San Francisco Bay Times - July 13, 2017

2017

SUMMER OF LOVE, PRIDE AND RESISTANCE

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAULINA MALDONADO

July 13 - 26, 2017 | sfbaytimes.com

PHOTO BY RINK

1977

In the News Compiled by Dennis McMillan HRC Enacts Its Largest Ever Grassroots Expansion The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) this week announced a grassroots expansion that is larger and bolder than any in the organization’s 37-year history. “It’s not enough to resist the hateful policies and attacks coming from the Trump-Pence regime—we’ve got to accelerate the pace of progress toward full equality and secure protections for LGBTQ people in states and communities across the country,” HRC President Chad Griffin said in a statement. “Our grassroots army of over 3 million has proven that, even in the face of unprecedented challenges, we can make incredible progress and defeat the hateful politicians who’ve been emboldened by Donald Trump when we organize and mobilize. The power and determination of the 10 million LGBTQ voters and our allies across America will only continue to grow stronger in the face of discriminatory attacks on our rights and freedoms.” At least $26 million will go toward the expansion that will, in part, support pro-equality candidates in coming elections. HRC has also begun recruiting at least 20 additional full-time staff, including dedicated political, field, grassroots organizing, volunteer engagement, communications, and digital staff, who will join more than two dozen existing staff working on the initiative. hrc.org

utive year in California. Gay men were among the most targeted groups.

Across the state, 931 hate crimes were reported in 2016, almost 100 more than in the previous year. This amounts to an increase in anti-LGBTQ hate crimes of about 10 percent. lgbtqnation.com SF Drag Performer Refused Ride by Lyft LOL McFiercen, a San Francisco drag performer, performed earlier this month on stage at The Stud’s regular “Desperate Living” party. She then called for a Lyft ride, only to be refused service. McFiercen (birth name Kevin Seaman) reported the incident to Lyft, and received a $10 coupon for a free ride and assurance that she would not receive that same driver again. She was also informed: “Discrimination of any kind on the Lyft platform is completely unacceptable, and we believe no one using our service should ever feel discriminated against because of who they are. What is being described by the passenger in this case is completely inappropriate and against our values as a company, as well as against Lyft’s anti-discrimination policy, violation of which can result in deactivation from the platform. We ask anyone facing discrimination of any kind to report those incidents to our Critical Response Line so they can be properly investigated.” Should others experience the same, a link to Lyft’s Critical Response Line is at: https://help.lyft. com/hc/en-us/articles/213584268Report-an-accident-safety-incident-orcitation sfweekly.com Joe Garrett Announced as New Deputy Director of the National AIDS Memorial Grove

More Than a Million Estimated to Have Attended SF’s 47th Pride Parade Pride events nationwide have been experiencing an uptick in attendance this year, mostly due to renewed activism countering the Trump-Pence administration. San Francisco appears to have been no exception, with several media reports estimating that over a million people attended the Pride Parade on Sunday, June 25. The largely peaceful event, which had the theme “A Celebration of Diversity” mixed with messages of resistance, involved more than 240 groups and organizations. sf.curbed.com Former President Obama to Attend First Political Event Since Leaving Office Former President Barack Obama this evening, July 13, will headline a political fundraiser in D.C. hosted by former Attorney General Eric Holder, who is now leading the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. The event is relatively small, being in a private home, but analysts say it marks Obama’s return to official political activities. “Restoring fairness to our democracy by advocating for fairer, more inclusive district maps around the country is a priority for President Obama,” Kevin Lewis, a spokesman for the former president, told CNN. “The President supports NDRC, Holder’s efforts to address unfair gerrymandering practices that leave too many American voters feeling voiceless in the electoral process.” The Obama Foundation (https://www.obama.org/) has also been ramping up its efforts. cnn.com Hate Crimes Rising Against LGBT Individuals Statewide The state’s attorney general has announced that hate crimes are up by double digits for the second consec-

Joe Garrett has joined the National AIDS Memorial Grove’s (NAMG) team. Garrett will be taking on the role as Deputy Director and brings with him a depth of experience and passionate connection to the NAMG mission. During his personal life and career, he has led numerous local, national and international organizations as Board Chairman, and has been a senior advisor, major donor, and fundraiser for many years. He and his husband Spike Lomibao will be walking with the NAMG team at this Sunday’s AIDS Walk. aidsmemorial.org Nightlife Bill Clears Assembly Committee The Assembly Governmental Organization Committee approved with bipartisan support Senate Bill 384, a bill authored by Senator Scott Wiener to allow—but not require—local communities to extend alcohol service to as late as 4 am. The LOCAL Act, which stands for Let Our Communities Adjust Late Night, applies to bars, nightclubs, and restaurants, but not to liquor stores. The Appropriations Committee is the last stop for the bill before being considered by the full Assembly.

In May, the LOCAL Act passed the Senate with a bi-partisan super-majority vote of 27–9. American cities with late-night service hours beyond 2 am include Chicago, Washington D.C., New York City, Buffalo, Las Vegas, Louisville, Atlanta, Miami Beach, New Orleans, and Atlanta. sen.ca.gov Gay Men and Transgenders Face Discrimination in Housing Market Gay men are less likely to be told about available housing and, when they are, are quoted higher prices than straight men, according to the results of a new study conducted by the Urban Institute (continued on page 10) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JULY 13, 2017

5

New Leadership for SF City College and The Center, Reining in OMI Evictions program. Whatever the cause, the reversal of the College’s long enrollment slide is giving folks at the College renewed hope after so many difficult years.

Honoring Marcy Adelman Among the many worthy honorees at this year’s Pride festivities, it gave me particular joy to see Marcy Adelman recognized as the Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshal. I have known Marcy for nearly two decades, and during that entire time she has been obsessively devoted to the twin causes of housing our LGBT seniors and ensuring that LGBT seniors, wherever they live, have the services they need to thrive. Marcy, who founded Openhouse with her late partner Jeanette Gurevitch, was the relentless, driving force behind the affordable senior housing development at 55 Laguna.

When completed, that development will include 110 permanently affordable senior units in a part of the City that is losing affordable rental housing at an alarmingly rapid clip.

And without Marcy, it wouldn’t have happened.

A San Francisco Kind of Democrat Rafael Mandelman City College Transitions City College is in a moment of transition.

The end of June also marked the end of Susan Lamb’s term as Inter im Chancellor.

Susan, formerly the College’s Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, had stepped up two years ago to lead the College at an incredibly challenging time. As President of the Board of Trustees, I worked closely with Susan Lamb her to stabilize the institution and to resolve its accreditation and financial issues. Her two years as the College’s chief executive were not easy ones, but Susan saw us through to the successful resolution of the accreditation crisis and leaves the College well-positioned for the future.

City College will be forever in her debt.

Eichen’s Lighting, established in 1957, is a family-owned and operated lighting center showcasing a broad selection of designer styles for all your lighting needs. With a refreshed look and modern merchandise, Eichen's Lighting offers quality customer service with competitive prices.

Reining in OMI Evictions

The College’s new perMark Rocha manent Chancellor, Mark Rocha, started July 1, and has been doing a bit of a listening tour with the various College constituencies. Rocha steps into what is surely one of the hardest jobs in the entire California Community College system, and we will all be working to ensure his success. One happy piece of news that may make his path a little easier: after five years of declining enrollment, early registration numbers suggest City College is headed for double digit enrollment growth this fall. This turnaround is at least partly thanks to the enthusiasm generated by the Free City College

Trans March

Openhouse’s project at 55 Laguna is the first signif icant development of new affordable housing in District 8 in two decades. The recent fight at City Hall over regulating fraudulent Owner Move-In (OMI) evictions highlighted the heavy impact of such evictions throughout the City, but particularly in District 8. For me, it also underscored the pressing need for more projects like Openhouse’s.

The neighborhoods of District 8 (e.g., Castro, Noe Valley, Duboce Triangle, Glen Park) have been the most heavily impacted by OMI evictions, with over 331 such evictions between 2007 and 2016. That’s in addition to the 262 Ellis Act evictions in District 8 during the same period. And those totals do not include the many more “negotiated” buy outs under threat of eviction.

Photos by Rink

Several thousand participants joined organizers and activists at Dolores Park for the 2017 Trans March on Friday, June 23.

Our remodeled showroom features displays including Hubbardton Forge, Visual Comfort, Arteriors, Tech Lighting, Currey & Co., Robert Abbey and more!

Just a 15 minute drive from San Francisco with plenty of convenient parking 580 El Camino Real San Bruno, CA 94066 650-583-6938 www.eichenslighting.com Monday - Saturday 10am - 7pm

6

SA N F RANCISCO BAY T I ME S J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7

Estimates are that 25% of OMI evictions are fraudulent efforts to force out long-term tenants. Thirty-nine percent of affected tenants had lived in their homes for ten years or more.

When a tenant who has lived in a rent-controlled apartment for decades is evicted, we all know that the odds are slim of that tenant finding a unit on the market he or she can afford to rent. The displacement of those long-term residents from the neighborhoods they helped re-create and re-vitalize is among the saddest and most troubling realities of contemporary San Francisco.

Thanks to the organizing efforts of tenant groups and the leadership of Supervisors Kim and Peskin on the Board, the provisions of the OMI eviction legislation were strengthened significantly over what Supervisor Farrell had originally introduced with the backing of the Apartment Association. But even with the new protections from City Hall, it is clear that the displacement of long-term renters will continue, albeit (we hope) at a slower pace. If we are to have any hope of keeping those folks in San Francisco, we are going to need a lot more permanently affordable senior housing units.

Marcy Adelman and Openhouse have shown us it can be done; now we need to do a lot more of it.

New Leadership for the LGBT Center Board After four and a half years leading the Board of the LGBT Community Center, I stepped down as of the end of June (two and a half years later than I had originally intended). Sally Jesmonth, who co-chaired this year’s Soiree, has stepped up to lead the Board, and she will be joined by a male cochair before the end of the summer.

It has been an incredible honor to be able to help lead such an important community institution through our recent building renovation, and it is incredibly satisfying to be able to pass our Board leadership into such capable hands. Having laid the foundation for the Center’s ongoing financial stability, the Board will be thinking hard over the next months about how the Center can best meet the community’s needs in the years ahead. It should be an exciting conversation.

Rafael Mandelman is a Deputy City Attorney for the City of Oakland. He has served as a member of the City College of San Francisco Board of Trustees since 2013, and was a longtime Chair of the Board of the San Francisco LGBT Community Center.

Rainbows Appeared in the Night Sky Over the Castro During Pride Weekend Beautiful, brightly hued rainbows flowed over the Castro on the night of Saturday, June 24, ahead of the Pride Parade the next day. The wizards behind the sky show were Patrick and Hossein Carney of The Pink Triangle Project and Obscura Digital, which is known for high-impact projection installations around the world. With Illuminate the Arts, Obscura Digital created the psychedelic projections on the Conservatory of Flowers, for example. That display will continue through the summer.

The rainbows were more ephemeral, however, lasting just that memorable Pride weekend, similar to the here today, gone tomorrow Pink Triangle on Twin Peaks. Karl the

Photos Courtesy of Patrick Carney

Fog played a role too, as the original plan for June 24 was to project individuals blowing kisses on the Pink Triangle.

That happened for a while, and members of our team who saw the kisses loved the playful imagery. When Karl settled in, covering views, the Carneys and Obscura Digital programmers had to think fast.

Using similar lights, they transformed the more detail-oriented videos of kisses into colorful rainbows. The display added a dreamy touch of LGBT energy to the celebrations for Pride 2017.

For more information about the Pink Triangle, visit http:// www.thepinktriangle.com

Hundreds of volunteers assisted with the installation of the Pink Triangle atop Twin Peaks on Saturday morning, June 24. Figures from the late great Gilbert Baker’s related 2016 art installation were on display.

8

SA N F RANCISCO BAY   T I ME S J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7

A Victory for Love 120 Years in the Making antees one thing, it is that anyone in this country can live as they wish.”

6/26 and Beyond Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis When Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld and other gay rights pioneers founded the first LGBT rights advocacy organization in the world in Berlin, Germany, in 1897, did they envision revelers at Berlin’s famous Brandenburg Gate, just meters from the Reichstag, the seat of the German government, celebrating the attainment of marriage equality in Germany 120 years later? Perhaps they actually did. Back in 1919, Hirschfeld prophesied: “Soon the day will come when science will win victory over error, justice a victory over injustice, and human love a victory over human hatred and ignorance.”

A century later, Maik Beermann, one of the 393 German Parliamentarians voting in favor of equality put it simply: “As a father, I want my daughters to grow up in a country where they enjoy the same rights and responsibilities as everyone else, regardless of whether they love men or women.” And Thomas Oppermann, the parliamentary leader of the Social Democratic Party proclaimed: “If the Constitution guar-

Marriage equality in Germany is hugely significant for many reasons.

Today, Germany plays an increasingly leading role in maintaining a unified Europe and, in recent years, has accepted hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Middle East, North Africa, and other places. Full marriage equality conveys the importance of dignity and respect for LGBT people to the rest of Europe and to new immigrants arriving from around the world.

Activists hope that momentum from the victory in Germany will bring equality to neighboring Switzerland and Austria, both German-speaking countries. Kathrin Bertschy of Switzerland’s Green Liberal Party told the Tages-Anzeiger newpaper that with the German vote “[m]arriage for all is now unstoppable internationally.” Cédric Wermuth of the Swiss Social Democratic Party tweeted: “Switzerland must follow suit NOW. Discrimination is the only thing that is perverted.” Thousands of people also recently marched demanding marriage equality in Northern Ireland, the only part of the United Kingdom without equality. The country of Malta is poised to enact marriage equality in July.

Further, the German victory underscores the importance of strategic political organizing by proponents of LGBT rights, even when they do not hold parliamentary majorities in government. For years, marriage equality was stalled in Germany because German Chancellor Angela Merkel refused to let the issue come to a vote in Parliament, despite the fact that a January 2017 Federal Anti-Discrimination Bu-

reau poll showed a staggering 83 percent of the public in favor of marriage equality.

But Germany will hold elections in September, and the Social Democratic Party, a key coalition partner with Merkel’s Christian Democratic Party in the current coalition government, and the Green Party announced in late June they would make marriage equality legislation a condition for any future coalition governing agreement. Within days, Merkel called for a Parliamentary vote where members were free to vote their conscience, and within the week, Parliament passed marriage equality with 75 members of Merkel’s party voting in favor.

key element in the critical process of integrating protections for LGBT people into the institutions of society. The triumph embodies Magnus Hirschfeld’s vision of the victory of “human love … over human hatred and ignorance,” “science … over error,” and “ justice … over injustice”—a vision just as relevant to the world today as it was a century ago.

John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, together for over three decades, were plaintiffs in the California case for equal marriage rights decided by the California Supreme Court in 2008. Their leadership in the nationwide grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA contributed in 2015 to making same-sex marriage legal nationwide.

Although Merkel voted against marriage equality, she strongly urged unity after the vote, hoping the vote would engender “social peace and togetherness.” With her words, she appeared to be attempting to set a tone of less polarization and divisiveness in the society. On the other side of the world, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who claims to support marriage equality but is blocking a free conscience vote in the Australian Parliament despite clear public support for equality, would do well to follow Merkel’s example.

The LGBT rights movement in Germany did not follow a linear upwards trajectory since its beginning in 1897. One of most enduring images of persecution of LGBT people in the West is the pink triangle that gay male prisoners were forced to wear in the Nazi concentration camps. Beginning in the 1970s, the LGBT rights movement reclaimed the pink triangle as a symbol of bravery and pride (see page 8), and today Germany has marriage equality, a

Busting the Work-Life Balance Myth the truth is that it is exactly the people who love what they do, who find themselves with abundant opportunities beyond belief. Consider this: If you work full-time between the ages of 21–65, you will have worked 96,000 hours!

That’s a lot of your precious life. If it is only for money, how sad.

Career Wisdom Julie Gleeson When a client recently burst into tears about her new career, I was utterly charmed. This amazingly talented client had an impressive artistic resume, yet the pain in her hands would no longer allow her to do the work that had been supporting her for years. When she arrived to report on her progress, she had a large check with her from her very first consulting client, allowing her to become the artistic director she had always wanted to be. Yes, they were tears of joy.

Now, instead of drawing action figures, she has rebranded herself, and guides her clients with her new motto: Everyone should have an action figure to help market their business.

After working with me to discover her design and how to find work from there, she was finally back on track to loving her career.

As a conscious career designer, I am always amazed by how many people believe—quite strongly—that you have to be miserable to find work, trying to fit into a career box that is often constraining and unhealthy. Yet

Everything changes over time, and employment is no different. It is now common for people to change their positions frequently, with the norm being a change about every three years or less. The number of women who have successfully entered the workforce is increasing, and most of the open and interesting jobs are in the hidden job market, which is never advertised.

With all of this change going on, it is imperative for job seekers to understand the new “lay of the land.”

The days of a career counselor telling you what job you’d be perfect for are over. That never worked anyway.

It has always been true that people know what they want to do with their lives; they just don’t think they can be successful doing it.

The secret to staying employed during all of this change is to know what makes you unique and how to introduce that uniqueness in a compelling and inspiring way. That thing— that ability or understanding—can play itself out in many different industries and opportunities, so as the world changes, you are still only doing this one core thing, just in many different places.

Clients and employers hire people they like and feel comfortable with.

It is essential to radiate attractive energy while being steady and creative during times of overwhelm and stress.

Are you able to stay calm and inspiring when all around you is chaos? It’s a wonderful skill to cultivate, and it is what employers and clients like There is a cycle to all work: a beginning, middle, an end, and a rest period. Most people want to skip that rest and reflective period, yet it is essential to new beginnings going well. Too many of us rush from one thing to another and wonder why we are tired all of the time.

Finally, there is no such thing as work-life balance. There is, however, the ability to find work you love that transforms you both at work and at home. This is harmony, not balance, and feels like heaven. Find a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life!

Please call me at 925-408-8422 for a free advisory consultation. Happy hunting, and stay away from internet searching. It will only lower your mood.

Julie Gleeson is the Co-founder of Career Wisdom Institute and the Founder of The Art of Living, Inc. She brings over 25 years of experience as a consultant in the fields of career designing, couples mentoring and resilience, stress and overwhelm elimination. Julie also co-authored a best-selling book, “Inside Job, 8 Secrets to Loving Your Work and Thriving.”

She can be reached at Gleesonj@ CareerWisdomInstitute.comor 925-408-8422. Check out her website for more information: www. careerwisdominstitute.com S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JULY 13, 2017

9

Standing in Love projection. We create, out of our wounds and unmet needs, an idealized picture of the partner who has the power to soothe, transform, and heal us, and then project this image onto some unsuspecting soul who happens to look the part. In other words, “falling in love” involves not knowing each other. Love, literally, is blind.

Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, Co-Founders Randy Alfred, Founding News Editor 1978 Kim Corsaro Publisher 1981-2011

2261 Market Street, No. 309 San Francisco CA 94114 Phone: 415-601-2113 525 Bellevue Avenue Oakland CA 94610 E-mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com www.sfbaytimes.com

Examined Life

The Bay Times is proud to be the only 100% LGBT funded and owned newspaper for the LGBT community in San Francisco.

Dr. Betty L. Sullivan Jennifer L. Viegas Co-Publishers & Co-Editors

Abby Zimberg Beth Greene

Design & Production

Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon Calendar Editor

Kit Kennedy Poet-In-Residence J.H. Herren Technology Director Carla Ramos Web Coordinator Mario Ordonez Juan Ordonez Distribution

CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Kate Kendell, Alex Randolph, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Tim Seelig, Cinder Ernst, John Chen Rafael Mandelman, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Bill Lipsky, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Marcy Adelman, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron Thom Watson, Michele Karlsberg Lyndsey Schlax, Elisa Quinzi, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Wendy Ross, Howard Steiermann Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Jane Higgins Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg

ADVERTISING Display Advertising Standard Rate Cards are available online at sfbaytimes.com or calling: 415-503-1375 Custom ad sizes are available. Please inquire! The Bay Times reserves the right to reject any advertising at the discretion of the publishers.

National Advertising: Contact Bay Times / San Francisco.

Represented by Rivendell Media: 908-232-2021 Circulation is verified by an independent agency Reprints by permission only.

CALENDAR Event listings for consideration to be included in the Bay Times online or print Calendar section should be sent by e-mail to: calendar@sfbaytimes.com. © 2017 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas

Tom Moon, MFT “In this world there are only two tragedies; one is not getting what one wants, the other is getting it.” This line from Oscar Wilde reminds me of the two most common questions I hear from gay men. The f irst is, “How can I find a boyfriend?” The second, once he shows up, is all-toooften: “How do I get rid of this guy?”

Nothing begins more frequently with excitement and hope than romantic love, or ends more consistently in disappointment and bitterness.

Psychology, on the whole, is fairly skeptical of romantic love. The consensus seems to be that it’s mostly based on a combination of lust and

Successful relationships seem to be those in which both partners at this point make the decision to “stand in love”—to stay together and find their way to a love that is more realistic and grounded. If romantic intensity is an initial phase of love, real depth of connection comes to those willing to work at knowing each other after the projections fade. Partners who commit to stand together at this point begin to embody Scott Peck’s definition of love. He calls it “the will to extend one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual

It’s a spiritual truism that the opposite of love isn’t hate, but fear, and that overcoming the fear that keeps us separate is one of our most basic tasks. All schools of personal development confront the strange paradox that, on the one hand, our true nature is love, but that we are all more or less out of touch with our depths because of various hindrances—usually involving fear-based perceptions of threats to the ego. The task is to remain vigilant toward all of the inner and outer forces that cause us to close the heart, and to work continually to stay open.

I wonder how much better off we would be if, instead of asking, “How can I find a partner?” we devoted the same passion to asking, “How can I open my heart ever wider?” Maybe the idea that people could be persuaded to think in that way is just a utopian dream on my part. On the other hand, I have noticed that those who grapple seriously with that question do seem more often to be the ones who find what measure of Utopia is to be found in this life.

Tom Moon is a psychotherapist in San Francisco. For more information, please visit his website http:// tommoon.net/

Openhouse Co-Founder Dr. Marcy Adelman Continues Groundbreaking Work on LGBT Senior Issues Dr. Marcy Adelman’s term on the board of Openhouse recently expired, but she has stated that she will continue to serve as an advisor to the incredibly successful organization that she co-founded in 1998 with her partner Jeanette Gurevitch (1948–2003). We welcome the news, as Openhouse, which addresses the housing and service needs of LGBT elders, has—like Dr. Adelman herself—been going stronger than ever.

ed psychotherapist, Adelman is a pioneer in the field of lesbian and gay aging. For over 30 years, she has worked to make visible the lives, concerns and contributions of LGBT elders, and is a leading advocate for quality LGBT elder care and policies that safeguard equal treatment.

This fall, Openhouse will break ground at 95 Laguna for a new fivestory building to be named the Marcy Adelman and Jeanette Gurevitch Openhouse Community. The Community will include 79 affordable senior apartments. It will also have an activity center for LGBT seniors citywide, serving as the epicenter of Openhouse’s health and wellness programming. Adelman’s founding vision of a hub of LGBT welcoming senior housing and services for LGBT seniors will be one of the largest such projects in the country.

Her advocacy and research work were pivotal in educating service providers and city and state officials about the unique needs of LGBT elders. The Openhouse survey (2003), with over 1,000 participants was, at the time, the largest and most racially inclusive study of its kind. It shattered the myth of “gay affluence” and raised awareness that LGBT elders had a right to be included in affordable housing and subsidized senior programs. The under-representation of LGBT people in senior programs and senior housing could no longer be dismissed.

If you are seeking a role model for youthful, accomplished LGBT seniors, Adelman would be a perfect choice. The longtime San Francisco Bay Times columnist recently received San Francisco Pride’s Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshal honor. A clinical psychologist and widely respect-

Moreover, the lack of services that were welcoming to LGBT seniors was not limited to housing. Both discrimination itself and the fear of discrimination prevented LGBT seniors from utilizing needed services all along the continuum of care—from housing to home health and in-home services,

Dr. Marcy Adelman with Hon. Mark Leno

from assisted living to nursing homes, to social services, adult day care and dementia care. Rather than reinvent the wheel of services, Adelman established collaborative relationships with providers and agencies to educate and eventually train them in how to make their services and agencies more inclusive and more responsive to the needs of the LGBT community. As a result, long before Openhouse housing and the Bob Ross LGBT Senior Center opened its doors at 55 Laguna, Openhouse had succeeded in making the Bay Area one of the most LGBT senior friendly cities in the country.

As you can see, Adelman has been busy! What’s more, she has stated that she will remain involved in city, state and national advocacy work on LGBT senior issues. Currently, she serves on the Dignity Fund Oversight and Advisory Committee for the City and County of San Francisco, the Advisory Council to the Department of Aging and Adult Service Commission, the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California and Nevada’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and is a Senior Advisor to SAGE on LGBT Aging and Dementia.

and to assure continued local access for businesses, residents, and vehicles.

During active work, pedestrians are advised to use sidewalks on the south side of 18th Street. castromerchants.com

chief wildlife wrangler. The birds, properly identified as Brewer’s blackbirds, “are protecting their nests” and “won’t injure you,” she said. The blackbirds are likely nesting in the branches of street trees with r e c e nt l y h a t c he d chicks, so when someone gets too close, they remind pedestrians to keep moving. “We recommend using the opposite sidewalk until the babies have fledged, which should be in a couple of weeks,” said Officer Edith. hoodline.com

NEWS (continued from page 5) on LGBT housing discrimination.

Researchers also found that transgender people are less likely to hear about available units compared to cisgender people. Lesbian women and straight women, though, were generally treated the same. lgbtqnation.com SFMTA/MUNI Plans for 18th Street Construction in Castro Starting at 10 pm tomorrow, July 14, and ending at about 4 am on Monday morning, July 17, “No Parking Tow Away” will be posted and enforced continuously on the north side of 18th

10

There is no denying that romantic love is one of life’s great adventures, but W hitman’s lines also point to its limitations. It is typically a roller coaster ride of emotions that swing from ecstasy to agony and back again—hardly the road to inner peace and balance. And it has a dark side. “Love” can be as selfish as hell—demanding, suspicious, petty and jealous. It’s volatile and unpredictable; and, as Whitman acknowledges, generally short-lived (“one

Inevitably, in most romantic relationships, the projections begin to fade because the partners can’t forever ignore the mounting evidence that their Soul Mates are, at the end of the day, mere mortals. Inevitably, the dreamer awakens from the dream, and a crisis typically ensues. The partners “fall out of love.” Disillusionment is common at this stage, and there may even be a sense of betrayal. All too frequently, this is where the relationship ends.

growth.” As one of my friends puts it, “It’s not all sex and puppies.”

PHOTO SOURCE: JWEEKLY.COM

The Bay Times was the first newspaper in California, and among the first in the world, to be jointly and equally produced by lesbians and gay men.

We honor our history and the paper’s ability to build and strengthen unity in our community.

But when the experience is mutual, nothing is more intoxicating. Walt Whitman sings the praises of this drunkenness: “To drive free! To love free! to dash reckless and dangerous!/ To court destruction with taunts, with invitations!/ To ascend, to leap to the heavens of the love indicated to me!/ To rise thither with my inebriate soul!/ To be lost if it must be so!/ To feed the remainder of life with one hour of fullness and freedom!/ With one brief hour of madness and joy.”

brief hour”). Scientific studies consistently arrive at the melancholy finding that romantic intensity tends to fizzle out within about four years at the outside, which makes it a notoriously shaky foundation for long-term relationships.

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7

Street between Collingwood and the top (western end) of 18th Street at Upper Market Street. On Saturday, July 15, between 3 am and 9 am and again that day between 8 pm and 2 am (early Sunday morning the 16th), and then again on Sunday July 16 between 8 pm and 2 am (early Monday morning the 17th) the north sidewalk in the same area will be subject to a “rolling closure” as crews actively work to replace Muni’s overhead power cable above that sidewalk. The contractor will have safety personnel on site during these times to guide pedestrians

Angry Birds on Patrol Near Church & Market If you have been dive-bombed recently while walking near the Safeway at Church and Market, you are not alone. Birds have been tapping pedestrians on the head as they pass near the supermarket. “Every year, this is a common occurrence all over the city,” noted Officer Edith at Animal Care and Control, the City’s

GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow

Mensis Horribilis You should have seen the essay I wrote last week after one of the most horrendous series of antigay court actions in recent years. I was disconsolate, pessimistic, infuriated—almost in a dayafter-the-election mood, quite frankly. Lucky for all of us, the publication schedule kept that column out of print, and I can now start again with a dispassionate account of the stunningly bad developments of late June and early July.

I have rewritten this diatribe several times now. I start with a cogent account, but in the blink of an eye, I’ve found that I’ve produced a thousand words of rambling invective. Let me begin with a simple run down.

First, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit released the hold on Mississippi’s antigay religious freedom law, allowing it to go into effect while litigation continues. The law, which allows anyone and everyone to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender, had been put on hold by a lower federal court while the legal challenge continued. Emphasis on “had been.”

Then, we had good news from the Supreme Court, which reversed a horrid decision on birth certificates by the Arkansas Supreme Court. The Hog State bench insisted that listing parents on birth certificates was based on biology, not marriage, ergo the children of two married lesbian couples in this case were stuck with only one parent on this crucial document. But Arkansas automatically lists the husband as the father on straight people’s certificates, even when the husband is not the biological father. So clearly, the policy treats gay marriages differently than straight unions. The High Court did not bother with arguments, simply accepting the case and reversing the Hogs in one move.

What’s then the problem here, you ask? This sounds like good news.

True, but in a dark twist, the seemingly genial Neil Gorsuch took this opportunity to write a pompous dissent in favor of Arkansas. Joined by Thomas and Alito (but not by Roberts), Gorsuch revealed himself as a true foe of the GLBT community, an ominous and surprising development.

Moving right along, the Texas Supreme Court then gave credit to the appalling idea that the High Court’s marriage decision did not necessarily extend to the benefits of marriage.

Texas’s highest civil court sent a lawsuit back to lower court with permission to examine whether or not the city of Houston was required to recognize the marriages of city staff. For the record, Houston is on our side in this case. The suit was brought in 2013 by some disgruntled taxpayers.

Finally, nearly a year after the petition was filed, the High Court agreed to hear the case of a Denver baker who refused service to two gay men celebrating their marriage. I can’t say that nothing good will come of this case, since by rights we should win, and maybe we’ll get a strong opinion. But that’s just one good thing. There are also many bad things that could come of it, and those give me great anxiety.

All of this happened in the space of a fortnight! Bam, bam, bam, bam. We haven’t seen antigay legal news like this in over a decade. At that stage, at least, we were headed in the right direction. But where are we headed now?

Scary SCOTUS Session Ahead I could write a couple of thousand words on any one of these blockbusters, but that’s what led me into incoherent rants in my earlier drafts. Instead, I’d like to take on the bigger picture. GLBT civil rights have been, and will continue to be, fought in the courts. Yes, we’ll have some success in blue states and cities, but Congress

is useless. As I’ve mentioned before, part of our problem in the courts flows from the vague victories delivered by Anthony Kennedy, who presumably sought some kind of “compromise” by ruling in favor of gay civil rights, but doing so half-heartedly.

Let’s give Kennedy a break for his 1996 and 2003 rulings in Romer and Lawrence. Gay rights were not yet popular, and the law works slowly. But in 2013 and 2015, Kennedy ruled first, that the federal law limiting marriage to straight couples was unconstitutional, and second, that any law limiting marriage to straight couples was unconstitutional. Yay! We all broke out the Champagne. Mel and I were at a kid’s birthday party in a park in Amsterdam, and we went off, found a liquor store, bought a bottle of Bollinger and drank it walking back down the street.

But here’s the problem. Kennedy never connected the dots, legally, on his reasoning. He refused to discuss whether or not discrimination against gay people should be considered “suspect” as is the case with bias on the basis of race or religion or gender.

Our group fits the legal requirement for this kind of judicial protection. We are a historically despised minority, based on a neutral characteristic that does not impede our ability to contribute to society. We are treated unequally based on prejudice alone.

And, indeed, Kennedy comes close to describing us as a suspect class, but he does not spell it out. What does that tell our adversaries in court? It tells them that we are not a suspect class and that we are not deserving of tough legal scrutiny in gay bias cases.

If we were, our enemies note, Kennedy would have said so.

Imagine if he had. Mississippi would not have been permitted to enact a bill that allowed discrimination against a protected class. Texas would not have found potential loopholes in the marriage equality ruling. Masterpiece Cakeshop would have no basis for a claim of religious expression. After all, you can’t deny service to Blacks, Jews or women based on “religion,” even if you could find some scripture to back you up.

If Kennedy had made a clear legal case for GLBT equality, we would not be struggling to protect ourselves from discrimination, as we continue to do. Our main tactic at present is to press the argument that sex discrimination (illegal throughout the country in education and the workplace) encompasses gay and trans discrimination. The full bench of the Seventh Circuit recently agreed, and other federal appellate panels have urged their circuits to reverse earlier case law and fold sexual orientation and gender identity into existing antidiscrimination law. In the case of a Georgia lesbian, however, the Eleventh Circuit ruled the other way and the full court declined to reconsider the case. Lambda Legal will appeal this Title VII (workplace) lawsuit to the Supreme Court, which is likely to take the case next year.

Since sex is a protected class, a victory in this debate would immediately elevate sexual orientation and gender identity onto the same plane as sex and race, closing the infuriating gap that allows courts and lawmakers to create their infamous “gay exceptions.” Again, the Colorado baker, Jack Phillips, would lose his case.

But what if Masterpiece is heard and decided before a Title VII case reaches the Court? Justice Kennedy has a soft spot for religious freedom, and voted in the majority when the antique thieves at Hobby Lobby were given a faith-based alternative to the Affordable Care Act. But, even in that case, Justice Alito made clear that faith could not trump civil rights (continued on page 30) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JULY 13, 2017

11

Finding Financial Stability After a Divorce

Two Choices in Automotive Identity Volkswagen. Long thunderstorms of bad press surrounding its diesel emissions cheating has shaken the faith for many of its recent brand converts, who came for the green hype and stayed for the Teutonic style. VW’s low quality ratings aren’t helping, either.

style spending, including entertainment, dining out, and activities for your kids, to see if it’s necessary to trim your expenses. If possible, avoid making any major purchases until you feel comfortable with your updated budget.

Money Matters Brandon Miller Managing finances following a divorce can be emotional and overwhelming. Even the best-laid financial plans may seem complicated as you adjust to your new situation and next steps. No matter how complex your financial circumstances may feel, the following steps may help you to secure your financial future: Adjust your budget to match your current lifestyle. Start by calculating your new monthly income, including spousal or child support if applicable, and estimate what you expect to earn over the next year. If you are a stay-at-home parent or spouse, you may decide to reenter the workforce to bolster your income. Or the time may be right to switch careers or seek a promotion.

Next, look at your spending to see if you need to adjust your patterns.

Whether you’ve decided to remain in your home or seek new living arrangements, crunch the numbers to see how much house you can realistically afford. Also, evaluate your life-

12

Consider your children’s future. If you have children, they will understandably take center stage in your planning. It’s important to start thinking about how you’ll handle future financial milestones. Milestones may include paying for private grade school, college tuition, the down payment on a home, or a wedding. If you’d like to help your children with such expenses, consider these questions: Will you receive financial support from your former spouse? Do you expect your kids to contribute? As each event approaches, be up front with your kids about what you can afford so they can set realistic expectations.

Prioritize saving for retirement. No matter how close—or far—you are to retirement, make it a priority to update your retirement goals and continue building your nest egg. You are responsible for your own savings, and the biggest challenge you face financially is having enough money to cover what could be several decades of expenses. While retirement saving can feel overwhelming as you balance competing financial priorities, having a plan can help you feel more in control.

Ensure you’re protected. An important step following divorce is to maintain, replace or establish in(continued on page 30)

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7

Auto Philip Ruth Creation of a distinct identity usually happens over time. Splashy reinventions can be attention getting, but those abruptly altered images can wither as quickly as they are formed.

That’s where steady progress toward a singular definition can win, and that’s what Subaru has done in becoming a first stop for active-lifestyle car buyers. This segment has been a more tangled path for crossover competitors like the Hyundai Tucson, which challenges its Subaru cohort in every way except in being something that buyers see as part of themselves.

It’s about this time that you’d insert the shopworn joke about lesbians preferring Subarus, but I’ve seen plenty of gay men gravitating to the brand as well. Now, with advanced safety features becoming a Subaru calling card, you could easily find yourself signing on the dotted line, even if you will never point your purchase toward an unpaved road.

Mainstreaming the Outback look has created opportunities for competitors with more muddied identities, like

So V W needs a hit, while Subaru continues on its steady path further into the mainstream. The two cars we’re checking out this week sum this up, and both end up as compelling choices, in their own ways.

Subaru Impreza

VW has a hit with the Golf Alltrack, or at least it feels that way when you experi- Volkswagen ence it. The Golf Alltrack is Golf Alltrack chapter and verse Outback, with a raised stance and beefed-up low, and visibility is panoramic. The exterior trim. This obviously is not structure feels simultaneously solthe only competitor that has latched id and lightweight. The Impreza has on to Subaru’s aesthetic, but the the feeling of a car that has been thorGolf Alltrack adds in Volkswagen’s oughly thought out. comparatively rich interior and feeling of solid heft. The tested Alltrack That’s one loss in the mainstreaming didn’t have many options, but it still of its brand. The now well-insulatlooked like a million bucks with its ed thrum of the Impreza’s boxer envivid Silk Blue Metallic finish. The gine is pretty much all that remains of Marrakesh Brown V-Tex leatherette the quirky old Subaru charm. Meaninterior was near enough to natural while, with the Golf Alltrack, Volkhide that the words “re-branded vi- swagen adds to the active-lifestyle nyl” did not apply. segment the greater refinement that The tested Subaru Impreza, on the was such a hit with its diesel buyers. other hand, was much more low- These are different directions from key, bordering on generic. You’d add which both Subaru and Volkswagen $3,400 to the Impreza’s $18,395 en- have much to gain. try price to add the off-road look given to its Crosstrek sibling, but it does Philip Ruth is a Castro-based autofine without it. The Impreza’s plat- motive photojournalist and consulform was redesigned for 2017, and the tant at www.gaycarguy.com. Check revisions add to an ongoing feeling of out his automotive staging service satisfaction. Proportions are wide and at www.carstaging.com

Dr. Marcy Adelman at SF Pride 2017 Activities

PHOTO BY RINK

Aging in Community Dr. Marcy Adelman

Dr. Marcy Adelman with other Grand Marshals and VIPs at the SF Pride Press Event

PHOTO BY PHYLLIS COSTA

Your letters and emails do make a difference! HHS responded to receiving over 14,000 letters from individuals and 89 different organizations, such as SAGE and Openhouse, by restoring sexual orientation questions to the Older Americans Act survey. The data from these questions will help to ensure funding for programs targeted to the needs of LGB elders. But it is not enough.

Dr. Marcy Adelman speaks at the 2017 Pride Brunch hosted by Gary Virginia and Donna Sachet

PHOTO BY RINK

Do not let the Trump administration erase transgender elders from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) survey that determines how federal funding is spent on elder care and support. We only have to July 24 to respond to proposed changes to the HHS’s National Survey of Older American Participants.

PHOTO BY PHYLLIS COSTA

Trans Elders Count

Openhouse’s executive director Karyn Skultety joined Marcy in the Grand Marshal’s car on the Pride Parade route.

HHS did not restore questions about transgender elders.

PHOTO BY PHYLLIS COSTA

Marcy Adelman, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in private practice, is co-founder of the non-profit organization Openhouse. She is also a leading advocate and educator in LGBT affirming dementia care and a member of the Advisory Council to the Aging and Adult Services Commission.

RESIST WITH PRIDE

•

PHOTO BY PHYLLIS COSTA

Go to: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/trumpwants-trans-elders-to-just-disappear to sign the petition and send a letter to keep transgender elders visible and counted.

The Openhouse contingent preparing its banner to be carried in the SF Pride Parade

San Francisco Pride 2017

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO COURTESY JOAN GLASSMAN

CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY ALI BIGGS PHOTOGRAPHY

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

PHOTO BY ALI BIGGS PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY DEBORAH VALENÇA FOTOGRAFIA

PHOTO COURTESY OF JUDY YOUNG PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY DEBORAH VALENÇA FOTOGRAFIA

PHOTO BY PHYLLIS COSTA

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Thank You to Volunteers, Supporters and Friends!

San Francisco Bay Times extends grateful appreciation to the volunteers and supporters who helped create our award-winning contingent in the 2017 SF Pride Parade. Related photos appear in the special centerfold on pages 16-17.

JULY 13, 2017

13

RESIST WITH PRIDE

•

San Francisco Pride 2017

San Francisco Bay Times Contributing Photographers for SF Pride 2017: Rink, Abby Zimberg, Paul Margolis, Jane Higgins, Bill Wilson, Phyllis Costa, Patrick Carney, Chloe Jackman, Sandy Morris, Ali Biggs, Deborah Valença and Ryan Murray

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

This year’s Pride Parade held on June 25 included Gay Freedom Day organizers who marched in the 2017 “We Fought Back” contingent. It followed the “Resistance Contingent,” led by the SF Pride Board of Directors. That group was comprised of The Bayard Rustin LGBT Club, SF Black Community Matters, Justice for Mario Woods, African Human Rights, DeGenderettes, Bay Area Queer People of Color, Guardian Group, International Migrants Alliance, Mission High School Queer Students Alliance, Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, Action Action, Indivisible, The Brady Campaign (with Pulse nightclub survivors), several local unions, and one of the 2017 community grand marshals: Alex U. Inn. These voices added to the normally celebratory event with a political statement reminiscent of the very milestone Pride commemorates, The Stonewall Rebellion.

As many dreams faded, a mock funeral entitled “The Death of the Hippie” was staged on October 6, 1967. Organizer Mary Kasper later told a PBS interviewer, “We wanted to signal that this was the end of it, to stay where you are, bring the revolution to where you live and don’t come here because it’s over and done with.”

We know what she meant, and yet the spark that lit up the Summer of Love never fully went out. The words of San Francisco mayoral candidate Mark Leno during the 40th Anniversary of the Summer of Love still ring true: “It’s already been said that this is just an exercise in nostalgia, but I think this country could use a dose of the Summer of Love, and I think this country could be reminded that there’s nothing funny about peace, love and understanding.”

14

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7

PHOTO BY RINK PHOTO BY RINK

Martin Luther King, Jr., and Bobby Kennedy expressed somewhat similar sentiments in 1967 before their lives were cut short.

Even the Summer of Love was said to have died. While the social phenomenon benefitted progressive political movements, and left us with a tremendous artistic legacy affecting architecture, music, art, fashion and more, drug-fueled fast living came down hard. Well-intended idealists promising free food, free stores, and free nearly everything became overwhelmed by the tens of thousands of people who converged on the Haight-Ashbury. (A survivor was Haight Ashbury Free Clinics, https://www.healthright360.org/agency/haight-ashbury-free-clinics)

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

“The Trump/Pence Regime daily escalates its fascist attacks on immigrants and Muslims, on healthcare and the poor, on Black and Brown people, on women and LGBTQ folks, on the media, on the environment, on the right to protest, on the truth. We must say NO! Not just for ourselves, but in the name of humanity. Never underestimate the power of the people rising up together with right on our side.”

PHOTO BY RINK

This Saturday, July 15, yet another Anti-Trump Rally and March will take place in San Francisco at the United Nations Plaza from 2 pm–5 pm. Refuse Fascism (https://refusefascism.org/), the organizing group, declared:

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

“Donald Trump has been in blatant violation of the Constitution from the day he was sworn into the office of President. The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the sole power to impeach an official, and it makes the Senate the sole court for impeachment trials. It is time that congressional representatives do their job and start the process to impeach this president. We believe president Trump has committed constitutional breaches, consistently lied, cheated, and enforces laws that primarily benefit him and his billionaire friends at the expense of the country.”

PHOTO BY RINK

A week later, on July 2, demonstrators again took to the streets in coordination with the nationwide Impeachment March. Here in San Francisco, the march beginning at 1 pm went from the Embarcadero at Justin Herman Plaza, where a rally was held, to the Powell Street BART Station and back.

The organizers stated:

PHOTO BY RINK

Our cover was inspired by a recent, thought-provoking Harvey Milk Democratic Club social media post created by Paulina Maldonado, who took the top photo. She paired it with the black and white image, which was snapped in 1977 by our legendary photographer Rink. His photo shows Gay Freedom Day activists that year who later challenged the Briggs Initiative and notorious homophobe Anita Bryant. The Briggs Initiative, Proposition 6, would have banned LGBT individuals from working in California’s public schools. We have these activists and others to thank. The hateful proposition on the November 7, 1978, statewide ballot, sponsored by conservative legislator John Briggs, did not pass. Marchers reminded onlookers of not only Bryant, but also (from left to right in the photo) Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Ku Klux Klan members and Idi Amin.

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

Emotions have been riding high this summer in San Francisco. The year’s needed rains, our city’s successful June Pride and the 50th Anniversary of the Summer of Love have brought added magic to an already favorite season, and yet the ominous, repeated threats posed by the Trump administration to our basic unalienable rights remain. Strong messages of love, pride and resistance have been taken to the streets these past few weeks, with this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times highlighting just some of the many related events.

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Summer of Love, Pride and Resistance

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY   T IM ES

JULY 13, 2017

15

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY PHYLLIS COSTA

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY SANDY MORRIS

16

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7

PHOTO BY DEBORAH VALENÇA FOTOGRAFIA

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY ALI BIGGS PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY JUAN PHYLLIS COSTA

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY DEBORAH VALENÇA FOTOGRAFIA

PHOTO BY PHYLLIS COSTA

PHOTO BY JENNIFER VIEGAS

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY PHYLLIS COSTA

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY ALI BIGGS PHOTOGRAPHY

RESIST WITH PRIDE San Francisco Bay Times

Contingent

PHOTO BY DEBORAH VALENÇA FOTOGRAFIA

PHOTO BY PHYLLIS COSTA

PHOTO BY PHYLLIS COSTA

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY DEBORAH VALENÇA FOTOGRAFIA

PHOTO BY DEBORAH VALENÇA FOTOGRAFIA

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY DEBORAH VALENÇA FOTOGRAFIA

PHOTO BY DEBORAH VALENÇA FOTOGRAFIA

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO COURTESY OF ABBY ZIMBERG

PHOTO BY ALI BIGGS PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY ALI BIGGS PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY ALI BIGGS PHOTOGRAPHY

San Francisco Pride 2017 Special Thank You to: SF Pride Organization, Gray Line Tours, Olivia Travel, Asian Art Museum, NAPA Cellars Wines, DJ Rockaway, Glenn Baker, Premium Resources, Grubstake Restaurant, Extreme Pizza, Gamelan X, Dixie Horning, Budget Signs, Mission de Flores, Celebrity Cruises, SF Federal Credit Union, Bank of San Francisco, Napa Wine Train, Openhouse/Dr. Marcy Adelman

JULY 13, 2017

17

18

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

San Francisco Pride 2017

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

PHOTO BY RINK

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

•

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

RESIST WITH PRIDE Pride Festival

Pride Brunch

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY   T IM ES

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

OFFICIAL PRIDE PHOTOS BY BILL WILSON

Pride Festival Main Stage

Pride VIP Party

JULY 13, 2017

19

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Is Trump actually running for 2020 presidential reelection, or more likely running from 2017 Russian investigation?!”

the Office,” and, my favorite, “Repeal and Replace Trump!” The demonstrators chanted anti-Trump slogans and carried on vigorously in a totally peaceful demonstration with no arrests or counter protests. Other similar lively demonstrations were carried on across the nation that day.

More than a million people celebrated at the 47th annual SF LGBT PRIDE Sister Dana sez, “I never thought I would PARADE AND CELEBRATION be a fan of Steve Bannon, but reports (mostly decked out in full-on rainbow are saying that he is pushing hard inside the attire—although a few folks didn’t White House for a huge tax hike on the very dress festive, who apparently didn’t rich, balanced by a tax cut for working peoget the memo). Following the Dykes ple, arguing that it is the definition of popuon Bikes and the “Mikes on Bikes,” at list policy—unlike much of what else Trump the head of the parade was the huge has actually done. Can this be true?!”

RESISTANCE contingent—over 20 different groups echoing the theme A RTSAV ESLI V ES Castro art of most of America’s activists protest- gallery and performance space ing the autocratic oligarchy of the presented another fabulous monthTrumpian Repugnican regime: RE- ly experience, “JULY ARTISTS AT ARTSAVESLIVES.” In the left SIST! I saw three City politicos riding in the parade and lo o k i n g f a bu lou s and proud. “This is loud, this is joy, this is happiness, and this is what America should be about— not hatred, which is what’s spewing out of the White House,” said Rep. Jackie Sister Dana greeted and blessed the crowd on Market Street during Speier (D-SF). Lt. the 2017 Pride Parade.

Gov. Gavin Newfront window, curator/studio owner som, running for governor of CalThomasina De Maio is exhibitifornia, said, “We’re not about diviing her clever version of the Naked sion, we’re about inclusion, and we’re Trump for all to gaze upon in disgust. about celebrating our differences!” SF (She told me she has received threatMayor Ed Lee concluded, “Everyening letters from pro-Trumpers— body is ready to fight for their rights, but refuses to remove the statue.) Inbe anti-discriminatory, and be the side, the studio walls are completely beacon for the rest of the country— covered with works by over 20 difthis is San Francisco, where everyferent artists. Among my standouts body is proud to be here!” are Michael A. Staley with “Hand This rainbow nun was particularly in the Flame,” a glass tile on ceramproud that our SAN FRANCISCO ic sculpture that appears to be burnBAY TIMES contingent won an AB- ing as it revolves; Bonita Cohn is SOLUTELY FABULOUS FLOAT displaying beautiful color photograprize ribbon. We were number 80 or phy (“Fireworks in Minnesota” being so in the lengthy lineup (at the 2 hours my fave); and David Wayne Floyd and 27 minutes mark for three min- has an incredible painting in the winutes in the official KOFY TV cov- dow, “The Gathering,” as well as an erage—with a lovely shout-out from impressive large “Inca - Goddess of parade commentators Donna Sa- Peace” indoors. Floyd’s next exhichet & Gary Virginia to me—so bition will be at Cafe du Soleil, 200 humbling). We celebrated the 50th Fillmore Street, with a reception on anniversary of the Summer of Love November 3, 6–9 pm. Two very difin SF, Flower Power, and Rainbow ferent pieces by Matt Mattingly are Pride. Our gay group had two ca- “Hands Up” with various 3-D creable cars, our groovy bubble-blow- tures in the pose of either “raising the ing Party Mobile, Gamelan X per- roof” or “under arrest”—your choice; cussionists, ‘60s tunes and more spun and “Godzilla vs. Godzilla,” with the

by DJ Rockaway, a traveling pro- two classic Japanese monsters at war. cessional gong from Bali, stilt walk- My favorite in the whimsy categoer Glen … —with everything and ry are the many distinctive cerameveryone decorated with tons of flow- ic eyeball pieces popping out by the ers from Mission de Flores. All of artist Ole. Also, Daniel L Carnithis was headed up by SF Bay Times glia is showing the beautiful, almost columnist and OPENHOUSE co- life-size acrylic art of “St. Michael the founder Dr. Marcy Adelman, this Archangel, the Spark of Life.” Thomyear’s SF Pride Lifetime Achieve- asina has more of her pieces at the ment Grand Marshal, who rode back of the studio, including a witin a convertible (see this issue for pho- ty sculpture of a rooster wearing tos). Sister Dana was on top of the first a Castro t-shirt, black leather jackcable car proudly waving and blowing et, and chaps. It is entitled “Castro kisses to the crowd, and receiving Cock,” and is one of my very favorwaves and air kisses back. So heart- ites of De Maio’s sculptures—that is, of course, next to the fantastic glazed warming! sculpture of Sister Dana in traditional Thousands of protesters walked the nun’s habit in my bedroom. Or wait, streets of downtown San Francisco on maybe my real favorite is the huge July 2 in the NATIONAL PRESI- oil of Sister Dana at Burning Man DENT TRUMP IMPEACHMENT on the rugged ragged playa hung in R ALLY & MARCH. Some of the my hallway. Orrrrrrrrrrrrr is it the stand-out placards stated, “Refuse portrait of Dennis as a journalist to Accept a Fascist America,” “Lock with a press pass around his neck??!

HIM Up!” “Time to Go, Comrade,” (continued on page 30) “HUGELY Beneath the Dignity of 20

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7

From the Coming Up Events Calendar See page 28 Sunday, July 16 AIDS Walk 2017 @ Sharon Meadow, 320 Bowling Green Drive, Golden Gate Park. 9:45 am Opening Ceremony/12:30pm Post Walk Show. aidswalk.net

Friday, July 21 Jennifer Holliday @ Marines Memorial Theater, 609 Sutter Street. Presented by Feinstein’s at the Nikko, the show features the Grammy Award-winning actress and singer who is an advocate for LGBT rights. 8pm. feinsteinsatthenikko

Queer Drama In Between

a Highlight of San Francisco Jewish Film Festival 36

Film Gary M. Kramer This year’s San Francisco Jewish Film Festival ( July 20–August 6) features a handful of films by and about LGBT people. Three queer documentaries screening at the fest include House of Z , a portrait of out fashion designer Zac Posen; The Guys Next Door, about a Jewish woman who becomes a surrogate mother for her gay best friend; and The F Word, a short about queer filmmaker Nicole Opper and her partner’s foster-toadopt efforts.

One of the highlights of the festival is the drama In Between, playing July 23 and 31. This absorbing film, directed by Maysaloun Hamoud, features three Palestinian women living together in Tel Aviv. Leila (Mouna Hawa) and her roommate Salma (Sana Jammelieh) like to have fun, drinking and doing drugs with their gay and straight friends. Enter Nour (Shaden Kanboura), a Muslim student who is studying computer science at a nearby university. She moves into the apartment, and is initially wary of her new roommates.

However, the women are actually very supportive of one another.

As Arabs living in Israel, the women are described as “in between” and “neither here nor there.” The description also fits the central characters because they are navigating the uncertainty in their lives.

Lelia, who viewers might be surprised to discover is a lawyer, is the strongest and arguably most cynical of the three roommates. She enters into a relationship with Ziad (Mahmoud Shalaby), a f ilmmaker she meets at a party. Their seduction is charming, and there is an irresistible chemistry between them as they eat a private meal together in the apartment. A conflict, though, soon develops between them when Leila meets Ziad’s sister. Leila steadfastly refuses to change some of her behaviors, like smoking, for her boyfriend. Opinions about smoking aside, viewers will be rooting for her as she remains firm in her convictions.

In contrast, Nour is engaged to her fiancé, Wissam (Henry Andrawes),

but Wissam is skeptical of Nour living with Leila and Salma. He calls them bad influences and refers to them as “sluts.” While Nour’s roommates may be party girls, the tolerance and support they share is noteworthy. Moreover, Wissam’s behavior is quite reprehensible towards Nour, and not just because he wants her not to get a job so she can stay home and raise their children.

Meanwhile, Salma’s parents keep arranging dinners with suitors for her to marry. But Salma is a closeted lesbian.

She eventually acts on her attraction to Dunya (Ahlam Canaan), a doctor who sidles up to the bar where Salma works. Their relationship starts out slowly when Salma prematurely ends a potential evening together to take care of a drunk Leila. But the young women meet for coffee the next day, and after a little kissing, things start to get serious. Salma even takes Dunya home to her unsuspecting parents, which causes some dramatic fireworks.

In Between

In Between generated some controversy in Israel early this year because of its portrayal of lesbianism, as well as for the characters’ copious drinking and drug taking. The film is certainly risqué for an Arab-Israeli production, but the portrayal of these women’s lives is compelling because each female character has agency.

The feminist points director Hamoud makes ring true, and they are never preachy, even if the opening scene has a woman getting her legs depilated by a cosmetician who reinforces gender roles. The beautician tells her client, “Not to raise her voice, cook good food, wear perfume, keep your body smooth, and do what he tells you in bed.” These are not things the women, even Nour, in In Between are likely to do.

House of Z

What buoys the film is the bond that develops between the roommates, which is heartfelt, and never calculated. After Leila and Nour chat in their kitchen, it makes sense that Leila cares enough about Noir to help with a sticky situation that develops with Wissam. Thankfully, the female characters never get emotional or sappy; they simply do what they can for one another. Hamoud’s film is refreshing in that it never insults its characters or its audience. Even Salma’s relationship with Dunya is depicted beautifully, showing the women comfortably holding hands in Tel Aviv, but breaking their grasp in Salma’s hometown when a neighbor spots their affection.

In Between is a film in which many of the characters “live a lie,” or have to repress their true natures. What makes the film so inspiring and satisfying is how the women navigate these trials and tribulations in their lives. Salma may be closeted with her parents, and more open with her friends, but watching her come into her own is gratifying. Likewise, while Nour is trapped in a bad relationship, she finds appropriate ways of asserting her independence. And Leila’s response to Ziad, who asks her not to live her life as she wants, is empowering.

The three lead actresses are all superb, creating characters who are tough and vulnerable in equal measure. Their stories tug at the heartstrings, but never strain the emotions. © 2017 Gary M. Kramer

The Guys Next Door

For the complete schedule of screenings in the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival 36, July 20 - August 6, including the dates for House of Z and The Guys Next Door, visit the program online at sfjff.org Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JULY 13, 2017

21

Spellbinding Drama The Ornithologist Blends Reality and Fantasy

Film Gary M. Kramer Gay writer/director João Pedro Rodrigues’s spellbinding drama The Ornithologist, opened July 7 in San Francisco, and anyone who can still catch this film will find it worthwhile. Fernando (Paul Hamy) is the title character, who observes black storks along the Douro river in Northeast Portugal (by the border with Spain). After getting caught in some rapids, he encounters a pair of Christian Chinese hikers, Fei (Han Wen) and Ling (Chan Suan), as well as Jesus (Xelo Cagiao), a hunky deaf shepherd with whom he has a tryst, and a trio of topless female hunters ( Juliane Elting, Flora Bulcao, and Isabelle Puntel). The further Fernando gets on his journey, the more he discovers about himself. The Ornithologist blends reality and fantasy, but it is also an imaginative reworking of the allegory of St. Anthony of Padua.

Rodrigues spoke via Skype with me for the San Francisco Bay Times about making this remarkable film.

Gar y M. K ra mer: W hat inspired you to make The Ornithologist, and to present a queer riff on St. Anthony of Padua?

João Pedro Rodrigues: I liked this idea of working with Portuguese popular culture, but also something that is grounded in tradition, and also mythical. The film departs from a lot of different mythologies, Christian mythologies, and ancestral traditions.

I like the idea of going back to something in our culture and appropriating that material and turning it into my own material. During the dictatorship, religion was one of the pillars, and the story of St. Anthony was told

as a symbol of family and good behavior, but that was not what he was about. He was a Franciscan born in Lisbon and died in Padua, and he was much closer to nature, not material goods. I wanted to go back to something closer to these Franciscans, who were like ecologists. I took all these pieces and wanted to tell about a man set in nature who gets lost with no human contacts. It goes back to my studying ornithology and biology before I studied film. These departures tell in a free way the mythological story of this saint.

Gary M. K ramer: There are many scenes that deal with communication and connection, from Fernando speaking English with the Chinese girls to his physical and erotic coupling with Jesus. Can you discuss this theme?

João Pedro Rodrigues: I think that also came from the legend of the saint. He could understand every language, and everyone understood him, even if he spoke with a different language. Even fish could understand him. There is a connection between human and animal that St. Anthony could make. I liked this idea of having many languages coexist in one film and in one place.

Gary M. Kramer: In many of your f ilms, your LGBT characters are outsiders in society, more comfortable on their own than with other people. How does this theme play out in your work?

João Pedro Rodrigues: It’s more that they follow their own instincts to cope with the world. They like being apart from society; they find their own space, and live with the idea that you have to create your own world to live in. It’s also connected to myself. I don’t think it’s possible to make something artistic and not be personal. Films are my way of communicating with other people. This is how I feel comfortable. I have something to say through film. There are things I don’t understand, because I don’t think f ilms are stories that should have clear messages, but they are inspired by my own experience.

João Pedro Rodrigues

Gary M. Kramer: Paul Hamy gives a remarkable, full-bodied performance. His body is fetishized throughout the film; he is tied up in his underwear like St. Sebastian, seen sunbathing naked, and even getting a golden shower as a kind of baptism.

What was it like to work on such scenes with Hamy?

João Pedro Rodrigues: In a way, when I choose an actor, it’s a form of sublimating a desire. I have to desire an actor in a way to film them.

It’s part of that, and why I’m so interested in more physical performance.

It was hard for Paul to be strung up, but we rehearsed that scene, and I rehearsed it on myself. The girl who helped us was a bondage expert who helped to tie him and film him. We shot that scene over three days. It was very hard. There was always a way that, if he felt bad, we could untie him quickly. It’s important he had this suffering, and could communicate that to be real to anyone who sees the film. He had to suffer. These demands are, I think, the only way to get these performances from the actors. There’s a connection with suffering. © 2017 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the coeditor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

Author Helen Klonaris Sparks Dialogue Concerning Intersecting Issues of Queerness and Racism to wrestle with it, understand and maybe even transform it.

Words Michele Karlsberg Michele Karlsberg: Your short stories tackle colonialism, religious fundamentalism, homophobia and sexism. Tell me more about your writing, which addresses what is important to many of us now.

Helen K lonaris: When I was a child, I once heard a relative refer to Black people enjoying themselves on the beach as “flies.” It was a reference and an association that I never forgot; I felt so ashamed. The image, the association, continued to haunt me as an adult, and I needed to find a way 22

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7

The f irst stor y of my collection, “Flies,” is what emerged from that wrestling. It is the story I was most afraid of, because it exposed what I had kept secret about (my feelings). I was asking myself, if white people project our fears and desires onto the brown and black bodies of people of color, what happens when we bring those projections home? For Marjorie St. George—a white English woman living in the Bahamas at the time of decolonization and majority rule in 1973—the invasion of her home and body by f lies is a metaphor for bringing white fear home to its logical, metaphorical, and symbolic conclusion.

We know what happens when white people’s projections run their course over black and brown bodies, but we don’t often imagine what bringing them home to white bodies looks like.

The dissolution of Marjorie’s body is a beginning of that imagining for me.

What we know from the language of mythos, the language of the symbolic and of alchemy, is that death, par-

ticularly dissolution, is the beginning of a process of reconf iguring consciousness. As a queer white Bahamian writer, I am very interested in not just talking back to whiteness— to the consciousness of white supremacy (out there and in myself)—but in transforming it.

All of my stories make use of the language and structures of myth. But I hope in a way that also roots them in the everyday lives of contemporary island people.

In “The Dreamers,” I drew upon African, African Bahamian, and Greek mythos when I imagined the character Dionysos aka Dee aka Dionne.

This bird child transitions from male to female over the course of the sto(continued on page 30)

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DE YOUNG AND LEGION OF HONOR

Sarah Lucas: Good Muse

July 15–September 17 at the Legion of Honor

“A muse isn’t necessarily a particular person, the model. It can also be an outlook on life (musing). Art and life are not separate. In Rodin’s case that meant the model or models coming to sit for him and he was the boss, the big ego. I’m a bit more egalitarian.”

-Sarah Lucas The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco are proud to host Sarah Lucas: Good Muse, the artist’s first major museum exhibition in the United States. The Legion of Honor will present two new works by Lucas (b. 1962), as well as a selection of recent sculptures in dialogue with the museum’s acclaimed collection of works by Auguste Rodin (1840–1917) on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his death.

Naked Truths By confronting Rodin’s nudes with Lucas’s naked truths, Good Muse will draw attention to the palpable eroticism in much of Rodin’s work, and simultaneously emphasize the dramatic shift in the cultural understanding and representation of sexuality and gender that has taken place over the course of the 20th century.

“Good Muse will give American audiences an opportunity to discover Lucas’s pointedly female perspective in the too often male-dominated canon of art history,” says Max Hollein, Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums. “Her works offer important and necessary commentary on the frequent objectification of the female form and will provide a loud cry in the collection galleries at the Legion of Honor.”

Sarah Lucas, “Titti Doris,” 2015. Tights, fluff, chair, shoes, 82 x 90 x 90 cm (32 1/4 x 35 1/2 x 35 ½ in.). © Sarah Lucas, courtesy of Contemporary Fine Arts, Berlin - Charlottenburg and Sadie Coles HQ, London. Photo: Jochen Littkemann.

Image courtesy of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

Lucas came to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a member of the Young British Artists. She has gained notoriety for creating confrontational and often humorous work, which mediates between the absurd and the abject, the ribald and the poetic. Many sculptures showcase the crudeness of stereotypical conceptions of gender and sexuality. In Good Muse, Lucas will present sculptures in her signature range of materials—pantyhose, cigarettes, furniture, concrete, and plaster—charged with sexual and psychological power and a disruptive ambivalence.

“Lucas’s bold sculptures confront the patriarchal representation of the sexualized female body with a feminist stance that is firmly grounded in experience,” says Claudia Schmuckli, curator-in-charge, contemporary art and programming, at the Fine Arts Museums. “Her suggestive combination of objects and materials counters Rodin’s sensuous eroticism with the raw and vulnerable realities of a sexual being.”

Good Muse will be on view July 15 through September 17, 2017, in the Legion of Honor’s permanent collection galleries. The exhibition is curated by Schmuckli, the museums’ inaugural curator-in-charge of contemporary art and programming. It is the second exhibition in a contemporary art initiative launched by the Fine Arts Museums in 2017 that presents the work of living artists in dialogue with the collections, unique histories and identities of the de Young and Legion of Honor.

Early Penchant for Androgeny From the outset, Lucas has been adopting and subverting stances associated with male behavior; aiming to debunk traditional notions of femininity. Her early penchant for androgyny—reflected in her groundbreaking self-portraits of the 1990s—has filtered into her current sculptural work. Many of her furniture-bound headless bodies fashioned from stuffed tights f launt both male and female attributes and attitudes. Recognizable body parts, such as legs and breasts, multiply and merge to create surreal hybrids: bodies are recomposed out of suggestive fragments. Titti Doris (2017), a work from this series, will find its home among Rodin’s studies and models in plaster; in particular, the eroticized entanglement of Christ and the Magdalene (ca. 1894).

Sarah Lucas, “Margot,” 2015. Plaster, cigarette, freezer. 116 x 202 x 87 cm (45 5/8 x 79 1/2 x 34 1/4 in.). © Sarah Lucas, courtesy Sadie Coles HQ, London.

Image courtesy of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

Made for the occasion is Daddio in the Sky (2017). The dramatic new mixed-media work evoking the pierced flesh of Saint Sebastian will be placed among Rodin’s bronzes anchored in religion and mythology, such as Faun and Nymph (1886) and The Fallen Angel (ca.

1890). Using rods of light pushed through a mattress, Lucas’s piece foregoes a literal interpretation of the biblical figure, but the added breasts make the impact less gender specific.

As a pièce de résistance, Jubilee (2017), another new sculpture, of six-foot-tall concrete high-heeled boots, defiantly faces Rodin’s apocalyptic vision of the Gates of Hell (1880–1888). Rodin’s masterpiece, housing an unfinished throng of cast bodies, is mirrored by the stark symmetry of Lucas’s concrete casts. While iterating the age-old association of sex and death, the monumental presence of Jubilee anchors Lucas’s concerns firmly in the here and now of a life lived with unbridled passion and a bawdy sense of humor.

In the rotunda of the Legion of Honor and two adjacent galleries will be Lucas’s Muses; Michele, Margot, and Pauline (all 2015).

Modeled and named after real women, the waist-to-toe plaster casts of the artist›s friends draped atop and around domestic furniture exude intimacy and candor. Reclined or sitting with legs splayed, the figures have cigarettes incongruously and suggestively projecting out of private regions. Betraying a confidence and cockiness that defy ingrained views of femininity, the Muses will be communing with and highlighting the sensuous eroticism of The Age of Bronze (1877, cast ca. 1014); one of Rodin’s most famous and explicit nudes.

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to: http://legionofhonor.famsf.org/exhibitions/sarah-lucas S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JULY 13, 2017

23

Wedding Flowers 101

By Laurel Ann Winzler Wedding planning is a fun and sometimes daunting experience, but choosing your flowers and decor can be simplified if you approach it as an exercise in creativity. Remember that, whatever the size or level of formality, your wedding is an event that works best with a unified approach to decor and atmosphere.

So, the first thing you want to do is…

Define Your Look Step back and think about your vision of what your wedding will look like—classic, casual, boho, techno. Do you love elegant details like crystal and silver, or natural textures? Clean edges and minimalism, or country casual? Whatever your taste, you can choose the colors, style, details and specific flowers that express your vision.

Think about your venue: how the spaces can work with your vision and what decor will pull the desired look together. A hotel ballroom needs different decor than a country meadow, and all the design elements like flowers, table linens, place settings and chairs should create a harmonious look appropriate to the venue. There are so many interesting details that can be added to personalize the space and create a look that’s unique to you and your wedding day.

After getting an idea of the direction you want the decor to take, put together a visual representation of your ideas and a “wish list” with a mood board or Pinterest page.

Don’t worry about f inding exact replicas of what you want. Just look for images that have the vibe you’re hoping to create.

Next you want to…

Plan Your Flow

J O H N S T O N, K I N N E Y & Z U L A I C A LLP

Imagine your wedding from the viewpoint of a guest. What’s the first thing they see/experience when they arrive at your venue? How do they move from the ceremony to socializing over cocktails to dining?

What about the decor and flowers

will define each of these elements of the experience? And what are the categories of floral pieces you need for each part of the event—ceremony decor, reception f lowers, personal f lowers?

Now you need to…

Consider Your Budget This part is tough, because your decor will probably cost more than you think, and more than what most bridal guides will tell you. A lot of the cost is in labor, which is a big expense in the Bay Area, so even arrangements that seem simple can still be surprisingly pricey.

The number of pieces makes a difference, so a big wedding party and higher guest count add to your floral costs. Your f lorist understands the ins and outs of pricing, and can make suggestions to help you spend your money wisely. Ways to stretch the budget include working with flowers that are in season, and mixing high-cost blooms with compatible elements that are cheaper.

Finally, it’s time to…

Find Your Florist Now you’re ready to find a f lorist to bring your decor vision to l i fe. A good pl ace to start is with recommendations from friends or from your venue. Send an email with your ideas and images, and then follow up with a phone call to share the details of your event. You want someone who has experience, because creating the number of pieces needed for a wedding and then delivering and installing them is a complicated process. You also want someone who is open to your ideas and excited about your vision, and who can offer concrete suggestions and solutions. Find the right person to be part of your team, and then let their creativity take over to bring the magic to your wedding day!

Laurel Ann Winzler escaped from the world of lawyers to live a life surrounded by flowers. She has more than 25 years of experience creating beautiful settings for weddings and other special events. Her designs can be found at www.flaurel.com, and she can be reached by phone at 415-386-8360.

With nine attorneys in two locations, we serve the LGBT community with expertise, experience and sensitivity.

We offer services in: • LGBT Families

• Tax Planning

• Estate Planning

• Family Law

• Trust & Probate Administration

• Elder Law & Benefits

• Beneficiary Representation

• Entity Formation & Real Estate

SAN FRANCISCO

SANTA ROSA

415.693.0550

707.237.7371

www.jkzllp.com | www.jkzllp.com/español 24

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7

Frederick Sullivan and Jaime Botello, who oversee the Weddings & Occasions page for the San Francisco Bay Times, are the talented wizards behind Sullivan-Botello Events (http://sullivanbotelloevents.com) and SnB Party Rentals (650-877-0840, www.snbpartyrentals.com). Both are Certified Wedding Planners with extensive experience in creating memorable, personalized events for special occasions. Their rental service is incredible, offering everything from beautiful gold Chiavari chairs to LED dance floors, and all at competitive prices. They are the creators of the Gay Vanity Wedding Show and are longstanding members of the Golden Gate Business Association, which is the nation’s first LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

SF Giants LGBT Night at AT&T Park 2017

Photos by Paul Margolis

A large group of San Francisco Bay Times and “Betty’s List” readers and friends joined in the fun at the 2017 SF Giants LGBT Night on Monday, June 26, in support of Use The News Foundation.

A special “Thank you!” goes to Cameron, Tracy and others among the SF Giants staff for their fabulous customer service and welcoming spirit.

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JULY 13, 2017

25

Wishing for a Flat Stomach?

Easy Fitness Cinder Ernst We’ve all seen commercials selling the idea that you can do enough crunches on a magic contraption to make your belly disappear. The truth is that you can’t spot reduce. If you could spot reduce, people who chew gum would have skinny faces.

Even though you can’t spot reduce, most people think that doing crunches (or some other ab exercise) will flatten your belly. I taught senior aerobics for many years. Invariably, a few students would come and ask me how they could get rid of their stomachs as they pointed to their belly fat. I would answer with a question: “How long have you been worrying about that?”

They would respond seriously, “Decades.” Can you imagine actively disliking part of your body for that long?

I would tell them to keep exercising appropriately and stop worrying, already. The worry is not accomplishing anything good.

What do appropriate abdominal exercises accomplish? First, let’s get a few points straightened out. Your abdominal muscles (abs) are the front of your back. Abdominal muscles sup-

port your spine and hold your organs.

You want strong ab muscles so you can have less back, hip and knee pain, and more mobility to do the things you love. Your stomach is an organ that digests food, and you don’t work it out or get rid of it. Your belly is the fat on top. Don’t spend time worrying about your belly. (Worry is you, using your imagination, to create something you don’t want.) Focus instead on building strength so you can have more fun. Remember, you can’t spot reduce.

Everyone has heard the word core.

Appropriate abdominal strengthening exercises will strengthen your core. I think of the muscles supporting the spine and mid-section as your core. Abs and lower back muscles are opposing muscles that work together to support your mid-section. Those core muscles must be both strong and limber. Lower back stretching and abdominal strengthening are great partners. For most folks, lower back muscles are tight and abs are weak, so we stretch the lower back and strengthen the abs to get in balance.

Two simple options for stretching your lower back are: 1) lie on your back and hug your knees; or 2) sit in a chair and lean forward with your forearms on your thighs. A variation on the sitting stretch is to lean forward while putting your right elbow on your right knee and your chin in your right hand. You will look a bit like “The Thinker” statue, which is why we call this position “the thinker.” Try one of these right now if you’re willing. Be sure to try the thinker on both sides.

The #1 best ab exercise is the pelvic tilt, because it’s very low risk and full of benefits. This simple exercise is the basis for doing other abdominal ex-

RESIST WITH PRIDE

•

ercises correctly. When you do a pelvic tilt, the curve in your lower back straightens out.

Imagine looking at a body from the side view. See the curve of the lower back. Now imagine tucking your butt under as your pelvis moves forward and up, pushing your navel to your spine. This is a pelvic tilt. You can do this same move sitting or lying on your back with your knees bent. To get a feel for this, try it now. You can practice a pelvic tilt almost anywhere.

Try a search on YouTube for “pelvic tilt” and see how to do this move while lying on your back with your knees bent. If you search for “Tush Tilt” on YouTube, you will find my version of a sitting pelvic tilt.

Cinder Ernst, Medical Exercise Specialist and Life Coach Extraordinaire, helps reluctant exercisers get moving with safe, effective and fun programs. Find out more at http:// cinderernst.com

San Francisco Pride 2017

Chalupa

PHOTO BY ALI BIGGS PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY ALI BIGGS PHOTOGRAPHY

Take Me Home with You!

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

Pups Enjoying SF Pride 2017 Our photographers found happy dogs along the Parade route on Sunday, June 25.

Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup

To meet Chalupa and other pets seeking their forever homes, please visit: San Francisco SPCA Mission Campus 250 Florida Street San Francisco, CA 94103 415-522-3500 26

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7

Aside from major holidays, the adoption center is open Mon–Fri: 1–6 pm and Sat– Sun: 10 am–5 pm. Free parking is available for those wishing to adopt! For more info, please visit sfspca. org/adopt

PHOTO BY ALI BIGGS PHOTOGRAPHY

Chalupa is presented to San Francisco Bay Times readers by Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, the SF SPCA’s Co-President. Our thanks also go to Krista Maloney for helping to get the word out about lovable pets like Chalupa.

PHOTO BY ALI BIGGS PHOTOGRAPHY

“My name is Chalupa! I’m a sweet little gal who can’t wait to spice up your life! It’s true, I’ve been called a flirt—and I think it’s a compliment. Let’s go strut our stuff together and enjoy this beautiful California summer!”

Professional Services

LAW OFFICES OF MILES & TORRES Estate Planning 1393 Noe Street, San Francisco, CA 94131 (415) 308-2307 www.milestorreslaw.com

PHOTO BY SANDY MORRIS

NewPer specti ves Center for Counseling

Calendar of Upcoming Events sfbaytimes.com Compiled by Blake Dillon

13 : Thursday AIDS/LifeCycle Thank You Party: San Francisco @ 1 Fort Mason, 1 Fort Mason. Hosted by AIDS/LifeCycle, the event is a celebration of the success and achievements of the 2017 annual ride. 6:309pm. tofighthiv.org NightLife LIVE: July @ California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, 55 Music Concourse Drive. The weekly NightLife event presents its live summer music series featuring a night of lo-fi freaky psychedelic pop with New Zealand’s weird and whimsical Connan Mockasin and L.A.’s Morgan Delt. 6-10pm. calacademy.org The Casual Coalition – Celebrating the Songs of The Rolling Stones @ Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo Avenue, Albany. The Casual Coalition - featuring a band of musicians formed at the Marin County venue Terrapin Crossroads – performs at the selfdescribed “neighborhood bar” owned by Summer Gerbing and Lani Torres. 8pm. ivyroom.com LGBTQ Night in The Mission – Bad Habits @ Bruno’s Nightclub, 2389 Mission Street. Bad Habits includes free shots, dancers at midnight and drinks served by

Lexington Bartenders. 9:30pm. brunossf.com Love or Confusion: Jimi Hendrix in 1967 @ Museum of the African Diaspora, 685 Mission Street. Composed of photographs of the artist in 1967 celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love. Wednesday-Sunday through August 27. moadsf.org

14 : Friday Live Music: Songwriters In The Round @ The Little Store Restaurant, 3340 Woodside Road, Woodside. Featuring Karen Soo Hoo, Steve Weigant and Karen Mullally, a trio of established singer/ songwriters, joined by guest Carl Grantham, will bring an evening of live music to Woodside. 6-8:30pm. soohoo94401@yahoo.com Storm the Bastille with Kiss Me Again, Paris @ The Green Arcade, 1680 Market Street @ Gough. Noted writer Renate Stendhal reads with Anne-Christine d’Adesky, author of The Pox Lower: An Activist’s Decade in New York and Paris.

7pm. thegreenarchade.com Faces of the Past: Queer Lives in Northern California Before 1930 @ GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th Street. An opening program for a new display

in the Queer Past Becomes Present exhibit, the event includes a panel featuring curators Paula Lichtenberg and San Francisco Bay Times columnist Bill Lipsky with independent scholar Will Roscoe and SFSU professor Clare Sears. 7-9pm. glbthistory.org

15 : Saturday Barbary Coast Trail Walk – Portsmouth Square, Jackson Square and the Barbary Coast @ Meeting place TBA. Join SF Museum & Historical Society tour guides for a walk through history from the birthplace of the Gold Rush and the village of Yerba Buena, along Commercial Street to the original shoreline and on. 10am12pm. sfhistory.org Lotus Live - The Largest Human Flower Guinness World Record Attempt @ Civic Center Plaza, 200 Larkin Street in front of the Asian Art Museum. In conjunction with The Asian’s Flower Power exhibit, up to 3000 people will join together to form the shape of a lotus in an official attempt to set a new world record. 1-3pm. asianart.org Live in the Castro! – Castro Flaggers @ Jane Warner Plaza, 17th and Castro. Flaggers dancing hosted by Castro Community Business District. 1-3pm. castrocbd.org

16 : Sunday AIDS Walk 2017 @ Sharon Meadow, 320 Bowling Green Drive, Golden Gate Park. This year’s event benefits Project Open Hand, Positive Resource Center, the Golden Compass Program at Ward 86 and dozens of other HIV/AIDS programs and services. 9:45 am Opening Ceremony/12:30pm Post Walk Show featuring live entertainment. aidswalk.net Mark Abramson Book Reading @ Dog Eared Books Castro, 489 Castro Street. Join the author for a reading from his new memoir Minnesota Boy 4pm. dogearedbooks.com A Night with Janis Joplin @ A.C.T. ‘s Geary Theater, 415 Geary Street. The final performances of the hit show presenting the music and life of the queen of rock ‘n’ roll. 2pm & 7pm. act-sf.org AIDS Emergency Fund Beer Bust @ Cinch Saloon, 1723 Polk Street. 3-7pm. cinchsf.com

17 : Monday Normal Is Over The Movie @ The Internet Archive, 300 Funston Avenue. Director Rachael Israel and actors Samantha Elisofon and 28

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7

Brandon Polansky are the expected guests for Opening Night’s screening of the romantic comedy Keep the Change. 6:30-9pm. eventbrite.com Flower Power Exhibit @ Asian Art Museum, 200 Larkin Street.

Continuing through October 1.

With the role of flowers as emblems of peace during the Summer of Love, the exhibit looks at flowers in Asian art through the symbolism of the lotus, plum blossom, cherry blossom, chrysanthemum, tulip and rose. asianart.org Tony Bennett @ Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue. 8pm and repeats on July 18.

8pm. ticketmaster.com

18 : Tuesday Castro Patrol Training @ Castro Location TBA. The group holds its 59th free training workshop where you can find out about the volunteers who help keep the neighborhood safe. 7-10pm. castropatrol.org Nightly Illuminated Scenes in Golden Gate Park Inspired

by Rare Tropical Flowers @ Conservatory of Flowers, 100 JF Kennedy Drive. A public display of a light art installation every night through October at approximately 9:15. conservatoryofflowers.org Celebrate Community! 2017 LGBT Pride Exhibit @ Harvey Milk Photo Center, 50 Scott Street.

A special show for Pride including the work of more than 30 photographers including our own Rink, Paul Margolis, Bill Wilson, Patrick & Hossein Carney and many more.Through July 23 on summer schedule. harveymilkphotographycenter.org

19 : Wednesday San Francisco Mime Troupe’s Walls @ Edoff Memorial Band Stand, Lakeside Park, Lake Merritt, Oakland. The acclaimed troupe presents their new show, addressing the question, “How can a nation of immigrants declare war on immigration?” on various dates throughout the Bay Area through September 10. 7pm. sfmt.org Smack Dab Open Mic @ Dog Eared Books Castro, 489 Castro Street. Co-hosts Dana Hopkins and Larry-bob Roberts welcome transgender actor Roman Rimer. 7:3010pm. dogearedbooks.com.

Castro Farmers’ Market @ Noe & Market Streets. On-going outdoor market in the Castro featuring fresh and organic foods from local vendors. 4pm-8pm, every Wednesday through November. pcfma.org

20 : Thursday San Francisco Jewish Film Festival 36 Opening Night Film & Bash @ Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission Street.

Director Rachael Israel along with actors Samantha Elisofon and Brandon Polansky will appear for the Opening Night’s screening of the romantic comedy Keep the Change. The festival continues through August 6 at multiple locations. Use code BAYTIMES2017 at checkout. sfjff.org Horizons Foundation 2017 Gala Launch Party @ Dobly Laboratories, 1275 Market Street.

The Summer of Love-themed party will include food, wines and entertainment and a discussion of plans for the nation’s first LGBT community foundation’s annual gala to be held on Saturday, October 7.

6:30pm. horizonsfoundation.org Inside Hollywood’s Bisexual Closet: Marilyn Monroe and More @ GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th Street. A behind the scenes look at old Hollywood with author Boze Hadleigh. 7-9pm. glbthistory.org Kiss Me Again, Paris Book Party @ Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera. Join author Renata Stendahl in conversation with author and historian Jim van Buskirk (Gay by the Bay and Celluloid San Francisco) for an evening featuring wine, ors d’oeuvres, live music and a video presentation. 7pm. bookpassage.com Intercollegiate LGBTQ Mixers and Events @ Raven Bar & Lounge, 1151 Folsom Street.

Raise a glass with fellow alumni at this event hosted by the Bay Area’s affiliate of the Princeton Bisexual Transgender Gay and Lesbian Alumni. 6:30-8:30pm. president@sfpennclub.com Comedy Returns to El Rio @ El Rio, 3158 Mission Street.

Producer Lisa Geduldig presents the monthly show for July featuring Karina Dobbins, Ronn Vigh, Bridget Schwartz, Priya Prasad and Geduldig.

8pm. elriosf.com

21 : Friday Jennifer Holliday @ Marines Memorial Theater, 609 Sutter Street.

Presented by Feinstein’s at the Nikko, the show features the Grammy Award-winning actress and singer who is an advocate for LGBT rights. 8pm. feinsteinsatthenikko

22 : Saturday LGBT Grief Support Group @ Pacific Center for Human Growth, 2712 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley. A free, on-going grief support group open to people of all

ages, ethnicities and genders led by licensed clinicians. 11am-12:30pm. pacificcenter.org Haight-Ashbury and the Summer of Love Tour @ Meeting location TBA.Visit historic locations of The Haight and Buena Vista Park. Hosted by the SF Museum and Historical Society with City Guides, this walking tour visits the homes of the hippies, Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Hell’s Angels and more legends. 10am-12pm. sfhistory.org Presidio Book Club: David Talbot’s Season of the Witch @ Presidio Officers’ Club, 50 Moraga Avenue. Historian Barbara Berglund will lead a discussion of the book Season of the Witch: Enchantment,Terror and Deliverance in the City of Love. 1pm and 3pm. presidio.gov Queer Threads Panel Discussion @ San Francisco Book Fair, Minnesota Street Project, 1275 Minnesota Street. Editor John Chaich and Bay Area fiber artists Jai Andrew Carrillo, James Gobel, Ramekon O’Arwisters and Angie Wilson will present a panel discussion and book signing. 2pm. sfartbookfair.com

23 : Sunday Sunday’s A Drag @ The Starlight Room, Powell Street. Hosted by Donna Sachet, the event features a brunch and a troupe of entertainers described as “The Greatest Drag Show in San Francisco.” Two shows every Sunday at 11am and 2pm. starlightroomsf.com San Francisco Symphony Concert at the Waterfront @ James R. Herman Cruise Terminal at Pier 27. Edwin Outwater conducts the Symphony performing Bernstein, Copland, Debussy, Dvorak and Holst with guest soprano Julie Adams. 12pm. sfsymphony.org

24 : Monday Music Mondays @ Mission Pie, 2901 Mission Street at 25th. A cozy woman-owned business featuring all sorts of pies, sweet and savory, made from scratch, and other locally sourced foods too. 6pm-8pm. missionpie.com

25 : Tuesday Fighting Back: The Making of a Queer Museum @ GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th Street.

The monthly series “Fighting Back” presenting a multigenerational discussion about the role of museums in a panel of activists, scholars and museum professionals. 7-9pm. glbthistory.org Last Men Standing Screening & Panel Discussion @ Project Open Hand, 730 Polk Street. A free screening of the documentary, featuring Bay Area men discussing how the AIDS epidemic affected their youth and the challenges they now face as aging survivors. 4:30-7:45pm. openhand.org Velvet Rage Book Club – 4 pm @ Strut, 470 Castro Street. The weekly Tuesday book club of the SF AIDS Foundation’s Stonewall Project with facilitators Wade Smith and Christopher Zepeda. strutsf.org

26 : Wednesday Degas, Impressionism, and the Paris Millinery Trade @ Legion of Honor, Lincoln Park, 100 34th Avenue.

Featuring Impressionist paintings and pastels, including works by Degas, Renoir, Manet, Cassatt and LoulouseLautrec, and examples of period hats.

Through September 24. 9:30am5:15pm. legionof honor.famsf.org

SISTER DANA (continued from page 20) I can’t choose. They are all incredible! Ahem! Moving on to art at the studio: Carl Linkhart exhibits his pieces quite often, and this time I admire the “Peggy Lee in Candyland” oil on canvas and “Fallen Angel of Light.” Virginia Pappas has “Kali-Goddess of Revolution,” who, in Indian mythology, appears as a frenzied slayer of demons who comes into the world when dark forces threaten civilization. Wow, do we ever need her now in this Repugnican hell on Earth! As usual, delicious bites were served along with wines, sodas, and a vodka punch—everything complimentary.

Live entertainment was provided

by Ruby Vixenn, who sang live “Don’t Tell Mama” from Cabaret with added tasteful burlesque; Damian and his furiously f lying f lamenco feet; and Magnolia Black belting out “Too Darn Hot” because it was a heat wave she must’ve brought to us. Element, who is also an excellent sculptor at the studio, gave us some riveting a cappella composition that I believe was “We’re Not Lost; We’re Here.” Magnolia came back to sing and grind out “Sister” from The Color Purple. Ruby returned to pantomime “Eat It” while spraying whipped cream on her exposed ample bosom, adding strawberries and a banana—and challenging the audience to partake. Thomasina bravely and boldly stepped up to give a vigorous motor-boating, only to emerge with a face full of sundae. Yes, it was yet another delightful evening at ARTSAVESLIVES at 518 Castro and 18th. All of this art (minus the entertainers and artists) will be up through July for anyone to pop in and enjoy. De Maio also offers live nude models to be sketched, painted, sculpted, or otherwise immortalized on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 6–9 pm at the studio. Sister Dana is even trying to sketch without any previous art school background, so no one should fear being a newbie amongst genius.

SISTER DA NA SEZ , “IF YO U ’ R E NO T T O O B U S Y STORMING THE BASTILLE IN FR ANCE ON THE WEEK OF JULY 14, HOW CAN YOU RESIST R AIDING SOME OF THESE FINE EVENTS HERE IN SAN FRANCISCO?!”

The STRUT Art Opening this month is not the first Friday of the month as usual, but the SECOND Friday of the month. Please help spread the word! They will be exhibiting the work of Ajuan Mance during the month of July!

Her latest exhibition is titled, “YUH LOOKIN GOOD: PORTR A ITS F ROM THE OTHER RAINBOW NATION.” This

show takes its name from a poem by 1960s Black nationalist writer Carolyn Rodgers. For Rodgers and others, depictions of empowered, beautiful, vulnerable, and resistant men of African descent had the capacity to engage, challenge, and resist not only the stereotypes applied to Black people, but also the structures and institutions that reinforce those ideas. This showing features drawings and paintings of queer and trans men of African descent, selected from a handful of recent projects, along with some new pieces created especially for display at Strut. Mance, a resident of the Bay Area since 1999, is a professor of African American literature at Mills College. Mance is a lifelong artist and writer who has produced comics, zines, drawings and paintings that explore the relationships between race, gender and the representation of people of African descent in the U.S. The wine and nibblies reception will be at Strut HQ, 470 Castro Street on Friday, July 14, Bastille Day, 8–10 pm; but the art will be on display throughout all of July. strutsf.org KREWE DE KINQUE, the Mardi Gras-themed fundraising club, presents a benefit for HEPCARESTREAM: HELPING THOSE I NF EC T E D W IT H HEPATITUS C (advocacy of Hepatitis C testing, treating, and cure) on Saturday, July 15, 4–7 pm at The Edge bar, 4149 18th Street. Join K ing and Queen II, Mark Paladini and Deana Dawn of Krewe de Kinque for a rockin’ evening of fun and frolic as they host top notch entertainers, a fabulous raffle, Jell-O shots, beer bust and more with music by DJ Jack Rojo!

Sister Dana will probably be taking donations at the door, as usual.

Race Bannon, Jared Hemming and STRUT invite you to MagneKink, a social event for San Francisco’s kinky queer community. This will be their fourth annual event, in honor of UP YOUR ALLEY weekend. Before you dive into that busy weekend of events, join them to socialize with your fellow queer leather and kink brethren.

Catch up with your friends and meet some new ones. If you’re a kink-curious newcomer, you are welcome too! This year’s event will feature: DJ Donovan Jones (aka DJ BRD), impact scenes by Geoff M i l la rd ( M r. San Francisco Leather 2017), bondage scenes by Jorge Vieto Jr., puppy mosh by San Francisco K9 Unit, raff le prizes from Mr. S Leather, Worn Out West and others, complimentary refreshments and complimentary clothes check. MagneKink takes place at 470 Castro Street on Tuesday, July 25, 8–10 pm. All are welcome. Free admission. strutsf.org

The GLBT HISTORICAL MUSEU M presents Author Talk: “HOLLYWOOD’S BISEXUAL CLOSET: M A R ILY N MON ROE AND MORE ” on Thursday, July 20, 7–9pm, the museum at 4127 18th Street. The talk offers a look at bisexuality behind the scenes in old Hollywood with Boze Hadleigh, the author of two books published last year that address the question. They are Hollywood Lesbians: From Garbo to Foster and Marilyn Forever: Musings on an American Icon by the Stars of Yesterday and Today. Rock Hudson once told Hadleigh, “I don’t believe in bisexuals,” yet Hadleigh thinks bisexual activity may have been prevalent in the studio system, which showcased the beauty of both genders. glbthistory.org Tony Award-winning SAN FRANCISCO MIME TROUPE has its 58th season with “WALLS” now through September 10. It opened in Dolores Park on July 4th and continues its successful run elsewhere. WALLS asks the question: How can a nation of immigrants declare war on immigration? The answer: FEA R! L . Mary Jones knows all about fear. As a top agent for I.C.E.—Immigration and Customs Enforcement—she knows how to stoke fear to keep her country safe. For info and schedules, go to sfmt.org Join HOR IZONS FOUNDATION for their SUMMER OF LOVE GAL A L AUNCH PART Y on Thursday, July 20, 6–8 pm at Dolby Laboratories, 1275 Market Street, featuring great food, wonderful wines, and fun entertainment with a far-out Summer of Love theme. The evening will kick off plans and generate support for their Annual Gala to be held on Saturday, October 7, at the iconic Fairmont San Francisco.

You must R SV P to event s @ horizonsfoundation.org “ U P YOU R A L L EY,” FOL SOM STREET FAIR’s dirty little brother is July 30, from 11 am–6 pm in Dore Alley and beyond in the South of Market area. But I�ll say more about that in the July 27 edition of this column. Mark your calendars, leather and kink folk and fans! folsomstreetevents.org Sister Dana sez, “Take heart! The three previous impeachment inquiries in the House (involving presidents Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Bill Clinton) rested on less evidence than is already publicly known about Trump—and on issues far less serious than the Trump team’s possible collusion with a foreign adversary to win the election and Trump’s subsequent attempted cover-up.”

KARLSBERG (continued from page 22) ry, and through the telling of their story, I attempt to call into question the ongoing clash between indigenous Greek and African worldviews and a fundamentalist Christian worldview, which I argue has little room for a non-binary awareness, much less a queer, black divinity.

In the Caribbean, I don’t think it is possible to talk about colonization without also talking about the Church’s role in that colonization. They were two interdependent parts of a brutal plantation system. You cannot talk about queer or LGBT liberation in the Caribbean without also interrogating colonization and the Church. I find that here in the U.S., perhaps because the LGBT rights movement is often defined by mainstream white val30

ues, there isn’t always an interrogation of the roles of colonization and white supremacy in the demonization and erasure of queer and trans people, except by activists of color.

My hope is that these stories will help to spark dialogue about these intersecting issues: queerness and colonization, and racism and religious fundamentalism, here in the U.S. and in the Caribbean. The U.S. and the Caribbean have always been connected by our histories as colonized spaces. While the U.S. may have a much longer history of organizing around LGBT rights, I think Caribbean LGBT communities and organizations have important ways of articulating agendas that put the need for decolonization at the center. I also

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 7

think we need this kind of focus at this particular historical moment in the U.S. Helen Klonaris is a Greek Bahamian writer and energy medicine practitioner. She teaches mythology at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and lives in the East Bay with her wife and dog.

She will be reading from her new book at an event hosted by Hazel Reading Series and Radar Productions on August 10, 6 pm, at the San Francisco Public Library.

Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBT community.

This year, Karlsberg celebrates twenty-eight years of successful book campaigns.

ROSTOW (continued from page 11) laws like those that protect against racial discrimination. Is Colorado’s law against GLBT discrimination in that category? Or is there a gay exception for religious freedom?

I’d like to think Kennedy will stand by us once again. But what if we get another wishy-washy opinion? Jack Phillips claims his cake baking is an art, so his faith is supposedly pummeled, not just by contributing to a godless marriage, but by his being forced to put his artistic talents to work in the process.

Yet Phillips refused to sell the men a cake without any discussion. A generic wedding cake is not a work of art. It’s not as if his would-be clients requested naked men etched into its sides. What if the Court rules that Phillips was at fault in this particular case, but that faith could triumph in a hypothetical situation where artistry was a factor?

If a gay exception is left in place, how would that effect a Title VII case down the road? How could the Court single us out for possible future mistreatment in one case, and turn around and give us full protection a few months later?

I’m guessing Masterpiece will be argued early in the next Court session.

If Lambda’s case is quickly accepted, it’s possible that the Court could deliberate on both issues at once and coordinate their conclusions. Justice Kennedy has hinted that this might be his last year on the Court. Wouldn’t he want to cement his legacy as the champion of GLBT civil rights by making the clear pronouncement that gay bias is as irrational as any other unlawful prejudice?

I hope so, but then again, it’s all up in the air.

Justice Jerkface Let’s talk about Neil Gorsuch for a minute. What an idiot I was for assuming that a mild-mannered 50-something guy from Colorado with no obvious antigay background would be preferable to a hypothetical conservative who “could be worse.” Not only is Gorsuch worse than the nameless alternative, but he also appears to be insufferable.

Veteran Supreme Court analyst Linda Greenhouse wrote a must-read oped on July 6 in The New York Times, comparing Gorsuch to the new kid who sticks his hand up at every question. He has preened on the bench, badgering lawyers with questions. He has made gratuitous comments in dissent and concurrence, taking aim at his colleagues and misreading the underlying opinions. His tone is obnoxious; indeed, I am inspired to characterize him with the oft-misused

adjective “bombastic,” which means “pompous and pretentious.” (Unfortunately, since everyone thinks it means loud and aggressive, the word has become unusable.)

Check out the last paragraph of his dissent in the birth certificate case: “… It seems far from clear what here warrants the strong medicine of summary reversal. Indeed, it is not even clear what the Court expects to happen on remand that hasn’t happened already. The Court does not offer any remedial suggestion, and none leaps to mind. Perhaps the state supreme court could memorialize the State’s concession on §9–10–201, even though that law wasn’t fairly challenged and such a chore is hardly the usual reward for seeking faithfully to apply, not evade, this Court’s mandates.”

Remember that Arkansas was trying to deny married lesbians the documentation that it supplies to married heterosexuals, and claimed that it was following a policy of recording biological parents when, in fact, it wasn’t.

Summary reversal was hardly “strong medicine,” and, as for the remedy, it’s pretty obvious: stop discriminating. Oh, and don’t you love the notion that Arkansas was seeking “faithfully to apply, not evade, this Court’s mandates.” WTF? It’s not just his ideology, it’s his tone. I was so wrong, dear Readers.

Tennis, Anyone?

I’m watching Wimbledon with the sound off and I only have a short amount of space remaining, which makes me want to blather about nothing, fix a cocktail, turn the sound back on and stop worrying about the future of the GLBT civil rights movement.

I should mention that the German legislature passed marriage equality, but you knew that already, right? I also read something about Australia, but you know my feelings about Australia. Get it together and pass marriage equality, but don’t expect me to report on your endless, pointless and useless machinations in the meantime.

Oh, I’m sure there are a million other items worth our attention, but hey, it’s Wimbledon! I have taped the matches for later, but my dearest friend Jill Ridder, who celebrated her birthday on July 9, just texted me about the CoCo versus whoever match, so I guess I won’t watch that one. Go Halep! arostow@aol.com

MILLER (continued from page 12) surance that will help secure your financial future. All forms of insurance should be reviewed and considered, and your beneficiaries should be updated if needed. Make sure you understand the specific benefits that you and your former spouse are entitled to, as well as the life, health and disability insurance policies that you both own through your employers. If you have children, whose health insurance plan will be used to cover them? Work quickly to establish an insurance plan to avoid financial risk of being uninsured.

Consider the tax implications of your new marital status. Review your situation with a tax professional to see if you need to revise your tax strategy. Divorce can affect your tax situation in several ways. Impacts may include entering a different income tax bracket, providing or receiving child or spousal support, your investment strategy and your process for handling future tax returns.

Dream and plan for the future.

Once you have a handle on your new day-to-day finances and retirement, allow yourself to dream and plan for other milestones that are im-

portant to you. Do you wish to visit every continent? Pay off your mortgage before retirement? Open a small business? Whatever your dreams, determine the cost of each one so you know how much you’ll need to save.

Save what you can each month, and keep in mind that even small amounts will add up over time. If you’re tempted to spend the money elsewhere, consider establishing a separate savings account.

Don’t go it alone. Professional guidance from an attorney, tax professional, estate planner and financial advisor can ease the burden of managing your finances. It’s hard to start over, but you can do it. A financial advisor can help you with the complex decisions you face during a divorce and offer strategies for you to get on track to meet your new financial goals.

Brandon Miller, CFP is a financial consultant at Brio Financial Group, A Private Wealth Advisory Practice of Ameriprise Financial Inc. in San Francisco, specializing in helping LGBT individuals and families plan and achieve their financial goals.

Speaking to Your Soul

Astrology Elisa Quinzi If we are at all sensitive we are feeling the tension of edgier, more aggressive energies out there in the world right now. It is of supreme benefit to recognize that the tension out there reflects those unresolved edges in ourselves.

ARIES (March 21–April 19) Tension at home, or that you might be carrying internally, could come to a sudden breaking point. There is great potential for liberation if you apply yourself courageously to what the current challenge demands of you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You’re prompted to take the lead, or take a stand, in matters of career. If conflict is involved, be sure you are fighting the right battle.

In order to gain personal freedom and integrity, you must face your real fear..

TAURUS (April 20–May 20) Steer clear of self-righteousness by actively listening better. You have an opportunity to free your mind of any rigid ideas or limiting concepts. Apply fierce curiosity to your interactions with others.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) It is time to break up your routines. Your mind and your life need a good stretch. Do something new that gets you out of your comfort zone. The point is to expose yourself to that which expands your view of the world and of life.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Opportunity for freedom lies in disciplined effort you apply toward changing something about yourself that undermines your confidence. There is extra energy available now to help you do so. Start now while the fire is hot.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) While you’re naturally optimistic, you could find some fear arising from your own depths now. Let it compel you to uncover its source.

Slaying whatever dragon you face liberates and empowers you.

CANCER ( June 21–July 22) Your birthday gift to yourself can be true freedom. Forget trying to control others. Your real power is in your own self-actualization. Take a bold decisive step toward being a self-love warrior.

LEO ( July 23–August 22) You might be struck sober in the widest sense of the word.

Liberation for you comes as you let go of what needs to be released. It is easier to do so when you realize you are more than your circumstances. Potential for a spiritual awakening is strong now.

VIRGO (August 23–Sept. 22) The future can be ten years from now or six months from now. Either way, you have much control over what that future will look like for you. The planets support you in establishing goals that are meaningful to you, and committing to following through. If those goals are related to the evolution of the collective, all the better.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan.19) A more authentic version of yourself wants to manifest in the context of intimate relationships. This could look like a potential new love interest entering your life, triggering you to face some aspect of yourself. Or you might have a heated debate with a partner, prompting you to express your true emotions. Regardless of the scenario, you are called to integrate bravery and authenticity now.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Issues of self-care, personal growth, and the orderly habits that create vibrant health and well-being are up for you. Apply fierceness to these matters now. Use your pain and challenges to help drive you toward overcoming obstacles.

PISCES (Feb. 19–March 20) Sitting on the sofa wishing you were experiencing more joy in your life won’t attract it. The planets beg you to initiate joy. Whatever it is that would make your heart sing, you need to get up now and create that as a reality. There is an authentic need for you to drive away any clouds of doubt and despair and feel the rewards of self-generated happiness.

Elisa has been enjoying the art of astrological counseling since earning professional certification many years ago. In addition to astrological knowledge, she brings a high degree of conscious presence to her work, and creates a safe, comfortable atmosphere for sessions to unfold organically. Contact her at futureselfnow@gmail.com or 818-530-3366 or visit www.ElisaQuinzi.com

As Heard on the Street . . . Where do you go to cool off from the summer heat? compiled by Rink

Lenore Chin

Chuck Bierwirth

Rita Wallace

John Daniel

Jerry Berbier

“My annual getaway to chill out is to Kaneohe, Hawaii, where tradewinds and light rainfall keep the temperature balmy year-round”

“I’m lucky enough to have a cool art space on a corner of a block.

So when the weather gets hot, I just chill in my painting studio.”

“I go to the beach.”

“I simply get on my bike and ride to the ocean. When you ride a bicycle, you create your own cooling breeze.”

“Inside my apartment where it’s cool and cavelike, with blinds drawn and a fan.”

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JULY 13, 2017

31