat violated the stay-away order in the false imprisonment case by attempting to enter the elderly man’s home shortly after the indictment. The man called the police and Laohacharoensombat fled. In June 2016, Laohacharoensombat filed a lawsuit in which he alleged he was not compensated properly during his time as an employee of Entour Castro, a clothing store at 3600 16th Street, according to court documents. However, Laohacharoensombat’s attorney moved that the action be dismissed and it was dismissed with prejudice in October 2016, according to court documents. Laohacharoensombat left the United States in December 2019 and is now in Thailand, according to posts See page 14 >>

Business News>>

t 1st LGBT business to open in SFO’s Milk terminal

March 12-18, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 11

by Matthew S. Bajko

lesbian-owned chain of local cafes will be the first LGBT business to open inside the Harvey Milk Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport. It will be the fifth location for the Park Cafe Group, overseen by married couple Rachel Herbert and Dana Oppenheim. They will be opening a Dolores Park Cafe at SFO in the terminal’s Boarding Area C, which is the pre-existing part of Harvey Milk Terminal 1, sometime this fall. Herbert started the company with a male business partner in 1997 when they opened Dolores Park Cafe across the street from San Francisco’s Mission Dolores Park. Three years later she had bought him out and, in 2006, opened Duboce Park Cafe across the street from the city’s Duboce Park. Both of the locations are near the heart of the city’s LGBT Castro district, where in the 1970s Milk owned a camera store. He would make history in November 1977 by winning election as the area’s supervisor, becoming the first gay person to win a political office in San Francisco and California. Tragically, disgruntled former supervisor Dan White killed Milk and then-mayor George Moscone inside City Hall the morning of November 27, 1978. In 2018, the city renamed SFO’s first domestic terminal after Milk, and come March 24, the airport will open a permanent installation about Milk’s life in what is known as South Harvey Milk Terminal 1. (See story, page 1.) SFO spokesman Doug Yakel confirmed to the B.A.R. Tuesday that Herbert and Oppenheim, who joined

Courtesy Instagram

Rachel Herbert, left, and her spouse, Dana Oppenheim, will open a Dolores Park Cafe inside Harvey Milk Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport.

the cafe business in 2007, would be the first concessionaires inside the Milk terminal from the LGBT community. Last July, the first nine-gate section of the remodeled terminal became operational and sported a number of locally owned eateries. Later this month another nine gates will open inside the terminal, which is undergoing a $2.4 billion renovation that will wrap up in 2023. Informed this week by the B.A.R. that they were the first LGBT business to sign a lease inside the Milk terminal, Herbert was ecstatic. “That feels amazing! It is definitely cause for celebration, that is really cool!” she said. “Harvey is such a historic figure, and it is really amazing and wonderful that we have a terminal named after such an important figure in LGBTQ history. I just assumed another LGBTQ business was in the terminal.”

Erickson Fine Art Gallery sculpture by Jeffrey Van Dyke

The Board of Supervisors’ Budget and Finance Committee approved the couple’s lease at its meeting Wednesday, March 11, and the full board is expected to finalize it later this month. According to the lease terms, the Park Cafe Group is leasing a kiosk space for 10 years in the Milk terminal with a minimum annual guarantee of $240,000 for the first year of the lease. The company had the highest score out of seven applicants for the 300 square foot kiosk space. It was one of two concession areas the airport had set aside for small businesses – the other being in SFO’s Terminal 3 – with gross revenues below $7.5 million per year for each of the past three years. “It just seemed like a really good opportunity,” Herbert said about opening at the airport. “We have been approached numerous times by people wanting us to license our name for a location at the airport. Finally we thought, ‘Why don’t we go for it ourselves?’”

The airport location will be more of a grab-and-go concept, but there will be counter seating for customers who have time before their flight to sit down and eat. The cafe will offer hot and cold coffee and tea drinks, organic smoothies and juices, and foods like breakfast bagels, madeto-order paninis, and pre-made cold sandwiches and salads. The coffee will be brewed from their own beans under the label Park Coffee Roasters. Over the last month the women have rolled out their in-house coffee brand to all four of their cafes. They also operate Precita Park Cafe at the bottom of Bernal Heights in San Francisco and the Paradise Park Cafe in North Oakland, which opened in 2017. Their expansion to the airport comes amid a drop-off in airline travel due to the coronavirus outbreak. Herbert expressed optimism that by the time they open later this year, health officials will have a better handle on the global pandemic. She told the B.A.R. that the existing cafes have not seen a downturn in business due to the health crisis. “We operate more neighborhood cafes and as such they are really weather dependent. Whenever it is cold and rainy we are not very busy,” she said, “So it is really hard to tell. It is too early to tell what the impact would be.” For more information about the Park Cafe Group, visit http://www. doloresparkcafe.com/.

Coronavirus upends LGBT conferences

The outbreak of the coronavirus is upending a number of LGBT conferences related to various industries. The annual Lesbians Who Tech conference announced March 3 it was postponing its 2020 summit in

the Castro to early August due to the coronavirus outbreak. Previously held in the winter months, the summit organizers had already pushed back the yearly gathering to April of this year. In an email announcing the decision the summit’s founder Leanne Pittsford noted that “after many discussions with local health officials, our partners, our venues, and our community, we have decided to postpone our San Francisco Summit to a later date.” It is now expected to take place August 6-8 with a potential presummit day on August 5. But those dates could change depending on permitting issues with the city and other factors; for more information, visit https://lesbianswhotech.org/ sanfrancisco2020/. And after insisting last month that the 37th IGLTA Global Convention would take place May 6-9 in Milan, organizers of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association get-together announced March 9 they were postponing it until this September or October. They were forced to do so when Italian officials effectively shut down the country to outside travelers and placed their citizens on mandatory quarantine in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus. “We believe firmly in the resilience of travel and want to be part of the industry’s recovery when COVID-19 has been contained with confidence,” stated IGLTA’s board of directors in announcing the postponement. For more information or updates, email convention@iglta.org or visit https://www.igltaconvention. org/.t Got a tip on LGBT business news? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or e-mail m.bajko@ebar. com.

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<< Community News

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Community leaders tackle LGBT elder abuse by John Ferrannini

ackling elder abuse in the LGBT community is a challenge, as attendees heard at a recent forum, but they should be proactive and notify authorities. That was the message to about three-dozen people who gathered at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center March 5 for “Protect Yourself from Elder Abuse – A Forum for the LGBTQ Community,” a three-hour session on how to prevent and respond to elder abuse. “People say ‘we know elder abuse happens but it doesn’t happen in our community,’” said Mary S. Twomey, a lesbian who is a former co-director of the National Center on Elder Abuse. “Oh, yeah, it does. It’s an equal opportunity crime.” Twomey said people are sometimes hampered by stereotypes about what elder abuse is. “We used to think elder abuse had one cause: caregivers got stressed,” Twomey said. “What we often see instead are abusers with pretty significant issues like untreated mental illness, untreated drug addiction, and financial dependence.” Twomey explained that while people may think positively about a man taking care of an elder, for example, he may be doing it because he doesn’t have a job and is taking advantage of them. Twomey said people shouldn’t allow shame or guilt to prevent them from coming forward if they are being abused physically, sexually, or financially. “The people who come after you and take money are professionals,” Twomey said. “This is what they do. Dante didn’t make circles of hell low enough for them.” Being with a younger person, bruises, and social isolation can all be signs of elder abuse, or not, depending on the context, Twomey said. While states receive a block grant from the federal government for social services, there is no specifically dedicated federal funding for adult protective services, according to Twomey. The forum was organized by Tom Ammiano and Tim Wolfred, two gay former elected officials who have been longtime community activists. Ammiano, 78, served in the state Assembly and is a former San Francisco supervisor and school board member. Wolfred, 75, was the first gay trustee at City College of San Francisco and former director of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. “We are knocked out by the response and how people are willing to immerse themselves in this issue,” Ammiano said. “Tim is a whiz at organizing.” For his part, Wolfred said having Ammiano connected with the forum helped increase attendance. “I have a lot of experience for something like this,” Wolfred said. “Having Tom’s name on the publicity helped, too.”

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Breed’s office the morning of March 10 announced that the city will provide housing for those who are homeless or in a shared-living environment such as an single-roomoccupancy hotel and who need to be quarantined. This temporary housing will include RVs that will be parked in the Presidio.

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Mary Twomey, the former co-director of the National Center on Elder Abuse, speaks about risk factors during a March 5 elder abuse forum at the LGBT Community Center.

Tamari Hedani, the associate director of the Elder Abuse Prevention Program of the Institute on Aging, talked about some of the financial scams older people fall prey to. One of the most powerful, she said, is the romance scam. “In this day and age with these specific apps, it’s very easy to make romantic connections whether they are authentic or not,” Hedani said. “They’ll send pictures, send gifts. There will be an investment. But the red flag is when they ask for money.” Other scams include fake calls from the IRS demanding money, and calls from people claiming to be relatives arrested in foreign countries. Latino immigrants fall victim to the latter in large numbers, Hedani said, because corrupt police practices in their home countries – and large families – make such calls believable. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was a surprise speaker at the event. He affirmed his office’s commitment to taking elder abuse seriously. “It’s such a big issue when we are talking about vulnerable people that we work to help,” Boudin said. “We at the DA’s office are excited to fill that role however we can.” Boudin said that the district attorney’s office can provide relocation assistance, reimbursement, and testimony readiness. “Sometimes elder victims can testify from their own bed at home with a video link,” Boudin said. Boudin defended his office’s handling of an elder abuse case in recent days. On February 22, Dwayne Grayson, 20, allegedly videotaped Jonathan Amerson, 56, striking a 68-yearold Asian man with a pole while the latter was collecting recyclables. The man behind the camera could be heard saying, “I hate Asians.” While Amerson is being charged with elder abuse and robbery, Grayson will not be charged and the district attorney’s office will pursue a “restorative justice” model. “It’s heartbreaking to see someone at his age making a living collecting recyclables and see them taken away in a way that is so racist

and discriminatory,” Boudin said of the victim. “And that man (the victim) said clearly to us he didn’t want that young person prosecuted in a traditional criminal case. “Criticism comes with the territory, but when we talk about victim’s rights – what other people who are resistant to change are asking us to do is retraumatize the victim,” Boudin added. Tables at the community center’s Rainbow Room were filled with pamphlets and flyers directing people to resources that could help them with either elder abuse or elder issues in general. Organizations represented included Openhouse, the Shanti Project, San Francisco Community Partnerships, the San Francisco Office of Financial Empowerment, the DA’s office, the National Center on Elder Abuse, and the Institute on Aging. Matthew Simmons from Shanti promoted the Peer Support Volunteer Program the agency is doing where the goal is to help isolated people access community services and feel less lonely. Fear of loneliness can allow people to let themselves to be abused by people who don’t really care about them, several of the presenters said. “Of our clients, 80% don’t have an emergency contact and three of our clients in the last year died alone,” Simmons said. “They feel isolated and feel left behind, and so the goal is to match them with a volunteer who will help them emotionally and practically. Suicidal ideation is extremely high and what we want to do is bring them back into the world.” Charlie Howell and Carol Jean Wisnieski both attended the forum. They have each been the victim of identity theft in the past. “I wanted to find out the resources available in the community that a lot of people don’t know about until they desperately need them,” Howell said. Wisnieski said a family member was the victim of an East Coast scam ring. “For me, it’s personal and dear to my heart,” she said. t

“Reducing the spread of COVID-19 within our community means mitigating exposure to the virus,” stated Mary Ellen Carroll, executive director of the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management. “Being able to self-isolate or quarantine for at least 14 days is not a viable option for everyone. Many of us live in shared living spaces making the coronavirus spread much more likely. We need to help these individuals by giving them temporary isolated housing while aggressively reducing the spread of the virus in San Francisco.”

San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju announced March 10 that he wants people held for pretrial in San Francisco County jails to be released if they are in groups particularly susceptible to coronavirus infection, such as people over 60, those with chronic medical conditions and those with compromised immune systems. Raju specifically mentioned people living with HIV. According to an interview published in Poz magazine March 2 with Dr. Steve Pergam of the vacSee page 15 >>

Sports >>

t Out broadcaster blazes a trail by Roger Brigham

ports broadcaster Kate Scott told me that she doesn’t consider herself a trailblazer. “I’m in the next wave of trailblazers, building on the work of those who went before me,” she said. Well, trails are blazed by doing things others have not done before, and last Sunday night Scott did just that. On International Women’s Day, she was the play-by-play announcer on the first all-women’s crew to broadcast a National Hockey League game. Scott was joined by color analyst A.J. Mleczko, ringside reporter Kendall Coyne Schofield, director Lisa Seltzer, and producer Rene Hatlelid in the nationally broadcast coverage of the St. Louis Blues’ 2-0 victory over the Blackhawks in Chicago. It was also the first time that Scott ever called a hockey game on air. “The pace of hockey is unreal,” Scott said. “It doesn’t translate through the television how quick it is. And when you’re broadcasting, you’re six or stories up, so not only are they fast, they’re tiny.” Scott, who used to be a commentator on KNBR, currently works for NBC Sports and the Pac-12 Network, and produces a Bay Area-focused podcast for The Athletic. “It was amazing,” she said. “It went much better than any of us could have expected. I was extremely nervous when they first offered me the opportunity back in February – I was nervous most of that month.” The cure for nerves is confidence, and the best source of confidence is practice. Scott prepared by calling plays for three NHL games before Sunday – play calling that was never broadcast. She also got advice and encouragement from other broadcasters and hockey legends. In fact, Scott, 36, said she’s been blessed with advice and encouragement from others throughout her life. She was close to graduating from Clovis High School in Southern California, expecting to follow a career in teaching, just as her mother had done, when a school counselor, Ed Schmalzel, made a suggestion. “‘I just want to point something out to you,’” Scott quoted Schmalzel as saying. “‘You play every sport we have. You do all of the sports announcements in the morning and call the other sports you don’t play.’ I had never thought that was an option before.” Scott came out to her parents as a lesbian in 2004. “The day I came out to my parents, my mother started crying. I was really surprised. I asked her what’s wrong?” Scott said. Turns out mom was already worried about the challenges her daughter would face as a woman trying to make a career in the male-dominated field of sports – and now worried that her sexual orientation would add another level of concern.

Courtesy NBC Sports

Kate Scott, left, and A.J. Mleczko were on-air during Sunday’s NHL game.

Scott said at that moment, she decided that whenever she felt safe and comfortable in a job, she would be as open as possible, with the chance that might make the difference for other youngsters coming along, struggling with acceptance and self-identity. She’d been on her job at KNBR for a couple of weeks in 2011 when the occasion arose quite spontaneously. She was already out with some of her on-air co-workers. She hadn’t gotten to know former KNBR host Gary Radnich terribly well yet when he got on the topic of issues when one spouse is crazy about sports and the other is not. “Gary saw the wedding ring on my hand,” Scott, who is married to Nicole Everett, said “‘Oh, Kate,’ he said, “what does your husband think?’ I had about one second to think about it. I said, ‘Well, Gary, I’m married to a woman.’ Gary went silent for a few seconds, and if you know Gary, that’s just not him. Then he said, “Oh, that’s so glad. I’m glad you’re living your truth.’” And life went on without missing a beat. “I miss it all of the time,” Scott said of her days at KNBR. “I grew up a fan of the station. I grew up a fan of all of the teams that they had. We were all supportive of each other even though we gave each other a hard time on the air. I definitely wouldn’t have had my chance with the Pac-12 if it hadn’t been for that experience.” Opportunity and experience, practice and execution. It all came together last Sunday in a historic and memorable moment, to blaze the trail a little further along for whoever comes next.

Sports world responds to spread of COVID-19

Across the globe, sports events and organizations are increasingly affected by the spread of the coronavirus, which causes the respiratory disease COVID-19. The current health crisis should be under control well before Gay Games XI in late 2022, but it is affecting the way organizers right now are working on plans for the event. “We have been following the advice from the WHO and the Hong Kong Health Authority to minimize meetings and gatherings,” Dennis Philipse, HK2022 founder and co-chair, told the Bay Area Reporter, referring to the World Health Organization. “As we

continue our preparation, we communicate through small group meetings and digitally through WhatsApp calls and Google’s Hangout meetings. We are launching our new website soon as well as starting pre-registration next quarter.” As Hong Kong organizers look to the future, they also look to the past. “As it is two and a half years until the Gay Games, the current situation in Hong Kong should be dealt with by then,” Philipse said. “The experiences we have from 2003 SARS and the coronavirus is that Hong Kong will even better equipped on health precautions should anything happen closer to 2022. We will work closely with all relevant parties closer to the Games to ensure all precautions and safety measures are prepared and well organized.” The EuroGames are scheduled for August 6-9 in Dusseldorf, Germany, where currently major events are not allowed to have more than 1,000 people. Event organizers posted a statement on their website (www.eurogames2020.de) this week setting they expect such restrictions will have been resolved long before the event. Organizers said no sport would have more than 1,000 participants so they should be allowed to go on as planned; and planning would continue to make sure ceremonies and other events comply with any restrictions that may be in place at the time of the EuroGames. Organizers also said that if opening and closing ceremonies cannot be held, participants would be refunded 20 Euros ($22.67) of their base registration fee. If the EuroGames have to be canceled entirely, participants would receive full refunds, minus costs. Organizers said they estimated such refunds would be about 70% of the original fee. The San Jose Sharks will have to decide by their next home game – Thursday, March 19 – how to proceed now that the Santa Clara County health department has banned gatherings of more than 1,000 individuals through the end of March. As of press time, options included moving the location or playing games without fans in the SAP Center stands, as many European sports programs are already doing. The Sharks have three home games in March, and the San Jose Earthquakes have a home match against Kansas City. The minor league hockey San Jose Barracuda were scheduled to have home games – Tuesday, March 17 against the Colorado Eagles, and Sunday, March 22, against the Bakersfield Condors – so those SAP Center games are likely to be affected as well. The NHL, NBA, MLS, and MLB have closed their clubhouses and locker rooms to reporters and advised players not to sign autographs. Italy, one of the countries hardest hit by the virus, has closed down all sports events through April 3. t

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<< Community News

14 • Bay Area Reporter • March 12-18, 2020

Milk installation

Bathhouse hearing

From page 10

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on his Facebook page. A San Francisco Superior Court judge subsequently ruled that Laohacharoensombat had completed his sentence. The San Francisco Tobacco-Free Project is part of the San Francisco

who have trauma around cis men, to avoid health care,” Davis wrote in a Facebook message to the B.A.R. March 9. Davis is also concerned about an interruption in services. “I am in the middle of getting everything together for vaginoplasty, and I am sickened to see that might get disrupted,” Davis wrote. “I even just started getting laser hair removal there, and now, I am thrust into uncertainty. “It is a disgusting pattern that services for low-income women, cis or

trans, are put on the backburner, and HealthRIGHT 360 needs to reverse its decision,” Davis added. Davis said she has contacted District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen about the issue. Ronen told the B.A.R. March 10 that her office is going to receive a briefing from HealthRIGHT 360 on its plans in the coming days. “What we’re advocating at this point is that HealthRIGHT 360 reorganize the location so that there is a safe space for the trans community and for women,” Ronen said, specifying that she is referring to the 1563 Mission Street location that LyonMartin and the Women’s Community Clinic are moving to. Eisen said there will not be a reduction in services and there will be an orderly transition. “We’ve done this before where we’ve relocated,” Eisen said. “We spend a lot of time notifying patients, having information posted, and doing appointment reminders, and letting patients tour the new space if they want to.” A spokeswoman for HealthRIGHT 360 said that it is unclear if a whole floor of the new space will be dedicated to Lyon-Martin and the Women’s

Community Clinic. “Exactly what the space will look like and how it will function inside our Integrated Care Center is still being planned in collaboration with the staff but our plan is that, for the days and times (also still being worked out) that the Lyon-Martin and Women’s Community Clinic is operating, it will have a dedicated space but not necessarily a dedicated floor,” Lauren Kahn, HealthRIGHT 360 vice president of communications and government affairs, wrote in an email to the B.A.R. March 9. Eisen added that if people go an appointment at 1735 Mission Street by accident, staff on hand for an outpatient substance use program will direct them to 1563 Mission Street. Nonetheless, Service Employees International Union Local 1021 and Better Together 360 (which seeks to unionize HealthRIGHT 360 workers) have announced their intention to protest the announced move with the rally. “This move will significantly reduce programs and access to life saving care for the cis women and trans and gender-nonconforming people that we serve,” the description on the rally’s Facebook page states. “We are

concerned that our patients will not be able to access many of these services, including transition surgeries, hormones, and abortion services at the new location, and that the new space will not be a safe and affirming environment for our patients and staff. “As members of SEIU 1021, Lyon Martin Health Services and Women’s Community Clinic staff are exercising our rights to stand up for our patients, our clinics, and our jobs,” it continued. Eisen said that HealthRIGHT 360 is still in last-minute talks to keep Lyon-Martin Health Services and the Women’s Community Clinic at their current locations. “We are making an effort now with workers from that clinic, and the SEIU, to find funding for this year and next year,” Eisen said. “It would need to be a sustainable source.” Together, Lyon-Martin and the Women’s Community Clinic see 3,000 patients and have a $5.3 million budget, with an $800,000 budget shortfall predicted for both the current and upcoming fiscal years. Union representatives responded after the print edition went to press; their comments are in the online version. t

bathhouses reopen with private rooms. The standards could still include prohibiting patrons of the businesses from engaging in sexual activities deemed “as posing an unreasonable risk of infection” for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, according to a draft of the legislation shared with the B.A.R. The standards likely would continue to require the businesses to provide free condoms, lubricant and other safe sex supplies to their customers, as well as information about the transmission of

HIV and other STDs. Mandelman’s legislation also states the adult sex venue operating rules could include “such other requirements and/or prohibitions as the director determines are necessary to protect and promote the health and safety of patrons.” Initially, Mandelman had included language instructing DPH officials to revise the city’s bathhouse rules by June 1. But in light of the health department’s focus on dealing with the

coronavirus outbreak, that deadline had been pushed back to July 1. And it likely will be pushed back again, as Mandelman’s legislative aide, Tom Temprano, told the B.A.R. this week that they would work with DPH officials on determining “a reasonable deadline” once it was clear when the ordinance would be passed by the supervisors. Public reaction to the proposal has been “overwhelmingly positive,” noted Mandelman, who expects it will be adopted.

“The top priority for everybody in city government right now has to be trying to avoid what happened in China and Italy and South Korea,” said Mandelman, referring to the severe travel restrictions all three countries put in place to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus. “With regard to this latest delay in the hearing, people have been waiting for decades to see the bathhouse policies changed, so having to wait another month is unfortunate but probably necessary.”t

Department of Public Health. A DPH representative listed as one of two contacts on the project’s website said she “has no info at all.” “If it’s an outside ad or vendor then there’s no background check at all,” DPH communications director Rachael Kagan said in a phone call with the B.A.R. March 5. “It’s a surprise to me. I have no info and I am 100% on

coronavirus. Our entire health department is dedicated to coronavirus response. “You don’t have to write about it right now,” she added. Erica Kato, a spokeswoman for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, said SFMTA can let the contractor know. While the SFMTA ad policy bans offensive material,

Kato said that “offensiveness is a community standard, not an individual one.” “There is nothing in the ad policy that disqualifies this ad,” Kato wrote in an email to the B.A.R. March 6. “The advertiser doesn’t need to go beyond the face of the ad to figure out who is in it, the background, etc.” Laohacharoensombat is featured

on the homepage of www.connecttoquit.org, a DPH-run website, which identifies him as a “former flavored tobacco user, 15 years.” Responding to a B.A.R. request for comment, Laohacharoensombat wrote he didn’t “have any criticism” about himself being in the ads. t

non-essential group events of more than 50 people in city-owned facilities, including Moscone Center and the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library at 100 Larkin Street. “Our chief concern is for vulner-

able populations who are most at risk of getting very sick, or dying, if they get COVID-19,” said San Francisco health director Dr. Grant Colfax, a gay man whom Breed hired last year to run DPH. “That is why we are recommending that people

over 60, or with certain underlying health conditions, stay home as much as possible. For the general public, reducing the opportunity for exposure to the virus is the top priority. That means cutting back on the time you spend in groups and

washing your hands consistently.” t

Matthew S. Bajko

The exterior signage shows the new Harvey Milk Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport.

in such a public space and we’ve been very pleased by the color fidelity and resolution,” noted O’Brien. “They are not sensitive to light so they don’t fade.” There is no signage explaining the photos and reproductions of printed materials on the wall. On a column next to the installation is listed the names of the 16 people whose photographs are included. One was taken by Milk himself in 1976 and features a rainbow over the Castro Street building where he had his camera shop. The image was used in the store to show customers the different qualities of the photographic paper they could buy. “So I think that is a special one,” said O’Brien.

Lyon-Martin

with private rooms. In light of such advancements in HIV prevention like PrEP, the oncea-day pill that prevents the transmission of HIV, and people living with HIV with undetectable HIV viral loads unlikely to transmit the virus to their sexual partners, city health officials this year for the first time told the B.A.R. they would not object to seeing gay

Milk’s name. Last July, to coincide with the first nine-gate section of the new Harvey Milk Terminal 1 becoming operational, SFO Museum staff mounted a gigantic 400-foot wall running the length of the secured-area of the terminal that features nearly 100 images related to Milk’s life. It blocks off the rest of the facility still being remodeled and measures 380 feet long by 30 feet tall. It is slated to come down sometime in early 2021. Most of the images presented in the permanent installation came from the ones featured on the temporary wall that were sourced from public submissions or the archives of the GLBT Historical Society and the James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center at the San Francisco Public Library. A few are new, such as one that shows Milk in his Navy service dress khaki uniform standing outdoors on a driveway with his mother, Minerva. It was taken in 1954 by an unknown individual. “Hopefully people come away with a sense of Harvey not just as an activist and political leader but as a human being,” said O’Brien. t

From page 1

cash obligations, and maintaining good credit. HealthRIGHT 360 rents the 1735 Mission Street space, according to a spokesperson. Eisen noted that the change may be difficult for clients who have grown accustomed to the discretion that the current site offers. “Only people in the front room for each are seen for that specific clinic – women’s health and transgender health care. That’s the staff and the patients,” Eisen said about the 1735 Mission Street location. “The new one, a block away, is large. It’s our headquarters; it’s five stories and has different services on each floor. It includes cisgender men and women, and transgender men and women, and a range of populations.” Eisen said people are thinking of having special “discrete” hours at the clinics, though it would not be eight hours per day, five days per week. Jordan Davis, a trans woman and Lyon-Martin client, voiced some concern with having cisgender men in the same space as the transgender people seeking medical services. “It may cause people like myself,

There is a bank of escalators in front of the inglenook that for now lead people to a new space upstairs on the mezzanine level for the USO. Eventually, when the terminal’s $2.4 billion remodel is completed in 2023, the escalators will lead to and from another security checkpoint and a walkway to the airport’s AirTrain system that shuttles between the terminals and long-term parking garage. Formerly known as Terminal 1 and rechristened the Harvey Milk Terminal by city leaders, it is the first airport facility in the world named after an LGBT leader. Milk was the first gay person to win a political office in San Francisco and California with his 1977 election to a seat on the Board of Supervisors. Tragically, disgruntled former supervisor Dan White killed Milk and then-mayor George Moscone inside City Hall the morning of November 27, 1978. After a protracted fight over a proposal to rename the entire airport after Milk, which was rejected, city leaders opted instead to name one of SFO’s four terminals in honor of Milk. Visitors to SFO arriving by either car or the SFO AirTrain can now clearly see the new signage posted to the facade of the terminal’s south end denoting it as “Harvey Milk Terminal” in large black letters and as “Terminal 1” in slightly smaller letters below

From page 1

lation “Harvey Milk: Messenger of Hope” in what the airport is referring to as the Milk terminal’s Central Inglenook. The airport had to cancel plans to dedicate it March 11, due to the city’s recommendations for limiting the spread of the coronavirus. Architecturally a dead-end space, as it leads to nowhere, it is a rare opportunity for the museum staff to locate an exhibit in a section of the airport that isn’t a hallway or other area that people are constantly passing through, noted O’Brien. “We love to get a dead-end space. It is a destination, meaning once here it is what you are here for,” said O’Brien, a straight ally who co-curated the installation with Kai Caemmerer. “It is a rare space out here where we are not revolving art. It will honor Harvey Milk as long as it stands.” It features 43 images that provide airport visitors a snapshot into the various stages of Milk’s life, from his days in the U.S. Navy in the early 1950s to a community activist and groundbreaking politician in San Francisco during the heydays of the 1970s. The images are arranged chronologically right to left and mounted on the wall in varying sizes on dye-infused aluminum. “We love these for their durability

Coronavirus

From page 8

These measures are in addition to broader health department recommendations issued in recent days. On March 7, the city banned all

Courtesy HealthRIGHT 360

HealthRIGHT 360 President and CEO Vitka Eisen

To learn more about each image, people can scan with their phone a QR code on a brochure that will be stocked in the area. There will also be a printed catalogue that has the information for each image, and people are free to take it as a keepsake. “We decided not to put any didactic on the wall,” or educational text, explained O’Brien, “because we want the images to speak for themselves.” A glass wall separates the inglenook from the secured-area of the terminal on the other side. It is see-through so people not traveling through the airport will be able to see the second-half of the Milk installation on the other side when it is mounted sometime later this year.

For more information about the airport’s Milk installation, visit https://www.sfomuseum.org/exhibitions/harvey-milk-messengerhope.

To watch the virtual presentation on COVID-19 at CROI, go to https://special.croi.capitalreach. com/.

t <<

Community News>>

News Briefs

From page 8

now operate under the new name, logo, and brand. According to a news release, the foundation started its rebranding process in January 2018. The twoyear discovery, research, and design process included interviews with API LGBTQ+ organizations, founding GAPA Foundation board members, and major donors. That process led to more than 65 name ideas, two crowdsourcing contests, and 10 additional API LGBTQ+ designers, resulting in more than 150 logo designs. As for why the foundation rebranded, officials said it was to better represent the richness of the diverse

SF officials

From page 12

cine and infectious disease division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, people with HIV are at risk depending upon their level of immunosuppression. “For an HIV patient who is on stable antiretroviral therapy and has a normal CD4 count, their risk may be slightly increased,” Pergam said. “People often lump HIV patients with other immunosuppressed patients, but HIV is a different disease than it was years ago. For people who have a reconstituted immune system because of treatment, I think the risk is not going to be tremen-

March 12-18, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 15

The LGBT Asylum Project announced that it is partnering with Parivar, the South Asian queer trans organization. The move was done to make the asylum project’s services accessible to more transgender and gender-nonconforming people, agency officials said in a news release. “I’ve seen first-hand how some asylum officers are still confused by GNC people and, as a result, their cases suffer,” Okan Sengun, co-founder

and executive director of the asylum project, stated. “I am determined to change this, so I’m very proud of our new partnership with Parivar. We’re working to make sure that the transgender and GNC community know that our services are available to them, because if they’re represented in their asylum cases, there’s a good chance that they could win their case.” Last year, the asylum project directly served 169 LGBTQ+ immigrants. According to Brooke Westling, the project’s co-founder and legal director, to date, “We’ve had a 100% success rate in acquiring asylum for our clients.” Parivar (meaning “family” in Hindi) was founded in 2018 and currently has over 300 members. “Parivar has a simple tagline: ‘Our

South Asian Queer Trans Family,’” Anjali Rimi, co-founder and board president, said in the release. “Parivar uplifts South Asian trans and GNC people and welcomes all queer, gay, lesbian, intersex, and bisexual people and allies.” Rimi added that Parivar works closely with Aravani Art Project based in Bangalore, India, and holds Roobaroo, a peer-support group, at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, 1035 Market Street, every first and third Wednesday of the month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. For more information about the LGBT Asylum Project, visit https:// www.lgbtasylumproject.org/. For more information about Parivar, go to the Facebook page, “Parivar SA.” t

“The sheriff ’s office has a proactive policy for evaluating SWAP (Sheriff ’s Work Alternative Program) and electronic monitoring eligibility,” Miyamoto wrote. “We regularly review every sentenced person in our jail to determine their eligibility for release. This policy will continue.” Miyamoto said that he is working closely with the Department of Public Health to limit the threat of coronavirus in county jails. “The Department of Public Health has established guidelines based on the Centers for Disease Control protocol to prevent and control the spread of disease in our jails. My office follows these guide-

lines,” Miyamoto stated. “In partnership with Jail Health Services, we continuously identify and monitor our most vulnerable populations who may be older or immunocompromised to ensure their safety.” The Department of Public Health is advising people to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching their faces, covering their coughs and sneezes, trying alternatives to the handshake and staying home if they are sick. It is not recommended people wear face masks if they are not sick. The greatest risk is from droplets containing the coronavirus on surfaces.

People over 60, those with chronic medical conditions, and those with weakened immune systems are at particular risk if they contract the coronavirus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of COVID-19 include a fever, cough, and shortness of breath. More serious cases result in pneumonia. For more information on the coronavirus, go to https://www.cdc. gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index. html. t

API LGBTQ+ community. “Over time, we felt that ‘GAPA,’ originally standing for the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance, did not accurately represent the full spectrum of identities, communities, and causes in the students and organizations that our scholarship, grants, and programs have historically funded,” Bernie Wong, foundation vice president, stated. In explaining the new name, the foundation pointed out that prisms reflect light into a spectrum of colors, much like how the scholarships and grants highlight diverse identities; as geometric shapes, they represent the structural challenges that the API LGBTQ+ community has and continues to face; and prisms represent building blocks for change.

The Prism Foundation is planning a launch party for May, during Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. For more information, visit http:// www.theprismfoundation.org.

dously different.” Raju said that jail conditions make releasing the members of atrisk groups essential. “We are taking this action to protect older adults and those with compromised immune systems who are extremely vulnerable right now,” Raju said in a news release. “People who are incarcerated in jail are already exposed to an unsafe environment. The cramped and unsanitary conditions in jail put the older or immunocompromised population at a much greater risk of contracting and spreading coronavirus.” Miyamoto, who oversees the jails, sent a letter to Raju late March 10 to address his concerns.

LGBT Asylum Project partners with Parivar

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Legal Notices>> ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555619 In the matter of the application of: CHRISTOPHER KENDALL CARR, P.O.BOX 14702, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner CHRISTOPHER KENDALL CARR is requesting that the name CHRISTOPHER KENDALL CARR AKA CHRISTOPHER KINSEY CRONIN AKA CHRISTOPHER CRONIN, be changed to CHRISTOPHER KINSEY CRONIN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept 103N, Rm 103N on the 2nd of April 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555608 In the matter of the application of: JOE LOUIS LOPEZ, 1050 PINE ST #3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner JOE LOUIS LOPEZ, is requesting that the name JOE LOUIS LOPEZ AKA JOSEPH LUIS LOPEZ AKA JOSEPH L. LOPEZ AKA JOSEPH LOPEZ, be changed to JOSEPH LUIS LOPEZ. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm 103 on the 26th of March 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038989000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PRACTICALI LAW, 44 MONTGOMERY ST 3RD FL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SIRIVATH MU. 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 02/13/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038982400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: YSA BARBERSHOP, 763 ELLIS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ISA ALY MOHAMATH. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/02/06. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/10/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038988600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: VALUEXCHANGE DIAMOND IMPORTERS, 999 GREEN ST #2503, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed HAROLD APFELBAUM. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/31/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/13/20.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038956600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: VALVOLINE INSTANT OIL CHANGE IH0011, 300 7TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed HENLEY PACIFIC SF LLC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/15/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/22/20.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038996300

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038996100

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038989100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JAYNE ALTAFFER STYLIST, 178 BLUXOME ST, UNIT 206, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JAYNE BOYLE ALTAFFER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/13/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/13/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039000400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WATCHERS SECURITY, 950 GILMAN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CURTIS THOMAS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/24/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/24/20.

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038965400

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038994900

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038971800

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038995900

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038980000

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039000300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SUGAR COIN PRESS, RISING CHIMERA PRODUCTIONS, 2261 MARKET ST #418A, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOYCE Y. LEE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/14/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/20/20.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MERKADO SAN FRANCISCO, 130 TOWNSEND ST. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed NO WALLS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/29/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/29/20.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ROYALTYDNA, 60 29TH ST, #232, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ZEMA COLE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/03/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/03/20.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TOISHAN IRONWORKS, 730 HURON AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SHI ZHU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/29/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/19/20.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SHE BENDS, 1340 BRYANT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MERYL PATAKY. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/02/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/06/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038959600

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038969800

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038990300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MEN’S HEALTH HAVEN, 55 NEW MONTGOMERY #306, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed STEPHEN TRAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/24/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/24/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038988100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: UNICA DENTAL, 2813 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed DR. CHOI 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 02/13/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038982600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE APERTURIST, 810 GONZALEZ DR., #4F, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed EKEVARA KITPOWSONG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/28/11. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/31/20.

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038995200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ADVANCED CHIROPRACTIC CENTER, 155 VALENCIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed STEVEN BIEGEL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/99. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/19/20.

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NANI HEATING & AIR-CONDITIONING, 1075 QUESADA AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOVICA MAKSIMOVIC. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/13/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/14/20.

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038998900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HEALGOOD, 1571 23RD AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed STACEY MICHAELS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/07/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/21/20.

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038999000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FAST PRO SERVICES, 1610 POST ST #301, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed PACIFIC LIGHT GROUP INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/10/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/10/20.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HAPPY CHILDHOOD, 2268 17TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed TATIANA SERGUNINA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/21/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/21/20.

FEB 20, 27, MARCH 05, 12, 2020

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JL PAINTING, 79 REGENT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed ZHI XIN YANG & JOE LOC. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/01/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/19/20.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: POLYGON VISUALS, 2750 42ND AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed POLYGON VISUALS INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/19/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/19/20.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: OTRA, 682 HAIGHT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed ONE TABLE MANAGEMENT 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 02/24/20.

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038992200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE PATIO, 3232 SCOTT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed ALPHA BAR 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 02/18/20.

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-038361100

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: PARIGO, 3232 SCOTT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business was conducted by a limited liability company and signed by ALPHA BAR LLC (CA). The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 10/17/18.

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020

<< Section

16 • Bay Area Reporter • March 12-18, 2020

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-037886600

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: HAPPY CHILDHOOD, 2268 17TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business was conducted by a married couple and signed by EDWARD ROMANOV & JANET ROMANOV. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/08/17.

FEB 27, MARCH 05, 12, 19, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555633

In the matter of the application of: LYNNETTE GALIZA, 6 PORTOLA DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner LYNNETTE GALIZA, is requesting that the name LYNNETTE GALIZA, be changed to LYNNETTE LAROCHE. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm 103 on the 7th of April 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555672

In the matter of the application of: KEVIN CHRISTOPHER LINGERFELT, 1954 15TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner KEVIN CHRISTOPHER LINGERFELT, is requesting that the name KEVIN CHRISTOPHER LINGERFELT, be changed to KEVIN COSTA INGELMAN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept 103N, Rm 103N on the 16th of April 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555673

In the matter of the application of: SAMUEL PATRICK TEPPERMAN-GELFANT, 1954 15TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner SAMUEL PATRICK TEPPERMANGELFANT, is requesting that the name SAMUEL PATRICK TEPPERMAN-GELFANT AKA SAM TEPPERMAN-GELFANT, be changed to SAMUEL PATRICK TEPPERMAN GELFANT INGELMAN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept 103N, Rm 103N on the 16th of April 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555652

In the matter of the application of: JOHNNIE SHANG TEH LIN, 1700 GOUGH ST #502, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner JOHNNIE SHANG TEH LIN, is requesting that the name JOHNNIE SHANG TEH LIN AKA JOHNNIE SHANG-TEH LIN AKA JOHNNIE S. LIN AKA JOHN SHANG TEH LIN AKA JOHN LIN AKA JOHN S. LIN, be changed to JOHN SHANG-TEH LIN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept 103, on the 7th of April 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555643

In the matter of the application of: RUFUS NATHANIEL WASHINGTON C/O NANCY M. CONWAY, LAW OFFICES OF NANCY M. CONWAY, 345 FRANKLIN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner RUFUS NATHANIEL WASHINGTON, is requesting that the name RUFUS NATHANIEL WASHINGTON, be changed to RUFUS NATHANIEL WATKINS. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm 103 on the 9th of April 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555666

In the matter of the application of: DIANNA LYNN WARE, 1407 BIRCHWOOD CT, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner DIANNA LYNN WARE, is requesting that the name DIANNA LYNN WARE AKA DIANNA LYNN MOORE, be changed to DIANNA LYNN MOORE. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm 103 on the16th of April 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555679

In the matter of the application of: NERIAH MICHELLE BOWERS, 900 INGERSON AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner NERIAH MICHELLE BOWERS, is requesting that the name NERIAH MICHELLE BOWERS AKA NERIAH BOWERS, be changed to NERIAH AHYOKA FOYE. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept 103N, Rm 103N on the 14th of April 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF 0 SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555675

In the matter of the application of: JASON DUANE MOORE, 1222 HARRISON ST # 2420, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner JASON DUANE MOORE, is requesting that the name JASON DUANE MOORE, be changed to JASON DUANE GREENMORE. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept 103N, Rm 103N on the 14th of April 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-20-555676

In the matter of the application of: ANASTASIA MARIE GREENE, 1222 HARRISON ST #2420, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner ANASTASIA MARIE GREENE, is requesting that the name ANASTASIA MARIE GREENE, be changed to ANASTASIA MARIE GREENMORE. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept 103N, Rm 103N on the 14th of April 2020 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039010800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE TEAK, 2157 JACKSON ST #2, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed AGOTA KRAPAVICKAITE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/14/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/02/20.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038984500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FRESHITO, 4809 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ROSA E. ESPINOZA. 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 02/11/20.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039008600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DIMA TRANSPORTATION, 1550 BAY ST #C243, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DMITRIY SHYNGEL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/28/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/28/20.

MARCH, 05, 19, 26, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038989700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PEEK-ABOO LEARNING CENTER, 908 PARIS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed XIAO HONG XIE. 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 02/14/20.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038977600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BAYFIT SF, 1363 30TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducte1d by an individual, and is signed BAILEY LIU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/05/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/05/20.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039001000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LIFE THEATRE SERVICES, 1729 STOCKTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed CYNTHIA CRISTILLI & MOLLY GOODE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/04/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/25/20.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038996200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MUSIC CITY ENTERTAINMENT, 1353 BUSH ST #112, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed MUSIC CITY ARTIST DEVELOPMENT (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/19/20.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039004200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ALOHA HAWAIIN BARBECUE, 4935 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ALOHA HAWAIIN BARBECUE (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/01/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/26/20.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038996800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GOODBYES CONSIGNMENT, 3483 SACRAMENTO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed HENMAR INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/09/91. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/20/20.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039008800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PIZZA DUE, 489 CHURCH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed JOEL J. HADDAD & REHAM HADDAD. 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 02/28/20.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039004700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BINGHAM RENTALS, 559 SHOTWELL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed EDWARD BINGHAM & MERYLEE SMITHBINGHAM. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/14/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/26/20.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039010000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CAMPUS, 2241 CHESTNUT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123 . This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed AVILA PARTNERS, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/20/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/02/20.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039005000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BURMA GOLD, 695 3RD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed GLD MYAN MGT LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/03/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/26/20.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039015000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MOTHER EARTH’S CLEANING, 950 GILMAN AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DANA HUNTER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/04/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/04/20.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038995400

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-038773400

MARCH 12, 19, 26 APRIL 02, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039013800

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038986000

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: CAMPUS, 2241 CHESTNUT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business was conducted by a limited liability company and signed by TELEGRAPH HILL ASSOCIATES LLC (CA). The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/26/19.

MARCH 05, 12, 19, 26, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039021300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: COURIER SPECIALTIES, 679 46TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ERNEST LEE CROSSON. 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 03/06/20.

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039016400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GRANT AVE GARAGE, 501 FILBERT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ZHENHONG HUANG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/02/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/05/20.

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039015900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: UNENCUMBERED, 1870 FULTON ST #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CAROLYN HONIG. 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 03/04/20.

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039021600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MGM TRUCKING, 68 SANTA FE AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed OCTAVIO GALVAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/06/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/06/20.

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039004400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JA JANITORIAL SERVICES, 775 GEARY ST #205, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOSEPH AHMED ALHAYAWA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/26/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/26/20.

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NEWNESS, 334 KEARNY ST #300, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed QP VENTURES, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/19/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/19/20.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HUANCAINA PERUVIAN FOOD, 2301 MISSION ST, UNIT B, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JULIO MANUEL VIDAL SEDANO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/03/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/03/20.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SF THE DOG SPA LLC, 169 WEST PORTAL AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SF THE DOG SPA LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/01/07. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/12/20.

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039009200

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039014000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MI MISSION PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO, 528 SHOTWELL ST #5, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ANTONIO PERETE VILLANUEVA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/28/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/28/20.

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039010400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SUNSET HEALING ARTS, 1395 31ST AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed NATALIE TROUSDALE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/01/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/02/20.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RUBY & ROSE, 99 CARMELITA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed RUBY & ROSE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/16/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/04/20.

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039005500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BUILDING SPECIALIST LLC, 1075 OAKDALE AVE #G, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94129. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed BUILDING SPECIALIST LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/27/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/27/20.

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039016700

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: J SQUARED REALTY, 34 NIANTIC AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed JOEL GOMEZ & JAIRO PADILLA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/31/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/05/20.

ebar.com

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039008900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ROMA’S, 489 3RD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SEAHORSE ENTERPRISES (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 02/28/20.

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039007700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PRIMP, 391 SUTTER ST #307, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CJH SALONS INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/29/05. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/28/20.

MARCH 12, 19, 26, APRIL 02, 2020

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT

Construction Management Services for TBT RFP NO. 6M6145 POSTPONEMENT OF RELEASE OF RFP NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the General Manager of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District has postponed the time for RFP Advertisement of Construction Management Services for TBT until further notice. Currently, there is no anticipated release date. Furthermore, the originally scheduled pre-proposal conference for Thursday, March 19, 2020 is cancelled. /s/ John Mazza John Mazza, Director of Procurement San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District 3/12/20 CNS-3351093# BAY AREA REPORTER

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT NOTICE TO PROPOSERS - GENERAL INFORMATION The SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT, 300 Lakeside Drive, Oakland, California 94612, is advertising for proposals to provide Construction Management Services for TBT to the District, Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 6M6145, on or about March 5, 2020, with proposals due by 2:00 PM local time, Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at the District Secretary’s Ofﬁce, 23rd ﬂoor, 300 Lakeside Drive, Oakland, California 94612.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK TO BE PERFORMED The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (“BART” or “District”) intends to engage the services of a consulting firm or joint venture (“Consultant”) to provide Construction Management Services for the TBT. Services being sought with this RFP will be required on an as-needed basis; assignments may be made to Consultant by BART, at its sole discretion. The District intends to make one (1) award resulting from this RFP. The term of the Agreement entered into pursuant to this RFP will be for four (4) years, subject to termination as provided for in the Agreement. It is anticipated that the total cost for the Agreement shall not exceed the amount of Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000). However, the Consultant may receive a lesser amount depending on the District’s actual need for Consultant’s services. Pre-Proposal Conference: A Pre Proposal Conference and Networking Session will be held on Thursday, March 19, 2020. The meeting will convene at 10:00 AM local time, at BART offices located at 300 Lakeside Drive, 15th Floor Conference Room (Room 1500), Oakland, CA 94612. Prospective proposers are requested to make every effort to attend this only scheduled Pre-Proposal Conference and Networking Session. Networking Session: Immediately following the Pre-Proposal Conference, the District’s Office of Civil Rights will be conducting a Networking Session for subconsultants to meet the prime Consultants.

REQUIRED REGISTRATION ON BART PROCUREMENT PORTAL In order for prospective Proposers to be eligible for award of an Agreement being solicited on the BART Procurement Portal, such Proposers are required to be currently registered to do business with BART on the BART Procurement Portal on line at https://suppliers.bart.gov and have obtained Solicitation Documents, updates, and any Addenda issued on line so as to be added to the On-Line Planholders List for this solicitation. If a prospective Proposer is a joint venture or partnership, such entity may register on the BART Procurement Portal with the entity’s tax identiﬁcation number (TIN) and download the Solicitation Documents so as to be listed as an on-line planholder under the entity’s name prior to submitting its Proposal. If such entity has not registered on BART Procurement Portal in the name of the joint venture or partnership prior to submitting its Proposal, provided that at least one of the joint venturers or partners registered on line on the BART Procurement Portal and downloaded the Solicitation Documents so as to be added to the On-Line Planholders List for this solicitation, such entity will be required to register with the entity’s TIN as an on-line planholder following the submittal of Proposals, in order for the entity to be eligible for award of this Agreement. PROPOSERS WHO HAVE NOT REGISTERED ON THE BART PROCUREMENT PORTAL PRIOR TO SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL, (OR FOR A JOINT VENTURE OR PARTNERSHIP AS DESCRIBED ABOVE PRIOR TO AWARD) AND DID NOT DOWNLOAD THE SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS FOR THIS SOLICITATION ON LINE SO AS TO BE LISTED AS AN ONLINE PLANHOLDER FOR THIS SOLICITATION, WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR AWARD OF THIS AGREEMENT. Any questions regarding this Notice to Proposers should be directed to the BART Procurement Department, Attention: Jeanet Moore, 300 Lakeside Drive, 17th Floor, Oakland, CA. 94612, email address: JMoore3@bart.gov, telephone (510) 287-4730. Dated at Oakland, California this 28th day of February 2020.

/s/ Stacey Camillo Stacey Camillo, Manager Contract Administration San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District 3/12/20 CNS-3348745# BAY AREA REPORTER

Bell music

Clash bar

Dystopia TV

Drag theatre

Vol. 50 • No. 11 • March 12-18, 2020

Zoran Jelenic

www.ebar.com/arts

Men working in pointe shoes by Philip Mayard

hen you think of physically demanding jobs, hard-labor workers likely come to mind: roofers, firefighters, construction laborers. But now there is data to prove that the most physically taxing job typically involves tights, tutus and toe shoes. Using data from the Department of Labor, “Business Insider” recently conducted a study that analyzed the physical demands of a huge range of jobs. It turns out that the grueling lifestyle of a professional dancer is the most physically taxing job in the US, requiring more strength and stamina than an oil derrick operator, which came in #2. See page 19

Members of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, coming to Cal Performances.

‘Midsummer’ magic

“Untitled” (1970s, quilted by Irene Bankhead, 1997). Fabric, decorative trim, crocheted doilies, velveteen, shisha mirror and cotton thread embroidery, and cotton muslin backing.

by Paul Parish

Erik Tomasson

an Francisco Ballet had a triumph last Friday night. It was the best dancing, the best of everything so far this year, new pleasures of many kinds, in their stellar production of Balanchine’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1962). It was magical. The 3,000 of us who blissed out on this did not know until we got home that it may have been the only one performed. I shall be telling this with a sigh, somewhere ages and ages hence: I saw Joe Walsh dance Oberon in 2020, and all those wonderful children. We got home to find the news. We don’t know yet if the rest of the run can be rescheduled. More of what’s lost below. See page 22 >>

Joseph Walsh and Esteban Hernandez in Balanchine’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Quilting frenzy! by Sura Wood

onsidered one of the most accomplished, artistically inventive American quilt-makers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Rosie Lee Tompkins deserves an appreciative retrospective, and a comprehensive new show at BAMPFA demonstrates why. It showcases nearly 70 vibrantly colored, often irregularly shaped quilts, dating from the 1970s to shortly before her death in 2006. Of note is that, for the most part, other artists did the actual quilting. It was Tompkins who created the snazzy piece tops or uppermost layers and handsewn applique and embroidery for abstract, tactile textiles you’ll feel tempted to take home with you. Most of them wouldn’t readily fit on a bed, and with no fixed orientation, they’re closer to modernist paintings that should be hung on the wall, marveled at and spot-lit, as they are in the museum’s roomy galleries. See page 18 >>

{ SECOND OF THREE SECTIONS }

BAMPFA

<< Out There

18 • Bay Area Reporter • March 12-18, 2020

Photographer captures life, is captured by Roberto Friedman

ast week Out There went to see filmmaker Mark Bosek’s new documentary “The Times of Bill Cunningham,” about the late New York Times street photographer of the same name. The film showcases some of the best of Cunningham’s photos from his iconic “On the Street” column, and is narrated unobtrusively by the actress Sarah Jessica Parker. It was a selection of the 2018 New York Film Festival, and was an Audience Award winner at the 2019 Aspen Filmfest. Still, after viewing it, we had serious questions about why it was ever made. The impetus appears to be the rediscovery of a 1994 videotaped interview with the fashion historian and press photographer, done in conjunction with some honor

he was being given at the time. So we get to revisit Cunningham’s career trajectory in his own words, from moonlighting milliner to fashion house stalwart. We revisit his monklike abode in the old Carnegie Hall Studios, where he slept on a mattress among file cabinets and storage boxes full of prints. We see him zoom around NYC on his bicycle in his trademark blue jumpsuit. But here’s the puzzlement: We’ve seen this all before. In fact, the same photographer’s life was the subject of director Richard Press’ 2011 documentary “Bill Cunningham New York.” Bozek mentions in his film that Cunningham never saw the earlier film about him, but instead spent the

night of its opening outside on the street, photographing its audience come and go. That’s some meta-coverage right there. Without any evidence to support its claim, the new film asserts, “While the attention that was brought to him via a growing number of accolades and a popular documentary in 2011 may have brought [Cunningham] some degree of lifetime achievement, it is more likely he regretted it.” But why? In the new film, he mentions his sadness that so many dear friends and great tal-

ents had died of AIDS. But little else in his personal life, not to mention love life, crops up in either exploration. The photojournalist remains something of a cipher: the eye watching, never the brain revealing. Reader, we enjoyed screening this film, but we felt somehow complicit in its elbowing the earlier documentary aside, without really getting the reason why. Still, if someone wants to make another film about the same personality, we will go to see it – provided it has something new to say. Meanwhile we have to admit, we go to a lot of documentaries, and the in-depth exploration of personality is probably our favorite genre among them. Over the years,

we’ve enjoyed documentaries about Diana Vreeland, Imelda Marcos, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, Fran Lebowitz, Judy Garland and countless homosexuals. We would see another film about any of them, if it gave us a new perspective or unexpected insight into their lives. A good illustration of this is a paired couple of films by the documentarian Joshua Oppenheimer. “The Art of Killing” from 2012, and “The Look of Silence” from 2015 are both in-depth character studies of people, still alive, who participated in the Indonesian mass killings of 1965-66 perpetuated in the name of anti-Communism. They are really two chapters from the same project. But they each feel like their own film, and seeing either one can be revelatory without seeing the other. Kudos to a filmmaker who can make that happen.t

personal “history of the plague I lived through, a brutality few ever dreamed of.” In a satirical tsunami of ridiculous names, melodramatic characters, and head-scratching situations, Kramer hits his stride with main character Fred Lemish (the author’s obvious stand-in) and the page-turning nefarious machinations of a thinlyveiled Reagan family, a porn mogul named Mordecai Masturbov (think Hugh Hefner), and much later, a dimwitted president named Dereck Dumster (no need for translation here) who stocks his cabinet with the most hated and anti-American vermin imaginable. As the death count multiplies across the globe, AIDS remains its own menacing character in Kramer’s

narrative, chiming in at the most inopportune moments (in bold font, no less) to contribute snippets of self-congratulatory arrogance. AIDS guffaws at America’s ignorance of the impending pandemic, “You’re not smart enough to figure me out. Thank goodness.” Black humor and the outrage of a community that fights for human rights abound on every page, and Kramer, a gay activist known for his rage and outspokenness, succeeds at drawing attention to decades of persecution forced upon his community. The mudslinging may be cleverly disguised, but it’s not obscured to readers who’ve sexed and suffered through the same era. Kramer is never shy about calling out media outlets who became gun-shy when

it came to addressing AIDS as a plague about to decimate an entire population of homosexuals. The New York Times (“The New York Truth”) is treated with the same toxic venom as writers at The New Yorker (“The New Gotham”), Barbara Streisand, Yale University, and without reserve, George W. Bush. But the tome is not all vitriol, it also encompasses love stories, desperation, eternal friendships, loss, and the pain of global loneliness, even within a community that has had to band together tightly. Alternately, Kramer also likes dick and writing about sex; many pages feature both. In essence, there’s something for everyone here, if readers have patience. Selfindulgent, expository, overwritten, extravagant, sex-crazed, and crammed with casual asides and urgent digressions, Kramer’s Vol. 2 is simply brilliant.t

Pick your poison

by Jim Piechota

The American People, Volume 2: The Brutality of Fact by Larry Kramer; FS&G, $40

ny reader who dared to embark on the mind-numbing sprawl of novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and LGBT activist Larry Kramer’s first volume of his “American People” series (2015) was met with a cacophony of American postwar themes and historical figures creatively transmogrified and amplified with little restraint. It featured Founding Fathers like Washington, Lincoln, and Franklin, as well as Samuel Clemens, all gay, who often found themselves embroiled in sexual situations.

In its concluding pages, that novel’s omniscient narrator (“Your Roving Historian”) was taken to the hospital to expire in peace from a mysterious rapidly spreading infection. He miraculously survives to resume this intrepid second installment, “The Brutality of Fact,” which clocks in at a dizzying 880 pages. The page count seems as excessive as it did the first time around, but once a literary toe is dipped in, the pages flow, thanks to some creative arrangement of themes. Chapters are comprised of sections with their own titles as the story ebbs, flows, and in true Kramer style, overflows in grand fashion as the arrival of the AIDS epidemic is laid at the feet of an unsuspecting gay community. It encompasses Kramer’s intimately

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Tompkins

From page 17

Born Effie Mae Howard in 1936, Tompkins grew up, one of 15 children, in a rural sharecropping family in southeastern Arkansas. Though she learned to quilt from her mother, she didn’t take up the art seriously until 1980, over 20 years after she had moved to Richmond, CA, where she made her living as a nurse. In some respects a radical departure from the Black Southern quilt-making legacy passed down to her, Tompkins’ Modernist works exude what The New York Times rightly called “a barely controlled geometric anarchy.” A deeply private, spiritual woman who wove personal symbolism, quotations from Scripture, and references to relatives into her quilts, she believed her talent was a God-given gift. One can almost picture her lost in concentration, a raft of found materials spread out on her living-room floor, as she orchestrated a symphony of colors and swatches of eclectic fabrics for sophisticated, intricate compositions filed away in her head. More improvised than planned, her projects, with their inherent discipline and free-form spirit, bear a kinship with jazz. She was known to listen to “Saturday Night Fever” and opera. Would it be a stretch to imagine her soaking in the jazz greats? A few works touch on political themes of the day, like a large-scale 1996 quilt with images of the Kennedy brothers, Martin Luther King, Jr. and portions of the American flag. Another from the same year features a shadowy OJ Simpson, crucifixes and Biblical passages. But what strikes one most are the beyond-vivid, killer

BAMPFA

“Untitled” (quilted by Irene Bankhead, 1997). Velvet, fabric, U.S. flags made of rayon and cotton, woven wool, batik, polyester velour, cotton muslin, rayon linen, gabardine, cotton print fabric, and cotton muslin backing.

colors. Midnight-blue velvets structured in a uneven square medallion pull the eye into untold depths, while in “String” (1985), one of the few titled pieces, curved burgundy and red ropes, arcing in parallel lines like a network of highways, produce a ripple effect, accented by startling patches of scarlet or coral, and seamlessly integrated profusion of purples. Tompkins had a remarkable knack for combining lustrous fabrics that catch the light, many of them finds she uncovered on treks to local flea markets and thrift shops. There are plush velvets, velour and velveteen, a generous sprinkling of glitter and sequins, scraps of old denim deployed to sweet, almost childlike effect, and glistening metallic finishes achieved for a festive

group she called Christmas quilts. Though her religiosity is often front-and-center, Tompkins possessed a joyous, witty touch. In a 2003 quilt, re-purposed striped neckties, arranged against a contrasting black background, look like refugees from an after-hours display in Macy’s men’s department. That playfulness also expressed itself in a piece comprised of 68 yo-yo shapes made of corduroy, terrycloth, embroidery and cotton bedding in a dizzying array of hues. They’re thought to refer to birthdays of the artist’s family members, but I couldn’t help thinking of the mouthwatering choices at an ice cream parlor or a spontaneous gathering of party balloons.t Through July 19. bampfa.org

Music>>

March 12-18, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 19

Sold-out concerts before the halls closed by Philip Campbell

traveling violin superstar and two young singers on the rise filled local concert halls recently with sold-out crowds undeterred by worries about coronavirus. Joshua Bell and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields packed Davies Symphony Hall. Tenor Zhengyi Bai and mezzo-soprano Simone McIntosh earned a standing ovation at Taube Atrium Theater in their outstanding Schwabacher Recital Series concert. Two days later, on March 6, Mayor London Breed announced that War Memorial Performing Arts Center venues, including DSH, would be closed for all public events for the next two weeks in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Since 2015, Merola Opera Program has been the sole sponsor of three of the four annual Schwabacher Recitals. Late Bay Area singer, scholar, and teacher James H. Schwabacher permanently endowed the concerts, which celebrate 37 seasons. Merola Opera Program 2018 participants and 2019 Adler Fellows Simone McIntosh (Vancouver, Canada) and Zhengyi Bai

ing a stratospheric high note. He made it with ease. Their amusing duet from Rossini’s “Le comte Ory” drew appreciative laughter and applause. The recital bill was divided into two parts, each spotlighting the individual singer’s unique talent. A final duet encore would have been nice, but it was an exceptionally full and adventurous program. SF Opera General Director Matthew Shilvock was on hand to emcee Zhengyi Bai’s opening set and affectionately announce the retirement at the close of 2020 of Sheri Greenawald, beloved Lisa Marie Mazzucco Violinist Joshua Bell, director and soloist 18-year Director of SF Opera Center and Artistic Director of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields (ASMF), appeared at Davies Hall. of Merola Opera Program. Greenawald’s legacy is celebrated with every perfor(Linyi, Shandong, China) last apmance by a Merolini, past or peared together in “The Future Is present. Now: 2019 Adler Fellows Concert.” Young tenor Bai made his SFO McIntosh was brilliant in an excerpt debut in “Carmen” last season, from Mozart’s “Lucio Silla”; Bai had and made cameo appearances in the unenviable task of opening the “Manon Lescaut.” His powerful concert with a difficult aria requirvoice is strong and his presentation

sturdy. Opening with “Selections from Sei Ariette” by Vincenzo Bellini, he immediately established his passionate personality. His singing was less nuanced than robust, but four brief arias helped warm and loosen his voice. In “Vier Lieder, Opus 27” by Richard Strauss, Bai showed subtle feeling and rich tone. The unmistakable triumph belonged to Simone McIntosh. Her choice of repertoire was ambitious, and her performance flawless. Olivier Messiaen’s “Harawi” is an almost ritualistic work that exquisitely combines his love of birdsong, mysterious ethnomusicology, and ability to hear colors (synesthesia). Entering barefoot in a long flowing shift, with excellent pianist Robert Mollicone, also in white and without shoes, McIntosh created and maintained a character throughout. By turns temptress, priestess, and yearning lover, she imbued the music with otherworldly fascination. Messiaen’s infrequently heard masterwork was fully realized. The standing ovation was deserved. The week before, famed violinist Joshua Bell, appearing as director and soloist of the equally renowned

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields (ASMF), got listeners at Davies Hall to their feet twice (quelle surprise!). The concert spotlighted the virtuoso in Paganini’s crazily difficult Violin Concerto No. 1, featuring Bell’s own original cadenza. The borderline kitschy piece was probably included because Bell can still toss it off with staggering nonchalance. He did shred his bow during the first movement, which prompted a funny aside to the audience, “Anyone have a horse?” Every note registered as it went in one ear and out the other, and, while some passages seemed sharp, there was no denying the ultimate effect. In middle age, eternally youthful Joshua Bell still has the goods. The second half of the program was given to Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in Bell’s marvelously full-bodied interpretation, conducted from his seat as concertmaster. SFS Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt brought us his recognized expertise with the Brahms Fourth during his annual visit last month. Is it disloyal admitting Joshua Bell and the seasoned ASMF offered fresh admiration for a classic score?t

humor and deep love for the iconic troupe with fans from France to Fayetteville. We spoke by phone.

comfortable with us, the closet doors come flying open!

aren’t doing anything of value to the dance world or the world in general. We are ambassadors for the arts. We give people an education in dance as well as an opportunity to laugh. That’s the greatest gift of all.t

Trockadero

From page 17

Of course this would come as no surprise to Robert Carter, whose astounding career with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo has pushed his body to perform physical feats beyond that of a steel worker (#6) on a daily basis for 25 years. Since their founding in 1974, the world’s foremost “all-male comic ballet company” has entertained and astounded generations, simultaneously paying tribute to the great ballerinas of the world while thumbing their noses at the idea that male dancers cannot or should not perform in perhaps the most painful footwear ever conceived: pointe shoes. As the company’s most senior member, “Bobby” Carter often serves as the Trocks’ spokesperson, sharing his sparkling sense of

Philip Mayard: Where are you calling from? Bobby Carter: Our bus just rolled into Fayetteville, Arkansas. That’s a conservative town. What kind of reception do you anticipate from those audiences? They’ll love us. We afford many smaller towns an opportunity for experiencing a ballet performance that’s approachable. Lots of families attend. We are for balletomanes and for those who know nothing about ballet, all through the auspices of comedy. We break down misconceptions and barriers that surround traditional ballet.

get a feel whether they would be a good fit. What we prize above great dancers is team players. If their technique isn’t great, they can learn. But they have to get along with everyone, because we travel so much and we don’t always work in the most ideal circumstances. Have you ever had straight men in the company? Well, there may have been a couple. Or at least they thought they were straight when they started. But by the strangest circumstances, somehow after a while, they aren’t straight anymore. Once they get

Zoran Jelenic

Above and Below: Robert Carter, ballerina with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo.

What is the audition process for the Trockaderos like? It’s really different. We rarely have open auditions. Boys who want to audition come and take class with us. It’s very casual. They get to see what it’s like, and we can

What do you think the biggest misconception about the Trockaderos is? Because we’re men in drag, pointe shoes and tutus, that we

d oo ew

Back then, pointe training for boys was unheard of. Now it’s not so uncommon? There’s not as much stigma anymore. These guys come from around the world. Where there are dance schools and there’s that one boy who has an affinity for pointe, he can get training.

The Trockaderos appear at Zellerbach Hall March 14-15. Cal Performances’ first-ever LGBTQ Night on March 14 includes a post-performance reception with members of the Trocks, emcee Michelle Meow and entertainment by The Rebel Kings. Tickets: www.calperformances.org

& About at t u Ho dO n m ke

You’re no stranger to conservative places, having grown up in Charleston, South Carolina. Were you bullied as a child? Of course kids can be cruel. I dealt with the typical bullying of a young boy studying ballet, not just from kids but their parents, too. But having my mother as a support system and my ballet family, I did pretty well, it wasn’t a crippling experience. And you had a dance teacher who trained you in pointe? My teacher Robert Ivey was a rare breed. I would beg the girls with big feet to give me their old pointe shoes. I was doing pointe in secret, but one day I got busted. Rather than discouraging me, Robert said, “If you’re going to do pointe, you need to do it right.” So at age 11, he put me in pointe class with the girls.

If you had to pick one highlight of your career, what would it be? Performing on the Bolshoi stage. I remember thinking, “Well, look at that. A little black boy from Charleston who never dreamed he’d be in Russia, let alone dancing on one of the greatest stages in the world for classical ballet.”

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<< Theatre

20 • Bay Area Reporter • March 12-18, 2020

Sketching a portrait of America by Jim Gladstone

f you’ve followed Culture Clash since the satirical theater troupe’s beginnings in the Mission District 35 years ago, you’ve seen Richard Montoya, Ricardo Salinas and Herbert Siguenza move from performing in no-frills alt performance spaces, community centers and colleges to prestigious regional theaters including Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage, L.A.’s Mark Taper Forum, Chicago’s Goodman Theater and the Berkeley Rep, where the trio is currently presenting a sort of Greatest Hits show called “Culture Clash: (Still) in America.” While Culture Clash’s body of work includes full-length plays that Kevin Berne put Cali-Latinx spins on Richard Montoya in Berkeley Rep’s production Aristophanes’ “The Birds” and the legend of Zorro, of “Culture Clash: (Still) in America,” written and they’re best-known for performed by Culture Clash, directed by Lisa Peterson. the site-driven format

they call “social archaeology,” in which they conduct and record interviews with real people around the country to generate material for comedic sketches. The exaggerated but pointedly detailed characters – of multiple ethnicities and genders – that emerge from this process speak both directly and allusively to hot-button social issues, including immigration, assimilation and racial prejudice. “(Still) in America” is a primarily a grab-bag of slightly retooled highlights from several of those productions. The kaleidoscope of characters on display include a cheery straight Miami couple who have diverging political views, African and Filipino men at their U.S. naturalization ceremony, a proud Muslim-American fa-

ther who senses his kids are losing touch with their roots, two seniorcitizen hippie ladies reminiscing about the 1i960s and lighting up the ganja, and, alas, that staple butt of unsubtle comedy, the African American revival preacher. The trio is undeniably funny, impressively adept with accents, Silly Putty facial expressions and the interpersonal chemistry of longtime collaborators who still genuinely like each other. At several points during their opening-night performance, the guys seemed on the verge of cracking up and breaking character, reminding me of the giggle contagion that ran rampant on the old Carol Burnett television show. As Carol Burnett reruns evoke warm memories for me, “(Still) in America” will likely delight longtime Culture Clash fans. But for newcomers to the troupe, the compilation format feels a bit thin on substance. Highlight reels work most effectively for those who have seen the original works being showcased. Instead of seeing a series of sketches set within a single geographically defined community, as they were originally intended to be presented, we jump all over

the map. On the night I saw “(Still) in America,” the biggest laughs came when the humor hit close to home. The audience roared in response to precise comic jabs at Orinda, Antioch, Berkeley and Vacaville. But the depth and complexity that come from looking at a single area from multiple angles are largely sacrificed in the show as a whole. Culture Clash and director Lisa Peterson seem to want this careerspanning collection to transform the group’s snapshot photo albums from individual American communities into a mural-scaled portrait of the country as a whole. Their aspirations are handsomely spelled out by Christopher Acebo’s sleek, simple set, a rich, redlacquered platform stage in front of a massive revamped American flag with stripes in a full spectrum of vibrant colors. But in trying to convey the essence of a nation, they’ve taken on too big a turf.t Culture Clash: (Still) in America, through April 5. Berkeley Rep, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. Tickets: (510) 6472949, www.berkeleyrep.org.

Peaches Christ & Co. stage classic film by David-Elijah Nahmod

rag superstar Peaches Christ and a few of her closest friends will once again bring a movie classic to the stage of the Castro Theatre, on March 14. “Drag Becomes Her,” a mad satire of the Meryl Streep/ Goldie Hawn supernatural comedy “Death Becomes Her,” promises to leave audiences in stitches. First released in 1992, the movie has developed a cult following over the years, and it’s particularly popular with LGBT audiences. Real-life best buds BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon, both “Drag Race” alumni, will star as Helen and Madeline, played by Hawn and Streep in the film. Drag legend Heklina will appear in a male role, Ernest, played by Bruce Willis in the movie. Christ will be seen as Lisle, the mystery woman who gives Madeline and Helen a magical potion that gives them eternal youth and eternal life. “Death Becomes Her,” which won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, features a number of tricks that will be most difficult to recreate in a stage show, such as Streep walking around with her head on backwards after a fall down a flight of stairs, and Hawn sporting a huge hole in her body after being shot.

fan of ‘Death Becomes Her,’ Neither of them can die belike obsessed, so I know she’s cause of that potion. “We use a combination of been practicing her Madeline physical comedy with good performance privately so old-fashioned stage effects and she’s playing the Meryl part illusions,” said Joshua Grannell, naturally,” Christ said. “DeLa the out-of-drag alter-ego of is playing the Goldie part, Peaches Christ, who serves as but really the way the show is the show’s writer and director. written, they’re actually playGrannell saw “Death Becomes ing themselves.” Her” in a cinema when it was Christ described the friendfirst released. He admits to beship between DeLa and Moncoming obsessed with the film’s soon as a sweet and nurturing commercial before it even hit sisterhood with a little comtheaters. petitiveness thrown in. “After “I think the reason it’s so DeLa went on ‘All Stars,’ it popular with queers is because seemed like the perfect time it’s the ultimate female version to write a parody centered of an old Universal monster around their own relationship movie,” Grannell said. “It’s goras queens. I’m really happy geous and Gothic, and the stars how it came together.” Sloane Kanter are comedic geniuses. Also, Christ promises fans of the queer people love a good bitchy Scene from a 2018 production of “Drag Becomes Her,” coming to the Castro Theatre. film will not be disappointed, revenge movie, and this abeven though the stage show surdist tale has all of that stuff might be a little different in abundance. I could watch from the film. which will not the film that I want to honor how ongoing plot by Peaches Christ to it over and over again, and already be shown. far she went to make her perforonly give me the most unflattering have. “The show is actually about mance big.” roles in her shows. Uncle Fester, the “I’ll be playing the Isabella RosJinkx and DeLa, their friendship Christ also gives high marks to grandmother in ‘She Devil,’ Bruce sellini role, mostly due to the fact and jealousies through the world of Heklina’s appearance out of drag. Willis, it really is sinister.” that we look so much alike naked,” “This is her biggest acting chalHeklina has her own views as to ‘Death Becomes Her,’” Christ said. she said. “In our show, my name is lenge yet, playing a man,” said why “Death Becomes Her” appeals “So it will have all the stuff that Isafella, and I do my best to recreate Christ. “But the fact of the matter to gay viewers. “It deals with topics fans of the movie are looking for, her mannerisms and vocal affectais, she does it quite well. This is the of aging, beauty, rivalry and revenge but will also allow the queens to tions. She has such a great accent second time Heklina has done a in a very campy way,” she said. “The be themselves with some surprise and camps it up so beautifully in male-presenting role in one of my dialogue is hilariously catty and musical numbers and stuff that’s shows. She was also Uncle Fister in bitchy, and the characters of Madnot from the film.” our ‘Addams Apple Family Values’ eline Ashton, Helen Sharp, and, as “Watch the film, then come,” show, and she was fantastic. I think portrayed by Isabella Rossellini, added Heklina. “Even if you’ve not people will be impressed with how Lisle, seem almost custom-created seen the film, you’ll love it!”t funny she is as Ernest.” to be re-imagined by drag queens.” “Everything’s drag, right?” HekChrist is very happy with the Drag Becomes Her, Sat., March 14, lina said of her male role. “I actucasting of BenDeLaCreme and 4 & 8 p.m., Castro Theatre. Tickets ally am convinced that this is an ($20-$130): peacheschrist.com. Jinkx Monsoon. “Jinkx is a huge

Holmes after hours by David Lamble

“B

illy Wilder’s The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes” (1970) In this neglected minor classic, immortal director Billy Wilder asks, “Was Sherlock Holmes gay?” Robert Stephens plays Holmes, and Colin Blakely is Dr. Watson. Bonus features: “Mr. Holmes, Mr. Wilder” featurette directed by Christopher Lee; interview with film editor Ernest Walter; deleted scenes including an epilogue; additional audio sequence; original theatrical trailer (on Kino Lorber DVD).t

TV>>

March 12-18, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 21

Televised images of pandemic fear by Victoria A. Brownworth

elcome to the dystopian apocalypse, friends. Where to begin? We watched ABC’s twohour fright-fest special on “20/20,” “Coronavirus: Outbreak,” and it was flat-out terrifying. A smart and science-heavy live show with questions tweeted in and answered by experts, it was hosted by ABC’s “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir and Dr. Jennifer Ashton, chief health and medical editor for ABC News and “Good Morning America.” It was solid, serious and packed with news, data and staggeringly unnerving clips from Asia and Italy via veteran reporters Bob Woodruff and Ian Pannell, as well as reports from out gay correspondent James Longman. If you’ve seen “Contagion” or “Outbreak,” or like us, lived through the AIDS pandemic that killed a massive number of our friends and colleagues, you know rudimentarily how pandemics work. A virus jumps species via zoonosis and infects humans, just a few at first. Then the number of cases doubles every few days. The disease crosses continents via air travel, and soon everyone knows someone who has been infected. Fear sets in quickly, as does paranoia. Dr. Ashton tried to allay irrational fears, but said it is critical to note that not everyone will be infected, and that we are just learning the basics about coronavirus COVID-19. She said she wanted to tell people the best things to do until we know more. Her dictates were simple but essential. Wash your hands. Even if you haven’t done anything dirty, you should wash your hands every 90 minutes to eradicate unwanted bacteria that we don’t even think about. Wash them up to and over the wrist line for 20 full seconds. Don’t shake hands, don’t touch surfaces, wash your phones (use an alcohol wipe on your computer keyboard and mouse as well as any remotes). Don’t touch doorknobs or sink faucets. Dr. Ashton measured the distance that droplets from a cough or sneeze travel, and it is a shocking six feet. She also noted that the germs from coronaviruses can live on surfaces anywhere from two hours to nine days. The best disinfectant is a bleach solution. The next, alcohol. If you don’t want to buy a $350 bottle of hand sanitizer on Ebay, then just get a box of alcohol wipes and stick them in your pocket. The time to go to the ER, Dr. Ashton said, is when you are short of breath and/or you have a fever of above 100.4. She recommended working from home over the next few weeks if that is possible. Dr. Ashton also said that some people will be more at risk: people 60 and over, people with lung disease like asthma or COPD, people with autoimmune diseases like HIV, pregnant women. She said that eating well and regularly as well as sleeping an extra hour each night would help bolster your immune system. She also said exercise was both known to build one’s immune system and lower one’s stress level. Critically important, Dr. Ashton noted, was to stay home if you are sick: selfquarantine. It’s a lot. But the scenes of Pannell walking through Wuhan, China, population 11 million, was enough to give anyone pause. It is a veritable ghost town. Utterly silent. Shops are closed up. No one is on the streets. Pannell mostly reported from his apartment, but went on a walkabout outside, mask in tow, to give viewers a chilling look at what might befall us, next. The scenes from Italy’s streets were equally barren. Soccer games held with no spectators. An Armani

eager retiree who is used to followwould people recoil from showing in Milan with no ing the rules of the game. The series that? Because all he’s doing is viewers, just models on a catis based on “The Institute,” a 2013 just standing there.” walk with no one to see them. documentary directed by Spencer Why didn’t the moderators There were a host of viroloMcCall reconstructing the story of instruct Trump to step back? gists talking about how virus the “Jejune Institute,” an alternate Why was he allowed to creep outbreaks occur and which reality game set in San Francisco. up on her in such a way? And animals (curse you, bats!) are Peter lives in a grim apartment why are women obligated to most likely to carry them. Wet where he watches old episodes of run through a checklist of markets in Asia become a per“Law & Order: SVU” while eating variables when under threat fect breeding ground for such ramen. He’s seeing a therapist who of how their response will be transmissions. is trying to get him to expand his perceived? Most unnerving of all, at ABC-TV life, but he tells her that he is settling The series is not just about the beginning of the show, into the notion that this is it, there two new cases in Florida were Scene from “Coronavirus: Outbreak” on ABC-TV. the campaign, but it is very is nothing more. Simone lives with much a deconstruction of announced. By the end of the her bed-ridden grandmother, who is how no other American show, those two people were dead. her emotional lifeline. Nana adores woman could have made it of a public woman. ‘Hillary’ interOne thing missing from “OutSimone, who allows herself to be to that pioneering and iconoclastic weaves revealing moments from break” in discussion of the global held and comforted by her grandrole. Hillary had already broken so never-before-seen 2016 campaign economic impact was the personal mother, even as she keeps the rest of much ground for women. She was footage with biographical chapeconomics of this epidemic: How the world at arm’s length. the first working First Lady, the first ters of her life. Featuring exclusive many of us can afford to take days The opening episode explains female senator of New York, the interviews with Hillary Rodham off from work? How many can afhow Peter becomes involved with most traveled Secretary of State. Clinton herself, Bill Clinton, Chelsea ford to order in food and supplies? the Jejune Institute. Peter watches But Hillary was not to be presiClinton, friends, and journalists, the How many can afford to stockpile the induction film and is reduced dent, despite winning three million series examines how she became at anything? As is always the case, it will to tears by the emotional well it taps more votes that Trump, the second once one of the most admired and be the poor who suffer most. And as in him. Later he is drawn to a mass most votes of any nominee in U.S. vilified women in the world.” was true during last year’s extensive meeting of other inductees, and history, after Barack Obama in 2008. “Hillary” is culled from 2,000 fire season and the enforced power Simone, Fredwynn and Janice beIt is difficult to watch “Hillary,” to hours of campaign footage from outages, disabled people’s lives will come his partners for the game. The witness this accomplished woman, Clinton’s 2016 presidential cambe most at risk. Oh, and what about game zeroes in on people who feel overly prepared candidate and deeppaign, archival footage from her the homeless? displaced in their own lives, giving ly committed civil servant bested in life and many personal interviews, After that small Boschian glimpse them hope. the end by the most simplistic sexincluding with Barack Obama. It’s into the coming hell, “The Late “Dispatches from Elsewhere” is ism and the most corrupt and dullas much a cautionary tale as it is a Show with Stephen Colbert” opened too delectable a delicacy to divulge witted of reality TV stars. It’s hard biography. Warren’s early and unwith a moment of levity, a priceless spoilers, but the relationship that not to envision how different the timely exit, which followed those revamping of the theme from “The develops between Peter and Simpast few years would have been had of Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Love Boat,” with Trump and Pence. one is sweet and deeply moving. Hillary won 2016 instead of Trump. Harris and Amy Klobuchar, as well “Corona: exciting and Simone has a difficult time navi“Hillary” is a personal and poweras that of lifestyle guru new. Come aboard: it’s gating the world in her transness: ful testament not just to arguably Marianne Williamson, is infecting you.” Be sure to she thinks people are staring, and the most important female political in some ways a postscript watch it on YouTube or she feels her difference acutely. In figure of our time, but of this nation to the story it tells. CBS.com, it’s hilarious. a scene where she happens upon and how it views powerful women. For many, “Hillary” Another parody we a Pride march, she listens to other will feel too soon, salt in Trans romance watched on CNN was trans women calling for trans lives a still very fresh wound, AMC’s magical new series “Disnot so funny. Trump to matter, but when they hand her as America narrows the patches from Elsewhere” is low-key toured the Centers for the bullhorn, she feels exposed and most diverse Demopolitical and absolutely charming. Disease Control on runs away. At the Television Critics cratic primary field in It proffers love and magic and the March 6, all decked Association press tour in January, history to two white sweetest of trans romances. Set in out in a MAGA hat, Lindley praised Segel for how he men nearing 80 who have Philadelphia, PA, “Dispatches from as befits a sitting president. In the allowed her to work with him to run for president three times previElsewhere” follows a group of ormidst of his press conference on create Simone as a character. “It ously between them. But directed by dinary people who stumble onto a COVID-19, there was a discussion was one of the best depictions of a Nanette Burstein, “Hillary” is incredpuzzle hiding just behind the veil of of the current numbers on COVIDcharacter, of a trans character, that I ibly good, an emotionally wrenching everyday life. 19. Trump asserted that compared had ever read.” biography cum political history. The There are four main characters: with the flu, which has killed about “Dispatches from Elsewhere” may series weaves between Hillary’s early Jason Segel plays Peter, an emo20,000 people thus far this season, not be for everyone. It demands life – her feminist activist college tionally shutdown millennial who it wasn’t bad. Then he decided to some suspension of disbelief, as well years, her marriage to Bill – to her life works for a Spotify-ish company check on his TV ratings. as an acceptance of the radical noin politics with fascinating archival where he aligns musical choices for “As of the time I left the plane tion that people can in fact find each footage. Even though we think we subscribers. Simone (Eve Lindley) with you we had 240 cases, that’s at other and joy in a world fraught with know everything there is to know is a hip 20something trans woman least what was on a very fine network anomie and isolation. But Lindley is about the first female presidential who favors miniskirts and short known as Fox News, don’t you love a revelation, and Segel’s beautiful, nominee of a major party in U.S. hisboots and works as a docent at the it? That’s what I happened to be restrained performance is hearttory, “Hillary” is revelatory. There are Philadelphia Museum of Art. Andre watching and, how was the show last breaking. Mondays at 10 p.m. on layers peeled back on the former First Benjamin (hip hop’s Andre 3000) is night? Did it get good ratings, by the AMC. Lady, senator and Secretary of State Fredwynn, an impeccably dressed, way?” Trump asked the Fox reporter. So for the end of the world as we herself, but it is the reveal of Ameritightly wound conspiracy theorist; “I don’t know,” the reporter said, know it, you know you truly, truly ca’s deeply imbedded misogyny that and Janice Foster (Sally Field) is an seeming to be caught off-guard. Unhave to stay tuned.t is most disturbing and damning. daunted by his own inappropriateThat thread runs through every ness, Trump continued, “Oh really, I nuance of “Hillary,” but it is very heard it broke all ratings records, but much a show-don’t-tell prescripmaybe that’s wrong.” Well, sometive. Men yelling at Hillary to make thing’s wrong, that’s for sure. him a sandwich or iron his shirt: it’s Trump then proclaimed the shocking. Harris said the day Warren coronavirus testing kits “almost withdrew from the race that women as perfect” as the call to the Ukraiface challenges men can’t imagine. nian president that triggered his Watching “Hillary,” those challenges impeachment. But the pièce de résisare writ large and come at the viewer tance was when Trump declared he with the velocity and weight of an didn’t want the infected passengers asteroid. It is difficult to watch many on the Grand Princess cruise ship of the scenes of the 2016 campaign. docked in San Francisco to leave the The sense of impending menace and ship because it would raise the total possible violence that overlays the number of COVID-19 cases in the Oct. 9, 2016 debate between Hillary U.S. “I like the numbers being where and Trump is especially disconcertthey are,” he said. “I don’t need to ing. Viewed from the distance of have the numbers double because of several years, it’s a scene we have one ship.” But her emails, right? witnessed on “Criminal Minds,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” Public woman and so many other women-in-jeopMere hours after that mindardy drama series. A man stalking a numbing exchange of Trump’s, woman with an air of malevolence. “Hillary” debuted on Hulu. In What Hillary says in the docua grim irony, the four-episode mentary is so telling: “He was stalkdocumentary series about Hillary ing me, he was leering over me, he Clinton dropped not 24 hours after was sort of preening like an alpha Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) susmale,” she said. “I knew he was doing pended her campaign for president. it. I was well aware of it. So I was tryNo woman president again for you, ing to figure out, what do I do? If I CASTRO • MARINA • SOMA America. wheeled around and said, ‘Back up,

Let’s talk cannabis.

Hulu describes the original series as “a remarkably intimate portrait

you creep. You’re not going to intimidate me,’ would I sound angry? And

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<< DVD

22 • Bay Area Reporter • March 12-18, 2020

Front lines at San Francisco General by Brian Bromberger

ith all the fear-mongering, panic, and politicizing accompanying the outbreak of the coronavirus, it feels like déjà vu. In line with a comment uttered at the end of the documentary “5B,” just released on DVD by Wolfe Video, if we don’t remember lessons learned from the AIDS epidemic, they will happen again. “5B” is the story of the fabled ward at San Francisco General (now Zuckerberg) Hospital that opened in 1983 to treat patients with AIDS. In archival footage and first-person oral histories of those who served on the front lines, we relive the crisis not from the perspective of patients, but from that of nurses and other caregivers. What emerges is not a depressing chronicle of a deadly disease, but a much-needed celebration of the human spirit by participants whose bravery and dedication render them American heroes. The film opens with the libertine reverie of the 1970s gay liberation movement, but quickly shifts gears with nightmare images of healthy men reduced to sickly skeletons (in-

Since 1977

terval between diagnosis and terminal velocity was four months). No one knew what was causing this disease or how it was spread. Dread of the unknown relegated AIDS patients to isolated social pariahs, food trays left outside their rooms, their basic needs neglected by healthcare professionals refusing to tend them for fear of contracting the mystery illness. Gay nurse Cliff Morrison, whose friends were dying, more angry than scared about their treatment, spearheaded building the first-of-its-kind unit specializing in the care of PWAs. This required extraordinary courage. Morrison advised those volunteering, “Go home and talk with your significant other, because we can’t tell you won’t get this disease.” In the early years nurses and doctors were frightened but felt a professional and moral duty not to refuse support to the sick. Initially nurses

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protective clothing. Later some of them would claim a “homosexual hierarchy” who practiced reverse discrimination against nurses wanting to take precautions. Chief of Orthopedic Surgeon Lorraine Day (the villain) led the media charge in the anxiety about occupational exposure (“Patients are concealing a loaded gun that I can’t see”) and demanded AIDS tests be given to all patients. While sympathetic with the real hazard of needle stick, it became quickly apparent this concern masqueraded homophobia and petulant jealousy. “What were those 5B nurses doing that was so fantastic and no different from other nurses?” The documentary conveys how controversies about AIDS (epitomized by the quarantine rantings of CA Congressman William Dannemeyer, who later married Day) seeped into the “bubble” of the Ward, affecting nurses, compounding their already stressful lives, sometimes leading to poor coping mechanisms like addiction and ruination of personal relationships. Hank Plante, one of the first openly gay television news reporters, gives

social context for the discrimination that complicated AIDS care. We hear from Rita Rocket, who for 18 years provided Sunday brunch and entertainment for all HIV patients, yet when pictured pregnant sitting next to a patient, was bombarded with hate mail. Hospitals and treatment centers worldwide came to study and implement the revolutionary San Francisco model, permanently changing hospital protocols. The arrival of protease inhibitor treatments in 1996, rendering AIDS a chronic not fatal disease, led to the closing of the ward in 2003. Directed by Paul Haggis (“Crash”) and Dan Krauss, this is a gripping film. There’s something healing about watching people follow the better angels of their nature, by responding to strangers with compassion instead of neglect. Rita Rocket sums up beautifully the philosophy of the entire 5B family: “So much in love is not what people do or say, but how they make people feel.” Watch “5B” at your own risk, for you can’t help but want to become a kinder human being as a result.t

Sympathy for the art thief by David Lamble

I Serving Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner all day

wore precautionary garb, but found that impeded care, because patients craved human contact, especially touch. So they decided not even to use gloves, the first enactment of unorthodox rules allowing patients to define who was family, permitting pets, enabling lovers to crawl into bed with PWAs and hold them. Such actions proved the disease wasn’t transmittable by air or touch. As nurse David Denmark observes, “You weren’t here to cure people, but to care for them,” and as these PWAs were often estranged from their biological families, staff became their family. Director of nurses Alison Moed remarks, “They were permitting us to share this intimate process of dying. Yes, people died, but we made a difference in how they died.” There was resistance among nurses in other units who protested to their union about wearing

f fiendishly concocted escapism is what you hanker for right now, consider “The Burnt Orange Heresy,” a highly entertaining new Italian melodrama (opening Friday) based on American author Charles Willeford’s 1971 art-world satire featuring a protagonist who’s a charming if totally unscrupulous liar. Art lecturer James Figueras (played with arrogant panache by Danish actor Claes Bang) is engaged by the wealthy UK collector Cassidy (a film-stealing cameo by rock superstar Mick Jagger) to swipe a precious painting. Figueras pulls out all the stops, committing murder, arson and forgery to get the painting, by a legendry artist with a

SF Ballet

From page 17

But first, all praise to everyone involved: this ballet deserves revival, Balanchine’s first to unite pure dancing with gestures that work in coun-

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hilariously tiny body of work. Italian director Giuseppe Capotondi films writer Scott B. Smith’s adaption of the Willeford novel in Italy’s gorgeous Lake Como district, where the tawdry goings-on feel more authentic than in, say, Florida. “The Burnt Orange Heresy” has moments of hot hetero bedtime between Figueras and young blonde Berenice Hollis (Elizabeth Debicki) on the way to poking fun at the art world’s zeal for substituting stock-market values for those of the Enlightenment. At the core of the story is the reclusive painter Jerome Debney (a sly Donald Sutherland, replacing the originally cast Christopher Walken), whose canvas not only gives the film its title, but becomes a version of Hitchcock’s terpoint to create mood, suspense, longing, and also set gestures in a separate line of phrasing that answer necessary questions of the plot at a sudden stroke. The story emerges as in an epistolary novel, maybe one sent in emails or tweets. So it was worth doing, if only to give the dancers chances to work this way, and they excelled, for which much credit goes to by Sandra Jennings, who set this revival, new to SFB in 1985 and not seen here since, with wit and style (with extra coaching by SFB artistic director Helgi Tomasson, who has danced Oberon in his time). The dancers have never been more ready for anything, and so was the orchestra, who made gossamer textures out of the fairy’s whirring, fleeting tones, under Martin West’s direction. The late Martin Pakledinaz (costumes and set) and Randall G.Chiarelli (lighting) gave fantastic, shimmering plausibility to the lovers’ wanderings in the forest, and the magical realm of the fairies. Who doesn’t know the comedy of errors that is “A Midsummer Night’s Dream?” An alert 5-year-old sitting behind me got every point. And she got it that Demetrius (Ulrik Birkkjaer) did not want the love of Helena (the fabulously melting, weeping Mathilde Froustey), and we all sympathized as he almost kicked her away from him but held back at just the last minute – which was to me the best thing in the whole ballet, which is about how to behave decently amidst unwanted sexual or erotic advances. Opening-night casting was all-star:

Jose Haro, courtesy Sony Pictures Classics

Claes Bang as James Figueras, Elizabeth Debicki as Berenice Hollis in “The Burnt Orange Heresy.”

“MacGuffin,” the British master’s way of reminding us that things in thrillers are frequently not what they first appear to be. Jagger was too long missing from the big screen. In his youth, Mick Walsh as Oberon, Yuan Yuan Tan as Titania, Esteban Hernandez as Puck, Dores André as Hermia, Benjamin Freemantle as Lysander, Jennifer Stahl as Hippolyta, Luke Ingham as Duke Theseus, Tiit Helimets as Titania’s cavalier, soloist Wona Park as the lead fairy. Alexandre Cagnat, corps de ballet, had a quiet triumph as Bottom, the “rude mechanical” whom Puck transfigures with an ass’ head, who danced the saddest, sweetest, most mysteriously cross-specific pas de deux (as when vampires marry werewolves) with the infatuated Titania, whom, as you doubtless know, Oberon has had bewitched with the juice of a magic flower, “Love lies bleeding.” She caresses him, he scratches his knee, he supports her the whole while as she lifts her leg high in ecstasy, he looks behind him

Erik Tomasson

Yuan Yuan Tan and Tiit Helimets in Balanchine’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

displayed an artful dodger’s talent, especially in the Donald Cammell/ Nicolas Roeg British crime thriller “Performance,” where his blatantly homo-hooking ballad “Memo from Turner” allowed many of us rock babies to witness the birth of a superstar complete with “cocksucker lips.” Here Jagger returns to steal the show, in the process reminding those awaiting the next Rolling Stones rock tour of Jagger/Richards’ 70s hit “Sympathy for the Devil.” Minus Jagger and Sutherland, “The Burnt Orange Heresy” is yet another cautionary tale for an era when money does not merely talk, it screams false values for the ages. The film comes complete with the promo tagline, “You Can’t Paint Over the Truth.”t at the tuft of grass he wants to eat – he is responsible for her freedom to gesture as huge as she wants, but he’s not really interested – yet never interrupts the flow of her passion. It will not be Bottom who brings this house of cards down in a crash; he has too sweet a heart. The second act is conventional, well-crafted, but, aside from the glorious pas de deux, danced tenderly by Misa Kuranaga and Angelo Greco, there’s not much to see if you’re sitting on the orchestra floor. Those upstairs see a much more interesting show of emerging and dissolving patterns that fit the music like a glove. What we’ve lost is not just the chance to see this ballet again, but also the chance to see untried dancers get their chances in these great roles. Casting for the full run had been posted (https://www.sfballet. org/tickets/casting/.) It’s a dazzling spectacle of opportunities. Dancers develop their artistry onstage, doing what it takes to add to their technique secrets of their own that will put these roles over. We’ve lost the chance to see them make their mark. I know people, more than I can count on two hands, who’d eat beans for a month to get a chance to see Sasha Mukhamedov dance Titania, or the great, neglected Sarah Van Patten dance. Lonnie Weeks was to have danced Puck Saturday afternoon! Dancers grow up in public. The loss of these opportunities is a blight on their talents. They’ll survive. And God save us all from this “real life” pestilence. May it be less than we fear.t

Arts Events

Nightlife Events

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Leather Vol. 50 • No. 11 • March 12-18, 2020

by David-Elijah Nahmod

n March 14 three very queer bands will join forces for a night of queer rockin’ and rollin’ at Bottom of the Hill on 17th Street. GayC/DC, Middle Aged Queers and The Homobiles will rock out in a totally out way. GayC/DC is an AC/DC tribute band cofounded by Pansy Division’s bass player Chris Freeman, Pansy Division being the nowlegendary queer punk band that’s had some mainstream success. GayC/DC will be joined by The Homobiles, who describe themselves as “a queer party punk supergroup singing songs about cars and babes, crimes and change, ballot measures.” The band is typified by punky musical numbers such as “Homo Safe.” And finally, the evening will be rounded out by the appearance of Middle Aged Queers, “Bay Area queerdos making noise in the sunset prime of our lives.”

Queer music at Bottom of the Hill

Party punks

Homobiles’ spokesperson Fureigh tells the Bay Area Reporter that the band has been around for five years. “We got the name because Lynnee (vocalist and published author Lynn Breedlove) started and runs a nonprofit rideshare service called Homobiles, dedicated to providing secure, reliable, donation based transit to the LGBTIQQ+ community and its allies,” said Fureigh. “We had a gig coming up and were tossing around some possible names, and Lynnee joked about us writing songs about cars and babes. We went with it and the name stuck.” Fureigh noted that rideshare giant Uber got their idea from Homobiles; the company publicly acknowledged as much during their recent initial Middle Aged Queers public offering. They describe their music as “party punk.” “Which is to say, we give a damn and you can dance to it,” Fureigh said. “We Homobiles at a 2017 El Rio show write a lot of songs that reference San Francisco spaces we’ve loved and lost, like the Lusty Lady and the Lexington. We have a rowdy one about the criminalization of homelessness and poverty. And I like to joke that lately we’ve been building a set of ‘revenge-core’ songs. We do also have some songs that are really truly about cars and babes.” The Homobiles are building up a following that transcends sexual and gender identity. “I think there’s a lot of power in defiant joy,” said Fureigh. “As an out performer, it’s a privilege to have the opportunity to cultivate and demonstrate that. In a time of so many attacks on our very existence as queer and especially trans people, just continuing to send our beacons out and remind each other that we’re still here, that we’re still thriving, and that we’ve got each other’s backs, for me at last, seeing that lends courage and it lends hope. My theory of change isn’t that that’s sufficient, but it’s still absolutely necessary.”

Middlin’ punk

Members of Middle Aged Queers have long histories of playing in a variety of bands. “All of us had previously played in other punk bands,” said Shaun Osburn, who, according to the band’s official description, yells and calls it singing. “But none of us had played as out musicians delivering queer content. While all our previous bands were under the punk umbrella, they were stylistically different. What connects us all is the desire to make music again in a capacity that goes against heteronormative standards of style, lyrical content, or expectations of behavior.”

Osburn noted that the band came together through a social media post that bassist Josh Levine did for recruiting members for a “middle-aged Queercore band.” That’s actually where our name came from,” said Osburn. “We kept referring to our group as our ‘band of middle aged queers.’” He describes the band’s music simply, as rock music. The concert will also serve as a record release party for Middle Aged Queers’ debut record, Too Fag For Love. “We are a queer punk rock band,” he said. “We’ve been compared to everything from The

Descendants, The Adolescents, The Damned and even past local punk bands like Black Fork. I think those are all fair comparisons. We don’t have a specific sub-genre of punk rock that we feel beholden to, we just want it to rock. We’re high energy. I always encourage the audience to participate in some levels, though people are certainly welcome to be just spectators.”

Shook me all night

GayC/DC came about when several members of an all-gay male tribute band to the Go-Gos, called the Gay-Gays, decided that

{ THIRD OF THREE SECTIONS }

GayC/DC

they wanted to keep playing together when the Gay-Gays split up. “We only do AC/DC songs, but with a twist,” said Freeman. “The main goal is to get the music right. It we were going to attempt pulling off an iconic metal band like AC/DC, it had to be musically spot on.” Freeman added that the band often takes liberties with AC/DC’s music. “Lyrically, I’ve had my way with most of the songs we play,” Freeman said. “But some needed no modification, like ‘Big Balls.’ Just the context of having a guy in a dress sing those lyrics brings enough of a twist. Others, like ‘Whole Lotta Rosie,’ had a gender mod, so now it’s ‘Whole Lotta José.’ The important thing is to entertain, and humor is one of our trademarks. I inject as much humor into my revised lyrics as possible.” “Each of us in this band has a deep love and respect for AC/DC, so the first thing we all agreed on was that the music had to be done properly,” added bandmate Brian Welch. “We also agreed to do the album versions of the songs, as those were the ones that everyone knows and would sing along to. And that’s where changing the lyrics would really be noticed. We wanted to see lyrics that we wish we could have sung along to growing up and discovering AC/DC. To turn such testosteronefueled lyrics around to reflect LGBTQ life, but keeping the songs as heavy as they are, is what I’d say our mission became.” Freeman addressed why he feels it’s important to be an out performer. While part of Pansy Division, he lost five boyfriends during the AIDS crisis, all while living with a president who never uttered the word. “It was super important for us to use our voice as a band to speak up and break the mold,” he said, recalling that two weeks after he joined Pansy Division, Freddie Mercury died, taking his sexuality to the grave. “We decided that we were never going to shut up,” he added. “We were going to shove our little cultural experiment down everyone’s throats.” Both Freeman and Pansy Division founder Jon Ginoli had been in bands before, but they had to deal with the two unwritten rules of the music industry: you’ll never get a record deal if you’re over 30, or if you’re openly gay. “Now, 30 years later,” said Freeman, “with 14 albums and nearly 1,000 shows under our belts, we proved them wrong.”t GayC/DC, The Homobiles, and Middle Aged Queers: Saturday, March 14, 8:30 PM-12 Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St. www.bottomofthehill.com

<< Arts Events

24 • Bay Area Reporter • March 12-18, 2020

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

Thu 12 Chicago @ San Jose Stage Company Broadway’s longest running multiple Tony-winning musical about 1920s criminal corruption and hype gets a South Bay staging. $32-$60. Thru Mar. 15. 490 South 1st St., San Jose. www.thestage.org

Classic and News Films @ Castro Theatre Mar 12: Judy Garland in I Could Go on Singing (2pm, 6pm) and Judy (3:50, 8pm). Mar 13: Color Out of Space (7pm) and Mandy (9:05). Mar. 14: Peaches Christ’s Drag Becomes Her ($20-$150; 4pm & 8pm). Mar. 15: Disney’ Frozen II sing-along (12pm). Mar 15: The Bad and the Beautiful (3:45, 8pm) and Ace in the Hole (6pm). Mar 16: Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (6pm, 8pm) Mar 17: The Crying Game (6:30) and Miller’s Crossing (8:35). Mar 18: SF Film members night (7pm). Mar. 19-21: Hitchcock’s Vertigo in 70mm.$8-$15. 489 Castro St. www.castrotheatre.com

Don’t Eat the Mangos @ Magic Theatre World premiere of Ricardo Perez Gonzalez’ comic-drama about three sisters caring for their ailing father amid a San Juan hurricane. $15-$75. Thru Mar. 22. Fort Mason Center, 2 Marina Blvd. www.MagicTheatre.org

Events @ Manny’s Mar. 12, 6:30pm: Push, the film and panel discussion. 13, 6:30pm: Elect Women in iowa reception. 8pm: screening of Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 11/9. 14, 6:30pm: Charity+Comedy. 15, 5pm: Dem. Debate viewing. 17, 6pm: Primaries 101. 3092 16th St. www.welcometomannys.com

Gloria @ Strand Theater ACT’s production of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s dark comedy about competing aspiring writers amid a shared tragedy. $30-$75. Thru April 12. 1127 Market St. www.act-sf.org

Arts Events March 12-19, 2020

Laverne Cox @ Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley The Emmy-winning trans actress discusses her life and career. $13$58. 8pm. UC Berkeley campus. www.calperformances.org

Afraid to go out? Buck up, wash your hands and wave at the ushers, docents, and box office managers who brave dealing with hundreds of us each night. Arts events are what should go viral.

Radical @ The Marsh Restaging of John Fisher’s three-character local politicial satire. $20-$100. Thu & Fri 8pm, Sat 8:30pm. Thru April 4. 1062 Valencia St. www.themarsh.org

Suffrage 100: A Centennial Celebration @ Mechanics’ Institute Author Elaine Elinson and historian Jennifer Helton discusses the historical subjects in her book, Wherever There’s a Fight: How Runaway Slaves, Suffragists, Immigrants, Strikers, and Poets Shaped Civil Liberties in California. 6:30pm. 57 Post St. milibrary.org

Who’s Your Mami Comedy @ Brava Studio Nina G., Jesús U. Bettawork, Tammy Tealove and Aivy Cordova do standup with host Natasha Muse. $10. 8pm. 2773 24th St. www.brava.org

Fri 13 Dorrance Dance @ Zellerbach Playhouse, Berkeley The innovative tap dance company performs. $34-$68. 8pm. Also Mar. 14, 2pm & 8pm; Mar 15, 3pm. UC Berkeley campus. www.calperformances.org

Helen Wicks Works @ Space 124 Click Tracks, a concert of aerial dance works. $30-$50. Fri & Sat 8pm, Sun 3pm. 401 AlabamaSt. www.helenwicks.com

Sat 14 Pussy Riot @ UC Theatre, Berkeley

The Human Ounce @ Berkeley City Club

Pussy Riot @ UC Theatre, Berkeley

Central Works’ production of Nicole Parizeau’s social justice-charged play, seen through the examined reputation of a famous painter. $15$38. Thru Mar. 22. 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. www.centralworks.org

The politically-charge Russian women’s band performs; Deli Girls opens. $31. 8pm. 2036 University, Berkeley. www.theuctheatre.org

José @ Roxie Theater Li Cheng’s film about a gay Central American man. $8-$13. Thru Mar. 19. 3117 16th St. roxie.com

Love @ Marin Theatre World premiere of Kate Cortesi’s drama about sex, power and harassment accusations between straight people. $10-$52. Thru Mar. 29. 397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley. www.marintheatre.org

Marga Gomez’ Spanking Machine @ Brava Studio The celebrated comic and playwright premieres her new solo show, about kissing a boy and how they both became gay. $25. Thru Mar. 29. 2781 24th St. brava.org

Miah Jeffra @ Alley Cat Books

Queer Open Mic @ Alley Cat Books Hosted by Rae Sweet. 6pm. 3036 24th St. alleycatbookshop.com

Sun 15 Earth Shot @ Harvey Milk Photo Center Photographic survey of the environmental crisis, curated by Liza Faktor, with prints by Luján Agusti, Dominic Bracco II, Melanie Burford, Brendan Hoffman, Pete Muller, Katie Orlinsky and Max Whittaker. Thru Mar. 26. 50 Scott St. www.harveymilkphotocenter.org

Keala Settle @ Herbst Theatre

Sat 14

Singer-actress ( The Greatest Showman, Waitress ) is interveiwed and accompanied by the erudite Sirius XM radio host Seth Rudetsky. Partial proceeds benefit SF Gay Men’s Chorus, Project Open Hand and Sandy Hook Promise. $50$150. 5pm. 401 Van Ness Ave. www.cityboxoffice.com

Art Exhibits @ Minnesota Street Project

Music of Queen for Kids @ UC Theatre, Berkeley

The author’s book release party of The Fabulous Ekphrastic Fantastic, with special guest readers. 7pm. 3036 24th St. alleycatbookshop.com

View a dozen+ art galleries’ exhibits, including Nicola Roos’ Kurobozu/Dark Stranger (closing day). 1275 Minnesota St. minnesotastreetproject.com

The Book of Mountains and Seas @ NCTC POSTPONED: Yilong Liu’s intimate and epic adventure of Chinese mythology and a search for the perfect Yelp review. $25-$45. WedSat 8pm, Sun 2pm; thru April 5. 25 Van Ness Ave, lower level. www.nctcsf.org

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder @ Gateway Theatre 42nd Street Moon’s production of the Tony-winning musical filled with romance and treachery. $31$72. Thru Mar. 15. 215 Jackson St. www.42ndstmoon.org

Installations @ David Ireland House Unusual home made into living art exhibits, includes Ireland’s and other artists’ works; March 7-June 27: Felipe Dulzaides’ There is no such thing as a perfect circle. 500 Capp St. www.500cappstreet.org

Min Yoon, Daria Garina, Em(body) Dance Project @ SAFEhouse Arts Concert of works by three choreographers. $15. 8pm. Mar. 15 at 7pm. 145 Eddy St. www.safehousearts.org

Special kid-friendly concert of the rock band’s music performed the Rock and Roll Playhouse. $17-$20. 11:30am. 2036 University, Berkeley. www.theuctheatre.org

Mon 16 Events @ City Lights Bookstore Los Proximons Pasos with Osiah Luis Alderete with panelists: Roberto Lovato, Monica Zarazua, Alan Pelaez Lopez, and Ricardo Tavarez. 17, 7pm: William J. Drummond ( Prison Truth: The Story of the San Quentin News ). 18, 7pm: Lisa Robertson ( The Baudelaire Fractal). 19, 7pm: Chris Carlsson ( Hidden San Francisco: A Guide to Lost Landscapes, Unsung Heroes and Radical Histories ). 261 Columbus Ave. www.citylights.com

Joseph Abbati @ Strut Queeries, the local artist’s gay take on masculinity through colorful illustrative art. 470 Castro St. www.josephabbati.art

Performance, Protest & Politics @ GLBT History Museum Performance, Protest & Politics: Gilbert Baker’s Art , an exhibit of the works and ephemera by and about the creator of the Rainbow Flag. Exhibit thru April 5. $5. 4127 18th St. www.glbthistory.org

Tue 17 They Called Us Enemy @ Cartoon Art Museum New exhibit of Harmony Becker’s artwork for the graphic novel written by actor-activist George Takei, about his family’s U.S. internment in a concentration camp. Free-$10. Thru May 17 (closed Wed). 781 Beach St. cartoonart.org

Wed 18 Illuminate SF @ Citywide 40+ installations of light art sculptures in and outside buildings by more than 30 local artists. Free; walking tour info at illuminatesf.com

Speed-the-Plow @ Gateway Theatre Foursome Productions and Adriano Aragon’s production of David Mamet’s 3-character play about Hollywood and American commerce. $30-$65. Thru April 4. 215 Jackson St. speedtheplowsf.com

Thu 19 Anniversary Party @ GLBT History Museum Celebrate 35 years of the GLBT Historical Society’s amazing curatorial archival achievements, with cocktails and exhibits. $10$15. 6pm-8pm. 4127 18th St. www.glbthistory.org

Paul Lisicky @ Booksmith The gay author discusses his new memoir, Later: My Life at the Edge of the World, in conversation with Ryan Van Meter. 7pm. 1644 Haight St. www.booksmith.com

QT Con2 @ Strut Second annual comic book event for queer and trans people of color. 5pm-8:30pm. 470 Castro St. www.strutsf.org

Rosie Lee Tompkins: Retrospective @ BAM/PFA Exhibit of beautiful quilts by the fabric artist; thru July 19. Divine Women, Divine Wisdom, an exhibit of Tibetan art depicting women as holy entities. Thru May 24. Art Wall: Edie Fake (thru June 21); and Lands of Promise and Peril: Geographies of California (thru April 26). Film screenings, too. 2155 Center St., Berkeley. www.bampfa.org

Various Events @ Oakland LGBTQ Center Social events and meetings at the new LGBTQ center include film screenings and workshops, including Bruthas Rising, trans men of color meetings, 4th Tuesdays, 6:30pm. Film screenings, 4th Saturdays, 7:30pm. Game nights, Fridays 7:30pm-11pm. Vogue sessions, first Saturdays. 3207 Lakeshore Ave. Oakland. www.oaklandlgbtqcenter.orgt

Nightlife Events>>

t Nightlife Events March 12-19, 2020

March 12-18, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 25

Writers with Drinks @ The Make Out Room Charlie Jane Anders hosts the literature and liquor night, with featured author Susan Fowler. $10-$20. 7pm.3225 22nd St. makeoutroom.com

Whether DJed or drummed, live-sung or lip-synched, your nightlife options bear fruit, and bears, and fruity bears!

Sun 15 Mix Lynn Ullrich

Metalachi @ The New Parish Oakland

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

Thu 12 Dee’s Keys @ Beaux Weekly live piano and open mic night with Dee Spencer. 4pm-8pm. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

Friends Live @ Oasis The popular sitcom gets a deserved drag parody, . $27.50-$50. 7pm. ThuSat 7pm thru March 14. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

Nightlife @ CA Academy of Sciences Party at the spacious nature museum. 10-$20. 6pm-10pm.Mar. 12: Sazon Libre DJs, pepper demos and tastings. Mar. 19: Analog night with a nophone zone, selfie-free, tweetless party. 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. calacademy.org

Queer Bands @ El Rio Llano River Blue, Sean Fredrick & Amy Bleu, and Abbey Pope perform sets at the always-cool Mission bar. 8pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

Rice Rockettes @ Lookout Local and visiting Asian drag queens' weekly show with DJ Philip Grasso. $5. 10:30pm show. 3600 16th St. www.lookoutsf.com

Thursday Night Live @ SF Eagle Rock bands play at the famed leather bar. Mar. 12: Spectres, Provoker, Jeweled Snakes. Mar. 19: Apache, Rowdy Boys, Dancer. $8. 9pm-12am. 398 12th St. at Harrison. sf-eagle.com

Tori Scott @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko The talented comic vocalist performs an eclectic concert of songs from Judy Garland hits to Queen. $35-$55 ($20 food/drink min.) 8pm. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. www.feinsteinssf.com

Fri 13 Amanda Shires @ Slim’s The talented singer-songwriterviolinist performs. L.A. Edwards opens. $25-$125. 9pm. 333 11th St. www.slimspresents.com

Drag, dancing and drinking at the popular T-dance/show with host Heklina. $10. 2pm8pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

Disco Daddy @ SF Eagle DJ Bus Station John’s monthly groovy T-dance. $5-$8. 7pm2am. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com

Boy Bar @ Midnight Sun

SausageFest @ Oasis

GusPresents’ new weekly night, with pop, circuit, EDM music and gogo cuties. 9pm-2am. 4067 18th St. www.midnightsunsf.com

The Baloney boys perform a new interactive dance night, with a summer camp/horror movie theme. $10. 10pm-2am. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

Cubcake @ Lone Star Cubs & chubs, bears and friends, plus sweet treats and DJ E. Feld. $5. 9pm2am. 1354 Harrison St. lonestarsf.com

Culture @ El Rio DJs Olga T, Lady Lu, La Niche and MC YB play Reggeaton, Hip Hop, Salsa and more., $5. 9pm-2am. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

Hard French Winter Ball @ Grand Theater

Third Eye Blind @ Fox Theatre, Oakland The rock band performs; Saves the Day opens. $50. 8pm. 1807 Telegraph Ave., Oakland thefoxoakland.com

Uhaul @ Jolene’s The popular women’s dance party returns at the new nightclub, now weekly. 10pm-2am. 2700 16th St. at Harrison. www.jolenessf.com

10th annual stylish glam funky R&B dance party, with DJs Vin Sol, Brown Amy and Steve Fabus; Glama’s Follies with the House of More. $10-$20. 8pm-2am. 2665 Mission St. www.eventbrite.com

Zoo Station, Stung @ The Chapel

Lick It @ Powerhouse

Sat 14

Lance Holman’s easygoing leather and kink night, with DJ Blackstone. $5. 10pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

Liz Callaway @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko A Hymn to Her, the all-new show from the Emmy-winning, Tonynominated singer-actor. $55-$70. ($20 food/drink min.) Also Mar. 14. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. www.feinsteinssf.com

IYKYK @ White Horse, Oakland If You Know, You Know; weekly DJed and often live music at the historic East Bay bar. 9pm-2am. 6551 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. www.whitehorsebar.com

Metalachi @ The New Parish Oakland The talented, fun world’s first –and only– Mariachi-Metal band performs. $17-$20. 9pm. 1743 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. www.metalachi.com

RuPaul’s Drag Race Viewing, DTF Fridays @ Port Bar, Oakland Amoura Teese & Bebe Sweetbriar cohost the viewing party, followed by a drag show, gogo studs, DJed dancing. 8pm-2am. 2023 Broadway. www.portbaroakland.com

Glam Sundays @ Valencia Room House, funk, soul T-dance. 3pm-9pm. 647 Valencia St. glamsundays.com

Jock @ The Lookout Enjoy the weekly jock-ular fun, with DJed dance music at sports team fundraisers. 12pm-1am. 3600 16th St. www.lookoutsf.com

Sundance Saloon @ Space 550 The popular two-stepping linedancing, with free lessons. 5pm10:30pm. Also Thursdays 6:30pm10:30pm. 550 Barneveld Ave. sundancesaloon.org

Drag night with Mercedez Munro. No cover. 10pm. 4067 18th St. www.midnightsunsf.com

Queer Karaoke @ Ivy Room, Albany Weekly queer, trans and non-binary folk, friends and allies sing-along . No cover. 8pm. 860 San Pablo Ave., Albany. www.ivyroom.com

Rebel Girls Trivia @ El Rio Happy hour event with KQED’s Rae Alexandra, and MC Madlines, and prizes for winners. 6pm-9pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

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

Vamp @ Beaux Women’s weekly night with a sultry vampire theme; goth, red & black, lingerie attire welcome but not required; bondage and BDSM demos, too. DJs Olga T and Jayne Grey. $5$15. 8pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.beauxsf.com

See page 27 >>

Playmates and soul mates...

Bearracuda, BLUF @ SF Eagle Bear dance night and leather men combine forces for fun. $8-$12. 9pm2am. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com

Deep Grooves @ Driftwood Kaveh and Mario’s DJ night. 9:30pm-2am.1225 Folsom St. www.driftwoodbarsf.com

G. Love & Special Sauce @ Great American Music Hall Enjoy electrifying blues music; Jontavious Willis opens. $35-$65. 8:30pm. 859 O’Farrell St. www.slimspresents.com

GayC/DC, Homobiles, Middle Aged Queers @ Bottom of the Hill Enjoy an all-queer night of pop, punk and rock. $15. 9pm. 1233 17th St. www.bottomofthehill.com

Loose Ends @ Yoshi’s Oakland London soul band featuring original lead vocalist-songwriter Jane Eugene. $37-$79. 7:30 & 9:30pm.Mar. 15, 7pm. 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. www.yoshis.com

PopTart @ Oasis D’Arcy Drollinger’s new drag show, with Mar. 14 guest Aiden Zhane. $1010pm-2am. 298 11th St. sfoasis.com Elaine Denham, Robin Malone Simmons and Omnibot DJ the night for smaller guys and their fans. $5. 9pm-2am. 1354 Harrison St. www.lonestarsf.com

T4T @ Jolene’s Just Shannon hosts the trans dance night. 10pm-2am. 2700 16th St. at Harrison. www.jolenessf.com

SausageFest @ Oasis

Game tournament at the renovated former Brewcade bar/restaurant. 7:30pm-11pm. 2200 Market St. www.detoursf.com

U2 and The Police tribute bands perform. $15-$20. 9pm. 777 Valencia St. www.thechapelsf.com

Studio 5’4” @ Lone Star

Fri 13

KQ League Night @ Detour

Munro's at Midnight @ Midnight Sun

Daytime Realness @ El Rio

Fri 13

Mon 16

Unauthorized Rolling Stones, Otis Redding Legacy @ The Chapel Stones and Redding tribute bands perform. $18. 8:30pm. 777 Valencia St. www.thechapelsf.com

San Francisco:

1-415-692-5774

18+ MegaMates.com

<< Leather

26 • Bay Area Reporter • March 12-18, 2020

Contests in context

Rich Stadtmiller

At the Mr. West Coast Rubber 2020 contest (left to right): Matthew Jensen, Producer; Reid Dalgleish, Mr. West Coast Rubber 2010; Eleven, Mx. Rubber San Francisco 2020; Mark Weston, Mr. West Coast Rubber 2020; Nico Watson, Mr. San Francisco Rubber 2018 and 1st Runner Up Mr. International Rubber 22; and Rodi Coderage, Mr. Midwest Rubber 2018 and 2nd Runner Up Mr. International Rubber 23.

by Race Bannon

ontests for leatherfolk and other variations of kinksters are ubiquitous. Contests have skyrocketed in number. While perhaps controversial, I’m comfortable saying that while there are intersections between contests and other elements of kink, the contest world can effectually be a unique kink unto itself. Is it a fetish? I’m not sure, but it’s been suggested it is or can be. I’m not sure that matters though. What we know is contests are numerous and appear to be sticking around. We need some perspective on such contests. In the interest of full disclosure, I have a leather title myself with my partner (1991), my ex was International Mr. Leather 1989, I’ve judged dozens of contests, and my network is awash in people who produce, volunteer for, or compete in contests. This gives me a vantage point from which to offer some observations. Here’s my first request. Can we keep contests fun? In far too many cases we have lost the prime directive of contests, fun for the audience and participants. If it’s not fun, what’s the point? Too much self-congratulatory back-slapping, whether arm-length contestant and judge biographies read aloud, every titleholder present

getting stage time, and other insider proceedings need to be eliminated or drastically tightened up to not bore the audience into nonconsensual submission. Perhaps some of the downturn in fun is that we’ve taken contests too seriously. Some are under the mistaken impression that contests are a system by which we pick leaders. They’re not. They’re contests. Much of the disconnect comes from many believing contests are an objective exercise to select leaders. Nope. Are there titleholders who become leaders, or were they already leaders? Absolutely, but I have yet to see a notable cause and effect. I contend the majority of those who are or become leaders would take that path, title or not. At best their title gives them some temporary notoriety, but so many disappear into oblivion after their year. I’m not sure that represents the qualities of a true leader who works for their communities before and after a contest. Regarding the judging of contests, I consider the results so profoundly subjective that one would be hard-pressed to make a strong case that they’re remotely objective. I have judged dozens of contests. I have said then and now they are subjective affairs. The randomness of questioning, the silliness of most pop questions, summing up someone’s leather “look” based on

one’s personal hotness bias, picking attractiveness you personally find sexy, judging a fantasy that’s essentially an erotic theater performance, and resonating with a speech’s message because it syncs with your worldview, are all rather nebulous criteria. It’s fine for a fun event, but how is all that anything other than massively subjective? Most contests these days must actively seek out contestants because the masses aren’t clamoring to compete in them – not a resounding endorsement for contests effectively identifying community leaders. Sex! Let me say that again. Sex! Can we keep the sex and eroticism firmly entrenched as the foundation for why the contests exist? Contests grew from a scene founded upon radical sexuality and the identities they spawn. It’s sometimes difficult to discern that a contest has any deep erotic roots whatsoever. It’s as if the sex is intentionally squelched out of the proceedings. I fear some of this is because there’s such a short fuse on certain people’s sensibilities that contests don’t want to offend those for whom they are political affairs more than sexual and fun ones. That saddens me. They should always be

sexual, social and fun. Any related politics should be secondary and not heavy-handed. Once someone wins a title, social media often blows up with so many announcements, fundraisers, appearances and online chatter that it sucks the air out of the room. Selfpromotion becomes priority one. As a self-promoter myself, I get that, but when many titleholders start vying for the same virtual public space, it gets crowded. This can give newcomers or outsiders the impression that contests are the most important things for kinksters. They’re not, and if they become so, someone let me know so I can exit the scene, at least the public aspect of it. The skewed visibility of titleholders and the pomp and circumstance surrounding them gives the public the perception that the core impetus behind leather and kink – sex, play and the connections they foster – takes a back seat. I and others did not make the case for kinksters to live openly and proudly only for our sexuality to be relegated to back burner status.

Matthew Jensen, also Producer; Eleven, Mx. Rubber San Francisco 2020; Matthew Jensen, Mr. Regiment 2016; Nico Watson, Mr. San Francisco Rubber 2018 and 1st Runner Up Mr. International Rubber 22; Reid Dalgleish, Mr. West Coast Rubber 2010; and Rodi Coderage, Mr. Midwest Rubber 2018 and 2nd Runner Up Mr. International Rubber 23. Master of Ceremonies was Joël Royal. The winner of Mr. West Coast Rubber 2020 is Mark Weston. May he and the rest of his rubber community continue to foster the playful and erotic scene for which the rubber crowd is known.t

For Leather Events, visit www.ebar.com/events Race Bannon is a local author, blogger and activist. www.bannon.com

Mr. West Coast Rubber 2020

Speaking of contests, San Francisco was home this year to the 15th anniversary of the Mr. West Coast Rubber 2020 contest, held March 6-8. With a meet and greet held at the Powerhouse on Friday, the contest took place at the SF Eagle on Saturday, with a victory party at the SF Eagle on Sunday. As a clear illustration of the sex and fun I’d like to see more prevalent, and as evidence that often the rubber guys seem to know how to have more fun than many in our scene, the Saturday contest afterparty was held in a sex venue. Imagine, a contest elevating sex and play to its Rich Stadtmiller rightful place in our culture. More of this, please. Mark Weston, the new Mr. West Coast Tasked with judging the Rubber 2020. two contestants, Frankie and Mark Weston, were:

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A view from Aunt Charlie’s Vilen Gabrielyan is a documentary photographer and native of San Franciscan who focuses on subcultures and stories on fringe lifestyles. His recent series –featuring drag performers at Aunt Charlie’s– offers an intimate artistic view of the historic Tenderloin bar. See more at www.vilen-g.com/auntcharlies

Shining Stars>>

March 12-18, 2020 • Bay Area Reporter • 27

Shining Stars Photos by Steven Underhill BoyBar @ Midnight Sun G

usPresents hosts the new weekly night at the Castro district bar, with pop, circuit music and gogo cuties. The March 6 night included a visit from local drag performer Lady Camden. 4067 18th St. www.midnightsunsf.com See plenty more photos on BARtab’s Facebook page, facebook.com/lgbtsf.nightlife. See more of Steven Underhill’s photos at StevenUnderhill.com.

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For headshots, portraits or to arrange your wedding photos

call (415) 370-7152 or visit www.StevenUnderhill.com or email stevenunderhillphotos@gmail.com

archival achievements, with cocktails and exhibits. $10-$15. 6pm-8pm. 4127 18th St. www.glbthistory.org

Baloney Gets Bread @ Oasis The gay male revue returns with funny sexy sketch-dances. $30-$60. 7pm. Thu-Sat thru Mar. 28.10pm-2am. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

Monster Show @ The Edge The weekly drag show. $5. 9pm-2am. 4149 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com

Tue 17

Irish Music Concert @ Great American Music Hall

Nightlife Events

From page 25

Tue 17 Irish Music Concert @ Great American Music Hall Celebrate St. Patrick’s day with authentic Irish bands Lucia Comnes, Colm O Riain, Canyong Jumpers. $20$50. 8pm. 859 O’Farrell St. www.slimspresents.com

Trivia Night @ Hi Tops Play the trivia game at the popular sports bar. $5. 9pm. 2247 Market St. www.HiTopsSF.com

Wed 18 Angelboy & The Halos @ El Rio Live music night, also the Turnouts and The Mutilations. $5. 8pm-10pm. 3158 Mission St. www.elriosf.com

Bobby Caldwell @ Yoshi’s Oakland

Weekly underwear party at the intimate mid-Market nightclub. $1 well drinks for anyone in underwear from 9pm-10pm. 43 6th St. http:// www.clubomgsf.com

Events @ Port Bar, Oakland

Pan Dulce @ Beaux

Wet & Wild drag shows (1st Wed.); Baila Conmigo, queer Latinx fundraiser (2nd Wed.), Drag Queen Bingo with Vicodonia Knightingale (4th Wed.). 2023 Broadway. www.portbaroakland.com

Drag divas, gogo studs, DJed Latin grooves and drinks at the Hump Day fiesta. 9pm-2am. 2344 Market St. www.clubpapi.com

Weekly drag show at the historic gay bar. 9:30pm-11:30pm. 6551 Telegraph Ave. www.whitehorsebar.com

Frankie Moreno @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko The vocalist-multi-instrumentalist performs his first concert at the stylish cabaret-nightclub $45-$65. 7pm. Also Mar. 19, 8pm. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. www.feinsteinssf.com

Weekly singing night. Karaoke 8pm. 43 6th St.

Snaxx Bar @ Oasis Enjoy cake and dancing at Snaxx’s bithday party. $5. 10pm-2am. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

The popular Brooklyn singersongwriter performs; Courtney Marie Andrews opens. $30-$55. 7pm. Also Mar. 20 & 21. 859 O’Farrell St. www.slimspresents.com

Teenage Dreams @ The Stud Closing night for the dance party, with DJs Brown Amy, 8ulentia, Bored Lord and others. $6. 9pm-2am.399 9th St. www.studsf.com

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

NSA @ Club OMG

The classic jazz singer performs with his band. $39-$79. 8pm. Mar. 19 8pm & 10pm. 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. www.yoshis.com

Follies & Dollies @ White Horse Bar, Oakland

Queer Karaoke @ Club OMG

The Tallest Man on Earth @ Great American Music Hall

Sister Spit @ The Stud Queer author night with Ananya Garg, Creatrix Tiara, Dena Rod, Junauda Petrus-Nasah Librecht Baker, Mia Willis, Nitram Nadroj. 7pm. 399 9th St. www.studsf.com

Thu 19 Anniversary Party @ GLBT History Museum Celebrate 35 years of the GLBT Historical Society’s amazing curatorial

Thu 19

Anniversary Party @ GLBT History Museum

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