New Mr. SF Leather Crowned Page 2
Global Rainbow Laser Page 18
Outdoor Adventures Guide Pages 26-27
The LGBTQ Newspaper and Events Calendar for the San Francisco Bay Area | July 28 2011 www.sfbaytimes.com
/SanFranciscoBayTimes
March 8-21, 2012 | www.sfbaytimes.com
PHOTO BY: JAN E PHILOM EN CL EL AN D
We’re All in This Together
/SFBayTimes
LGBT Community Center 10th Anniversary
By Dennis McMillan
Men and women standing together at a late 80’s protest
By Betty L. Sullivan and Jennifer L. Viegas Even as the Bay Times pauses to acknowledge today’s annual International Women’s Day and concurrent obser vances of Women’s History Month throughout March, we must consider the perennial questions around unity and separation among men and women in our LGBTQ community.
“We’re all in this together,” said longtime Castro resident Pam Davis. “Friends ask me why I choose to live in this neighborhood where they think men rule, and I just say that I’m here because I needed my gay men friends. We love, support and enjoy each other.” The idea of working together and seeking unity while supporting one and all harkens back to the early days of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s.
“We were in there struggling with the guys,” said Leslie Ewing, Pacific Center Executive Director, who was among the first who volunteered for years at the original home of the Names Project, and served as a key leader of the AIDS Emergency Fund. “The tradition of women and men working together is certainly not new, and I believe the longstanding desire among men to give back in support of their lesbian friends continues,” Ewing said.
Below are just a few of the Bay Area’s many organizations that, with compassion, help to forge such togetherness in our community: Brothers for Sisters – An often cited example of men supporting women in the local LGBT community is the Brothers for Sisters initiative begun in the mid-1990s by men like Steven Sams, Hon. Mark Leno, Frank Woo, Jeffery Sterman and others. Receptions and other fundraising events have been held from (continued on page 24)
PHOTO SOUR CE: PACI FIC COAS T FAR MERS MA RKE T
Castro Farmers’ Market Returns
By Debra Morris The Castro Farmers’ Market will be back in action on Wednesday, March 14 with Northern Californ ia’s freshest fr u it s a nd veget ables and live music and activities to enter ta in patrons a l l summer lon g. T he m a rket w i l l r u n u n t i l D e c e m b e r 19 , o p e n e v e r y Wednesday, from 4pm to 8pm, on Noe St. between Market and Beaver St. The entire San Francisco com mun it y is i nv ited to joi n i n w it h a blessing by t he Sisters of Per petual Indulgence and a r ib bon cutting ceremony at 5:15pm with Supervisor Scott Wiener and
Donna Sachet. Market Manager Kelly Toomey says, “We’re looki n g for w a r d t o k ic k i n g of f t he sea son w it h a ba ng. We have a lot of g reat act iv it ies and events planned, and of course, a terrif ic selection of California produce.” The market, which is sponsored by the Merchants of Upper Market and Castro ( MUMC), will be a means for supporting local California farmers. This year we have several new producers including Main St. Fish with fresh seafood a nd Na na Joe’s ha nd made g r anola, whose proceeds go to breast cancer research. Scream Sorbet
.
will be here with non-dairy fruity sorbet , B er r yL ic ious w i l l br i ng plump organic strawberries, and A lpine Blue will have fresh juicy citrus and later in the season will br i n g s w e et l it t le b lu eb e r r i e s . Look for your other favorite producers returning this year. Whether you’re looking for earthy asparagus, f lowering orchids, f lavorful onions, juicy strawberries, A sia n g reens, f resh sea food, or any ot her spr ing produce items, you’ l l f i nd t hem at t he C a st r o Farmers’ Market. More than two d o z e n C a l i for n i a f a r me r s a nd other food producers are expect-
ed to be selling their products in the market on opening day. A nd throughout the year there will be a g reat select ion of musica l entertainment, children’s activ ities a nd cra f t s, cook i ng demonst rations by Chef Mario of PCFM A’s C ook i n’ t he M a rket , a nd ot her seasonal events. T he ma rket i s oper ated by Pa cif ic Coast Farmers’ Market A ssociat ion and is t he state’s largest operator of Certif ied Farmers’ Markets, w ith over 60 Cer t if ied Far mers’ Market s week ly in t he Bay A rea dur ing t he pea k sum(continued on page 24)
The San Francisco LGBT Commun it y Center w i l l hold it s 10 t h a n n i v e r s a r y c e lebr a t ion , “Soiree 10: a Decadent Celebrat ion of Av a nt- Ga rde Cu lt u re,” à l a mod e f ra n ça i se on Sat u rday, M a rch 24, when t he Sa n Fra nc i s c o D e s i g n C e nt e r G a l l e r i a becomes a decadent turn-of-thelast-centur y Parisian salon. Paris’s “Belle Époque,” or “ beaut iful era” pre-World War I, was a period of invention, optimism, style, rebellion and f lamboyance. “Soiree 10” will celebrate that spirit as the Center instantly transports at tendees f rom S oM a to Montmartre. Think peacock feathers, c lo c he h at s , c i g a r et t e holder s , Zelda Fitzgera ld, Coco Chanel, f lappers, the can-can and Moulin Rouge! Funds ra ised at “Soiree 10” d ir e c t ly b enef it t he C ent er ’s i n nov at ive ser v ices a nd fabu lou s cu lt ura l prog rams. People’s do nations help make a dif ference in the lives of tens of thousands of individuals each year. From newcomer s to long ter m res ident s , young people to senior cit izens, si ngle fol k to L GBTQ fa m i l ies, com mu n it y member s use t he Center to f ind the freedom to be fabulous. T he lead s pon sor i s Ca l i for n ia Pa c i f ic Me d ic a l C ent er Sut t er Hea lth. Sponsorship opportunit ies a re st i l l ava i lable. Cont act Devon Na nd ag i r i at (415) 8 65 5617 for more information. T he C enter, wh ich ser ves over 9, 0 0 0 v i s it or s a nd ho s t s mor e than 200 events, is asking friends and family, far and wide, to submit a video to wish this treasured p l a c e a h a p p y b i r t h d a y. J o i n them for their Free To Be Fabulous Video Project and share your v ision for a st rong a nd hea lt hy L G B T Q c o m m u n i t y. A l l y o u need is your fabulous face, your camera phone, and a boa! Record (continued on page 24)