Castro Street Fair organizers are excited about this year’s milestone edition of the popular block party. Organizers said that the fair, founded 50 years ago by the late gay trailblazer Harvey Milk, is a quintessential San Francisco event that showcases the LGBTQ neighborhood.
Fred Lopez, a gay man who is vice president of the fair’s board of directors, said during a phone interview Friday, September 27, that speaking on behalf of the rest of the board, “It’s an incredible honor to steward the idea Harvey Milk started in 1974, to celebrate the neighborhood and bring attention to local merchants and the neighbors.
“A lot has changed in 50 years, but the Castro is still an amazing, unique, and diverse neighborhood, and one we love very much,” he continued.
The fair will be Sunday, October 6, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Its golden anniversary comes at the same time as the 50th anniversary of then-future supervisor Milk’s column – Milk Forum – in the Bay Area Reporter. Milk, who was the first openly gay person elected in California when he won a seat on the Board of Supervisors in November 1977, filed a total of 102 columns in the B.A.R. from October 2, 1974 until his assassination on November 27, 1978. Over the years Milk has become a global icon to the LGBTQ community and a figure now studied in California public schools.
He used his print column as a platform for his own supervisor races in 1975 and 1977, and a failed attempt for state Assembly in 1976. (Milk’s first bid for supervisor came in 1973.) Among the issues Milk highlighted in his columns was a boycott against beer maker Coors in solidarity with unions trying to organize delivery drivers. More recently, Molson Coors withdrew from the Human Rights Campaign’s corporate equality index (See the online LGBTQ Agenda column.)
Milk started the Castro Street Fair to promote LGBTQ businesses in the area. The first fair was held August 18, 1974 and, by the mid-1980s, it’d moved to early October.
An early B.A.R. report on that 1974 event, penned by Milk, stated, “It was San Francisco’s first street fair to be enjoyed by the people and not one geared for the tourist trade and dollars
See page 18 >>
Folsom’s back in style
Kinksters and leather aficionados were in their element at the Folsom Street Fair September 29 in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood. The weather was warm, and the crowds returned to one of the most famous events of its kind in the world for entertainment, play demonstrations, and more.
by Matthew S. Bajko
California will now require large group health plans to provide coverage for fertility and infertility care, including in vitro fertilization. The Golden State is also updating its definition of infertility to be inclusive of LGBTQ+ family planning experiences. The changes are due to Governor Gavin Newsom signing into law Sunday Senate Bill 729 authored by lesbian state Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley). In recent weeks LGBTQ family advocates had waged a pressure campaign to see Newsom not veto the legislation.
See page 18 >>
More businesses choosing to call San Francisco’s Castro home
by John Ferrannini
Castro Street Fair weekend is the LGBTQ neighborhood’s opportunity to showcase a number of new businesses that have launched in the past year – including one that is having its grand opening the same day as the fair.
That business, Solidcore, is a gym at 2175 Market Street, between 14th and 15th streets. There are locations in 25 states and the District of Columbia, and the Castro location’s grand opening will be Sunday, October 6, though it has already soft opened.
Asked why Castro denizens should sign up for Solidcore and not other gyms in the area, Alyssa Shaw, a straight ally who is the chief operations officer of Solidcore, told the Bay Area Reporter that “the effectiveness of the workout helps us stand out.”
“It’s a 50-minute, full body workout that utilizes movements scientifically designed to break down muscle so they build back stronger,” she said in a phone interview. “We focus on intensity, efficiency, and results.”
Unlike nearby Barry’s at 2280 Market Street –whose lease is up in 2040 as the City and County of San Francisco has bought the building for use as an LGBTQ history museum – Solidcore won’t have a bar for protein shakes.
“We have a really simple studio layout,” Shaw said. “The focus is on community. There’s a front lobby where everyone can hang out and build relationships and freshen up before or after class, but no smoothie bar.”
Shaw said the classes will be from “early morning to later in the evening after dinner.”
As for prices, Shaw said that “for our new locations we have special deals that are really locally specific, so they’re more than welcome to go out to the studio and talk to the team about those specific deals for Castro or they can visit the app or our website.” See page 2 >>
Crowds filled Castro Street for the 2021 fair.
Steven Underhill
Governor Gavin Newsom
Bill Wilson
Solidcore will formally open its Castro location at 2175 Market Street October 6.
Courtesy Solidcore
Authorities say gay TV star Xol stabbed 20 times
by Ed Walsh
The Bay Area Reporter is learning of new details in the killing in Palm Springs of Eduardo Xol, a gay man, former San Francisco resident, actor, and TV reality show star.
On September 10, Xol, 58, was allegedly stabbed 20 times by Richard Joseph Gonzales III, a 34-year-old man with a lengthy juvenile and adult criminal record, according to a charging document obtained by the B.A.R. The Riverside County District Attorney stated in the document that Gonzales had prior criminal convictions that were “numerous and of increasing seriousness.”
Implying that it classified the killing of Xol as domestic violence, the DA’s office said in the court filing that it intended to introduce “prior acts” of domestic violence committed by Gonzales, which is allowed under California law when prosecuting subsequent domestic violence charges. Palm Springs police told the B.A.R. that Xol and Gonzales were “associates.”
Gonzales’ past convictions in Riverside County included burglary and resisting arrest in 2015, aggravated battery with serious bodily injury in 2016, burglary in 2017, domestic violence resulting in injury to a spouse in 2020, and vehicle theft in 2022, according to records.
Dispatch audio reviewed by the B.A.R. indicates that at about 5:45 a.m. on Tuesday, September 10, paramedics were called to an apartment in the Latitude 33 Apartment Complex on 449 E. Arenas Road on
the report of a stabbing. The building is adjacent to the 300 block of E. Arenas Road, in downtown Palm Springs, where most of the city’s LGBTQ bars, nightclubs, and businesses are situated.
Despite being stabbed 20 times, police said Xol was able to phone authorities telling them he was stabbed but he was unable to provide them specific details. He was initially listed in serious but stable condition, but he died in the hospital 10 days later.
About three and a half hours after Xol was stabbed, Palm Springs police received a call from Gonzales at the 100 block of N. Sunrise Way, just a mile east of the crime scene. Gonzales told police he was assaulted the previous night. Police were apparently skeptical of his story and they arrested him for the stabbing of Xol.
Xol had starred in the ABC series “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” starting with the series’ second season. The Los Angeles native also was an actor who appeared in the 1998 movie “Bravo” and in several Spanishlanguage telenovelas.
“We are heartbroken at the tragic loss of our beloved Eduardo Xol,” his family said in a statement obtained by the Hollywood Reporter. “We know that his kindness has touched the lives of so many. We ask for that kindness returned now allowing our privacy to be respected as we process our grief. In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made in Eduardo’s name to the Lupus Foundation of America as he spent so much of his life in the service of others.”
Xol’s younger sister, Monica Cajayon, suffers from Lupus. The Lupus Foundation of America noted that Xol rallied support for his sister and built a Zen retreat in her backyard to help her cope with the disease.
SF ties
Xol, then using his original last name Torres, lived in San Francisco in the 1990s. He was a manager at the legendary Castro restaurant, Pozole, whose owner was known for hiring very handsome male employees. He was known to friends as “Eddie.” In 1997, he became embroiled in a highprofile homicide case as a witness for the prosecution. His then-roommate and Pozole co-worker Josh Puckett, 17, was accused of killing Vitaly Poliakov, a 29-year-old gay man, in Orinda.
Puckett confessed the killing both to police and in a jailhouse interview with the B.A.R., but he said he acted in self-defense to fend off a sexual assault. Puckett’s trial ended in a mistrial after prosecutors introduced inadmissible evidence of Puckett’s involvement in a robbery. The B.A.R. talked to the dismissed jurors in the case, many of whom were sympathetic to Puckett. Prosecutors opted not to retry Puckett for murder, and he subsequently agreed to a plea-bargain that resulted in a 13-year, eight-month sentence. He was released on parole in 2008. t
Old SF police code prevents return of gay bathhouses
by Matthew S. Bajko
Turns out, gay bathhouses aren’t so welcome to open again, just yet, in San Francisco. As per a decades-old police code, such facilities still can’t have rooms with locked doors as is traditionally a feature of the establishments.
Even more problematic, the city’s police code continues to require owners of public bathhouses to keep a daily register of their patrons that at any time can be demanded to be seen by either police or a health department employee. It must include not only people’s names and home addresses but also their hour of arrival, and which room or cubicle they were assigned.
“We weren’t sure it was going to be a problem. It turned out to be a problem,” said gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who represents the city’s LGBTQ Castro district at City Hall, of the police code’s Article 26.
As the Bay Area Reporter has covered over the last four years, Mandelman has led a legislative push to remove what many consider to be anachronistic local laws governing the operation of bathhouses in San Francisco. Most were enacted in the early 1980s during the start of the AIDS epidemic as an attempt to control the little-understood disease that was decimating the city’s gay and bisexual male population.
When the San Francisco Department of Public Health put into effect regulations banning private rooms with locked doors at bathhouses and requiring staff to monitor the sex of their patrons, the result was a de facto ban on gay bathhouses in San Francisco. Most closed their doors,
A visit to the website for the Castro location revealed that signing up for four classes a month yields a price of $31 per class. People can also sign up for eight classes per month (at $27 per class), 12 classes per month (at $21 per class), or unlimited classes (at $19 per class).
Asked why Solidcore was drawn to the Castro, Shaw said that Solidcore is “offering a great place for people to step into the strongest version of themselves, and a place of inclusion and belonging where they can build strong relation-
while those remaining became sex clubs without locked rooms for rent.
The Board of Supervisors and Mayor London Breed rescinded those rules embedded in the city’s health code in 2020. Due to the COVID pandemic, the health department didn’t make the change official until January 2021, as the B.A.R. reported at the time.It was hoped then that its doing so would pave the way for gay bathhouses to open again in the city. But another hiccup occurred when it was discovered the city’s zoning rules were too restrictive and prevented adult sex businesses from operating in most of the city.
Thus, Mandelman went back to his board colleagues in 2022 and asked them to pass an ordinance to allow such businesses to open in the city’s historic LGBTQ neighborhoods, such as the
ships. We’re thrilled to be here.”
“We looked at a lot of locations around the area and were drawn to the Castro for its diverse and active population and its rich LGBTQIA community – their history and culture,” she continued. “The community’s sense of belonging and inclusivity was really important to us as well, and the neighborhood stands for everything we stand for at Solidcore.”
Neighborhood stakeholders see improvement
It’s that sense of belonging and inclusivity that has made the Castro a beacon for LGBTQ and allied business
Castro, Tenderloin, and South of Market, as the B.A.R. reported.
He had hoped that would be the final hurdle facing gay bathhouses that he would need to address.
Yet, on Tuesday, October 1, the start of LGBTQ History Month, Mandelman introduced his third ordinance dealing with cleaning up the city’s rules for gay bathhouses. This time it would remove the police code sections dealing with such establishments, which Mandelman told the B.A.R. had been enacted in the 1970s before the health department’s de facto ban was instated.
“I think everyone agrees we can get rid of it. The police are supportive and DPH is supportive,” said Mandelman. “Everyone wants to do this. It has been a barrier for some of the folks trying to look at getting permitted.”
owners seeking to corner that diverse and active market. But as the B.A.R. has extensively reported, the same COVID-era and post-COVID malaise that has impacted San Francisco’s downtown and its tourism industry has not left the Castro unscathed, as vacant storefronts – visible before the pandemic – continued to increase.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported September 25 that the Castro-Upper Market neighborhood saw a 25% reduction in sales tax revenue from 2019 to the present. (Of San Francisco neighborhoods the Chronicle studied, only Japantown and the Presidio saw increases.)
Mandelman’s office said it has been contacted by four people interested in opening a gay bathhouse somewhere in the city. One of the individuals is Joel Aguero, 33, a Mission-Dolores neighborhood resident who is nonbinary and pansexual.
In July, on the website for their proposed Castro Baths at castrobaths.org,, Aguero had posted that their intention was to open somewhere in the Castro district by next June during Pride Month. But with the police code still in place, no lease for a location signed, and still in the early phase of lining up at least $3 million from investors, Aguero told the B.A.R. Tuesday they are unlikely to meet that timeline.
But they are convinced if the police code is jettisoned and a traditional gay bathhouse is allowed to open again in the city, it would be a success. Tourists, in particular, would flock to it, predicted Aguero, who would prefer to find a space in the Castro for their bathhouse.
“People come here and are expecting one to be here,” said Aguero, who grew up in the Sacramento area and went to their first gay bathhouse, the Boiler, in Berlin, Germany.
Nathan Diesel, 51, a gay resident of Hayes Valley, is also convinced a gay bathhouse would be financially successful and that there would be enough interest to support more than one such establishment. He told the B.A.R. he has looked at a property in SOMA near Dore Alley that he feels would be an ideal location, being within the city’s Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District.
A survey he conducted this past sum-
But the situation is improving, neighborhood stakeholders agree.
Gay state Senator Scott Wiener (DSan Francisco), who used to represent District 8 (including the Castro) on the Board of Supervisors, told the B.A.R. that things in his home neighborhood are looking up.
“Despite various challenges, new businesses continue to open in the Castro,” he stated. “Combined with robust public investment, the neighborhood has a bright future.”
His successor on the board, incumbent Rafael Mandelman, agreed, stating, “The future of America’s best gayborhood is getting brighter all the time.”
mer resulted in responses from more than 800 people. There was overwhelming support for having a gay bathhouse operating again in the city, said Diesel.
“It is still relevant. It does matter,” he said about local interest in having such a business to patronize.
Yet, Diesel also needs to line up investors in order to open and created the website newbathhouse.com for those interested to be able to contact him. At bare minimum, it would take $1.5 million to do so, Diesel told the B.A.R. “Whoever opens first will probably reap the best rewards, but I am not in a rush,” said Diesel, who grew up in San Luis Obispo.
He has frequented Steamworks in Berkeley and went to his first international gay bathhouse, Kaiserbründl in Vienna, Austria, to mark his 40th birthday. He went to ones in Berlin and Amsterdam for his 50th, and would like to celebrate turning 60 in his own such establishment.
“For me, personally, it is a passion project. I would love to see if I could develop it,” said Diesel, who like Aguero works in the tech industry.
The Board of Supervisors’ Land Use and Transportation Committee will likely take up the bathhouse item in early November, said Mandelman, who hopes to have it before the mayor for her signature by December.
“Everything about San Francisco city government is complicated,” noted Mandelman. “It would be great to have gay bathhouses be a part of San Francisco’s revival. I hope we don’t find any more impediments; if we do, we will keep clearing them out.”t
“For many years the Castro has suffered from a high rate of ground floor commercial vacancies, so it’s especially exciting to see so many businesses opening this year and so many longterm vacancies getting filled,” Mandelman stated. “From Klein Epstein & Parker to Fisch & Flore to Bar 49 to Epicurean Trader to Taboo – and those are just some of the new businesses –it’s been a great year for openings in the neighborhood.”º
Terry Asten Bennett, a straight ally who is co-owner of Cliff’s Variety and president of the Castro Merchants As-
Reality TV star Eduardo Xol was killed in Palm Springs.
ABC/Bob D’Amico
Efforts to open gay bathhouses, like the Steamworks in Berkeley, in San Francisco have hit another snag – an outdated police code.
Jane Philomen Cleland
Performances Cal
Jordi Savall, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, and Hespèrion XXI
The Tears and the Fire of the Muses Berkeley audiences adore Jordi Savall for his limitless curiosity, supreme musicality, and gift of connecting people, places, and eras through fascinating repertoire. This season, the musical polymath and viol virtuoso traces the influence of Claudio Monteverdi through his sacred and secular works.
Oct 12
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
Leonidas Kavakos, violin
Bach’s Complete Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin
In a rare and powerful musical experience, the virtuoso Greek violinist performs Bach’s complete works for solo violin over two nights, groundbreaking compositions that conjure vast sonic landscapes. Kavakos performs Partita No. 3 and Sonatas No. 2 and 3 on night one; and Partitas No. 1 and 2 and Sonata No. 1 on night two.
Nov 15–16
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
Disney Concerts Presents Encanto: The Sing-Along Film Concert
Disney’s
to life in an interactive performance and screening that's perfect for the whole
to the award-winning soundtrack with songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, played live by Banda de la Casita!
Nov 24
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
Lester Lynch, baritone Kevin Korth, piano
A regal presence on stages throughout the world, the dramatic baritone can sing with great power and also silken subtlety, and brings gravitas to his rare recital performances. In his Cal Performances debut, Lynch presents songs by Schubert, Brahms, Mussorgsky, Ives, and Gordon Getty.
Oct 13
HERTZ HALL, BERKELEY
Mummenschanz 50 Years
The delightful Swiss mime troupe visits with a retrospective program celebrating 50 years of wonderfully inventive—and totally silent!—storytelling, bringing mesmerizing creatures and creations from its favorite repertoire to life with its distinctive charm and wit.
26–27 ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
Igor Levit, piano
Praised for his extraordinary technique and musicianship, the German pianist enjoys assembling bold recital programs, and here matches Brahms’ moody Ballades with Liszt’s fiendishly challenging transcription of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony.
“A superlative interpreter of Beethoven, whose power is always cumulative in effect.”
The New Yorker
Nov 19
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
Pilobolus re:CREATION
In this retrospective production, the pioneering acrobatic dance troupe invites us to step into a realm where imagination knows no limits, the boundaries of gravity and creativity blur, and storytelling takes on new dimensions.
THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
Nov 30–Dec 1
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
Step Afrika!
The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence
Washington DC’s celebrated step dance company tells the story of the Great Migration in this vivid production inspired by Jacob Lawrence’s famous paintings from the 1940s, set to an uplifting soundtrack with movement that mixes stepping, tap, body percussion, and modern dance.
An Illuminations: “Fractured History” event. calperformances.org/illuminations
Nov 2–3
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
Maxim Vengerov, violin Polina Osetinskaya, piano
The multiple Grammy and Gramophone Award-winning violinist returns to Berkeley in a program that showcases the blazing virtuosity and breathtaking expressiveness that have been the hallmarks of his sound for decades. Works by Clara and Robert Schumann, Brahms, and Prokofiev.
Nov 23
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
BAY AREA PREMIERE Dorrance Dance
The Nutcracker Suite
Explosive tap dance meets hot jazz rhythms in this acclaimed company’s intoxicating interpretation of the holiday classic, danced to Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s joyful take on the iconic Tchaikovsky score.
Dec 14 & 15
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
Dover
Quartet
The Grammy-nominated quartet returns with a fascinating program of music by Dvořák, Jessie Montgomery, and Emmywinning American Indian composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate.
Nov 3
HERTZ HALL, BERKELEY
beloved animated feature comes
family. Sing along
Hate crimes forum held in Castro
by John Ferrannini
Top local and federal law enforcement officials came to the Castro recently for a town hall on hate crimes. Key for attendees was learning what such incidents are and how to report them.
The 80-minute event September 12 featured San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins; Police Chief William Scott; FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp; and Martha Boersch, chief of the criminal division at the United States Attorney’s office for the Northern District of California, among others. It was facilitated by the San Francisco Police Department’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Forum and was held at Ellard Hall at Most Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church.
The forum was a follow-up to an event featuring Tripp at the Academy last year, which the Bay Area Reporter covered.
Scott said it was important for the heads of the various agencies to be in attendance since they are all trying to accomplish the same thing – combat hate incidents – even though they have different roles to play.
“We have to be united with our partners – FBI, the DA’s office, and the other law enforcement agencies not only in the City and County of San Francisco but in the region,” he said. “As much as we like to think this is a thing of the past, we know the reality is it is not. Hate is something that has been with us in society, American society, forever and it’s not going away, so we have to be unified in our response.”
Lieutenant Bassey Obot, who runs the San Francisco Police Department’s special investigations division, which oversees hate crime investigations, said that hate speech is constitutionally protected. The department keeps track of “hate incidents” that don’t rise to the level of a crime, Obot said, which can make it easier to establish a pattern of behavior when incidents do rise to the level of a crime.
A hate crimes charge enhances charges that are already in themselves crimes –such as assault or murder – when it can be shown bias was a motivating factor.
Obot said that the SFPD’s community engagement division can help survivors of hate crimes and hate incidents.
“Hate crimes versus hate incidents are two different things,” Obot said. “We’re not going to slam the door and say ‘that’s not a crime, can’t help you, sorry.’ We’re going to say ‘here’s the community engagement division, they can help you, they can connect you with resources, community resources, non-governmental agencies, churches, community groups, to help you get through that.”
Scott said that his main point is whether people think it’s a crime or not, they should “report, report, report, because it’s underreported.” Law enforcement and prosecutors, he noted, will sort out themselves how the facts apply to the law.
San Francisco has not seen the precipitous rise of all reported hate crimes since 2020 that has afflicted other parts of the state and nation, according to FBI statistics.
Statewide, however, hate crimes were up in 2022 – 20.2% over 2021 numbers.
Scott said that in 2023, “we saw an increase, and it’s really across the spectrum in terms of the increase in hate crimes.”
The FBI’s annual report on crime statistics, including hate crimes, came out September 23, covering 2023. It found that nationwide, hate crimes on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity rose by 23% and 16% respectively from 2022, though overall crime that the FBI tracks is down. Sexual orientation is the third most common motivation for hate crimes, the FBI found, after race and religion (it had been in second place but was overtaken by religion this past year).
One in five hate crimes were based on LGBTQ bias.
“Even as public acceptance of LGBTQ+ people continues to grow, and overall crime continues to decline, hate crimes against us are not yet showing signs of subsiding,” Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson stated. “Make no mistake, politicians who spread disinformation and demonize our lives are contributing to this violence. This trend needs to end. ... All law enforcement agencies must commit
to fully reporting data on hate crimes in their communities. And politicians and community leaders across the country need to stop lying about our community and inciting hatred against us. We must turn the tide so that LGBTQ+ people can feel safe everywhere.”
The Black, Asian, trans, Jewish, and Islamic communities have become targets of vitriol in recent years. At the forum, Jenkins said she was the DA’s office’s designated hate crimes prosecutor for two years, at the time Donald Trump became president.
“I took over that job, or that responsibility, not long after our previous president took office, and our case load exploded from four cases to 32,” she said.
“We had a pretty significant number of hate crimes against the LGBTQ community, including … I had a number of cases against trans victims. It is something that is real in our city, and we have to acknowledge that and that yes, we are progressive and liberal San Francisco, but we are not perfect, and we still have a long way to go.”
Jenkins agreed people should report “whatever it is that happened,” whether it turns out to be a crime or not.
“We have the burden of going in and proving not only the underlying crime –if somebody threatened you, assaulted you – but we also, then, if we add a hate crime allegation have to prove that the motivating factor for the criminal conduct was hate,” she said.
“The only way to even charge a hate crime is to have proof beyond a reasonable doubt the motivation for the crime itself was bias, animus, or hate. What that can be founded in is if somebody in the course of attacking you says hateful things; but sometimes they don’t say anything at all,” added Jenkins. “But what we do is look back at, at previous incidents involving this person so, if we have a track record of behavior of them engaging in hate incidents that has been documented, we can use that.”
Sometimes a person will be charged with a hate crime only to be acquitted at trial. That’s what happened in the case of Muhammed Abdullah, 21, following a June 2023 incident in the Castro neighborhood. Abdullah was charged with assault and hate crime charges after he was accused of hitting a man and stealing a Pride flag. But in May a jury acquitted him of all charges.
More recently gay District 9 supervisor candidate Trevor Chandler was allegedly attacked while campaigning by a man who yelled homophobic slurs at him. Jeffrey Landon, 58, was arrested and charged with a hate crime and assault charges. But in August, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Carolyn Gold dismissed the hate crime charge.
<< Businesses
From page 2
sociation, stated to the B.A.R., “I am very excited to see so many new businesses opening in the Castro.
“Filled and vibrant store fronts are key to a healthy community,” she continued.
Andrea Aiello, a lesbian, is the executive director of the Castro Community Benefit District, which has been running the “I’m Available” campaign to highlight vacant storefronts to real estate agents.
“It’s great to see long term vacancies, particularly in the 400 block of Castro Street, being filled. The Castro CBD wishes these entrepreneurs well,” she stated to the B.A.R.
These include Fratelli Pizza at 460 Castro Street, which opened quietly just before Pride weekend, and Body at 450 Castro Street, which opened quietly September 20. A cashier at Body confirmed to the B.A.R. that the new store selling energy drinks, snacks, and lingerie retains the name Body, the clothing store that was in the location until its 2019 closure after a fire.
The manager of the new Body
State laws California has robust hate crimes statutes; three states have none, and only 20 states cover sexual orientation in their laws. Where state laws don’t provide protection, that responsibility falls to the federal government.
Boersch with the U.S. Attorney’s Office discussed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, which expanded the federal definition for hate crimes to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
“It’s a very important federal statute and that’s one of the things that’s in our arsenal on the federal side that we can use when there has been a hate crime against somebody because of their gender identity or their sexual orientation,” she said. “It is really, really important for people to report when they believe they have been a victim of such a crime or if they think someone else has been a victim of such a crime.”
The FBI’s Tripp said that the feds are “not usually the first responders for a hate crime,” and often get cases forwarded to them by local authorities.
“That doesn’t mean it’s not a priority for us,” he said. “When we assess our priorities, we look at impact, and I defy to name a crime that has more impact than hate crimes. There are crimes of violent brutality, there are crimes that rob victims of their sense of safety, and it’s not just the single victim in the crosshairs there. A hate crime is an act of intimidation and it really does seek to rob a whole community of that sense of safety.”
Asked if the town hall was helpful, nonbinary, transmasculine attendee Rowan Ducharme said, “absolutely.”
“I learned a lot about where the border of hate speech and hate crime is,” Ducharme said. “I thought that was super helpful. When a lot of us in the LGBTQ community hear the f-word, we feel hurt, but we got a little lesson from the police – you can’t pull out your taser when someone says something you don’t like, though they didn’t say that so directly. … it’s when they touch you that it’s a problem.” t
The State of California offers help for victims or witnesses to a hate crime or hate incident. This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to cavshate.org.
didn’t return a message seeking comment, and Fratelli Pizza didn’t return multiple messages seeking comment.
Q Bar at 456 Castro Street is coowned by Cip Cipriano, a gay man who told the B.A.R. in 2023 that he wanted to open by Pride; then, when that didn’t happen, teased a September 2023 reopening. However, the space remains shuttered, and Cipriano has not returned a request for comment from the B.A.R. (including for this report) since October 4, 2023, when he stated, “We won’t announce a date until we have everything completely done.”
The CBD itself helped to fill a vacancy at 549A Castro Street; the B.A.R. reported last month that it moved there from its old office at 693 14th Street.
Across Castro Street, Joshua J. Cook, a gay man who manages the Beaux nightclub at 2344 Market Street and is a member of, and the spokesperson for, the ownership group that took over the old Harvey’s space at 500 Castro Street to create a new nightclub called Pink Swallow, told the B.A.R. September 24 that he has “no specific
See page 7 >>
FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp, right, spoke at a hate crimes forum in the Castro that was also attended by District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, second from left, and Assistant District Attorney Jamal Anderson, who handles hate crimes for her office.
John Ferrannini
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I. I opted to pause on updating my birth certificate to reflect my name and gender. This would change with the decision in Hollingsworth v. Perry, the court case that ultimately struck down the ban in California in 2013 – but money was tight then, and starting the process seemed insurmountable yet again. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in Obergefell v. Hodges.
Then came November 2016, and Donald J. Trump was elected president. I realized then that I had best get this all in order, and started with my United States passport. That process finally concluded just after Trump’s inauguration in early 2017, just under the wire.
I took advantage of changes under former President Barack Obama to get my Social Security card updated to reflect my gender. I started to work on my school transcripts, taking advantage of another recent change in California law to get my high school records updated. I went through the more complex REAL ID process to get my driver’s license
Also, I went back and forth with the county court, reading through document changes and delays to finally get a judge to sign off on a court order declaring my name and gender to be the ones I had been living in for the past near-30 years. It then took months to get the new certificate from the state – and then, just days before this writing, to get our new marriage certificate.
Still, I felt joy with this final document change, knowing that one of the happiest days of my life now reflected the reality of who I am, and the reality of our marriage. I felt relieved that this 30-year process was finally done, and I had no more documents that needed an update to reflect, legally, who I am.
Just in time for yet another election, and yet again another chance for Trump to potentially ascend to office and upend, well, everything –but I digress.
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– Proposition 22, in 2000 – made for fears about our marriage ending up in a bureaucratic limbo, and the process of changing one’s name in California fell by the wayside in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Seven years later, Proposition 8 – yet again, another law to restrict marriage to one man and one woman – was passed in 2008, further worrying my partner and
That it took me three decades, give or take, is not all that uncommon. As I’ve shared my story, I’ve been surprised to find many of my contemporaries who are still waiting for this or that document, or having been able to get all they need in order, or – in some cases – find they cannot update some documents due to the laws in the states where they were born. It’s an onerous process, and the current anti-trans animus is making it impossible for many. I hope you’ll think of this the next time someone goes on a rant about how easy trans people have it when we transition in order to, I don’t know, win at women’s sports or some such.
Look at all this, and just try to tell me that we transition on a lark. t
Gwendolyn Ann Smith will now do something easier, like ride a pogo stick to the moon. You’ll find her at www.gwensmith.com
Christine Smith
Study: Injectable PrEP works
by Liz Highleyman
Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable antiretroviral, reduced the risk of HIV infection by 96% in a large study of gay and bisexual men and gender diverse people, according to a Gilead Sciences announcement.
Along with recent data from a parallel study of cisgender women, these results position lenacapavir for federal Food and Drug Administration approval for HIV prevention, possibly next year. Advocates are already pressuring Gilead to ensure that lenacapavir PrEP is made available at an affordable cost to those who need it most.
“I think this will add an additional option of choice that will really empower key communities,” Daniel Driffin, DrPH, of the HIV Vaccines Trials Network told the Bay Area Reporter after his remarks at the recent U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS in New Orleans.
“The conversation should already be started on what a successful rollout will look like, especially for Black and Brown communities, folks across the South and folks on Medicaid and Medicare.”
Jorge Roman, senior director of clinical services at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, is eager to start offering twice-yearly PrEP as an additional prevention option.
“We hope that the path to FDA approval for lenacapavir goes quickly and
page 4
updates” on when that space will open, but that they’re “getting ready to go into the permit application process.”
smoothly,” Roman told the B.A.R. “We still need more tools and resources to end HIV transmission in this country and globally. Long-acting injectable versions of PrEP could do a lot to help us end the HIV epidemic. A key here is that new PrEP options must be affordable and accessible.”
PURPOSE-2 study results
As the B.A.R. reported last week, the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s latest HIV epidemiology annual report shows an encouraging decline in new cases, but twice-yearly PrEP could further move the needle.
While the daily PrEP pills Truvada and Descovy (both from Gilead) are around 99% effective when taken con-
a nighttime entertainment zone on the first and second floors of the space.
sistently, additional options are still needed. Some people have trouble remembering to take a pill every day and some are hesitant to have pill bottles that could be lost or stolen or reveal they are at risk for HIV. Currently, ViiV Healthcare’s Apretude (injectable cabotegravir), which is administered every other month, is the longest-acting PrEP option.
White gay and bisexual men in San Francisco and other cities have eagerly embraced oral PrEP, but uptake has been slower for other groups. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that only about a third of the 1.2 million people in the United States who could benefit from PrEP are using it. Having multiple options available helps ensure that everyone can find a prevention method that works for them.
The PURPOSE 2 trial enrolled more than 3,000 cisgender men, transgender women and men, and nonbinary people who have sex with men at more than 80 sites in the United States and six other countries. They were randomly assigned to receive either lenacapavir injections once every six months or daily Truvada pills.
There were two new HIV diagnoses among the 2,180 study participants in the lenacapavir group compared with nine cases among the 1,087 people assigned to Truvada, according to Gilead.
ed opening time, but it’ll happen hopefully sometime next year, he stated.
Lenacapavir reduced the risk of HIV acquisition by 96% relative to the expected background incidence among people not on PrEP and by 89% compared to daily Truvada. Lenacapavir and Truvada were both generally safe and well tolerated with no new safety concerns.
As the B.A.R. reported in June, the parallel PURPOSE 1 trial showed that twice-yearly lenacapavir PrEP was 100% effective for preventing HIV acquisition among more than 5,000 young cisgender women in South Africa and Uganda. Further results were presented at the International AIDS Conference in Munich in July.
The new data “really means the labeling can be inclusive of just about all populations who could benefit from this wonderful prevention innovation,” PURPOSE 1 lead investigator Dr. Linda-Gail Bekker of the University of Cape Town told the B.A.R. “Oral PrEP still remains a terrific option for those who prefer it and can use it, but for those who have struggled, this is just amazing. We remain very excited about seeing regulatory and generic company engagement happening urgently now so people can benefit as soon as possible.”
Pricing and access
Advocates and researchers lauded the new findings but expressed concerns about cost and access.
Lenacapavir (sold as Sunlenca) is cur-
O’Brien stated to the B.A.R. that “business has been very steady and positive.”
rently approved only as part of a combination treatment regimen for people with multidrug-resistant HIV, at a cost of around $4,000 per month. Generic versions of Truvada pills can cost as little as $20 per month. A study presented at the International AIDS Conference showed that the price of lenacapavir could potentially be brought down to around $40 per year with voluntary licensing and competition between generic suppliers.
“This is the second impressive result for this new HIV prevention option, opening up more possibilities for choice for even more people to find an option that is right for them,” AVAC Executive Director Mitchell Warren said in a statement. “Beyond expanded choice, a twice-yearly injection has the potential to transform the way we deliver HIV prevention to people who need and want it most. ... But these data only matter if the field moves with speed, scale, and equity.”
Gilead said it has committed to making lenacapavir available in the countries where the need is greatest, including expediting voluntary licensing to supply low-cost versions of the drug.
“Gilead will work urgently with regulatory, government, public health, and community partners to ensure that, if approved, we can deliver twice-yearly lenacapavir for PrEP worldwide for all those who want or need PrEP,” chairman and CEO Daniel O’Day said in the company news release. t
more time to get things back to where they were pre-pandemic,” he stated.
“It’s still moving forward,” Cook stated in the summer. “There was a small pause as the owners of the building investigated or discovered what needed to happen to bring the kitchen to current city codes. I don’t think it’d been brought to code for decades to be honest, so it took exploration to figure out what to do.”
The Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development touted Taboo << Businesses
Cook had told the B.A.R. over the summer that work on Pink Swallow had been held up due to an outdated kitchen. The B.A.R. reported in February that the city’s planning commission approved a conditional use authorization that month to establish
Pink Swallow had been slated to open by summer 2024 – Cook stated that the group doesn’t have an estimat-
“We already received a conditional use permit and now we’re getting ready to apply for permits with all the different departments in the city, and we’ll be accepting bids from general contractors,” he said, later stressing the opening time depends on that permitting process.
Bar 49 was opened by Hi Tops comanager Colm O’Brien at 2295 Market Street, the former location of Los Amigos Diner and the Baghdad Cafe.
“Summer months are generally slow but I had lots of locals come in to check out the new improved space,” O’Brien stated to the B.A.R. “Weekend brunch has been good for business too. We open at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.”
O’Brien agrees that the neighborhood is seeing more life – but that recovery is ongoing.
“There’s lots of positive moves in the Castro this year after many years of closures but I do feel it’s going to take
Not just bars
New businesses opening up in the Castro aren’t just bars. Take the new salon Taboo, for example, at 2352 Market Street. San Francisco Mayor London Breed showed up at its opening September 21.
See page 14 >>
Purusha Yoga Studio
Mudpuppy’s
Mission Yoga
Ocean Beach Cafe
Jorge Roman is senior director of clinical services at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
Courtesy SFAF
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Reelect SF Mayor London Breed
From our perspective, one San Francisco mayoral candidate stands above the rest: incumbent London Breed. Since being elected in 2018, and reelected in 2019, Breed has consistently been an ally to the LGBTQ community – in actions as well as words. Whether it be hiring out department heads, appointing out public officials, nominating out commissioners, backfilling federal HIV/AIDS cuts, the city buying property for affordable housing aimed at LGBTQ seniors, or purchasing a new site for a freestanding LGBTQ history museum – which she announced last week – the mayor has had our backs. Another commitment Breed honored was naming the city’s – and the world’s – first drag laureate, D’Arcy Drollinger. Breed is maintaining her pledge to end trans homelessness by 2027 and kept the Office of Transgender Initiatives, which was started by the late mayor Ed Lee. She has stood with the LGBTQ community as right-wing homophobes and transphobes have bashed the city, and she stands firm for San Francisco values – where people can live as their true selves, and where the city has myriad services available for marginalized groups as well as small business owners, students, and others.
For these reasons and more, we endorse Breed for reelection.
To be sure, San Francisco has its challenges –homelessness, drug overdose deaths, the lack of enough mental health beds for all who need them. There is crime, though the mayor and District Attorney Brooke Jenkins say it is trending downward, particularly property crime. Major businesses have left town, prolonging the economic recovery San
Francisco so desperately needs. And there is the affordability crisis – many people are priced out of the city they love, even as the Financial District is sitting full of empty office space because workers are slow to return in person.
In fact, Breed and her administration did an excellent job when the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, and voters shouldn’t forget that. San Francisco had one of the lowest rates of infection and death thanks to the leadership of Breed and Dr. Grant Colfax, a gay man she appointed health director. The Department of Public Health’s coordinated work with local hospitals saved lives and reduced health disparities, as a July article in NEJM Catalyst noted.
But as COVID becomes a part of everyday life
– new variants are regularly being discovered and a kind of pandemic fatigue has set in among many people in San Francisco and everywhere else – the city’s chief executive must work to restore some semblance of normalcy. We believe Breed has largely done that even as much work remains.
Homelessness, overdoses
No San Francisco mayor has been able to “solve” the homelessness crisis, and we doubt any of the current crop of candidates will be able to do so. But there are steps that can be taken to alleviate the situation, and Breed is doing that. She stated in her endorsement questionnaire to us that under her watch, the city has increased shelter capacity by over 60% since 2018 up to 4,000 shelter beds. Housing slots for the formerly homeless have increased by over 50% since 2018, she noted. But it’s the tent encampments that provide the biggest challenge, and while the city has been given authority by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to clear encampments, that has proven intractable. Oftentimes, people just regroup somewhere else, to the consternation of many residents. “San Francisco will continue to offer services to people on the streets, including shelter and treatment,” the mayor stated. “Outreach crews to encampments and to individuals will continue every day and will include recently launched nighttime outreach services … .”
Reelect SF DA Jenkins
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has done a good job restoring confidence to the office since taking over two years ago after voters recalled former DA Chesa Boudin. While we did not support the June 2022 recall, the electorate spoke loud and clear that change was needed. Mayor London Breed appointed Jenkins in July 2022 following the recall’s certification, and Jenkins won election that November to finish Boudin’s term. Now she’s up for reelection to a four-year term.
One of Jenkins’ priorities is prosecuting drug dealers. As she noted, 806 people died of overdose deaths last year in San Francisco. The situation looks to be better this year. A San Francisco Chronicle analysis shows 462 people have died of overdose deaths so far this year, putting the city on pace for a total of 693 by the end of the year. Obviously, that is still too many overdose deaths.
In the last two years, Jenkins has worked to move the city forward on public safety. In her endorsement questionnaire, Jenkins stated, “San Francisco is now seeing its lowest crime rates in a decade, while conviction rates have risen for the first time in eight years.”
(Although it sure doesn’t feel like it to a person who is a victim of property crime or has their vehicle broken into.) Nevertheless, Jenkins added, “I have prioritized the top issues facing San Francisco: the drug crisis, retail theft, property crime, and violence against our AAPI and vulnerable communities. Under my administration, my office has been committed to ensuring consequences and accountability. While I am proud of the progress we have made, I know that our work continues, and I will continue to fight for public safety for all.”
“We cannot allow some of the most vulnerable members of our city to be exploited for the financial gain of dealers who prey upon them and ultimately cause them to lose their lives,” Jenkins stated in response to a question on prosecuting drug dealers. “We must make it clear that drug dealing is not acceptable in San Francisco.” But she also noted, “The criminal justice system is not designed to address substance abuse disorder, and I have worked hard to collaborate with public health to more effectively reach those struggling with addiction on our streets.”
Jenkins noted most cases are resolved by plea agreements. “We have resolved over 100 drug dealing cases by plea since I took over with 92% of those pleas resulting in a felony conviction. I do not believe fentanyl dealers should receive misdemeanor plea offers absent extraordinary mitigating circumstances,” Jenkins stated.
page 20 >>
Banko Brown case
If there is a blemish on Jenkins’ record, so far, it was her response to the shooting death of unarmed Black trans man Banko Brown by then-Walgreens security guard Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony in April 2023. Jenkins almost immediately determined that it was a case of self-defense and opted not to prosecute the security guard. She was also slow to release the store surveillance video, which showed Brown backing out of the store when he was shot. While we’re not attorneys, we think Jenkins’ haste to decide on self-defense compromised the case to the point that he wasn’t held to account – and any prosecution would have been tainted by her initial remarks. In her response to us, Jenkins disagreed. “While I wish this tragedy would have never happened in the first place, my office and I carefully reviewed all of the facts and evidence available and followed the law in making our decision to not charge the suspect in this case,” she stated. “We take our prosecutorial responsibilities seriously and recognize how important it is that we make decisions on facts, law and our collective prosecutorial judgment, without being swayed by politics. We are committed to fair and ethical prosecutions that our experience tells us we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt and will never shirk our responsibilities for political expediency.”
page 21 >>
Sangirardi for District 9 BART seat
There are two gay men running for the District 9 BART board seat to replace gay outgoing director Bevan Dufty. The district encompasses part of San Francisco and includes the following stations: 16th Street Mission, 24th Street Mission, Glen Park, Civic Center, Powell, and Balboa Park (partial). Dufty, a former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, will leave some big shoes to fill, as he’s been an extremely effective BART board member (and currently serves as board president, which he had done before during his two terms in office).
it.” For the last several years, the agency has been building housing on its parking lots, with much of it designated as affordable.
Both candidates, Edward Wright and Joe Sangirardi, would ably represent the BART district, but we recommend Sangirardi, whom Dufty has also endorsed. His endorsement questionnaire had more details about how he would work to avoid BART’s pending fiscal cliff in 2026 and ideas for housing on BART property that could raise revenue for the transit agency as well as provide much-needed housing in the Bay Area.
Sangirardi currently works at California YIMBY, a statewide organization dedicated to making California affordable. He pointed out that “BART is in a unique position in that it has control over the land that it owns and can choose how to develop
“Transit-oriented development is essential to meeting San Francisco’s and the Bay Area’s state-mandated regional housing targets, including for affordable housing. Increased housing density makes the most sense near quality transit,” he stated. “We need more affordable housing, permanent supportive housing, and all kinds of housing throughout San Francisco, including in my BART district. I will support laws that eliminate barriers to building more housing, and my work with California YIMBY gives me the policy experience to effectively advocate for this goal.”
BART has struggled to gain back riders lost during the COVID pandemic and the shift to work from home for so many employees. BART has undertaken initiatives to increase public safety, a big concern to riders, and other improvements, like changing out the fare gates to make them more difficult for evaders. Yet, overall, ridership has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Sangirardi supports those efforts. “As a baseline, BART needs to provide safe, clean, reliable, and frequent service,” he stated. “Several of these areas
– safety, cleanliness, and frequency – have been severely negatively impacted due to a severe drop in ridership and revenue since the pandemic. Federal aid has filled some of that gap, but runs out in 2026.”
And that is the crux of the impending fiscal cliff. State lawmakers had pushed for a tax measure that could have raised up to $1.5 billion for Bay Area transit. But lawmakers in May decided to pause the bill until 2025, which would then go before voters in 2026. Sangirardi was asked what BART’s Plan B should be in the event the bill is not moved out of the Legislature or if voters reject it.
“BART should prepare a ‘go it alone’ option for the 2026 measure,” he stated. “If the measure fails, BART will need to either dramatically reduce service, increase fares and/or parking, put forward severe cuts to its budget, or a combination of those options. This is not a proposal but a matter of fact.”
These are tough times for BART, and much depends on crucial decisions in the next two years. The BART board will be getting several new members, and they will need to work hard to prevent the Bay Area’s major transit agency from sustaining massive cuts. Cities depend on BART for workers, tourists, and other riders. Sangirardi is in a good position to get off to a quick start on the board. Voters in BART’s District 9 should elect him. t
San Francisco Mayor London Breed spoke at an event for the LGBTQ community.
Bill Wilson
See
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins
Courtesy the candidate
BART board candidate Joe Sangirardi
Courtesy the candidate
Newsom nixes statewide LGBTQ commission, OKs other bills
by Matthew S. Bajko
California will not be joining its West Coast counterparts in having a statewide commission tasked with addressing the needs of its LGBTQ residents. On Saturday, September 28, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the legislation that had called for its formation.
In 2023, Oregon established the nine-member LGBTQIA2S+ Subcommittee of the Governor’s Commission on Senior Services. It is tasked with protecting and enhancing the quality of life for LGBTQ older adults residing in the Beaver State.
In 2019, Washington state established its LGBTQ Commission. The state agency also has an advisory board of 15 commissioners who are part of the Evergreen State’s LGBTQ community.
Golden State LGBTQ lawmakers and advocates had hoped to follow suit with the launch of California’s own nine-person Statewide LGBTQ+ Commission to help guide policymakers and legislators on how to better address the community’s needs. After all, they had noted, about 2.7 million or roughly 9% of Californian adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
But Newsom 86’d the idea with his veto of Assembly Bill 3031 co-authored by Assemblymembers Alex Lee (D-San Jose), who is bisexual, and Evan Low (DCupertino), who is gay. It had been one of the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus’ priority bills this session.
However, as he has done with myriad bills in recent days, Newsom pointed to the price tag of AB 3031 as the reasoning behind his decision. An LGBTQ commission would result in “ongoing costs in the millions of dollars” contended Newsom in his veto message.
was vetoed, I am committed to advancing the state’s progress as the bastion of LGBTQ+ rights. I will continue to advocate and fight for the voices of our LGBTQ+ community members to be heard.”
Meanwhile, California education leaders have formed their own LGBTQ+ Statewide Advisory Task Force, as required by a previous bill that Newsom had signed into law. Under the auspices of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, it is tasked with identifying the needs of LGBTQ+ students and making recommendations to assist in implementing supportive policies and initiatives to address LGBTQ+ student education and well-being.
“In partnership with the Legislature this year, my Administration has enacted a balanced budget that avoids deep program cuts to vital services and protected investments in education, health care, climate, public safety, housing, and social service programs that millions of Californians rely on. It is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications that are not included in the budget, such as this measure,” wrote Newsom.
He also argued that “California leads the nation in celebrating people for who they are – fighting against hate through a comprehensive strategy and seeking to enshrine LGBTQ+ equality in the state’s Constitution this November.” It was a reference to Newsom’s helping to pass Proposition 3 this fall to remove “zombie language” defining marriage as between a man and a woman from the state’s governing document.
Thus, Newsom reasoned an LGBTQ commission isn’t required to ensure the community’s interests are addressed by the state’s government.
“Protecting and supporting the rights of LGBTQ+ people to equal treatment under the law has been a focus of this administration since day one, and it is work that I personally have championed throughout my career,” wrote Newsom, who famously bucked state law to have city officials marry same-sex couples in 2004 when he was mayor of San Francisco. “Continuing this work to advance equity and fight against discrimination is integrated into the administration’s ongoing effort to tackle disparities and strengthen our commitment to a California For All.” Lee issued a statement Monday reacting to the gubernatorial veto of AB 3031.
“It’s critical for us to ensure that everyone can live authentically and inclusively,” stated Lee. “I authored AB 3031 to recognize the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ community members, and inform policies and programs for our community. While I’m disappointed that this important piece of legislation
online September 21, the state’s Office of Emergency Services, known as CalOES, must update by January 1, 2027, the State Emergency Plan in consulta tion with LGBTQ+ organizations and community advocates. Newsom signed SB 990 into law on September 19.
It was one of myriad LGBTQ-related bills the B.A.R. tracked this legislative session and were sent to the governor to either sign or veto by September 30.
On Saturday Newsom signed AB 1899 by lesbian Assemblymember brina Cervantes (D-Corona) that re quires jury questionnaires used by state courts as of January 1, 2026, to be “inclusive” and allow “a juror the ability to express their gender identity or gender expression, if applicable.” It had been amended not to require that the forms ask prospective jurors about their preferred names and pronouns.
September 25 Newsom signed another bill related to legal matters, AB 1979 authored by gay Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego). Known as the Doxing Victims Recourse Act, it allows a victim to pursue civil action to receive restitution for the harms endured as a result of being doxed.
Doxing is the release of an individual’s private information online, such as their home address and phone number. It is a tool utilized by online trolls against their critics, with transgender individuals often becoming doxing victims when they speak out against transphobic legislation or policies.
According to Thurmond’s office, it was to begin virtually meeting in July and do so approximately six times through January 2026.
Newsom approves SOGI data bill
Another bill that was a top priority for the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus this year was Senate Bill 957 authored by gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). As the Bay Area Reporter first reported in January, the legislation aims to ensure that state health officials are meeting their requirements to ask about sexual orientation and gender identity demographics, known as SOGI data for short.
It is in response to a scathing 2023 report from California’s state auditor that found the statewide health department’s SOGI data collection efforts were woefully inadequate. With Newsom signing SB 957 into law September 28, state health officials are now required to implement all of the recommendations in the audit.
“We can’t fix a problem we can’t measure, and with SB 957 we can take a critical step to delivering true health equity,” stated Wiener. “With the full range of data, California can identify the unique health challenges faced by LGBTQ people and ultimately overcome them. I thank the Governor for consistently championing the needs of the LGBTQ community.”
In a similar vein AB 3161 by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) requires hospitals, as of January 1, 2026, to analyze patient safety events by sociodemographic factors, like race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, and disability status. Known as the Equity in Health Care Act: Ensuring Safety and Accountability, Newsom signed the bill into law September 27.
According to Bonta, the aim of the legislation is to bring to light the disparities in health that communities of color and LGBTQ communities are facing. Additionally, AB 3161 requires hospital safety plans to include a process for addressing racism and discrimination and its impacts on patient health and safety.
It mirrors a bill authored by gay state Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) requiring California disaster plans to take into account the needs of LGBTQ people. As the B.A.R. reported
“Online harassment has real-world consequences, and doxing is one of the most dangerous forms of this behavior,” noted Ward. “Exposing highly personal and sensitive information can lead to identity theft, harassment, stalking, physical harm – and even death. The Doxing Recourse Victims Act will give those who have been targeted by these individuals the ability to pursue recourse, reclaim their privacy, hold perpetrators accountable, and regain a sense of safety.”
Because of the enactment of AB 1979, which takes effect January 1, doxing victims will be able to pursue damages not exceeding $30,000 for pain and suffering, in addition to court costs and attorney fees. According to a survey conducted by SafeHome.org, an estimated 11 million Americans report they have been the victim of doxing, or around 4% of Americans. Roughly half of all victims said their home addresses or emails were made public, while one in four of respondents said they had photos or videos distributed online without their consent.
“As members of our community face unprecedented levels of antisemi tism, JPAC is particularly aware of the need for increased deterrents from, and means of accountability for, bul lying behavior,” stated JPAC Executive Director David Bocarsly. “We know this is also of particular concern for the LGBTQ community. We cannot leave victims helpless and without support to repair damage from doxing. We were proud to organize 22 Jewish groups to join the LGBTQ community in sup port of AB 1979, and thank Assembly member Ward for championing this effort to help victims get their lives back on track.” 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 the civic celebration for the new home of a LGBTQ history museum in San Francisco.
Keep abreast of the latest LGBTQ political news by following the Political Notebook on Threads @ https://www.threads.net/@matthewbajko.
Got a tip on LGBTQ politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or email m.bajko@ebar.com.
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Seeing California launch a statewide LGBTQ commission was dashed by Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto pen.
Bill Wilson
Dyke march group to hold town halls << Community News
compiled by Cynthia Laird
Members of the San Francisco Dyke March interim steering committee are planning two town hall meetings to recruit leadership and fill board seats. The Dyke March hopes to regroup after this year’s official event was canceled, though some people still paraded through the streets the evening before the city’s Pride parade.
According to a news release, there hasn’t been an organized Dyke March, in the tradition of years past, since before the COVID pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped dykes from marching. The last of the organization’s previous leadership team stepped down in late June. The new steering committee began work geared toward securing the organization, and will host the town halls to welcome those wishing to collaborate among the dyke community, the release stated.
The goal is to bring back the longstanding traditions of dyke activism scheduled for Pride 2025. Next year’s San Francisco Pride festivities take place June 28-29.
The interim steering committee consists of chair Crystal Mason (they/them), an activist, cultural worker, and consultant; advisory board member Celestina Pearl (she/ella/meow), a queer femme dyke mixed race (Euro, Indigenous,
Chicana) visual and performance artist; advisory board member Ruth Villasenor (she/her/two-spirit), a Chircahua Apache and Mexican woman who’s been a longtime member of Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits; and project director M Rocket (she/they), a genderqueer dyke and an active member of the San Francisco leather dyke community.
The release stated that the group’s first order of business after setting up the basic organizational structure is to hold the town halls. They will take place Saturday, October 26, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Chan National Queer Arts Center, 170 Valencia Street; and Tuesday, November 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. at
the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market Street.
The release encourages all dykes interested in supporting the interim steering committee’s work to fill out a survey at https://tinyurl.com/2wm5w2j8. Those interested in serving on the advisory board can apply at https://tinyurl.com/ytmmbn79.
One Market to hold benefit for Queer LifeSpace
Get ready for a night of ghoulish glam and fabulous frights at One Market Restaurant’s SIZZLE: Drag Dinner Extravaganza, on Friday, October 4, at 1 Market Street, in partnership with Queer
LifeSpace. This Halloween-themed special edition of One Market’s SIZZLE series will not only deliver an exhilarating drag show but also support a vital cause – affordable mental health care for San Francisco’s LGBTQIA+ community, a news release stated.
Guests will savor a delectable fourcourse meal prepared by Chef Mark Dommen. Meanwhile, drag artist Bobby Friday and her fabulous queens will take the stage for an electrifying performance that promises high-energy fun. Reservations are available on OpenTable, with the dinner and show experience priced at $98 per person (ex cluding beverages, taxes, and gratuity). Don’t forget to bring cash for tipping the queens.
Shilts biographer in Bay Area
A new biography of the late gay reporter Randy Shilts will be published Oc tober 8, and author Michael Lee will be appearing at two Bay Area events.
Life and Times of Harvey Milk” (1982); “And the Band Played On” (1987), about the early years of the AIDS epidemic; and “Conduct Unbecoming” (1993), about gays in the military.
Shilts was the first out gay man to be hired at a major U.S. newspaper when he took a job at the San Francisco Chronicle. He was also the author of three books, “The Mayor of Castro Street: The
Shilts lived in San Francisco and moved to Guerneville in Sonoma County, where he died of AIDS-related complications in 1994 at the age of 42. Now, Lee has written his first book, “When the Band Played On: the Life of Randy Shilts, America’s Trailblazing Gay Journalist.” Lee visited multiple archives and interviewed over 70 sources. In San Francisco at an October 8 appearance at the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin Street, Lee will discuss his book with two of his sources, journalists Leah Garchik, a former longtime Chronicle columnist, and Randy Alfred, a gay man who is a co-founder of the San Francisco Bay Times. The event is free and takes place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center on the third floor. People can come early for a handson tour of the Randy Shilts Papers from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the SF History Center on the library’s sixth floor.
For more information, go to https:// tinyurl.com/2s3hkvvn
On Thursday, October 10, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Lee will discuss his book at New Technology High School, 920 Yount Street in Napa. The program is free and sponsored by Napa Valley College’s LGBT education program and the high school’s early college program.
“This is a great opportunity to meet an author and learn first-hand about some of the important history Randy Shilts witnessed and made right here in the Bay Area,” stated Greg Miraglia, Napa Valley College LGBT education coordinator. “We are excited about working with our early college program partners at New Technology High School.”
There will be a moderated discussion and an opportunity for questions. Copies of the book will be for sale at a discounted price of $27, a news release stated.
For more information, contact Miraglia at gmiraglia@napavalley.edu.
CA aging dept. releases preparedness guide
The California Department of Aging has released a new Emergency Preparedness Guide for older residents. Officials noted that there is no longer a single disaster season – a wildfire, earthquake, or flood can strike at any time and may result in an evacuation or shelter-in-place order. It’s especially important for older Californians, who may have specific needs, to have a plan and emergency supplies ready for these situations, a news release noted.
In addition to having emergency supplies, officials stated there are some additional, specific considerations for older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers to prepare for in emergencies or natural disasters. It’s things like making sure people have an extra pair of glasses, their assistive devices are labeled, and they have a seven-day supply of medication. This is in addition to general preparation like having nonperishable food, copies of important documents, and an emergency plan.
“This is a good time to equip yourself and start conversations with loved ones about emergency plans and how you can help,” stated CDA Director Susan DeMarois. “Older adults and people with disabilities often have unique needs. It’s important to plan for considerations like wheelchair-accessible transportation, extra eyeglasses and hearing aids, and how to keep medication cool during a power outage. Taking these steps now can help ensure safety and peace of mind when emergencies happen.”
For a copy of the new preparedness plan for older adults, go to https://tinyurl.com/ypd7f5b8 t
The SF Dyke March interim steering committee includes Ruth Villasenor, left, Celestina Pearl, M Rocket, and Crystal Mason.
Courtesy DM ISC
Trans multi-media artist Nonamey finds inspiration in Portland
by JL Odom
San Francisco has the first-ever Transgender District, the Office of Trans Initiatives, a designated month to honor trans history, and the status as a sanctuary city for trans and gendernonconforming people, but there’s another trans-embracing metropolis on the West Coast: Portland.
It’s where multimedia artist Nonamey calls home.
“It’s the city where I feel, in many ways, the safest to be myself, to express myself,” he said in a Zoom video call with the Bay Area Reporter.
Known for his cartoon-esque sculptures and installations using cardboard, acrylic, spray paint, and paper, Nonamey, who is trans and Two-Spirit and uses one name, is an observer of everyday life, drawn to people and their habits, material items and commonplace settings.
His work includes recreations of kitchens and other rooms, public spaces such as subway cars, and consumer objects like aerosol and soup cans, cigarette packs, mailboxes, and electronics.
“I’m fascinated by objects that humans interact with, that they find aesthetically pleasing, that they find mechanically useful. I want to recreate those objects and understand them.
Perhaps that’s the neurodivergent individual in me striving to understand fellow humanity. I understand a lot of people through the objects they surround themselves with,” Nonamey, 32, said.
His work has been shown in the Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles (June 2024), as part of the “Queer Kicks” group exhibition at Schlomer Haus Gallery in San Francisco (November-December 2023) and in the Museum of Museums in Seattle (April 2023).
“I’ve been all over the world with my art,” he said, “and Portland has continually felt the most creative and the most supportive.”
In the City of Roses, Nonamey’s been a featured artist at Gallery Go Go, the Dinolandia Museum, Mint Gallery, and, most recently, Brassworks Gallery, where he had a solo exhibition in June.
“For me, and for a lot of people that I know in the trans community, it’s been a real hub for artists,” he said about Brassworks.
Migration
From the Bad River and Lac du Flambeau Tribes, Nonamey was born in Wisconsin but spent the majority of his adolescence in northern New Mexico – namely Taos. He left the so-called Land of Enchantment at age 17.
“I decided small town life wasn’t for me, so I moved to Los Angeles,” he said.
After a 12-year stint in LA, he moved up the coast to Portland, where he’s lived for the past three years.
“Coming from a small town in America, even as progressive as Taos was, it had a lot of uncomfortabilities, a lot of pitfalls to be a queer person. So I really value what Portland is and what it’s been for me. It’s home. It’s absolutely my safe space.”
Nonamey resides in Portland with his two children and spouse, Stay Tuft, a trans and nonbinary multidisciplinary artist whose work includes tufted fiber pieces, painting, sculptures and street art installations.
Said Nonamey, “To be a queerpresenting, trans-presenting family, it’s important to be able to walk down the street and know that we are safe and there are allies around us. [Portland] feels like an ally city, where, if we’re not surrounded by trans people, we’re surrounded by a lot of people that would support us and keep an eye out for us.”
A thriving art community
Nonamey finds inspiration in the street art in the city – the graffiti, wheatpaste art and murals on buildings, signs, sidewalks, utility boxes, and other public structures and surfaces throughout its neighborhoods.
“I love finding a new piece that’s up along the Willamette [River] or along the train tracks or a train car and be like, ‘Oh, I know that person,’” he said.
Artists in the city, including Nonamey, often do “street art drops,” which involves making an in-the-moment decision to create a piece at a certain location.
“I’ve done a number where you just walk in on the street and you see something slightly out of place, or something that says, ‘Take me.’ That’s a way that a lot of artists communicate with one another,” he shared.
There’s in-person and in-proximity communication among the Portland art community as well. Nonamey is one of the 50-plus artists with a studio space in North Coast Seed Studios, located
in Portland’s Lower Albina neighborhood, near the Willamette River and a railway yard.
“We’re definitely a community here. We all look out for each other. We all kind of check in with each other. All the trans people know who the trans people are in the building,” he said.
During his interview with the B.A.R., Nonamey shared that he had spoken with a neighboring studio artist earlier that day: “I’ve just spent my morning, kind of salon style, talking with them about art and life, about being trans.”
The personal connection with fellow artists extends to mural collaborations and art openings, for which they come together outside of their studios.
“I’ve noticed that perhaps a lot of us, like in any community, we have our home life, we have our studio life, [which is] very solitary, but we yearn for each other in a way,” he said.
Nonamey’s own home and work lives overlap, as he creates his art within the same North Coast Seed studio space as his spouse.
“Sharing a studio with Nonamey feels like stepping into a comic bookstyle ‘choose your own adventure’ story. One day, I’m working beside a vibrantly painted subway car; the next, I’m immersed in a dreamy bedroom filled with nostalgic shapes and rad band posters. It’s a constantly evolving, inspiring space—alive with excitement and, of course, cardboard,” Stay Tuft wrote in an Instagram message to the B.A.R.
Nonamey’s also found opportunities to connect with other Pacific Northwest queer artists for projects. For the 2024 Bumbershoot Arts + Music Festival in Seattle, held August 31 and September 1, he created the installation, “This Mess We Have Made,” with Seattle-based trans artist Clyde Petersen.
“Working on doing this installation with Clyde has been kind of a dream. It’s really fun because we’re both friends, but we’ve never worked together, so this has been a really good opportunity to stretch those muscles and also build community,” he said.
The collaborative piece depicts a shipwreck, featuring a massive Krakenlike creature, the cause of the ship’s destruction, surging up out of a cement basin.
“It’s the biggest installation I’ve done in the Pacific Northwest, that’s for sure,” said Nonamey.
Petersen, 44, is also a musician in the indie rock band, Your Heart Breaks, and film director, whose work includes the stop-motion animated film “Torrey Pines” and the more recent “Even Hell Has Its Limits” (2023).
“I have been a fan of Nonamey’s art for a long time, and the opportunity to collaborate on an installation for Bumbershoot was the highlight of my year. I don’t always get to work with other trans artists, particularly trans artists who share an affinity for working in the medium of cardboard, so it was very special,” wrote Petersen in an email to the B.A.R.
Petersen envisions pairing up with Nonamey again for a future exhibition.
“I’m dreaming of a collaborative museum show with Nonamey and our fellow West Coast cardboard artist peer, the folksinger Phranc,” he commented.
Phranc, who uses one name, is an iconic Jewish lesbian musician with several albums under her belt, including “Folksinger” (1985), “I Enjoy Being a Girl” (1989) and “Goofyfoot” (1995). Based in Southern California, she explores queerness and gender expression in her songs and art. She did not respond to a request for comment.
Transitions
It was only a few years ago that Nonamey began to produce color pieces.
“I was doing black-and-white painted sculptures since [age] 17, so for about a decade,” he said.
Notably, the visual shift in his work took place at the same time he came out as trans.
“In the pandemic, I felt like color was my root. It was who I was as a queer person, I needed to introduce color; I needed to introduce life. I needed to introduce this next phase,” he shared.
Nonamey also found a new source of inspiration – mass-produced art – during that pivotal period, creating four large soup cans, each with the wording “familiar bullshit” painted on it. The pieces were a nod to a certain queer and legendary artist.
“[Andy] Warhol came up, and the Campbell soup can – you’ve seen it; you know it; you know it’s a Warhol screenprint. And it’s familiar bullshit. I wanted to play with that a little bit,” he said.
He incorporated the giant soup cans, situated in his kitchen, as his Zoom meeting backdrop.
“People liked them, and I thought, ‘Well, if they like this, I suppose I should just keep going and see what happens.’ So I continued to make more sculptures, and that was really my introduction to doing color,” recalled Nonamey.
Prioritizing trans, queer voices – including his own
On being a trans, Two-Spirit artist during a time of anti-trans legislation and rhetoric, Nonamey said, “I’m challenging the predominantly white cis art world by purely existing, by purely cre-
ating. … I’m maneuvering in a world that is not built for a trans individual, necessarily. So I’ve had to find a community to support me and individuals that are willing to step up for me and advocate for me.”
“But, most importantly, beyond all of that, is [that] I need to advocate for myself continually. I need to step up and say, ‘I’m here. My work is valid,’” he added.
Nonamey recollected his experience at the Other Art Fair in Brooklyn, New York in May 2023, where he was exhibiting an immersive installation shown in the backstage area of a drag show. The Other Art Fair, held annually in major cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, London, and Sydney, showcases independent, new and emerging artists and features live music and performances. At the 2023 Brooklyn OAF, Nonamey came across people with various perspectives on drag, some disparaging. But the majority of attendees spoke positively of the art form, and Nonamey recognized that it was these voices that mattered.
“I reminded myself of that – that, frequently, the volume that I have allowed to be loudest in my experience is from the trans, queer voice,” he said.
And when negative feedback is directed toward him about his personhood, or queer and gender themes in his art, he doesn’t pay such comments any mind.
“I’ve encountered a number of transphobic individuals, homophobic individuals that simply want to tell me that I shouldn’t be doing what I’m doing and that it’s offensive. I can receive that as information, but I don’t let myself absorb it,” said Nonamey.
Portland’s ongoing lure
Having lived in Portland for a few years now, Nonamey has certain goto spots, such as Doe Donuts + Ice Cream for their vegan treats and PDXCHANGE, a creative space where local artists can sell small pieces of work.
Favorite places aside, Portland continues to pose as ”mysterious” to Nonamey in that he wants to continue to learn more about it.
“There’s still something about this city – it has an underbelly that’s very exciting to me, that I’d like to explore,” he said. t
This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship lab through News is Out. The lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal.
Sculptures created by Nonamey resemble Krylon cans of spray paint.
Courtesy Nonamey
Nonamey sits in his studio surrounded by his art. At top and lower right are his take on Andy Warhol’s famous Campbell’s soup cans.
Courtesy Nonamey
California outlaws banning LGBTQ books from public libraries
by Matthew S. Bajko
California’s public libraries will no longer be able to pull books off the shelves because they talk about race or sexual orientation. And those receiving state funding will now be required to have a written policy governing how they add titles and remove titles from their collections.
It is due to Governor Gavin Newsom signing into law on Sunday, September 29, Assembly Bill 1825 by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance). Known as the California Freedom to Read Act, the legislation takes effect January 1 and does not apply to libraries at public schools.
It prevents other public libraries in the state from removing books from their collections or banning the purchase of new books related to subject matters like LGBTQ and race. Books also can’t be banned “because of the views, ideas, or opinions contained in materials,” per the legislation.
“Our freedom to read is a cornerstone of our democracy. Unfortunately, there is a growing movement to ban books across the country, including in California,” noted Muratsuchi. “Book banning proponents are disproportionately targeting materials containing the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQ and communities of color. We need to fight this movement to ensure that Californians have access to books that offer diverse perspectives from people of all backgrounds, ideas, and beliefs.”
AB 1825 will hamstring officials in Fresno County who have been attempting to remove books deemed not
<< Businesses
From page 7
as a success story of Breed’s First Year Free program, which waives the cost of initial registration, license, and firstyear permit fees for businesses.
“We say we support our small businesses, but we’ve made it hard for them to do business,” Breed said at the ribbon-cutting event. “My office of economic and workforce development has been an important part of making the investments necessary to get to yes.”
Taboo also received an SF Shines grant and a Storefront Opportunity Grant. It’s Ismael De Luna’s second business on the same block, as De Luna also owns Healing Cuts at 2350 Market Street.
suitable for children from the children’s sections of their local libraries and place them in areas where only parents can access them. The county had created a committee tasked with reviewing what books are on the shelves of its library system and was waiting to see if Muratsuchi’s bill would become law.
Due to its enactment, every public library jurisdiction that directly receives any state funding must adopt a written and publicly accessible collection development policy for its libraries by January 1, 2026. Per AB 1825, the policies will guide the selection and deselection of library materials, and establish a process for community members to share their concerns regarding library materials and request materials be reconsidered for inclusion in the library’s collection. The policies are to be sent to the state
De Luna, who co-owns Taboo, told the B.A.R. in a phone interview that “the concept started literally about a year ago. There was a vision that is lovely, and we put the idea to paper and going through the process.”
That concept is a salon that provides hair services, manicures, pedicures, and waxing among other services. The basic facial goes for $30.
“In other words, from head to toes,” he said. “Thank you to London Breed for supporting all these new projects that help keep us in San Francisco providing the services we provide.”
De Luna, who said he is LGBTQ+, made it a point that he’s open to hiring LGBTQ people and immigrants such as himself.
“We actually are very supportive when it comes to asylum seekers, or people from other countries com-
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librarian. That office is to oversee the provision of technical assistance to public libraries in developing their collection development policies.
“Libraries play a special role in the public’s civic education and the free exchange of diverse ideas and information. Over the past year, more than 3,000 books have been banned in libraries across America,” noted American Civil Liberties Union California Action. “These books disproportionately feature stories about LGBTQ+ communities, people of color, and historically marginalized communities. Book bans to this effect are not only discriminatory – they are a violation of people’s First Amendment right to access information.”
As for LGBTQ college students in California, they will be receiving added protections due to Newsom signing
ing for a better life, in search of the American dream,” he said.
Taboo is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., De Luna said.
Like Solidcore, Epicurean Trader at 2240 Market Street is not only a bit down Market Street from Castro Street but also has a number of other locations. Co-owner Holly McDell is one half of a husband-and-wife duo whose first store opened up in Bernal Heights nine years ago. Epicurean Trader has five locations, including its newest in the Castro, which opened late June, she told the B.A.R.
Epicurean Trader is touting its breakfast sandwich options, selections of wines and cheeses, and a forthcoming smoothie bar. It opens at 6:30 a.m. weekdays.
Asked September 25 how business is doing, McDell said, “We didn’t put any marketing into our operation because our building permits got delayed, so it’s been a little slower, but we are going to do a grand opening next month with neighborhood merchants and promote it a lot more.”
The store is also going to launch a wine happy hour with cheese and charcuterie plates in hopes of becoming “a place people can stop by after work,” she said.
Epicurean Trader serves Tartine pastries and Wisesons bagels already, she said. There’s a parklet where people can eat outside the store.
Sniff and Go, a dog-walking business, opened at 2338 Market Street, next to Beaux. Its owner didn’t return a request for comment.
It’s not all openings in the Castro, either, as the Spanish and Mexican restaurant Copas closed quietly last spring at 2223 Market Street. The liquor license was transferred back to its owner.
Surviving the tough San Francisco business climate can be rewarding for those who make it long-term; case in point is Sui Generis at 2231 Market Street, which is celebrating its 18th anniversary this weekend.
For the occasion, the consignment store will be providing an 18% discount October 4 through October
on September 23 Senate Bill 1491 by lesbian state Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton). It requires the California Student Aid Commission to provide, beginning with the 2026-27 school year, written notice to college students who receive state financial aid if their postsecondary educational institution has an exemption from either the Equity in Higher Education Act or Title IX on file with the commission.
Often religious-based colleges will seek exemptions in order not to comply with providing protections covered by the rules to LGBTQ students on their campuses. The state commission currently is only required to post which schools have exemptions online.
For state-run colleges and universities, they now need to designate a confidential point of contact on their campus for lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, pansexual, transgender, gendernonconforming, intersex and two-spirit faculty, staff, and students. The bill had been amended to remove having the Legislative Analyst’s Office audit the state’s community colleges and four-year colleges and universities with respect to the quality of life for their LGBTQ students, faculty and staff.
The bills are part of a quintet taking effect that protect LGBTQ youth. Over the summer Newsom signed into law AB 1955 by gay state Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego) that bans school districts from outing trans youth without their permission to their parents unless doing so is needed to protect their mental health.
September 14 Newsom signed into law AB 2477 by gay Assemblymember
Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) that updates state law to clarify that young adults can accumulate cash savings while in foster care, many of whom are LGBTQ. As the B.A.R. reported online September 21, it specifically allows foster youth to save upward of $10,000 without losing their existing benefits or triggering redetermination of eligibility.
Newsom also signed on September 27 AB 2906, which prevents California’s counties from secretly intercepting foster youth’s Social Security survivor benefits. Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) authored it after seeing Newsom veto a similar bill in 2023 that included both Social Security survivor and disability benefits.
“For some of California’s foster children, having access to these previously pilfered assets may be the difference between aging out of care into homelessness or with a roof over their heads,” stated Amy Harfeld, national policy director at the Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law. “We are grateful for Governor Newsom placing California among the growing number of states that are acting to end this shameful practice while helping address California’s homeless challenge to boot.”
For the second year in a row due to its price tag, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have given out free condoms to public high school students. Author lesbian state Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley) and backers of SB 954 blasted the governor for doing so after they secured $5 million over three years for it in this year’s budget bill, as the B.A.R. reported online September 26. t
6, according to gay co-founder and owner Miguel Lopez.
“We started very small in the neighborhood … back on Church Street,” he said. “I thank the neighborhood for its support throughout the years.”
Lopez said his store has been at its current location since 2011 and that in the past year, “I’ve noticed it picking up in this area with Bar 49 and Fisch and Flore,” he said, referring to the restaurant that opened in the old Cafe Flore space at 2298 Market Street in April.
Lopez said his store’s focus on recycled fashion fills “a niche needed in this economy” – and like Solidcore and other businesses in this report, his business is seeking to align with the values of the community and the city.
“It’s really nice to still offer a service needed by the community,” he said. “We live in San Francisco, one of the most green cities in the whole country. The city has always supported sustainability.” t
Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation preventing public libraries in California from banning books due to their LGBTQ content.
Bill Wilson
Taboo’s co-owner Ismael De Luna, left, welcomed San Francisco Mayor London Breed to the grand opening of his Castro location September 21.
Steven Underhill
Hi Tops co-manager Colm O’Brien has opened Bar 49 at 2295 Market Street.
John Ferrannini
by Matthew S. Bajko
In a late-night veto message Friday, September 27, Governor Gavin Newsom torpedoed a plan to have various medical boards in California expedite the medical licensure of out-of-state doctors who provide gender-affirming care. It came as a surprise decision considering the governor had declared the Golden State to be a trans refuge in light of other states adopting laws in recent years restricting their trans residents’ health care services.
As such, gay Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) had authored Assembly Bill 2442, the Increasing Access to Gender-Affirming Care bill. He had done so with an eye toward ensuring California had “a robust network of providers” to care for out-of-state transgender, gender diverse and intersex (TGI) patients coming to the Golden State because the gender-affirming health care they need is now banned in their home state.
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California had been among the bill’s co-sponsors. The nonprofit health care provider offers gender-affirming care to more than ten thousand patients annually in California.
In pressing for the enactment of AB 2442, the statewide affiliate’s CEO and President, Jodi Hicks, had said it would help the agency “better meet the needs of TGI individuals by ensuring the health care provider workforce is equipped with providers across California that are trained and prepared to provide comprehensive and equitable gender-affirming care to those who seek it in our state.”
Yet Newsom expressed concern
about the “aggregate effect” of allowing for the expedited issuance of medical licenses by California regulatory agencies to doctors from other states.
“As the number of applicants who qualify for expedited licensure grows through legislation, the benefits of mandated prioritization may start to diminish, at the expense of potential negative impacts to other applicants. Additionally, the increase in staff needed to ensure expedited applications may lead to licensing fee increases,” wrote Newsom in his veto message.
It was why he also vetoed Sen-
ate Bill 1067 by state Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles). It would have required the Board of Behavioral Sciences, the Board of Registered Nursing, the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians of the State of California, the California State Board of Pharmacy, the Dental Board of California, the Dental Hygiene Board of California, the Podiatric Medical Board of California, and the Physician Assistant Board to expedite licensing for practitioners in parts of the state that are medically underserved or experiencing a health professional shortage.
“It would be prudent to allow time for the current expedited licensure processes to continue so that we can gather data on their effectiveness,” wrote Newsom. “This will allow the state to be well informed on the efficacy of this practice before pursuing additional frameworks for expedited licensure and confirm these processes do not lead to unintended consequences on the broader healthcare workforce.”
In a statement September 28 Hicks said her agency was “deeply disappointed” by Newsom’s decision.
“Across the country, bodily autonomy and trans health care is under attack and the need to protect and expand access to life-saving, genderaffirming care has never been more urgent,” stated Hicks. “Transgender individuals deserve equal access to the care they need, and this bill would have been a significant step towards ensuring there are providers trained and ready in California to serve them.”
In the same release issued by statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality California, which Zbur formerly had led, he also stated that he was “deeply disappointed” by the governor’s noting signing AB 2442 into law. He called it “a critical bill aimed at expanding access to gender-affirming care by expediting medical licensures.”
At the same time, Zbur stated that he respected Newsom’s commitment to health care equity and looks forward to working with him on bolstering and supporting health care practitioners so trans patients are receiving the care they need. Doing so is critical “because gender-affirming healthcare is scarce and under attack,” noted Zbur.
“The inability of TGI people to
access medically necessary health care due to a lack of providers and resources is not just troubling – it’s a crisis,” he stated. “Transgender individuals and their loved ones outside California are increasingly criminalized by their home states, with their care often banned due to the harmful misinformation propagated by MAGA-led legislatures. This tragic reality is driving many to seek refuge in California, which stands as a beacon of hope for so many.”
EQCA Executive Director Tony Hoang, a gay man, also decried the gubernatorial nixing of AB 2442 since it would have “provided a commonsense solution” to address the needs of out-of-state trans patients coming to the Golden State for their health care.
“As more states enact draconian healthcare bans, California has seen an influx in transgender youth and their families traveling to our state seeking such care and resources. Understandably, this has strained an already overburdened provider network in California,” noted Hoang. It was the second gubernatorial veto in recent days of legislation that had been prioritized by LGBTQ lawmakers and their allies. As he had done last year with a similar bill, Newsom again vetoed legislation that would have given out free condoms to public high school students. He once again specified the legislation’s high price tag to implement as his reasoning for doing so. Yet bill author lesbian state Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley) and backers of SB 954 blasted the governor for vetoing it after they secured $5 million over three years for it in this year’s budget bill, as the B.A.R. reported online September 26. t
Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed legislation to expedite the licensing of doctors who treat transgender patients.
Jane Philomen Cleland
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“Today is a personal and emotional victory. And, it is a triumph for the many Californians who have been denied a path towards family-building because of the financial barriers that come with fertility treatment, their relationship status, or are blatantly discriminated against as a member of the LGBTQ+ community,” stated Menjivar. “When attacks on reproductive rights are occurring across the nation, Governor Newsom stood on the right side of history by expanding coverage for approximately 9 million Californians, including LGBTQ+ folks who were previously withheld equal opportunity to become parents under an archaic law that erased their rights.”
It requires the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, also known as the Knox-Keene Act, be updated so that IVF is added to the list of infertility treatments most health insurance policies in California are required to cover. When it was enacted, IVF was not included.
According to RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, 14 states and the District of Columbia already require insurers to cover IVF, according to a map it last updated in June.
“RESOLVE is thrilled for Californians who now have a chance at accessing needed medical care to grow their family. What Governor Newsom showed with his signature is what America supports – 86% of people surveyed support IVF access,” stated Barb Collura, president and CEO of the association. “Greater access to family building care is now a reality in California and this action sends a powerful message to lawmakers across the country.”
… while there were the usual street artisans selling their wares, a carnival spirit flowed thru the crowd that was so full of warmth that even one bad incident which took place could not dampen it.”
That “bad incident” was “an attempted robbery which ended up in a shoot-out early in the day,” Milk wrote. The report made sure to point out it dampened the mood only for “a while.”
“Senator Milton Marks may have summed it up when he said: ‘I like what you people have done here on Castro Street.’ It was a great party,” Milk wrote. (Marks, a longtime straight ally and then a Republican, represented San Francisco in the state Senate from 1967 to 1996, when term limits forced him to retire. He became a Democrat in 1986 and died in 1998.)
People entering this year’s event will be asked to donate $10-$20,though not
With IVF a controversial issue in this year’s presidential and congressional races, and GOP members of the U.S. Senate repeatedly voting against bills supportive of the procedure, Newsom weighed in on the issue with a bill signing letter released September 29.
“California is a reproductive freedom state. As a national leader for increasing access to reproductive health care and protecting patients and providers, including those under assault in other states, I want to be clear that the right to fertility care and IVF is protected in California,” wrote Newsom. “In many other states, this is not the case. I wholeheartedly agree that starting a family should be attainable for those who dream to have a child – inclusive of LGBTQ+ families.”
LGBTQ family service provider Our Family Coalition had pressed for the enactment of SB 729, which will apply to insurance plans as of July 1, 2025 except for those offered by religious employers. It was one of the many advocacy groups calling on Newsom to sign the bill.
“We are very pleased to learn that Governor Newsom has taken the first step in making California more inclusive for LGBTQ families. It has been a long two years, but well worth the wait, thank you Senator Menjivar for leading the way!” stated Mimi Demissew, who has a young son with her wife and is executive director of the San Franciscobased agency.
Tony Hoang, a gay man who is executive director of statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality California, hailed both Newsom and Menjivar in seeing the bill become law.
“With Governor Newsom’s signature, an estimated 10 million Californians will now have access to the full spectrum
necessarily in cash, as the board has acquired a mobile device that can charge a credit or debit card or accept payment via cellphone.
“Because it is a milestone year, we want to encourage people to donate as much as they can,” Lopez said. “The board works really hard throughout the year, and everyone on site works really hard to bring a safe and enjoyable experience to folks.”
People can also help out by buying merchandise – shirts and other items are being sold at Local Take, 4122 18th Street; Lopez said proceeds “will go directly to produce next year’s fair and cover this year’s costs, help us remain sustainable.”
Lopez said that Serge Gay Jr., a prolific gay artist who has several murals about the Castro, (https://www.ebar.com/story.php?ch=news&id=327012) designed the shirts.
“His work is fantastic,” Lopez said. “We’re really, really pleased.”
Gay’s design features a moviehouse
of fertility and infertility services, including IVF, and be given the opportunity to become a parent regardless of sexual orientation or relationship status,” stated Hoang. “This tremendous achievement would not have been possible without the leadership of Senator Menjivar, and we extend our enormous gratitude to her for never backing down in the fight for equitable access to reproductive health care for LGBTQ+ and all Californians.”
Newsom signs HIV, LGBTQ health bills
In recent days Newsom also signed into law several bills relating to HIV and LGBTQ health concerns.
After vetoing a similar bill last year, Newsom on September 27 signed into law gay Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur’s (D-Hollywood) AB 2258, which goes into effect January 1. It codifies longstanding federal guidance that health plans and insurers must cover services that are integral to providing recommended preventive care. Thus, insurers will now need to provide without cost sharing ancillary and support services for PrEP, the HIV prevention medication, including screening for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
“Everyone deserves access to preventive care that includes birth control, services that support PrEP & PEP, and other STI screenings WITHOUT costsharing,” Zbur had argued for why the bill was needed.
But Newsom on Saturday, September 28, vetoed SB 966 authored by gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). It would have reined in exploitative practices of pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs), which have been accused of being major contributors to the skyrock-
marquee with a group of queer people hanging out on a fire escape. He stated to the B.A.R., “I am very honored to be part of the 50th anniversary this year. To create something that represents our past and our shining present. To capture our strength, togetherness, and our growing diverse community that reflects all of us in the Castro District.”
Fair footprint
The fair will be closing Market Street from Noe to Castro streets, Castro Street from Market to 19th streets, 18th Street from Diamond to Noe streets, and 17th Street from Castro to Noe streets. The footprint was expanded last year, as the B.A.R. reported.
“The footprint is what many would say is a classic set up – Market and Castro and along 18th Street,” Lopez said. “We’re really glad to be doing that. I think a big change this year is the addition of the Queer AF stage on Castro between 18th and 19th, which [as] you might remember, was Harvey
eting cost of prescription drugs. Wiener had called for PBMs to be required to apply for a license to operate from the Department of Insurance no later than January 1, 2027. Among its various reporting requirements, some of which were to be kept confidential, would have had PBMs disclose to the state agency the fees they receive and how they calculate them.
The legislation came as Congress investigates PBMs and the Federal Trade Commission is suing the three largest such companies – Caremark Rx, Express Scripts (ESI), and OptumRx – and their affiliated group purchasing organizations for allegedly inflating insulin prices.
Last month, in calling on Newsom to sign his bill, Wiener held a news conference in San Francisco that included two HIV patients who have been negatively impacted by the practices of PBMs. He hailed its becoming law
“PBMs are driving up health care costs, destroying neighborhood pharmacies, and preventing Californians from receiving health care at their local pharmacies. Today’s veto is a huge missed opportunity to control prescription drug costs and protect consumers from predatory behavior by PBMs,” stated Wiener.
Sunday, September 22, Newsom signed SB 1333 by lesbian state Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) requiring state and local health department employees and contractors to annually sign confidentiality agreements prior to accessing confidential HIV-related public health records. Currently, they just sign it once then the state or local health department is to yearly review the agreements.
The bill also authorizes disclosure to
Milk’s original Castro camera shop. They are presenting a really great lineup of 1970s-inspired entertainment throughout the day.”
Queer Arts Featured, a gallery space located inside Milk’s old shop at 575 Castro Street, didn’t return a request for comment by press time.
Lopez said there aren’t outdoor alcohol sales.
“During the fair, attendees can purchase and enjoy beverages at their favorite local bars, similar to other weekends in the Castro,” he stated, and “attendees can visit local bars during the Castro Street Fair, and the usual rules around adult beverages remain.
The fair is encouraging attendees to patronize the merchants and bars and restaurants of the Castro.”
A spokesperson for the office of Mayor London Breed stated to the B.A.R. October 1 that, “My understanding is bars selling alcohol to be consumed outdoors is not permitted in SF unless there is an approved and per-
OKELL’S
other local, state, or federal public health agencies or to medical researchers when confidential information is necessary for the coordination of, linkage to, or reengagement in care for the person. It takes effect January 1.
Eggman authored it to address issues that came up during the mpox outbreak, where state confidentiality laws prevented health providers from noting in patient records if someone who contracted mpox was also HIV positive, thus potentially impacting the care the person needed. It has also been an issue with people living with HIV who have other comorbidities, such as other STIs or tuberculosis.
As the B.A.R. previously reported, Newsom in the summer signed SB 1278 by gay state Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) that requires California to officially recognize December 1 as World AIDS Day in perpetuity beginning in 2025.
One bill calling for California health officials to create an online resource for TGI patients got shelved on August 27. Menjivar pulled her SB 959 since the state went ahead and launched such a website, as the B.A.R. first reported online August 28.
And in a late-night veto message September 27, Newsom vetoed Zbur’s AB 2442 that would have required various medical boards in California expedite the licensure of out-of-state doctors who provide gender-affirming care. It came as a surprise since, two years ago, Newsom had declared the Golden State a trans refuge for residents of states that have restricted their trans residents’ health care services, as the B.A.R. noted in an online story about his vetoing two bills that called for expedited medical licensure. t
mitted Entertainment Zone that they are within. Oktoberfest on Front Street is a good example.”
Oktoberfest, which took place September 20, was the first entertainment zone event in the Golden State’s history. Alcohol for outdoor consumption within the zone was allowed under Senate Bill 76, legislation introduced by gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), a Castro resident.
The recent Folsom Street Fair had a hybrid permit that allowed attendees to roam the fairgrounds with alcoholic beverages.
When reached by email, a spokesperson for the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control stated to the B.A.R. October 1, “ABC has not received any applications or permit requests for this event on the 6th.”
The San Francisco Police Department didn’t return a request for comment.
LGBTQ History Month >>
US medical archive adds trans clinic website
by Matthew S. Bajko
Anational repository for historic medical information has added the website of a San Francisco health clinic focused on transgender patients to its collection. It is part of the newly created Sexual and Gender Minority Health web archive that is gathering LGBTQ health resources to preserve them in perpetuity.
The Gender Confirmation Center learned during Pride Month in June that the U.S. National Library of Medicine, which is based in Bethesda, Maryland, had selected its website for inclusion in its historical collections of online content. It came as a complete surprise to the health clinic’s staff and its founder, Dr. Scott Mosser.
An email appeared in the clinic’s inbox June 24 from Caitlin Sullivan, who is part of the federal medical library’s web collecting and archiving working group. She wrote to inform the clinic staff that her committee had selected to archive the https://www.genderconfirmation.com/ URL as part of its mission “to collect, preserve, and make available to the public materials that provide information in medicine and public health, and document their histories.”
Mosser, 54, a straight ally, told the Bay Area Reporter that at first, he thought it was spam.
“It was a very simple email, just two or three short paragraphs, and it came to me. I thought it was a scam email,” Mosser acknowledged during a recent interview. “I had to do my own independent search on the website to ensure, in fact, it was true and had happened.”
When he first launched the clinic’s website in 2012, Mosser said he never imagined it would receive such recognition as becoming a part of the National Library of Medicine’s archives. He and his colleagues at the time created it to address what they saw as a critical lack of credible health information for not only their own patients but also anyone contemplating gender-affirming care.
“I wanted patients to be able to walk into an office anywhere and have a very intelligent conversation with surgeons about their goals, what surgery can accomplish, and about the options available to them based on their body type and risks. These things are empowering for patients to come into a conversation with as a real participant,” said Mosser. “That was the spirit of the website, speaking directly to individuals facing a significant lack of information for good decisionmaking. I never thought it would get noticed in any significant way.”
The National Library of Medicine launched its Sexual and Gender Minority Health web archive on June 27 of this year in order to preserve LGBTQ
health information provided by federal websites, nonprofit and advocacy websites, resources from sexual and gender minority (SGM) health clinics in the U.S., blogs, and other digital formats, as Sullivan noted in a blog post about its creation. She explained that SGM populations, as defined by the National Institutes of Health, include, but are not limited to, individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, transgender, Two-Spirit, queer, and/or intersex. The SGM acronym also covers individuals with same-sex or -gender attractions or behaviors and those with a difference in sex development, noted Sullivan.
“This new collection is intended to document the evolving landscape of federal, non-profit, and communityled organizations engaged in research, delivery of care, and support for sexual and gender minority health at a national level,” she wrote.
For the purposes of its website archives, the NLM will make a record of the contents of a specific URL at one point in time. Going forward, it annually makes a record of that URL to document any changes that have been made to its contents. To do so, it uses the tool called Archive-It built by the San Francisco-based Internet Archive, which has created its own, vast digital collection of the World Wide Web.
“It is not a one-and-done kind of thing. We are collecting over time,” said Christie Moffatt, an archivist who works in the federal medical library’s Collection Development Program with its User Services and Collection Division.
Historical record of current time
With Sullivan currently on parental leave, the B.A.R. spoke with Moffatt, a straight ally who has chaired the NLM Web Collecting and Archiving Working Group since 2011. She joined the library in 2001 and has been focused on web archiving since 2009. The federal medical library’s LGBTQ-specific web archive builds on its nearly 20 thematic web archives collections, such as the one focused on HIV and AIDS created in 2016.
“Social sites and websites are the primary historical record of this current time. Future researchers who want to look back to 2024, or whatever year, will want access to web and social media of this time for various topics,” said Moffatt. “Historians of the distant past use photos, diaries, correspondence. For historians of this time, web and social media are a really important part of the primary historical record.”
Local video artist and filmmaker Texas Starr, a trans guy who chairs the
advisory board for the San Francisco Public Library’s James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center, said as long as patient information is kept anonymous and safe from disclosure, he applauds the efforts to preserve trans-focused health websites. He has been helping the Hormel center reach out to the local transgender community about the importance of preserving their own personal records and ephemera, which one day they could decide to donate to an LGBTQ historical collection.
While familiar with the Gender Confirmation Center, Starr was unaware about the federal archiving of its website until asked about it by the B.A.R.
“They are very well respected,” said Starr of the health clinic. “I think it is fantastic there is a health archive that is specific to trans people for medical professionals that want to learn about best practices for trans care.”
Other sites archived
Among the inaugural group of 55 websites now part of the Sexual and Gender Minority Health web archive that Moffatt highlighted are the digital homes for the National Coalition for LGBTQ Health at https://healthlgbtq.org/; the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association at https://www.glma.org/; the National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Addiction Professionals at https://nalgap.org/; and the National LGBT Cancer Network at https://cancernetwork.org/. In time additional websites will be added to the collection, which also currently features 15 blog sites, five news articles, and a fact sheet about the actions the Biden administration outlined last year it was taking to protect LGBTQI+ communities.
The archive is meant to capture what LGBTQ health information is being circulated at a given time. It could later
Celebrating future LGBTQ museum site
prove to be inaccurate, but that doesn’t negate its being part of the historical record, noted Moffatt.
“This collection is not if you were looking for current health information. We have other resources, other authoritative sources at NLM for health information,” she said. “This is looking at it from a cultural perspective and the change in discourse over time. So we have to be clear we are not endorsing, we are not reviewing to make sure the information is accurate.”
The archival working group looks for websites with “high informational value,” explained Moffatt. They gravitate toward sites that delve deeply and widely into a topic, present underrepresented resources and perspectives, and will address gaps in its collection.
“Looking at the Gender Confirmation Center, it ranked high on all these things,’ said Moffatt, noting that its website “was a standout, so we include it in the collection.”
According to Moffatt, the Gender Confirmation Center website was selected for the SGM archive for various reasons. The selection committee took note of its team of medical advocates clearly listed on it, the broad number of topics with in-depth information provided about each, and the focus on support for youth and adolescents.
“As president of the Gender Confirmation Center, we hope to provide the
Thomas
V.
important information for our patients and potential patients to stay informed in their journey in gender affirmation care,” stated Julianne Shirey. “We believe our center is at the forefront of providing transformational care for the transgender community.”
With health care for gender-nonconforming individuals, particularly youth, under attack by Republican lawmakers and conservative groups, Moffatt explained to the B.A.R. that the NLM isn’t wading into those political debates with the launch of its SGM archive. Its purpose is to protect the information on the URLs it collects from being lost to medical historians and others.
“The selection is not an endorsement of the site but just really part of a larger goal to build a collection for future historical research that will allow historians to look at the discourse on a topic. In this case, from 2024 and beyond,” said Moffatt.
Growing up in Phoenix, Arizona, as a nerdy and physically short kid until he shot up in his teens, Mosser said he can empathize with his patients’ feeling socially marginalized. After graduating Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in 1997, he moved to several cities he didn’t feel at home in until relocating to San Francisco in 2004 for a cosmetic surgery fellowship with the late face lift surgeon Jack Owsley.
Halloran General Manager
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Dr. Scott Mosser is founder of the Gender Confirmation Center, based in San Francisco.
Courtesy Dr. Scott Mosser
An image from the Gender Confirmation Center’s website shows body masculinization.
Bill Wilson
All in for the fair
Fair organizers are excited about this year’s edition.
“The Castro Street Fair has not only been a beacon of hope and celebration for the LGBTQ+ community but also a substantial contributor to the local economy,” stated Jenn Meyer, a straight ally who owns Local Take and is president of the fair’s board.
“Last year, the fair generated an estimated $8 million in total visitor impact, benefiting retail, dining, and hotels significantly,” she stated. “This year, we aim to surpass previous records, both in terms of attendance and community support.”
The fair will be contributing proceeds to Buen Dia Family School, the Imperial Council of San Francisco, Most Holy Redeemer, Maitri, and the UCSF Alliance Health Project. It has raised a total of $1.6 million for community organizations over the years, according to a news release.
Terry Asten Bennett, a straight ally who is the president of the Castro Merchants Association and the co-owner of Cliff’s Variety at 479 Castro Street, is also happy for the neighborhood’s big weekend. The last year has seen a number of openings and reopenings of Castro-area businesses. (See related story, page 1.)
“We are very excited to see the Castro Street Fair celebrate its 50th anniversary,” Asten Bennett stated. “It is always amazing when we get to see our community come together for celebrations and fun.
October will be a very busy month in the Castro, and I can’t think of a better way to kick it all off.”
Among those events will be the inaugural Castro Night Market on October 18, as the B.A.R. previously reported.
Also delighted is Andrea Aiello, a lesbian who leads the Castro Community Benefit District.
“Congratulations to the Castro Street
“San Francisco was my last-ditch effort. If I couldn’t be happy in San Francisco then I was the problem. I am happy to report two weeks in this city and it was amazing,” said Mosser, who opened his own successful cosmetic surgery practice in 2005.
Four years later a trans gentleman sought him out to have a chest surgery. Word began to spread, and soon another 10 trans patients came in seeking his help with their gender transitions. It led him to create the clinic’s website in order, said Mosser, “to get serious about fixing the information deficit and serving the community.”
The website is free for anyone to use and not monetized, he told the B.A.R. It does make it easy for trans patients to seek out care from the clinic, which has solely focused on gender-affirming care since 2017. Due to the growth in demand, the clinic now employs three surgeons in addition to Mosser, who has a nine-month backlog in being able to perform surgery on his patients.
“The word is out that the other sur-
But there will be enforcement consisting of progressive penalties such as warnings and citations, she added, even the possibility of arrest. “The goal is not punishment,” she stated, “it is compliance.”
The reality is that almost nothing can make a person accept a shelter bed or treatment if they don’t want to. San Francisco needs to ramp up its Mental Health SF program, which includes crisis response teams and other programs.
The San Francisco Standard reported in August that the number of homeless people suffering from mental illness shot up this year, according to the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing.
And the city has allocated $50 million over the next two years to expand shelter
fair and happy 50th,” she stated. “Started in 1974 by Harvey Milk to promote the Castro’s gay businesses, today, the Castro Street Fair is just about the most fun street fair around and certainly the gayest. Come out on Sunday and celebrate 50 years with your friends and community.”
TJ Bruce, the manager and partowner of San Francisco Badlands in the Castro, stated to the B.A.R. September 24 that the nightlife world is ready, too.
Badlands reopened in October 2023 after a three-year closure, albeit after last year’s fair. He was also looking forward to the leather and kink Folsom Street Fair that took place September 29.
“Badlands is very excited for both Folsom weekend and Castro Street Fair as it’s our first in many years,” Bruce said. “Looking forward to a safe and very festive couple weekends.”
Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman stated that this year’s Castro event comes at a prodigious time for the neighborhood. He stated to the B.A.R. just hours after an event commemorat-
geon’s provide outstanding levels of surgical results and have the same transgender health care competence. Their schedules are certainly filling up,” he said.
They are also constantly updating the center’s website with the latest developments in gender-affirming care. As word choices have changed and new treatments or surgeries come on line, Mosser said they make sure to reflect those advancements on the site. (Archival versions of it over the years have been preserved by the Internet Archive.)
“We were gratified many, many patients came in thanking us for the content on the website. In our opinion that was the end goal, to deliver this to the actual individual seeking and thinking about surgery,” said Mosser. “We are kind of blown away that it was then noticed as an important resource by the National Library of Medicine and potentially will persist as a tool and a reference point for others down the road.”
One aspect of the center’s website Mosser is most proud of is how it takes a body positive focus and breaks down surgery options based on one’s body type. He pointed as an example the in-depth information it has on female-
and housing for homeless families, the outlet reported.
Then there’s the drug overdose crisis.
Last year, the city saw 806 people die of overdose deaths in San Francisco. The situation looks to be better this year. A San Francisco Chronicle analysis shows 462 people have died of overdose deaths so far this year, putting the city on pace for a total of 693 by the end of the year.
“Fortunately, we’re seeing a decline in the number of overdose deaths,” Breed told us during a Zoom interview. “Tragically, San Francisco is known as a bit of a destination.” She added that solutions aren’t “one size fits all,” which is true. The city has abstinence-based treatment programs that have led to treatment and housing, like Her House, the mayor said.
She’s looking for more support from the state and federal government, like California’s Proposition 1 bond measure that
hood event for our community.
“We have a lot of fun (and our audience does too!) when we march down the middle of the street and perform from within the crowd as we move around the fair,” Wong continued. “We’re planning to open the performance on stage for a 45-minute set, followed by roaming performances during the fair.”
Pep squad CheerSF will also be periodically performing, at Castro and 18th streets.
“CheerSF is thrilled to celebrate our community at Castro Street Fair,” stated Alice Liu Jensen, CheerSF’s events manager. “We’ll be performing our signature high flying stunts and shaking our pompoms at the corner of 18th and Castro at 1 p.m., 2:30, 3:30, and 4:30. This year we are thrilled to raise funds for the Huckleberry Youth Programs, which offers 24-hour crisis services, health care and emergency shelter, career training and college access programs for high-need youth and young adults from ages 11 to 24.”
ing a future LGBTQ history museum on Market Street that, “It’s a season of great things happening in the Castro and an especially auspicious time to celebrate the Castro Street Fair’s 50th!”
“The Castro Street Fair is one of my very favorite events each year,” he added. “For a half century the fair has been an opportunity for the Castro and queer communities to get out, see and be seen, and support our local businesses.”
Mainstays
Several community mainstays will be making a return this year, including the San Francisco Pride Band, the city’s official band, which will be performing at 18th and Collingwood streets at 11:30 a.m. The band, formerly the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band, will be going throughout the footprint to perform periodically throughout the day.
Mike Wong, artistic director for marching and pep bands, stated to the B.A.R., “We love performing in the Castro Street Fair as an engaging neighbor-
to-male top surgeries, (https://www. genderconfirmation.com/ftm-topsurgery-options/) with illustrations of the scarring and end result a patient can expect.
“It is also open to all options regardless of gender identity, so it respects an expansive perspective regarding the gender journey. Those things we are very proud of and seem to be very well received,” said Mosser.
They make weekly minor updates to the website, while more extensive updates come about every five months, noted Mosser. There is always new information to upload, he added, which is read and edited by multiple people at the health clinic.
“The trans community is fantastic in that they help us to continue to improve our website. They are reading our website carefully to see if it does need to change and improve,” said Mosser. “If something comes up or something is outdated, I love getting those notifications. It is always respectful and gives us the opportunity for getting it back up to speed where it needs to be.”
One recent change has been the addition of bylines to articles posted on the
passed in March and aims to help those with mental health and substance use issues by building more places for mental health care and substance use treatment. Breed told us that she is making progress. “I could have never predicted a global pandemic,” she said. “There are so many pieces of the puzzle: public safety, encampments. We’ve seen 15,000 people exit homelessness. We’re finally starting to make an impact. I want to help take San Francisco to the next level – we’re starting to invest in fun.”
Reimagining downtown Her downtown revitalization plans seem to be working. Downtown spaces are being activated with concerts and block parties. Breed’s administration has launched initiatives such as Vacant to Vibrant and First Year Free that aim to open pop-ups in vacant storefronts and
“I had participated in previous ones but only as a shy young kid who spent most of the time watching from the sidewalk – the first time as Juanita opened up a whole new world to me.”
MORE! remembered that she “wore a 12-pack of beer on my head (the beer I had previously drunk) and a gold faux leather pantsuit that Mr. David designed for me. I met so many people and made many new friends that day, many of whom I would continue to see year after year.”
MORE! continued that, “We are bringing the family to entertain! Mary Vice, Rahni NothingMore, Vera Hannush, Bettyie Jayne, Dulce De Leche, Stanley Frank, Rolo Talorda, Sgt. Die Wies, Ricky, & Laicey Croptop will all be onstage! I’m thrilled we will all be together to celebrate Harvey Milk’s little block party 50 years later.”
Ingu Yun, president of the Sundance Association that puts on the Sundance Saloon, told the B.A.R. in a phone interview that there will be country-western dancing behind the Castro Theatre. Lessons will be every half-hour between 1 and 5 p.m.
“We’re doing country-western dancing in the parking lot behind the Castro Theatre and if people don’t know country-western dancing, it’s a mix of dance styles,” Yun said. “It includes partner dancing, two-step, waltz and swing, as well as line dancing. We’re going to include a lot of quick lessons for novice dancers throughout the afternoon, so even if you have never danced like this before, you can join in on the fun, and you can also come watch people dance.”
The Sundance Saloon gathers every Sunday and Thursday at 550 Barneveld Avenue.
Juanita MORE! will be producing the House of MORE! stage at 18th and Collingwood streets starting at 2:45 p.m.
“The first Castro Street Fair I attended as Juanita was in 1994,” MORE! stated.
site, to help with search optimization and show there is an authority behind the information.
It also adds a layer of accuracy to the material, noted Mosser.
“We are good but not where I envision I would like for things to end up for true optimization of information availability,” he said.
At the end of the day, Mosser hopes his clinic’s website provides assistance not only to trans individuals who want to know more about their health needs but also educates their family members about the medical issues they are facing and need support with.
“I can say I am very saddened that the absolutely unnecessary politicization of this issue is really isolating people and harming people,” said Mosser when asked about the legislative rollback in various states to health care access for trans patients.
Additional LGBTQ medical archival materials
In addition to its archive of websites, the NLM has other resources related to LGBTQ health that can be accessed online. Moffatt highlighted its Images
help business owners with waiving some fees, respectively.
Above all, Breed remains committed to the LGBTQ community.
“It’s becoming a destination,” she said of the Castro when she mentioned that a site for a freestanding LGBTQ history museum was imminent. “It’s going to be, I think, a game-changer.”
We want to see Breed continue to lead the city because we believe she is the best person to do so.
Second choice: Aaron Peskin
The mayoral election likely will be decided by ranked choice voting, and so we are recommending Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin as second choice. Peskin, who is serving his fifth non-consecutive term on the board, knows the ins and outs of local government better than almost anyone.
Lopez said that in years past, the fair has gotten some financial assistance from the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development as well as from a fund for local arts and cultural organizations. OEWD stated to the B.A.R. that it’s providing $50,000 for this year’s Castro Street Fair.
“Last year, we got $18,000 from Grants for the Arts,” he said. “We asked for more but we don’t know what they’re giving us.”
Sophie Hayward, legislative and public affairs director for Grants for the Arts, stated to the B.A.R. September 27 that, “The GFTA awards for the coming year have not yet been announced. Last year, the Castro Street Fair received $18,090 from GFTA (the FY 24 cycle).”
The mayor’s office stated October 1 that this $18,090 in Grants for the Arts funds is going to the 2024 street fair; the 2025 iteration of the fair will receive $30,000. The mayor’s press office and the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development didn’t state how much is coming from OEWD as of press time. For more information on the Castro Street Fair, go to castrostreetfair.org. t
from the History of Medicine collection at http://bit.ly/4eHXPLT that includes posters, postcards, materials on HIV/ AIDS prevention, including safe sex and use of condoms.
There are also two web-based exhibitions on AIDS education and prevention posters, such as the “Surviving and Thriving: AIDS, Politics and Culture” digital gallery at https://www.nlm.nih. gov/exhibition/surviving-and-thriving/ digitalgallery.html. The other is “AIDS, Posters, and Stories of Public Health: A People’s History of a Pandemic” accessed online at https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/aids-posters/index.html. Its holdings can be searched using specific terms at the website https:// collections.nlm.nih.gov/. Entering LGBTQ, for instance, brought up 105 items.
As for the Sexual and Gender Minority Health web archive, NLM staff are collaborating with the Sexual Minority Gender Research Office at the National Institutes of Health to determine new websites to add to it. The public can also submit suggestions.
“We welcome recommendations, so that is something we would really be open to,” said Moffatt. t
Running as the progressive candidate in the race, he has nonetheless worked with Breed on many initiatives over the years. Peskin has always been a strong ally to the LGBTQ community. He raised serious questions about Another Planet Entertainment’s takeover of the majestic Castro Theatre and has fought to prevent evictions of queer nonprofits and preserve legacy businesses.
When Breed’s initial funding for the infrastructure bond on November’s ballot didn’t include money for the relocation of City Clinic, long a medical resource for community members, Peskin stated that he “fought to get money for City Clinic” into the bond. To her credit, Breed quickly pivoted and included $27 million for the relocation of City Clinic into the $360 million Proposition B bond. (The bond
CheerSF performed at last year’s Castro Street Fair.
Rick Gerharter
&
A Rocky road through October
Hby Jim Gladstone
ey, boo! It’s spooky season. Which means here in San Francisco, the Ray of Light Theatre and Oasis Arts production of “The Rocky Horror Show,” featuring D’Arcy Drollinger as Frank N. Furter, is back for another year of glammy, gory glory on Thursday through Saturday nights, beginning Oct. 10.
Two additional “Rocky Horror” tributes also
arrive at the Curran Theatre and Feinstein’s at the Nikko next week.
Last fall, the Bay Area Reporter applauded Ray of Light and Oasis’ homegrown reinvention for shocking the sometimes somnambulant halfcentury-old musical back to life:
“This is a ‘Rocky Horror Show’ for longtime fanatics, folks who thought themselves long over it, and curious virgins alike. Whether you’ve previously seen ‘Rocky’ on stage or on screen, this experience feels like the one it always should have been.”
Double features
This year, in the spirit of the film and play’s anthemic “Science Fiction/Double Feature,” we asked cast and crew members to recommend pairings of sci-fi, horror, and musical movies for seasonal at-home viewing on the rare night that cultish devotion doesn’t have you going to see their show another time.
Julien Gussman, who plays one of the Phantoms, aka Chorus Ghouls, suggests a double bill featuring “iconic visuals and bloodthirsty life
by David-Elijah Nahmod
Patricia Quinn has had a long and varied career, playing a wide variety of roles in films, on stage, and on television. But it is one role that she is best known for and will be remembered for, Magenta in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” the gender-bending cult film that has been screening at midnight for nearly 50 years.
“Rocky Horror” is a midnight movie like no other. Always playing to packed houses, the film has become legendary due to audience participation. The audience shouts back at the screen,
‘Rocky Horror’ star at the Curran Theater Patricia Quinn does the Time Warp again
with their lines becoming part of the show. Many people attend dressed as their favorite characters from the film, with many theaters employing “shadow casts,” fans who enact the entire film in front of the screen as the film unspools.
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” has become a true cultural phenomenon. A half-century since its release, it continues to fill cinemas to capacity, playing to fans who remain part of the show. Some of these fans boast proudly about having seen the film 100 times or more.
On October 9, Quinn will appear for a special 49th anniversary screening of the film at the Curran Theater. She’ll do an onstage Q & A, and
for those who purchase VIP tickets, Quinn will participate in a meet-and-greet which will include photo opportunities (bring your own camera) and autographs. The screening will include a shadow cast and the audience is welcome to shout their participation lines back at the screen.
In a telephone interview with the Bay Area Reporter, Quinn spoke about the “Rocky Horror” phenomenon.
David-Elijah Nahmod: What is it about “Rocky Horror” that makes people want to see it again and again?
Patricia Quinn: It’s entertaining. I’m not one of
forms”: “Alien” and “Little Shop of Horrors.” Gussman notes that the two movies also share “themes of entrapment, both emotionally and physically.”
Albert Hodge, who plays Dr. Scott and Eddie, recommends a mind warping sci-fi program of “The Matrix” paired with “Inception.”
“Both movies,” he observes, “force the viewer to consider and question the nature of reality. They
those people. I don’t know how the audience feels about that. I went to see it on stage in London for the 50th anniversary (of the stage show). Now it’s very choreographed, when we did it, it was simplistic.
I just did an interview with a company from Germany. They interviewed me at the upstairs theater of the Royal Court where we began. When we began it was just a 60-seat room, it was just a room, no stage, with wooden seats. There was a play downstairs at the time, so we couldn’t start “Rocky Horror” until ten o’clock at night because of the music which disturbed the play downstairs. So that’s when it began. Our show was beyond simplistic. There was no set, there was nothing. All they did was build a bit of scaffolding like a ramp from the side so we can sit on different levels. That’s all we had. And one chair for Rocky to stand on to do a pose.
The show features several songs that have become iconic.
Jim Sharman (the director) said “I want a song for you three, you (composer Richard O’Brien), Little Nell and Pat, like a dance thing for you three.”
Richard went home that night and came back with “The Time Warp.” He wrote it overnight. And then Jim came in and said, “Janet needs a song,” and Richard came up with “Toucha Toucha Touch Me, I Wanna Be Dirty,” and the girl playing Janet said, “I’m not singing that, that’s disgusting.” And I said “I totally agree.” So that’s how it came together. We were there while it was being written. It was extraordinary to be involved in that.
When did you realize that “Rocky Horror” was becoming something special?
Two years later, Jim Sharman came up with the idea of making a film, so you think, what? The thing was, when we did the show on stage it was an extraordinary thing, in the first week the whole of London was talking about it. In the first week I’m coming up the stairs to go to the theater to go to work, and Mick Jagger and Bianca were standing there waiting for their tickets. And I walked by as though I didn’t know who they were, with my nose in the air. I went upstairs and said to everyone “Jagger’s in!” We were the toast of London the first week.
Joe Greene (Riff-Raff), Trixxie Carr (Magenta) and Carissa Hatchel/Snaxx (Columbia) in Ray of Light Theatre
Oasis’ 2023 production of ‘The Rocky Horror Show.’
‘Rocky Horror’ haunts Oasis, the Curran, and Feinstein’s
‘Grace’ notes
by Tim Pfaff
You can hear the cries from across MTT Way, “Michael, come back. All is forgiven!” Michael Tilson Thomas’ departure from the music directorship of the San Francisco Symphony (he’s now Conductor Laureate) has never been more lamented than of late, in the wake of Esa-Pekka Salonen’s announcement of what has become his bitter leave-taking of the Symphony.
But Tilson Thomas is a mega-musician who never goes away, literally or otherwise. Among the numerous ways his 80th birthday (December 21) is being celebrated is the new Pentatone release of a rich four-disc set of his compositions.
The conundrum for many composer-conductors is which of those designations will appear at the top of their legacies. There’s the understandable, seemingly more august, composer category, which figures no less than Gustav Mahler, a legendarily great conductor, hewed to. Still, most of these all-around-great musicians are more likely to be remembered as conductors, if only because of the reach of the stick.
It’s not a stretch to think that MTT, like his mentor Leonard Bernstein, will insist, passionately, “Both!”
One of a kind Bernstein’s ghost insinuates itself into many of MTT’s compositions
Michael Tilson Thomas’ compositions box set
–conspicuously in the set’s first item, “Agnegram,” with the Symphony– but rarely has there been the least doubt that Tilson Thomas is a true original. It matters, of course, that, again like Bernstein, MTT the conductor has been a singularly gifted advocate of his own scores.
Another metric of his distinction
of bombast that many listeners (not including me) decried in the “Kaddish,” with its composer-penned, god-bothered text exclaimed at the premiere by its first Narrator, Felicia Montelagre, herself now returned to center stage in Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro” (with its own, Oscar-poor mixed critical and audience reception).
is the roster of no-doubt-about-it celebrity artists who have joined him in compositional projects that linger potently in the memory. Musical collaborators featured on “Grace” have included Audra McDonald (“Sentimental Again”), Renee Fleming (“Poems of Emily Dickinson”), Thomas Hampson (“Whitman Songs”), and John Wilson (“Upon Further Reflection”) among them.
Mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard joined MTT and the Symphony in the haunting “From the Diary of Anne Frank” –taking over the speaking role of the most famous victim of the German Holocaust. For a variety of reasons, mostly involving rights, some of the starrier collaborations are not reproduced on the “Grace” set, arguably chief among them “You Come Here Often?” with pianist Yuja Wang, who, owing as much to the pair’s deep friendship, gratefully came here often.
Serious business
Most of the compositions collected in live recordings on these discs evince a seriousness of purpose as well as tone. Hard as it is to imagine “The Diary of Anne Frank” without the influence of Bernstein’s “Kaddish” Symphony, there’s a directness to the texts drawn from the famous diary. It’s ideally reflected in music that skillfully skirts the kind
As memorable, and beautifully memorialized in “Grace,” are the song cycles, to verse by Rainer Maria Rilke, Walt Whitman, and Emily Dickinson. The seven Dickinson songs Fleming sings on this set are then augmented (in the immediately following track in this carefully programmed set) by Dickinson’s “I’m Nobody! Who Are You?, ” persuasively sung by Measha Brueggergosman-Lee.
If there was ever a time that MTT’s sexuality was, like Berstein’s, shrouded in mystery, it was before my time. It’s germane to MTT’s setting of the Walt Whitman poems, and it’s not unlikely that his choice of poems by Rilke and Dickinson reflect new critical views of both poets’ same-sexuality, which may come as surprises to the general audience.
Other music of darker color, if not with an excessively somber scoring, range from “Notturno,” with Paula Robison and the New World Symphony. The Florida-based ensemble, accenting the exemplary music of young musicians, may well go down as one of MTT’s finest creations, and its every appearance on this set matches spirit with instrumental brilliance.
Razzmatazz
If there’s a conspicuous absence on this set, it’s MTT’s riotous, evening-length “The Thomashefskys,”
From page 23
Of all the appearances you’ve made at screenings and conventions, is there one that stands out?
There were so many, it was beyond belief for me. I’ve done comic conventions a lot and met the fans and everything. But the most extraordinary one thing that happened; we were in London, and it got back to us that they were talking back to our film in New York. We said “What?” “And they’re dress-
celebrating the lives and works of his grandparents, Boris and Bessie Thomashefsky, who emigrated from Ukraine to become stars of New York’s Lower East Side Yiddish theater (but an assiduous hunter can find it on DVD). But when it comes to show music, “Grace” abounds.
The boldest example of the simpatico between Bernstein and MTT is the musical, “West Side Story.” For my ticket money, there’s no better recording of the great Broadway musical than the one by MTT and the Symphony, available only on the orchestra’s house label.
That said, show music doesn’t just color a great deal of the music on “Grace,” it revels in it, and, for any listener otherwise disinclined to appreciate musical theater, elevates the genre, such as it needs it. Barely has “Grace” begun than Sasha Cooke and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet chime in with an ebullient “Not Everyone Thinks That I’m Beautiful.”
Further enlivening the set at regular intervals are “Urban Legend” and “Symphony Cowgirl,” both with Symphony musicians. You don’t have to guess at the irresistible zest of “Snappy Patter.”
Legacy
If MTT has shown us anything new, it’s about his vitality. He’s gone past all prognoses of imminent death from his terminal brain cancer, but the musical hits just keep on coming. He’s guest-conducted elsewhere, as well as for the home team, recently opening the New York Philharmonic’s new season with what was, from all accounts, a magisterial Mahler 5.
MTT is the kind of musician who never wanted to be placed in a box, something about which he now enjoys the last laugh at least when it comes to collected recordings. That said, “Grace” is a welcome tribute to his work as a composer. In December, Sony Classical will release an 80-disc box set of his complete recordings for Sony, CBS, and RCA.
Happy 80th; Michael, may you return to San Francisco often!t
Michael Tilson Thomas, ‘Grace: The Music of Michael Tilson Thomas,’ four CDs and streaming, Pentatone. www.pentatonemusic.com www.michaeltilsonthomas.com
I didn’t think anything, the film was a dud. Jim Sharman insisted on using the stage cast. Mick Jagger and Bowie turned it down. So, Tim Curry did it, thank God, and all of us, we weren’t names at the time.
We made the film in six weeks, which was unheard of to make a musical at that time. Then it was done and I forgot about it because it went nowhere. Two years, nothing. So Alan Ladd Jr. at 20th Century Fox didn’t know what to do with it; he couldn’t give it away. Nobody knew what it was. Nobody was interested in it. Two years later, it was a great good fortune, a young guy working at Fox said, “The way to market this film is that it should be on every campus in America and in cinemas at midnight.” And boy, was he a clever fellow. Other than that, you’d never have heard of it, he did it.
ing up as all of you.” And I said, “What are you talking about? That’s nuts!” They invited us to the Waverly Theater and to a small convention and we’d never seen what they were talking about. And we arrive in New York and think, what could they possibly mean that they’re dressing up as us? And then we went to see it and thought, “Good Lord, this is crazy!”
When you were making the film did you ever think it would become the phenomenon it has?
Is it true that it’s your disembodied lips that are seen on screen?
On the last day of filming, I remember all I could think of is how exhausted I was. I just wanted to go home. And Jim Sharman said to me, “Pat, have you ever seen the painting of Man Ray’s Lips?” I said no.
He said that it’s a disembodied mouth of his mistress in the sky over Paris. He thought that they could have my mouth singing, “Science Fiction
See page 26 >>
Michael Tilson Thomas
Brigitte-Lacombe
<< Patricia Quinn
Little Nell, Tim Curry and Patricia Quinn in a publicity photo for ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’
20th Century Fox
Meet Todd Ghanizadeh
New CEO of Marin Jazz has big plans for company
by David-Elijah Nahmod
Todd Ghanizadeh, CEO of the newly formed Marin Jazz, has big plans. The company, which launches its inaugural season on October 4 with a concert by jazz legend Tito Puente Jr., offers a wide array of performers over the next few months.
Besides Puente, those who will be gracing the Marin Jazz stage include San Francisco’s very own Paula West, who will be performing with Kim Nalley in a Duke Ellington tribute. All shows will take place at the Marin Center Showcase Theater in San Rafael.
Ghanizadeh, a gay man, brings years of experience in the arts to the table. He’s a former dancer with American Ballet Theater and the Boston Ballet,
from which he retired at age 38. After returning to San Francisco, he started Management Consulting Group, the eighth largest LGBTQ vendor in California. He also owned George’s Nightclub in San Rafael, where future superstars Huey Lewis and Bonnie Raitt got their start. He also ran, with Sonia Perozzi, a non-profit for the past ten years which provided after school musical theater programs.
“I was doing event fundraisers like two to four a year, so I decided to brand the whole thing better as Marin Jazz,” Ghanizadeh said in an interview with the Bay Area Reporter. “I was offered the Showcase Theater at 10 Avenue of the Flags on the San Rafael fairgrounds that seats 300-plus, so I took it and ran with it. It’s an intimate
venue and the proceeds go to the kids programs. So jazz and kids seemed like a good fit.”
Booked up
He has big plans for the company, pointing out that the venue is booked up until 2025.
“My larger dream is to keep growing and build a larger fan base, so we can offer even more famous singers and perhaps present dance as well in the larger theater that seats 3,000 plus,” he said. “On the education side, I would like to hire more teachers in the afterschool programs and expand from three to five schools in Marin County.”
Tito Puente Jr. was chosen to launch Marin Jazz because he is at the forefront of Latin jazz, according to Gha-
nizadeh. The son of legendary Latin jazz and salsa musician Tito Puente, Junior has big shoes to fill, Ghanizadeh pointed out.
“Always honoring his father’s legacy, Puente Jr. has also made a name for himself as one of the most exciting Latin musicians touring today,” he said. “Crowds lured to a venue by the father are returning to see the son, and to once again participate in the high-voltage celebration that takes place on stage. And man, can he play the drums.”
There will be a special show on Halloween that Ghanizadeh is excited about, an appearance by the band Pride & Joy SF, who are holdovers from the George’s nightclub days.
“I used to throw the biggest Halloween party every year and it was known throughout the Bay Area,” Ghanizadeh said. “I thought the Marin Jazz audience would also love it. During its many years of phenomenal success, Pride & Joy SF has remained the most popular dance party band on the Bay Area music scene. They have achieved this by presenting the most timeless pop/soul music of our time in an electrifying high style show that pulls the audience directly into the heart of their performance.”
Ghanizadeh spoke of what he looks for when he books an act.
“The act has to speak for itself from the moment I check them out online or on YouTube,” he said. “I tend to look for classy authentic jazz artists that spark emotions from me whether it’s classical jazz like the Duke Ellington show with Kim Nalley and Paula West to more updated rhythms like the Jazz Mafia remaking Stevie Wonder’s songbook. That sounds cool, right?”
Some of the season’s other highlights are The Former Ladies of the Supremes, Carlos Reyes, whom Ghanizadeh says plays an amazing harp, Harold Jones from the Count Basie Orchestra with his twenty-piece or-
chestra, and the Pacific Mambo Orchestra, who were voted the best Latin jazz orchestra in North America.
“We have so many surprises that I hope Marin really jumps on board as we can take this to the moon,” said Ghanizadeh.t
Marin Jazz at the Marin Center Showcase Theater, 20 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael, prices vary by show. www.marinjazz.com
Todd Ghanizadeh, CEO of the newly formed Marin Jazz
Above: Tito Puente Jr.
Below: Kim Nalley
Terror Vault
by David-Elijah Nahmod
Peaches Christ loves horror. The drag superstar, whose stage shows have often paid homage to the genre, returns with the latest incarnation of her popular attraction Terror Vault. During the course of the live show, which takes place at the San Francisco Mint from October 4 until November 3, participants will walk through a haunted maze where they will be subjected to all manner of terrors.
This year’s Terror Vault has been dubbed “Fatal Abduction,” and it promises to offer a science fiction twist to this annual event. “Fatal Abduction” questions the existence of aliens as the beings prepare for their revelation here on Earth. As always, the audience itself is a character in the show and this time they’re on a mission that involves time travel.
“It’s intense,” promised Christ in an interview with the Bay Area Reporter.
“David Fowler and I are both obsessed with aliens and decided to create a scifi show that is very much horror. I’d say that ‘Fatal Abduction’ is as much horror as it is sci-fi.”
For as long as she can remember, Christ has been fascinated with anything dark, macabre or spooky. She recalls her parents telling her that she’s been this way from the beginning.
Real vs. fun terror
“Beyond the fact that horror is something I’m naturally drawn to, I’d say that part of what I love about it is the fantasy of confronting fears,” she said. “I’m actually really sensitive and the real world terrifies me. The election terrifies me, climate change terrifies me, war terrifies me, so the horror genre is a safe place for me to scream and laugh and experience fear. It offers a release. I honestly think it’s therapeutic.”
Christ describes the show as a fully immersive experience, with the au-
dience walking through a series of mazes and scenes. Sometimes the audience will stop and watch a scene take place or even get involved in a scene taking place. Other times the audience will just make their way through the mazes. It’s a big show with more than 30 different sets and mazes and 60 actors working each night.
The show is recommended for people ages 18 and older due to adult content. There’s sexuality, full nudity, violence and adult themes. Teens will be allowed to attend if their parents choose to bring them.
Queer haunts
Christ promises that there is plenty of queer content in “Fatal Abduction.”
“We are known in the industry as the ‘queer haunt,’” she said. “We haven’t done a show in years where I haven’t featured a really pretty penis on a naked hunk. Both David and I are very proudly queer artists and so we create a show as artists. And while it’s for all audiences, queer people really appreciate it, because it’s a rare thing in this haunted attraction world.”
Christ also promises that there’s more to “Fatal Abduction” than just
the show. Also included is Fang Bang, an immersive vampire bar built inside the actual vaults of the old San Francisco Mint. It’s a real bar with specialty cocktails and “vampires” who put on shows during the night.
Then there’s the Creep Shop Gift Shop that’s filled with specialty spooky
goods. There will be licensed Elvira merchandise, as well as pieces from Kreepsville 666, local artisans and bands. There will also be a Terror Vault and Peaches Christ section.
For those who upgrade to VIP tickets, the Creepy Collectibles Museum features large-scale science fiction sets on display for social media photography. Christ likens it to walking through a spaceship.
So, how scary is Terror Vault?
“This is a tough question to answer. For some people it’s absolutely very scary and for other folks it’s not scary at all,” said Christ. “I’d say it really depends on how able you are to buy into the fantasy and let us scare you. Be sure to get an opt-in necklace if you attend the show which indicates to actors and crew that you’re consenting to a deeper level of interactivity where actors can touch you and more.”
Terror Vault presents ‘Fatal Abduction,’ October 4-November 3, various times available, San Francisco Mint, 88 5th Street, $60-$85, VIP tickets an additional $45. 18+ with valid ID required. https://www.terrorvault.com/
frame. The guy said to take an arc lamp out of the clamp, and they brought the clamp down and clamped my head in it.
Double Feature” and I said “Oh?” The only reason I did “Rocky Horror” in the first place was not to play Magenta. She just had four lines in the show. It was to be the usherette, to sing “Science Fiction,” because I thought the song was amazing.
Then Jim asked me to do the lips, but Richard O’Brien had recorded the song and I said, “My lips and his voice, how much?” So I did the lips. I went down to Elstree Studios and it was a terrible time, a writer’s strike or something. It was completely dark except for one person, me, and a tiny camera crew doing the lips. And how they did it, there were no special effects, they blacked out my face, painted my lips red, and told me to mime the song. They asked me if I needed the words to the song, and I said, “No, I know it.” So, I rhymed to Richard’s singing. And it didn’t work because the mouth kept going out of
What will you be doing when you come to San Francisco?
Signing, meet and greet, and a Q & A. Little Nell and I were on a
TV show once in America and the woman broadcaster said, “Do you ever get tired of doing these comiccons?” and Nell said, “It’s very nice to be worshiped.” And the woman said “I could do with a bit of that.” And Nell said, “Get a dog!” And when I was on the road I thought, it’s nice to be worshiped. I’ve never experienced anything like these Q & A tours. Fantastic!
What, in your opinion, is the legacy of “Rocky Horror?”
We were just doing something about sex, drugs and rock and roll. So there you are. We weren’t there to change the world and give out messages, or influence behavior. Richard O’Brien says it’s a fairy tale.t
‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show: 49th Anniversary Tour with Patricia Quinn,’ October 9, 8pm, Curran Theater, 445 Geary Street, $57-$328, $100 VIP Meet and Greet, children under 17 must be accompanied by an adult; no one under 5 admitted. www.sfcurran.com
<< Patricia Quinn
From page 24
‘Fangbangers (L to R: Raya Light, Dennis Turner, Queera Nightly, Trashleigh Tease, Lavender) in Terror Vault’s ‘Fatal Abduction’
Jose A. Guzman Colon
Left: Ryan Beerman and Pablos Escobar in Terror Vault’s ‘Fatal Abduction’
Right: Layla Kaufman and an alien corpse in Terror Vault’s ‘Fatal Abduction’
Both photos: Jose A. Guzman Colon
Peaches Christ Jose A. Guzman Colon
The Hell on Heels ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ shadow cast
Patricia Quinn as Magenta in ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’
20th Century Fox
Local LGBTQ+ Media Giving Day
October
8th!
Celebrating 100 years of local media for and by our community.
The first gay publication in America was 100 years ago this year—1924’s Friendship & Freedom, produced by Henry Gerber. It was shut down by police after just two issues. Through the years, LGBTQ+ media faced similar censorship and hardships. But 100 years later, there is a chance to revitalize this journalism and make it stronger to face the anti-LGBTQ+ backlash, providing critical coverage of this vital part of the U.S. media landscape.
This first year, with one donation, you can support six of the top LGBTQ+ outlets serving our community:
Bay Area Reporter – Dallas Voice _ Philadelphia Gay News Tagg Magazine _ Washington Blade – Windy City Times
This project is a program of News Is Out, a collaboration of six of the top local LGBTQ+ media across the country, supported by Local Media Foundation, a 501(C)(3) organization. Tax-deducible donations can be made anytime from now until Oct 8th. Scan the QR code to donate now! Learn more here: givebutter.com/LGBTQequityfund When you give to one, you give to all
‘The Substance’
by Kyle Amato
Demi Moore tackles the role of a lifetime in “The Substance” (Mubi), directed by French provocateur Coralie Fargeat. While it would be easy to call Demi’s performance fearless or brave or any other euphemism for “often nude,” I’d simply say it’s just really cool that Demi Moore, an A-list star since the 1980s –who’s made movies like “Ghost,” “G.I. Jane,” and “A Few Good Men,” but hasn’t had a high-profile starring role in some time – would look at this totally demented script and say, “Yes, I will play a woman driven so mad by society’s unforgiving beauty standards that she starts acting like the Evil Queen from ‘Snow White’!”
Moore faces this body horror satire head-on, giving everything she’s got to portray what it feels like to age in a world that rejects anyone over 30. “The Substance” leans into that madness for two hours and twenty minutes, giving both Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley ample time to build on each other’s riotous rage at a nightmarishly misogynistic society.
The day Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) turns 50, her horrid boss Harvey (Dennis Quaid, giving a manically outsized performance) has kicked her off her long-running aerobics fitness TV show. She spirals, ending up in a car accident and a chance encounter with a strange young doctor.
The doctor slips her a USB drive with ‘THE SUBSTANCE’ printed on it. He promises it will change her life. After securing a package from a rundown building, Elisabeth feels she has no choice and injects herself with
also feature some of the most innovative action sequences in cinema.”
Stage manager Taylor Oliva opts for pairing science fiction and horror, then adding a mad dash of humor with a screening of Mel Brooks’ “Spaceballs” and “Young Frankenstein.”
“You’ll enjoy space spoofs, mad scientists, campy hilarity, dancing monsters, over the top innuendo, and a level of slapstick that only Brooks can deliver,” she noted, ticking off all the Rocky Horror boxes in a stroke of mad cinephile genius.
Unsurprisingly, two drag queens from the production’s peanut gallery couldn’t resist cracking wise with their selections:
Snaxx, who plays Columbia, suggests a double bill that opens cute, then descends into the abyss. First up
Demi Moore wows in body image horror satire
the Substance, birthing a gorgeous younger clone of herself (Margaret Qualley) out of her spine. It seems painful, but the benefits are immediate and extraordinary.
A clone named Sue
The clone names herself Sue, and she is everything Elisabeth wants to be. She quickly reclaims her TV show and has all of Hollywood knocking at her door. There’s just one problem:
is “Sex and the City,” which they feel is “a great encapsulation of the characters and all of their unique, sometimes cringey but beloved ways.”
Then comes “Sex and the City 2,” which Snaxx sums up as “A horror film in so many ways. How could a sequel get it all so wrong? It’s an indicator that things are not going to go well when the movie opens with Liza Minelli performing ‘All The Single Ladies.’ The messaging is too backwards to even go into detail about: Just start drinking during the first movie so you can hopefully fall asleep early on in the second.”
And Trixie Carr, the production’s magnificent Magenta, practically pierces cheek with tongue in recommending a bill of “The Last Starfighter” and “Bladerunner,” which she describes as “two lighthearted movies about friendship, romance, and hope, that are sure to bring the whole family together. The family being me,
The Substance only works for seven days, then Sue must go to sleep as Elisabeth reawakens. No real issue, Elisabeth and Sue can manage their schedule. It shouldn’t be that hard!
And besides, what’s the worst that could happen if Sue were to stay out just a little longer?
It’s interesting that the film won Best Screenplay at Cannes, as one of its biggest strengths is the limited dialogue. Long stretches of the film focus
Frank, Riff, and Columbia…plenty of chances to throw popcorn, and ‘Bladerunner’ is always so much fun to sing along to!”
(Frankly, the notion of ‘Star Fighter’’s then-Tiger Beat-twink Lance Guest tussling with Harrison Ford has its appeal).
If you’re looking for a genuinely goosebumpy evening of home viewing, may we also suggest a set-in-San Francisco duo of “Copycat,” an underrated 1995 serial killer thriller with Sigourney Weaver, Holly Hunter, and a diabolic Harry Connick, Jr. (Don’t let the hysterically dated hairdos break the mood); and the consummate creepfest, 1978’s “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” with great performances by the late Donald Sutherland and the “Wicked” movie’s Wizard, Jeff Goldblum.
If you can’t get enough “Rocky Horror” redux, the season brings two additional spins on the undying classic to city stages.
A screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” plays the Curran Theatre, with the original play and movie’s Magenta, Patricia Quinn, fielding questions and suffering through selfies afterwards. (See David-Elijah Nahmod’s interview with Quinn in this week’s issue.)
And, more intriguingly, Reeve Carney, who played Riff-Raff in Fox Television’s “The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again,” starred in the ill-fated Julie Taymor/U2 Broadway musicalization of “Spiderman,” and, more memorably, originated the role of Orpheus in “Hadestown,” will be performing his one-man cabaret take on “Rocky Horror” at Feinstein’s at the Nikko.
‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ with Patricia Quinn, $57$328, $100 VIP Meet and Greet, Curran Theatre, 445 Geary St. Oct. 9 www.broadwaysf.com
‘Reeve Carney: Rocky Horror Picture Show,’ $45. Feinsteins at the Nikko, 222 Mason St. Oct. 11-12. www.feinsteinssf.comt
precise, especially when it comes to physical transformation.
Without giving too much away, it’s clear that Elisabeth Sparkle’s miracle drug has a few side effects. Birthing your own clone – who then has to stitch you back together and give you an IV drip of unidentified nutrients while you lay there unconscious for a week – has many opportunities to go wrong. We know there must be a cost, but Elisabeth and Sue are too blinded by fame to see it.
Even when the calm but firm voice over the phone explains things, they don’t accept it. In the grand tradition of Brundlefly or Frankenstein’s monster, we’re here to see things fall apart. On that front, “The Substance” delivers, but the gore is not visceral, with a New French Extremity level, disgusting without feeling like you’re watching “Saw.” In fact, the grossest moment might be Dennis Quaid sucking up dozens of shrimp while cruelly talking down to Elisabeth.
just on Moore and Qualley’s facial expressions, gyrating bodies, and horrifying Cronenbergian transformations.
From Moore furiously wiping her makeup off to Qualley cringing at plunging a needle into her original body’s spine, we get everything we need without anyone saying anything.
The film feels stripped down, with only three big name actors and a couple different locations. Fargeat’s focus is not overwhelming theatricality, but
Overall, “The Substance” is a total blast and proof that Demi Moore’s star will never go out. The narrative shortcut in casting Moore is used perfectly, giving us more time to get grossed out by nasty fingernails, rotting teeth, open wounds, blood and pus. Those with weak stomachs may not be able to handle everything spewed in the film, but the brave will appreciate how much work Moore does to sell this ridiculous nightmare.t
“The Substance” is currently playing at AMC Kabuki and Landmark Opera Plaza Cinema. www.mubi.com
Demi Moore in ‘The Substance’
Mubi
<< Rocky Horror
From page 23
Above: Julien Gussman (left) with cast members in the 2023 Ray of Light Theatre and Oasis Arts production of ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ Below Left: Patricia Quinn in ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’
Below Right: Reeve Carney as Riff-Raff in the Fox TV production of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again’
Above: Rachel Z Photography Below Left: 20th Century Fox Below Right: FOX
Which witch?
The Lavender Tube on ‘Agatha All Along,’ ‘SNL’s 50th, and Dame Maggie Smith
by Victoria A. Brownworth
“Agatha All Along” is fun. That’s really enough to say about it, frankly, because almost nothing is fun right now. If you were a devotee of “WandaVision” (and in the throes of the pandemic, who wasn’t?) you will also love “Agatha All Along.”
The pitch-perfect timing of Kathryn Hahn as witchy star Agatha Harness that made “Wanda Vision” a surprise hit, even outside the Marvel Comic cult and clan, is on full display again here. She is just so very good everything falls into place around her. Building a whole series off the catchy tune from “WandaVision” might seem a stretch, but everything seems to work so well in this Disney+ story that we are left, as with its progenitor, always wanting more.
“WandaVision” left us aching for more Agatha, we have this vehicle that is just all things to all people.
But we digress, sort of. The show’s premise is far more than a song. As Disney+ details, three years after being trapped in the town of Westview, New Jersey at the end of “WandaVision,” Agatha Harkness escapes with the help of a goth teen who wishes to face the trials of the legendary Witches’ Road. Without her magical powers, Agatha and the Teen form a new coven of witches to face the trials, while contending with some of Agatha’s old enemies.
And there’s plenty “more” here. “Agatha All Along” is the 11th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, via its Marvel Television label. It was a bold move to do this spinoff, and early response says it was the right move, that three years since
“Agatha All Along” proffers a cast of notables and not-so-notables who just lure us in. Joe Locke is wonderful as “Teen,” Agatha’s gay familiar. He’s darkly funny and is a perfect foil for her as the assistant in her coven. And her coven includes Patti LuPone and Debra Jo Rupp. Wild, right?
This frolic is also super queer. What more could we want as we try to survive the countdown to the election?
“Agatha All Along” is must-watch TV.
Airing weekly on Disney+ through Halloween, it costars Aubrey Plaza, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Okwui Okpokwasili, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein and Miles Gutierrez-Riley.
Season of the…
Just in time for the final weeks of the election, “Saturday Night Live!” is back, with a vengeance! The longest-running satire and comedy sketch show on TV turns 50 this year. “SNL50” did not disappoint. Hosted by comedian Jean Smart, fresh off her Emmy win for “Hacks,” and with musician Jelly Roll, the show was one of the best season openers in recent memory. Smart was great, the music was appropriately melancholy and the politics were perfect.
In her monologue, Jean Smart, in her first hosting gig on the show, talked about loving New York, sang a
felt like last season’s humor.
We’re not sure who put the word out that “SNL” should use gay cast member Bowen Yang more, but he was in nearly every skit and we were so down for it. His turn as baby hippo Moo Deng on “Weekend Update” commenting on the perils of fame was pure genius.
Yang also was featured in a talk show skit in which he played singer Charlie XCX discussing politics in a way which was wildly over the top funny. Ego Nwodim played everyone’s fave House rep, Jasmine Crockett, with a fabulous takedown of some of the worst GOP reps.
fell in love with Smith as a kid when we first saw “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” on TV. Many others fell in love with her in the Harry Potter films as Professor Minerva McGonagall. Yet Smith joked in interviews that no one knew who she was until “Downton Abbey.” While her amazing one-liners from the redoubtable Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, were certainly fan favorites, there was nothing Smith didn’t change with her imprint.
little and made funny allusions to her series, including fans loving her.
“Lesbians are obsessed with me. Great. I have options.”
The cold open brought back Maya Rudolph’s Kamala Harris in a slightly mixed bag of hilarious to cringy, with some notables from “SNL” past seasons to bolster the excitement.
Rudolph was stellar, with her Harris joking that her campaign was not unlike Sabrina Carpenter’s summer hit “Espresso” – “the lyrics are vague but the vibes slap.” Truth.
Not all the vibes, though. Harris’s VP pick, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was played with BDE (“Big Dad Energy”) by a usually hilarious Jim Gaffigan who fell flat. Bowen Yang was a bold choice for JD Vance and made us eager for more. Andy Samberg was an amusing Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. And the great Dana Carvey was okay as Joe Biden, but was written to be old and sniffing Harris, which
If the writing matches this throughout the season, we are in for a treat. And bravo for showcasing Bowen Yang’s wide-ranging talents. More gay is always good and we’d be thrilled to have Yang reprise the role Kate McKinnon played on “SNL” as the queer cast mate who can play anyone. Good as he was, though, we hope his role as JD Vance ends in November.
Minerva McGonagall and much more
What can one say about the passing of the great Dame Maggie Smith? We
We were blessed to see Smith on stage in “Lettice and Lovage” when we were living in London part time in the late 1980s. Smith won the Tony for her role in 1990. It was among many awards she won over her years of films, theater and television.
Smith won two Academy Awards, five BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Primetime Emmy Awards, five Screen Actors Guild Awards and that Tony Award. She is one of only 14 actresses to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting, winning the highest accolades for film, television and theater.
Still, it wasn’t just the breadth of her performances. Smith was just such a decent person in real life. All her costars and the young actors she mentored over the years were in awe of her even as they said she resisted both the fame moniker and any sense that she was better-than.
It will be the roles she played that carry her memory forward, though her “Downton Abbey” words will always resonate. Two favorite Violet Crawley lines for us:
“Principles are like prayers; noble, of course, but awkward at a party” and “The presence of strangers is our only guarantee of good behavior,” which never ceased to make us laugh.
Maggie Smith was singular as she was unbothered by her own fame. May she rest in peace and may her memory be a blessing to all who loved her. She will forever be missed.t
The main cast of ‘Agatha All Along’
Dame Maggie Smith
Marvel Television
Above: Jean Smart in her opening monologue for the 50thanniversary season premiere of ‘SaturdayNight Live’
Below: Bowen Yang as hippopotamus baby Moo Deng with Colin Yost in ‘Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update.
‘Song Of Myself’
Michele Karlsberg
The posthumous publication of “Song of Myself,” a previously unpublished novel by the late gay activist and Walt Whitman scholar, Arnie Kantrowitz has been released. “Song Of Myself” is a gay man’s odyssey of self-discovery, the book was published with Sentinel Voices by Arnie’s surviving life partner, Dr. Larry Mass, a cofounder of Gay Men’s Health Crisis.
Arnie Kantrowitz (November 16, 1940-Janury 21, 2022), a beloved figure of Gay Liberation, is the author of the Stonewall Gay Classic, “Under The Rainbow: Growing Up Gay,” and “Walt Whitman.” He was an early member and vice president of the Gay Activists Alliance (GAA) and a co-founder of Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). At the College of Staten Island CUNY, where he taught for 40 years, Professor Kantrowitz was a pioneer of LGBTQ+ Studies.
In Arnie’s novel, we follow Daniel Dell Blake, a gay man whose journey spans the 20th century, from the Great Depression through the AIDS crisis. With Walt Whitman’s poetry as his guiding light, Daniel navigates the changing landscape of queer America, offering readers a unique blend of historical fiction and personal discovery.
Beautifully written prose that seamlessly intertwines Daniel’s story with Walt Whitman’s transcendent poetry, Kantrowitz’s “Song of Myself” is a compelling exploration of identity, sexuality and the quest for self-acceptance in a changing world.
I asked Larry to share some insight about Arnie and “Song of Myself”: Prevailing spirit
Most who knew Arnie Kantrowitz would describe him as kindhearted, brave, wise, funny and likeable. Indeed, Arnie was a mensch with many friends and few enemies.
But along with his renown as a gay
Walt Whitman scholar Arnie Kantrowitz’s posthumous book
sage, writer and activist, Arnie had more than his own share of sorrows, life challenges and rites of passage that reverberate in the saga of his novel s fictional protagonist, Daniel Dell Blake.
In fact, Arnie’s “Song of Myself” is touchingly autobiographical in recreating many situations in his own life, especially those of homophobic abuse, exploitation and cruelty. But true as well to the spirit of Arnie’s real life, Daniel always manages to prevail, never losing hope and an essential faith in the goodness of people. Like Arnie, Daniel learns to deflect life’s sharpest curve balls with an upbeat
sensibility, to rebound from hurt and loss with indefatigable optimism.
An irrepressible the human spirit rang true for Arnie in his love for Walt Whitman. But also, for another writer of his own life and times whose story haunted and inspired him: Anne Frank.
Like Anne, Arnie was sometimes chided for being “sentimental.” The old war films about the heroic sacrifices of ordinary good people would often draw tears from him, no matter how many times he had already seen them. “Mrs. Miniver” and “Goodbye Mr. Chips” were favorites.
Gay sensibility
Yes, Arnie was sweet, sentimental and vulnerable, but these defining characteristics turned out to be the very qualities that fueled his likewise winning grit, self-possession, wicked humor, gay sensibility and pride.
Humor tends to flourish in times and communities of oppression and Arnie was not about to go against type. As both gay and Jewish, Arnie’s edgy stand-up comic persona could vie the best.
On getting older, Arnie exuded sage wisdom: “Activity is overrated.”
mentor Walt Whitman, to rise above the moment to be true to himself, to love himself and sing his own praises. Arnie told his actual real-life story in his memoir, “Under The Rainbow: Growing Up Gay,” widely considered a classic of gay literature, culture and history. Daniel’s story has different adventures and misadventures, fictional recreations that come together to reveal a panorama of pre- and post-Stonewall era gay and American life. Between the lines, both mourn the LGBTQ+ history that remains, as in the eras preceding it and except in fragments, all but completely expunged from public records and memory.
Heartbreak of love
The heartbreak of love that must hide is poignantly experienced by Daniel in “Song of Myself,” just as it was by Arnie in the wake of his coming of age in Newark, and in his stint as a budding teacher in Cortland, New York; backwaters that were their own kind of death sentences for difference and individuality.
On returning home, he was the seasoned Shakespearean: “The couch, the couch. My kingdom for the couch.”
As for his unfailing decency and kindness, he waxed philosophical: “No good deed goes unpunished.”
Marcia Pally has described Arnie as “gentle and fierce.” That’s also true of Daniel Dell Blake. Even as he is bullied by his homophobic father, military officers, hustlers and the otherwise snooty and self-important, gay as well as straight, Daniel always manages, with the compass of his own self-regard and the guidance of his spiritual
Like too many other battered LGBTQ+ people, Arnie experienced worsening depression and attempted suicide as he came of age, a fate that likewise pursues Daniel. But in Daniel’s life, as it did in Arnie’s, hope springs eternal in the bright, embracing lights of the bigger city epicenters of Manhattan and San Francisco. That hope that culminates in what we began calling Gay Liberation, a movement Arnie became a standardbearer for and which launches Daniel into his own future of possibility. Alas, on the heels of that Happy Ending and Beginning came AIDS, with its Civil War levels of devastation for Arnie, Daniel and the whole wide world. Never again, we keep trying with all our hearts to keep believing, even as Never Again keeps happening again and again, not only for LGBTQ+ peoples and Jews but for minorities and the dispossessed everywhere. But thanks to great souls like Arnie Kantrowitz, Walt Whitman and Anne Frank, and whatever the setbacks, it’s a torch we remain ever more inspired and empowered to carry.t
‘Song of Myself’ by Arnie Kantrowitz, Sentinel Voices, $24.95 paperback, Kindle $9.95 www.sentinelvoices.com www.lawrencedmass.com
Arnie Kantrowitz with Lawrence Mass
Fred Orlansky
‘The
Redemption of Daya Keane’
by Laura Moreno
“The Redemption of Daya Keane” is a novel about the value of friendship, fun, and finding common ground, even with those who seem to be unlike us. This queer coming-of-age YA novel, Gia Gordon’s first, is a gem of a story that adults as well as young people can enjoy reading.
When high schooler and “low profile queer” Daya Keane finally has a chance to talk face to face with her classmate and long-time crush Beckett Wild, a vocal Christian whose family named their dog after their deceased pastor, she’s amazed to find that the interest just may be mutual.
As their friendship grows, Daya is intrigued at Beckett’s sense of wonder and seeing the extraordinary in ordinary things, like slow pouring a packet of sugar into a cup of coffee, “a miniBig Bang…a kind of nebula.”
A big part of Beckett’s life is The Great Wait, which includes regular abstinence meetings and wearing a promise ring (promising abstinence).
But as the book unfolds, it becomes clear that her church’s effort to pushback against the culture, in fact, only magnifies it.
Set in a small town in Arizona, Beckett and her church youth group organize a “Pure Prom” as a “safe prom alternative” on prom night. Although many kids are turned off by its name and Daya herself is unsure about what to do, she realizes this is about as good an alternative as is possible for single gay students who aren’t keen to shell out big bucks. The night becomes a turning point in their lives.
Finding community
This is a page turner. The community Gia Gordon has created is just plain fun even as it tackles some heavy topics, including the importance of good friends in overcoming grief. In the end, it is useful as well as entertaining, like “The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School.”
The accepting vibe among all the friends in this book is refreshing.
An excerpt:
“I ease down on the foot of the bed, the lower half of Wonder Woman
“I know there is something out there, and like most people, I tend to believe in it more when things go bad. But I’m not like Shirley MacLaine, who probably believes we were past lovers in another life.”
—Maggie Smith
visible between us, while the string lights across my ceiling catch the prism of colors in her hair. She smiles at me through her freckles, smiles with her eyes, not just her mouth. Beckett Wild belongs in a museum. She’s an impression-
ist master-piece, a kaleidoscope of randomness. Only … not. Nothing about her is random, except for the fact that she’s here.”
Meanwhile, in what feels like a parallel universe beginning in chapter 2,
we see that Daya’s single-parent home is full of heartbreak and brokenness. Her mother, whom she calls by her first name when she speaks of her in the third person, is unwilling to engage with her amazing, resilient daughter ever since malicious gossip that she is “a
dyke” has reached her ears.
Shame prevents her from engaging with her daughter (much less loving and caring for her) and there are occasional outbursts of violence against her that have left a small scar on Daya’s face. Full of sincerity, life-like descriptions, snappy prose, and very cool scenes, “The Redemption of Daya Keane” offers a glimpse into some of the contradictions that govern social life for many gay students (as well as for sexually active straight students; they are just afraid of sex, y’all, especially now that abortion is illegal in so many states) living on the edge of civilization in red states today, where total acceptance and pariah status sometimes still go hand in hand.
Author Gia Gordon, based in Texas, credits the memory of author Julie Anne Peters who wrote “Keeping You a Secret,” the first YA book she ever read, without which this book may never have been written. Gordon is a youth activist, former educator, and environmental artist for Salvage Art. She co-founded Never Counted Out, a nonprofit that provides books to classrooms and community programs.t
‘The Redemption of Daya Keane’ by Gia Gordon, Harper Teen, $19.99. www.harpercollins.com www.giagordonwrites.com
