1lgbtqsd.news s eptember 2022 volume 3 issue LGBTQSD.NEW23 S S ETE m BE r 2, 2022 vo L um E 3 i SS uE 23 rEaD oN paGE 2 By LGBTQ San Diego County News Staff COMMUNITY vOICes Big Mike & Friends Featuring Ebony Burnett Mullins p8 C OUrT News Gay Driver on Meth Crashes into La Mesa Office Building Killing Another Gay Man p22 Man Gets 2-year Prison Sentence After Embezzling from La Jolla Music Society p23 Li F e TherapyBeyond Help Me Not to Hate p9 HealTH Queer Leadership is Making Progress Against Monkeypox Despite ShortagesVaccine p20 On the Road, Alone, and Being Obsessed p20 News Casa de Luz: A Home of Hope, Love, and a New Life p5 Access To AffirmingGenderCareBill on It’s Way to Governor Newsom’s Desk p21 A red dress ParTY saN dIeg O 2022 Once UpOn a Time! By Berto Fernández San Diego returns for its 22nd year of sharing provocative and impactful work of LGBTQ artists and filmmakers from all over the world. The festival will feature dozens of documentaries, shorts, and movies to be screened September 8th through 11th at the San Diego Natural History Museum and The Museum of Photographic Arts both located in Balboa Park. Over 30 features, documentaries, romantic comedies, dramas, horror/thrillers, and even sci-fi are some of the genres represented.
TO OUr ciTy FilmO ut saN dIeg O 2022 ConversaT ions wi T h niCoLe Cardinal McElroy is a True Christian p7 PrOFIleresTaUraNT Hudson & Nash Waterfront Kitchen and Cocktails p10 PrOFIleBUsINess The Experience Fitness and Mobility Studio p12 Travel Wine Cruising in Greece & Turkey! p18
FilmOut rEaD oN paGE 14 re you a good witch or a bad witch? A nice fairy or a naughty fairy? This years Red Dress Party San Diego (RDPSD) will be themed “Once Upon a Time!” Embark on a storybook adventure where you’re invited to let loose, celebrate impact, and live happily ever after (for one night only). Fall into this wonderland of “pants less” prince charming’s, damsels in their dresses, mighty heroes in all red, and maybe an evil queen or two. If you’re not feeling the fantasy, that’s fine too: any red dress or dress-like garment (just no pants!) will do. It’s simply there to help you channel yourRDPSDcreativity.2022 will return to the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier. Guests will enter through the bay-side double doors directly into the Pavilion, a 15,000 square foot, open-air megaspace that’s all on one level, with room for over 1,000 attendees. This Pavilion features 40-foot-tall ceilings and massive windows that give views to the San Diego Bay. On the back end of the Pavilion are oversized roll-up doors that open to the View Court – a large outdoor space right on the water. Guests can expect all their favorites such as live entertainment, a DJ, photo booths, on-site HIV testing, and a night of celebration and impact. brings a sTUnningly diverse fesTival
Some frequently asked questions:
• Do I seriously have to wear a dress? Yes, seriously. Everyone – that means everyone – must wear a red dress (or dress-like garment) to the event. You will not be allowed to enter the event if you aren’t in a red dress.
• Spread the word about #rdpsd2022 on social media to drum up awareness
• Is there an age restriction to attend the event? Yes, you must be 21 years of age or older with valid ID.
red Dress 2022 continued from page
RDPSD is a night of music and dancing mixed with charity and fun, where all attendees – and we mean everyone – is required to wear a red dress, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. This serves both as a powerful sign of solidarity and compassion for those affected by HIV/ AIDS and a way to unite the crowd in one radiant theme. At this unique celebration we invite everyone to be brave, let loose, and celebrate impact. RDPSD is a celebration that raises awareness and funds for organizations that serve the local HIV/AIDS community; but not your typical fundraising gala, this event is so much more. This year they aim to raise $60,000. Achieving this goal would be their largest singleyear fundraising contribution to date. Over our past 7 years they’ve raised nearly $250,000 for the San Diego HIV/AIDS community! Here are ways you can help get them to reach their goal and stretch goal:
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• Is my ticket refundable? No, all ticket sales are final; however, tickets may be transferred to another person prior to the event.
• Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event? If you want, but a digital ticket is perfect, and we’ll email tickets out again 24-hours prior to the event. We will also have a guest list and electronic check-in at registration. Just bring a valid photo ID. So go see your Fairy Drag Mother or sprinkle some pixie dust on yourself and transform into your favorite fairy tale character. You never know, you might turn a frog into a prince that night or even bite into a delicious poison apple. An amazing time at an amazing event is guaranteed no matter what your red dress themed ensemble is. We’ll see you Saturday,October 1!
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“Fall into this wonderland of “pants less” prince charming’s, damsels in their dresses, mighty heroes in all red, and maybe an evil queen or two. ” photos courtesy of Red Dress Party San Diego
• Attend this year’s Red Dress Party San Diego (and better yet bring a friend!)
• Come to any of the pre-events (like the RDPSD Launch Party or Red Dress Swap)
• Donate to our organization online or at any of our events (all donations are tax deductible)
3lgbtqsd.news s eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23
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5lgbtqsd.news s eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23N ews had the pleasure to ride into Tijuana with my good friend Jack Nooren to celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the newly construct ed Casa De Luz. Casa De Luz is a housing facility for LGBTQ + refugees looking to legally get into the United States. “I live in constant fear!” Is what the administrators hear from nearly every refugee that arrives at Casa De Luz. Over the past ten years, more than three thousand Trans and gender diverse people were murdered in Latin America. That is over three hundred per year, making it the deadliest region in the world, while most crimes against our LGBTQ+ community go unpunished. Irving Mondragón is the founder and director of Casa De Luz, Tijuana. Irving has an outstanding reputation for advocating and supporting the LGBTQ+ migrant community from Central America who cross into Mexico toward the United States. Irving has an MA in Documentary Film Studies from Bordeaux University and a BA in Performing Arts from Paris VII, Diderot University. He organized Rainbow 17; the first caravan of Trans/Gay mi grants from Central America. He supported and united the LGBTQ+ migrant community traveling in the 2018 and 2019 caravans and founded Casa De Luz in Tijuana, a collective house for LGBTQ asylum seekers and migrants. At Casa De Luz, Tijuana, they help refugees after a long caravan of two thousand eight hundred miles. The home provides housing, food, shelter, medical care, and emotional support. In the past twelve months they have helped over two hundred LGBTQ+ refugees legally cross into the United States. They house approximately fifty LGBTQ+ refugees; about one third of them are Transgender or gender diverse. Casa De Luz was started nearly five years ago and moved to several different locations. Last year in 2021, Jack Nooren decided they needed a permanent home. So, he bought three condos in Playas, Tijuana and converted them into a facility of twentythree bedrooms, six bathrooms, with new bunk beds in each room. The property has a lot of outdoor space. Across the street is the ballpark and it’s near the beach. Jack has been supporting Casa De Luz with his own money since his beginning involvement. His love for others especially those in need are beyond amazing. I have witnessed this firsthand since I met Jack. His generosity toward this project is positive and generates a loving and safe environment that is truly making a difference. Lives of those in need are being changed in so many great ways because of all of this.
By Big m ike p hillips
Irving Mondragón founder and director of Casa De Luz, with Theresa Picos and Jack Nooren (photos by Big Mike Phillips)
On February 9, 2021, Jack started a 501c3 non-profit called Casa De Luz San Diego which is the sister organization in the United States that raises funds to support Casa De Luz Recently,Tijuana.during a Pride pool party, with the support of the San Diego community, along with Nicole Murray Ramirez, they were presented a check for a thousand dollars from the International Court Council. They were able to raise fifty thousand dollars to support this amazing cause. LGBTQ+ refugees are the most vulnerable of any group of refugees. With the help of Casa De Luz San Diego, the refugees continue to experience a huge positive difference in their lives. On Wednesday, August 17, 2022, I was fortunate enough to join Jack, along with a couple of Casa De Luz board members Washington Nabong and Naya Marie Velazco, as we traveled to Tijuana for the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the new home. As we arrived, members, friends, and guests were prepping food and drinks for this special day of celebration. The three-story building was adorned on the
outside with spectacular and bright colors created by contemporary artist Jamie Carbo from Rosarito, Mexico. The first two floors were filled with bedrooms in different colors as well as full bathrooms on each floor. The third floor has a big kitchen, laundry room, large dining table, and television area for the house guest to feel more at home. Thanks to Jack, with his personal finances he did not overlook any details. Around 4:00 pm, Jack gathered everyone together to introduce Irving Mondragón, Theresa Picos, and the board members as a documentary crew was taping and interviewing those involved with the house. Jack praised Irving for being the backbone and the soul of the house as well as giving Theresa Picos the honor of cutting the ribbon. Theresa managed World Central Kitchen in Tijuana. World Central Kitchen came to Tijuana two years ago when the border camp at El Chaparral came to existence. This humanitarian crisis of nearly two thousand refugees required an organization like World Central Kitchen to be there to help feed so many human beings.
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Casa de lUz: a HOme Of HOpe, lOve, and a new life
Casa
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Casa De Luz worked closely with the Kitchen and provided the refugees with nutritious meals. Theresa continues to deliver meals to Casa de Luz daily after the closing of the camp. Sadly, the kitchen has closed its doors for good. Theresa, with a heart filled with compassion and love, is moving to a new humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. She will always be remembered as our “Food Angel” by filling not only our stomachs but our hearts and minds as well. We wish her God’s blessings and protection as she will always remain a close friend and strong ally to Casa De Luz. I walked away from this experience of celebration with my heart full of love as I learned, witnessed and participated in a day of complete human kindness. I am so proud to say, I am immensely honored and touched with our San Diego community, friends, and donors knowing that they have helped provide a safe place for these people to have a comfortable environment
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Adam Martindale Allan Acevedo Berto Fernández Big Mike Phillips Michael Kimmel Neal RandallPutnamBlaum
Editor’s Note: The opinions written in this publication’s advertorial, editorial and opinion pages are the author’s own and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the staff and/or publisher of LGBTQ San Diego County News. The newspaper and its staff should be held harmless of liability or damages. “This publication was supported in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.”
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to thrive. Irving makes it a priority to work on getting all legal paperwork together to ensure a safe passageway to the United States. God willing, none of us will ever have to know the feeling that these LGBTQ+ refugees, or any refugees for that matter, must go through just to survive. I extend an overwhelming thank you to all who have donated money, time, and connections to help better the lives of these deserving human beings. You are all heroes in my book. Even though Casa De Luz is making a big difference with the help of so many of you, they still have a long wish list of things that they need and could utilize. With this wish list being filled, Casa De Luz will better their mission to help our fellow brothers, and sisters. Casa De Luz just does not have all the resources they need to be fully successful for the constant flow of indi viduals coming through their doors. This organization is still in dire need of a car or minivan, with goals to get solar panels on their home to help cover the expensive electric bills, as well as to create a healthy organic vegetable garden in addition to the desire to install a small playground for the kids that live within the house. A huge thank you to Jack for this opportunity to learn more about this amazing place, what they provide, and the compassion they share. If you or anyone would like to help, show some love with any kind of support, Casa La Luz would be so full of gratitude. Please reach out in any way you can, to donate or learn more about Casa De Luz, please visit their website: CasadeLuz.com or even call me at Big Mike (619)-807-7324
SUBMISSION/NEWS TIPS Press releases and story ideas are welcomed. Send press releases, tips, photos or story ideas to editor@lgbtqsd.news. For breaking news and investigative story ideas, contact the editor by phone or email.
Theresa Picos had the honor of cutting the ribbon. (L-R) Jack Nooren, Irving Mondragón with Casa De Luz board members Naya Marie Velazco and Washington Nabong.
PHOTOGRAPHER Big Mike 619.807.7324Bmsd1957@gmail.comPhillips
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Cesar A. creativedirector@lgbtqsd.newsReyes
PUBLISHER Terry Sidie ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Nicole Murray 619.241.5672nicolemrsd1@gmail.comRamirez
EDITOR IN CHIEF JP editor@lgbtqsd.newsEmerson
s eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23 N ews / OPINION
de Luz continued from page 5
7lgbtqsd.news s eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23COMMUNITY vOIC es
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Tens Of billiOns Of dOllars gO TO THe MOON aNd Mars
Nicole wITHCOMversaTIONsramirezMurrayNICOle
s a Catholic I find it in teresting that critics are now labeling new Cardinals and Bishops as conservative moderate or liberal/progressive. Let me tell you what San Diego’s new Cardinal Robert W. McElroy is. He is a true Christian who believes we are all God’s children. There is a reason that Pope Francis named only one American Cardinal among the 20 he named to the College of Cardinals this past weekend. It is because Cardinal McElroy loves all people whether they are Catholic, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist –Straight, Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Transgender, etc. He knows that God has made us all. I have had the honor of knowing Cardinal McElroy since I asked him to say a mass for LGBTQ+ families, and he did this historic first at Saint John’s Church in Hillcrest. I also had the honor to present him with The Mayor George Moscone Humanitarian Award – our communities highest honor for a non-LGBTQ+Cardinalindividual.McElroy served as an Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco before becoming the Bishop of San Diego. San Francisco civic and community leaders that I spoke to all respect him very much. When we asked then Bishop McElroy to join a service to be held at Saint Paul’s Cathedral for the Latino and LGBTQ+ communities coming together in memory and love for those who were murdered at Pulse nightclub in Florida, he came and spoke passionately at the service that was attended by San Diego Latino and LGBTQ+ leaders. I am asking Cardinal McEl roy to say a mass once again for our LGBTQ+ community and families especially those who are suffering. And yes, I will be asking Cardinal McElroy to join in the dedication of the San Di ego AIDS Memorial remember ing the over 9,000 men women and children who have died of HIV/AIDS in our county. Yes, I know that we might not agree with all Pope Francis and Cardinal McElroy’s stands and decisions, but I know his heart and soul comes from a good place and true beliefs. San Diego has had bishops who refused to meet with LGBTQ+ Catholics, say mass for people with HIV/AIDS, or even say a funeral mass for two Gay bar owners who were Catholic. I know these pains because I was involved in these past situations. Today I rejoice in our new Cardinal McElroy.
CardINalMcelrOY is a TrUe cHrisTian (L-R) Then Bishop McElroy, Nicole Murray Ramirez, former Bishop James R. Mathes and the Very Rev. Dean Penelope Bridges (courtesy images)
The radical right-wing movement has been targeting School Board elections so they can ban books and take over our public schools and stop students from learning how we treated and even killed Native Americans and stole their land also about black slavery and Japanese Americans thrown in camps and turned Jews away from our land only to let them be murdered and Nazi camps, etc. For now, we in California are fortunate to have outstanding and well qualified candidates for the School Board un like like other states. Here in San Diego, we have a candidate for School Board who will fight for all our children and students and make sure all our history is taught. I urge you to vote for Shawna Hazan for School Board District B.
sHaNa HazaN scHOOl bOard Bishop McElroy becomes Cardinal Nicole and then Bishop McElroy
Then Bishop McElroy comforts Nicole at Pulse Mass (L-R) City Commissioner Doug Case, Nicole, Shana Hazan and Assemblymember Chris Ward
Why has our government spent billions to find out if there is life on the Moon and Mars instead of helping life on Earth? I don’t understand why so many Americans get so excited over our space programs. These last decades that cost billions of dollars and we have children that go hungry every night and people who die of cancer, HIV/AIDS, and other terminal illnesses. The most that our space programs have done is expand our weapons of mass destruction in space. NASA has been funded in the billions of dollars and now they want to get to Mars (where no human can live) and beyond. Now wealthy American businessman are spending millions just to ride in a spaceship. Can you imagine what we could have done with those billions of dollars spent on space.
fOr
—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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of“IBUrNeeBONYTTMUllINslovetheenergypositivepeople”
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Ebony Burnett Mullins (courtesy images) am excited to introduce our readers to amazing and caring people who live, work, play and do business in our community and city. Learning about people of all lifestyles, talents, and personalities who I think would be interesting for our readers to enjoy. San Diego has a wonderful diversity of individuals that make our slice of paradise the greatest place to live and enjoy each other’s uniqueness. There are so many wonderful people in the Food and Beverage Industry who stand out in our San Diego LGBTQ+ community. There is one who shines in her own way. You can find Ebony with her experience involved in so many occasions. She may be bartending, planning every detail for a party, or even hosting the event. In any case you will always know you are in great hands. Her talents have proven her capabilities to be successful and in demand. Enjoy her outlook on life.
What or who really makes you laugh and why? My family... I think we could make a reality series on the shenanigans that we all seem to get ourselves into. We travel in packs of 18-20, so you never know what piece of chocolate you are going to get.
FB: Ebby LinkedIn:Instagram:MullinsEbbymullinsEbonyBurnett Mullins es
Gratitude is so important in each of our lives, what are you most grateful for, and how do you pay it forward? I am most grateful for the life that I have lived and the life that I will continue to live. It has taught me to never take anything for granted and always keep moving. I will pay it forward, by sharing my stories and giving all that I can to those that need it most.
BIg MIke & BigFrIeNdsMikePhillips s PhotographyRikkebyPhoto
How did you end up in San Diego and what do you love about it? I was originally born in San Diego, raised in Alabama, and decided the West Coast was the best coast to live my life. I cherish the diversity and love that comes from the environment that surrounds me every day. Weather is perfect, and the ocean is never ending. What gets you most excited about life? People. I love the energy of positive people. I love helping and being a part of a community that loves one another. In your profession, what makes your business stand out and how has it changed your life? Customer Service is the key to business. It may take time to become successful in the first few years, but your service means everything.
How would friends describe you? My friends would describe me as loyal and loving. I am always the life of the environment, no matter what the situation may be.
—Big Mike Phillips is an activist, fundraiser, bartender and photographer who has lived in San Diego for 30 years. He has helped create two nonprofits and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity. He has been a photographer for more than 25 years and has recorded our LGBTQ history not only in San Diego but around the country, including three LGBTQ marches on Washington D.C. Contact Big Mike at 619-807-7324, or bmsd1957@gmail.com.
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Who inspires you in life to do your very best and why? My Poppa, he never judges, he just says do your best and everything will come to you. He always tells me he is proud of his baby girl (although I am 41). No matter who your enemies are, they don’t matter. He always says, “SO WHAT?”
If you could witness any event of the past, present, or future, what would it be and why? I would want to be at the “I have a Dream” speech in Washington D.C. I have been to the monument and the memorial, and I can just feel the love and energy. If you could give someone advice about your art, hobby, or business, what would you tell them? Always, live your dream. Don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot or that you are a failure. You only fail if you don’t try. What are your top five val ues you live by? Love, Trust, Understanding, Gratitude, Empathy
I pride myself on being able to talk respectfully to almost everybody. I used to be a social worker and now I’m a nurse. I grew up in the South, where you never (overtly) expressed dislike of anyone: like biscuits, you smothered it in a gravy of kindness. But lately, I find myself hating people, mostly people I don’t know: politicians especially, and it’s leaking out in smaller ways, like hating other drivers.Iwas once voted the “Most Mellow Nurse on the Floor” by my peers. I doubt that I’d get that award now. Please help me not to hate anymore.
MichaelTHeraPYkimmel
HelP Me NOT TO HaTe “Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.” — dr. martin luther King
(image by shutterstock.com)
the Civil War and, today, the United States is - once again - divided by hate. And it’s not just our country who’s drowning in hate…it’s a global experience.Arewenow in the most hateful time in history? How can you measure national or global hatred? I don’t know how to answer those questions, but, one thing is clear: the hate that’s brewing now is harmful, frightening, and increasingly acute. How can we help ourselves to stop hating? We can consciously cultivate the opposite of hate. Which is…well, I wasn’t sure, so I looked it up. Here are some synonyms for hate: spite, envy, malice, hos tility, loathing, scorn, aversion andAntonymscruelty. (opposites) of hate include: happiness, kindness, sympathy, blessing, honor, esteem, admire, desire, love andCanapproval.wedevelop those qualities more? Personally, I find that by aspiring to be a more forgiving person, I feel less
COMMUNITY vOIC es
—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.
HatesSincerely,Hating Dear HH: Thanks for your email. You’re certainly not alone. Years ago, I wrote a column about Hating, but the emotional and political environment at that time was so much gentler than it is today. Now, it’s so hard not to get swallowed up in the river of antagonism and resentment that is everywhere present. What can we do? How can we hate less? Can we stop hating completely? The bad news: we all hate, treating other people like they’re fundamentally “wrong”, “crazy” or “screwed up”. We make them into “the other”, e.g., they’re not good/ smart/kind people like us, who do things the “right” way. Their actions or beliefs make them into “those kinds of people” who we find it easy to Ihate.read somewhere that the United States was founded on hate: a hatred that justified the annihilation of American Indians and perpetuated the enslavement of Africans. Hate divided the country during Dear Michael:
9lgbtqsd.news s eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23 hatred and animosity. I would add “forgiveness” to the above list of the opposites of hate. If there are no “others”, would there be no hate? I wonder. Can we clearly see that other people are more like us than different? Can we entertain the idea that there is no “them” or “others”, there is only one great, big “us”. We have so much more in common if we choose to focus on that. Not surprisingly, that’s the opposite of “divide and conquer”: a strategy that encour ages hate and a focus on how different we are from those “other” people. History shows us that this is a great way to control people: pit us against each other and encourage us to hate our brothers and sisters. Hating each other weakens us as a community, specifical ly, as a community of LGBTQ people. Hating our brothers and sisters make us more vulnerable and more easily manipulated. Isn’t there strength in solidarity? Solidarity seems like the opposite of hate. I wish I had a nice, neat answer with five easy steps for the person who emailed me, asking me to “help me not to hate anymore”. But, I don’t. I hope that by raising the above questions and possibilities, that you find your own way to “hate less”, assuming that’s something you want to do. I’d like to close with this quote that sums it all up quite succinctly: “Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.” Dr. Martin Luther King And what is love? Ah, now that’s a question for another column…
lIFe BeYON d
Oscar was about to bring out our main course that we had ordered earlier. There was so much food that along with Oscar, Thomas, Daniel, and Chrissy who were kind enough to help serve our entrees. The main entrees were presented as a piece of art served family style on large boards. The first board they placed on the table was the Tomahawk Prime ribeye. A 32 oz Bone-In prime cut ribeye with truffle crushed potatoes, herb butter, roasted wild mushrooms, Romanesco and cooked medium with a nicely done pink on the inside. This was a huge prime cut piece of steak that took up much of the board. It was sensational. We loved the roasted vegetables that were served with this platter. Now hands down, our next platter we all agreed was our favorite. They presented the Kurobuta Pork Bao Bun which was a large piece of pork that was so tender it fell apart. It was of the best flavor I have ever eaten. This dish was also arranged on a board and served with pickled vegetables, torn herbs, miso aioli and garlic chili crunches. I could not get enough of this pork. If I did not have to share it, I may have had consumed the entire platter myself. It was that good. And of course, we ordered a second order of the fresh baked parker house rolls. Now to finish off the feast that we just enjoyed, we shared a warm apple crumble served with house-made whiskey ice cream, fall spices, with a streusel crunch, in addition to an H&N cookie bomb, served as a gooey chocolate chip cookie with toasted coconut, Speedway stout ice cream and salted caramel. I had a Cappuccino and Nicolas had a Latte as Angelo finished his Jack and Coke. For those of you who enjoy a cocktail, Hudson & Nash has a beautiful stretch bar along the entire wall that seats several people and serves everything imaginable as well as their house specialty drinks. I (as a bartender) was very impressed with their draft beer selection. They serve different beers from local brewing companies as well as breweries all along the coastline. The best way to enjoy all the different brews is to order their Hop a Flight. Now if you’re a wine lover, the wine selection will agree with your taste palate for every dish you order. A huge thank you to the en tire staff who was very nice and very accommodating to ensure our experience was a success, and it was a pleasant experi ence – one hundred percent. The three of us left full, happy, and very grateful for such an amazing adventure from Baja to the Bay. All the food is fresh, prepared daily and cooked to order. The entire experience was truly wonderful.
10 lgbtqsd.newss eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23 resTaUraNT PrOFIle t all started when I met up with my good friend Angelo Bruno who was bragging about a new restaurant and concept where he is a server. The Hilton San Diego Bayfront had reopened their restaurant (previously known as Vela) Hudson & Nash Waterfront Kitchen and Cocktails, downstairs in the west promenade on the Bay after the COVID lock down. You always know when a restaurant will be good when a server tells you that the food is amazing, because those servers feel proud to serve that food. Well, one afternoon I received a phone call from Brooke Trujillo from their Marketing Department to invite me and a guest to review their new restaurant Hudson & Nash. Well of course I accepted with excitement and anticipation to finally experi ence what Angelo had been proudly boasting about. The basic concept for Hudson and Nash is: “Infusing causal California coastal dining with a burst of sun-soaked energy, creating an experience that is both familiar and deliciously brand new. Take a California coastal road trip without ever leaving your seat.” And that was exactly what happened. My good friend, Nicolas Reedy, who I always dine with on Wednesdays, joined me on this culinary adventure. As we came down the escalator of the west promenade of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, we were kindly welcomed by Thomas Tazbaz, the Hilton Bayfront’s Food and Beverage Director. Thomas led us into this large open and beautifully decorated restaurant that told a story and featured wonderful photos of the California coast. Angelo, who originally bragged about the place where he worked, was waiting at the bar to join us for dinner. We were escorted to the patio overlooking the bay by Thomas, along with Daniel Thomas (Assistant Food and Beverage Director) and restaurant Supervisor Chrissy Rasco. They explained the concept, menu, and welcomed us to have a good time and enjoy the food. We loved watching the sunset as we enjoyed every bite of our meal and great conversation. Our waiter Oscar, who greet ed us with a big and friendly smile, took our drink order. Angelo had a Jack Daniels and Coke while Nicolas and I both had a couple non-alcoholic spirits which are their signa ture virgin concoctions known as a Lemon Ginger Cooler, and the Berry Breeze (basically a virgin Mojito). Both were very refreshing. Oscar suggested some amazing appetizers. His picks were out of this world. We started with their Greek Beet salad. I do not normally order anything with beets, but this salad was presented on a generous smear of whipped feta, red pickled onions, aru gula, mama’s lil peppers, and finished with a delicious olive vinaigrette. It was delightful. Also, the spinach artichoke dip, a blend of three cheeses and citrus zest which came with a side homemade sourdough crostini. One of my personal favorites was the rock crab dev iled eggs. I love deviled eggs, and these were probably my all-time favorite. I wish they would serve four instead of only three, but we split the last one and it still made us happy. I personally am not a seafood person unless it is shellfish, but the boys enjoyed the Salt Spring Island Mussels, with toasted baguette, Hefewei zen, guanciale, and preserved lemon. Angelo commented that they were amazing and did not taste fishy at all. Also, they brought the salt and vinegar calamari appetizer, served with a side of a fried caper, Meyer lemon, and brittle herb remou lade. I tried a little bite and I have to say it was delicious.
I My
HUds ON & NasH waTerfrOnT KiTcHen
Greek Beet Salad Tomahawk Prime Ribeye Salt Spring Island Mussels (L-R) Hilton’s Food and Beverage Director Thomas Tazbaz, Assistant Food and Beverage Director Daniel Thomas, and Restaurant Supervisor Chrissy Rasco TheCheftalentedLauro
Now, I did order the Aguachile Rojo, Baja shrimp, served with tortilla chips, avocado, cucum ber, and charred habanero. I do love to eat shrimp. I really enjoyed this dish. It was like a cross between a shrimp cocktail and gazpacho. One of our favorite noshes was the Parker House rolls which are baked to order with bay butter. Best baked bread ever. Chef Lauro came out to personally check on us throughout our meal. We love you Chef Lauro! Everything was prepared with love, creativity, and full of flavor. So far, everything that Angelo and Oscar had suggested lived up to more than we had expected and yummy is the result of our expectations.
Big
cOcKTails
By m ike p hillips (photos by Big Mike Phillips)
Hudson & Nash serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as a wonderful brunch on the weekends. This is a great place to celebrate events in your life with family and friends. Your guests will thank you for it. This is literally in our own backyard if you live in San Diego County. It would be a shame that only those who visited our beautiful city have bragging rights to having a wonderful experience from eating and drinking at Hudson & Nash. Located in the stun ning Hilton San Diego Bay front, Downtown at One Park Blvd. San Diego, CA 92101. You are welcomed to call and make reservations by dialing 619-321-4284 or through Open Table (get those points). Please check out their website www. hudsonandnash.com for more of their menu items and informa tion. So, are you ready for your “Road trip from Baja to the Bay without leaving your seat?” Bon Appetit, or as we say in Califor nia… “Hang ten”. road trip from Baja to The Bay, without leaving my seat! and
11lgbtqsd.news s eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23 SEP 8, 2022 SEP 9–11, 2022 WOMEN’S CENTERPIECE ALL KINDS OF LOVE SEP 10 • 7:15pm SEP 8 • 7:00pm IN FROM THE SIDE OPENINGNIGHT TWO EYES SPOTLIGHTFESTIVAL SEP 9 • 7:00pm MAYBE SOMEDAY CENTERPIECEWOMEN’S SEP 10 • 1:00pm CENTERPIECEMEN’S PETER VON KANT INTERNATIONALSPOTLIGHT SEP 10 • 3:00pm ALL MAN: INTERNATIONALTHEMALESTORY CLOSINGNIGHT SEP 11 • 7:30pm TO VIEW THE FULL LINEUP AND TO BUY TICKETS, GO TO: TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Angeli Ryan-Lim Operationsshe/her Manager and Group Fitness Instructor
Cindi Ryan-Lim, a.k.a. Coach Ry she/her they/them CEO and Head Coach “Fitness is not just my career. It is my heart and soul! But it wasn’t always this way...” She used to weigh over 300lbs! She was constantly in pain, depressed, unable to breathe, and had zero self-esteem. She finally had enough, so she cleaned up her diet, started exercising, and immediately fell in love with the environment of the gym and the empowerment of looking and feeling strong.
• CrossFit-Level 1
Coach Katie Katie Kurtz Personalshe/her Trainer & Group FitnessKatieInstructorisapassionate and knowledgeable fitness profes sional specializing in weight loss, functional movement, and sprint mechanics. She is committed to delivering a positive and high energy exercise experience, tailored to your specific needs, that will both challenge and transform. Her programs will give you the tools necessary to achieve your goals, while also teaching you the “why” and the “how” of health, to empower you to reach your fullest potential, both in and outside the gym. She understands her clients struggles, because she’s been there too; Rock bottom happened when her once active lifestyle was traded for desk jobs, weight gain, and overwhelming stress. It was then she realized she needed a change. Too insecure to even enter a gym, she found a home workout program that helped her lose weight, develop better eating habits, and ignited a passion for health. Her journey wasn’t just physical, but strongly mental and personal.
“My mantra? Fitness isn’t just about swearing or calories; it’s about proving to yourself that YOU, and the burning goal inside your heart, are worth the hard. You can do this. We can do this.” sTUdiO
• Kettlebell
It’s this same mindset that propelled Katie to go from home fitness hobbyist to em powered fitness professional - helping busy moms, overwhelmed young professionals, and high-performance athletes alike tap into a level of health and fitness that they never thought possible.
Coach Angeli is a Certified Group Fitness Instructor. She has several years of team sport experience as a competitive rugby and roller derby player. To supplement her training, Angeli has recreationally participated in CrossFit since 2011. Her early athletic experience includes over 10 years of Taekwon-Do, which presented her national and international opportunities to compete.Coach Angeli is a proud Penn State Alumni. WE ARE!
THe exPerIeNCe fiTness and mObiliTy
• Certified Personal Trainer - National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
he Experience Fitness & Mobility Studio is the only openly LGBTQ, wife-owned gym in Hillcrest, with a talent ed team hosting a one-stop shop for you and your fitness goals. We incorporate a fully compre hensive training program that combines strength training, metabolic conditioning, nutri tion, and mobility, guaranteed to incinerate fat, build lean muscle, improve range of mo tion, and eliminate pain. Our coaches are here to motivate, inspire, and guide you through your workout, whether you are joining us at our studio for a one-on-one training session, participating in a COVID-19 conscious gym environment, or are sweating it out with our self-guided virtual fitness program. With The Experience App, it’s easier than ever to access everything pertaining to your training plan. We give you all the tools you need to succeed because we want you to succeed! Experience movement. Experience Nutrition. Experience recovery. Experience real, lasting results. No matter your goals, The Experience will get youAtthere.TheExperience, we offer a wide range of fitness and therapy services, using a multitude of training styles and methodology. We are constantly striving to widen our scope so we can reach as many people as possible. We have experience training sport-specific, cross-training, obstacle course racing, Olympic weightlifting, weight loss, and strength & athletic performance, with ages ranging from adolescence to geriatrics. Our therapy services include IASTM (instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization), cupping, trigger point therapy, and kinesiology taping. And that’s just the physical part! A fitness and wellness journey is not just working out. It’s nutrition. It’s balancing mental and emotional health. It’s connecting mind, body, and soul. It’s knowing that you deserve the best version of you, and we will be there to help every step of the way. We promise to provide the safest space in San Diego to reach your health and fitness goals, regardless of age, race, identity, sexual preference, or athletic ability. You will find security with not only our team, but also the community we’ve built. You are welcome with open arms!
12 lgbtqsd.newss eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23 BUs INess PrOFIle
By LGBTQ San Diego County News Staff T (courtesy images)
“I experienced a transformation that was so much more than just fitting into a pair of jeans - it was redefining how I felt towards myself and teaching me how to honestly love, believe in, and strive to achieve the best for myself.”
• TRX Suspension Training
After finishing her first few years as a nurse, she quickly felt unfulfilled and frustrated working for a system that set patients up for failure. Many of her patients had been prescribed medications for curable diseases or manageable pain. Many had no idea how to eat properly, let alone know what to do if they stepped foot in a gym. Patient education was limited to how to take their pills, and not giving them the tools they needed to reverse their condition. Once she moved to San Diego in 2016, she took the plunge and decided to concentrate on her fitness career full-time.
Now Ry gets to do what she loves everyday: helping others fall in love with themselves one session at a time, while creating a safe environment for ALL to train.
Coach Ry, holds the following certifications:
• dotFit Nutrition and Supplementation
• Cupping & IASTM - Complementary Therapists Accredited Association
Eddie Avalos Personalhe/him Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor Coach Eddie is a lifelong fit ness enthusiast that strongly believes that the best medicine in life comes from establishing a well-grounded mind-body connection. Just the same way that you would invest in a retirement plan, he believes that you must also invest in your mental and physical wellbeing. He is a huge proponent of functional exercise and the belief that training one’s nervous system is key to injury prevention. Train the brain first and the rest will follow. Whether it’s your first day or you are looking to set a new personal best, Coach Eddie is ready to motivate you every step of the way. Coach Eddie is a NASM certified personal trainer and is a graduate of SDSU, attaining his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2013.
Xena General Manager and Hooman Resources
Q Puzzle Solutions on page 23 BEauTy
Xena Bobina Warrior Prin cess Morticia Addams Ruth Bader Ginsberg Ryan-Lim was born on February 5, 2020. Her breed is a German Shepherd Wolf Dog hybrid. Her original owners, a young 19-year-old couple with a brand-new baby, purchased her from a breeder as a puppy. When they decided to relocate to Texas, they made the difficult decision to not take her along with them and surrender her to the animal shelter. Not wanting to take the chance of an uncertain shelter life, her foster mom Samantha Owens came to the rescue! Samantha graciously spent time on the internet trying to find the puppy a new fur-ever home. Many of the inquiries she received were from potential breeders simply asking, “is she ready yet?” However bleak, Sa mantha persisted with patience in finding the puppy a safe, new home. Samantha eventually got in contact with Coach Ry and Coach Angeli as potential adopters. After one play date, they knew that this pup was going to be the new addition to their family! It was meant to be! Now named Xena, after the strong warrior princess, this lovable pup can be seen at The Experience cheering on all the athletes that walk through the door. She absolutely adores meeting new people and isn’t ashamed to show you the affection you deserve!
New to the fitness world, Cameron is a NASM certified personal trainer that found his passion for health and exercise after working with Coach Ry to rehab a shoulder injury. 3 years ago, he damaged his shoulder, tearing multiple muscles causing severe pain daily. On top of this he experiences chronic pain through a collagen disorder known as EDS (Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome). Despite all this he decided to put focus on his health and started working on regaining his strength through mobility/weightlifting. A year into his fitness journey, Cameron decided that this was more than a hobby; it was a passion. While working full-time as a designer he spent his nights studying sports medicine and the NASM OPT model, while keeping up with his own training. Now certified, he has found a love for calisthenics workouts and is always excited to see what the human body is capable of. After transforming his outlook on fitness and success, he’s looking to help his clients find themselves within the world of fitness and health.
13lgbtqsd.news s eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23BUs INess PrOFIle/ PU zzle
The 1264ExperienceUniversity Ave in Hillcrest. 619-363-1276contact@theexperiencefitness.com. Fitness isn’t just about swearing or calories; it’s about proving to yourself that YOU, and the burning goal inside your heart, are worth the hard. You can do this. we can do this.”
Coach CameronCameronWard Assistanthe/him Head Coach and Personal Trainer
aCroSS 1 dance for those who have balls 6 “Hairspray” composer 10shaimanappropriate rhyme for “prick” 14 be nuts over 15 nevada neighbor 16 anti-oxidant berry 17 party in auden’s land 18 Homophone of a broadway bio 19 steed stopper 20 start of a quote from beyonce 23 prejudice 24 bones in the back 25 like a muscle mary 28 rest atop 30 more of the quote 32 mustang’s sch. 35 river to the seine 36 lupino “women’sof prison” 37 “___ afraid of virginia woolf” 38 Harris does it over the senate 41 more of the quote 44 Old protest org. 45 da vinci’s lisa 47 “The guiding light,” for one 48 Tomlin or cho 49 “The young and the ___” 51 end of the quote 55 panic place for Jodie 56 nat. counterpart in mlb 57 bottom’s invitation 61 skye of “say anything” 62 request for permission 63 eminem’s “__ mile” 64 a brit soldier may shoot it off 65 Suffix with leather 66 cut DoWN 1 peter doyle’s partner whitman 2 actress menken 3 place for a stud 4 76 broadway musical instruments 5 Homing (in on) 6 some are bitches 7 drag queen’s blade 8 male actor named Julia 9 gay neighborhood of new york 10 samantha’s “bewitched” husband 11 cause winter isolation 12 michael of “miss congeniality” 13 Trio that visited mary 21 sweeping story 22 second word of a fairy tale 25 comes to an end 26 last stop before home 27 responds to viagra 28 airport in israel 29 apple that isn’t a fruit 31 austria’s capital, to austrians 32 Triangle, e.g. 33 pushes a queen, in chess 34 visitors at gay.com 37 moby dick’s lubricant? 39 bowie’s single-name d wife 40 wwii soldier 42 The a of ilga 43 v-shaped cuts 46 burning with desire 48 George Cukor film, with “The” 50 Kind of queer 51 “The authorUnicorn”murdoch 52 residue“chim-chim-cheree” 53 part of a madonna bra 54 “___ my wit’s end!” 58 Org. for vijay singh 59 grateful cries for one who satisfies 60 math degree Tip From BEyoNCE
“A fun, nostalgic soundtrack compliments the sexy visuals, and a few special moments allow us to relax, reflect and enjoy…” – Morris Producer/DirectorChapdelaine, Can you give us a brief synopsis of your film?
I’ve always been interested in how the horror genre and Queer identity intersect in stories, because we can often utilize that dark lens of the fantastic to explore concepts and themes mainstream storytelling might avoid.
We reached out to most of the film directors and producers to get their thoughts on how they hope audiences will receive their work, LGBTQ cinema, and some of the challenges they faced during production (For most of them, the COVID pandemic was a common denominator). Here are some highlights of their responses.
Why do you think it is important that this film reaches LGBTQ audience members? ‘The Way Out’ is an LGBTQ+ revenge thriller – not sure there are that many out there that fall under that but personally as a horror fan… I need more Gay horror!
Filmout continued from page 1
“Creature feature of the relationship kind.” – Michael Writer/DirectorVarratti, Why do you think it is important that this film reaches LGBTQ audience members?
“...whenBOTTOMhisdate arrives, the night turns grotesque and leaves the sheets drenched – in gore.” – William Lott, Director
What change(s) would you like to see in the film industry regarding representationLGBTQand portrayal? Simply put, I want to see more, more, more. The industry has made great strides in representation in recent years, but for every step forward, there’s still many more to go. Just as people are fi nally getting to see themselves on screen, there are many communities that are barely represented or have yet to see themselves at all. As creators and artists, it’s our job to amplify the voices of our peers and keep fighting to make sure that everyone’s stories have a place.
Can you give us a brief synopsis of your film?
“LostDON’TBUTTERFLIESWHEREFLYinthedarkness,cut off from the rest of the world, they are both looking for a way out.” Roman Nêmec, Filmmaker
Opening nigHT 9/8/22
“TheSWALLOWEDQueermidnight movie I wish my teenage self had found in the horror section of my local video store.” – Carter Smith, Filmmaker Can you give us a brief synopsis of Swallowed? After a drug run goes bad – two childhood friends must survive a horrific night in a backwoods hell of drugs, bugs, and obscene intimacy in this Queer horror nightmare. Set in a remote township on the border between Maine and Canada, it’s a story about friendship and loneliness. About the extremes we are willing to endure to protect the ones we love.
PAT ROCCO DARED
I think there’s this really scary aspect about Queer sex. As a society we don’t ever talk about it in sex-ed and if you’re closeted or in an unsafe space, sex can seem terrifying in some ways. And I think this film presents a charac ter who, seemingly, isn’t familiar with sex and by the end of the film you realize that wasn’t the case at all. It’s this mind game of “here’s a vulnerable person you’re nervous for and now here they are taking charge and owning their sexuality and appetite for connection”. I don’t know if a young Queer person will see it and interpret it that way specifically, but I hope that’s what people take away from it. What wouldchange(s)youlike to see in the film industry regarding LGBTQ representation and portrayal? I would love to see just unapologetically Queer people front and center as they are and not put in that one box of “the fabulous side character”. I think that’s a great box to be if that’s who you are, but we’re so much more than our struggles or a comic relief and I’d like to see more of us up there on the big screen.
Can you give us a brief synopsis of your film? Alex is a young singer/songwriter who’s struggling to stay sober and shut down by childhood trauma. He takes in a charming roommate, a fighter, who takes Alex under his wing, teaching him how to fight back and stand up to abusers.
A young college student still lives at home with her parents in Oceanside, California. In love with her best friend who has just married another woman, she becomes confounded by faith and ultimately must risk telling her parents who she really is in order to save herself.
dOcUmenTary
14 lgbtqsd.newss eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23 FrONT Page
Why do you think it is important that this film reaches LGBTQ audience members?
HOrrOr/THriller
Pat Rocco Dared is a fun, colorful, entertaining, politically relevant, and provocative documentary. It is a priceless historical record and an erotic art film. With the addition of our other interviews, it is also a contemporary investigation of social justice, and a deeply personal portrait of an LGBTQ+ hero. A fun, nostalgic soundtrack compliments the sexy visuals, and a few special moments allow us to relax, reflect and enjoy the lyrical and poetic films of a truly ingenious artist. Moreover, his documentaries and the community service work that followed, reveal the courage and determination required to live openly at that time. Rocco’s story reminds us that the rights we enjoy today did not come easily, and that there is still much work to do. How do you want audiences to feel after viewing your feature? Primarily our aim was to inspire, just as Rocco inspired us. And appreciation for a person who not only lived their authentic self when it was incredibly dangerous to do so, but also fought to extend that right to everyone. Appreciation for his courage and tenacity. It was also very important to us that despite the sometimes heavy and upsetting topics being explored, that the film maintained a positive and joyful tone overall. Pat had a filmmaking philosophy we wanted to honor: Always leave the audience laughing. rOmance
MOVING OUT “…a sense of optimism and freedom, that same feeling one gets driving along the beach with the windows down on Coast Highway” – Rachel Earnest, Filmmaker
Why do you think it is important that this film reaches LGBTQ audience members? Gay marriage is legal now, however, most churches still struggle with accepting Gay marriage. As long as the churches don’t accept LGBTQ individuals the struggle will be ongoing. To this day, for those raised in non-affirming congregations, the consequences of coming out can mean the loss of family, friends, and community. My intention with the film is to give hope to anyone who fears having to choose between faith and someone they love.
Can you give us a brief synopsis of your film?
IN FROM THE SIDE 2022, 134 minutes, Dir: Matt Carter, U.K. As a group of gay athletes try to push past rivalries to score an elusive win, a secret affair simmers among them. Following a drunken encounter, two equally attached men sleepwalk into an adulterous affair but must conceal their growing feelings or risk destroying the team they love. Mark (Alexander Lincoln) finds himself unable to avoid the blazing appeal of teammate Warren (Alexander King), who sets off every red (or in rugby, yellow) flag: the cocky attitude, the emotional unavailability, the long-term boyfriend. But the real drama occurs off the field as infidelities, heartbreak and unimpeded passions dominate the playbook. This sexy and heartfelt film is a triumph for director Matt Carter—who shot, directed, edited, co-wrote and composed the music.
THE WAY OUT “Disturbed, uplifted, shocked — woke!” (On how they want audiences to feel) – Barry Jay, Filmmaker
I set the story of the film in a very unusual environment of a huge cave complex. We follow the development of the relationship between two different characters, the problematic student Daniel and his high school teacher Adam. Daniel and Adam live in their own bubbles until a moment when they both happen to be together in a life-threatening situation. Lost in the darkness, cut off from the rest of the world, they are both looking for a way out. How far will they be willing to go? What was the most challenging aspect of production? We filmed exclusively in the authentic environment of real caves in the Czech Republic. Tens of days at an average temperature of 7°C (~45°F), in the dark, wet, demanding terrain. The actors and crew had to undergo special training before filming. Speleologists, naturalists, climbers, divers, and other experts were involved in the production. We were the very first with a camera in some of the underground spaces. It was extremely challenging for everyone. I hope that we managed to transfer at least a little of this extraordinary experience to the audience.
INFESTED HEARTS
Why do you think it is important that this film reaches LGBTQ audience members? It’s not enough to see Queer stories told in angst-y coming of age dramas. We need to see our stories in horror films. In action films. In comedies. We need films where we are more than the comedic sidekick or the first one to die.
I think it’s important that our art shows that our relationships have many facets, some joyful, some complicated…some affirming, some not. Infested Hearts is the story of asneedsometimesbroken,fundamentallysomethingbutwetoseethatanaudience.
What drove you to produce/direct this film? The importance of equal rights for all genders and free decision making for them. Can you give us a synopsisbriefof your film? The tagonistpro-of the story faces a dilemma of choosing between sense and sensibility regarding one’s innermost feelings. He has been judged from the very beginning by the ones closest to him. The fear of these neverending judgments fills him with doubt, and he has to work against the clock to achieve his goal as he knows that one’s true identity is what matters most to them.
LOVIE DOVIE “Dovie St. James knows what she likes. She likes marine biology, the color pink, and Dolly Parton.” – Frankie Brescia, Filmmaker Can you give us a brief synopsis of your film? College student Dovie St. James knows what she likes. She likes marine biology, the color pink, and Dolly Parton. However, Dovie must come to terms with her sexuality when she is Jinxpunkcharmedunexpectedlybyherclassmate,Li.
continues on page 16
I think that we have an obsession with ripped bodies, and images we see on Instagram. But the reality is, we all have parts of our bodies we don’t see on screen. This film shows a real male body on screen. The film can also be funny at times, which helps with the drama.
super“Wild,BRUTALfast-paced,queerromp.” – Sam McConnel, Filmmaker
A stuck-in-his-ways Gay man finds himself getting divorced on Marriage Equality Day but finds a lifeline when he becomes accidental challengedromanticallywithroommatesayounger,nerd.
Seen. Whether it’s in the details of having sex for the first time, having a stranger over for sex for the first time, or even acknowledg ing your own desires for the first time. The film is called Firsts for a reason and for even a single audience member to connect with one of those firsts is more than enough for me.
MAYBE SOMEDAY “Two key relationships…one revolving around heartbreak, and the other unrequited love.” – Michelle Ehlen, Filmmaker Can you give us a brief synopsis of your film? Jay, a Non-Binary 40-something photographer, attempts to move across the country to start her life over again in the midst of separating from her wife. Along the way, she takes a detour to stay with her high school best friend who she used to be secretly in love with and befriends a charismatic Gay man who has long given up on love. Struggling to move forward with the next chapter of her life, memories of the past resurface as Jay grapples with the tingloss,cyclesinevitableoflove,andlet-go.
It’s about this guy, Jonah. He’s just moved to New York City, he has this amazing girlfriend, he’s figuring out his relationship with his half-Judaism. He’s in love with the sights, the sound, the summer garbage stench. And he meets this cute guy with a Star of David necklace and realizes, oh, shit… I think I have a crush. And he’s finally able to articulate some thing he’s known for a while: He’s bi. He decides to come out to his girlfriend. And that’s where things get a bit funky, and we set out on this bumpy road self-discovery.of wouldchange(s)Whatyou like to see in the film industry regarding LGBTQ representation and portrayal? More Queer stories, more Queer directors, more Queer writers, more Queer characters, more Queer actors. More and more people, particularly young people, identify as Queer. I’d love to see that reflected on screen. Every time I see a movie with a Queer lead whose Queerness is fully fleshed out but isn’t their sole or defining characteristic, isn’t the driving circumstance of the movie; characters whose stories are multi faceted, full of romance and humor and thrills, oh, and yeah, they’re Queer – that makes me smile.
Why do you think it is important that this film reaches audienceLGBTQmembers?
How do you want audienc es to feel after viewing your feature?
drama “ForFIRSTSmostpeople, losing your virginity is a very trivial affair, messy, and more often than not, to a person you don’t know all that well. But that doesn’t mean it can’t still be special.” – Jesse Ung, Filmmaker Can you give us a brief synopsis of your film? Steven, a closeted Chinese international student, is preparing to lose his virginity to a stranger he met online. With video calls from his emphatic mother half a world away about his fabricated girlfriend and the looming presence of his deceased father, Steven is crumbling under the desperation to please his parents. Although he is very much alone, Steven is no less agonized by the idea of acting upon his desires to be with another man. When Andrew, the man in question, arrives and an pretendhappytiontersweetcomeStevenconnectionunexpectedforms,musttothebit-realiza-thattobeyoucannotforever.
SKINNY FAT “A Gay man confronts his belly fat in a shop changing room.” – Mathew David, Director What drove you to produce/direct this film? Growing up I have always strug gled with my body image. I have been thin and large. At any size, I find shopping for clothes really stressful. I wanted to show these body insecuri ties on screen. That coupled with relationships and control. Also, a big inspiration is my Mum, she always makes me feel better. So, the character Bernie is a huge reflection on her. Why do you think it importantis that this film reaches LGBTQ audience members?
I’d like the audience to feel both introspective and hopeful. I hope they see how sometimes we prolong our own grief, and that we need to be active participants in our healing process. Moving on can be difficult and scary but refusing to do so delays the inevitable. The one thing I wish I would have learned many years ago – to let go sooner, and more gracefully.
How do you want audiences to feel after viewing your feature?
this cute guy with a Star of David necklace and realizes, oh, shit… I think I have a crush” – Jacob Roberts, Filmmaker Can you give us a brief synopsis of your film?
BRUTAL features a mostly Queer and Trans cast and crew, but beyond that it has a very Queer sensibility in its tone, wild humor, and style. Also, it ultimately makes some sincere and profound points about Queer identity and community.
What drove you to produce/direct this film? I wanted to explore autonomy, self-betrayal, and power dynamics in a Gay relationship. I wanted to represent a very real and palpable feeling of what it’s actually like to be in a relationship and all of the unspoken subtleties that come with it. How do you want audiences to feel after viewing your feature? I want them to feel empathetic to both characters and if they connect to either of them, I want them to feel empathetic and compassionate toward themselves.
15lgbtqsd.news s eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23FrONT Page
“A Queer coming-of-age story about a young slacker named Chris on the verge of turning 30.” – Leland Montgomery, Filmmaker Can you give us a brief synopsis of your film? ‘Hotter Up Close’ is a Queer coming-of-age story about a young slacker named Chris on the verge of turning 30. He has just been dumped by his ex-boyfriend Brad, who has decided he can do better than poor ol’ lil’ Chris. Despite not wanting to celebrate his milestone birthday, Chris and Dana are in vited to a Gay pool party by Chris’s new crush Aiden. Despite being convinced that Aiden couldn’t pos sibly like him, Chris is persuaded to attend. Once he arrives, he must navigate his insecuri ties… and a couple of mean Gay boys, to futurehewhetherdetermineornothasaromanticwithAiden.
I want audiences to feel like they connected with Jinx and Dovie on some level and have them wanting to know more about the girls and their story! I also want them to be like “Wow, that was like really cute.” cOmedy
Why do you think it is important that this film reaches LGBTQ audience members?
How do you want audiences to feel after viewing your feature?
ALL KINDS OF LOVE “A valentine to the joys of queer love.” – David Lewis, Director Can you give us a brief synopsis of your film?
Can you give us a brief synopsis of your film? Jack Roth (Cheyenne Jackson), once the hottest star of cable news, stumbles upon a “newsworthy sex scandal” and ends up facing off against all sides, including the corporation he works for. Also starring Rachael Harris (Lucifer), Angelica Ross (Pose), Matthew Morrison (Glee), Johnny Sibilly (Queer as Folk), and Drew Droege (Search Party). Some of the humor may be crass, but the satire is smart and politics.risytargetingpointed,hypoc-inmediaand
HOTTER UP CLOSE
I think that this movie is impor tant to LGBTQ audiences because it normalizes feelings of insecurity. In my experience, Gay men often feel like the only way they matter is if they’re the fittest, most successful, most attractive version of them selves. Most of my Gay friends feel profoundly anxious and insecure about their bodies, jobs, and roman tic lives. But this often feels like a private struggle. We wanted to cre ate a movie that spoke to that and reassured folks that happiness is not contingent on external factors.
MATHEW’S HOUSE “Gray aftermath of a violent incident between them” – Andrew Gillingham, Filmmaker
“ChoosingINDENTIBYEbetweensense and sensibility regarding one’s innermost feelings” – Sajjad Shahhatami, Filmmaker
“...heHALFmeets
What was the most aspectchallengingofproduction?
Covid. We shot the film during the Omicron surge, so we were in a bubble for weeks, basically in the middle of nowhere, away from loved ones. We had mandatory testing every day, and thank goodness, no one ever tested positive. I have been doing this filmmaking thing for a minute or two, but I had never encountered a situation quite like that.
16 lgbtqsd.newss eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23 FrONT Page Filmout continued from page 15
‘Coming Out with The Help of a Time Machine’ started with a YouTube video. A video of a samesex couple describing their experience of coming out to their Indian parents. It was honest, funny, and emotional. My writing partner, Janki, had shared the video with me with a note saying we should do a coming out story. However, I did not want to do just another coming out story. So, we sat on it, while we worked on other fun projects. Then one day, as I was scribbling a time loop scene set in a diner, it hit me. Hav ing a passion for sci-fi and blending fiction with contemporary social issues, why not tell the coming out story in a new and fresh way... the sci-fi way. Something bold, excit ing, and genre-bending. Thus, the idea of ‘Coming Out with The Help of a Time Machine’ was born. Can you give us a synopsisbriefof your film? When coming out to his traditional and God-fearing parents, Sid uses his time machine to reset the day trying to make sure everything goes perfect.
Photo by San DennisveryDiego’sownCoveyIG:maleflio
ALL MAN: THE MALEINTERNATIONALSTORY 2022, 83 minutes, Dir: Bryan Darling & Jesse Finley Reed, USA. This documentary journeys across three decades of the famous International Male catalog and its unlikely, but lasting, impact on fashion, masculinity, and sexuality in America. Gene Burkard, a once-closeted Midwesterner and GI, found freedom in San Diego, where he transformed men’s fashion into something cosmopolitan, carefree and trend-setting. International Male reached gay and straight customers alike as it redefined images of masculinity in American culture, generating revenue and circulation in the millions. This documentary tells the story of a group of outsiders who changed the way men would look at themselves, at each other, and how the world would look at them. clOsing nigHT 9/11/22
FilmOut San Diego is presented September 8th through September 11th in Balboa Park. For more information and to purchase tickets to the festival, visit https://filmoutsandiego.com/
TWO EYES 2020, 95 minutes, Dir: Travis Fine, USA. This absolutely mesmerizing film is a cinematic triptych which follows three main charac ters in three distinct time periods: In late 19th-century Montana, an artist (Benjamin Rigby) seeking inspiration for his art, explores the landscape with his Native American guide (Kiowa Gordon) and finds his conceptions of himself and the world around him challenged. In 1979 Barstow, California, the mundane existence of a questioning youth (Uly Schlesinger) is given a shot of adrenaline by the arrival of a new exchange student (Jessica Allain) who envelopes them both with her lust for life. In present-day Wyoming, a trans teenager (Ryan Cassata) works through his self-destructive feelings with his perceptive, non-binary therapist (Kate Bornstein). Exploring themes of gender, love, grief, and the power of art to transcend time, the seemingly unrelated narratives are ultimately interwoven into a single powerful storyline that reveals the deep and eternal connection between all three characters. fesTival spOTligHT 9/9/22
What drove you to produce/direct this film? In 2017, a friend and I were attacked a few blocks outside of a Gay bar in Silverlake. We were kissing, and two strangers pulled me to the ground by my hoodie and started hitting us. Thankfully, there were some people in the area who saw what was happening and scared them off. All in all, nobody was really hurt, but it was an incident that left a huge mark on me psychologically. I didn’t stop going to Gay bars, but I was very resistant to PDA or doing anything that would signal my Queerness to other people in public. It was a scar that negatively affected my first relationship, and it was a thing I had to process and deal with for a lot of my early 20’s. When I was at film school a few years later, I floated the idea of adapting the incident as an animated short, but I was a little hesitant, since it would mean having to revisit some painful memories day in and day out. I almost gave up on it, but my professors and close friends encouraged me to carry through and finish the proj ect. The end result was Together/ Apart, and it was my graduation film at USC. I’m ultimately glad I saw it to completion, as making it was an incredible source of healing and reflection.
‘Together/Apart’ is a short film about a Gay couple, Michael and Alex, who are dealing with the aftermath of a homophobic attack that plagued their first meeting. Two years after the incident, Alex has since moved on, but Michael still bears both physical and emotional scars of the event. As the two plan their future together, Michael’s anxieties start to manifest as extremely bizarre hallucinations… that start to become reality. sci-fi COMING OUT WITH THE HELP OF A TIME MACHINE
What drove you to produce/ direct this film? ‘Carter’ started as an adventure into the idolization of American masculinity and how this affects families in 2022. I wanted to explore how this obsession still affects the psyche of kids who feel they don’t fit, especially between siblings with opposite roles in their family. And in a time when many are attempting to silence people living outside the box (now including the “Don’t Say Gay” bills), we wanted to use the short film to influence a world where society celebrates all our unique voices. By creating and promoting stories like ‘Carter’ with sensitive, empathetic young individuals at the forefront –we hope to encour age audiences to give space to all people. Why do you think it is important that this film reaches audienceLGBTQmembers?
“Sensitive,CARTERempathetic young individuals at the forefront” – Aaron Guest, Filmmaker
Can you give us a brief synopsis of your film?
“Love, empathy and time machine is where it is!” – Naman Director/WriterGupta, What drove you to produce/direct this film?
phobicwith“ATOGETHER/APARTGaycouple…whoisdealingtheaftermathofahomo-attackthatplagued their first meeting” – David Amberg, Filmmaker
It is my hope this film connects and relates to the real-life experiences of LGBTQ people and their families today. There is a lot we can learn from each other when we stop and pay attention to the moments in between the lines. I pray that in the quiet moments of ‘Carter’, the audience will see how they relate to these characters’ deep longing for authenticity and freedom.
By Sarah Saltwick
THE PLEASURE TRIALS (SAN DIEGO PREMIERE!)
This Pre-Broadway musical explores the story of Simran, an Indian American woman who, as per tradition, has been arranged to be married to a family friend back in India. She manages to persuade her conservative father to take a trip with her to Europe, and meets Rog, who she ends up falling for, completely shuffling every plan and changing her life forever. This roman tic comedy is sure to please Theatre lovers of all kinds.
FANDANGO FOR BUTTERFLIES (AND COYOTES) By Andrea Thome Original Music by Sinuhé Padilla Directed by José Zayas La Jolla Playhouse
COME FALL IN LOVE Book(PRE-BROADWAY!)andlyricsbyNell Benjamin Music by Vishal Dadlani and Sheykhar Ravjiani
Directed by Aditya Chopra Choreography by Rob Ashford Old Globe Theatre Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage September 1 - October 16, 01&%3FendDate=2022-09-30come-fall-in-love/#?startDate=2022-09-https://www.theoldglobe.org/pdp/22-season/2022
KINKY BOOTS Music and Lyrics by Cyndi Lauper Book by Harvey Fierstein Based on the Miramax motion picture of the same name, written by Geoff Deane & Tim Firth Directed by Larry Raben Choreographed by Peggy Hickey Moonlight SeptemberAmphitheater14-October1, kinky-bootshttps://www.moonlightstage.com/shows-tickets/2022
This comedy depicts a facility’s clinical trial for a new female libido enhancement drug, and the peculiar events that occur when study participants experience extremely enhanced ef fects of the drugs, causing hilarious chaos that will leave audi ences wanting to fill up their prescription over and over again.
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Mandell Weiss Forum August 30 - September 25, https://lajollaplayhouse.org/show/fandango/2022
La Jolla Playhouse brings to their stage, critically acclaimed play Fandangos for Butterflies, which features a community of Latino immigrants celebrating their culture and connections in the midst of a city-wide ICE raid. A Fandango, which is a gathering of a community with music and dancing, will help them reignite their love and passion for the rich culture that lives in their hometown.
This campy Broadway hit composed by pop star Cyndi Lauper, tells the story of a conservative shoe factory in Northampton, England, whose existence gets shaken up to the core by Lola, a fabulous Drag performer, who convinces them to go into the high heel for men business in order to sur vive. Do not miss this incredible production, that will leave you jumping for joy and singing along.
August 14 - September 11, 2022 ASL Performance: September 4, 2022 Moxie the-pleasure-trials/https://www.moxietheatre.com/Theatre
Directed by Marti Gobel
TOreTUrNCrUIsINg s A wINe CrUIsINg
greeCe & TUrkeY! “we views,incredibleenjoyedgreatTurkishwines,fabulousfoodandincredibleservice” (courtesy images)
Travel
fter three years of planning, ship cancellations, re-booking, canceling again and rebooking, we made it on board! We recently sailed with the San Francisco Wine School from Istanbul to Athens on the beautiful Oceania Cruises Nautica. This ship holds a special place in my heart as it was the first ship that I worked on when I worked for Ocea nia Cruises as Food and Beverage Director in 2013. We enjoyed Istanbul, Turkey for 2 days before the cruise. In Istanbul, we enjoyed incredible views, great Turkish wines, fabulous food and incredible service on the rooftop at Roof Mezze 360 which I highly recommend. We also experienced the Istanbul subway, which was clean, modern with Wi-Fi and USB ports. We enjoyed a Pre-Cruise Turkish wine dinner, hosted by Suvla wines at Kanyon Suvla, in the Levent area of Istanbul in a beautiful modern shopping mall. We enjoyed an adventure on the Istanbul underground last night to get to our restaurant in the Levant District of Istanbul, which hosts a luxury mall, residences, andWehotels.boarded the Oceania Nautica in Istanbul at their brand-new cruise terminal, which is beautiful. What a fantastic welcome on board we received on the Oceania Cruises Nautica.Weenjoyed champagne, surf and turf (lobster & filet) sandwiches to start the voyage at the pool grill, one of my favorite dishes on board for a casualThemeal.ship organized a sail away party for us which was a nice way for us to meet other cruisers we may not have met before. Our stateroom was beautiful. We had a veranda category room. The ship has been recently renovated and the colors are bright and lovely. The room is spacious with lots of Oceaniastorage. is known for its great quality of food on board. This ship has 2 specialty restaurants, Polo (Steak House) and Toscana (Italian). There is also the Grand Dining Room, Terrace Café, Baristas and 24-hour room service to enjoy. We did a couple of private wine tours with the San Francisco Wine School. One of them was at Santos Winery in Santorini with stunning views and the other was at Manousakis Winery in Chania, Crete. A fabulous cruise was enjoyed by all!
—Adam Martindale is a luxury cruise travel agent and specializes in Wine, Food & LGBTQ group cruises & tours. Adam has over 30 years of experience, working for 4 major cruise lines, luxury hotels and resorts as Food and Beverage Director. Adam is a board member with San Diego ASTA (American Society of Travel Advisors). Adam specializes in Oceania and Regent Seven Seas Cruises and has been recognized as a “Cruise Connoisseur” Agent for his volume of business with Oceania Cruises. Contact him at 206-399-2138 and amartindale@ cruiseplanners.com adam Martindale a IN
lgbtqsd.newseptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23
19lgbtqsd.news s eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23
month into my self prescribed exile from San Diego to work with clients, I find that I am becoming more obsessed with working out. I’m not sure that is a good thing for any passion taken past the logical conclusion is an obses sion that can destroy you if you pay attention to it above everything else. My job takes a lot of time and fries my brain on most days. Working out is what I have to do to stay sane and I like it a lot. It’s very different doing it on my own and sending videos to my coach in SD for advice and direction rather than having the in-person guidance and feedback. That said, I’m starting to see my daily workouts as THE main activity in my day and not just part of my day and that could be an issue. We all have some type of obsession. Some large and some small, but they are there and when you pay attention to them you are not paying attention to other things. Is that a bad thing? Let’s unpack this a bit. Since leaving my husband and friends in San Diego and moving just west of Sacramento I’ve changed a lot. I’ve lost weight and I’m gaining muscle, but beyond that I am loving how I look and loving the looks people give me. That’s the rub. Health should not be about looks per say, but it is part of it. You’re lying to yourself if you think otherwise. So, I am heart ier and healthier than I’ve been in years and I, and others, are noticing. (Finally, my shoulders are wider than my waist.) But all that seems almost meaningless if you don’t have someone to share it with. I have a home gym which it great, but the camaraderie of the gym is gone. My husband is gone. Wait, I’m the one that’s gone and that’s where the solitude and obsession comes in.
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and being Obsessed QUeer
The most recent update from San Diego County indicated that there are 279 confirmed or probable cases in the County. Across the Golden State, 3,624 probable and confirmed cases have been reported, according to the California Department of Public Health. This reflects over 100 known hospitalizations.StateSenator Scott Wiener, another Gay man, led the effort to allocate funding, underscoring that funds are needed to improve patient access to services including vaccinations, clin ics, testing after possible exposure, antiviral treatments post infection, community outreach, and education campaigns.Education is needed both for our community but also the community at large. Unorganized, vague, and often incomplete early information made it both hard for Gay and Bisexual men to understand the risk and harm reduc tion strategies available but still made it easy for hate and stigma to fester.
Specifically, I applaud Patrick Loose, Chief of the HIV, STD, and Hepatitis Branch for Public Health Services at the County of San Diego. Early on, Patrick stressed the impor tance of reducing our frequency and number of multiple casual or anony mous sex partners. While many other county health leaders around the country tried to avoid that part of the equation, Patrick was clear and vocal about these health strategies. Likely, Patrick, who is part of the LGBT community, was not fearful of blowback from the LGBTQIA+ community for correctly assessing the situation. Though again it is not an STI and people like RuPaul’s Drag Race legend and HIV advocate Trinity K. Bonet has shared her journey on social media with being infected with Monkeypox and emphasized that he did not contract it from sex. Dan Savage’s Save Love Podcast (Episode 824) discussed his take on health experts’ early mistakes. In that episode, Dan discusses Monkey pox with San Diego’s Dr. Carleton Thomas, who runs a popular social media account talking about anal sex and has been leading on sharing MonkeypoxImportantly,information.thisshows why it’s so important to ensure we have Queer representation in all decision-making spaces. Patrick and San Diego Coun ty’s leadership has been instrumental to our Thoughresponse.notyet announced, the HIV Planning Group for the County of San Diego voted to create a Monkeypox Task Force to better voice our con cerns around distribution, equity, and targeted messaging. Planning Group Chair Michael Lochner will appoint the task force and the County is work ing on launching application instruc tions. The first meeting of the task force is slated for September 15. Lochner stressed in an August telebriefing that we must “Remem ber that the hard times won’t last forever,” reminding us that if we’re in tentional about our collective respon sibility, we can “Strengthen and build up our communities now, [so] we’re doing more than surviving. We’re set ting the stage for renewed growth and revitalization.”Updatesfrom the State are also prom ising. At the end of August, the State an nounced a $41 million spending package to make it easier for patients to access testing and treatment. The spending plan includes $25.7 million for the state Department of Public Health and $15.8 million for county health departments and community-based groups. This support comes at a time when Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego are still reporting the largest number of cases, with over two-thirds of infections among 25- to 44-year-olds.
By r andall Blaum ON THe rOad alOne, leadersHip is maKing prOgress againsT MONkeYPOx despiTe vaccine sHOrTages cevedo
A (image by shutterstock.com)
A (courtesy images)
I am alone but being alone is not being lonely. I’m not lonely but I have no friends in the area and no family and I am my own support system now. My workouts are what I have; they are my obsession. This week I started working out without my shirt off for the first time in my life because I was happy with what I look like. It’s been 13 months of every day work to get here and I’m down from size 44 shorts to 34 or maybe 36 and that’s huge. Yes, I’m obsessed. I’m OK with this because I found a way to be fixated without it taking over my life. I get up early and go to the garage and work out every day for about an hour. Then I jog a mile and then walk some more. So, for 90-100 minutes every day I am 100% preoccupied and then I let it go. I had to learn how to do that. To let go. To get to a stage of nothingness and not think about it till the next morning. I had to do this because boredom and being alone are not a good combination and I am both. You can get into trouble that way; I know I can. What is your obsession? Do you control it, or does it control you? How do you know the difference? I don’t think obses sions are bad, but left unchecked they can take over your life and slowly destroy it. I saw this hap pen to a good friend and his partner last week. My friend’s partner became so fixated with “his thing” he became unrecognizable, and they’ve split. It hap pens all too often. So, what happens when you get obsessed, or someone you know does, and you or they change so much that what you had is not possible any longer? It is a question I faced. I love my husband and he is the cornerstone of my life. That said, I know he cannot go on the journey I am on. For a while that was, frankly, quite scary. I was changing physically, mentally, and more. He was at a point in his life that he wasn’t done growing, but any major changes were most likely not in the cards. And that’s Obsessionokay.can change things and change people, but recognizing you are obsessed changes things, too. My husband and I had a long talk about me, what I’m going through, him, and us. Not all of it was Cinnabons and unicorns and we had more than one talk. Coming out of that was a deeper level of communication and understanding on both our parts of what the other person needs. I know he supports me on my journey and that’s huge. Yes, I’m passionate about body building but I’m also more infatuated with my husband and our life together. I guess this is a long way of saying that in any relationship communication is critical and the definition of communica tion is the response you get back. In other words, if someone says or does something that does not make sense to you - YOU need to reach out and see what the miscommunication is, then restate your words so they can better understand you. It’s okay to be obsessed. Without my obsession I’d be fat and miserable, but you do have to weigh your obsession against the rest of your life. How you do that is through intentional and regular communication with your partner, loved ones, and friends. Let them know it’s okay to call you out if they see or feel something odd. It’s amazing the amount of support you can get when you open yourself up. Be obsessed with joy and health. Be obsessed with all of who you are. Let oth ers know they matter and that they have permission to talk to you if they see you going off course. No guarantees, but open com munication and a healthy obsession work pretty well most of the time.
Hate-related incidents tying Queer men and monkeypox has already been reported in August by the Washington Blade, in Washington, D.C. Second Doses Los Angeles, the only county to receive their vaccine supplies directly from the federal government, has many opportunities available for first and second dose appointments. Their current posted schedule can be found online and indicates that each location has the capacity to provide an estimated 500 doses a day, with avail ability on Saturdays and Sundays. Currently, San Diego is not provid ing any second doses. San Francisco is only allowing second shots for indi viduals who have “moderate to severe immune compromise” because they are less likely to develop immunity af ter just one dose. San Mateo privately invites individuals for second shots, without restriction. Sacramento was also scheduling vaccines by appoint ment without restriction. You can go online to myturn.ca.gov to find locations where you can get a second dose vaccine, though I can say that I have tried to use the website multiple time to schedule an appoint ment and keep getting error message when I try to complete my registra tion. And my options were either to go up to Santa Ana or Coachella. Either way, it looks like I’ll need to plan a road trip out of San Diego right now to get a second dose.
s much as I appreciate health care professionals emphasizing that Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted disease, leading with that seems to have done little to help the LGBTQIA+ community. Monkeypox, as it’s currently spreading, needs to come out of the closet. Health care experts who led early with telling Gay and Bisexual men they were the risk population are seeing results. San Diego County announced that new infection rates are down by a fifth at their August 29 telebriefing. This is promising and in line with data from New York City.
By a llan a
· That the Health and Human Services Agency issue enforceable quality standards for treating TGI patients and recommend curriculum working collaboratively with Departments and TGIserving organizations
· That health insurance companies provide TGI cultural competency training for their staff and delegated entities who are in direct contact with patients
· That the relevant oversight agencies track and monitor complaints relating to TGI-inclusive care and publicly post findings in their annual reports or websiteDuring a time when states like Texas and Florida are actively passing anti-Trans bills, California is becoming the leader in protecting the rights for transgender, gender diverse, and intersex (TGI) people across the country. Now, Governor Newsom has the power to make inclusive health care for TGI people throughout the state a “Whenreality.itcomes time for the Governor to sign this bill into law, I want him to know that it’s vital for trans and non-binary people to have genderaffirming health care,” stated Addison Rose Vincent, Founder and CEO of Break the Binary. “A lot of us have to navigate health care settings with assumptions being made, stigma, shame, and other violence sometimes in those spaces. We deserve to access health care that is affirming, sensitive, and encounterManyempowering.”TGICaliforniansdiscrimination and difficulty access ing the health care they need. TGI Californians report thatprovideprovidersintransgendernotconcerningcareofthatovercareappropriatepeopleviderhavingsexuallyharassed,treatment,includingdiscriminationbeingrefusedverballyphysicallyorassaulted,ortoteachthepro-abouttransgenderinordertoreceivecare.Asurveyofprimaryprovidersfoundthat30%didnotfeeltheywerecapableprovidingtransgenderandasmallbutnumberwouldbewillingtocareforpatientsneed.Nearly15%ofareunwillingtoroutinecare,withnumberincreasing for specific services. In 2019, 44% of TGI people who were surveyed in the primarythanreportedCommunity#Out4MentalHealthsurveytravelingfarther30minutestoseeacareprovider.“TheCaliforniaLegislature has reconfirmed its longstanding commitment to achieving health equity for transgender, gender diverse and intersex (TGI) Californians,” said Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang. “Genderaffirming care is essential and life-saving. While attacks on bodily autonomy take hold in other states across the country, California will stand firm in making access to this care more inclusive, accessible and affirm ing. We are grateful to our cosponsors and to Senator Wiener for their vision and leadership in advancing SB 923.” Every person deserves to receive quality and compassionate health care from understanding and respectful healthcare providers. SB 923 ensures that California prioritizes the delivery of inclusive healthcare by creating first-in-the-nation qual ity standards for TGI patients and ensures cur riculum is relevant to TGI patients’ health needs. Co-sponsors of the bill are thrilled to hear that SB 923 is finally at the Governor’s desk and have high hopes that this bill will create change within the TGI community.
SB 923 is co-sponsored by Break The Binary LLC, Cali fornia LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network, California TRANScends, Equality California, Gender Justice LA, National Health Law Program, Orange County TransLatinas, Queer Works, Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance, San Fran cisco Office of Transgender Initiatives, The TransPower Project, TransCanWork, Trans Community Project, Trans Family Support Ser vices, Transgender Health and Wellness Center, Tranz of Anarchii INC, Unique Woman’s Coalition (UWC), Unity Hope, and Western Center on Law & Poverty.
S aCCess TO geNderCareaFFIrMINgBIll On iTs way TO gOvernOr newsOm’s desK (image by shutterstock.com)
That physician Continuing Medical Education (CME) include evidencebased culturally competent curriculum to help physicians provide inclusive care for TGI people
Trans Community Project Director, Paulina Angel, stated, “I am so happy for the tremendous support that we’ve gotten for SB923, this is truly a big step and victory for the TGI community and we look forward to the day Governor Newsom signs it into law.”
“Trans Family Support Services is thrilled to see this bill move to the governors for a signature. TGI community members of all ages deserve the respect and dignity that will be provided by these changes,” stated Kathie Moehlig, Executive Director of Trans Family Support Services. All TGI Californians should be able to access comprehensive health care that is inclusive of their needs. With California paving the way, hopefully, there will soon be similar legislation passed in states across the country.
21lgbtqsd.news s eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23N ews
enator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) Senate Bill 923, the TGI Inclusive Care Act passed the Senate on Thursday afternoon by a vote of 31-8. The bill is now on its way to the Governor’s desk! The bill employs multiple strategies to improve access to affirming care for TGI Californians. Specifically, SB 923 would require:
·
· That health insurance companies, in their network directories, include a list of in-network providers who offer genderaffirming services, so that TGI people know where to go for specialized care
inTO la
Braden(courtesyJockmyhnimage)A gay driver On meTH
“Society must be protected, from his bad behavior,” said Williams, who urged a term of 12 years and 4 months. Corona’s attorney, Marc Kohnen, urged a 6-year term. “No amount of saying you’re sorry can bring back a human life,” said Amador to Corona. “You have used methamphetamine for seven years, according to your statement.”
Corona also has AIDS and told Amador that he used marijuana which helped some of his Amadorsymptoms.gaveCorona credit for serving 376 days in jail since his arrest. Corona remarked, “It feels like I have been in here for 10 years already.”Corona pleaded guilty to all charges which included gross vehicular manslaughter while under the influence of drugs, possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl for sale, transportation of meth, and selling narcotics. Corona told a probation offi cer he never used fentanyl and suspected his roommate could have put it in his food for it to show up in his system. He was fined $4,250. About a dozen of Corona’s friends whom he described as having “hearts of gold” attended the sentencing. crasHes mesa gaY MaN
Office bUilding kIllINg aNOTHer
By Neal p utnam
22 lgbtqsd.newss eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23 LIVING OUT LOUD THE PINK GALA NEARLY SOLD BENEFITTINGFRIDAY,STEPPINGSTONESD.ORG/LOLOUT!OCTOBER14,2022@THEPRADOSTEPPINGSTONEOFSANDIEGO C OU rT News 10-year term in state prison was handed down Aug. 26 for a Gay man who drove his SUV while under the influence of methamphetamine when he collided into a La Mesa office building, coinci dentally killing a Gay man. Braden Jockmyhn, 41, was killed July 28, 2021, while working at the Golden Life ADHC Center, an assisted living center, at 7373 University Avenue. The SUV driven by Daniel Joseph Corona, 62, jumped the sidewalk and plowed into the building through windows and walls. “What happened to Braden was terrible,” said San Diego Superior Court Judge Robert Amador to the victim’s family, who were watching the proceedings online. “Our society has lost one of the truly good ones,” said Amador.Thevictim’s mother, MarieClaire Songhurst, wrote the judge in a letter that was read aloud that said her only son was working “at the job he so loved.”Shewrote he was “the type of person who wanted to make a difference” and got a degree in social work. Jockmyhn developed compassion for others, his mother said, and he worked with people suffering from brain injuries, AIDS, and drugCorona,addiction.wearing jail clothing, told Amador he woke up in a hospital and was unaware of the accident. He was shocked to discover news accounts of the damaged building and the flowers on display for Jockmyhn’s memorial. Corona said a visitor brought him flowers and he asked him to put them at the memorial. Corona told the judge he wrote a letter to the victim, which said, “May our paths cross in Heaven, so I can apologize to you in person.” He added: “I wish there was something I could do to bring BradenCoronaback.”brought out in open court and in the probation report that both he and the victim were Gay, and he asked the victim’s family and Amador to consider “what would Braden want” in a sentence. Deputy District Attorney Hailey Williams said it was inappropriate for Corona to mention the name of the victim he killed as to what the victim would want as a sentence. She cited Corona’s past criminal history of selling narcotics and that cocaine was found in his SUV.
“The reality is you’re a drug addict,” said the judge to Corona, noting his conviction for drugAmadorsales.noted that paramedics administered Narcan to Corona at the scene because he was under the influence of methamphetamine and fentanyl.Amador cited the increasing pattern of criminal conduct in Corona’s life and drug use that resulting this time in using a vehicle as a deadly weapon.
Corona was hospitalized for broken back bones and was released from the hospital 3 1/2 weeks later without being jailed. Amador noted that Corona immediately got high on methamphetamine again before being arrested.
He returned the next day only to find Breen’s body, and he quickly got rid of the car and never reported the homicide to Navy authorities, according to the prosecutor. “He is happily married to his wife. They have three chil dren,” said Koehl’s attorney, Alicia Freeze, to the judge. “He has no record. There is no danger. He is a hard worker.” “Mr. Koehl is held in very high regard,” said Freeze, adding that she presented a packet of 26 letters to the judge in support of her client by his friends and neighbors in “HeTennessee.wantsto do the right thing,” said Freeze. “He follows the rules.” Freeze suggested bail be set at $500,000, and Halgren said that was a reasonable amount. The prosecutor asked that Koehl’s passport beAsurrendered.November17 preliminary hearing was set. Koehl has worked for a food company for 22 years after he was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1997. The 26 letters submitted included comments from his children, other relatives, friends, coworkers, among others, and they stressed he was of good character and unlikely to have ever committed a homicide.
C OU rT News
man charged with killing a sailor 32 years ago in Point Loma posted $500,000 bond Aug. 26 after a judge changed his no bail status after he was extradited here from Tennessee. Deputy District Attorney Lisa Fox opposed the bail reduc tion for Brian Scott Koehl, now 51, who is charged with killing Larry Joe Breen, 32, whose nude body was found outside his home on May 25, 1990. “It was a very violent murder,” said Fox, adding there were bloodstains on the wall after Breen was stabbed several times in the neck. Fox told San Diego Superior Court Judge Laura Halgren that DNA solved the case and that Koehl had admitted to being in the Point Loma house where Breen had rented. Koehl’s DNA was found on a counter, in the shower, and on beer bottles found in the house, said Fox. She asked that $2 million bail be set in the Aug. 23 hearing. Breen was a petty officer and cook and was stationed aboard the USS Fox CG-33 at the time. Koehl was 19 years old and in the Navy also at the time. He has pleaded not guilty. Koehl told police he attended an event at Breen’s house where others were there and left in Breen’s car.
By Neal p utnam
Brian Scott Koehl (courtesy image) Larry Joe Breen (courtesy image)
$500,000BONd
man geTs 2-year prisOn senTence JOlla MUsIC sOCIeTY
By Neal p utnam
gay man who embezzled $650,000 from the La Jolla Music Society when he worked as their finance di rector will surrender Sept. 19 to start his 2 1/2-year federal prisonChristopherterm. Michael Benavides, 52, of Mission Valley, was sentenced Aug. 4, but was allowed to remain free on $20,000 bond by U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Bencivengo.Bencivengo exceeded the recommended 2-year term recommended by the prosecutor, saying this embezzlement is “way more egregious when a non-profit (organization) is involved.” She imposed 30 months.Benavides was earning $120,000 annually in salary when he was embezzling from the organization, according to a 4-page letter submitted by Todd Schultz, the president and CEO of the La Jolla MusicBencivengoSociety.ordered Benavides to pay restitution of $650,000 to the music society. Assistant U.S. Attorney W. Mark Conover said he doubted Benavides was remorseful because he has not paid anything towards restitution. The CEO’s letter stated that Benavides oversaw the budgeting process and “he regularly claimed that many staff salary increases were not possible due to budgetary constraints.” He added, “During this same time period, Benavides was stealing for himself an average of about $65,000 per year.” Schultz’ letter said they discovered Benavides paid his personal mortgage payments using the music society funds, and Benavides initially said it was done by accident. But they later learned it was a massive theft in which funds were used to pay for his credit cards and other personal expenses. They fired him in March 2021 after 15 years as their finance director. Executives said they suspect the theft may be larger, but their records don’t go back past 2011. Also speaking in court was Board Chairman Steve Baum, who also investigated the thefts. In the report, Baum asked Benavides if there was a reason for the thefts, such as a health crisis or gambling problem. “I had no reason to do this,” Benavides replied, according to the report. In court, Benavides told Bencivengo he regretted his actions and lost the trust of friends. He said he was sorry for the harm he caused. “Mr. Benavides exploited his position of trust with the La Jolla Music Society by stealing month after month for over a decade,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman.
“His greed and deception have had a lasting impact on this non-profit,” added Grossman. “La Jolla Music Society trusted their director of finance to safeguard the nonprofit’s funds, but Benavides had a different plan,” said Stacey Moy, special agent in charge of the FBI’s field office.
A cOld case mUrderpOsTssUspecT
“Instead, the defendant strategically calculated year over year to systematically steal from his employer, selfishly lining his own pockets,” saidTheMoy.La Jolla Music Society provides arts and education programming for thousands of San Diegans each year including a year-round musictraining program in Barrio Logan for middle and high schoolTheystudents.providelearning op portunities for young musi cians, seminars, lectures, and student performances. It relies heavily on donors, foundations and government funding to cover its expenses.
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23lgbtqsd.news s eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23
24 lgbtqsd.newss eptember 2022 volume 3 issue 23
