2011 07 14

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The LGBT Newspaper and Events Calendar for the San Francisco Bay Area | July 14, 2011

DEA Rejects Petition to Seth’s Law Against Bullying Takes Final Testimony Jean Harris Memorial on July 21 at Delancey

for Medical Use

Street Foundation

P HOTO BY RIN K

Reschedule Marijuana

Lesbian activist Jean Harris speaking about Domestic Partnership legislation at an Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club Meeting.

California NORML Director Dale Gieringer says medical marijuana can dramatically reduce use of costly prescription drugs.

By Dennis McMillan

13-year old Seth Walsh took his own life in 2010 after years of anti-gay harassment at school.

On July 11, the White House, with l it t le fa n fa re, i ssued it s a n nua l (and long overdue) 2011 National Dr ug Cont rol St rateg y Repor t.

“As usual, the White House’s off icial justif ication for the ongoing mult igenerat iona l dr ug war was light on facts and heav y on rhetoric, particularly as it pertained to the federal government’s f ixation w it h c r i m i n a l i z i n g c a n n a bi s ,” sa id Pau l A r ment a no, NOR M L ( Nat iona l Org a n i zat ion for t he Reform of Marijuana Laws) Deputy Director.

O n Mond ay, Ju l y 11, t he S en at e A ppr opr i at ion s C om m it t e e heard test imony Seth’s Law (A B 9), aut hored by A s sembly member Ammiano ( D-San Francisco).

Seth’s Law seeks to create a safer school environment by providing California schools with the tools to a dd r es s t he per v a s ive prob lem of school bu l ly ing. T he bi l l is co-sponsored by a coalition of org a n i zat ions adva nci ng L GBT equality, including Equality California, the ACLU of California, Nat iona l Center for L esbia n R i g ht s , G ay- S t r a i g ht A l l i a nc e Network, and The Trevor Project.

who took h i s l i fe i n S eptember 2010, after facing years of relentless anti-gay harassment at school.

Wendy Walsh, Seth’s mother, has prov ided power f u l test i mony i n support of the bill. “I can’t bring my son back. But the California legislature can make a dif ference to protect you ng people acros s our state just like Seth who are or are thought to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender,” she said.

“Schools need to take harassment and bullying seriously when parents or students tell them about it, and when they see it and hear it on the school campus.”

The bil l is named in memor y of Seth Walsh, a 13 year-old gay student from Tehachapi, California,

“As a former teacher, I know how i mpor t a nt it is for our st udent s to feel sa fe at school. Each day

The DEA countered that none of t he ev idence wa s va l id s i nce it did not meet the standard of FDA new drug application trials. The DEA cited a f ive-year old Department of Health and Human Serv ices paper cla iming t hat mar ijuana did not have med ical use.

W h i le referenc i ng i n nu mer able studies show ing potential health risks of marijuana, it failed to refer enc e a ny of t he hu nd r ed s of studies showing medical ef f icacy of marijuana on the grounds that t hey d id not meet t he st a nda rd of wel l- cont rol led , l a r ge - sc a le, double blind FDA approval trials.

However, none of t he neg at ive e v idenc e c it e d b y t he g over n ment met that standard either.

The DEA failed to mention that it has deliberately obstructed F DA (continued on next page)

t h r ou g hout C a l i for n i a , L GB T yout h ex per ience h a r a s sment ,” said A mmiano. “Seth’s Law w ill g ive schools t he necessar y tools to prevent any young person from being bullied, harassed or worse because of t heir sexua l or ient at ion or gender ident it y a nd expression.”

“A l l st udent s deser ve to receive an education without fearing for their safet y because of who they a re,” sa id Rola nd Pa lencia, executive director of Equality Califor n ia. “ Set h’s law w i l l prov ide schools w it h t he k nowledge and tools they need to prevent bullying. We thank A ssembly member A mm iano, A ssembly Spea ker Pé r e z , t h e L G B T C a u c u s , a n d

Magnet Anniversary: Eight Years of Medicine and Culture in the Castro

PHOTO BY R I NK

A nd a fter n i ne yea rs of reg u lat or y de l ay, t he D r u g E n for c e ment Ad m i n ist rat ion has rejected a pet it ion by a coa l it ion of g roups i nc lud i ng C a l i for n i a NOR ML to reschedule marijuana for me d ic a l u s e. T he r e s p on s e ca me on ly a fter advocates sued i n fe der a l c ou r t for u n r e a s on able delay. The petition, f iled in 20 02 by the Cannabis Rescheduling Coalition, cited a grow ing body of scient if ic ev idence plus the approval of medical marijuana i n sever a l st ates a s g rou nd s that mar ijuana qualif ies as having “accepted med ica l use” and should be removed from Schedu le One, wh ich i ncludes heroi n and other nonmedical drugs.

By Carol Stuart L ong t i me L esbia n act iv ist Jea n H a r r i s h a s d ied . Jea n w a s 6 6 yea r s old a nd d ied at home i n Palm Springs, California.

Known for her spirited use of colorful language and her manner of man-dress, she was often viewed as a polar izing f ig ure. A crossdressing Lesbian before it became com monplace, Jea n was a wel lknown aide in the San Francisco City Hall of f ices of former Supervisor Harr y Britt, former Mayor Frank Jordan and former Director of Public Health, Dr. Sandra Hernandez.

Born into a conser vative family, her pa r ent s at t empt ed to st r ip her of custody rights to her children when she came out as a lesbian, even testify ing against her in cour t. Upon hear ing news of her deat h one (of her many former lovers) sa id, “Had t hey not testif ied against her, she probably wouldn’t have become one of the most driven activists of our movement. She just had nothing left to lose.”

For mer Senator Ca role M igden de s c r ib e d Je a n a s “A one - of- a kind activist and woman. During her reign of inf luence in the late eighties and early nineties in San Fra ncisco a nd st atew ide L GBT pol it ics, Jea n fea red no one, brooked no limits and intuitively u nder stood t he lever s of power a nd how to use t hem. L oya lt y and clar it y were her ha l lmark s.

I mour n t he loss of a cher ished friend and a mighty warrior who was foundational in our quest for LGBT equality.”

Jea n wa s ra ised i n L ong Beach and received a Bachelor’s degree from California State University at Long Beach, and did her postgraduate work at California State University at San Francisco.

Jean left southern California after her divorce, settling in Santa Cruz and becoming active in her un ion at GT F. It was not unt i l she moved to Sa n Fr a nc i sco i n

Greg Zhovreboff, Adrian Cano, Matt Beard, Steve Gibson, Mark Alstead, Tim Ryan, Coey Sayles, Suzanne Mendler, and Lgan, the bulldog at Magnet’s 8th Anniversary party.

(Continue on next page

Don’t Ask/ Don’t Tell Is Not Quite Dead, but Certainly Dying

By Dennis McMillan O n Ju l y 6 , t he N i nt h C i r c u it Court of Appeals issued a decision that put back into ef fect a lower court order barring the enforcement of the ban on queers serving openly in the militar y, known as “Don’t Ask/ Don’t Tell ( DA/DT ).

The order instructed the government to declare whether or not it w i l l defend t he const itut iona lit y of “Don’t Ask/ Don’t Tell.”

The Department of Defense and/ o r t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f Ju s t i c e might challenge this decision, and they still have their appeal of the lower court order itself, which will be hea rd i n late Aug ust . W h i le the July 6 decision says that DA/ DT can’t be enforced, it does not overturn DA/DT, and it remains on the books. A lthough unlikely, it is possible that some other court act ion cou ld react ivate DA /DT enforcement.

(HARRIS continued from page 1) t he m id- 8 0’s however, t hat she b e c a me a c t i ve i n L e s bi a n a nd Gay politics. Her f irst organizing role in San Francisco was to seek a common agenda bet ween L esbians of d ivergent backg rounds.

W i t h R o m a G u y, f o u n d e r o f t he Women’s Bu i ld ing, Jea n orga n i zed meet i ng s to est abl ish a d ia log ue bet ween work ing class women and L esbians associated w it h t he est abl ish ment, such as Bay A rea Ca reer Women. T he result was the creation of Lesbian Agenda for Action, the ver y f irst Lesbian Political Action Committee (PAC) in the country.

mer Mayor Frank Jordan. Under Mayor Frank Jordan, the City approved need le-exchange to curb the spread of A IDS among inject ion d r ug users. Sa n Fra ncisco i m p le me nt e d ne e d le e x c h a n g e even before the State Legislature would introduce a bill author izing such programs.

In 1986, Jean became a close aide on t he Har r y Br it t for cong ress campaign, and later, went to work w it h Har r y in h is Cit y Ha l l off ice. It was during Harry’s tenure with the SF Board of Supervisors that Jean’s political tour de force w a s recog n i zed c it y a nd st ate wide. “Our movement has had no better act iv ist and no one could have a better friend,” said former Supervisor Harry Britt.

A f ter sever a l yea r s i n O regon, Jea n ret ur ned to Ca l i for n ia, br ing ing her sk i l ls to The Ca l ifor n i a A l l i a n c e for P r id e a n d E qua l it y (C A PE), wh ich wa s to become the present-day Equality Ca l i for n ia ( EQC A). A s t he E xecutive Director she transformed CA PE from a f ledging grass-roots organization to a powerful lobbying organization with a database of close to one million registered voters.

In 1989, Jean became one of the lead orga n i zers of Sa n Fra nc i sco’s f i r st Domest ic Pa r t ner’s ca mpa ig n, wh ich wou ld have enabled couples to visit lovers in t he hospita l, a long w it h conferr ing other basic r ights. The initiative failed at the polls but with a group of dedicated volunteers, Jean and Harr y organized a signature drive to put the initiative to voters once again. In 1990, the measure passed. The election of 1990 became known as the “Lavender Swe e p,” e le c t i n g C a r ole Migden and Roberta Achtenberg to the Board of Supervisors, Tom A m m i a no to t he S chool B oa rd a nd Donna H itchens to t he Super ior Cour t. T he coa l it ion of LGBT, labor, and people of color communities was the brain-child of Jean, Harr y and beloved Dick Pabich.

Supervisor Britt left of f ice in 1992 and Jean continued her work as an activ ist Deput y Mayor with For-

She relocated to Oregon i n t he mid-1990’s to organize the LGBT community and defeat a statewide d iscr i m i nat ion mea sure ( No on 13). There, she was the f irst Executive Director of “Basic Rights Oregon,” founded in 1996.

In 2003, Jean left CAPE to work on the West Coast campaign for Gover nor Howard Dean’s president ia l ca mpa ig n, “ Dea n for A m e r i c a .” S u b s e q u e n t l y, s h e worked for Ca l ifor n ia A ssembly S p e a k e r E me r it u s , He r b We s son, and Spea ker Fabian Nunez and later, she became Pr incipa l C on su lt a nt for Ca l i for n i a S enate Paresident Pro Tempore, Don Perata, work ing closely w ith the LGBT Legislative Caucus.

She is su r v ived by her pa r t ner, Denise Penn; their children: Jake, Jann, Jill, and Rachel; her grandd aughter Brooke; s ibl i ng s Roy, George and Linda; and her mother. A memorial is planned in San Francisco for T hursday Ju ly 21, 2011 at 6pm at Delancey St reet Foundat ion. A nyone w ishing to attend is asked to RSVP to cstuartsf@aol.com.

“ T he C ou r t of A ppea l s for t he Ninth Circuit is correct ly pressing the Department of Justice and Department of Defense on whether or not they intend to defend the const it ut iona l it y of ‘Don’t A sk/ Don’t Tel l,’” sa id A r my veteran a nd Ser v icemember s L eg a l Defense Network (SLDN ) Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis. “It is our hope they will not continue to do so, and we will soon have f inality with certif ication and repeal.”

“We welcome the continued intervention by the courts in the ef fort to end ‘Don’t A sk/ Don’t Tel l,’ because t he execut ive branch is dragging its feet,” Richard Socarides, president of Equa l it y Matters, told Bay Times. “Moreover, the existing 9th Circuit court order would put in place important nond i s c r i m i n a t ion pr ot e c t ion s that the executive and legislative bra nches have fa i led to do. For t hat reason a lone, t he lawsuit is important and should not be dismissed.”

“A s fa r a s t he A mer ica n publ ic is concerned, ‘Don’t A sk/ Don’t Tell’ is dead and has been since December,” R ick Jacobs, execut ive d i rector of C ou r a ge C a mpa ig n, told Bay Ti mes. “T he courts have now ended discharges. The Pentagon is on track with training the troops on complying w it h t he new r u les.” He added, “The Pentagon and the President need to get on with it and certify DA/DT repeal, so we can move on.”

The U.S. House had voted 236 18 4 i n favor of a n a mend ment sponsored by Representative Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) to the Defense

“In their continued zeal to interfere w it h t he repea l of DA /DT a nd m ic r om a n a g e t he D efen s e Department, House Republicans have reached a new low by voting to st r ip funds for t ra in ing s t hat t hey h ave not even read ,” sa id Human R ights Campaig n President Joe Sol monese. “By a l l reports, training for DA/DT repeal h a s been proceed i ng smoot h ly, and t he memorandum t hat t hey h ave fou nd s o c onc er n i n g h a s been w ithdrawn.” He said, “Apparently the House vote to needlessly restate that DOM A is still the law of the land wasn’t enough.

Now, led by Representative Huelsk a mp, a major it y of t he House h a s vot e d t o over r u le m i l it a r y leaders about personnel training w it hout even bot her i ng to read that training f irst.

Regarding that news, Jacobs remarked, “The House Republicans are not even playing to their base.

They’re just playing games. More than 75% of the American public, including nearly a like amount in the military, support repeal.” He concluded, “At this point, the Republicans in the House are channel ing attor ney Charles Cooper in t he Prop 8 case whose losing a rg u ment wa s, ‘ Your honor, we don’t need any evidence.’”

Accord i ng to A r my Ti mes , t he Pent a g on h a s r ec ent ly or der ed a ha lt to a l l sepa r at ion s of g ay troops under “Don’t A sk/ Don’t Tel l” a nd w i l l beg i n a ccept i ng applications from prospective recruits who identify themselves as homosexuals.

T he mor ator iu m i s sued Fr id ay came after a ruling Wednesday by a federal appeals court in California ordering the Defense Department to immediately stop enforci ng t he law. T he cour t sa id t he law is unconstitutional because it treats gay A mer icans dif ferent ly under the law.

A l l of t h i s i s ut terly con f usi ng, c o n v o lut e d , a n d a l o t o f p r o tracted, prolonged, preposterous politics. But one thing is for sure.

The battle to repeal Don’t Ask/ Don’t Tell is nearly over, but queers in the military should wait to come out until the legal wranglings are complete.

Despite President Barack Obama eventually signing the bill authorizing repeal of DA/DT, it is still u n s a fe for s er v ic e memb er s t o come out until 60 days after cert i f icat ion by P resident Oba ma , Secretary Leon Panetta, and Admiral Mike Mullen.

Sar v is continues to warn, “Rapid ly cha ng i ng event s reg a rd i ng t he leg a l st at u s of ‘ Don’t A s k / Don’t Tell’ may be confusing for s er v ic e memb er s a nd r e c r u it s .

The bottom line is DA/DT is still the law of the land; the situation is still in f lux; and it is NOT necessarily safe to come out.”

Meanwhile, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender service members with questions are urged to cont act t he SL DN hot l ine to spea k with a staf f attorney at (202) 328 324 4 x10 0. I f queer people a re interested in going back into the m i l it a r y or joi n i ng for t he f i r st time, SL DN strongly encourages them to contact SLDN’s legal hot line f irst, to set up a free, conf ident i a l c a l l w it h a n at tor ne y t o d i s c u s s t he i r opt ion s . H I Vposit ive ind iv idua ls ser ve under a v a r iet y of reg u l ator y rest r ic t ions, and because H I V-posit ive persons are sometimes presumed to be gay or bisexua l, t hey may face issues related to DA/DT policy. Learn more in the “HI V Issues” section of SLDN’s Survival Guide downloadable at sldn.org.

Veterans, partners, and family of service members, and others connected to the military who are not currently serving, may face issues r e l at e d t o DA / D T l aw. L e a r n more about these issues also in the Survival Guide.

S er v icemember s L eg a l Defen se Network (SL DN ) was established in 1993 when “Don’t Ask/ Don’t Tell” or ig inally passed. In addition to working on repeal, SLDN of fers free, conf idential legal serv ices to t hose i mpa cted by t he discriminatory law. Last year the organization received its10,000th c a l l for a s s i s t a nc e t o it s le g a l hotline.

(MEDICAL MARIJUANA continued from page 1) trials from taking place by denyi ng t he approva l of a resea rchgrade marijuana growing facility at t he Un iver s it y of M a s sachusetts, contrar y to the recommendat ion of its ow n administrat ive law judge. The only existing legal source of mar ijuana for U.S. researchers is the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which has stated that it will not pursue FDA studies of the drug for medical use. “ T he gover n ment has created a Catch-22 situation, in which the DE A is free to ig nore mount ing sc ient i f ic ev idence a nd t he exper ience of count less physicians and users who have found medical ma r ijua na ef fect ive, i n order to protect its bureaucratic position,”

2 BAY TIMES JULY 14, 2011

Appropriations bill that bars the use of funds to implement training on the repeal of the “Don’t Ask/ Don’t Tell” law for chaplains. The amendment was introduced in response to an April memorandum from the Nav y Chief of Chaplains (subsequently withdrawn for furt her rev iew) t hat cor rect ly conc luded t h at t he d i scr i m i n ator y Defense of Marriage Act does not bar a chapla in from voluntar i ly of f iciat ing at a law fu l mar r iage of a sa me-sex couple, even at a Department of Defense facility.

sa id Ca l i for n ia NOR M L d i rector Da le Gier i nger, who helped author the rescheduling petition.

“The government’s response raises serious questions about its competence to m a n a g e A mer ic a n s’ health care.”

Gier i nger poi nted out t hat su rve y s h ave s how n t h at pat ient s who use med ica l mar ijua na ca n dramat ica l ly reduce their use of other, more costly but less ef fect ive F DA-approved prescr ipt ion d r ug s. “ Yet DE A d r ug bu reauc r at s a r e de l ib er at e ly i g nor i n g these facts so as to protect their bloated agency,” Gieringer said.

Advocates are now planning how to cha l lenge t he DE A decision.

Medical marijuana advocates are supporting a bill by Representat ive Ba r ney Fra n k ( D -M A), t he St ate’s Med ica l M a r ijua na P ro t e c t ion A c t of 2 011( H R 19 8 3), w h i c h w o u l d e n d m a r i j u a n a’s Schedule One status and let states regulate its medical availability.

Un d e r a p o l i c y r e c e nt l y r e a f f irmed by the Obama administration, the federal government has a r r e s t e d , c h a r g e d , t h r e at ene d , a nd/or i mpr isoned hu nd red s of i nd iv idua l s i n st ates w it h leg a l med ica l mar ijuana for v iolat ing federal laws. California NOR ML is calling on Congress to investigate the DEA’s malfeasance with regards to medical marijuana.

National News

Lambda Asks Supreme Court To Review Crazy Bayou State Ruling

By Ann Rostow Two major legal stories dominate t he GL BT new s t h i s week , a nd yet I can’t help leading w ith the report about the Orange County wom a n w ho d r u g g e d her hu s band, tied him to the bed, cut of f his penis and ran it through the g a r ba g e d i s p o s a l . O uc h ! Wer e t here no d ivorce law yer s ava i lable?

The psycho-wife called emergenc y ser v ices a nd a l lowed her sel f to be ar rested w it hout incident, telling police that her hubby “deser ved it.” She was arraigned on a m i l l ion dol l a r s ba i l a nd w i l l presumably spend a few decades behind bars for her misdeed. Interesting what human beings are capable of doi ng to each ot her.

I’m sure he wasn’t the best husband in the world, but still.

Guys, you’l l be pa r t icu la rly relieved that we are now moving on to legal news. A lthough the Don’t A sk Don’t Tel l case in t he U. S. Cour t of Appea ls for t he Ni nt h Circuit is getting more attention, I t h i n k t he F i f t h C i r c u it bi r t h certif icate lawsuit is more signif icant.

Why? Because Lambda Legal has appealed this very very very weird d e c i s ion t o t he U. S . S u pr e me Court, and there are several reasons why the Court might accept review, putting a gay-related case on it s docket for t he 2011/2012 term. That’s always big news.

T he case involves t wo gay dads originally from New York but now living in California. The men adopted a baby boy, born in Louisia na, a nd asked t he st ate for a revised birth certif icate with both t he i r n a me s l i s t e d a s p a r e nt s .

L ou i s i a n a r e f u s e d , i g nor i n g a perfectly legal adoption and arguably v iolat ing the Const itut ion’s g ua r a ntees of E qua l P rotect ion and Full Faith and Credit.

Obv iously, Louisiana should not be a l lowed to t reat g ay pa rent s dif ferently than straight parents.

And as for Full Faith and Credit, all states are required to respect the judicial proceedings of sister states, as well as their public acts and records.

A n adoption, for the record, is a judicial proceeding subject to the Full Faith and Credit Clause, and no sane law yer disagrees with this established fact save the majority of the Fifth Circuit, who may or may not fall into the categor y of “sane.”

A fter L ou isia na refused to pro duce the birth certif icate, Lambda sued on behalf of the fathers, winning in lower court and later w i n n i n g b e fo r e a t h r e e - j u d g e panel at the Fifth Circuit.

L ou i s i a n a app e a le d t o t he en t ire federal appellate court, and to t he a ston ish ment of one a nd a l l, the ful l cour t r uled in favor of t he st ate a couple of mont hs ago. The majorit y came up w ith a far-fetched explanation of why the Full Faith and Credit Clause d id not apply to t he gay fat hers ( I w i l l spare you t he convoluted details.) They also expounded on why L ou i s i a n a’s ba n on s a me sex adoptions was constitutional, even though Louisiana state policy was not at issue in t he case.

A f t e r a l l , t he f a t he r s a d o pt e d their son in New York, not Loui-

siana. They were not seeking another adoption; they were seeking a routinely issued piece of paper recog n i z i ng t he leg a l adopt ion they had already secured.

The Fifth Circuit’s bizarre opinion i s i n d i rect oppos it ion to a Full Faith and Credit ruling out of the Tenth Circuit, so it’s quite possible that the High Court will agree to hear the case in order to clar if y federal law on this issue.

A s for the Equa l Protect ion element, the High Court could easily sidestep the pure question of gay r ight s by si mply r u l i ng on Fu l l Faith and Credit. Or, the justices could duck the entire matter.

We’ll f ind out when the Court ret ur ns from it s sum mer brea k i n October and starts reviewing petitions.

Ninth Circuit to Obama: Fish or Cut Bait M e a n w h i l e , l a s t We d n e s d a y, a t hree-judge pa nel i n t he U. S. Cour t of A ppea ls for t he Ni nt h Circu it issued a n i njunct ion against the enforcement of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (technically, they released their stay of a previously issued injunction, but you get the picture).

T he t wo -page order noted t hat t he Oba m a ad m i n i st r at ion h a s changed its views on the constitutional status of sexual orientation, and no longer can justify its position. Further, as we all know, the ban on open ly gay m i l itar y service is on its way out, and should be histor y in a couple of months anyway.

T h e n l a s t M o n d a y, t h e p a n e l asked t he ad m in ist rat ion to tel l the court whether or not the Just ice Department intends to continue the legal f ight on behalf of t he mor ibund law. I f not, asked the court, will Congress be invited to inter vene just as Cong ress was given the green light to intervene on behalf of the Defense of Marriage Act? Given that a hearing date in the case is scheduled for Aug ust 29, the administration was given just 10 days to sort out its position on the Don’t Ask case. A few months back, Obama and company had asked the Ninth Circuit to set the whole lawsuit aside and wait until the Don’t Ask repeal process had run its course. The court refused, which is why we’re seeing all these legal maneuvers going forward on this long running challenge to the military gay ban.

Most of us might see this whole exchange as much ado about nothing. After all, Obama insists that t he f i na l cer t i f ic at ion requ i red to end Don’t Ask is expected in a matter of weeks, not months. We should hope so, considering that t he r e pea l pr o c es s h a s a l r ea d y been u nder way for si x or seven months. How long does it take to tell commanders not to discharge people for being gay, anyway?

A ssu m i ng t hat t he cer t i f icat ion t a kes pl a ce t h i s su m mer, t here wou ld be a 6 0 - d ay wa it i ng pe r iod (aga i n for reasons unclea r) and the law would then of f icially be dead. Why, under the circumst a nces, shou ld t he ad m i n ist ration or anyone else be interested in a nearly moot court battle?

One reason is t hat t he case against Don’t Ask Don’t Tell rais-

es a number of basic constitutional issues that apply to gay rights matters in general. If you believe that the panel is inclined to rule in your favor, you want the litigat ion to go for ward, and indeed, some opt im ist ic gay lega l advo cates wou ld not be sor r y to see t he ca se cont i nue. T hen ag a i n, it’s hard to argue with a f lat out v ictor y, even when t hat v ictor y comes with whimper rather than a bang.

A ntigay Dominos Continue To Fall Do you remember last week’s confusion over t he ad m in ist rat ion’s v ie w s on joi nt b a n k r u pt c y for married gay couples?

Well, you’ll be delighted to hear that it’s all been clarif ied. On Friday, a Justice Department spokesperson conf irmed that the administration will no longer object to ba n k r upt c y f i l i n g s by m a r r ie d gay couples, even though such f iling s techn ica l ly v iolate t he Defense of Mar r iage Act. A s such, the U.S. Trustee in an L A bankruptcy case withdrew a motion to appea l a g ay-fr iend ly r u l i ng by bankruptcy judge Thomas Donovan. (in an opinion joined by 19 of his colleagues, Judge Donovan r u led t hat t he Defense of M a rriage Act was unconstitutional).

L i k e a t r a i n g a t he r i n g s t e a m , President Obama’s Februar y decision to treat sexual orientation d iscr iminat ion as presumpt ively unconstitutional is having an impact on a multitude of cases and issues.

T he med ia has been focused on the implicat ions for the Defense of Marriage Act, which Obama’s Justice Department will no longer defend i n cour t. But t he courageous shift in legal policy extends b e yond m a r r i a g e. I nd e e d , t he Ninth Circuit’s Don’t A sk Don’t Tell injunction was directly based on the February announcement.

The Ninth Circuit has also asked the Justice Department to issue a revised brief on the constitutionality of excusing a lesbian from a jury based on sexual orientation.

Does the Department st ill think that’s okay given their pronouncements on gay bias? I’d guess no.

We’ve seen t he Just ice Depa r tment d rop, shelve or del ay t he deportations of foreign gay spouses. We’ve seen the new stance on joint bankruptcy for gay couples.

In fact, when Obama announced t hat he’d st i l l “enforce” t he Defense of Marriage Act (and other antigay laws), that announcement rea l ly d id n’t ma ke much sense.

How do you “enforce” laws that you will not defend in court? Hey, I’m not complaining here. I’m just sayin’.

The Bachmann Has No Clothes What else is new? We’ve learned i n t he pa st week t h at M ichel le Bachmann does not seem to be a friend to our vibrant and wonderful community. Sorry everyone, I do not consider that to be breaking news of the week. Do we not remember her sust a i ned, obses sive attempts to pass an ant igay marr iage amendment in M innesota a few years ago?

I mean really. Why is this woman g et t i n g a pa s s f r om t he m a i n (continued on next page) BAY T IM ES JULY 14, 2011 3

Pride 2011

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E-mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com STAFF Dr. Betty Sullivan Publisher

Dayna Verstegen Editor

Tom W. Kelly Arts Editor

Joni Schaeffer Calendar Editor

Ayana Baltrip Balagas, Abby Zimberg Art & Production

Liz Bell Marketing & Sales Juan Ordonez Distribution

CONTRIBUTORS Writers

Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Melissa Myers, Linda Ayres-Frederick, Annette Lust, Mike Ward, Alison Bechdel, Pollo del Marr, Linda Kay Silva, Irene Munroe, Lily Janiak, Albert Goodwyn, Tom W. Kelly, Heidi Beeler, Lynn Ruth Miller, Jeanie Smith, K. Cole, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Paul Pratt, Dayna Verstegen.

Photographers/ Illustrators

Rink, Dennis McMillan, Steve Underhill.

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4 BAY TIMES JULY 14, 2011

The 2011 Parade and Celebration: a Day of Spectacle & Pride

By Rink

Grand Marshal Therese Stewart was a crowd favor ite, since she was seen on T V repeated ly defending marriage equality for the City Attorney’s of f ice. Honorary Grand Marshal Susie Bright was a hit for readers who are fans of her erotic and sexual liberation writing, and Community Grand Marshal Graylin Thornton and his surround ing leather cont ing ent wowe d t he c r owd . B l a c k Brothers Esteem displayed their

The 2011 Parade began with the traditional thunder of hundreds of D ykes on Bi kes at t he P r ide Parade on June 26. The women pr oud ly w ave d a s t hei r r ider s held up rainbow f lags and feather boas while they roared down M a rket St reet f rom dow ntow n to Civ ic C enter. T he crowd of hund reds of t housands cheered t he bi ker s a nd t he 20 0 cont i ng ent s t h at fol lowe d . A l l t old , more than a million people converged on the parade route and celebration at Civic Center. It is a shock i ng nu mber to act iv ist s who were at the 1970 gay love-in and parade when no more than a few dozen people commemorated the June 1969 Stonewall Riot in Greenwich Village.

new grand shimmering gold regalia.

The Pr ide Celebrat ion at Civ ic Center was a stunning crush of people with information booths, beer and liquor stands, and multiple entertainment stages.

A few hundred lucky people enjoye d E s t her M a r k s’ g ou r met hors d’oeuvres and margaritas at A ssembly ma n Tom A m m ia no’s annual of f ice party, and almost a

Hours before the f irst motorcycle was cranked up, the A lice B. Tok las LGBT Democrat ic Club hosted local politicians and hundreds of their supporters to Yank Sing Restaurant for a lavish dim sum feast and strong cof fee. Most of the city’s supervisors, Assembl y m a n Tom A m m i a no, St at e Senator Mark L eno, Mayor Ed L e e , a n d m ay or a l c a n d id a t e s spoke from t he st age a nd m i ngled with the audience.

Dur i ng t he Pa rade, t he g ra ndstands were full and groups performed on the street for the live broadcast on KOF Y, MC’ed expertly by Donna Sachet. Cheeri ng f rom t he sidel i nes rose for writer Dustin Lance Black, who rode with the Trevor Project and for act ress and Grand Marsha l Ol y mpi a D u k a k i s . T her e w a s also cheering for Chaz Bono, and cr ies of “ I love you r mot her! ” from block to block. Community

PHOTO BY RIN K

PO Box 410386 San Francisco Ca 94141-0386

sheer joy at march ing toget her a nd S a n Fr a nc i s c o’s E mp er or Saybeline and Emperor Frankie rode atop a huge f loat i n t heir

thousand celebrants lined up for the Pride VIP Party in City Hall.

the speculation should be on the order of WTF?

the next election? Why does a majority in this country believe that it’s no big deal to default on government obligations like militar y pay a nd socia l secu r it y check s?

W hy do they blithely ig nore the calamitous ef fect that not raising the debt ceiling would have on the world’s f inancial markets?

Master fu l Aud rey Joseph coord i n ated t he P r ide st a g e a g a i n t h is yea r, even t hough she had

to wear a leg brace after an accident. Beautiful women performers mingled with shirtless young studs back stage, and all enjoyed an organic buf fet. New Orleans’ B i g Fr e e d i a s t o o d out for h i s com ma nd of t he st a ge, for h i s fantastic singing and his diverse superb hip hop dancers.

This year’s Faer y Freedom Village occupied an immense space, and was crowded w ith men linger ing on each ot her, da ncing, and close quarter mingling in a “sexy area.” Fabulous Bruce astounded viewers again this year w it h a n out rageous cost ume of bottles of colored water swinging from a con ica l hat atop a contoured chalky white gown.

Ju a n it a Mor e a g a i n pr es ented the f ive star party of the month at Chambers, where young provocative men snuggled with lavi s h l y d e c or a t e d d r a g q u e e n s .

Their women friends were looked after by More’s part y organizer sidek ick Hek l ina from Tra nnyshack. Pride’s Interim Executive Director Brendan Behan, Pride’s employees, and the reconstituted boa r d deser ve c red it for t hei r resourcefu lness in present ing a sat isf y i ng a nd empower i ng par a de a nd c e lebr at ion . S p e c i a l cred it goes to B eha n’s cha r ming mother Vicki Williams, who again f lew in to help out. In an era when too many LGBT sons and daughters are still alienated from t heir parent s, she worked in the Pride of f ice, the organizat ion’s Med ia Pa r t y at t he Cl i ft Hotel, and anywhere else she was needed to help her son and the Parade Committee.

(ROSTOW continued from page 3)

stream med ia and being treated as just another GOP candidate for president? She bel ieves in intelligent design, thinks global warming is a hoa x, t hinks gay people a r e s ex u a l ly d y s f u nc t ion a l a nd ha s accused Ba r r ack Oba ma of being “anti-American.”

She has a limited grasp on America n h istor y a nd on t he genera l mechanics of f inance. She stated that she preferred that the United States not participate in the global economy, as if that were a policy option. She has advocated for some kind of bill or resolution to make sure that the United States continues to use the dollar, based on her m isunder st a nd i ng of t he ter m “globa l reser ve cur renc y,” wh ic h s he a ppa r ent l y b e l ie ve d refer red to t he idea of hav ing a single world currency.

She’s a nut and she is totally absolutely completely unprepared to be President of the United States.

The fact that she leads the Iowa pol l s s hou ld by a l l mea n s be a topic of med ia specu lat ion. But

A s for her p er for m a nc e at t he GOP debate a few weeks ago, the med ia a s a whole seemed to be blown away by her poise and conf idence. Say what? She looks good and she can spout talking points.

But hello! We’re talking about the future leader of the free world.

I s t here some u nw r it ten r u le of media et iquette that forbids discussion of a president ia l ca nd idate’s nonex istent qua lif icat ions for the job? Or is that kind of criticism reserved for of f icial pundits f rom t he lef t or r ight , who a re then promptly dismissed by viewers on the other side?

Lamestream Media Indeed Well, now I’ve made myself mad.

Yet I have never in my lifetime experienced the disconnect between politics and the real world that we now confront.

W ho are these people who think Michelle Bachmann is the best bet to represent t he Republ ica ns i n

Why, indeed, is this country now obsessed with def icit spending as if the United States is an average family with bills to pay and has to “cut back” in order to af ford everything? Why doesn’t the media ever question this assumption?

No one likes huge def icits, but the solution is economic growth and jobs. As for spending, has anyone looked at the interest rate on 30 year treasur ies lately? W hat are t hey? T h ree percent ? I haven’t checked, but the fact is we have the largest economy in the world, and the borrowing power to match it. Our overall debt is about the same as our annua l GDP, which (to use t he sa me dumb a na log y) is like a family that owes a year’s income on their low interest mort-

gage and outstand ing loans. It’s not great as a historical percentage. But for God’s sake, we’re not Greece. We’re not “going ba n kr upt” or r un n i ng out of money.

W hy don’t we hear from anyone with numbers, facts and charts?

Never mind that almost the entire burden stemmed from t he years of Reagan and Bush 1 and 2, plus the impact of the 2008 recession.

Def ic it s were sh r ug ged of f l i ke so much dandr uf f dur ing t he W administration. Now, the Republicans are ready to slash the entire New Deal while turning their back s on job g row t h a nd i n frastructure spending. W hy? There can only be one reason. The craven GOP priorities that put winn i ng t he next elect ion a head of the country’s welfare.

Write to Ann at rostow@aol.com

Inside the Parade ta at about the same magnitude.

Then t he music ensembles pi led on a nd of f t he st age i n va r ious combinations. Whether performing Lady Gaga or Leonard Bernstein or Francis Scott Key or June Bonacich, the Band, Lesbian/Gay Chorus of SF, Golden Gate Men’s Chor u s , SF G ay Men’s Chor u s Ambassadors and Bay Area Rainbow Symphony were met with the same ecstatic applause, the audience adopting us all like parents at a music recital. Zoe Dunning was presented a n awa rd for her work getting Don’t Ask Don’t Tell r e p e a l e d , a n d mor e a p p l a u s e , another ovation. A nd I began to feel… well?… huh… proud.

I ’ve b e e n O ut i n G ay Me c c a for 20 years. On the last Sunday of ever y June, I ma ke a beel i ne from some point west of the Ferr y Bu i ld i ng dow n to Cit y Ha l l, c r a m med b et ween conver t ibles a nd motor c yc les , do d g i n g men on rol ler sk ates d ressed i n dayglo G -str ings and br ist l ing w it h balloons, and batting down pamphlets against gale-force winds. I have helped bu i ld g ia nt gl it terencr usted ply wood ca kes a nd a 4 -foot-ta l l Music Man hats t hat are screwed onto f latbed t r uck s a n d r o p e d t o b o ot h s u p p or t s .

But in 20 years, I’ve never actually seen the Pride Parade. Never watched it live end to end from a Market Street sidewalk.

Each gig on my dance card had the same ef fect. At the Pride Brunch, the grand marshals talked about their life’s work. Who wouldn’t be proud of Victoria Kalokowski, the f irst openly trans trial court judge in the U.S., or Therese Stewart, f ighting legal battles to make Gay Marr iage legal in California, or Aaron Belkin, f ighting DA DT in the media? Hosts Gar y Virg inia a nd D on n a S a c het a n nou nc e d the brunch had now raised more t ha n $20 0,0 0 0 for Posit ive Res ou r c e C ent er over it s 13 -ye a r r un, and my jazz combo, Dix ieland Dykes+3, had been proud to prov ide t he musica l sou ndt rack for most of those years.

T he f i r s t ye a r I m a r c he d , t he pa r a d e w a s a m a z i n g. I ’d g one through my “I’m The Only One” ph a s e i n S a n Fr a nc i s c o ( pr oving you really can do anything if you set your mind to it). My boss had told me that she f ired a man for being gay and then noted my blushing as a smoking gun. When my clenched teeth turned into a rapid-f ire eyelid tic, I quit the job and joined t he Band. T hat year seei ng M a rket St reet festooned with rainbow f lags, I secretly felt Pride was a party thrown for me.

And when my band and I turned onto Market Street playing “California, Here I Come,” the roar of a million people cheering bounced around the skyscrapers over our heads and I felt like Dorothy enter i ng t he R a i nbow C it y. D i ng dong the witch was dead indeed!

Twent y yea r s l at er, c om i n g up on Pr ide 2011, t he mag ic of t he r a i nb ow h a d wor n t h i n b efor e my middle-aging eyes. The Pride Committee had chalked up more abdications than Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign. A fter last yea r’s f u nd juggl i ng, t he t heme “ I n P r id e We Tr u s t ” s ou n d e d more l i ke a n O r wel l i a n s log a n

Photo by Billy Green

A s long a s I ’ve b een O ut , I ’ve only seen the half block of the parade occupied by t he San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band at any g iven moment. T hat and whatever contingent r ides ahead of our banner, whatever cont ing ent cr u i ses beh i nd ou r sou s a phones, and the faces and photographers on either side. I joined the Band in 1991 specif ically to have someone to go to the parade with, and she’s been my date every year since.

Drum Major Mike Wong

t h a n a r a l ly i ng cr y. Watch i ng Pride squabbled over and carved up, it s pa r t s w r apped i n cel lo pha ne a nd ha nded to t he h ighest bidder was enough to make me seriously consider vegetarianism.

There was some open speculation among the cynical about whether t here’d even be a P r ide Pa r ade next year.

My compulsive volunteer ism for the Band’s publicity team turned the lead-up to the Pride Concert i nt o a n u lc e r - i n d u c i n g , s le e p stealing job. W hen the publicit y shift was over, I still had f ive performances in three days and the on ly event I wa s rea l ly look i ng forward to was sneaking home for

the nap I’d planned between gigs #2 and #3. My heart, some people say, was two sizes too small.

T he stea m rol ler t hat wa s P r ide Weekend began its relentless roll immediately after work on Friday with the Pride Concert. The audience f illed the seats at Everett Auditorium, the lights dimmed… and then the Pride Concert began to do that thing that it does every year. Trauma Flintstone, dressed in a smart patr iot ic-blue sk irted suit with Barbara Bush curls and big wh ite pearls, stepped to t he microphone and announced that New York State had just legalized gay marriage. The audience went wild – thunderous applause for 10 times longer than the Loma Prie-

t le ensued over who got to push her i n t he pa r a de, a nd St e ven Key s, a hor n player who s wore a decade earl ier t hat he’d never march again, won the f ight. He’d always wanted to be a pusher, he claimed, but the truth was any of us would have dropped out to include Sue. M ike Wong, our new drum major, blew his whistle and put t he Ba nd i nto gea r. A nd a s we marched between skyscrapers, Sue’s tr umpet sang out w it h t he rest of Band’s musicians as we all moved up Market Street together.

Marching up Market Street with my peeps , t he t r ue mea n i ng of Pride became clear. Pride isn’t a product ion or r a i nbow ba n ner s or even a parade. It’s a gathering place for the people in our neighborhood to celebrate the community we’re building.

A nd a f i n a l not e f r om a lon gtime musician: all cynicism aside, t h a n k s t o t he SF L GB T P r ide C om m it tee a nd a l l t he v a r iou s communit y event producers who take on the cha l lenge of stag ing this wild and wonderful weekend that is meant to represent and celebrate and include and keep safe the million+ of us who arrive at your door each year. It’s a crazy brave thing that you do.

Saturday night, the Band waded into the Pink Saturday crowd and carved out a circle in the middle.

Defying the amplif ied music, we played t unes sur rounded by t he masses as our twirler, Ed Boeke, tossed glow ing batons above the Mu n i c a b le s . A you n g wom a n from Idaho, in town for a French hor n sy mposium, ra n up a nd asked if she could get some music, so we stuck a mellophone in her hands and she played along.

I of fer e d her a B a nd bu s i ne s s card, but she already had three.

Clearly, we’d adopted her. A nd the party crowd cheered us Band geek s above t he recorded music l i ke a d ra mat ic closer to a n i nstrumental episode of Glee.

Ne x t mor n i n g : t he P a r a d e O ’ P r ide. A t M a i n a nd M a rket , I found uniforms clustered around Sue L eon a r d i , one of ou r le a d t r u mpeter s, i n her wheel cha i r.

Her Trumpet Mobile was decked out in style with Band logos glued to the wheels by her partner, Julie Williamson. A few months earlier a charging dog had barreled into Sue, tak ing out her knee. A bat-

Photo by Billy Green

By Heidi Beeler

Trumpeteer Sue Leonardi

The Frameline Volunteer Appreciation Party at the Stud Bar

By Rink The Frameline Film Festival volunteers were g reeted aga in t h is year at the door way of their annu a l appr ec i at ion pa r t y at t he Stud bar on June 29 by t he festival’s board president. Gregarious R a ndy Q uebec wa s fol lowing the lead of last year’s board

ch a i r pres ident T hom M at son, who made a point of shaking the hands of the 150 plus guests. This year’s thank you part y was even more popular, and about 20 0 of the 400 volunteers enjoyed a buffet f rom Fu z io Rest au r a nt , t he Stud’s generous open bar, erotic r a f f le pr i zes, a nd a n i ntense ts h i r t contest . Fr a mel i ne i s de pendent on a large squad of volu nteer s, a nd t hei r appreciat ion party and overall good treatment of volunteers is a common sense met hod of retent ion t hat is not rea l i zed at some ot her fest iva ls and non-prof its. Executive Director K.C. Price, Festival Director Jennifer Morris, and Administration and Operations Director Desiree Buford m ingled w it h t heir guests at the large SOM A bar all evening.

T here were f i l m m a ker s a mong t he t hrong, includ ing Sa m Berliner, the Volunteer Coordinator

Intern, who presented t wo f ilms at the festival. His Genderbusters and Perception were screened in t he D yke Del ight s, Tra nst ast ic, and Queertoons prog rams. Legendar y part y host and volunteer M a rk Pope promoted h i s G old Violin in the Bow of Death with elaborate small posters. Eighteen year veteran volunteer Bob Sull ivan was awarded Volunteer of the Year, and the announcement of h is ded icat ion to help out at more than 50 movies drew gasps.

Volu nteer s i ncluded peren n ia l s like tech consultant James Poole, Faery activist Raj, movie blogger Peter Wong, and arbitrator Richard Carrazza who spoke with the fe st iv a l’s Dat aba s e C on s u lt a nt R ick Solomon about their favorite f ilm experiences. Fun in Girls Shor ts, Ph i l ippe Gossel in’s T he Rescue, and Mang us were three f ilms that were discussed with approval over pasta and margaritas.

The festival’s harsh and arid 35th

year logo was spoken about with less approval.

Ta lent e d MC L a r e s Fe l ic i a no, who i s t he fest iv a l’s Volu nt eer Coordinator, welcomed guests for the raf f le and t-shirt contest, as she has done for t he last couple years. Feliciano intuitively sensed the diverse audience’s excitement and timed the events to heighten t hei r at tent ion. New volunteer s smirked at each ot her when t he f irst raf f le prize was revealed to be a g i ft bag of d i ldos. “ T hat’s how we rol l!” excla i med Fel iciano.

The t-shir t contest was intensely compet it ive. E x uber a nt B en Shu m w iggled for t he crowd to t he i n fect iou s t h robbi ng mu s ic this year, and received lots of applause, but i n a complete t ur naround Naomi Reagan won this year’s extensive pr izes w it h her inter pretation of a classy preppy

uniform. She even wore a custommade volunteer necktie. Reagan was wel l k now n to t he fest iva l’s f ilmmakers since she was a smiling hostess in the photographers’ shooting range and the f ilmmaker s’ lou nge i n t he Ca st ro T he at re mezza n i ne. Even t he most ner vous and apprehensive movie ma kers were rela xed when t hey were greeted by Reagan, and the stif f vodka cocktail served by anot her volunteer st a nd i ng at her side assured the best in hospitalit y. Fr a me l i ne pr e s ent s e vent s t h r ou g hout t he ye a r, a nd i s a source of L GBT-t hemed DV D’s and streaming video. Their contact website is Frameline.org.

BAY T IM ES JULY 14, 2011 5

Parenting

(BULLYING continued from page 1) allied lawmakers for championing this critical piece of legislation.”

A B 9 wou ld en s u r e t h at e ver y school in Ca lifor nia implements updated a nt i-ha rassment a nd anti-discr imination policies that include actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, and rel ig ion or associat ion w it h one or more of these groups. It would also inform students and parents of their rights and how to address incidents of bullying.

Kelly Fondow & RoiAnn Phillips are raising two daughters in Oak Park, Illinois.

By RoiAnn Phillips Celebrat ions... we create t hem, inher it t hem, revise them, recollect them... we want to make them special, with food, with music, a particular sport, tradition. We know we are mak ing memories, for ourselves and for our kids. We want these memories to be rich. We set the scene. If we have the right people, activities, ambience, the rest takes care of itself.

Summer feels FULL of celebrations. My favorite is Pride Weekend. I love Pride weekend, with its barbecues, festivals, parties and dances. I love the Dyke March. I love the drums, and the pasties, and more recently the strollers.

Recently, I mentioned being at the f irst Dyke March i n DC , a nd a you nger of f ice -mate reg a rded me with something like shock or awe, perhaps because I’ve taken the suburban soccer mom thing too far, perhaps because it was such a ver y long time ago, or maybe both - - but the point I wanted to make was t hat a fter t ravel i ng pa r t of t he route w it h a Salvadoran lesbian activist who was gathering tips and contacts for community organizing back home home, I remember taking picture after picture of the bright pink stenciled “Dyke Power” graf f iti on the black asphalt, and turning around to see blocks and blocks and blocks of... women. I later framed one of the shots poster-size as a gift for my f irst lesbian friends who bought a house together.

I love Sunday morning before the Pride Parade, lugging coolers and props to the van or f loat or truckbed, and waiting in the line-up while my contingent gat her s. I a lso love watch i ng from t he sidel i nes, wearing theatrical hats, rainbow rings around my neck, and a black triangle pinned to my clothes. A few years ago, a friend and I took my daughter to the Parade. She enjoyed the bubbles, the dancing, and the music, but eventually she fell asleep.

This year, I was hy per-aware of the Pride Parade.

I don’t mean I participated. I was actually in a big green grassy park making ice cream with a troop of Daisy Scouts at the time. But I was aware, and so was my partner, and we wanted to make the weekend festive.

We thought we might go on a trip to Lakeside Inn - r ight in Lakeside, M ichigan, by the I llinois and Indiana borders - a lovely quick-drive vacation spot t hat’s l i ke a cottage w it hout t he responsibi l it y of upkeep, with a warm f ire in the luxurious antique lobby and cof fee all day in the winter, beach access and a long front porch with twenty wooden rocking cha irs in t he summer, and a shop dow n t he road where you can order the New York Times. Instead, we acquired a kitten.

First, we had powdered sugar donut s at t he Oa k Park Farmer’s Market. Then we went to a friend’s block sale, where we ran across a woman with a very small pet carrier. I had been lobbying my partner Kelly for a kitten since shortly after Christmas, but

6 BAY TIMES JULY 14, 2011

stopped when our grown boy cat peed for the seventh time on our leather living room chair, a chair Kelly f irst bought as a single mom in the Bay Area after saving her money for months. But here was our friends’ neighbor, walk ing the length of her block sale w ith a tiny, tilting pet carrier. I avoided her.

I stood browsing stacks of Junie B Jones, and The Fair y Tea Party instead. I chatted with people I’d never met. When I f inally wandered back towards our friends’ house, Kelly was holding the tiny kitten in her arms, cooing. That was it.

We brought him home. We set him up in the guest room, apart from our other pets until we could get h im to t he vet. Our daughter moved into K itt y’s Room. She read him books. She carr ied him, pet h im, br ushed h im, brought h im fresh water. She told us which books he liked and which books he didn’t care for, when he put his paw on the pages and when he shut his eyes and began snoring. Kelly and I checked on them each night, before heading to bed ourselves. Each night, Kitty Boy was curled up alongside our daughter’s bent knees, purring. Adorable. Our hearts danced.

Finally, we made it to the vet (thank you, Kelly) three days in. K itty Boy received his f irst booster shot and tested posit ive for F I V, a t y pe of fel ine HIV. Our post-Pride week became tumultuous, pregnant w it h dec i s ion s a nd mea su red conver sat ion s , re search and reversals. We learned that kittens under six months old can test false positive if their mothers’ antibodies are still present, and the rate of false positives among kittens is somewhere between 30% and 60%. We could have him re-tested in a couple months. But by then, our little girl may have stitched him a pair of daisy-petal trousers and written him into her memoir. Could we risk it? We just lost my stepmom at Christmas. Was it fair to mention that in the course of conversat ion? The thing is, if he truly is FIV-positive, then he and our feisty grown cat may pose a rea l danger to one anot her – and we’ve been advised to never let him out the pet door, which is literally sawed into the side of our house.

We decided for now to “foster” the kitten - Johnny - and have him re-tested in two months. If he tests positive again, we will try to f ind him a new home.

Our daughter understands about foster parenting, f inding a new home, and forever families. We know that if we can’t keep him, it will break her heart, and ours. But today, we will love him and play with him, feed him and draw him into a l l our pictures. We began introducing him to our two dogs last week.

We can’t let this Parade pass us by. We have to take the risk, because in two months, maybe Johnny’s test will come back negative. Then we can make him our Forever Kitty. Won’t that be cause for celebration?

Maybe we’ll go out for ice cream.

O v e r t he p a s t s e v e r a l mont h s Seth’s Law has raised an important discussion about the need to help schools protect L GBT st udents and other vulnerable youth from bul ly ing. W hile Ca lifornia a lready prohibits school harassment, schools often do not have t he t o ol s or k now le d g e t o a d equately protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students and others from bully ing, which remains a serious issue across the state and t he rest of t he nat ion.

Students, parents, and school employees often do not k now what the rules are or what to do if bullying occurs.

In a recent national survey, nine out of ten LGBT students reported being harassed at school. The problem persists in California as well, with LGBT students reporting sig nif icant harassment. The Ca l i for n i a Sa fe S chool s C oa l ition reported in 2010 that 42% of California students who identify a s lesbia n, g ay or bi sex ua l a nd 62% who identify as transgender reported being harassed at least once.

Accord i ng to t he Ca l i for n ia Healthy Kids Survey, 27% of student s who repor ted ha ra ssment based on actual or perceived sexua l or ientat ion said they missed school at least one day during the past 30 because they felt unsafe.

Increased truancy rates lead to a lack of funding for schools.

Besides truancy, the consequences of bullying and harassment can

include falling grades, depression, and risk of suicide. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth are four times more likely than their heterosexual peers to attempt suicide. “ Bu l ly i ng ca n have ser ious a nd tragic consequences, particularly for students who are lesbian, gay, bi s e x u a l or t r a n s g ender,” s a id Ca roly n L aub, execut ive d i rector of Gay- Straight A lliance Network . “ We must t a ke proact ive steps to ensure that Ca lifor nia’s schools are safe for every student.

S et h’s L aw w i l l pr ov id e c r it i ca l suppor t for st udent act iv ists i n Gay- St r a ight A l l i a nce c lubs across the state working to make their schools safer.”

“Children should never fear going to school, and yet that is the daily reality for thousands of California students who face relentles s h a r a s sment a nd bu l ly i ng,” said National Center for Lesbian R ights E xecut ive Director K ate Kendell. “We must do everything we can to address the root causes of bu l ly ing a nd create inclusive a nd r es p ec t f u l s c ho ol env i r on ments.”

“When schools have the resources to protect young people who are bullied or harassed, it greatly affects the psychological wellbeing of a l l students, includ ing LGBT students,” said David McFarland, interim executive director of The Trevor P roject . “ W hen pa s sed , S et h’s L aw w i l l help encourage a safer and healthier school environment, benef itting all California youth.”

“Public schools have tremendous power and responsibilit y to protect st udent s from bu l ly i ng a nd harassment,” said Elizabeth Gill, staf f attorney w ith the ACLU of California. “Better school procedures and policies to prevent and address bullying will make a safer environment for students who are suf fering.”

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BAY   T IM ES JULY 14, 2011 7

A Better Life

A Few Steps Away

By Linda Kay Silva For the f irst 10 years of my teachi ng ca reer I had a quote i n t he f r ont of t he r o om f r om Hen r y Ford wh ich read “ I f you t h i n k you can do it or can’t do it, you’re right.” I still believe the applicabi l it y of t h is quote in our l ives.

I k now t hat it i s nea rly i mpos sible to teach people who don’t believe in themselves. While this might appear to be an oversimpl i f ic at ion of how we c ompor t ourselves in the world, it is nonet heles s t r ue. People who m a ke their dreams come true do so because they not only believe in the dream, but also in the dreamer.

I e vent u a l l y c h a n g e d out t h at quote to one which now hangs in my home. “It costs you not h ing to dream and everything not to.”

Okay, so I may be a quote nerd.

I’m okay with that. I can af ford to be okay with that because many of my dreams have come true and this is why I am sharing this with you today: it is important to pay it forward and help others realize their dreams as well.

We l ive i n a s o c iet y t h at do e s ever ything it can to squelch our dreams and ambitions. We have one of t wo choices. We ca n a llow that to happen or we can bow our necks and push forward, powered by our belief, our ability, our hopes, and our dogged determination. How badly do you want to live your best life? Are you willing to g ive up past fa i lures and stop listening to the naysayers, of whom there are plent y? Because bel ieve it or not, a l l t hat rea l ly requires is a change of think ing a nd a new at t it ude. Too of ten,

we hold so tightly to our failures that we are incapable of grasping potential successes. When I f irst started reading The Secret, I rea l ized t hat someone had f ina l ly put into words the attitude w ith which I approached my own life.

It had a na me! It was now i n a format that I could share with my daughters and my friends and my family. It summed up a lifetime of succeeding often against all odds, and it enabled me to synthesize it in such a way that I could share it with as many people as possible.

It’s one thing to read positive aff irmations every day, but it’s another thing ent irely to live your life as if your dreams are within ar m’s reach. The f irst t hing my family and I did was to create a

vision board. A vision board can be anything you want it to be, but the purpose of it is for you to see on a daily basis the way you want to be in the world, the goals you want to ach ieve, t he places you w ish to go, a nd t he t h i ng s you dream of having. On my f irst vision board, I had dif ferent kinds of watches and clocks because I wa nted my t i me to be my ow n.

I d id n’t k now at f i r st what t h is would look like--I just knew that I wanted the f lexibility to be able to write my novels and to travel.

Less than two years after the creat ion of my f irst v ision board, I became an online literature profe s s or w it h t he f le x ibi l it y a nd freedom to allow me to do both of those things that had only been a dream. Ever y day, I would look

at the v ision board taped to my medicine cabinet and I would see and be reminded of those things t hat I w i shed to see happen i n my world. Remember, i f we ack nowledge t hat ever y t h ing ever i nvented, created , or ma nu factured by mankind was a thought f i r st, t hen we have to ack nowledge how incredibly powerful our thoughts are. Once we realize the transformative nature of our own thoughts, once we realize that we can actua l ly har ness t his power to brighten our lives, we can beg in to be the change we w ish to see in the world.

S o, t he f i r st t h i n g we need t o do is to rearrange our think ing.

This is not about think ing posit ively, though that doesn’t hurt.

T h i s i s ab out put t i n g out i nto the universe on a daily basis the good things you want to happen in your life. This isn’t just about g et t i n g t h i n g s - - t h i s i s ab out making your interior monologue manifested in your external way of l iv i ng. Here’s a n ex a mple of t he L aw of At t ract ion i n someone’s l i fe: My c ou s i n , K r i st i n , came to my rad io show and decided after the f irst two programs that she was done talk ing about open i ng her ow n cater i ng business, and was going to start taking steps, however small, toward ma k ing t hat a rea l it y. She took it of f of the thought path and beg a n mov i ng towa rd t he rea l it y of it. In less than four weeks, she had more orders t han she k new what to do w it h. She, too, i s a teacher who has a lways wa nted to travel. Teacher pay being what it is she k new she needed to do something else in order to create her travel fund. The next t h ing we knew, she was spending part of her summer in Italy. When we looked at her f irst v ision board, we saw cupcakes and cookies next to the Roman Coliseum. By putting those thoughts out there on a daily basis she was actually able to make two of her dreams come true. By believing in herself and believ ing in her abi lit y to ma ke her world what she wanted it to be, Kristin is now living her life to the fullest and feels as if she is only a few steps away from living her best life.

What steps would you like to be ta k ing on t he pat h toward your best life? Remember… it’s just a thought away.

Mayor Lee Appoints Three to Redistricting Task Force The reported increase in populat ion, however, wa s not un i for m among t he 11 super v isor ia l d istricts.

The Director of Elect ions made t he deter m i nat ion t hat t he d is t r i c t s mu s t b e r e d r aw n . T he B oa rd of Super v isor s convened t he R e d i s t r i c t i n g Ta s k For c e , which w ill consist of nine member s. T he M ayor, t he B oa rd of Super v i sor s , a nd t he E lect ion s Commission each appoint t hree members.

By Dennis McMillan M ayor E d w i n M . L e e h a s a n nounced t he appoint ment of Myong Leigh, Sonia Melara, and M a r i l y Mond eja r t o t he n i ne member body of t he Sa n Fr a ncisco Redistricting Task Force to determine how the super v isor ial district lines should be redrawn.

“The Census has shown the population of San Francisco grown, a nd cha nges to ou r vot i ng d i s t r ic t s mu s t a d e q u a t e l y r e f l e c t our communit ies and our Cit y,” said Mayor Lee. “Leigh, Melara, and Mondejar all will bring valuable community involvement and ex per ience to t he Red ist r ict i ng Task Force that will have lasting impacts on our residents and our City.”

Ever y ten years, the federal government conducts a census to de8 BAY TIMES JULY 14, 2011

termine the number of individuals living in the United States. After the census is completed, the City Charter requires the Director of E lect ions to deter m i ne whet her t he e x i s t i n g s u p er v i s or i a l d i s tricts meet the legal requirements established by federal, state, and loca l law. I f t he ex ist i ng superv isor ial distr icts no longer comply with these legal requirements, the Charter requires the Board of Super v isors to convene a Redistricting Task Force to redraw the super v isor ia l d ist r ict l ines. T he process of red raw ing t he supervisorial district lines is known as redistricting.

The total population in San Francisco reported in the 2010 Census is 805,235. The Census data indicates that San Francisco’s popu lat ion added 28 , 502 resident s, a 3.7% increase, from t he 20 0 0 Census count of 776,733 people.

Myong L eigh is t he Deput y Superintendent for Policy and Oper at ion s for t he Sa n Fr a nc i s co Unif ied School District (SFUSD), overseeing most non-inst r uct ion a l op er at ion s t h at s upp or t SF USD schools. L eigh has been a SF USD st a f f member since Aug ust 20 0 0 a nd has ded icated his career in public education to seek ing adequate school funding and creating conditions for educators to do their best work with students and families. Prior to his work with SFUSD, Leigh was the Budget Director for t he Distr ict of Columbia P ubl ic Schools for two years and was a f inancial adv isor to st ate a nd loca l gover nments on capital facilities f inanci ng a nd budget i ng. L eigh hold s a Masters in Publ ic Pol icy from H a r v a r d Un i v e r s i t y ’s J o h n F. Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Sonia Melara is the Executive Director of Rally Family Visitation

Ser vices of Saint Francis Memor i a l Hos pit a l. Mel a r a h a s over 30 years of management exper ience i n t he non-prof it a nd forprof it sectors. She is a partner of CommuniQue: Management and C o m mu n ic a t ion s C on s u lt a nt s , a f irm founded in 1990 to ser ve t h e m a n a g e m e nt a n d m a r k e ting needs of for-prof it and nonprof it organizations. Melara also serves on the part-time faculty of San Francisco State Universit y’s S chool of S oc ia l Work . Mela r a ha s ser ved a s E xecut ive D i rector of the San Francisco Department on t he St at u s of Women, w he r e s he i m ple me nt e d m ajor i n it iat ives on domest ic v iolence f u nd i ng for prevent ion, educ a t ion, a nd t r a n s it ion a l ser v ices.

Melara is co-founder of California’s f irst shelter for survivors of domest ic v iolence, L a Ca sa De Las Madres. She is presently the Vice President of the San Francisco Hea lt h Com m ission. Mela ra holds a Bachelor of Arts and Masters degree in Social Work from San Francisco State University.

Mar ily Mondejar is President of t he Fi l ipi na Women’s Net work , the non-prof it professional associat ion for women of Phi l ippine a n c e s t r y l i v i n g i n t he Un it e d States. Mondejar is a senior business leader with 25 years of global ex per ience a s a n ent repreneu r, st r at eg i st , a nd a d v i s or t o Fort u ne 50 0 org a n i zat ion s i nc lud ing Cemex, Siebel (Oracle), and Webex (Cisco). She adv ised executives on leadership and career derailment issues, and consulted on cor por ate i m a g e st r ateg ies ,

me r g e r i m p l ic a t ion s , s c e n a r io planning, and how to ma x imize performance, through work with execut ive teams, a l l iance-bui ldi ng, a nd i nter- cu lt ura l com mun ic at ion s . Mondeja r s er ve s on non-prof it boa rd s a nd com m is sions including the Friends of the S a n Fr a nc i s c o C om m i s s ion on the Status of Women, Leadership Ca l i for n ia , Sweat f ree P rocu re ment Adv i sor y Group, a nd t he Ju st ice a nd C ou r a ge O ver s ight Pa nel. Mondeja r ea r ned bot h a Bachelor’s and Master’s deg rees in organization development and leadership from New Col lege of Ca l i for n ia a nd publ ic relat ions g raduate cour sework at G olden G at e Un i v er s it y. S he h a s a l s o completed doctora l course work in organ izat iona l psycholog y at A lliant International University.

These three Mayoral appointees will join the nine member Redistricting Task Force and work with C it y s t a f f a nd out s ide c on s u l tants. As part of this process, the Red i st r ict i ng Ta s k Force hold s mult iple communit y hear ings to receive input from the people of San Francisco. Throughout t h is process and based on communit y input, t he Red istr ict ing Task Force w i l l ma ke severa l cha nges to t he ex i st i ng super v i sor ia l d istr ict l ines. The Red istr ict ing Task Force must present a f ina l plan outlining the new supervisorial district lines to the Board of Supervisors in April 2012.

BAY T IM ES JULY 14, 2011 9

Arts & Entertainment Pa ssi ng St ra nger s – Fi l m

by A r t hu r J. Bressa n , Jr.: Two men meet through a persona l ad in t he Bay A rea Rep or t er, a nd a n i nt en s e r e l a t ion s h i p b e g i n s . S ome wher e bet ween gay por n and ar t f ilm, this extremely rare work combi nes ex pl ic it scenes a nd e lement s of t end er ne s s ( l i ke hold i n g h a nd s a nd a mor ou s court ing) general ly lack ing in more graphic f ilms of the time.

Director Arthur J. Bressan, Jr. went on to m a ke sever a l key (non - p or n) f i l m s i n t he h i s tor y of gay cinema, includ ing Gay USA and Abuse. Thursday, July 28th at 7:30 pm. $6 $ 8. Yerba Buena Center For The Arts, 701 Mission St., SF. Tickets: zvents.com.

THEATER wh atever you w a nt to sh a re.

M u s i c i a n s , o n e s o n g. P r o s e w r iter s: t hat 's about t wo a nd a ha lf double spaced pages of prose. Wonder Dave is a writer and performer from Minneapolis M N. He’s toured the countr y per forming at poetr y venues, schools, cabarets, science f iction conventions, burlesque shows and bowl ing a l leys. He was the recipient of the Jerome Fou ndat ion’s Ver ve g ra nt for s poken word a r t i st s i n 20 07.

Wed, Ju ly 20, 7:30 pm. Magnet , 4122 18t h St , SF. I n fo: magnetsf.com.

Sa n Fra ncisco Si lent Fi l m Festival: The 16th Annual SF Si lent F i l m Fest iv a l feat u r es eighteen wonder f u l prog ra ms of new discoveries and restorat ions, w it h extraord inar y live musical accompaniment by top musicians in t he f ield. O peni ng N ight , 7pm, Upst rea m a c c ompa n ie d by t he D on a ld Sosin Ensemble. 9:15pm, Sunrise, accompanied by Giovanni Spinelli on solo electric guitar.

Thurs., July 14 – Sun., July 17.

Castro Theater, 429 Castro St, SF. S ee website for complete show l i st i ng s: c a st rot heater. com.

T he Meat rack: Shot most ly on the mean streets of San Francisco, this is a gritty, brooding tale of a bisexual hustler who’ll g o t o b e d w it h a n y m a n or woman who of fers him enough money a nd sex ua l k ic k s. Us ing both sexploitation and art f ilm aesthetics, The Meatrack is an essential and compelling ar t ifact of pre-hardcore adult cinema. Directed by R icha rd Sto c k t on ( M ic h a e l T hom a s).

Friday, August 5th at 7:30 pm. $ 6 - $ 8 . Yerba Buen a C enter Luscious Live!: East Bay live For The Arts, 701 Mission St., music dance party. You do love to dance, so join them for the SF. Tickets: zvents.com. f irst Luscious Live! Dance feaMa rga Gomez's "Not Get- t u r i ng l ive music by t he best t ing A ny Younger:" A com- of t he Bay A rea's per for mers. edy about lies, vanity, and the T he a ma zi ng Stepha n ie Teel good old days. Marga’s story be- Band and t he fabu lous Mar ia gins in a dairy cow’s boudoir in Stanford of The Battlin' Bluethe Bronx and hurtles towards birds are joining w it h B. A .D. a Forever 21 store in downtown Productions to introduce LusSan Francisco. Lauded for her cious L ive! A r r ive ea rly a nd honesty as an out gay comedian enjoy pr e - e vent menu s e le c before it was safe to do so, she t ions from Rooster s’ k itchen. has actua l ly been a master of Friday, July 29th, 8 -11:30 pm. decept ion in other ways. Now Rooster s, 170 0 Clement Ave, t he c a gey monolog i st u nbu r- A lameda. d e n s her s e l f a nd br i n g s her riskiest revelation to the stage The 37th A nnual Midsumbecause Marga Gomez is “Not mer Mozart Festival: OverGetting Any Younger.” Thurs- t u r e t o " I d o m e n e o ," K . 3 6 6 day, July 14th, 8 pm. $15-$50. P ia no Concer to No. 26 i n D, T he M a r sh: M a r sh T heater " C o r o n a t i o n" K . 5 37 " C h' i o Upstairs, SF. Info: 415 - 826 - mi scordi di te," K.505 for so5750. Tickets: 415 -282-3055 pra no, pia no a nd orchest ra – Christina Major, soprano, and or cliqn.com.

Jon Nakamatsu, piano. "Ruhe "Desperate BUT NOT Seri- s a n f t ," f r om " Z a ide," K . 3 4 4 ous:" One Night On ly Com- – C h r i s t i n a M ajor, s o pr a no e d y E v e n t ! Q u e e r c o m e d i a n Symphony No. 36 in C "Linz," Dav id Hawk i n s comes to t he K .42 5 . Under t he bat on of i nt i mate set t i ng of T he Deco M a e s t r o C le v e, t he Fe s t i v a l L ou n g e for a o n e - n i g ht- o n l y presents a critically-acclaimed stand-up comedy event. "Des- summer concert season featurperate But Not Serious"is a one ing renowned international soman comic look at the state of loists as wel l as d ist ing uished the world as only David cantell local artists, with a dedication it. David's dark and subversive to fresh and intel l igent interw it w i l l t a ke on subject s l i ke pret at ion of t he work of t h i s t hedeat h of El izabet h Taylor, most enduring and universally handicapped Barbie dolls, the loved composer. Sout h Bay M i c h a e l Ja c k s o n d e a t h h o a x Ju ly 14, 8:0 0PM – Ca l i for n ia and his complete ignorance of Theatre. San Jose East Bay female anatomy (or as he call- Ju ly 15, 8:0 0PM – First Cons i t . . . L a d y Va - G a g a) a m o n g gregational Church, Berkeley. ma ny ot hers in a show where Nor t h Bay - Ju ly 16 , 6:0 0PM no topics areforbidden and no – Gundlach Bundschu Winery, pr i soner s a re t a ken. Fr id ay, Sonoma (outdoors). San FranJu ly 29 t h , 9 pm. $5. Deco cisco - July 17, 3:00PM – Herbst L ou n g e, 510 L a rk i n St ., SF. Theatre, San Francisco. July 14-17th. Info: midsummermoTickets: eventbrite.com. zart.org or 415-627-9141.

Smack Dab featuring Wonder Dave at Magnet: Smack A froSolo A rts Festival: San Dab open mic hosted by Larry- Francisco’s award-winning Afb ob Rob er t s a nd K i rk Re a d roSolo Theatre Company presWonder Dave joins us as fea- ents its 18t h annua l A froSolo tured performer. If you'd like A r t s Fest iva l, celebrat i ng A fto per for m at t he op en m ic , r ican A mer ican ar t ists g iv ing ple a s e br i n g f ive m i nut e s of voice to the Black experience.

10 BAY T IMES JULY 14, 2011

The Verona Project at Cal Shakes: Two Perspectives on a New Shakespeare Production

Shakespearean Trouser Roles Modernize at Cal Shakes

P H OT O S C O U RT E S Y O F T H E C A L I F O R N I A S H A K E S P E A R E

HOT TICKETS

The cast of Cal Shake’s Verona Project in Orinda mix rock and roll with a Shakespearean classic.

Theater Review A lbert Goodw yn Secret gay marriage adds a contemporary element to Cal Shakes’ world prem iere ( Ju ly 9) of T he Verona Project, a musical adaptat ion of Wi l liam Sha kespeare’s early Sixteenth Century play The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

T h i s pl ay uses t he Ba rd’s l i nes from his commonplace tale of unrequited love and mistaken ident it y, but add s homosex ua l love a nd music. T h is v ibra nt updating mixes in sex-role confusions, both deliberate and uncovered, to the original stor y of cross dress-

ing. And it’s all set to a versatile rock band. The words of the story d r ive t he plot a nd t he music is largely incidental, but the ensemble of eight versat ile per formers

This vibrant updating mixes in sex-role confusions, both deliberate and uncovered, to the original story of cross dressing.

enact mu lt iple characters wh i le singing belt-out f lawlessly.

In the orig inal play, two friends f r om s m a l l - t ow n It a l y pl a n t o travel to the big city. That would be M ilano, where they meet the fea r some D u ke (Ada m Ya zbeck who also plays accordion and piano). Shakes’ characters Proteus and Valentine also will be searching for their love interests. In this version, Proteus ( Dan Clegg) must decide between his love for Julia (A r wen A nder son) a nd h i s lu st for Valentine ( Nate Trinrud, who also plays sax). She sees Proteus and Thur ia both wooing Sylv io.

(continued on page 13)

When Rock and Roll Meets Shakespeare at Cal Shakes Theater Review Dr. Annette Lust Whether or not the blending of a Rock and Roll band with a Shakespeare play can prove to be harmonious is still in question for this reviewer, but The Verona Project, is, without doubt, an audacious attempt to fuse contemporary popular music with classical theatre. With vim and vitality, this troupe of young musicians, singers, and actors dive in from the outset, inciting us to join the band and flow with the music, songs and dialogue.

And it is the beautifully interpreted songs that are the very key to the development of the dramatic action, loosely based on Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona.

The music, singing, and acting are well performed by the band of eight musicians/actors/ with Arwen Anderson giving an outstanding rendering as Julia, who dynamically moves the action forward when it drags.

Sets (Daniel Ostling) consist mainly of props utilized in a space in front of the band of musicians with some of the action on a mound and ladder stage left and right. Costumes, consisting of casual current attire, are by Melissa Torchia and lights by David Lee Cuthbert.

If, as is stated in the title of this piece, we understand that we are witnessing

a project set forth for consideration, we more willingly accept weaknesses

and watch all this - It’s like a play!”

in the production. The piece, although in need of trimming, is presented as a playful tongue in cheek improvisation on the flighty aspects of friendship and love. It is performed in a very straightforward, simple, and naïve manner, purposely amateur-like and innocent.

The props, a jagged door frame for a door, two old cans for telephones, and a ladder for a tree, which one would expect to see in an amateur school play, provoke laughter. The more the dramatic action progresses, the more the company has fun playing up and openly jeering the complex relationships between Proteus, Valentine, Silvio, and Julia. At one point Sylvio’s financee Thuria (Elena Weight) tells one of the other actors ‘Let’s sit down

The production - which is still workshopping itself - will be more amusing and meaningful after traimming.

One of its strengths is the modesty and earnestness with which the rock and rollers throw themselves into this bold attempt to meet Shakespeare through their own contemporary musical vein.

Dan Clegg as Proteus and Arwen Anderson as Julia in Cal Shakes' world premiere production of The Verona Project

T he Ver on a P r ojec t c ont i nues through July 31at Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way. (formerly 100 Gateway Blvd.), Orinda, California.

Tickets ($35 to $66) are available online at calshakes.org or by phone at 510.548.9666.

ARTS

Four Artists Express a Thin Line at Visual Aid Exhibition Art Review Sister Dana Van Iquity

T he l ate a r t i st/ act iv i st/w r iter Dav id Wojnarow icz once w rote, “There’s a thin line between the i n s id e a nd t he out s id e; a t h i n line between thought and action; and t hat l ine is simply made up of blood and muscle and bone.”

The works in t he latest show by Visual A id on the 9th f loor of 57 Post Street are historical reminder s of t he A mer ica n ex per ience of this thin line in the early years of A IDS. Wojnarowicz, who died of A I DS in 1992, is represented by t hree pieces includ ing h is most fa mous, “Fa l l ing Buf fa lo,” t he st un n i ng i mage of t hree bison stampeding over a clif f. The work is in reality a photograph of a diorama, and the toy-like qualit y of t he piece m i ngles a spect s o f h o r r o r a n d i n t i m a c y. T h i s “rise and fall and impending disaster” theme f inds expression in two other Wojnarowicz pieces on display. A Dow Jones chart is superimposed on a map of America, por trayed w ith a br ight red target; and a journal entr y describi ng yea r s of homophobic abu se becomes a r age-f ueled i nca nt ation written over two underwater huma n f ig ures. Wou ld t hat t h is rev iewer had the opportunit y to interview the artist.

For t unately, Ph i l ip Zimmer man is alive and was able to speak with Bay Times. Zimmerman’s assemblage, “James Ba ldw in L ecture” ( it s work i n g t it le) f u nc t ion s a s both archive and memor ial. Encased in Plex iglas, a large book f i l led w it h gold-hued Polaroids, love letters, and other ephemera relat ing to h is late par t ner, t h is work resembles something found in a mag ician’s cabinet. F lanked on eit her side by paper-t h i n element s del icately pi n ned to t he w a l l , Z i m m e r m a n’s w o r k i s a w idower’s constellation of reveries and memories - an eerie homage to T he One f irst found and f inally lost.

From the East Village, Zimmerman moved back to San Francisco w it h his par tner, A l lan St inson, w ho m he h a d me t i n N YC i n 19 8 4. I n t he 19 9 0 's , Z i m merman ex hibited bot h here and in Oregon, being represented by the Jamison-Thomas Gallery in Portland until it closed in 1996 following the death of William Jamison of A I D S . I n S a n Fr a nc i s c o i n late 1989, he bega n work i ng on a piece ca l led “Document: Map t h r ou gh Pa ndemon iu m .” C ombining the cities of Portland, San Francisco, and New York, he conceived of a map of this conf lation a nd lo c at i n g poi nt s of s p ec i f ic events on the grid, tying them to pieces of ephemera, which he calls “ev idences” col lected in his d ifferent existences within those urban “realities.” He clarif ies, “The ev idences were t h i ng s l i ke pho tos found abandoned in my stolen truck upon its retrieval in N YC;

PHOTO BY SIST ER DANA VAN I QUI T Y

Now through Aug. 31, the works of t h r ee l iv i n g a r t i st s a nd one decea sed a re on d i s pl ay i n t he galler y of Visual A id, an organizat ion suppor t ing ma kers of ar t st r uggl i ng w it h l i fe t h reaten i ng illness. The exhibition is entitled “A T h i n L i ne: E xt i nct ion, Su rv i v a l , Tr a n s for m a t ion” a n d i s curated by Visual A id Executive Director Julie Blankenship.

Artist Daniel Goldstein and Visual Aid Executive Director Julie Blankenship at the opening of the exhibition at the Visual Aid gallery.

of f icial documents relating to the death of my f irst friend to die of A IDS in 1986; hand-written signage advertising ‘Slow Blow Jobs’ and ‘Homeless/ A I DS;’ a newscl ippi ng about a n acqua i nt a nce d r o w n i n g o f f t he p i e r s i n t he Hud son R iver wh i le at tempt i ng to rescue an attempted suicide; a photo-portrait of my friend w ith t er r ible d i s f i g u r i n g K S on h i s nose, etc.” He says he signed it by including his Museum of Modern Art photo ID. He e x p l a i n s h i s t e c h n i que: “ I have always collected things, and after many years in the business a s a pa r t-t i me a nt iques restorer, I have shar pened my eye for subtleties of surface, form, color, and patina. I sort, interpret, construct, reassemble meaning from various clues lodged within found objects, discovered signif iers, and lost treasures.”

the images. A lot of the more diff icult work to photograph hasn’t yet been documented. But the descriptive statements for each sect ion t a l k about my development - the way I’ve seen my progression in life - as an artist.” He adds, “It is a long jou r ney f rom t here to here, standing in front of the work titled, ‘James Baldwin Lecture.’”

Beg un in 199 0, “James Ba ldw in L ect ure,” one of a ser ies of ten works he calls “Discussions” that h ave t a ken for m i n bi nder s , i s the most directly personal, being about h i s ten-yea r rel at ion sh ip w ith his partner, A l lan St inson, a nd t he v a r iou s dy n a m ic s t h at c a me to pl ay i n t hei r rel at ionsh ip. T hese i ncluded homopho bia - both internal and external - racism, socio-economic imbala n c e s ( h e w a s Ya l e - e d u c a t e d )

a nd l a st ly, t he i mpact of H I V/ A IDS as it surrounded them, ult i mately t a k i ng St i nson on Ju ly 19, 1994. The work contains personal ephemera: love-letters, photog r aph s , d r aw i ng s , docu ment s such as his last unf inished journal and a death certif icate. He says, “ I see it as, rat her t ha n con fes sion or revelation, an understanding, a testament to growth and the power of Fierce Love in the face of what [at the time] felt like everything arrayed against it and as a release from the terrible guilt I had as a survivor.”

He s ay s he w a s i n it i a l l y he s i tant to put forth such a personal piece. “Fear fu l, even,” he adds.

“But because of the vision of Julie Blankenship and how she saw t he ex h ibit ion com i ng toget her - t hrough her gent le encourage-

ment, I agreed. In the long run I realized there would be no better env ironment: surrounded by the works of my friend, David Wojnarow icz and t he work of Dan iel Goldstein, one of which I might we l l h ave worke d on my s e l f ( I used to be a studio assistant when he w a s f abr ic at i n g t he le at her pieces) a nd t he elega nce of David King.” Note: Both artists will be reviewed in coming Bay Times articles. He continues, “It is absolutely the right time and place.

T he welcom ing suppor t of Ju l ie and Kyle and Patr icia at Visua l A id helped m a ke t h i s pos s ible.

I a l so must ment ion t hat a few mont hs ago I took t he work out to revisit it and asked my friend, the artist Dav id Max im, to help me g a i n some object iv it y about this work. He reviewed the piece a nd over t he c ou r s e of s e ver a l discussions helped me to attain a comfort level about a possibilit y of future exhibition. I initially began the review because I was concer ned t hat if somet hing shou ld happen to me, the work would be lost, and I felt it was too important to let that happen.”

When asked what he wanted people who view his art to come away feel i ng, he re pl ies , “ I l i ke t h i s quest ion, bec ause it a s k s about feel ing - not t hin k ing. This was somet hing A l lan a lways pointed out to me. He would say, ‘I didn’t ask what you thought. I want to k now what you feel.’” Zi m merma n says, “ I l i ke feel i ng t hat a lot of the information is ‘unavailable.’ Some of it, being very persona l, I a m not ready to revea l at t h is t i me. S ome t h i ng s don’t

He cla i ms a lot of col lect i ng a nd sor t i ng is i nvolved, w it h a r r ay s of objec t s - s ome s eem i ng to have more mea n i ng t ha n ot her s. “ I keep t he object s a nd u s e t hem i n lo o s e a s s o c i at ion s i n it ia l ly. O ver t i me, t he g roup ings of objects and informat ions tighten and are ref ined. Meaning is tweaked through juxtaposition and a lterat ion. W hen an opport un it y to ex h ibit present s it sel f, somet imes after many years, the work is k i nd of ‘ bi r t hed’ i nto a specif ic and solidif ied form.” He says this lasts for the duration of the ex hibit. Then the pieces are dis-assembled, stored, and re-organized. Some of the pieces (the intr insica l ly va luable frag ments) he says get sold to pay bills, and t hus t he con f ig urat ion changes: “ Ne w t h i n g s a r r i ve; ne w r e a l i zat ions a re a r r ived at; a nd t he work progresses.” He says, “The way I work at this point has become largely opportunistic in that much of the mater ial manifestation of it depends on what crosses my pat h a nd engages me i n t he living of my life. This makes the work much less manneristic than my earl ier work - much less dependent on a n a r t precedent . I like to think it is more informed w ith a life-based narrative - less fantastical but still infused with a sense of the marvelous, the mystical.”

H is message to ar t v iewers? “ Somet i mes I feel l i ke a sorcerer, and sometimes the poet. I’m probably a bit of both.”

To get a good sense of the range i n for m a nd m ater i a l s t h at h i s work covers, he of fers his website: ph i l ipchr ist ianzimmer man.com, commenting, “It is currently a bit decrepit , a nd t here a re no cap tions or dimensions available for BAY T IM ES JULY 14, 2011 11

FILM

Billy Elliot The Movie Comes To Castro Theatre For One Night Only

Billy Elliot movie (2000) starred Jamie Bell as the would-be dancer from a rugged town in Northern England.

Film Review Sister Dana Van Iquity Fi r st ca me t he mov ie; t hen t he musical play; and now the movie again. Celebrating the San Francisco arrival of the Tony Awardw inning musica l that opened in London, and then New York, the Cast ro T heat re, i n conjunct ion w it h t he Shorenstein Organizat ion, is present ing a special one night showing of the f ilm on July 18 featuring a score by Sir Elton John.

P r e c e d i n g t he s how i n g of t he f i l m, t he aud ience w i l l be able to meet a nd g r eet memb er s of the cast from the play, and enjoy tr iv ia and w in pr izes, includ ing a chance to see Billy Elliot: The Musical at the Orpheum Theatre.

Don’t forget to br ing your cameras, and your tutus too, because

t h i s i s one even i ng mov iegoer s won’t want to miss.

On Monday, July 18 at the Castro Theatre, t he box of f ice w i l l open at 6 p.m. At 6:30 pm begins t he Meet a nd Greet of some of t he ca st from t he musica l play.

At 7 p.m. Billy Elliot, the movie, screens star r ing Jam ie Bel l and Julie Walters as the ballet teacher. It is a 2000 British drama f ilm written by Lee Hall and directed

by Stephen Daldry, set in the f ict iona l tow n of "Ever i ng ton" i n t he rea l Cou nt y D u rha m, U K .

Jam ie Bel l plays an 11 year old boy whose inadvertent encounter with a dance class takes him outside of his harsh life in an English m i n i ng tow n. Some queer g uys m i ght r e l at e to Bi l ly ’s pa r ent s fearing he will become a poofter if he takes ballet.

A lso at 9:05 p.m. there will be a rare screen ing of 5,0 0 0 Fingers of Dr. T, a 1953 classic running 89 m i nutes on 35m m. It i s t he

only feature f ilm ever written by Theodor Seuss Geisel also known as Dr. Seuss. It was d irected by R oy R ow l a nd , w it h m a ny u n cred ited ta kes actua l ly d irected b y pr o d u c e r S t a n le y K r a me r.

Young Tommy Rettig has a surreal nightmare involving his man iaca l piano teacher, played by Hans Conreid, who has plans to k id nap 1,0 0 0 ch i ld ren a nd put t hem to work bang ing t he keys.

With a script, song lyrics, and set desig n from t he h igh ly creat ive mind of Dr. Seuss, viewers will be thrown into an imag inative and colorful world.

There will be no increase in admission pr ices for this ver y special evening. Adults are $10; children under 12 and seniors 62 and over are $7.50. For infor mat ion dur i ng nor ma l operat i ng hour s du r i ng t h i s even i ng, c a l l (415) 621-6350.

(ARTISTS continued from page 11) get revealed - ever! It is like looking at a person - even your lover - t here a re t he u n k nowable a s pects.” He notes, “Even if one was to see t he ent ire piece la id- out, t here wou ld st i l l be quest ion s , st i l l t hat ‘u n k nowable’ qua l it y.

12 BAY T IMES JULY 14, 2011

There are things that will remain hidden - the task is to accept this and perhaps to understand - it is more about eng agement - relationship.” “ W hat I would most like people to feel coming away from my art

is some sense of emot iona l connection,” he concludes. “It is okay to have an emotional response to a work of art - good or bad. I’ve had both. It shows me that I am still alive.”

FOOD

THEATER

How to Thrive at Off the Grid

OMFG: Less LMAO than TTYL

Food Review

It’s Fr iday n ight, you’re 23, l iving in the big city. What’s on tap for tonight? Hot date? Drinks and dancing? You know what sounds ju s t r i g ht ? E at i n g g r e a s y fo o d made and served in of a truck! According to the organizers, Of f the Gr id (of f t heg r id s f.c om) “of fer s “ i n nov at ive loc a l st reet food… through [a] combination of technolog y a nd mobi le, sust a i nable food.” T hat sounds about r ight to me. Of f the Grid happens six days a week all summer, in various locations around the city including Fort Mason Center, Upp er H a i ght , a nd C iv ic C ent er.

You can even f ind them in Berkeley on Wednesday evenings.

I recently attended Of f the Grid at For t Mason and decided t hat in order to fully enjoy the exper ience, ever yone shou ld have a plan of attack. So, without further ado here is my “Guide on How to Thrive Of f the Grid, Fort Mason edition”: Dress Wa r m. It i s su m mer i n S a n Fr a nc i s c o a nd on a love ly Friday night it’s a pleasant 54 degrees. We all know San Francisco is known for its Indian Summers, so i f you pla n on at tend i ng Of f t he Gr id before t he “rea l” summer hits, remember to bundle up.

There’s not hing worse t han tr ying to enjoy a meal while shivering and yearning to be inside. Put on a sca r f, leave t he sa nda l s at home, and grab your winter coat.

If some of the spicy food heats you up, you can always disrobe (everyone will like that).

Scan Your Opt ions. The food t r u c k s a t Fo r t M a s o n C e n t e r a re set up i n a ci rcle w it h peo ple f lood ing t he center, wa it ing i n l i ne. W hen you a r r ive, pla nt your sel f somewhere i n t he m iddle. Look for the long lines – and don’t avoid them. They are long for a reason. See that truck with t wo people wa it ing? Sweet, t hat will be fast (and possibly also med iocre). T he l i nes move fast, so don’t be discouraged. But be sure to look around and weigh out all your options before making a decision. You don’t want to be halfway through your burrito wishing you got the egg rolls.

Don’t pu l l a ba l a nc i n g a c t .

Call me old fashioned, but I like to sit dow n wh i le I eat . I don’t

P H OT O B Y M A R GA M O R I T Z

Melissa Myers

Theater Review particularly want to be standing up, dodg ing people as they walk by a s I t r y to eat my d i n ner. A simple solution is to walk just past the outside of the trucks, opposite of t he way you ca me i n - you’l l f ind several picnic tables located i n t he back . Ta ke a seat, rela x, enjoy…

Tr uckin’ to t he Food Tr uck.

Last but not least, how do you get there? Locals of the city can easily walk or take the bus. However, if you are from out of town or just not up for taking Muni, Fort Mason Center has free parking, and shockingly enough, it’s plentiful.

W hat to eat? Now for the main entree. After having Mexican for lunch, I avoided the various taco t r uc k s a nd he a de d for Z ombie Curr y. I opted for the Pumpk in Chicken Curry and did not regret my dec i s ion. I wa s wor r ied t he pumpk in may be too sweet for a curry, but the sauce was just right.

It was creamy yet light and had a slight spicy kick to it that helped to clear the sinuses. I saved money by bringing my own water, but my friend stopped at the Satay truck next to Zombie Curr y for a g inger, pomegranate lemonade. The g u y s e l l i n g t he d r i n k s a id , “ It tastes just as complicated as the ingredients” and boy did it ever.

It was like the gum Violet Beauregard chews in Willy Wonka - you just keep tasting new f lavors, but in a good way. Order the complicated concoction if you have the extra cash for a refreshment. And for desser t? Cupca kes of course!

The Tiramisu cupcake from CupKates was the perfect mixture of soft and f luf fy while still gushing with f lavor.

myself waking up sprinting for a glass of water and an Advil. Next step, get me some food! But since I made the wise decision to eat a couple slices of pizza and nachos for dessert at 3:00 am, I’m not exactly ready for a hefty breakfast. I crave something light, delicious, and… What? I bought a round at Shanghai Kelly’s?! Cheap.

So, I head dow n to my favor ite b a k e r y, T h o r o u g h B r e a d a n d Pastr y (thoroughbreadandpastr y. com) i n t he Ca st ro, for a much needed latte and pastry. My friend Anna brought me here for the f irst time several months ago and recommended the almond croissant.

Our friend Sonia tried it f irst, and I had never had I seen her react to food with such enthusiasm, which is saying a lot, because this is the g irl that schedules her social life around eating. Now it’s my turn.

I tear of f a piece and go to take a bite… Someone ca l l Bobby F lay I think we have a “Throwdown” competitor on our hands! I don’t know how Mr. F lay could create a softer, sweeter, f lakier, or more del icate croissant t han t h is, but I’d sure like to see him try. I top it of f with a latte that has me wanting to drive out of my way to work every day to get this heavenly kick start.

Next t ime you f ind yoursel f around 14th and Church, make it a point to get a croissant and latte. And on your way out, grab a bag uette to dip in the tortilla soup you bought from Chilango across the street. You’ll be thoroughly impressed.

And speaking of baked goods…

I’l l ad m it it; I’m young and l iving in the city. I often times f ind

(VERONA, continued from page 10) But a las, Va lent i ne has a l ready eloped with Sylvio.

S i m i l a r t o t he or i g i n a l , Ju l i a d r es ses a s a m a n to g u a r d t he D u ke’s son Sylv io. Here Sylv io is a boy, not the girl from Shakes p e a r e . P r o t e u s fo r g e t s a b o u t Ju l ia when he meets Sylv io, but Julia is still there in disguise. The farcical complications resolve in a uniting of lovers.

Wr iter, c ompo s er a nd d i r ec tor A m a n d a D e h n e r t ’s r e i m a g i n ing of a Sha kespearean comedy as musica l t heat re tel ls most of t he or i g i n a l s t or y o f t he lo v e interests of young Italians and adds clever t w ists t hat Wi l l ie t he Shakes would probably have approved of.

T h e i n s t r u me nt a t i o n i n c l u d e s work s on keyboards, cel lo, uku-

lele, xylophone, and cowbell, set a g a i n st a n enc losed c yc lor a m a with projections. A scraggly band sings about a small town named True.

high soprano with some beguiling innate tonalit y. Her g uitar playi ng a nd abr upt physica l it y g ive unusual dimensions to her character.

T hese eight actor s a re t horoughly competent musicians, but the stronger ones burst through.

Fr om t he f i r st , t he vo c a l s a nd stage presence of mezzo-soprano Mar isa Duchowny dominate the st age. She has a power fu l voice she uses wel l and she a lso plays guitars and keyboards.

In t he end, by t he sea, a l l l ived happily ever after. Shakespeare’s play was a comedy; nobody dies.

T V P rema ins tr ue to Sha kes p e a r e ’s o r i g i n a l s t o r y w h i l e deftly modernizing it with musical interludes and contemporar y d i a log ue. E x pa nd i n g t he fa rce with the implications of male lovers and homophobia, the musical reshapes a repressed Elizabethan moral landscape.

Ar wen A nderson as Julia carries t he show. T he act ress is able to project a calm blend of determinat ion a nd d it zi ness. W hen she d res ses i n her fat her’s m i l it a r y coat (not a s a pa g e l i ke i n t he or ig ina l) she conv inces t he men she i s act ua l ly S eba st ia n, u nt i l she reveals herself. Her voice is a

Lily Janiak “ We’ve seen this mov ie before,” Heather (Cindy Goldf ield) sings towa rd t he end of OM FG! T he I nter net Dat ing Musica l, wh ich r u n s for one mor e we e kend at ODC Theater. So have we, but ev ident ly on ly we k now how it ends: Heather and Brandon ( Jackson Davis), having gotten to know each other through a matchmaking site and then botching their f irst in-person date, will make up with the aid of melodramatic plot cont r iva nces so a s to blud geon us over the head w ith that most child-friendly of messages: when looking for love, be yourself ! It’s t he s a me t rope Meg Ry a n a nd Tom H a n k s e st abl i s he d i n t he cutesy rom com You’ve Got Mail; OMFG, however, only dumbs the idea down.

A rom com, above all else, needs recognizable, likable characters.

We k now how the show is going to end; our pleasure derives from seeing people who are slightly better than we are react anew to the same old problems. But Heather and Brandon are too vague to be compel l i ng ; for each, book a nd lyrics writer Gavin Geof frey Dillard allows two interests, a pet, a desktop background, a day job, a dream job and the obstacle that’s t hwa r t i ng it - t idbit s he a lways reveals in pairs, evidently just to drive home the idea that the couple match, as though repeating it could give them some “e-harmony.” His songs miss cr ucia l op portunities to f lesh out the pair, la ng u ish ing instead in t iresome d i g r e s s ion s (a t u ne a b out c of fee and commute traf f ic accompa n ies t he cha racter s’ mor n i ng routines) or trite lyrics (“ life can be so complicated/romance is so overrated”). Or worse, they seek cheap laugh s w it h i ncong r uous v u lg a r it ies or g r uesome stereo t y ping (see the song that, to the t u ne of “ L a Ba mba ,” descr ibes Latinas as sporting beauty marks a nd pl at for m s on t hei r w ay t o confession). The accompany ing

music, composed and per formed by pianist Christopher Winslow, one of ODC’s per for ma nce ar ti st s -i n-res idence, i s ser v iceable but forgettable, not aided by the principals’ straining voices.

Goldf ield and Davis occasionally transcend how generic their character s a re - G old f ield w it h t he way she u nex pected ly la nd s on certain lines and Davis augmenti ng h i s cha r acter’s dork y overeager ness. But t hey get to use these comic abilities all too rarely, caught i nstead i n a n u nea sy limbo bet ween play ing the lines straight and parodying them. Director Ward’s staging further encumbers the performers, keeping them trapped behind their glowing computer screens when they should be embody ing t heir feelings. The ensemble dancers/singers ( Juliet Heller, Calia Johnson and Reggie D. White) seem to exist solely to f ill in a half-hearted set (four clusters of furniture lost at sea in a black box space) made all the more desolate by Marilee Ta l k ing ton’s i l l-conceived v ideo projections (for much of the show, t wo la rge screens dom i nate t he stage with still photographs of the leads’ bland, catalogue-ready living rooms.)

Once in a while, the show of fers a gl impse of what it m ight have been, but it never pursues its most interesting ideas - the way online a nony m it y a mpl i f ies emot iona l ups and downs; the lovelorn willing ness to be whatever your beloved wants; the very notion that relationships that exist almost exclusively as instant messages can be meaning ful - with any depth.

So even if you haven’t “seen this movie before,” OMFG might not be the version to start with.

OMFG continues ( Friday to Satu rd ay 8pm, Su nd ay 2 pm) u nt i l Ju ly 17 at OD C T heater, 3153 17th Street, San Francisco. Tickets ($15 - $18), call (415) 863-9834 or at odcdance.org - Check out Lily’s blog at http://lilyjaniak.blogspot.com/

BAY T IM ES JULY 14, 2011 13

POP ROX

FILM

By K. Cole

Frameline 2011 Showcase: 3 Extraordinary Directors

Madeleine Peyroux

“Standing On The Rooftop”

P H OT O B Y R I N K

For t he l i fe of me, ot her t h a n h e r s i l k y v o c a l , c a n’t u n d e r s t a n d t he “ jazz singer” label for M s.

Peyroux. This is def initely a trek into alternative folk along the lines of Emmylou. Might be too far for some fans, and I’d consider this a transition CD to what, who knows.

Best Cut: “The Way of All Things” Location: One time listen on the couch

Cynthia Seats, co-producer Gwynn Villegas, Veronika Cauley, director Philippe Gosselin, Peter Giovanni and Riichie Lilliard at the premiere of "The Rescue."

ruits f m o r “F s” to nut

By Rink

CASTRO

The Frameline LGBT Film Festival is over for 2011, but its best directors and their f ilms are still being discussed by the f ilmerati and people who just love t he mov ies. Document a r y f i l m ma ker Debra Chasnof f, gay romance f ilmmaker David Lewis, and gay short f ilm director Phillippe Gosselin presented some of the festival’s f inest moments.

FARMERS’

MARKET JULY EVENTS

July 20: Cookin’ The Market: Join us for cooking demos and free tasting sessions with Farmers‘ Market Chef Mario.

Eleanor Friedberger

“Last Summer”

A r t , a lt e r n a t i v e , K a t e B u s h , Tor i A mos, it’s deep u n ique voca l s f rom The Fier y Furnace’s singer on a solo out ing. T h is release just m ight keep her on her ow n a s I have a i n k l i ng this will set EF of f on a long journey towards pop icon. Dance, twirl, revel.

Best Cut: “My Mistakes” Location: Third glass of wine on the deck

July 27: Kid’s Day! Fun coloring activities and more!

WEDNESDAYS

4PM - 8PM

OPEN THRU DEC. 21 NOE ST. BETWEEN

MARKET ST. & BEAVER ST. 1.800.949.FARM • pcfma.com/castro

Nikki Jean

“Pennies in a Jar” This might be the best pop album of 2011, just in time for hot summer days Nik k i Jean delivers per fect 3 -minute sugar to a hungr y world. Clean lines, D ia na Ross tones, a nd d i rect ly r ics make this an easy listen that will leave you smiling Best Cut: “Million Star Motel” Location: Drive along Highway 1 with the top down

Academy Award-w inner Chasnof f mentioned from the stage at the Castro Theatre that her latest f ilm, A Celebration of the Life of Del Martin, is her ninth f ilm to premiere at the Castro Theatre. Del Martin was the partner of Phyllis Lyon are brilliantly depicted in the f ilm as intuitive activists, knowing when to push for ward with their lesbian, human rights, and senior issues. Their book Lesbian Woman is given the prominence that it deserves as a groundbreaking consciousraising educational tool. Chasnof f was able to capture the risk-taking, the community service, and also the fun that Martin and Lyon have provided as an inspiration for future leaders.

Dav id L ew is has infused h is newest f i lm L onghor ns w it h some of the easy going romance of his popular earlier f ilms Rock Haven and Redwoods. Longhorns may not have the sheen of the other two f ilms, but considering its home movie texture and the raw gay-on-straight sexuality in the f irst half of the f ilm, a romantic sheen would be out of place. His f ilms have a theme of timing and missed opportunities, and they should be screened together for their full visceral and primal impact. The nudity in his f ilms is not gratuitous, but natural, which is surprising compared to the panorama of gay f ilms shown at festivals.

Philippe Gosselin’s new short f ilm The Rescue drew shouts and loud laughter of pleasure as the guide at The Society for the Prevention of Cruelt y to Boy friends led an attractive man from v iew ing room to v iew ing room to check out a possible future mate wear ing just under pants. The scene was f ilmed at the famous Wag Hotel in San Francisco, which is an inter nat iona l ly k now n as the place to park your canine. Gosselin’s earlier f ilm that was shown at Frameline, The Window, is still talked about for its humor and sexual audacity. The Rescue went way beyond invent ive in its creat iv it y, g iv ing actress Cynthia Seats as the guide, and infamous actors Steven Satyricon as the bear-otter mix and Michael Soldier as the pig bottom, an opportunity to maximize their verbal and visual impact in just a few moments.

A ll three f ilmmakers surpassed themselves in their latest f ilms, and their fans are looking forward to future projects.

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“If Not Now, When?”

Fest Photos by Stacy Poulos Design by A. Driver

14 BAY T IMES JULY 14, 2011

Incubus delivers again. For those who love rock and have loved good rock for a good long time, Incubus is for you.

This expansive album full of the solid lyrics, rippling guitars and harmonies to die for we’ve come to expect from this band put this is in the must-have bin.

Best Cut: “If Not Now, When?” Location: Permanently in 5 -CD changer in the Volvo

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HAPPENINGSß

Barbara Eden Tribute at the Castro Theatre

New Yellow Brick Road Coming to the Castro

P H OT O B Y S T E V E N U N D E R H I L L

AROUND TOWN

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Barbara Eden, star of the classic 60 's comedy, “I Dream of Jeannie,” came out of the bottle, live i n p e r s on a l o n g w it h s o me o f Sa n Fra ncisco's f i nest per for mers and belly dancing superstars at the Castro Theatre on July 10.

To stage right was a 19-foot high bejeweled gen ie’s bot t le of gold that was created by Phillipe. This M iss Sa n Fra ncisco 1951 had a homecoming f it for a queen!

Producer of the magical evening, M a r c Huest i s , put tog et her a n amazing series of T V show clips featuring Eden back in the day: t here was a 1978 Bob Hope special with her singing “It’s a Miracle;” a USO spec ia l f rom 19 8 8 si ngi n g “ C ome Ba c k t o Me;” 1976 clip with Telly Savalas when she sa ng “ L et Me Be T here;” A ndy W i l l i a m s 19 6 6 s p e c i a l w h e r e she popped out of a bot t le w it h p i n k s mo k e t o s i n g “ I ’v e G o t You r Nu mber ” a nd d a nce up a sex y stor m; a 1970 USO h ippyt r i p p y d a n c e s how w it h E d e n doi ng Blood, Sweat, a nd Tea r s’ “Spinning Wheel;” a very funny, very hot 1968 USO with her sexy sing ing of “Hush Up, Don’t Tell M a ma” w it h a fa n da nce; 1976 “Sonny and Cher Show” in a duet w ith Cher;” and more. She has had a remarkable career on t he stage.

There were also classic clips from Eden’s 1965-70 television show “I Dream of Jeannie” w ith Jeannie in roles such as a nightclub singer, drummer, standup bass player, h ippy ch ick , a nd more – bl i n king her way in and out of trouble.

A lso screened was her elaborate dance production number in the mov ie, K ismet, sing ing “Not Since Nineveh.”

At la st it wa s t i me to meet t he much anticipated guest herself, as gorgeous E den gl ided dow n t he aisle dressed in chic black transluc ent t op w it h bl a c k leg g i n g s a nd look i ng ut terly fabu lous.

Huestis had really done his homework when i nt er v ie w i n g E den .

We learned a multitude of triv ia a nd t he not so t r iv ia l. Much of t he i n for mat ion ca me f rom her New York Times best-seller tellall book, Jeannie Out of a Bottle.

She said she never watched rushes of her mov ies or shows she wa s star r ing in, “ but t h is was k inda fun, because it was a while ago.”

She is proud to be born and raised in San Francisco, liv ing at 1207 Bush a nd Pol k St reet s, a nd go -

ing to Redding Grammar School, where she won a Halloween contest as Little Bo Peep in a red wig.

She said a psychic predicted she wou ld ma ke her mark in telev ision, which disappointed her, because she wanted to be a singer.

The psychic insisted it would be as a T V star f irst, then a singer and a movie star. “I didn’t realize at the time how astute she was,” said Eden. The psychic also told her to move to Los Angeles, which she did.

One of her f irst jobs was working w ith actress A nne Sothern, who she said was the only actress she ever knew who was “really mean” to her. She worked w it h Luci l le Ball two weeks after working with Sothern, who was a direct opposite in temperament, even going so far as to lovingly add sparkles to t he cost u me s he wore on “ I L ove L uc y.” E den sa id she had b een told to avoid e ye cont a c t with Desi A rnaz ( R icky R icardo on TV ), who was a real skirt chaser. “I just looked straight ahead and did my job,” she said.

Landing her role as Jeannie was a m a z i n g t o he r, b e c a u s e t he y were only testing Mediterranean look ing br unettes, but when her agent sent her a scr ipt a nd she tested well with Sidney Sheldon, she easi ly got t he role. She sa id s he never t hought whet her t he pi lot wou ld be a h it, but cost a r Larry Hagman knew it would be.

“It really was one of my favorite episodes,” she said. W hen asked about working with Hagman, she sa id he was a lways ver y n ice to her, but w it h ot hers “ he had issues” and would occasionally “act out like a little kid.” For instance, when f ive nu ns from “ T he F lying Nun” came on set, Hag man g r abbed a f i re a x , s wore ever y four letter word imaginable, and tried to cut the coaxial cable. She sa id, “It was k ind of interest ing when you work a t welve-hour or more day.” Did he smoke pot on the set? Yes, because a therapist suggested it to “mellow him out.”

She sa id she st i l l sees member s of the cast, and they got together two weeks ago in Australia.

P H OT O B Y R I N K

Barbara Eden in front of the Castro Theatre on Sunday, July 10.

The MCCSF is raising money from its sidewalk campaign to build a "yellow brick road.".

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Follow the Yellow Brick Road right into history at 150 Eureka Street, home of the Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco, which is now repaving the sidewalk in front of its historic building with personalized engraved yellow bricks for its Miracle on Eureka Street fundraising campaign.

“This is a wonderful opportunit y for LGBT people and allies to ensure their stories are written into MCCSF, LGBT, and San Francisco history,” says Senior Provisional Pastor Rev. Dr. William H. Knight.

The sidewalk campaign was born of necessity: The city ordered the church to f ix the sidewalk after overgrown tree roots burst through and broke the concrete. The church decided to turn adversity into opportunity; hence the “Miracle” campaign.

The church is inviting businesses, community groups, and individuals to pave this Yellow Brick Road with the names of activists, politicians, business leaders, allies, community members, LGBT military heroes, LGBT groups that no longer exist, loved ones, and the names of people lost to HIV/A IDS. Some bricks will be more personal, such as that of Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco member and trans-woman Lisa Stein, who is engraving her brick to say, “Lisa Marie Stein – a man for 35 years – a woman forever.”

Brick prices begin at $250 for a 4-by-8 -inch brick with three lines of text, 23 characters per line. MCCSF is a 501c3 organization, so 100 percent of donations qualify as a charitable contribution. The deadline for all brick orders is midnight, Aug. 7. Since the bricks will be permanently placed in a city sidewalk, no advertising is allowed. Orders can be made online through the MCCSF website, mccsf.org.

MCCSF has been promoting LGBT activism spirituality and social justice since 1970. It is a house of prayer for all people and a home for queer spirituality.

The evening ended appropriately with the current Miss San Francisco Crystal Lee presenting the former Miss San Francisco 1951 with a proclamat ion from Mayor Edw i n L ee dec l a r i n g it “ Ba rba r a Eden Day in San Francisco.” Eden bubbled over, “This makes me feel wonderful!”

BAY T IM ES JULY 14, 2011 15

CALENDAR

compiled by joni verstegen

THE BAY AREA’S ARTS AND EVENTS CALENDAR FOR THE GLBT COMMUNITIES

Sail away aboard the classic 78’ schooner, The Freda B. The details of the upcoming two sailings on July 15th and Aug 20th are in the calendar listings.

14 Thursday Tesia Blackburn Fine Art - In Harmony.

She’s passionate about the formal tools of art; line, shape, color, form, texture and light. The goal of her work is to capture the harmony and beauty in these seemingly simple elements and reflect that back to the viewer. June 29-Aug 16.

Reception July 14, 5:30-7pm. 2223 Restaurant, 2223 Market St, SF. RSVP mckinleyartsolutions.com.

Reading Of “HOWL” @ the Cartoon Art Museum - Join the Cartoon Art Museum for an unusual reading of Allen Ginsberg’s poem Howl, hosted by Anna Conda featuring local celebrities Supervisor Eric Mar, Dana Morrigan, James Tracy, Sunny Angulo, Dean Disaster, Carol Stewart,Dam Dyke, David Elliot Lewis, Shanice Walcott, Kegel Kater, and Marc Solomon. This is not your average poetry reading though, prepare yourselves for an inspired presentation of excerpts from Allen Ginsberg’s ground-breaking poem.

Local artists Justin Hall (Glamazonia, True Travel Tales) and Jon Macy (Teleny and Camille, Fearful Hunter) attend this event courtesy of Northwest Press and Prism Comics. Plus the talents of Carl With Records singing to your hearts content his very own beat style song styling!

Plus crafting with Some THINGS very own Haute Glue! July 14, 7-10pm.$5$100. Cartoon Art Museum, 655 Mission St, SF. Tickets: guestli.st/61995.

15 Friday Lavender Seniors Lunch Bunch Lavender Seniors of the East Bay holds a catered lunch every third Friday of the month featuring presentations on topics pertinent to LGBT seniors. FREE. 12:302:30pm at North Oakland Senior Center, 5714 Martin Luther King Jr. Way at 58th St, Oakland. Info: 510-667-9655.

Sail on Freda B Sail Classic Schooner - Step aboard San Francisco Bay’s newest addition to the sail charter fleet. Freda B is a classic schooner available for private and public sails on the San Francisco Bay. She is USCG certified and comfortable for up to 44 guests. She has been lovingly restored and is every inch a yacht. Relax and let the experienced crew take you sailing on the San

16 BAY TIMES JULY 14, 2011

Francisco Bay. Join in, hoist sail, take a turn at the helm! The crew is enthusiastic about what they do and loves to share.

Freda B is SF Bay’s sapphire gem on the San Francisco Bay. A beautiful ride aboard a beautiful sailing vessel. You’ll enjoy wine tasting with Napa Cellar Wines, assorted cheese plate and cookies too. With co-host Scott M. Walton on board for the Friday, July 15thFull Moon Sail. All are welcome! 6:30-9pm, 5pm, optional happy hour at The Blue Mermaid,6:15 all aboard, 9pm return to dock at Hyde St. Pier. Early bird $65.

Price per person includes wine tasting, selection of cheeses & crackers. Bring along additional food / beverages too, if you’d like, and there’s no additional corkage or service fee. Our boarding location is on the pier at Hyde Street Harbor. Enter the pier from the street next door to Capurro’s Restaurant at 4980 Jefferson Street and just across the street from the Argonaut Hotel where the Blue Mermaid Chowder House & Bar is located. Don’t be late for boarding. Allow extra time for parking so that you don’t get in a rush.

Info/reservations: bettyslist.com or 415503-1375.

month at the Women’s Building Auditorium, 3543 18th St, SF. Donation requested. 8-10pm. Latecomers are only admitted at the break, around 9pm. Info: 835-4739.

Pledge: Fraternal Fridays at LOOKOUT - raising funds for THE Trevor Project.

Special guest DJ Craig Gaibler and resident Pledgemaster, DJ Christopher B. PLEDGE is a monthly party celebrating San Francisco’s LGBT community while raising funds to benefit local non-profit organizations which help the community thrive. The July party will benefit The Trevor Project, in partnership with their San Francisco Ambassadors Council.

The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention

and suicide prevention services to LGBT and questioning young people. With this event, PLEDGE continues to encourage the spirit of camaraderie with which the Castro has long been associated, while bringing attention to important issues challenging the LBGT community. Funds will be raised through a raffle, offering bottomless draft “Kegger Cups,” and PLEDGE paddle photo ops. PLEDGE parties are held on the third Fridayof each month at LOOKOUT. The PLEDGE team is excited about this unique opportunity to help contribute vital resources to the many worthy organizations working to improve the lives of San Francisco’s LGBT community. July 15th, 9pm to 2am.

LOOKOUT, 3600 16th Street, SF. Info:lookout.com.

16 Saturday Transgender Parent - Support Group.

Are you or your partner a transgender parent? Or thinking about becoming a parent? The Transgender Parent Support Group is an opportunity to connect with your peers and get mutual support. The group will meet every third Saturday of each month. First half hour will be spent socializing, with the remaining time dedicated to group discussion. Drop-ins are welcome, but ongoing attendance helps to establish group rapport. 10am-noon at LGBT Center, 1800 Market at Octavia, SF. RSVP to Mark at mark@ourfamily.org or 415-981-1960,and please indicate if you need free childcare.

THRIVE/Poz Force @ The LGBT Center Thriving in SF - a social group of guys, gay and HIV+, breaking the isolation of HIV/AIDS and not only surviving the disease, but striving to thrive in spite of it!

Donation suggested. For more information and other social events, www.thrivinginsf.com. 1st and 3rd Saturdays of Every Month, 1­3pm.

WTF? WTF is open to all women, transfolks, genderqueer folk, femmes, and other people who’ve had gender bias, homophobia, or transphobia keep them away from the wrenches! Regular drop-in BK hours. The Bike Kitchen is a a do-ityourself bicycle resource run by volunteers where you can get help to fix your bike, use tools, find used parts, or build up a bike from scratch! 6-9pm at the Bike Kitchen’s new home at 650H Florida St, SF. For directions check outhttp://www. bikekitchen.org. Now on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month.

Lou Sullivan Society Monthly Meeting - LSS provides peer-support and community for FTMs .Meetings are open to all members of the transcommunity (including significant others, family, and friends) unless otherwise specified. The monthly meeting is held on the third Saturday of each month from 2-5pm at California Pacific Medical Center - Davies Campus, North Tower, Room B2/3, 45 Castro Street (between 14th and Duboce), SF. Info:www.lousullivansociety.org/meetings.html

Red Hots Burlesque continues to ensure quality entertainment at El Rio every week as promised. Come with your sense of humor and get ready to ogle, hoot and holler. Every show features hot bods, pasties, outrageous costumes, a lot of humor and, of course, bumpin’ and grindin’! With a rotating cast of over 500 people all over the world. This show includes local and visiting talent! A show without boundaries including bizarre beauties and senseless sideshow. Not for the faint of heart or weak of humor. 7-9pm, $5-10 at El Rio, 3158 Mission St, SF.

T-Dance for the Ladies! - Join them to celebrate the Castro’s longest running T-dance for the ladies!! The producers of Delicious have launched another Saturday ladies T-Dance. Club Mami hits The Café’s roster every 1st Saturday of the month giving the ladies who love ladies an all LatinT-Dance. Lady DJ’S Val G & Chili D rock the house!! 7 super hot lady go-go’s work the boxes with free shot giveaways. Free champagne from 5–7pm. July 16, 3-10pm. $5 b/4 5pm, $8 after. The Cafe, 2369 Market St. Info: Christopher Berini, 415-359-6061 or Christopher @djchristopherb.com.

The Exiles - Workshops and events for women interested in S&M between women. Meets the3rd Friday of every

It’s not too late! Donate, register, walk! July 17. Check out the listing in the calendar for info.

Queer Jitterbugs Swing - Dance Party free in the Castro. Join Queer Jitterbugs

every third Saturday for a free evening of dance lessons. 7pm basic lesson, 8pm9:30pm dance at Magnet,4122 18th St, SF. Info: 305-8242 Friction of Passion Pleasure - An experience/participation performance. The well known Frank Moor will guide a journey to Lila, an invisible hidden secret state of erotic friction of arousing human intimacy, rubbing between bodies without limits or glamour. An altered state of being actively lustfully, abandoned, willing to play and trust. Prickly freedom going all the way into both fusion and infusion of arousing magical pleasure. July 16, 8pm. $5-$20. Center for Sex & Culture, 1349 Mission, SF. Info/tickets: sexandculture.org.

ON STAGE Marga’s Funny Mondays, a hells-a-poppin’ comedy and variety showcase, featuring a changing line-up of rising and established jokesters, and hosted by Marga Gomez.

Gomez had been searching for a Bay Area venue where insightful comedians and hilarious performance artists could cross-pollinate, and she has found it at the Cabaret at The Marsh Berkeley. Besides comedy sets by Gomez and her special guests, the fast-paced 90-minute show will include Marga’s “Fifty Bucks Finale,” during which four comedians vie to win audience favor and the money in five minutes. $10 at 800-838-3006, 8pm at the Cabaret at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way (near Shattuck), Berkeley. Info/tickets: www.themarsh. org.

GALLERIES

SENIORS

Seeing Gertrude Stein at Contemporary Jewish Museum - The first major museum exhibition to fully investigate this fascinating visual legacy and life of Gertrude Stein, one of the most influential Americans of the 20th century. : Daily (except Wed.) 11AM-5:00PM and Thurs, 1–8:00 PM until Sept 6. Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission Street, SF. $5-$10, 18 and under free. Info thecjm.org or 415.655.7800 First GLBT History Museum in the United States announces Grand Opening. Internationally renowned as a center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans gender culture, San Francisco soon will welcome yet another groundbreaking queer institution: The GLBT History Museum. A project of the GLBT Historical Society, an archives and research center established in 1985, the new museum will be the first of its kind in the United States. The museum includes 1,600 square feet of gallery and program space built to the specifications of the Historical Society, with custom fixtures, lighting and multimedia installations reflecting professional standards. The museum will feature two debut exhibitions: In the main gallery, “Our Vast Queer Past: Celebrating GLBT History,” curated by historians Gerard Koskovich, Don Romesberg and Amy Sueyoshi; and in the front gallery, “Great Collections of the GLBT Historical Society Archives.” 4127 18th St. (between Castro and Collingwood), SF. Regular hours for The GLBT History Museum will be Weds-Sat, 11am-7m and Sundays, noon-5pm. $5 admission. Info: 415-621-1107 or www. glbthistory. org.

Openhouse, dedicated to building housing, services and community for LGBT seniors presents two monthly discussion groups in San Francisco through its Neighborhood Outreach Project. Meet other LGBT seniors and guest speakers for fabulous discussions, to make connections, and to learn about resources available to you! Bring a friend!

Call Michelle at openhouse 415.296.8995 for more information or to RSVP for lunch at a Center.

Mission/Noe LGBT Issues Forum, Every 2nd Thursday of the month, 10am at 30th Street Senior Center located at 225- 30th Street (at Dolores), 3rd Floor conference room. Bernal Heights LGBT Discussion Group, Every 4th Thursday of the month, 1pm at Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center located at 515 Cortland Avenue (across from the library). *NEW* South of Market LGBT Discussion Group, Every 2nd Friday of the month, 10am at Canon Kip Senior Center located at 705 Natoma Street (@ 8th St. across from Harvest Market). Hope to see you there!

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS! Do you care about low-income housing welcoming to LGBT seniors and people with disabilities? openhouse, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping LGBT older adults connect with housing, services and community, needs your help! They are seeking dedicated volunteers available for 10 hours per month to help gather information from different senior communities in the City. The volunteer will be given a list of housing sites to verify within a one-month period.

They are asking for a commitment of approximately 2 hours per week to make site visits, verify accuracy of site listing information, and submit written assessment forms to openhouse. They will update the housing list every quarter. To find out more about volunteering for the project, call 415-2968995 and ask for Michelle Alcedo at ext. 5, Old Lesbians Organizing for Change - A network of lesbians over age 60 organizing against ageism and for social change. For more information call 415 388-5001.

Fellows of the East Bay - Social club for mature men and their admirers. Monthly potluck dinner and social held at 1288 9th Street (corner of Gilman), Berkeley. Bring food to share and a $4 donation.

Info: Ric at 510-206-9355.

San Francisco Prime Timers - Local chapter of Prime Timers Worldwide, an international organization of older gay and bi men and younger men who admire them. Usually there is a featured speaker and refreshments following the meeting. Meets 2-4pm on the first and third Sundays of each month at First Unitarian Church, 1187 Franklin @ Geary, SF. Info: 648-8678 50+ Support Group for Men - A discussion and support group for gay men on life’s aging issues.

Meets on the 2nd Thurs of every month, 4 p.m.5:30 p.m, at the DeFrank Center, 938 The Alameda, San Jose. Info: 408-293-2429 or defrank.org Project Open Hand Senior Lunch - Come out to lunch at the Castro Senior Center Mon-Fri at 11:45am! 100 Diamond ST @ 18th St, SF. $1.50 suggested donation. Info: 863-3507 Acting & Storytelling Classes for Seniors offered

by Stage. All classes held at First Congregational Church, 2501 Harrison at 27th, Oak. Info: 510-444a4755.

East Bay Lavender Seniors Group - For LGBT seniors to meet for socializing, networking, support, etc. Potlucks every second Saturday in San Leandro; Lunch Bunch every third Friday in Oakland. Share food, conversation and occasional speakers with other LGBT folks over 55. These events happen in or around the East Bay. Info: Christina at 510-667-9655.

European Seniors - Informal organization now forming for European seniors to come together to explore cultures, converse, have lunch together, play games and so on. Info: call Francisco at 9700770 anytime.

Lavender Seniors Monthly Potluck Bring food to share with other LGBT folks over 55. This only happens once a month, people!! And eating with friends is fierce. These events happen in or around the East Bay.Call Peggy at 510-667- 9655.

Lesbian & Gay Aging Issues Network of the American Society Group raises awareness about the needs of older lesbians and gay men and encourages multidisciplinary dialogue among service providers, policymakers, researchers and other professionals. 974-9600.

New Game Group For the Movie Savvy If you like parlor games and fun in a sequestered environment, and you’re movie savvy, you may have found just what you’re looking for. Win points for guessing details about movies such as the names of stars, the year of release, and the studio where the movie was produced. Frgrance free, no cost, happens on any elected evening. Contact Frank: 970-0770 People at Leisure (PAL) Is a social group for lesbian and gay seniors that meets for luncheon meetings. 4th Thurs. Rainbow Community Center, 3024 Willow Pass Rd., Suite 200, Concord. Info: 925692-0090.

Senior’s Support Group Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday. Discuss issues around senior relationships, feelings of isolation and feelings of aloneness. The group is facilitated by two seniors and is specially structured to provide emotional support for your peers in your journey through the GLBT community. A good place to make new friendships and participate in affirming emotional support. All seniors welcome. The Lighthouse Community Center, 1217 A Street, Hayward. 510- 881-8167.

Senior Men’s Group - A support and conversation group for gay men. 2nd & 4th Thurs, 1:30- 3:30pm.

Pacific Center, 2712 Telegraph Ave., Berk. Info: 510-548-8283 or pcseniormen@sbcglobal. Net Senior Men’s HIV Support Group - For gay/bi men 55+. Process all-encompassing issues with HIV and being older. Fri, 11am-12:30pm. 103 Hayes St, SF. Info: 626-7000 x415.

Senior Outreach Program for LGBT seniors.

Social activities, discussion groups, resources, friendly visits, outreach and support. 1st Fri of the month, 1-4pm. Rainbow Community Center, 3024 Willow Pass Rd., Suite 200, Concord. Info: 925692-0090.

Don’t miss the fantastic San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus! It’s their California Freedom Tour with guests the Oakland Eastbay Gay Men’s Chorus. Happening July 17th. See the calendar for more information.

PARENTS & KIDS Mamas & Papas: San Francisco Families: Expand your circle of LGBTQ parents, swap parenting tips, and explore concerns shared by all parents as well as those of special interest to our families. Help your kids build lasting friendships with other children growing up with LGBTQ families. RSVP to Julia at julia@ourfamily.org or 415-981-1960, and please indicate if you need free childcare. Ay The LGBT Center, 1800 Market at Octavia SF. Families with Child(ren) Ages 0-5 meets Saturdays, Sept. 13, 9:45am Childcare and kids activities, 10:00am Adult discussion. Families with Child(ren) Ages 5-10 Sept. 6, Family dinner from 4:30-5pm, Structured discussion and children's activities from 5-6:30pm COLAGE: Children of Lesbians & Gays Everywhere, Community and Activism by and for kids, youth, and adults with LGBTQ parents. 1550 Bryant Street, Suite 830, SF. Info: 861-KIDS. Info: colage.org Transracial Adoption Support Group - Relevant and living resources tailored to LGBT parents at a highlyparticipatory monthly discussion group providing candid perspectives and opinions. At the SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market St, SF. Info: ourfamily.org Adoption SF/Family Builders By Adoption Informational gatherings every second Wednesday of every other month about adopting a waiting child from the SF Foster Care system. Free pre/post adoption support.

6:30pm at the LGBT Center, 1800 Market St, SF. Info: 970-9601 Transgender Parent Support Group - An opportunity to connect with your peers and get mutual support. This group meets every third Saturday of the month and is comprised of a time for socializing and a group discussion. Drop-ins welcome but ongoing attendance is important to estaQblish group rapport. 10am-12noon at the LGBT Center, 1800 Market St, SF. Info/RSVP for childcare: 865-5553 TeenZone Gay Straight Alliance in Oakland - This group of folks age 13-17 is a space for LGBTQQ youth and their straight allies to hang out, watch films, talk about books and plan fun activities. Every second Wednesday of the month, 5-6pm at the Oakland Main Library Rm 219, 125 14th St, Oakland. Info: oaklandlibrary.org Adopt or Foster a California Kid - AASK invites you to an informational session addressing topics related to the foster care system and adoption processes and legalities. Every first Tuesday of the month except for July 11, 7-9pm at 7700 Edgewater Dr, Ste 320 Bldg B, Oakland.

Info/reg: Andrea at 510-1748 x12 Support Group for Pregnant Lesbians - An on-going

group for pregnant queers, lesbians, dykes, bisexuals, genderqueer people and their partners led by Laura Goldberger, MFT. This group costs $45 per session(sliding scale may be available), and is held every Thursday night, 6:45-8:15pm in Berkeley. Info: 510-524-5565 or lauragoldberger@sbcglobal.net Lesbian Dads and Butch Moms: Genderqueer Parenthood - Explore the dynamic hybrid of motherhood/fatherhood, the internal experience of gender, and the interplay of inward and outward gender expression.

Dates to be announced, $75 per person. Contact Maia Midwifery for more info: 925-253-0685 or maiamidwifery. com Support Group for Parents of Gender Variant and Transgender Children - Are you raising a child who does not fit in with the expected gender norms? A child who identifies with the “opposite gender”? So are we! Meet other parents and share your experiences, read up on the subject and address your own struggles in order to try and make the world safer for your children. FREE. Meets the third Wednesday of every month in Oakland. Contact Stephanie Brill for more details: 925-253-0685 Straight Spouse Network - Support group meeting in Oakland for the heterosexual spouses or former spouses of LGBT partners meets 4th Tuesday of every month, 7:30-10pm, Info: 510-301-0630 Childcare for Radical Change - The Bay Area Childcare Collective provides trained, competent, and politicized childcare providers to grassroots organizations and movements composed of and led by immigrant women, low-income women, and women of color with a long-term goal of building a multi-generational movement with parents, women and children at its center. Info: 5415039 or childcarecollective@lycos.com Maia Midwifery & Preconception Services: Childbirth education classes specifically for lesbian and bisexual women. Classes help to foster long term bonds between families having babies at the same time. Support groups also. Sliding scale, scholarships available. Also holds groups on pregnancy, insemination, advanced insemination and just for non-biological moms and moms-to-be.

For more information please call: 925-253-0685 or www. maiamidwifery.com Mamas and Papas - Supportive and informal drop-in Saturday discussion groups where LGBT parents and guest speakers explore issues faced by parents and those specific to our community. Free childcare provided.

Childcare opens at 9:30am, parents meet from 10-11:30am at the LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market St, SF. Info: mamaspapas.blogspot.com

Future Gay Dads: Are you gay, single and know you want to have kids? Looking for a way to meet other guys who want the same thing you do? A dating/social network is forming for guys who want to meet other guys for whom eventually creating a famliy is important. Call 8411922.

The SF LGBT Center has free childcare available for those visiting the building. Arts & Crafts, dramatic play, storytime, toys, and tons of fun! All ages welcome w/ RSVP. 1800 Market. Info: 865-5553.

Family Builders By Adoption / SF Child: Adopt a waiting child. No fees. Pre/post support. Once a month LGBT Drop-In support group with films, videos, speakers. SF LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market. Info: 510-2720204.

Drop-In Playgroup Meet with other parents while your children play with other children. Jewish Family and Children’s Services, 1710 Scott. Tues & Wed, 1-2:30pm.

Info: 359-2455.

Saturdays Are Special: The Randall Museum has dropin, hands-on art and science workshops for kids from 1-4pm. Also, meet and feed the animals from 11-1pm.

199 Museum Way, SF (above Castro). Info: 554-9600.

Parents Place offers groups and workshops. Drop-in Wed & Thurs, 1-2:30pm. 1710 Scott, SF. Info: 359-2454 Adopt a Special Kid launches a 21st Century family recruitment campaign to find permanent and loving homes for the most vulnerable children. 7700 Edgewater, Suite #125, Oak. Info: 510-553-1748, ext. 12 or 888-6807349 or www.adoptaspecialkid.org.

Our Family Coalition: The Bay Area’s primary LGBT family organization provides referrals, advocacy, networking, social events, educational workshops and Domestic Partner Registration. Info: 981-1960.

Maybe Baby hosts a discussion & support grp for lesbians and gay men seeking a co-parenting or known donor situation. Info: 648-4639.

Parental Stress Service provides a family hotline (24/7), parent support groups, positive parenting classes, counseling and a 72-hr emergency respite childcare service for parents in need. Hotline: (800) 829-3777 or (510) 8935444. Office: (510) 893-9230. Volunteers & donations are welcome!

Gay/Lesbian Foster Parents needed to care for children of all ages. Singles and couples are encouraged to apply. Expenses and medical are covered. Homes needed all over the Bay Area for short and long term (permanent) care. Call A Better Way Foster Family Program at 510-601-0203x201.

BAY TIMES July 14, 2011 17

17 Sunday AIDS Walk San Francisco - Break out your sneakers and walk with the POH team to raise awareness and funds for POH and other AIDS service organizations in the Bay Area. Please register at aidswalk.net and select Project Open Hand-1341 as the team name. All those who walk for POH will get a free POH T-Shirt. Sunday, July 17, 10:30am.

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco.

Registration/info: aidswalk.net.

San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Concert - California Freedom Tour 2011.

Presenting another great vocal performance by the SF Gay Men’s Chorus and their very special guests the Oakland

Eastbay Gay Men’s Chorus. The vision that inspires the tour is to build bridges across cultural divides, create acceptance and galvanize local communities.

The Chorus will present a concert of uplifting and joyous music that speaks directly to the experience of seeking freedom in the face of discrimination. They are producing this concert as a benefit fundraiser for The Empress Theatre, Better Vallejo and Planned Parenthood.

Every ticket you purchase will go equally to these great organizations. July 17, 3pm. $20-$40. Tickets/info: sfgmc.org.

Outlook Video - For 24 years, Outlook Video has been the Bay Area’s awardwinning and longest-running LGBT newsmagazine featuring topics from around the Bay Area, state, nation, and world.

Archived Oulook Video programs can be

viewed online at youtube.com/outlookvideo. This month’s edition includes: Cynthia Chin-Lee, author of Operation Marriage, Thirty years of AIDS, Carmelita Limas of Suicide and Crisis Prevention hotline, Proposition 8 Vacate Request, and 22ndGLAAD Media Awards. SF, Sunday July 17, 5pm PT on cable channel 29, Live-streaming video at bit.ly/ mR1jAw. bavc.org/public-access-tv/livestream/channel-29-stream. Mountain View, Thursday July 7, 14, 21, 28, 8:30pm PT on cable channel 15. San Jose, Thursday July 7, 14, 21, 28,8:30pm PT on Comcast cable channel 15. Livestreaming video at creatvsj.org. Other cities: outlookvideo.org/schedule.htm.

Katya Presents… - Join the Russian drag opera diva every third Sunday of the month a Martuni’s. $5, 7pm at 4 Valencia

St, SF. Info: dragatmartunis.com

you want to go. Discussion group and lunch will follow. Please RSVP to STOP AIDS Project before the event: 415-5750150.

Underwear Buddies - You may only wear your dirtiest, nastiest and most saggy tighty whities to this party held every third Wednesday of the month, 9-11pm at Blow Buddies, 933 Harrison @ 6thSt, SF. Info: 777-HEAD.

Generations: A ‘20s to ‘80s Salon - A group of men who enjoy each other’s company, discuss ideas about life, literature, art and culture, and share their insights and experiences with one another. Generations takes place the 3rd Thursday of each month, 7-9pm at The Center, 1800Market at Octavia, Room Q11, SF.

20 Wednesday

21 Thursday Positive Force Adventure Group: Third Thursday. Get moving with this new monthly daytime workshop focused on a specific activity outside of the STOP AIDS offices. Museums, hiking trips—places

Third Thursday Open Mic - All women are invited to this open mic on the third Thursday of every month. Hosted by Retts Scauzillo. This month’s guest is Karen Soo Hoo and...the heart and soul of Third Thursday: you, as either per-

EVERY WEEK Thursdays Café Poz Lunch - Ready for a new routine? Make a date with other HIV positive men at Café Positive, a social support event open to everyone. Gab with the guys and have a feast compliments of Café Poz and STOPAIDS Project, usually on Thursdays. 12-1:30pm at the Castro Country Club, 4058 18th St, SF. Info: stopaids.org Transgender / Gender-Variant Social and Discussion Group Every Thursday from 5-6:30pm at Spectrum LGBT Center A safe and friendly space to meet new people, share ideas, and have fun! 1000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. #10, San Anselmo, CA 94960 No cost; call 457-1115 x 203 for more details www.spectrumLGBTcenter.org Clair’s Drop-in - Free, one-on-one counseling to help transgender community members on their personal evolution, including an overview of TEEI services. It is recommended that you call ahead to verify your walk-in time beforehand. Contact Clair Farley at clairf@sfcenter.org or call 415-865-5632. Visit the Transgender Economic Empowerment Initiative (TEEI) website teeisf.org Matching dynamic people with sustainable jobs in safe workplaces - for more info. 1-4pm at the SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market at Octavia Sts, SF. BoomSF Thursday’s Ladies Night at Orson Restaurant Bar and Lounge. Come to meet, mingle and play with your friends, friends’ friends and new friends. Enjoy the vibe created by music of DJ Stef and the great space Orson provides. Special BoomSF drink menu with some of your favorite cocktails. 7pm-11pm a t Orson Restaurant Bar and Lounge, 508 4th Street, SF. Info: BoomSF.com Weekly meditation for people of color with Spring Washam every Thursday evening, 7 to 8:30 pm. The ultimate aim of the practice of meditation is the ending of suffering and the opening to joy and freedom. Join this weekly group and learn to cultivate love and freedom in the present moment through the practice of mindfulness meditation. This is an excellent group for new students as well as experienced students. Info: (510) 496-6001 or www.eastbaymeditation.org Out In The Bay and This Way Out - Weekly program of LGBT issues, includes a weekly AIDS update. Every Thursday, 7:30pm on KALW, 91.7. Followed by This Way Out, the international lesbian and gay newsmagazine.

Info:www.kalw.org Blur - Transgender & Gender-Variant Support Group Every Thursday 6:30-7:30pm. Free food! Come and chat with other trans & gv people, facilitated by trans counselors. For 18-25 y.o. youth. At Dimensions Clinic, 3850 17th St. SF. www.dimensionsclinic.org You are invited to a night of SNAP Talk!, a free group every Thursday where young gay and bi men who are new to San Francisco can talk about sex, jobs, boyfriends, roommates, STDs, and anything else about getting settled in S.F. SNAP Talk! is a drop-in group specifically for gay and bi men in their 20s and 30s who are new to San Francisco. Come to get support, some to talk, come to just meet people. The group is facilitated by David Gonzalez of SNAP!, and Ryan Horvath, a counselor from the REACH Program of the UCSF AIDS Health Project. Show up at The LGBT Center (1800 Market at Octavia, SF) and look for the sign for the SNAP Talk! group, or, call 415-865-5614 to learn more.

L.O.C. (lesbians of color) is a peer-support group for women 21 years of age and older. L.O.C meets every Thursday at Pacific Center 7-8:30pm. Join them to carry on the tradition of providing a positive space for women of color to engage in pertinent lively discussions, exchange support and information, and to have fun and celebrate each other! Info: contact Randy Page, L.O.C. primary facilitator, at rap1on1@sbcglobal.net, or leave a message for her at (510) 595-8294. Out of respect for people with environmental illnesses, please do not wear fragrance or scented products of any kind at L.O.C. See you there!

Men’s Coming Out Support Group every Thursday 7- 8:30pm, for men who are questioning or coming to terms with their sexuality. This is a welcoming and supportive atmosphere to talk about what can be an uncomfortable subject matter. This is also a multi-cultural support group, where all ethnicities are welcomed. Drop in group, no intake necessary. Suggested donation $10, no one turned away. At New Leaf Services For Our Community, 103 Hayes Street (near Market St.), SF. Info: 415-626-7000, ext. 452 One Struggle, One Fight General Meeting - One Struggle, One Fight is an anti-oppression direct action group with two missions: Organize peaceful escalation of the LGBTQ movement by participating in and supporting direct action and civil disobedience. And to raise awareness of where our struggles intersect within the LGBTQ community and other oppressed groups. http://onestruggleonefight. com. Every week at the Unitarian Church at 1187 Franklin at Geary, SF. 7-9pm Sundance Saloon Thursdays - The fun is on THURSDAYS! Line-dancing and two-steppin twice a week, every Sunday and Thursday for the queer communities! Every Thursday 6:30-10:30pm. $5 at 550 Barneveld Ave, SF.

Fridays

LGBT Self Protection classes Self Protection training specifically for the LGBT community! Gain survival skills, security, confidence and peace of mind in a supportive learning environment for people of all sexual orientations, genders, ethnicities, and nationalities. Ju Trap Boxing is an effective blend of Small Circle Jujitsu, boxing, Contemporary Jeet Kune Do, and Filipino martial arts.

Rapid Assault Tactics is a no nonsense approach to street survival. Every 4th Friday from 6:30pm - 7:30pm UMAA Defensive Tactics Training Academy 4348 Third St., SF, (415) 671-2055, umaacademy.info/content/lgbt-self-protection.

Trans Yoga & Meditation at TRANS: THRIVE Every Friday alternate between Yoga and Meditation. Wear comfortable clothes, THRIVE provides mats and cushions. All trans-identified and gender nonconforming folks of all abilities and experience are welcome. Wheelchair accessible. 10:30am-noon, 815 Hyde St, 2nd floor, btw Sutter/ Bush. Info: www.transthrive.org, or 415-409-4101.

Transgender Support Group For anyone who is transgendered, transsexual, or has gender issues. Beginners welcome. Fridays from 8-9:30pm. Pacific Center, Berkeley. Info: 510-548-8283.

Shake: America’s LGBT Talk Show - a live weekly callin show about the LGBT community. 9-11pm on Green 960 AM (The Quake) This used to be known as Queer Channel Radio. Info and podcasts at www.queerchannelradio. Com Free Your Mind: Queer Youth Arts and Crafts Fridays from 4pm-7pm. The Center’s Youth Program fosters a weekly arts and crafts night for LGBT youth ages 24 and under. Come and get involved in planning our “Free Your Mind” art exhibit that aims to deconstruct stigmas around homeless and transient LGBT youth. Oil painting, wood burning, origami, stenciling and spray painting, jewelry making, stitch ‘n’ bitch, screen printing and fashion fun!

Free pizza and snacks provided. Earn $150 stipend for your time (space is limited). If you are interested please feel free to drop in and should you have any questions, contact Beck at 415.865.5560 or beck@sfcenter.org. the Center, 1800 Market at Octavia, SF.

Saturdays Faerie Coffee East Bay - Check in with the faerie fam every Saturday! Cum whistle with these witches. 122pm(ish) at Celtic Coffee Company, 142 McAllister btwn Leavenworth & Hyde.

Faerie Coffee - Radical Faeries get together for a nice brunch and delightful conversation. Around noon every Saturday and Sunday at the Celtic Coffee Company, 142 McAllister btw Leavenworth and Hyde. Info: http://www. radfae.org Cockfight at Underground SF – First and third Sat. DJs Earworm, MyKill, and DCNSTRCT. $7,9pm-2am.

Underground SF, 424 Haight Street, SF,(415) 864-7386 Gay Shame is a Virus in the System. They are committed to a queer extravaganza that brings direct action to astounding levels of theatricality. Theya re not satisfied with a commercialized gay identity that denies the intrinsic links between queer struggle and challenging power.

They seek nothing less than a new queer activism that foregrounds race class gender and sexuality to counter the self-serving “values” of gay consumerism and the increasingly hypocritical left. Gay Shame meets every Saturday in the Tede Mathews Reading Room of Modern Times Bookstore @ 2919 24th St.,SF. 5:30pm. Info: http://www.gayshamesf.org Shootin’ with Care slide show hosted by Terry and the Peer Educators of the Speed Project. Get the skinny on circulation basics, what happens when a vein collapses, avoiding abscesses, tracks, bacterial infections; the pro’s and con’s of different spots; tips to avoid sharing hepatitis and HIV when partying in groups; alternatives to injecting for folks who want to take a break. Come share what you know; the only real expert in the room is you! All welcome to this free slideshow. Come high, come low, come as you are! Drop by any time between 7-10pm at 117 6th Street (the 6th street exchange btw Mission/Howard), SF. www. tspsf.com Events Line: 415 788-5433 Same-Sex Ballroom Dance Program! 4:30-5:30 mixedlevel Salsa. 5:30-6:30 beginning American Rumba. At Cheryl Burke Dance, 1830 17th St. @ De Haro, SF. $15 per person drop-in, cheaper when you buy in bulk!

Instructor: Emily Coles, www.emilycolesdance.com.

These classes are geared toward the LGBT community.

No partner or experience needed! A variety of ongoing classes. 415-305-8242 balboabattle.com 3rd Saturday Swing and Salsa Dance- Meet new people and learn dance for FREE with no partner or experience! 7-11pm. Magnet at 4122 18th at Castro. http://www. queerjitterbugs.com Hayes Valley Follies - Marlena’s hosts a weekly revue of the most titillating Bay Area telent featuring drag, singers, syncers, dancers, impersonators and more. 10pm at 488 Hayes St, SF. Info: marlenasbarsf.com or 864- 6672 Wilde Chats – A loosely structured community-driven group get together every Saturday morning to discuss specific issues affecting us as gay men and our gay community. The group is lead following a “Socratic” model; rather than talk about solutions and answers to problems, the idea is to expand on the days topic by analyzing it and breaking it up into other questions. The discussions typically focus on the hidden/unspoken assumptions, generalities and concepts that we as gay men make, and the

differences that our various points of reference imply. 1st, 3rd, 5th Sat, 11:30AM - 1PM. Thai House Restaurant at 2200 Market Street @ Sanchez.. Info www.isparksf.com.

Sundays Bad Movie Night - Every Sunday, come on out to The Dark Room in the Mission to see a crummy movie, scarf down popcorn, and listen to the hilarious ravings of special rotating hosts chosen from the brilliant comedic flock of freaks circling our fair city. $5, 8pm at The Dark Room Theatre, 2263 Mission St, SF. Info: darkroomsf.com Jock Sundays @ Lookout is a weekly Sunday afternoon/ early evening, high-energy jump fueled by a rotating cast of superstar DJs, including: Stefanie Phillips, Luke Fry, Pornstar, Joseph Lee and Pam Hubbuck.

Packed every Sunday with hot, sweaty, jocular boys - and girls - JOCK is ALL-STAR! Every week proceeds benefit an LGBT sports group. 3pm, $2 door. At Lookout, 3600 16th St at Market, SF. Info: 415-431-0306 or lookoutsf. com DECO’s Amateur Strip Night - The audience at the Deco Lounge every Sunday will vote to award one lucky amateur stripper a CASH PRIZE. Join emcee Nick Parker, DJ Lambchop, hot strippers and good tippers(hopefully) At The Deco Lounge, 510 Larkin St, SF. Every Sunday, signups at 9pm and showtime at 10pm.

No cover. Info: decosf.com Sunday’s A Drag - Harry Denton’s Starlight Room hosts a weekly brunch featuring San Francisco’s finest drag performersand hosts Donna Sachet and Harry Denton.

Two shows every Sunday, 12pm and 2:30pm. $30 for brunch and show at Sir Francis Drake Hotel, 450 Powell St, SF. Info/res: 395-8595

Mondays Bay Area Young Positives drop-in group Drop-in support group for young HIV positive people. 701 Oak St, SF, 7 – 9pm. Info baypositives.org, (415) 4871616 Duplicate Bridge - QuickTricks Bridge Club, 7 pm, ACBL duplicate open and 299’er events. Meets in Ellard Hall of Most Holy Redeemer Church, thru gate on Diamond St at 18th Street. Lesson series too. Info: www.quicktricks.org.

Monday Night Knit - Knit-Knit-Purl-Purl! Knit-Knit-PurlPurl! If you haven’t gotten your fixin’ of stitchin’, knittin’ and purlin’, come on down to the LGBT Center tonight where knitters and crochetters will be bonding over coffee. Every Monday, 6:30pm at 1800 Market St, SF. Info: 235-4821 Gay Mondays at the Etiquette Lounge - A weekly social to benefit the SF LGBT Center with DJs Jeff Stallings and Luke Fry. 7pm-12am at 1108 Market St, SF. Info: etiquettelounge. Co Shooting with Care Slide Show - If you or a friend injects, you are cordially invited to join a conversation about safer injection, vein care and harm reduction hosted by the Speed Project. The Ivy street needle exchange is open 7-9 and is a great exchange for those concerned with privacy. Drop by anytime between 7-9pm at Tom Waddell Garage, 50 Lech Walesa/Ivy Street near Polk and Grove, SF. Free! Come high, Come low! www.tspsf. com Ten Percent - LGBT-TV for Northern California Mondays - Thursdays, 11:30am & 8pm on Comcast Hometown Network Channel 104 in Northern California.

Tuesdays New FTM/transmasculine group @ TRANS: THRIVE. Groups are open to female-to-male (FTM) people, transguys, butches, studs, genderqueers, two-spirited, thirdgendered, questioning folks, trannyfags, trannyboys, boydykes, transmen, papis, transmasculine folks and whatever else you call yourself. About once a month we have a special event. Every Tuesday from 6-7:30PM Check online calendar for details. TRANS: THRIVE, 815 Hyde St., 2nd Floor/ Info http://www.transthrive.org Youth Meal Night, Tuesdays from 5pm-8:30pm at The Center (1800 Market at Octavia, SF) - this weekly program provides homeless, marginally housed and foster care youth up to 24 years with a nourishing meal, welcoming environment, film screenings, art projects, discussions and a wide array of different community building activities. For more info please contact Beck at 415-8655560 or beck@sfcenter.org Renowned Buddhist Teacher, Tessa Logan, teaches drop-in meditation classes on Tuesday evenings, 7-8:45 pm at the Kadampa Buddhist Temple, 3324 17th St., SF. Everyone is welcome. $10 donation. NOTAFLOF. www. meditationinnortherncalifornia.org or 415-503-1187.

Gay Men’s Sketch - a weekly male figure drawing group.

Professional, yet intimate and relaxed. Classical nude modeling by a gay male model. Five 2 minute gestures, one 15 min pose & four 20 min poses. 6:30pm - 9:30pm.

Intimate South of Market home studio, open drawing session, no instruction. A nice group of gay guys - friendly, supportive and non-competitive - who loves drawing the male nude in gay male company. The group is open to men and women of all persuasions . To reserve space, call day of the group that you want to attend: Mark - 415621-6294

Weight Watchers LGBT Meeting - registration and weigh in starts at 6pm, dicussion at 6:30pm. At the Finnish Brotherhood Hall, 1970 Chestnut St, Berkeley.

Questions? jeanne.obrien@weightwatchers.com Newly diagnosed? Just coming to terms with your diagnosis? This group is for you to help you deal with your HIV diagnosis. Positive Force hosts a weekly drop-in group for you. It’s a great place to get emotional support and information. For more info about contact Ramon Martinez at 415-575-0150 ext 219 or rmartinez@stopaids.org. Drop in every Tuesday 7- 7:30pm at STOP AIDS Main Office , 2128 15th St, btw Sanchez and Noe, SF. St. James Infirmary for Sex Workers offers free, confidential, non-judgmental medical care, massage, acupuncture, peer and substance use counseling, legal and social service referrals and a food/clothing bank. You can check your email, get chair massage, or face acupuncture while you wait and talk to other sex workers. If you get get treatment, its not just a clinic, you can hang out with all your friends who you never knew were hookers, too! Tuesday 12-3pm, Wednesday night from 6-9pm, Thursday 6-9pm Transgender Health Clinic. Current and former sex workers as well as their partners and families are welcome to drop in. Donations of food, money and clothing welcome. Info: 554-8494 “Harvey’s Funny Tuesdays” Ronn Vigh and Nick Leonard present the best in Gay and Gay friendly comedy in the heart of the Castro. 9 pm sharp at Harvey’s, 500 Castro Street (at 18th), SF. FREE Admission, one drink minimum. Every week new funny acts!

Wednesdays

Fruity Wednesdays Queer Youth space at Larkin Street Drop-In Larkin Street Youth Services offers a safe space to Queer Youth every Wednesday. Each week, youth are served a meal, offered showers, peer counseling and a structured program meant to keep the focus on community building. The First Wednesday of the month kicks off with an Open Mic event for youth to perform and get tested for HIV. The second and third Wednesdays are for cultivating the creative process, with the help of Larkin’s Art Department. The last Wednesday youth are offered workshops on relevant and important issues peers in their community currently face. Drop-In. Larkin Street Youth Services, 1142 Sutter St, SF, 6-8pm Flyers http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fruity-Wednesdays Job Seekers Internet Workgroup10am-Noon.

Participants must be at The LGBT Center’s main door lobby at 9:45 am to gain access into the building (1800 Market @Octavia, SF). Get ongoing help with your job search at the Center! The Center’s workforce Development Program is pleased to announce a free, job seekers Internet workgroup. Participants will have access to the Internet, interact with peers to share and receive ongoing advice from a career coach to help manage a productive job search. A one-on-one drop-in session with David Bach, of the Workforce Development team, is recommended prior to joining the workgroup. For more information, please contact David Bach at 415.865.5534 or davidb@sfcenter.org.

Transgender Support Group meets at the Tenderloin AIDS Resource Center, Mon-Fri, 3-5 pm. Mon. is open to significant others and questioning; Tues-Fri transgender people only. Wed: Alexis Miranda facilitates. 183 Golden Gate Ave. in SF. Info: 415-255-8272.

Farmers’ Market Comes to the Castro! The market will showcase Northern California’s freshest fruits and vegetables at reasonable prices as an outlet for local farmers - juicy peaches, flowering orchids, flavorful onions and zucchini, sweet strawberries, Asian greens, fresh seafood, crisp green beans, vitamin-packed tomatoes or any other summer produce items. The Castro Farmers’ Market will be here every Wednesday, from 4pm to 8pm, on Noe St. between Market and Beaver St., through Oct. 28.

Speed Project Harm Reduction Drop In Group welcomes gay/bi and heteroflexible guys to talk about what’s up with you & your world. Enjoy donuts & coffee. Needle exchange always available after the group. Come high, come low, come as you are. 2pm at 117 6th Street btw.

Mission/Howard Info: www.tspsf.com (415) 487-8043 Low-Cost Legal Advice Program - Annie Thorkelson, Attorney at Law, offers $1/minute legal advice and referrals. This service provides a creative, personal and nonlitigation forum for getting informal answers and creative solutions to most kinds of legal questions, problems and conflicts that arise every day for ordinary San Franciscans.

Info: www.legalgroundssf.com/about.html or call Annie at 415-816-6181. Every Wednesdays 4:30 - 6:30pm at SF Women’s Building, 3543 18th St btw Valencia/Guerrero, SF. Redwood City’s Rainbow Skate - Every Wednesday strap ‘em on and slide on down to the Redwood Roller Rink for the 15-year-old skating party for the LGBT community. Skate in your skivvies on the Underwear Night(the last Wednesday of every month) and go ‘70s on the first Wednesday for “Retro Disco Night”. $7, 8-10:30pm 1303 Main St, Redwood City. Info: rainbowskate.com.

Lions, Tigers & Queers - Dj’s Lisa De Lux and Becky Knox playing electro, tech, house, and dubstep. $3.

Every 3rd Wed, 10pm-2am. Underground SF (424 Haight St.),

There’s waaaay more...

Lesbian Vegetarians, San Francisco Boys of Leather, Gay Men’s Basketball, Queer Armenians, Women Poets, Sex Addicts, Dykes on Hikes East Bay, Questioning Youth, Au Cercle des Amis Franco phones, Creative Philosopher’s Club, Let It All Hang Out, MAX (Men’s Associated Exchange), Barabary Coast Boating Club, LGBT Alcoholics Anonymous, Bodybuilding Group, Freewheelers Car Club, Nudes In Art, QuickTricks EasyBridge! Gay Architects & Designers, Lesbian Entrepreneur Club, Rainbow Toastmasters, All Girls Roller Derby Training, Heart of San Francisco Aikido, Crystal Meth

sfbaytimes.com - click on Resource Guide

18 BAY TIMES JULY 14, 2011

former or audience member. Drop in for some laughs and bring your songs, poems, prose, instruments, voice or any other talent you might have. Each performer has 5 minutes to do their thing, sometimes more in the second half if time allows. It is an evening rich with entertainment. Or just come and watch. Sign up at 7pm. Show is 7:30-9:30pm.$5 at Montclair Women’s Cultural Arts Club, 1650 Mountain Blvd. Info: 510-339-1832.

23 Saturday

Leela: That’s So Gay - Summer Improv Intensive - That’s So Gay w/ Antonietta DelliCarpini. An afternoon of improv where gay is the given, not the punchline.

(For Members and Allies of the Lgbtqqia Community). Have you ever wondered where all the gay and gender variant characters are in the improv world - or for that matter, where all the Lgbtqqia (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual) actors are? This workshop is for Lgbtqqia identified actors and non-actors and their allies who believe that theater is a mirror of society, and that giving voice to this community in the improv world and on stage in general, will reflect andinfluence societal changes. In this playful and poignant workshop, improv games will be woven together with techniques from Augusto Boal’s Theater of the Oppressed to build a sense of community and to take participants on a journey into themselves as individuals. July 23, 11am-3pm. $45.

Exit Theater, 156 Eddy St, SF. Registration: eventbrite.com.

Writing Group for Senior Women - All women are invited to join an ongoing writers group presented by New Leaf Outreach to Elders for self-expression, creativity, supportive feedback and great company. Drop-ins welcome. The group meets every 2nd and 4th Saturday, 11am1pm at the LGBT Center, 1800 Market St, Rm 305, SF. Info: newleafservices.org or ligaletto@earthlink.net Drag & Burlesque Commando: An Evening of Improv Performances! Feature Performance by the incredible Vixen Noir! Very Special Guest: The Lady Ms. Vagina Jenkins. All Star Cast including: Alotta Boutté, Cherry Galette, Kitty von Quim, Honey Lawless, Charleston Chu, Deliciodel Toro & the always flawless...La Chica Boom! with Billy “the Poof” Elliot as Stage Daddy &dandy g as Sound Daddy. Bench & Bar, 510 17th St Oakland Doors 7pm Show 7:30pm Cost: $10.Call/ Text 415-374-1924

24 Sunday

LGBT Family Morning in Celebration of Stein - In honor of Gertrude Stein and her partner Alice B. Toklas, the Museum celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender families with an all-inclusive morning just for young children (preschool through 9 years old) and their families. Tour the exhibition Seeing Gertrude Stein: Five Stories with special interactive activities, create mixed-media magnets, enjoy tea and pastries at our Stein Salon, and move to the groove with the music of Shira Kline and ShirLaLa. July 24, 9-11am. Free with regular admission. Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission St, SF. Info: info@thecjm.org or 415-655-7800.

The Graceland Girls - They invite you to dance, dance, dance and sing along with their 50’srock! J. Althea – Piano vocals, Lezzlie Hassberg - Bass, vocals Danielle Hupp - Schtick, vocalsTsulin Keyboard,vocals Laura McSomething – Drums. All are welcome, including children. July24, 2-4:30pm. Sliding scale $5-$15. High Street Station Café, 1303 High St., Alameda. Info:gracelandgirls. com or 510-995-8049.

Mary Lou - Frameline co-presentations: The 31st San Francisco Jewish Film Festival Acclaimed director Eytan Fox (Yossi & Jagger) brings us Meir, a young gay man coming of age in Israel, grappling with his mother’s desertion and living a double life as one of Tel Aviv’s mos tcelebrated drag performers-all to a soundtrack by 1970s Israeli glam-rock sensation Svika Pick. This enthralling new gender-bending Israeli miniseries serves up high-energy choreography, infectious pop songs and hearty doses of high school ennui. July 24, 8pm. $10.50$12. Castro Theater. Tickets: frameline. org.

Male foot fetish parties the 4th Friday of every month 8pm-2am.. The location sent via email(sign up for our mailing list at www.footpartysf.com) or call (877)2992338. $20 admission, $10students under 25 with ID, $5, men under $21, and you can ), mention the Bay Times for a $5discount at the door. Cover includes beer, spirits, soda, chips, pizza, preview foot videos and full use of this great play space.

25 Monday

TradeOFF: for male-identified sex workers coming together to build community, support one another and share the tricks of the trade. Porn stars, strippers, models, phone ho’s: come out to talk about the real shit that affects you - drugs, sex,

Heymann Brothers Films presents The Queen Has No Crown by Tomer Heymann. Explore this family as they experience the pains and joys of family bonding. July 27th at the Castro Theater. See calendar for complete info.

cops, asshole tricks and bosses. Or come learn how to be a massage pro, make a hot ad, S&M techniques and more. This is a non-judgmental, harm-reduction based space. Come as you are. All ages and experience levels welcome. Trans-guys welcome. Every 2nd and 4th Monday.

Free, 5-6:30 pm at St. James Infirmary, 1372 Mission St, SF. Info: 415-341-6438 or www.stjamesinfirmary.org

27 Wednesday

Erotic Reading Circle with Carol Queen and Jen Cross every 4th Wednesday of the month. Join readers and share your erotic writing! Bring something to read or just be part of the appreciative circle of listeners. This is a great place to try out new work (ask for comments if you like), or get more comfortable reading for other people. Longtime writers will bring their latest, newly inspired writers, bring that vignette you scrawled on BART while daydreaming on your way to work! Non-judgmental listening guaranteed, all orientations welcome.

Carol Queen and Jennifer Cross host/ facilitate this space dedicated to erotic writers and readers! $5-up sliding scale, 7:30-9:30pm,at The Center for Sex & Culture, 1519 Mission St., (btw S. Van Ness & 11th), SF. Info:sexandculture.org Leathermen’s Discussion Group Discussions and presentations by and for the leather community. Free and open to all adults. Held on the fourth Wednesday of every month, 7:30-9:30pm at Blow Buddies- Upstairs Community Room, 933 Harrison St, SF. Info: www.sfldg.org The Queen Has No Crown - This refreshing documentary navigates the intimate lives of five brothers and their mother, as they experience the pains of exile and the joys of family bonding.

Director Tomer Heymann uses home movies and his ever-present video camera to explore both the personal (his coming out as gay, his mother’s sense of abandonment) and the larger politics of belonging, displacement and sexuality in this unusual portrait of an Israeli family.

July 27, 9pm.$10.50-$12. Castro Theater.

Tickets: frameline.org.

28 Thursday

Passing Strangers - Film by Arthur J. Bressan, Jr. Two men meet through a personal ad in the Bay Area Reporter, and an intense relationship begins.

Somewhere between gay porn and art film, this extremely rare work combines explicit scenes and elements of tenderness (like holding hands and amorous courting) generally lacking in more graphic films of the time. Director Arthur J. Bressan, Jr. went on to make several key (non-porn) films in the history of gay cinema, including Gay USA and Abuse. July 28, 7:30pm. $6-$8. Yerba Buena Center For The Arts, 701 Mission St, SF. Tickets: zvents.com.

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