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Volume 10 Issue 7 March 29 - April 11, 2019

Man convicted of using ‘infected’ needles in kidnapping, car theft

COMMUNITY VOICES

Vintage gay pulp fiction

By Neal Putnam

NEWS

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, the San Diego Women’s Chorus (SDWC) is producing a unique piece of work that will demonstrate in song the impact and heritage of Stonewall in a two-day event at Lincoln High School on May 18-19. Kathleen Hansen, artistic director, San Diego Women's Chorus said “Quiet No More: A Choral Celebration of Stonewall” represents the struggles, successes and continued need for visibility for the LGBTQ+ community. She added that in addition to the featured composition of “Quiet No More,” the concert will feature songs of empowerment and the importance of community.

A jury found a man guilty of kidnapping and carjacking a La Mesa teenager, who testified that the man put hypodermic needles to his neck, saying they contained the AIDS virus. The jury also found Thomas Johnson, 39, guilty of car theft and making a criminal threat to a then-17-year-old junior from Grossmont High School on March 28, 2016. In an earlier proceeding, Johnson’s attorney said in court that Johnson did have AIDS. Sentencing was set for June 7 by El Cajon Superior Court Judge Evan Kirvin. Deputy District Attorney Matthew Carberry said the judge reviewed Johnson’s four prior felonies from Illinois and determined they were valid. The ruling means that Johnson could get 25 years to life in state prison. Court records say one of the prior convictions is aggravated robbery from 1998 when Johnson was 19 years old in Cook County, Illinois. The jury also found Johnson guilty of reckless evasion from police, attempted robbery and robbery to other victims. The student testified a man approached him outside a restaurant on Parkway Drive in La Mesa and initially asked for a ride. The student said he didn’t want to give him a ride, but Johnson became aggressive and held some needles somewhat close to his neck. The teen testified he was scared after Johnson told him, “I will stab you with these needles that have AIDS.”

see SDWC, pg 3

see Courts, pg 4

Fostering the leather lifestyle 28 years of Mama's Kitchen

DINING

(l to r) Ms San Diego Leather Pride 2019 Serafine Sawyer, Bootblack 2019 Alexander Williams (Pup Rowdy), and Mr San Diego Leather 2019 Jody Mitchell (Photo by Albert H. Fulcher)

San Diego Leather Pride chooses 2019 titleholders Albert H. Fulcher | Editor The San Diego leather community, along with its allies and neighbors, celebrated a weekend of camaraderie with

A neighborhood adventure

social events, workshops, after parties and a keynote brunch at the Worldbeat Cultural Center in Balboa Park March 13-15. San Diego Leather Pride’s operation is to provide

‘Quiet No More’

2019

San Diego Women's Chorus' spring concert invokes spirit of Stonewall

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Index Opinion ................................... 6 Classifieds............................ 13 Calendar ............................... 14 Puzzle ................................... 14

(center)San Diego Women's Chorus Artistic Director Kathleen Hansen (Photo courtesy Sarah Soto Photographics)

a safe place to learn the culture and history of the leather, kink, fetish and BDSM identified people.

see Leather Pride, pg 12 Albert H. Fulcher | Editor

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MUSIC

gay-sd.com FROM PAGE 1

SDWC

“The 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising is the perfect opportunity to reflect on where we have been and where we are going,” Hansen said. “‘Start at home. Change what you can. Never again be silent.’ is the admonition of the final movement. We are reminded that in our country and in our world, there are many intersections of marginalization and inequality. We need to speak up. We need to be heard. These are vitally important messages for us to share together with our community.” Hansen said that commission piece, “Quiet No More,” comprises the second half of the upcoming concert. The first half will be filled with songs of community and hope including “Revolution” (by The Beatles), “Fight the Power” (by The Isley Brothers), and “You Will Be Found” (from the musical “Dear Evan Hansen”). “We will have an outstanding slate of special guests and soloists, and audience members will most certainly leave with a full heart,” Hansen said. “Quiet No More” is the brainchild of the artistic directors of the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus and the Gay

Men’s chorus of Los Angeles, said Hansen. It seeks to tell the story of the Stonewall riots on their 50th anniversary, and importantly, to include some of the forgotten or whitewashed aspects of this important time in history. “Women, people of color, trans folk and gender non-conforming perspectives sometimes get lost in the re-telling,” Hansen continued. “As time marches forward, it is easy to forget the struggles of those that put their lives and careers on the line to demand civil rights — and this piece tells those stories well. As we prepare this work, we are finding an unexpected depth of emotion within the music. It is our hope to portray the excitement, fear, hope, and resilience surrounding the change that the Stonewall uprising of 1969 sparked.” Hansen said while artistic programming is something that happens primarily behind the scenes, she spends a tremendous amount of time and energy on it. “Finding the balance of what fits with the theme, is wonderful for audiences and singers, has both flow and musical contrast with the other pieces, and is fulfilling for me artistically is a real puzzle,” she said. “But I am pleased with how this program has come together.” Hansen hopes that people

GAY SAN DIEGO March 29 - April 11, 2019

will walk away from this concert with a renewed appreciation for those who have paved the way for rights that so many of us enjoy and take for granted today. “I also hope people will walk away with a renewed dedication to standing up for what is right and fighting not only for their own rights, but the rights of others,” Hansen continued. “We can rejoice in what we have accomplished while still holding a flame of anger and dedication to action for changes that are still needed.” SDWC is the only standalone treble/women’s co-commissioning chorus. Hansen said that part of the magic of the chorus is that regardless of size, it has always stayed true to its mission and its roots in

encouraging women’s creativity, celebrating diversity, and inspiring social action. “As far as growth of the chorus is concerned, I believe that our mission-centered work fills a need in our community: a safe space for women and non-binary folk to gather and make meaningful art together,” Hansen said. “Whether we’re singing about emotionally charged issues or dancing and singing a modern pop song, every time we are together, it is just such a beautiful and palpable vibe — I think people want to be a part of that. “Come see us! Buy a ticket! Share on social media! Tell all of your friends!” Hansen continued. “We have an elaborate matrix of singers, production team, ushers, program design,

lights, sound, costuming and more that work together for each show. If you would like to volunteer time, talent, resources, please contact us and we’ll put you in touch with the right people.” Tickets: $30 for VIP seats that include reserved seating/ best views and priority access (sold in advance only). General admission: $20 in advance, $25 at door. Discounted: $18 in advance, $20 at door. For youth (3-17), students (college students, etc.), military, seniors, disabled. Children 3 and under are free. For tickets, visit sdwc.org or find the San Diego Women's Chorus on Facebook. —Albert Fulcher can be reached at albert@sdcnn.com.t

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TRANQUIL AF.

(Courtesy of San Diego Women's Chorus)

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COMMUNITY VOICES / NEWS

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Uplifting our youth, respecting our seniors Back Out with Benny Ben Cartwright

eing 38 years old currently (39 in May), I feel like I hold an interesting place in the community. I’m certainly not a youth anymore, but sometimes I feel like I still have so much to learn. There are people who look up to me as a leader, mentor, and community figure who’s been at it for 22 years, but I wouldn’t dare put myself on the same level as many of our community’s

pioneers who came before me and struggled so much to gain what we have today. I do find myself in a place, though, where I feel the ball is in my court to be a caretaker of the community. I’ve passed the vulnerabilities that being young can bring, I’m at the peak of my career, still have my health, and do not yet face the challenges that many seniors see. And sometimes it’s hard to balance the needs of both youth and seniors in our community’s spaces. We absolutely must uplift our youth, and provide space, support, guidance and

services for them — they are our present (I’m not one to say they are our “future” because their wants and needs do matter now, in the present). Our community’s youth and young adults are so much better off today then my generation was with the resources they have at their fingertips and in the community. There is so much more we need to do. LGBTQ youth are still struggling, and have much higher suicide rates than any other youth demographic. Our youth are precious and we must continue to do everything we can for them.

Something I think we need to work harder at, though, is support and honoring our seniors. In activist circles, I often hear people telling senior citizens to step back, shut up, and let the younger generation speak. In bars and other spaces, older individuals, especially gay men, report a feeling of invisibility. We often discount or forget about the experiences and concerns of those who came before and experienced struggles that many of us couldn’t imagine today. And while some headway is being made, we don’t provide nearly enough supportive services for LGBTQ seniors —many who have to go back in the closet when moving into nursing homes or other types of facilities designed for seniors. We are all going to be seniors one day, and it’s time to start thinking about what needs we'll have when we get there. In fact, it just dawned on me that in just 11 years, I’ll fit into what the San Diego LGBT Community Center calls its “50 & Better” program! While a 50-year old senior likely has vastly different needs than an 80-year old, we need to be prepared and willing to uplift, support, and respect the older

FROM PAGE 1

COURTS He further testified that he was forced to drive Johnson around in a 40-minute ordeal and Johnson kept changing directions as to where he wanted to go. He said he punched Johnson in the jaw and escaped from his 2000 Ford Ranger truck. Johnson drove off with his

generations. Not to forget that someone who is 50 years old still has 30 or more years of life ahead of them. We need to consider those needs as people age and live longer. In speaking to many seniors in our community, I sense that many feel like they’ve been shut out, ignored, and pushed away. While the world needs to go on and adapt to changing times, I will never forget the contributions those who came before me made. I will do what I can to make sure this population is cared for, honored, and provided space to share their needs. We’ve all got a responsibility to care for those most vulnerable in our society, including youth and seniors. We have so much to learn from them, so much to gain from them, and to thank them for that, we owe them our respect and support! —Benny Cartwright is a local LGBT activist and Nicky Award’s 2018 Man of the Year. Benny can be contacted at Benny.bc.cartwright@gmail.com. Note: Byline photo by Rob Lucas Modern Aperture Photography.t

truck, but it was wrecked after he evaded police following other crimes. The trial was delayed because of concerns over Johnson’s mental competency and he spent time at a state psychiatric facility until he regained his mental competency. Johnson remains in jail without bail. —Neal Putnam is a local freelance writer. Reach him at nealputnam@gmail.com.t

COMMUNITY VOICES

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How a library saved my life mopping the floor and restocking shelves, I was reading my way through all the comic books that the store carried. I would yell out to my dad, “What’s this word? What does it mean?” and he, not to be distracted from his work, would yell back what I needed to know. I remember reading about Richie Rich, Archie, Betty, Veronica and too many superhero books to mention. Once I began elementary school, my mom took me to the library and I got the tour from the children’s librarian. She showed me the children’s section (which was on the first f loor) and rushed us through the adult section (on f loors two and three). It was a most impressive building, beautifully designed and assembled at the beginning of the 20th century. I was in awe of the adult section and made up my mind then and there that that was where I wanted to be. I wasn’t going to be stuck in the children’s section for one second more than I had to be. It was around third grade when I began to “sneak” into the adult section. My mother never came with me to the library after that first day, I always went alone. The adult librarian vaguely knew my face but she didn’t know me. She allowed my stealthy visits

Life Beyond Therapy Michael Kimmel

ellington, Ohio had a few more than 2,000 people when I was growing up there. It had one stoplight and 14 bars, one school building that housed all grades from kindergarten to high school. And it had a library. This library saved my life. I knew I was “different” from a very young age. It wasn’t just about being queer, it was more about not fitting into Wellington’s rural, small-town Ohio culture. I wasn’t athletic, handsome or muscular. I was thin, wore big thick glasses, had buck teeth and two ears that were far from a matched set. But, I had books. Books about people who were like me. Books about people who had lives in cities, lives with culture, lives full of music and literature and dance and theater. People who lived lives that dared to challenge the norms of their societies. I went to library once a week. I learned to read before I went to kindergarten: from comic books. My dad owned a drugstore and on Sundays while he was

San Diego’s LGBT News source

to the second f loor (I was too chicken to risk the third f loor) until one day she stopped me and said, “What are you doing up here? The children’s section is downstairs.” My heart stopped. Was I going to be denied my fantasies of reading all of these fascinating, forbidden adult books? Oh hell no! So, I gulped and managed to say, “I would like to be able to read biographies and autobiographies and I’ve read all the ones downstairs,” (a lie, but I was desperate). “Hmmm,” she replied, “Why do you want to read those kinds of adult books?” “Because I want to learn about people who get out of small towns like this and make something of themselves.” I whispered, staring hard at the floor. She looked at me intently for a few moments. I had taken a big risk: had I offended her? Was she a happy, smalltown librarian, proud of her local roots? She was not. I was saved. She smiled at me, said, “I know what you mean” and took me to the biography and autobiography sections. She made a couple of suggestions for books that I could “handle” and I happily took them home, indulging in them as if they were the most delicious dessert

Michael Kimmel's "The Gay Man's Guide to Open and Monogamous Marriage" is now available at the following San Diego branches of the public library: Downtown (Central), Mission Hills-Hillcrest, North Park, University Heights, Skyline. (Photo by Michael Kimmel)

—Michael Kimmel is a licensed psychotherapist who specializes in helping LGBT clients achieve their goals and deal with anxiety, depression, grief, sexually addictive behavior, coming out, relationship challenges and homophobia. Contact him at 619-955-3311 or visit lifebeyondtherapy.com.t

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2 NEWS

Dockless bikes in Hillcrest

By William E. Kelly Editor’s Note: This is the second in a three-part series. Read the first in the series online at bit.ly/2tGWqD9. On June 5, San Diego County will hold primary elections for the following seats: county board of supervisors; county assessor/ recorder/county clerk; county treasurer/tax collector;

Liz Carmouche, a 125-pound bantamweigh t women's MMA fighter, is ranked No. (Courtesy of 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu) 6 in the world.

Former Christian rocker comes out

First openly lesbian fighter makes Albert H. Fulcher | Editor In 2010, when Liz Carmouche decided she wanted to compete in the MMA (mixed martial arts) professionally, she did so with a “head on” approach. She was

i THEATER

her way to the top of MMA rankings

told it would take a year or more of training before she ever saw the ring. But the veteran Marine Corps aviation electrician beat the odds, getting her first chance to fight professionally within four months of starting her training.

Now after 11 wins and six losses, Carmouche is currently the No. 6 ranked 125-pound bantamweight women’s MMA fighter in the world.

see MMA, pg 11

Homelessness in the LGBTQ comm unity

Mayor brings interfaith discussion Albert H. Fulcher | Editor

OnStage Playhouse's "Spike Heels"

DINING

Magic with cast iron

Index Opinion

6 21

Calendar

Puzzle

The Interfaith Shelter Network (ISN) has been an effective program for the homeless throughout San Diego County, so far helping 8,000 homeless individuals gain access to resources and services to get their lives back on track. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer joined the (ISN) in asking LGBT-friendly congregations to join the network and open their doors to homeless individuals at the ISN Summit on March 5 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral. “We know there are a number of LGBTQ individuals experiencing homelessness and they need our help. That’s why we are asking LGBTQ-friendly congregations, who understand their needs, to join our care network and provide a temporary place for them to begin turning their lives around,” said Faulconer in a press release.

to LGBT–affirming congregations

district attorney; county sheriff; county board of education members; community college district members; and superior court judges. In the first of this series, I spoke to Omar Passons and Lori Saldana, two of the six candidates I interviewed who wish to represent District 4 on the San Diego County board of supervisors . Each candidate I spoke to agreed to focus on the challenges facing seniors, and was offered the opportunity to state their priorities, objectives, goals and plans to address and achieve those priorities, as well as share their experience and qualifications. Following are the highlights of responses by candidates Ken Malbrough and Marcia Nordstrom.

Candidate Ken Malbrough

(l to r) ISN Summit panelists, The Very Rev. Penny Bridges, Trisha Brereton, Fernando Lopez, Gary Owen, and Jonathan Herrera (Photo by Albert H. Fulcher)

The ISN Summit discussion addressing the summit. “This panel consisted of The Very is a network that works and Rev. Penny Bridges, dean, with your help and participaSt. Paul’s Cathedral; Trisha tion, I think you will see the Brereton, ISN executive dibenefits in so many ways. That rector; Fernando Lopez, San is why I am optimistic about Diego LGBT Pride executive our opportunities to begin makdirector; Gary Owen, ISN voling a real difference.” unteer; and Jonathan Herrera, Faulconer said that combatsenior advisor on homelessne ss ting homelessness is about crecoordination for the city of San ating that safe space for those Diego. in need, regardless of someone’s “You all represent the fabrace, color, religion, gender, sexric of our city for wanting to ual orientation, national origin, do the right thing and helpage or disabilities. ing people get back on their feet,” Faulconer said when see ISN,

● Opening statement “The county has $2 billion in reserve tax dollars just floating in a cloud of unknown use by county supervisors,” Malbrough said. He said he pledges to “seek community input” on how these reserve tax dollars can best be utilized and would like to see them invested in “chronically neglected or underfunded areas,” such as housing and public safety in underserved communities. “My priority is reducing our homelessness epidemic and addressing this issue region-wide,” he said. “Providing access to health and human services is the primary and more affordable method to avoid the pathway to homelessness and incarceration.”

pg 15

Editorial/Letters

see Candidates, pg 5

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imaginable. Those books, and that librarian, saved my life. They showed me what was possible out there in that big old world — telling me about London and Paris, New York and Los Angeles, artists and writers, dancers and playwrights. And happily, I have never been the same. On Saturday, March 30, at 1 p.m., at the beautiful new Hillcrest/Mission Hills Library, I am offering a free, 90-minute workshop on “shoving each other towards wholeness” — the give-andtakes, tugs-of-war and power struggles that arise from loving someone and being loved in return. Mission Hills-Hillcrest Library is located at 215 West Washington St. There is free, validated parking available in their underground lot. Any questions? Call me at 619-955-3311 or email me at beyondtherapy@ cox.net.

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Guest Editorial

My story: Kicking tobacco’s butt By Dannie Ceseña The very first time I picked up a cigarette, I was in seventh grade. It wasn’t due to peer pressure, and I wasn’t aware that the tobacco industry aggressively targets the LGBTQ+ community. I was struggling with severe depression, suicidal ideation and coming to terms with my sexual orientation. At the time, I didn’t even know what transgender was, but I was presenting as female and wanted to date other females. Growing up in the ’90s in a Latinx, religious, low-income neighborhood, it was basically a death sentence to openly state you were gay. Plus, I was emotionally and physically abused. Knowing that I had to hide who I was, led me to engage in self-harming behaviors. One day I ditched school with my friends and went to the local liquor store to buy snacks. That’s when I discovered I was able to purchase single cigarettes. I wasn’t carded. I wasn’t asked why I wasn’t in school. I just gave the cashier a quarter and I was able to EDITOR Albert H. Fulcher (619) 961-1960 albert@sdcnn.om CONTRIBUTING EDITORS (619) 519-7775 Kendra Sitton X118 Jeff Clemetson, x119 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ben Cartwright Dannie Casena Joel Castellaw Michael Kimmel Fernando Lopez Neal Putnam Nicole Murray Ramirez Frank Sabatini Jr CONTRIBUTOR www.canstockphoto.com WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA Jeff Clemetson Cassidy Klein web@sdcnn.com

obtain a cigarette. From there, I experimented with different cigarette brands. I enjoyed menthols and 100’s. That’s not a coincidence. Menthol masks the harsh taste of tobacco, making the smoke feel smoother and easier to inhale. That taste hides the truth. Menthol cigarettes are worse for you and harder to quit. My experience with menthol cigarettes isn’t unique either — thanks in part to intense marketing by the tobacco industry, nearly half of all lesbian, gay and bisexual adult cigarette smokers in California smoke menthol cigarettes, while only 28 percent of straight smokers smoke menthol cigarettes. By the time I was in high school, I was smoking a pack a day to ease my anxiety and depression. In college, it was difficult for me to meet new people and make friends. The most common way I did this was by hanging out in the college smoker’s area and either bummed cigarettes off people or allowed people to bum cigarettes off me. It was here that I learned that I wasn’t the only

one with a strong sense of anxiety, depression and trauma. I was able to connect with others who smoked for the same reason. Tobacco companies exploit these feelings of isolation the LGBTQ community can experience and promote smoking as a way to bond and relieve stress. The tobacco industry has also feigned allegiance to our community by sponsoring community and Pride events. But promoting deadly products isn’t being an ally. Over the years, my habit grew to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day. I noticed my cigarette intake continued to get worse as I started to understand what being transgender meant and knowing that my partner was not OK with me transitioning. My anxiety, depression and suicidal tendencies were getting worse. The worse I felt about myself; feeling the rejection by society, by my partner, my parents disowning me, I couldn’t breathe unless there was a cigarette in my hand. It was in 2011, when I met my current partner, that I was

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finally able to kick the habit. It wasn’t an easy road, but I spent a lot of time trying to find mental health services to address my anxiety, depression, suicidal ideology and gender expression/ sexual orientation. There were so many providers who were anti-LGBTQ and caused my smoking rate to rise. When I was in a psychiatric hold, I was consistently misgendered, not allowed to practice my dietary restrictions and was abused because of who I was. This made it harder to quit. It was only when I was finally able to find an LGBTQ-affirming therapist who specialized in childhood trauma that I was finally able to wean off of smoking and finally quit. Unless resources and providers who are LGBTQ-competent are made available to assist in the healing of my community, we will continue to see smoking rates rise. We need to look out for one another and protect each other. This includes from the predatory marketing by tobacco companies to the LGBTQ community. There is something we can do today — we can tell our elected representatives that we will no longer accept the tobacco industry’s insidious

targeting of our community. If you’d like to learn more about how our community has been pursued by menthol cigarette marketing, please visit tobaccofreeca.com. —Dannie Ceseña is program coordinator for the California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network. He is passionate about LGBT health ccare and is a World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) member and Gay & Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) member. Dannie strengthened the Trans*itions Health and Wellness Program while creating the LGBT Health Department at the LGBT Center Orange County. He has trained major hospitals and community clinics on LGBT health care disparities with recommendations on fixing the system, guest lectured at various California universities and medical schools, and provided pro bono legal services with a volunteer legal team. He now works at the CA LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network, taking his advocacy and program building skills statewide.t

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GAY SAN DIEGO March 29 - April 11, 2019

Gay sex scandals and politics

Conversations with Nicole Nicole Murray Ramirez

id you know since the 1970s when gay men and lesbians started to openly run for public office and get elected there has not been one lesbian sex scandal, ever. But there has been about a dozen or so sex scandals involving gay elected officials and that’s not too bad compared to the countless heterosexual political sex scandals. Interestingly, both Congressmen Gerry Studds and Barney Frank were outed as homosexuals during their sex scandals but were re-elected many times after. Not long ago, former governor Jim McGreevey of New Jersey resigned after his gay sex scandal and now is a protestant priest. There have been quite a few Republican elected office holders who were involved in gay scandals who were yanked out of the closet, from a Republican senator who was arrested in an airport restroom trying to get some “action” to a former speaker of the house. California has had its share of political gay sex scandals, recently with the state chairman of the Democratic party and another involving a West Hollywood councilman. The first elected openly gay mayors of both Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington resigned their offices over sex scandals. And yes, I have known many of these gay men involved in these sex scandals, and while most of them were outstanding public officials and popular, sadly to say, most of them had some poor judgment when it came to choosing a sex partner. It seems that when LGBT people are elected to public office they are held to a higher standard and that is why I never ran for office because I come from the 1960s when it was “sex, drugs and rock n' roll.” And unlike former President Bill Clinton, I more than inhaled! I don't think one of my boyfriends of five years being a top gay video star would have gone over with the voting public. I most certainly have lived in a glass house and have been open about my past for decades. But times have changed and what passed as normal or usual

between gay men and cruising can now be charged as sexual harassment. We gay men have always been handsy when it comes to each other, but now it would be better if we just shook hands. And many people have gone crazy over suing people and taking them to court, but of course will drop the case for a financial settlement. The Bob Filner heterosexual harassment scandal made national headlines and almost all the accusations were true. When it came to former San Diego council member Carl DeMaio he was subjected to “gay baiting,” all complete lies and his accuser was even convicted of perjury. Now we come to San Diego Unified School District Board Member Kevin Beiser who many of us are good friends with as well as his husband. Beiser has always been kinda’ nerdy and pushy, but that was his personality. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea for him to have so many gay pool parties at his house. To be honest, when I first read the San Diego Union Tribune story about Beiser, I wasn't too sure. But after reading the Voice of San Diego article by respected journalist Andrew Keatts, I do believe that Beiser has indeed crossed the line when it comes to conduct of an elected public official. I do not believe this is a political conspiracy against him at all. But this should be a wakeup call for all gay men, especially those in power. The days of "touchy feely" are over. Know who you are having sex with, and don't if they're drunk, or under any kind of substance influence. Because in reality there are real sexual harassment cases out there and there are also ones out there just for a financial settlement or gain. — Nicole Murray Ramirez has been writing a column since 1973. He has been a Latino/ gay activist for almost half a century and has advised and served the last seven mayors of San Diego. Named the ‘Honorary Mayor of Hillcrest’ by a city proclamation, he has received many media awards including from the prestigious San Diego Press Club. Reach Nicole at Nicolemrsd1@gmail. com and follow him on Twitter @Nmrsd2.

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[Editor’s Note: The opinions written in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the staff and/or publisher of Gay San Diego and/or its parent company, San Diego Community News Network (SDCNN). The newspaper and its staff should be held harmless of liability or damages.] (Graphic by www. CanStockPhoto.com)t

Save the Date saturday, august 17

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saturday, june 22

friday, may 17

Saturday

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For more information, visit us at thecentersd.org/events

events @TheCenTer Tuesday, April 2

Friday, April 5

Food Bank

Transgender Day of empowerment

9 am, The Center The Center hosts a distribution site the first Tuesday of each month for the Community cares Project of the San Diego Food Bank. Visit The Center’s parking lot for distribution site. This event is made possible by the dedication of our fantastic Center volunteers, who wake up extra early on this day to make sure that our community members in need are fed and taken care of. For more information, visit the San Diego Food Bank website at www.sandiegofoodbank.org or contact Sarah Merk-Benitez at 619.692.2077 x214 or smerkbenitez@thecentersd.org.

Wednesday, April 3

Guys, Games & Grub!

6-9 pm, The Center

Join us in celebrating the rich diversity of San Diego’s transgender community. As always, this year’s program will include transgender speakers, entertainment, refreshments, community awards, and the announcement of the 5th Annual Tracie Jada O’Brien Transgender Student Scholarship recipients! This event is FREE and open to all. Visit Facebook for more information.

neW DATe Thursday, May 2 13th Annual Dining Out for Life® San Diego

6-8:30 pm, The Center

Everyone is welcome to The Center on the first Wednesday evening of each month for GGG! The popular board game and social night, presented by Men @ The Center, includes pizza, snacks, beer, wine, soft drinks, and hundreds of board games to choose from. Participants are welcome to come alone and meet new friends, or come with a group for a fun evening out. Suggested donation of $5. For more information contact Ben Cartwright at outreach@thecentersd.org or 619.692.2077 x106.

www.thecentersd.org The San Diego LGBT Community Center 3909 Centre Street • 619-692-2077 Twitter: @LGBTCenter

facebook.com/At.The.Center

We are excited to announce a new look and new date for this year’s Dining Out For Life® San Diego. Each year, Dining Out For Life® San Diego draws thousands of participants who dine out with family and friends for breakfast, lunch, dinner and/or drinks at the event’s participating locations. Those locations – some of San Diego’s most generous restaurants, bars, coffee and ice cream shops – agree to donate 25% or more of their food and liquor sales from that day to support HIV services and prevention programs at The San Diego LGBT Community Center. Visit events.thecentersd. org/dofl for all things #DOFLSD.

COMMUNITY VOICES

GAY SAN DIEGO March 29 - April 11, 2019

gay-sd.com

Lambda Archives Houses Vintage Gay Pulp Fiction Out of the Archives Joel Castellaw

rior to the Stonewall riots of 1969 that sparked a gay liberation movement in America, LGBTQ folks in this country lived in the shadows. We were characterized as “destroyers of society,” facing loss of employment if exposed, and subject to police entrapment and mass arrests. It’s no surprise that most of us remained hidden, with little sense of community or identity. In the midst of this atmosphere of oppression, an outlet for queer expression and

identification exploded during the 1960s: gay pulp fiction. The number of these titles published in the United States rose from three in 1961, to twenty-six by 1965, to 176 in 1968, and 250 in 1969. These inexpensive paperback originals were printed on the cheapest stock available, known as pulp stock because it’s made mostly from sawmill residue. It’s the use of this paper that gives us the name “pulp fiction.” These cheap novels depicted gay and lesbian protagonists in ways that were a sharp departure from the bleak, self-loathing caricatures of LGBTQ life found in mainstream publications of the period. For example the most

widely-read and well-loved of the vintage gay pulp titles, Richard Amory’s “Song of the Loon,” features ecstatically celebratory heroes. This novel is patterned after the pastoral romance and filled with rugged men of the Western frontier who proclaimed their love for each other in rhymed couplets before plunging into each other’s arms. While it would be hard to describe the novels and short stories that make up this genre as examples of fine literature (they vary in quality and content from serviceable and sexy, to clunky and campy, to patently pornographic), they have become the subject of scholarly study – considered

William Hamling and Earl Kemp spent time in jail on obscenity charges for publishing “The Illustrated President Commission Report on Obscenity and Pornography.”

Lambda Archives has a rich collection of 1960's gay pulp fiction. (Photos by Lambda Archives) T h e 5 T H A N N UA L

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noteworthy as examples of queer culture, and, moreover, for the role that they played in the creation of queer community. These novels helped readers to see same-sex desire as normal and moral, and the plots of some of the novels provided blueprints for civil rights activism. Regrettably, most gay pulp fiction titles from the 1960s are out of print and have been for decades. Used copies available through second-hand sellers are scarce and can command prices upwards of $100 for a single well-worn paperback. Fortunately, Lambda Archives has a significant collection of these titles. There are over 500 gay pulp fiction titles in the Lambda Archives collection – almost exclusively gay male pulp fiction that was published in the 1960s by Greenleaf Classics, the second-largest publisher of such titles during the period. Greenleaf Classics was a local San Diego publisher – their location changed frequently and ranged from Mission Gorge to Camino del Rio South, from El Cajon to Santee – so the significance of this collection to our own local LGBTQ community can’t be overstated. The collection is also significant because some of the authors represented went on to become important in the more general world of gay-themed fiction, including Victor J. Banis, Richard Amory, James Colton, and Carl Corley. Greenleaf Classics was led by William Hamling, its managing editor, and Earl Kemp, publisher. Hamling and Kemp put themselves in peril by publishing frank depictions of gay life at a time when such subjects were

widely viewed as obscene. Court cases ensued, and the publishers sometimes won, sometimes lost. Greenleaf prevailed in the case of Redrup v. New York (1967), convincing the U.S. Supreme Court “that an adult in the comfort and privacy of his own home was the best judge of what was obscene.” Later, after a shift in the composition of the court, Greenleaf lost an appeal in the case of Hamling v. United States (1974), and Hamling and Kemp spent time in jail on obscenity charges for publishing “The Illustrated President Commission Report on Obscenity and Pornography.” (The Archives has a copy of this report as well.) Initially sentenced to five years each, they had their sentences reduced to ninety days – but in exchange they had to agree to cease publishing material of a sexual nature. Greenleaf made the successful transition to publishing more legitimate titles, particularly business books. The Lambda Archives Vintage Pulp Fiction collection is currently in the process of being catalogued, and there are plans in the works for an exhibit in the future that will highlight key items from the collection. For those who want to explore the topic further, two of the works that take a scholarly work at these obscure, but important books are David Bergman’s “The Cultural Work of Sixties Gay Pulp Fiction” in “The Queer Sixties,” edited by Patricia Juliana Smith. And “1960s Gay Pulp Fiction: The Misplaced Heritage,” by Jaime Harker. —Professor Joel Castellaw is chair of the Communication Department at Grossmont College.t

gay-sd.com

NEWS

GAY SAN DIEGO March 29 - April 11, 2019

Mama’s Day celebrates 28 years

Emmy winning chef, Sam "The Cooking Guy" Zien, returns as culinary host

ama’s Kitchen is prepping for its 28th annual Mama’s Day scheduled for Friday, May 10, from 5:30-9:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine. Mama’s Day, often touted as the original San Diego tasting event, is held the Friday evening before Mother’s Day and features more than 50 restaurants offering distinctive tastes to more than 600 attendees. From San Diego’s finest restaurants to our city’s top-of-the-line hotels and catering companies, Mama’s Day is a one-night-only event filled with fun, food and friends for all to enjoy. Proceeds from the event help to raise critical funds for Mama's Kitchen’s mission to deliver three medically-tailored nutritional meals a day, seven days a week and free of charge to local women, men and children vulnerable to hunger due to HIV, cancer or other critical illnesses like congestive heart failure and Type 2 diabetes. In 2018, Mama’s Day raised $170,000, which provided 58,000 home-delivered meals to Mama’s Kitchen’s clients. This year, the event aims

to raise $220,000, which will provide 75,342 meals to San Diego’s critically ill neighbors. The annual event will once again bring together executive chefs from the region’s top restaurants that support the cause with spectacular dishes. Guests will also enjoy live music and entertainment, and fun lawn games poolside, including pingpong, cornhole and more. Those looking to walk away with more than delighted taste buds are encouraged to bid on an extensive silent auction or buy a chance to win fabulous prizes in an opportunity drawing to help raise critical funds for those most vulnerable to hunger in San Diego County. “We’re so humbled to be part of a community that embraces our mission and gives so much. Mama’s Day continues to be a way we celebrate our wins alongside everyone who makes Mama’s Kitchen special,” said Alberto Cortés, executive director of Mama’s Kitchen. “The funds raised by this event will continue to be used to touch more lives and provide nutritious meals to thousands of San Diegans in need.”

28th annual Mama’s Day Friday, May 10 5:30-9:30 p.m. Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine 3777 La Jolla Village Drive San Diego, CA 92122 Making his return as this year’s culinary host is Emmy Award-winning chef and author, Sam “The Cooking Guy” Zien, who will be providing a special cooking presentation for VIP guests. Zien has received 15 Emmy Awards for his work on his self-titled TV show “Sam the Cooking Guy.” He has been a long-time supporter of Mama’s Kitchen and Mama’s Day. In addition, VIP guests will also have access to the Pavilion for a first look at featured restaurants, as well as a special presentation from a Mama’s Kitchen client. Tickets may be purchased online at mamaskitchen.org. Early bird available now: $50 off tickets through March 31; $100 (general); $200 (VIP)

(l to r) Sam “The Cooking Guy” Zien and Alberto Cortés, executive director of Mama’s Kitchen, holding a special cooking presentation at the 2018 Mama's Day. (Photo courtesy of Mama's Kitchen) Sponsorships are available, and there are opportunities for chefs and restaurants to participate. For more information, please contact Silvia Dominguez at 619-233-6262 or silvia@mamaskitchen.org. —Mama's Kitchen was founded in 1990 when volunteers from the AIDS Assistance Fund discovered that many of their clients were becoming too ill to take care of themselves. They realized that a reliable home meal delivery service was needed to ensure that these individuals would continue

to receive nutritious, life-sustaining food. In 2004, Mama’s Pantry was opened to provide individuals with HIV who are able to prepare meals the opportunity to supplement their nutritional needs. During the past 28 years, Mama’s Kitchen has served over 8 million meals and has never turned away a client who qualified for our services. Our commitment to our clients remains unchanged and in May 2017, Mama’s Kitchen expanded its mission to serve San Diegans affected by HIV, cancer, congestive heart failure and Type 2 diabetes.t

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DINING

GAY SAN DIEGO March 29 - April 11, 2019

gay-sd.com

Culinary offerings from a pair of Ivy Leaguers Common Stock

Restaurant Review Frank Sabatini Jr.

3805 Fifth Ave. (Hillcrest) 619-738-3425, eatcommonstock.com Prices: Salads and share plates: $4 to $12 Burgers, sandwiches and entrees: $12 to $19

whimsical musing posted recently on Common Stock’s outdoor signboard rang poetically wise: “Find someone that looks at you the way you look at hot chicken.” The statement made stark sense after stepping inside and eating the Southern-inspired poultry dish. Only in Nashville do I recall hot chicken tasting this stunning. In fact, the multi-spiced version served here, which uses cornflakes in the batter, was actually better. Common Stock is the brainchild of good friends Brian Douglass and Anderson Clark, who opened their casual bar and eatery last fall in a Hillcrest address that has seen a train of restaurants pass through over the years: Salt & Cleaver; Cote Sud; and St. Tropez Bistro, to name a few. The guys met while working as managers for the Los Angeles-based Hillstone Restaurant Group. Douglass is a Yale University graduate who studied economics. Clark earned his degree in hotel administration from Cornell University. Both were intent on launching a kind of neighborhood venture in which “you come back from the gym to

(l to r) Owners Brian Douglass and Anderson Clark (Photos by Frank Sabatini Jr.) have a beer and a burger,” said Clark, who was active with the Varsity Gay League until Common Stock began taking off. The space shows off the brightest and airiest design compared to everything that came before it. An inviting central bar with a light-colored concrete counter top is flanked by booths and tables. Brick walls are finished in white, German schmear, and faux greenery appears in all the right places amid new lighting. The front opens to a sidewalk patio for taking in this quaint stretch of Fifth Avenue. In addition, new kitchen appliances were installed, including a rotisserie used for a bone-in half chicken served

with Peruvian aji verde sauce and Brussels sprouts. The menu encompasses a small compendium of dishes favored and perfected by Douglass and Clark. It features a few salads; four shareable starters; a divine crispy chicken sandwich; a cheeseburger; and four entrees involving chicken, pork or flat-iron steak. Some customers, like my sis visiting from back East, might yearn for more appetizer choices and a casual seafood item such as fish and chips. (Not a bad idea, actually.) But for this fan of focused menus, I wasn’t left wanting. I’m sick to death of kale. Though when elevated by apples, white cheddar, almonds and maple tahini, I trust it won’t taste tiresome. And it didn’t in what was the best kale salad I’ve had in ages. An order of “umami fries” evaded the expected drizzles of truffle oil, another hyped ingredient I wish would go away. They were instead seasoned with porcini mushroom

and miso powders. Our palates didn’t actually detect either, but good french fries they were—especially when dipped in the herby house-made ranch dressing served alongside. What seems like a banal appetizer on paper — caramelized onion dip and potato chips — turned out to be quite wonderful. The item is testimony to the owners’ “obsessive tinkering” of classic foods. In this case, the recipe is authored by Douglass. The dip features house-made onion jam folded into liquid aminos and sour cream. It’s sprinkled with snipped herbs and served with excellent Russet potato chips that are fried to order. Waves of nostalgia and a tinge of sweetness came with every swipe. Our hot chicken plate (served with creamy coleslaw) and the towering crispy chicken sandwich were examples of culinary perfection. The spicy chicken — a breast and thigh — sported craggy exteriors from their cornflake batter and sat in a puddle of reddish oil infused with cayenne pepper, brown sugar and other spices. An underlying hint of smokiness added to the flavor rush.

Clark says the recipe was “born from the shadow of my grandfather who loved fried chicken.” Sis and I agreed the dish would take San Diego by storm if sold at multiple outlets. As it stands, Clark says they sell about 100 orders of the hot chicken per week. The sandwich featured a breast filet encased in the same buttermilk-cornflake batter as the hot chicken, sans the spicy oil. It was layered with Muenster cheese, coleslaw, bacon, shredded lettuce, and tomatoes. So meticulously constructed, it stayed remarkably intact despite its full-grip girth. Dessert equates to housemade chocolate chip cookies, a recipe from Douglass’ mother-in-law that he’s enjoyed for years. They’re hot and gooey and finished with seductive measures of sea salt. Common Stock’s accommodating drink list extends to boutique wines from Napa, the Russian River area and Europe, as well as craft beers from local breweries, and cocktails using organic fruit juices and a tequila-sake spirit known as sabe. There’s also June Shine hard kombucha and cider from Bivouac in North Park. Prices across the board are reasonable. They’re even better if you mosey in for drinks during happy hour (3 to 6 p.m. daily), when local draft beers are $5, and margaritas, Palomas and wines by the glass are $2 off their regular costs. — Frank Sabatini Jr. is the author of “Secret San Diego” (ECW Press) and began his local writing career more than two decades ago as a staffer for the former San Diego Tribune. You can reach him at fsabatini@san.rr.com.t

Caramelized onion dip with house-made chips

Crispy chicken sandwich

A jazzed-up kale salad

Nashville hot chicken

DINING

gay-sd.com

GAY SAN DIEGO March 29 - April 11, 2019 Fans of pho, fish balls and grilled meat skewers are calling Royal Delicious the most affordable Vietnamese eatery in Uptown. The fast-casual operation opened recently in a small City Heights strip plaza with a menu that also

Just weeks after jointly closing Urban Solace in North Park and Solace and the Moonlight Lounge in Encinitas in mid March, chef Matt Gordon has landed a job. As of March 25, the former restaurateur became vice president of operations for Blue Bridge Hospitality, which owns a quorum of restaurants in Coronado and also operates Liberty Public Market in Point Loma. “It’s the first time I’ve started a new job for someone else in about 15 years. I’m really excited about it,” Gordon told us, adding that immediately

after closing his restaurants, he had written down a wish list of career goals. “I wanted something that would allow me to oversee multiple units, and where I can utilize my skills of working the front and back of house operations. Ironically, the same day I wrote those things down, I received a call about the job, and it just sort of happened.” Blue Bridge’s portfolio includes Leroy’s Kitchen & Lounge, Stake Chophouse, West Pac Noodle Bar, Lil’ Piggy’s Bar-B-Q, and others. bluebridgehospitality.com.

Learn how to make your salads sing in an upcoming workshop on dressings. (VomFass/Google images)

Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant welcomes the arrival of Jason Gethin as its new chef de cuisine. The South Carolina native, whose cuisine at the former Table 10 in the East Village drew accolades by Zagat, has introduced a slate of original dishes at Bankers Hill. Among them are wild mushroom polenta; grilled levain bread topped with smashed peas, lemon and feta; and Faroe Island salmon served with seasonal vegetables in clam broth. 2202 Fourth Ave., 619-231-0222, bankershillsd.com.

Yes, you’ve seen right. The former Carnitas Snack Shack in North Park is now The Porchetta Shack, a reinvention project by chef

Hanis Cavin and his wife, Sara Stroud. Cavin quietly changed the concept this month because he recently broke with business

includes a variety of vegetarian egg rolls, fried chicken, combo plates and tropical smoothies. Prices on “snack attack” items start at $2 while a majority of the meals fall comfortably below the $10 mark. 4415 University Ave., 619-228-9092.

A new career path for chefrestaurateur Matt Gordon (Courtesy photo)

It’s all about salad dressings at an upcoming workshop from 11 a.m. to noon, April 6 at VomFass in Hillcrest, which specializes in oils, vinegars and spirits. The class will focus on the ins and outs for creating balanced dressings on salads that will be tasted toward the end of the class. Participants can take home the dressings they make. The cost is $10 per person. Advance registration is required. 1050 University Ave., Suite E-103, 619-534-5034, hillcrest.vomfassusa.com.

Jason Gethin has introduced crafty dishes as the new chef de cuisine at Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant (Courtesy photo)

Luscious porchetta at The Porchetta Shack (Photo by Aubree Miller)

partner Mike DiNorscia, the developer of the Little Italy Food Hall who still runs Carnitas Snack Shack at the Embarcadero (1004 N. Harbor Drive). “I split from the brand, but I’m still a lover of all things pork,” quipped Cavin while citing some of The Porchetta Shack’s menu options he has introduced to far. Options include the Italianinspired rolled pork (porchetta) in addition to burgers, pork Milanese and fish sandwiches. “We’re still working things out and plan on grand-opening in early April,” Cavin added. The “shack” has been repainted and now carries a full liquor license. 2632 University Ave., 619-294-7675, porchettashack.com.

A local sandwich shop continues to expand. (Facebook) The new Bankers Hill outlet of Grab & Go Subs is the first of 10 locations to offer beer and wine. And like its recently opened outpost in Mission Hills, the menu features a few of the company’s newest submarine sandwiches: prosciutto, steak, and “the romantic” featuring turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese and avocado. It also offers happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, when food and drinks are slightly discounted. Grab & Go Subs is a

family-owned local chain that also operates Mimmo’s Italian Village in Little Italy. It was founded in 1973 by Sicilian immigrant Vincenzo “Mimmo” Gaglio. He became known for fresh-baked breads, which are still used for all of the sandwiches. 2420 Fifth Ave., 619-232-9000; and 768 W. Washington St., 619-238-5353, grabandgosubs.com. —Frank Sabatini Jr. can be reached at fsabatini@san.rr.com.t

NEWS

GAY SAN DIEGO March 29 - April 11, 2019

FROM PAGE 1

LEATHER PRIDE On Saturday, March 14, prominent leaders of the leather population from San Diego and beyond gathered to vote in the 2019 San Diego Leather Pride title holders. After a morning interview, contestants took to the stage that evening in daily wear, acting out their kink fantasies, a unique question and answer session, and finally, a short speech on why they would best represent the leather and bootblack communities. This year's titleholders are Ms San Diego Leather Pride 2019 Serafine Sawyer, Mr San Diego Leather Pride 2019 Jody Mitchell and San Diego Bootblack 2019 Alexander Williams (Pup Rowdy). Sawyer said from childhood to adulthood, we are always asking the same question. “What are you doing with the rest of your life?” She said that friends, family and society all have some idea of what is and isn't acceptable. “When I no longer pretended to be what everyone else wanted, when I shed their expectations, this came as a bit of a surprise,” Sawyer, who is a trans dom woman, said. “Many of my friends and family stepped back or walked away completely. And as I stood there, alone and raw, this awesome leather community opened its arms and said, ‘You're fine, just the way you are.’”

(l to r) Mr San Diego Leather Pride 2018 Doriam Couto receives a copy of his first promotion as titleholder from photographer Scott Smith. (Photos by Albert H. Fulcher)

Sawyer said with its strong traditions and dedication that the “amazing” people in the San Diego leather community became her new chosen family. “When I was sad, you held me,” Sawyer said. “When I was cold you showed me how to warm myself with the heat of a sub’s ass. You taught me that no one should feel the pain of abandonment. This is my life. This is who I am. So please join me as we begin to strengthen,

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to grow in our diversity, to honor the past while we continue to have a lot of fun continuing to play.” Bringing in the Mr San Diego Leather title, Jody Mitchell said the LGBT community is under attack from those that would treat them as second-class citizens, limit their freedom and deny them the equality that is their right. “They would see us silenced, and worst still, cured,” Mitchell said. “Our people have been beaten, bullied and murdered. The Hillcrest flag was vandalized and we had an actual active gunman in our midst. There is a darkness within our nation, emboldened by misanthropic politics.” Mitchell said despite all of this, we know that there will be brighter days in the future for the entire LGBT people. “Barriers are erected to stifle progress. But we do not stand idle,” Mitchell continued. “We confront and fight because we know that hatred is bred from fear. Fear of our voice, fear of our fire; that we dare to live our truth in the open. Now, more than ever, we need to unite as a people. If everyone of us here tonight, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, race, age, national origin, came together in solidarity, we could finally get it together and undone.” The love of leather can be a fetish in itself, but for the bootblack it is a way of life dedicated to the care of leather goods, a tradition that dates back to the early 1800s. Bootblack 2019 Alexander Williams (pup Rowdy) said when it comes to pups, he identifies as a corkie with his short waist, fuzzy face and playful smile. He said he is tenacious and social and likes to make folks feel welcome, which he does with his club San Diego Pups and Handlers, a diverse pack from all backgrounds, physical abilities, orientations and genders. “One of the favorite things to do as pack leader is to rotate friendships between pups that

gay-sd.com wouldn't normally think that they'd be friends,” Williams said. “I love watching pups bond over common ground that they didn't know that they had before. Making sure that everyone gets to play. What fun is it if only a few people get to enjoy something that should be for everyone? Like pup play, like bootblacking, like leather. “In order to achieve this you have to have zero tolerance for bigotry, hate speech and for bullies,” Williams continued. “When it comes down to it, we are all just one pack. More importantly, if you see someone being excluded from the pack because they are different, think corkie and then bring them in.” Handing over her title after a year of service, Shilo Vix, Bootblack 2018 said that she was grateful for the overabundance of support she received during the year. After running in 2014, she said she knew she would run again and 2018 was the right time for her. “My cup is running over with the love, affection, respect and encouragement I've been granted by my San Diego community,” Shilo said. “And I could not be more grateful for the experiences that I have had this year. This year I've had the pleasure to meet and bond with leather folk during my adventures ... To all the folks that sat with me this year or sent me home with one, two or 14 pieces of leather to work on, I thank you for many reasons. You allowed me to take care of your cherished leather and entrusted me with your stories. Your generosity helped support me this year while I was on and off the job market. If I could do bootblack all the time, I know I could do it right here in San Diego. I've made so many treasured memories that I will never forget.” Doriam Couto, San Diego Leather Pride 2018 said his platform for the year #Let'sWalkTogether was his initiative to make spaces more welcoming for people of color (POC), trans folk, leather women and anyone that felt alone and excluded for because of something they had no control over  the way he felt when he first found leather. “I had no idea when I won this title that the message that I wanted to carry would take me across the country and that so many people would care about a young POC would have to say,” Couto said.

Couto said he spent most of his title year feeling like an imposter and that his imposter syndrome came from feeling like he didn't fit in because he was not the typical kind of person to win a leather title. “I didn't see anyone who looked like me in a leadership position when I first found leather, or being spotted by the community,” Couto said. “As a young person of color I am dealing with my identity and culture every day to fit the mold of what it means to be American and what it means to being as close to white as humanly possible.” A 26-yer-old Latino, he said he wanted to thank his leather elders for laying the groundwork so that he could represent the leather community. “Leather folk like me, young people of color are trying to rediscover and integrate our history both in our daily lives and in our leather,” Couto continued. “So when you tell us leather isn't what it used to be, you're right. Because leather never expected us to show up in mass and we need you now more than ever. Our culture has been buried with our ancestors not knowing our generation would be longing to learn about our roots only to find it all removed and lost to the times. If this sounds familiar, the same happened with the AIDS epidemic. We lost so much of our history and culture. Folks that use the phrase traditional and old guard leather please understand that we do not want to erase you. We are trying to catch up so that we can stand tall beside the members of this wonderful life that we call leather. I beg of you to reach out and build bridges and offer your story so that we can carve our place in history. As we carve our way into history, we can put forth the work that you have done already. Share your stories so you can't say these kids know what it means to be leather. Share your stories so we stop thinking, ‘I don't belong here.’ Share your stories so that we feel comfortable sharing ours and share your stories so we know that you have our backs and we can go to you as family. Our leather might not be traditional. But it will be. Let's keep walking together.” —Albert Fulcher can be reached at albert@sdcnn.com.

Bootblack 2018 gives her final bootblack treatment to sash husband Doriam Couto.

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2019 San Diego Pride – San Diego Pride is July 12-14. For a limited time, early-bird tickets are on sale for the festival with a $50 savings on VIP tickets and $10 savings on general admission. $15-$150. bit.ly/2CfGwRg ‘Struggles and Triumphs’ – The San Diego History Center, in partnership with the Lambda Archives of San Diego, brings the first-ever exhibition in Balboa Park focused on the history of our local LGBTQ+ community. Visitors will experience and learn about the struggles to overcome persecution, the battle with AIDS, bullying and intolerance, the power of the community, and the tremendous strides taken in the fight for equal rights. The exhibit curator is noted author and historian Lillian Faderman. Runs through January 2020. 1649 El Prado, Suite 3. bit.ly/2o5PrxG

gay-sd.com ‘Defining Place/ Space: Contemporary Photography from Australia’ – The Museum of Photographic Arts will open a global conversation about the impact of pictures. “Defining Place/ Space: Contemporary Photography from Australia” showcases the diverse scope of artwork by photographers from Australia. Many pieces are coming to the U.S. for the first time. Iranian-Australian artist Hoda Afshar is among the photographers with her collection “Behold,” which was photographed in Iran in a town that permits men to be homosexual, on the condition that they conduct that part of their lives in secret. On display through Sept. 22. Free admission but contributions welcomed. 1649 El Prado. bit.ly/2Sv4yO7

Leading with Love Gala – The North County LGBTQ Resource Center (NCRC) has announced ticket sales for its 2019 Leading with Love gala. The signature fundraising event helps The Center keep its doors open and programs running for those in need. Gala will be on June 9 from 2-7 p.m. $125. bit.ly/2FV9tGc

Taste of Hillcrest 2019 – Hillcrest's vibrant walking feast is back on April 13 from noon-4 p.m. With over 40 different types of cuisine, Fabulous Hillcrest offers an international tour of exciting new concepts and comfort food favorites. Savor small bites from some of Hillcrest’s most recognized and award-winning restaurants while you discover and explore an eclectic mix of shops and boutiques. Tickets: presale $30, $35 day of event. A free shuttle is provided for all participants with two starting locations. bit.ly/2tU9aDs

‘Angels in America’ – A look at America in the mid-1980s. In the midst of the AIDS crisis and a conservative Reagan administration, New Yorkers grapple with life and death, love and sex, heaven and hell. Alternately hilarious and heartbreaking, it was awarded two Tony Awards for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Part one, “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches,” and part two, “Angels in America: Perestroika,” run through April 20 at the Cygnet Theatre in Old Town. Each performance is 3.5 hours with two 15-minute intermissions. $35. 4040 Twiggs St. bit.ly/2HfnXSa

Out at the Park – Join San Diego Pride as it teams up with the Padres for Out at the Park on April 19 at Petco Park. Grab your friends, family and rainbows as we prepare to enjoy an exciting evening of entertainment and baseball when the Padres take on the Reds at 7:10 p.m. Arrive early and enjoy the pre-game “Tailgate Party” happy hour event in our VIP space from 4:30-7 p.m. in Park at the Park — in conjunction with CocktailFest presented by Southwest Airlines. Then, take your seat with the group as we watch the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, San Diego Women’s Chorus, San Diego Pride and Padres staff perform the national anthem together on the

field. Your ticket purchase includes a seat in our Out at the Park section, a commemorative Out at the Park Padres hat, $5 donation to San Diego Pride and access to the pregame VIP space in Park at the Park. Padres.com/pride ‘Motown’ with the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus – Tickets are on sale for three performances of the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus spring concert “Motown.” The concert features favorite classics from Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Lionel Richie, Gladys Knight & the Pips and Jackson 5. The chorus promises a fun and bouffant-fabulous show with its versions of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Midnight Train to Georgia” and “Heatwave.” The chorus will also pay tribute to Motown’s impact on American society at a time when music and civil rights intertwined. Performances are April 13 at 3 and 8 p.m.; and April 14 at 3 p.m. at the Balboa Theatre in Downtown. $20-$70. 868 Fourth Ave. bit.ly/2YaNQYn

Saturday, March 30

‘Shoving Each Other Towards Wholeness’ – Join Gay San Diego columnist Michael Kimmel for a workshop/author talk on “Shoving Each Other Toward Wholeness” at the brandnew Mission Hills-Hillcrest Library in its spacious and light-filled community room. The workshop/author talk will be experiential, it’s not a 90-minute lecture. Michael will give attendees questions to consider and you’ll be talking about them individually with a few other people and then in a group. You’ll get to meet new people in an easy way (which is good for you shy folks). And, he’ll talk a bit about his book “The Gay Man’s Guide to Open and Monogamous Marriage,” too. Free. 1-2:30 p.m. 215 West Washington St. ‘Hedwig’ – Twenty years after its explosive debut that changed American theater forever, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” the iconic queer rock musical comes pulsating to life for the first time on

the Diversionary Theatre stage. Outcast turned rock underdog, Hedwig catapults the audience into their outrageous origin story that is both hilarious and horrifying, connecting the deeply personal to the universal. As Hedwig discovers theirself anew through telling their tale, the transcendent musical journey is a thrilling ride to discover your own rock and roll history. Plays through April 28. $15-$65. 4545 Park Blvd. bit.ly/2CuYCQa Trans Day of Visibility – Gender Advocacy Project welcomes everyone to Heritage Village Park for a day of empowerment for the trans community. Join them for hot dogs (or veggie dogs) and fun picnic activities like potato sack races, pie-eating contest, tug of war, and a youth zone so the entire family can enjoy the festivities. Free. Noon-4 p.m. 220 Peyri Drive, Oceanside. bit.ly/2Fo5wZa

Tuesday, April 9

Gay Men's Book Club – The new Gay Men's Book club will meet at the Mission Hills/Hillcrest Library to discuss its April selection "Dancer from the Dance" by Andrew Holleran, a classic novel about gay men in Manhattan and on Fire Island before the AIDS epidemic changed everything. Anyone interested in novels, memoirs and plays with gay themes is welcome to join. Contact Ron Alsop at ronald.alsop@gmail.com or 908-347-3877 for more information. Free. 6-7:30 p.m. 215 West Washington St.

Thursday, April 4

Rock at The Merrow – Scott Szikla presents an all-local lineup featuring live performances at The Merrow by Approaching Fiction (final show), Nights Like Thieves and The Undertaking (debut show). 8:30 p.m. $8 at door, $5 online. 1271 University Ave. bit.ly/2FnhmTB

Saturday, April 6

Abba The Concert – ABBA The Concert has been

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POZ Life Weekend Seminar – April 6 and 7, Life Group LA in collaboration with POZabilities, presents a weekend seminar — a free healing, informative and transformational workshop for people living with HIV or AIDS and their loved ones. The POZ Life Weekend Seminar is a place where compassion, education, community and love are offered unconditionally. It's a place where HIV-positive men, women, youth and family members can come to be themselves, feel comforted and supported in their effort to learn how to either live a long, healthy, productive “POZitive” lifestyle, or help someone they know and love overcome the fears associated with being HIV-positive. The POZ Life Weekend Seminar will be conducted at various venues countywide. For more information and registration, visit: bit.ly/2YeZOjA

Thursday, April 11

‘More Than Pink’ – Komen San Diego will bring together more than 350 survivors, supporters, community members and more to its fifth annual More Than Pink Dinner at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine. Proceeds from this fundraiser benefits Komen San Diego programs and breast cancer research and education. $200. Dress: business cocktail with a pop of pink. 5-9 p.m. 3777 La Jolla Village Drive bit.ly/2Jp0Mqat

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wowing fans everywhere for the past decade, dazzling with their performance of iconic ABBA hits like “Mamma Mia”; “S.O.S.”; “Money, Money, Money”; “The Winner Takes All”; “Waterloo”; “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme”; and “Dancing Queen.” Critics agree that ABBA The Concert is the most authentic ABBA tribute show in the world. Come dance, come sing, having the time of your life at the ultimate tribute celebration! April 6 at 8 p.m. and April 7 at 7 p.m. Sycuan Casino Resort. $59-$69. 5469 Casino Way, El Cajon. bit.ly/2TTszUQ

solution on page 13 DOWN 1 Boob, to a Brit 2 Where to find a date 3 Area of Tennessee Williams 4 It lessens the bottom line 5 Packing material 6 In a casual way 7 Born, to Bonheur 8 "Ixnay" and "No way" 9 Water channel 10 One who blows it 11 Cara of "Fame" 12 Puts into piles 13 Queen's "subjects" 18 Enlighten 19 Like a Liberace doll 25 Least enjoyable way to avoid STDs 26 He took on a pair of bears 27 Change one's opinion 28 What you touch getting to third base? 29 Flamboyant Flynn 30 Romeo and Juliet, for two

31 Decoration for skin 34 "I'm not eating that!" 35 Frigid 36 Ill-bred individuals 37 North Sea feeder 42 Drag queen's blade 44 Martin Crane's support 47 Cringe in horror 49 Ranger headgear 52 First indications of orientation 54 Green with a mostly unfabulous social life 56 Big name in footwear 57 Pussycat's partner 58 "Go Set a Watchman" writer Harper 61 In days past 62 "The Opposite of Sex" director Roos

NEWS

gay-sd.com

MICHAEL KIMMEL Psychotherapist Author of "Life Beyond Therapy" in Gay San Diego 5100 Marlborough Drive San Diego CA 92116 (619)955-3311 www.LifeBeyondTherapy.com

(Courtesy of San Diego Pride)

San Diego Pride announces festival headliner By Fernando López Today it can seem like everywhere you turn there are new up-and-coming LGBTQ artists, entertainers and celebrities, but many of us are old enough to remember when that wasn’t always the case. LGBTQ entertainers, like all of us, were forced to remain in the closet or risk putting our careers, ourselves, and our families in jeopardy. Just as Stonewall sparked a revolution for our community, it took another act of courage to transform the modern-day LGBTQ civil rights movement by elevating the amount and authenticity of our community’s visibility in the public sphere. In Los Angeles, in the ’90s, a group of three lesbian friends struggled with who would be the first to take the plunge and come out of the closet publicly. Amongst Rosie O’Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres, and Melissa Etheridge, it was Melissa who ultimately first publicly shattered the closet in 1993. From then on, closet after closet began to crumble as Amanda Bearse, Greg Louganis, Michael Stipe, Billie Joe Armstrong, and of course Ellen DeGeneres gave our community a level of humanity in the public consciousness that we

had never seen before. Melissa Etheridge redefined rock ‘n’ roll and our movement. Her bravery and pioneering steps carved a path wide enough to help reshape entertainment for generations, giving rise to the openly LGBTQ talent we all now enjoy like King Princess, Tegan & Sara, Big Freedia, Troye Sivan, and Janelle Monae. Her inspirational decades of activism pushing for an LGBTQ voice in politics, combating HIV/AIDS, and fighting for the freedom to marry have brought us that much closer to equality. For more than 30 years, Melissa’s deeply meaningful music and impassioned relentless advocacy have continued to connect the LGBTQ community and carve a better path forward both here in the United States and around the world. It is an unbelievable honor to host her as our Sunday headliner for San Diego Pride as we honor the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. Our theme this year is A Legacy of Liberation, and I can think of no one better to embody that spirit than Melissa Etheridge. ––Fernando Z. López is the executive director of San Diego Pride.

GAY SAN DIEGO March 29 - April 11, 2019

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April 7th

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT American Cuisine Bakery Bar Bar Cuisine Barbecue Bartender Best Place for a Hook Up Breakfast Brewery Brunch Buffett Burger Business Lunch Casino Catering Chinese Cusinie Cocktail Coffee Shop Comedy Club Comfort Food

Dance Club Deli/Sandwich Dessert Dinner DJ Donut Shop Drag Queen Drag Show Venue Family Restaurant Farmers Market Female Impersonator Fine Dining First Date Venue Food Truck Food Server French Cuisine Greek Cuisine Happy Hour Health Food Store Healthy Dining Hot Wings

Indian Cuisine Italian Cuisine Japanese Cuisine Jazz Bar Juice Late Night Dining LGBT Event Live Theater Venue Live Music Venue Local Destination Lunch Male Impersonator Margarita Martini Mexican Cuisine Movie Theater Neighborhood Bar New Restaurant Nightclub Outdoor Bar

Outdoor Dining Pet Friendly Dining Pho/Noodle House Pizza Poke Pride Event Romantic Dining Rooftop Lounge Salad Sandwich Seafood Spanish Cuisine Sports Bar Steakhouse Sushi Thai Cuisine Theater Vegetarian/Vegan Wine Bar

Chiropractor Consignment/Resale Cosmetic Services Credit Union Day Spa Dentist Dermatologist Dispensary/Collective Doctor Dry Cleaner Event/Wedding Planner Fighting Gym Financial Planner Florist Furniture Store Garden Supply

Gym/Workout Studio Hair Salon Handyman Hardware Store Hospital Hotel Insurance Broker Jewelry Lawyer LGBT Ally Local Community Event Manicure/Pedicure Massage New Business Optometrist Personal Trainer

Pet Boarding/Day Care Pet Groomer Pharmacy Photographer Pilates Plumber Real Estate Agent Real Estate Office Retirement Living Solar Company Tailor/Clothier Tanning Salon Tattoo/Piercing Studio Veterinarian/Veterinary Hospital Waxing or Threading Salon Yoga Studio

BUSINESS & RETAIL Accountant Acupuncture Adult Business Antiques Appliances Store Art Gallery Attorney Auto Dealership Auto Dealership (USED) Auto Repair Shop Bank Barber Bike Shop Billards Boutique Bridal Shop