December 6-19, 2012 | www.sfbaytimes.com
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Marriage Equality, with a Catch
PHOTO SOURCE: MARK ROBISON | RENO REBIRTH
Wedding bells likely soon will ring again for LGBT couples in California. As of this writing, the U.S. Supreme Court has not yet addressed the pending Proposition 8 case, but Prop Hate appears to be on its deathbed. Same-sex marriages could resume within days in California, if SCOTUS tomorrow or next Monday allows the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion to stand. The opinion, in turn, found that the people of California, by using their initia-
tive power to target a minority group and withdraw the right to marry they once possessed under the California State Constitution, violated the federal Constitution. If the high court decides to review Hollingsworth vs. Perry—a case filed on behalf of two same sex couples asking for an order to block Prop 8—we could get the ultimate win: a legalization of same-sex marriage nationwide. But if the court rules against
Oy Vey in a Manger
us, the marriage equality movement would experience a huge setback. Our prediction and hope are that gay marriage will happen in CA within days or perhaps months. Prop 8 will crash and burn. Marriage equality in our state feels within close reach. Should that happen, big celebrations are already in the works for the Castro, West Hollywood, and other places in our state.
While we’re getting our wedding dresses, rings, tuxes, cakes, f lowers and more ready, there’s still a bad guest in the houseDOMA. It’s like the moment in a wedding where the “speak now or forever hold your peace” comes up, and some miserable exlover comes forward to try and ruin the ceremony. Keep in mind that under the Defense of Marriage Act:Persons in same-sex mar(continued on page 7)
Goodbye, Jake’s This song is just a sample of our annual SF holiday dragapella musical extravaganza: Oy Vey in a Manger! In this show, we find Rachel, Winnie, Trixie, and Trampolina trying to sell off their manger—yes, that manger—before it’s foreclosed upon. Crises arise, secrets are revealed, JewishGentile tensions surface, and mayhem ensues—all in glorious four—part harmony. Jews Better Watch Out parody by Ben Schatz based on Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.
By Jeffrey Manabat of The Kinsey Sicks (Editor’s Note: Hanukkah begins in the evening of Saturday, December 8, and ends in the evening of Sunday, December 16. The Bay Times family includes several members who will be observing this Jewish Festival of Lights with the menorah, dreidels, latkes, and other well-known traditions. Whatever your holiday plans are, we wish you all a season filled with light, love and joy.) Below are lyrics to one of our favorite holiday parodies. Winnie, who along with Rachel is a founding member of The Kinsey Sicks and is Jewish, notes: “Chanukah is not an important holiday for Jews. During that season we always seem to have other things on our minds.”
Jews better watch out. Jews better not cry. Jews better not pout. I’m telling Jews why: Santa Claus is coming to town. He knows when you meet gentiles And ask them out on dates. He knows when you buy Christmas trees And when you assimilate. He’s seen Schindler’s List. He’s rented it twice. He’s gonna find out each Weinstein and Weiss. Santa Claus (Senty Kloyz is gekimmen in shtetl) Is coming (Oy gevalt is Senty Kloyz ge(continued on page 20)
See story on page 20.
I’m Here to Stay hope not. Because as over-quoted as it might be, there’s still something quite relevant about those lines: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”
The Western View Joel P. Engardio My post-election Facebook status: “Defeated? Still get to enjoy watching Downton Abbey on the couch, with Lionel, sharing ice cream. Nope, not defeated.” 70 friends liked it. My bid for District 7 Supervisor may have fallen short, but it’s hard to feel like a loser when people call with congratulations. They see my 13 percent as a win. It was a close race with my opponents outspending me four-to-one to get 29, 25 and 17 percent of the first-choice votes. That makes my 13 percent showing even more remarkable. I was a newcomer. I’ve lived in San Francisco for 14 years, but only 14 months in District 7. The other candidates had been in the district for decades. Yet the voters who met me were moved by my common sense message, fresh outlook and innovative campaign. Winning the s ole endorsement of the San Francisco Chronicle was also a big boost. I’m here to stay and I’l l do better next time. Until then, I’ll keep advancing the issues my supporters and I care about. You can follow me at www.engardio.com and in my monthly Bay Times column. My work in journalism and at the AC LU w a s publ ic s er v ic e t h at held gover n ment account able. I ra n for of f ice because I wa nted to do the same from inside Cit y Hall. Ser vice is important to me and I wonder if it has become trite or cliché to quote President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech. I
What do JFK’s words mean to us now, whet her we’r e D emo c r at , Republican, L ibertarian, Green, Progressive or Moderate? He delivered the speech as a call to all Americans. To me, the key phrase is: “Ask what you can do.” In today’s “ f iscal clif f ” polit ical debate (or dysfunction), there are t wo “ I’m r ight” a rg ument s t hat are both w rong. One focuses on g et t i n g g over n ment out of t he business of helping people w ithout of fering any alternative to f ill t he gap. The ot her wants to expand gover nment ser v ices w it hout considering if there is a better way to achieve the same goal. Rather than completely dismant le gover nment or solely rely on it to solve our problems, I think it is important to strike a balance that gives people the freedom and oppor t u n it y to get t h i ng s done where and when they see the most need. S o what ca n we do? I n t he ab sence of government action -- or in spite of its consequences -- we shou ld a l l be good neighbors to l i f t u p ou r o w n c o m mu n it i e s . Charity, service and volunteerism are essent ia l par t s of our socia l safety net and our general pursuit of happiness. If we g ive w it hout e x p e c t i n g a n y t h i n g i n r et u r n , we bring happiness to others and ou r s elves . I f we h ave a s h a r ed value of caring for the vulnerable among us, then we have a shared responsibi l it y: Treat t he people we e nc ou nt er a s we wou ld we want to be treated. Direct charity and service will always be more ef fective than only relying on a government program to do the work. That’s because we are more invested in the outcome when we give our time, skills, resou rces, spi r it a nd good w i l l. I was inspired by a Bay Area group called Charity Focus, which uses a not her fa mou s quote: “ B e t he change we wish to see.”
HIV/AIDS News The only way to protect against HIV and unintended pregnancy today is the condom. It’s an effective technology, but not appropriate or popular in all situations. A University of Washington team has developed a versatile platform to simultaneously offer contraception and prevent HIV. Electrically spun cloth with nanometer-sized fibers can dissolve to release drugs, providing a platform for cheap, discrete and reversible protection. The research recently was published in PLoS One. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation last month award(continued from page 1) riages are not considered married for immigration purposes. U.S. citizens and permanent residents in same-sex marriages cannot petition for their spouses, nor can they be accompanied by their spouses into the U.S. on the basis of a family or employment-based visa. A non-citizen in a same-sex marriage cannot use it as the basis for obtaining a waiver or relief from removal from the U.S.
ed the UW researchers almost $1 million to pursue the technology. “Our dream is to create a product women can use to protect themselves from HIV infection and unintended pregnancy,” said corresponding author Kim Woodrow, a UW assistant professor of bioengineering. “We have the drugs to do that. It’s really about delivering them in a way that makes them more potent, and allows a woman to want to use it.” Electrospinning uses an electric field to catapult a charged f luid jet through air to create very fine, nanometer-scale fibers. The fibers can be manipulated to control the material’s
DOMA limits the military’s ability to extend the same benefits to military personnel in same-sex marriages. For example, same-sex spouses of military personnel are denied the same access to military bases, legal counseling, and housing allowances provided to different-sex spouses.
Professional Services I f irst wrote about Charity Focus when it was a f ledgling group with a Ghandi-sized vision during the f irst dot-com boom a decade ago. Today it has some 350,000 members who engage in various forms of volunteer ism. Founder Nipun Mehta was even invited to give a prestigious TED talk. Many Charity Focus members are current and former soft ware eng i neer s who wa nt to prove t hat Silicon Valley has a heart. They started out empowering non-profits by building custom web solut ions for free. Recent ly, Char it y Focus cha nged it s na me to ServiceSpace because it wants to do more t ha n just help est abl ished char ities. Ser v iceSpace wants to encou r a ge “ever yd ay people to contribute in meaningful ways to the world around them.” Ser v iceSpace prov ides t he tools for indiv iduals to organize their own local service events and stay connected to ot hers t hrough inspirat iona l content. A nd it does ever ything in a streamlined, decent ra l i zed process t hat ha s no of f ic e or p a id s t a f f . T he on l y “place” for ServiceSpace is where its ser vers connect ever yone online. My hope is that San Francisco’s cit y government could some day provide its ser vices as ef fectively and ef f iciently – MUNI included. My campaign for super visor was a b out t end i n g t o t he ne e d s of Distr ict 7 in innovat ive ways. It was also about inspiring residents citywide to ask what change they w ish to see i n t he world a nd to suppor t pol icy t hat can nur t ure these kinds of civic actions. ServiceSpace is just one local example -- with global impact -- of our collective power when we explore creat ive ways to ser ve our community. Joel E ngardio i s an award-w inning w r it e r a n d doc u m e nt a r y f ilmm a k e r. L ear n more at www.ser vicespace .org and www.engardio.com.
solubility, strength and even geometry. Because of this versatility, fibers may be better at delivering medicine than existing technologies such as gels, tablets or pills. No high temperatures are involved, so the method is suitable for heat-sensitive molecules. The fabric can also incorporate large molecules, such as proteins and antibodies, which are hard to deliver through other methods. The team is focusing on places like Africa where HIV is most common, but the technology could be used in the U.S. or other countries to offer birth control while also preventing one or more sexually transmitted diseases.
DOMA comes with other negative consequences, so as long as this U.S. federal law stands, we all still will experience discrimination.
a groundbreaking and historic civil rights moment. California would join Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington—as well as the District of Columbia and two Native American tribes—as having legalized same-sex marriage in America. But even after that victory, much more work needs to be done before, as a community, we can kick off our activist shoes and truly celebrate the honeymoon
We are ready to celebrate marriage equality in California. It would be
For more information on this matter, please see pages 10 and 17.
Read more @ www.sfbaytimes.com BAY T IM ES DEC EM BER 6, 2012 7
Real Estate and Design
Home for the Holidays
Project Remodel Jim Tibbs “Home for the Holidays” is an oftrepeated phrase at this time of year. Of course, the word “home” has many different meanings depend-
I’m QUEER but I’ll get your deal STRAIGHT!
Katharine Holland
www.KatharineHolland.com DRE#01336487 415-378-2697
This year, my partner Philip and I will be celebrating our 33rd Christmas as a couple and our 20th Christmas in the house that we transformed from a neglected fixer upper into a fantastic home. Both of us grew up in the Midwest and have maintained strong ties to our families in Illinois and Kentucky. When we moved to Oakland in 1981, we made a commitment to each other that we would always celebrate Christmas in our own home versus being out-of-town guests at a sister’s or brother’s house. It is a promise that we have kept and one that we have never regretted. Our house in the Oakland Hills was built in 1920 in a neighborhood of lovely single-family homes. When Philip and I purchased it in 1992, it was the epitome of the worst house on a nice street, having been unoc-
L ivin g ro o m: A ft er
ing on your point of reference and where you are in life. For some people it means returning to the hometown where they grew up to celebrate with parents, siblings and childhood friends. For others, the Bay Area is home- where holidays are celebrated with extended families comprised of friends, loved ones and a few relations thrown in for good measure.
cupied and neglected for many years. Philip signed the purchase contract for the house while I was out of town and before I had a chance to see it. The house was in terrible disrepair with falling plaster, broken windows, stained wallpaper, sloped f loors and rusted metal kitchen cabinets. Despite these eyesores, I could see that it was a well-designed house with classic architectural details that were
L i v i n gr oom : Be f or e
distressed but still in tact. I was overwhelmed by the task at hand, but excited by the opportunity it presented. Fixing up an old home can be incredibly rewarding, but it is not for the faint of heart. It requires patience, collaboration, determination and a good sense of humor. Since purchasing our fixer upper in 1992, we have carefully and painstakingly transformed it from a neighborhood eyesore into the gracious and comfortable home that it was intended to be. Every surface has been refreshed, restored, replaced, refurbished or remodeled. Of course, it has cost us double what we originally estimated, but has been worth every cent. Over the years, Philip and I have remodeled three highly distressed properties and have learned many valuable lessons about design, construction and healthy working relationships from these experiences. More importantly, we have enjoyed the satisfaction of creating a beautiful home that we share with friends and neighbors during the holidays and throughout the year.
PHOTO BY HEI DI BEELE R
Sugar Plum Social Barometer
Brass Tacks Heidi Beeler It’s not often a show runs long enough to see the world change around it. You might expect that for the Rockettes, Beach Blanket Babylon, the Aurora Borealis and the Galapagos Islands, but few others. Our Dance-Along Nutcracker, however, takes its 27th anniversary twirl around the dance floor this Saturday and Sunday. It has seen a shift in how the LGBT community relates to the larger world with each passing plié. As with most shifts in the post-WWII San Francisco LGBT community, Jose Sarria, founder of the Imperial Court, was there to mark the high points. It was 1985 when the Dance-Along Nutcracker was first launched with the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band supplying the Tchaikovsky. When I think of the 1980’s with its rocker shags and Flashdance leg warmers, visions of homophobia don’t instantly leap in my mind. But 1985 was smack in the middle of Ronald Reagan’s presidency, notorious for squelching HIV-AIDS funding simply because he considered it 8 BAY TIM ES DECEMB E R 6 , 2 0 1 2
Billy Green
“a gay disease.” Queen and Village People hits aside, it was a different world. The first Dance-Along Nutcracker was a formal LGBT adult must-do at the Gift Center Pavilion. Jose emceed as the show’s first Sugar Plum Fairy in a white leotard, silk toe shoes and a pink, jeweled tutu with gossamer fairy wings that almost tripled her width. Her wingspan was so imperial she needed a crewmember to push her through the doorway to make her entrance, longtime Freedom Bandie Doug Litwin told me. It was a campy, evening affair with tuxes and gowns and cocktails around dressed tables. No children attended. In fact, Wayne Fleisher, inventor of the Dance-Along Nutcracker, told me they would never dream of including children at a gay event then for legal liability reasons. In 1994, the Dance-Along moved to its current location at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, where the Forum offers a big open dance space. There,
the odd parent began to appear with a clutch of kidlets at the daytime show, but we regularly fielded questions from skeptical parents about whether this show with its “lesbian/ gay” band was appropriate for children. We refunded money to more than one set of parents who hauled their kids out of the theater once they realized the band was gay. For Dance-Along 1996, Jose dressed as the Snow Queen in calf-length white tulle and a 2-foot-tall gossamer crown that would’ve made Glinda jealous. Every parent of every little kid going through their princess phase in the Bay Area was beginning to hear about the Dance-Along, because a full f lock appeared. Jose made her entrance, white tulle f louncing in the spotlights. She was encircled by a brigade of miniature ballerinas, all dressed to the teeth like they’d been deployed directly from a recital. (continued on page 20)
Sister Dana Sez
By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is my civil rights!” - starting with marriage equality in California, if the Supremes come through. WORLD AIDS DAY on December 1st was packed with events, starting with the 19th annual Leadership through Service held in the morning in the National AIDS Memorial Grove. Event Co-chairs Adam Bad Wound and Marcy Fraser welcomed attendees, followed by invocation by Rev. David Clarke. Opening remarks were made by AIDS Memorial Executive Director John Cunningham. The keynote speech was about leadership through service by Wells Fargo Senior V.P. Tracy Curtis. Awards were given: Unsung Hero to Gina Gatta; National Leadership to Rep. Nancy Pelosi; 2012 Young Leaders Scholarship Program to Eric Ciasullo. Closing by Board Co-chairs Margarita Gandia and Tom Jensen was concluded by a performance by The Festival Bells of “You Raise Me Up.” During the afternoon and evening, Paint the Castro Red commemorated World AIDS Day with lit up red ribbons in 26 stores. Four of us Sis-
ters of Perpetual Indulgence collected $1,100 in front of Cliff ’s Hardware to benefit AIDS Emergency Fund, AIDS Legal Referral Panel, Asian & Pacif ic Islander Wellness Center, Maitri, National AIDS Memorial Grove, Positive Resource Center, Project Inform, Project Open Hand, SF AIDS Foundation, Shanti, and Visual Aid. A free film screening of “How to Survive a Plague” showed at the Castro Theater followed by a candlelight vigil and The Sisters pulling in another $680 for the charities. After I stripped off the red habit and showered off all the red makeup, I made my way into the National AIDS Memorial Grove for the 30th anniversary of the AIDS Emergency Fund, Under the Big Top, with Donna Sachet and Sharon McNight emceeing - and all our wonderful, loving queer family gathered. Executive Director Mike Smith noted that for 30 years, AEF has been a financial lifeline - providing more than $32,000,000 to help thousands of San Franciscans disabled by HIV/AIDS avoid eviction or utility shut-off and live stably and independently. It was a downpour of rain AND love! The huge rainstorm did not dampen the spirits of the attendees. Sylvester the diva (posthumously) and her backup singer Martha Wash (in person) were honored. Martha sang her current hit, “It’s My Time to Shine,” and that classic “It’s Raining Men,” to which we danced and got crazy - as if it were the late ‘70s - before that awful virus showed up. Publicist David Perry proudly announced that Thomas M. Dross ( July 21, 1940 - January 7, 2012) left ONE MILLION DOL LARS to AEF that night!
The third annual Light in the Grove fundraiser was held in the AIDS Grove under a clear tent. The grove had been lit throughout, giving a mystical feeling among the rocks and trees. The Circle of Friends had about a hundred candles flickering as singers nearby sang “This Little Light of Mine” and performers in ancient dress did interpretive dancing in the woods. Gregg Cassin introduced William Glenn and Scott Hafner to be honored for their decades of service to the AIDS community and its many organizations. Senator Mark Leno presented Certificates of Appreciation to the couple. Executive Director John Cunningham said, “Thirty-one years ago, an insidious and unknown virus began to take vibrant young lives - at first by the tens, soon by the hundreds, and then by the thousands. Bright lives f illed with hope and promise were soon dimmed and lost. Among the maelstrom of grief, loss, and despair, Scott and Bill were embarking on their life together. As their love grew, so did their commitment to making a difference. They are beacons of light who exemplify the very best qualities of our community.” ACADEMY OF FRIENDS held their annual holiday party at Gump’s to announce the six HI V/A IDS services agencies that people will help to support through underwriting, corporate sponsorship, gala ticket and raffle sales: AIDS Legal Referral Panel, Asian & Pacif ic Islander Wellness Center, Larkin Street Youth Ser v ices, Maitr i Compassionate Care, Mission Neighborhood Health Center, and PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support). The Academy has distributed more than $8.5 million
to 72 agencies during the past 32 years. Board Director Howard Edelman reminded everyone to mark their calendars: Thursday, January 24th is Toast the Nominees at The Bubble Lounge with music by Christopher B, nibblies, wine & bubbly, and a Bowtie Tying Clinic to prepare you for Sunday, February 24th with the 33rd Annual Academy of Friends Gala, Boas, Bowties & Bubbly at Terra Gallery. It just isn›t the holiday season until Donna Sachet’s Songs of the Season rolls in. This was the 20th annual with sold out houses in the Rrazz Room for four nights this year. Donna was Ms Santa all in red and white to sing “It Wasn’t Christmas ‘til You Came Along.” Val Diamond sang a naughty little ditty about the holidaze. Dan O’Leary, along with three of his buddies from SF Gay Men’s Chorus, did human bell ringing and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Cynthia Manley gave us much attitude with her gratitude and brought some disco into the season for a reason. Donna changed outfits to sing a bitter “I Don’t Remember Christmas, and I Don’t Remember You!” She also did a dramatic (hilarious) reading of her takeoff on the “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus” classic, substituting with “Yes, Billy Ray, There Is a Donna Sachet.” Vicki Shepard was a lively elf with her “Have a Yule That’s Cool” and a duet with her friend Robby and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” Abigail Zsiga sat at the piano to sing “It Came upon a Midnight Clear” and an original composition. Sharon McNight tore down the house with her “Santa Lost a Ho” (“Uh oh, where’d the other ho go? I dunno!”). Donna
in a stunning white gown closed with “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” and “Counting My Blessings.” RAINBOW WORLD FUND presented the annual Tree of Hope celebration in the Rotunda, where you really must visit this 24-foot+, magnif icent lit-up evergreen - covered with thousands of white folded origami cranes with wishes inscribed. Also, on December 15th the front of City Hall will be magically enhanced with real snow to play in. Just don’t eat the yellow snow! Ew. HOLIDAZE FUN IS COMING UP Peaches Christ Productions presents THE NIGHTMARE WE CALL CHRISTMAS with Edward Scissorhands movie at The Castro Theatre, Saturday, December 15th, 8pm. An all-new TIM BURTON HOLIDAY REVUE starring Peaches Christ and her flawed, tragic sidekick Martiny Scissor-Claws. Tix & info: peacheschrist.com. THE GOL DEN GIR L S: THE CHR ISTM AS EPISODES drag ver s ion i s December 6 -3 0 st a rr i ng Hek l i na, Cook ie Dough, Matt hew Mar t in, and Pol lo Del M a r. C o - s t a r r i n g M a nue l C a ne r i a nd L a u r ie B u s h m a n . 16 P e r f o r m a n c e s o n l y. V i c t o r i a T h e a t e r, 2 9 61 16 t h S t r e e t @ M ission. T hu r sday s, Fr iday s, Sat urdays, 8pm;. Sundays 7pm. Ti x & i n fo: goldeng i rl ssf.eventbrite.com. Sister Dana sez, “Don’t forget to don your gay apparel and look fa la la la labulous!”
BAY T IM ES DEC EM BER 6, 2012 9
National News Briefs compiled by Dennis McMillan
South Lyon, MI - Michigan Teacher Suspended for Playing Song about Being Gay - 11.28
West Point, NY - US Military Academy’s Cadet Chapel at West Point Hosted First Same-Sex Marriage - 12.1
Susan Johnson, a performing arts teacher, was suspended without pay for playing a pro-gay song during class at South Lyon’s Centennial Middle School. The song, “Same Love,” is in support of same-sex marriage. Underground rapper Ben Maclemore tackles the dangers of hate and stereotypes by showing the struggle of a gay man from birth to death. Johnson thought it was something her students could learn from. “This is one of the things in my school that we’re trying to practice and we’re trying to instill in our students is tolerance to diversity,” she explained.
Penelope Gnesin and Brenda Sue Fulton, a West Point graduate, exchanged vows in the regal church in a ceremony conducted by a senior Army chaplain. The ceremony comes a little more than a year after President Obama ended the military policy banning openly gay people from serving. The couple has been together for 17 years. They had a civil commitment ceremony that carried no legal force in 1999. The couple live in New Jersey and would have preferred to have the wedding there, but the state doesn’t allow gay marriage yet. Guests at the wedding posted photos on Twitter while it was underway and afterward. Fulton said the Cadet Chapel on the campus at West Point was a fitting venue. Fulton said that when she requested the West Point chapel, she was told that none of the chaplains who preside there come from a denomination that allowed them to celebrate a gay marriage. Their marriage was officiated by a friend, Army Chaplain Col. J. Wesley Smith of Dover Air Force Base.
However, another student in class didn’t agree with the lyrics, went to the office and complained. Before the school day ended, the principal and assistant superintendent told her she was suspended indefinitely without pay. She said, “I was paralyzed. I really didn’t understand why I was being suspended.”
Fulton, a veteran and the communications director of the organization OutServe, representing actively serving gay, lesbian and bisexual military personnel, confirmed in an e-mail: “We will be the first same sex couple to wed at the Cadet Chapel at West Point.”
Assistant Superintendent Melissa Baker didn’t care to elaborate. “No one is going to have a comment for you. We don’t go on camera here in South Lyon,” Baker said. Johnson replied, “I’m very disappointed in the bias, the bigotry that I feel that they’re really hiding behind.”
“We are thrilled for Sue and Penny, and along with them, look forward to a day when this kind of event no longer makes headlines, and all Americans enjoy the freedom to marry and the justice of those marriages being recognized,” said Zeke Stokes, spokesman for OutServe.
The district claims the song had controversial content - homosexuality, religion, politics views and a sexual slur. “I really love my kids and I never want to hurt them, but I also know that there’s a lot of bullying, and there’s a lot of gay bashing and racial issues going on in our country,” Johnson said. The ACLU and Affirmation, the LGBTQ support group, are getting involved. This is far from over.
Source: USAToday.com
Source: MyFoxDetroit.com
Huntingdon, PA - Republican State Rep Comes Out - 12.3 Phoenix, AZ - Arizona Seeks High-Court Hearing on Queer Benefits - 12.3 The US Supreme Court could soon decide whether to let Arizona argue that it has the right to deny benefits to the domestic partners of its LGBTQ workers. Attorneys for the state are asking the justices to overturn lower court rulings that concluded it is illegal discrimination to provide health care and other perks to spouses of heterosexual workers while making those benefits off limits to homosexuals. The first step is getting the nation’s high court to agree to hear the case. Attorney General Tom Horne contends Arizona has a legitimate “interest in promoting marriage.” Horne also said the 2009 state law was not done with the intent of discriminating against gays. He said lawmakers cut benefits for all unmarried couples as a way of saving $5.5 million at a time the state was facing a $1.6 billion deficit.
Chicago, IL - Salvation Army Uses Donated Money to Oppose Gay Rights - 12.1 Shortly after the Salvation Army’s red kettle ringers set up shop around Chicago this year, Rick Garcia took to his Facebook page and posted a status update telling friends and followers to boycott the group. The Salvation Army uses donated money to oppose gay rights, wrote Garcia, a senior policy adviser at The Civil Rights Agenda, attaching a photo of a fact sheet. He suggested that his friends “pass the kettle” and give their money to other groups instead. “Serving a gay or lesbian person that needs help with food or housing or clothing is laudable,” Garcia said. “But you can’t feed them, and then stab them in the back.”
State Rep. Mike Fleck (R-Huntingdon) publicly acknowledged Saturday that he is gay, making him the only currently sitting openly gay Republican state legislator in the entire country. Fleck, a devout Christian, explained the difficult road to his announcement. “Coming out is hard enough, but doing it in the public eye is definitely something I never anticipated,” he said. “I’m still the exact same person, and I’m still a Republican and, most importantly, I’m still a person of faith trying to live life as a servant of God and the public. The only difference now is that I will also be doing so as honestly as I know how.” He continued, “The Republican party is all about the government needing to stay out of people’s lives,” Fleck said. “I’m not a one-issue person, and it’s not a one-issue party.”
But Tara Borelli, an attorney for Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, said Horne’s contention is untrue. She acknowledged the statute says an employee has to be married to get benefits for a spouse and makes no reference to the worker’s sexual orientation. Borelli said that misses a key point. “Unmarried heterosexual couples have the option to marry at any instance, and they can immediately enroll for family health benefits,” she said. With Arizona voters having approved a ban on same-sex marriage, “that option is absolutely not available to gay people, and gay people alone.”
The Salvation Army has grown accustomed to fielding such charges each year as it launches into its most aggressive fundraising season, said Lt. Col. Ralph Bukiewicz, commander of the Salvation Army’s Chicago Metropolitan Division. The group also has been criticized for its theological stance on homosexuality and accused of discrimination in shelters and the workplace. For at least six years, queer activists have encouraged supporters to keep their cash, and slip printed protest notes into the red kettles instead. The campaign resurfaced this year, gaining more momentum than ever through social media.
She scoffed at Horne’s contention that the financial savings to state taxpayers justify the law. Recall that this is the state with “papers, please” anti-gay Gov. Jan Brewer.
The move to influence donors comes at the height of giving season and during a time when a growing number of charities and social groups are competing for a limited pool of donations.
Fleck, 39, has a resume that would impress Republicans anywhere. An Eagle Scout by age 18, he graduated from Liberty University in 1995 and worked professionally for the Boy Scouts of America as a district executive in Huntingdon County from 1999 to 2004. He was married in 2002. In the legislature he’s been a moderate Republican; he was targeted by the conservative Citizens Alliance for Pennsylvania in 2011. However, besides a few votes in committees where Fleck doesn’t serve, there haven’t been significant votes on gay rights issues during his tenure. Brian Sims of Philadelphia will join him in January. The Democratic attorney is the first openly gay candidate to run and win office in Pennsylvania. Now if only Fleck would come out of the Republican closet!
Source: AZStarNet.com
Source: ChicagoTribune.com
Source: PoliticsPA.com
Local News Briefs Openhouse Receives $6.1 Million Boost for Senior LGBTQ Housing
No News Is Good News Regarding Prop 8?
The City’s first and the country’s largest affordable housing specifically welcoming to LGBTQ seniors to be developed by Openhouse and Mercy Housing California was approved unanimously Aug. 16 by the San Francisco Planning Commission. Now, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee announced it will provide $6.1 million to the long held-up project from the newly created Housing Trust Fund, which voters approved in November to, in part, replace funds for affordable housing.
There was no news from the US Supreme Court on Monday regarding the Proposition 8 repeal of the ban on California same-sex marriages and the cases concerning the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). A possible order by the court had been expected for Monday’s order list because the marriage cases were also on the agenda of the court’s conference last Friday.
The development includes 110 apartments for low-income seniors, Openhouse service offices and an activity center for residents and LGBTQ seniors. Currently over 25,000 LGBTQ seniors live in the City alone, many of whom do not access senior services and housing for fear of rejection and compromised care. The vacant five and a half acre property is the former site of a UC Berkeley Extension campus, where for years several nonprofits have worked to build low-income housing for LGBTQ seniors. A plan for the site fell apart in 2008 after the developer of the market-rate portion of the property went bankrupt. “The 55 Laguna development addresses a critical need for LGBT seniors, who face enormous challenges in finding welcoming and affordable housing,” said Executive Director Seth Kilbourn. “For decades, thousands of LGBT people have come to San Francisco to find personal freedom and acceptance. As older adults with increasing needs, the pioneers of this migration are being forced back into the closet in order to receive the quality care and housing they need. They are being forced to relocate and leave dear friends behind. 55 Laguna will be a critical community resource to help LGBT seniors age with dignity and grace in the City they call home.” Story by Dennis McMillan 10 BAY TIM ES DECEM B E R 6 , 2 0 1 2
A SCOTUS blog said the next conference they might discuss the cases further would be on Friday Dec. 7 at the earliest. A call put into the US Supreme Court public information office that morning confirmed that they expect to issue no similar orders lists until Friday or Monday. That would be the fourth time the marriage cases have been placed on the agenda for the nine justices’ internal conference. In the Prop 8 case, voting against gay marriage with the 2008 initiative, its anti-gay sponsors are appealing a decision in which the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco declared the measure unconstitutional - depriving gays and lesbians of an existing right. That decision has been put on hold - keeping Prop 8 enforced during the appeal. If the Supreme Court declines to hear the appeal, the 9th Circuit ruling will become the final decision in the case, and same-sex marriages could thereby resume in California within a few days. If the high court grants review, it would schedule a hearing this spring and would issue a decision by the end of June, which has every chance of being a win for same-sex marriage. The court has no deadline for acting on the appeal. Story by Dennis McMillan
Bay Times Winter Holiday Gift Guide 2012 We love s h a r i ng idea s for g i f tg iv i ng f u n. Plea se send i n you r own suggestions to editor@sf bayt i mes.com to be con s idered for our December 20th issue and Valentine’s Day Gift Guide too! Best wishes for the Holiday Season to all our readers and friends.
November event and met founding winemaker and president Eileen Crane of Domaine Carneros. Her specialty is crafting sparkling w ines, which are per fect for t he hol id ay sea son. (mer it agec l a re mont.com)
mend a visit with “Sam” at 17th & Noe Ma rket. Sam stocks this family-owned corner store in The C a s t r o w it h s u r pr i s e g ou r me t items you can’t f ind in many grocery stores. (415-863-6337)
❄ Speaking of wine, co-sponsor-
Here, in no particular order, are some of our recommendations:
ing our events during t he past year h a v e b e e n N A PA Cellars Wines (n a p a c e l l a r s . c o m ) a nd C a s t le Roc k Wines (cast lerockw iner y.com). Thanks to Michelle R u s s e l l a t N A PA Cellars and Heather Freyer at Cast le Rock!
Trident Restaurant (tridentrestaurant.com)- formerly known as Horizons- has reopened. We also enjoy T he Spin na ker (t hespinnaker.com), with its scenic wat er v ie w s . B ot h feat u re outdoor decks where, on s u n n y d ay s , you c a n g et u p close and personal with Bay critter s. A long t hose l i nes, we love the Clif f House (clif f house.com) a s wel l , es pec i a l ly for s how i ng of f SF ’s sur f and tur f to v isit ing friends and relatives.
❄ A r t i s t I r e ne H e nd r ic k offer s a mu lt it ude of pa i nt i ng s f r om v e r y a f for d able ones feat uring scenes from the Bay A rea to others depict ing images from her memor ies of post-W W II London. Check out her online gallery. (irenehendrick.com) ❄ I n t he E a st Bay we love t he C l a r e m o n t H o t e l ’s m o nt h l y wine dinners at the Meritage Rest aurant. Bay T imes at tended t he
❄ Tic ket s to see D i sney ’s T h e Lion King are a great g ift for an out i ng to enjoy w it h a specia l someone. See the show at the Orpheu m T heat re i n Sa n Fra ncis co, running now through Januar y 13 th . ( lionk ing. com/ticket/san-francisco-ca)
❄ Select food items make coveted stocking stuf fers. We recom-
❄ I n b e aut i f u l S au s a l it o, T he
❄ Make a trip, while you still can, to our longtime favorite, Under One Roof. It is still open for the season and w i l l cont i nue w it h online and popup stores in the f ut u r e. (u nderoneroof.org).
a var iet y of hea l ing and g row t h ser v ices. T he Shop at G race Cathed ra l (theshop.gracecathed ra l.org) stock s gorgeous L abyr i nt h-related items. I n t he East Bay, we v isit T he Sac red Wel l (sacredwell.com) at Lake Merritt in Oakland. While there, you can also head over to the Oa ktow n Spice Shop (oaktow nspiceshop. c o m) a n d , f o r food refueling w ith a lake v iew, to Side ba r (s ideba ro a k t ow n .c om / home.html).
❄ Check out the East Bay bookst or e s wher e B a y T i m e s c a n b e picked up. L au r e l B ookstore ( laurelbookstore.com), where you c a n say hello to owner Luann Strauss, is in Oak land. Mrs. Dalloway’s Bookstore (mrsdalloways.com), is located in Berkeley in the Elmwood neighborhood. The Elmwood Cafe (elmwoodcafe.com), next door, is yet another recommended stop, along with Globa l Excha nge Fa i r Trade
Store (globalexchangestore.org), Swe et D r ea m s (s weetd r ea m s candystore. com), Bi l l’s Trading Post and numerous ot her g reat College Avenue spots.
❄ Back in San Francisco, one big store we love r ecom mend i ng i s Nor d st r om at San Francisco C ent re (5t h and Market S t r e et s) w he r e you can enjoy meeting concierge m a n a ger C h a r n a G r e e n s t e i n on Nordstrom level 1 at the Conc i e r g e D e s k . Te l l he r t he B a y Times sent you! ❄ Finally, put your feet up and relax with a cup of Lupicia tea (lupic iausa .com), which has a shop t ucked away i n We st f ie ld M a l l (west f ield.com/ s a n f r a nc i s c o). Flown in from Japan, it’s the tea of choice at Yoshi’s (yoshis.com), where you can often enjoy shows hosted by the Bay Times publishers.
❄ Entrepreneurs can give a gift to t hemselves to suppor t t heir ow n business development by gett ing certif ied as an LGBT-owned business through the Nationa l Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Call on Dawn Ackerman for advice at EcoToner and OutSmart Of f ice Supplies. (888 -688 8154, solut ions@outsmar tof f ice. com). ❄ We love shoppes specia l i zi ng in cr ystals, potions and other offer ing s desig ned to connect you w it h t he universe. In San Francisco’s Castro, visit Crystal Way ( c r y s t a l w a y. com) and say hello to owners Linda and M a r i a . T hey also offer
BAY T IM ES DEC EM BER 6, 2012 11
World AIDS Day (Photos by RINK) Castro Tree Lighting (Photos by RINK)
Songs of the Season (Photo by RINK)
(Photo by RINK)
Other Gatherings
12 BAY   TIM ES DECEM B E R 6 , 2 0 1 2
(Photos by RINK)
San Francisco Celebrates the Season Macy’s Tree Lighting
(Photos by Steven Underhill)
City Hall Origami Tree
(Photos by Steven Underhill)
GGBA Gala (Photos by Steven Underhill)
BAY T IM ES DEC EM BER 6, 2012 13
Don’t Get Caught Up in Flickers of Physical and Emotional Burnout ARIES (March 21 – April 19) The landscape is changing, Aries. Don’t bother scrambling to control your surroundings. Answers are woven into your subconscious. Focus inward, reconsider your choices, and surf this wave of bountiful opportunity. better. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) Feelings don’t always make practical sense, Taurus. New desires are emerging, especially surrounding partnerships and personal belief structures. Exciting growth lies ahead if you maintain faith in your earthy intuition.
Astrology Gypsy Love We’ve all felt flickers of physical and emotional burnout, especially around this time of year. Let’s face it, lovers – “holiday cheer” often comes at a price, and catering to all of life’s little details can be downright draining. The cosmos currently cautions us not to get caught up in minor incidentals that may block our view of the bigger picture. In short: “don’t sweat the small stuff.”
www.AstrologyByGypsyLove.com
GEMINI (May 21 – June 20) Are you investing too much energy in areas that deplete you of nature’s vital nutrients, Gemini? If you’re feeling low, start eliminating distractions that could be dimming your brilliant light. CANCER (June 21 – July 22) Your creative channels are fully charged now, but the buzz won’t last if you settle for conventional standards of success. Keep pushing yourself, Cancer. Live outside the lines.
LEO (July 23 – August 22) As certain elusive challenges begin to hit a bit too close to home, you may be juggling with some confusing emotions. Don’t over-analyze it, Leo. Go with your gut.
VIRGO (August 23 – September 22) Rethink your options, Virgo. Career-wise, you have the power to go from “either/or” to “both/and.” Heed signals that reaffirm your authentic mission. Your values will keep you disciplined.
LIBRA (September 23 – October 22) LIBRA (September 23 – October 22) Your pool of personal resources is deepening now, Libra. Treasures that boost your sense of security seem to be blessing you with their presence. Give thanks, and give back.
SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21) You’re likely to make new friends now, Scorpio. Grace and charm emanate more easily than usual, and others are apt to find you irresistible. Put this attention to productive use.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21) Contrasting dynamics in your closest relationships reflect certain dualities in your own identity. Judgment points here while instincts points there. It’s complicated, Sagittarius. Be true to all of you.
CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19) Lately, your pleasure zone is peaked by sharing goals with kindred spirits. Add to this your increased desire to invoke personal transformation. The result is clear, Capricorn: You are unstoppable. AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18) Your reputation is receiving high marks, Aquarius. All you must do now is deliver the purest possible frequency of yourself. Stay centered by spending sacred time with your soulful intentions. PISCES (February 19 – March 20) Waves of new questions are crashing in each ear, Pisces. Consult trusted teachers and sincere friends to help uncover hidden truths. The right path isn’t always the most obvious one.
Gypsy Love’s astrology readings have helped 1000’s of people attract what they authentically desire.
As Heard on the Street . . .
compiled by Rink
AL L PHOTOS BY RIN K
What do you plan to do under the mistletoe?
Terry Asten Bennett
Ginnie Padgett
Misty Blue
Roberta Bobba
Julian Marshburn
“Kiss my husband.”
“It depends who it is.”
“Find a husband.”
“Have a glass of champagne.”
“What will get me in trouble.”
BAY T IM ES DEC EM BER 6, 2012 15
Tinsel, Boas, Ribbons, Oh My! Having been in the music business for over 40 years, the holidays can be completely overwhelming. How can we continue to make holiday music fresh and engaging and compelling? The simple answer? Go back to the basics. Put aside that old jaded, cynical, “There is no Santa Claus, no magic, no miracle” self. Believe again.
Kim Corsaro Publisher 1981-2011
PH OTO B Y SH AW N N O RT H C UTT
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Oh, there are definitely some ridiculously annoying holiday songs to be sure. Others have been arranged, twisted and manipulated almost beyond recognition and certainly beyond hum-alongability. It is the simple ones that carry with them instantaneous memories and warm feelings.
Tim Seelig
As we grow older with the passage of time, each holiday season brings changes we don’t notice as
If you are anything like me, you experience a slightly negative, OK, not so slight, reaction to that first string of holiday tinsel being hung by a local retailer – pre-Halloween! It is only slightly less annoying than the neighbor who saved time and energy by just leaving the Christmas decorations up all year. I grumble and grouse and mutter a soft “Bah, Humbug” under my breath.
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Then, all of a sudden, something happens that changes all of that. I find myself walking through a store or sitting in a restaurant and what am I doing? Humming along to a favorite holiday tune being played over the din of shoppers and diners. And I’m smiling. I’m happy! I stop. I remember. Music has met its mark. Music has worked its magic. There is nothing on earth that could have cut so miraculously or immediately through my mood. But music did. The holiday spirit starts to creep into my innermost being and before I know it, I grab my own strand of tinsel and hang it over the door – or just start wearing it as a boa!
It is also a group that has suffered enormous losses – often marked over the holidays. The Chorus has lost over 300 members – mostly to the ravages of the AIDS pandemic. Young men – and women - taken too soon. Every time the Chorus performs, the AIDS ribbon is prominently worn until this horror is over. This year, each name of a member who has passed has been written down and placed in the tux pocket close to our hearts as we sing. Of course, they are always with us. But this way, each of us on stage will remember one particular singer – or two – specifically. And we will speak their names – out loud. The music will meet its mark. The music will work its magic. If we let it. If we believe.
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the Bay Area has become a highlight of the concert year. Attending Chorus concerts has become a tradition for thousands – almost ten thousand this year alone. But the Chorus is more than a group of gay men that sing. It is a family. It is the family some have lost because of bigotry and ignorance. It is a support group. It is an integral thread in the fabric of this community that serves and sings tirelessly.
children or young adults. We begin to mark those changes at the holidays. For me, they go in reverse chronological order. This will be the second holiday we’ve had since Mom passed away. It’s been eight years since the kids left home to start their own families and traditions. My best friend John died of AIDS twelve holidays ago. Mom loved “Silent Night.” The kids loved “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” John loved it all! The season calls to mind the passage of time – marked by the holidays that pass more quickly each year – and the music. The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus loves its holidays. Performing holiday concerts throughout
There will be lots of TLC this holiday thanks to the music. Yes, Tender Loving Care. But more than that. Tears. Laughs. Chills. That will happen on stage. They will happen all over the audience members in attendance. They will also happen at home with families and in schools and churches. And you know what? They’ll even happen when you least expect it – as you are walking through the mall, perhaps grumbling, and begin singing along, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” My wish for you this season - Believe. Tim Seelig is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.
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Profiles in Passion and Commitment: Donna Sachet year career in designer retail. While dressing many of the “ladies who lunch” for their successful careers and lives in the social eye, the birth and evolution of Donna Sachet began. What a life trajectory it has been.
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Don't Call It Frisco Stu Smith
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If you have a pulse in San Francisco for more than a nanosecond, you know the name Donna Sachet. All of you who have been fortunate enough to meet and know her have learned something about unconditional love and commitment to serving others.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Donna is somewhat self-created and represents all the reasons young, idealistic LGBT folks migrate here or “come west” believing that San Francisco is the incubator God created for us “outcasts.”
If you would like to write a letter to the editor with comment on an article or suggestions for the Bay Times, email us at editor@sfbaytimes.com. © 2012 Bay Times Media Co, Inc. Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas Reprints by permission only.
Donna was born in South Carolina, “after the war,” and graduated cum laude from Vanderbilt University. Never doubting her sexual persuasion and enormous sense of style and flair for applying it, she soon began a 25-
16 BAY TIM ES DECEM B E R 6 , 2 0 1 2
petual Indulgence, among countless others Of the achievements she values most are her selection as ‘Absolute Empress XXX’ to the Imperial Court, Grand Marshal of The Pride Parade and Sainthood from The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
A self-described independent community activist, performer, promoter, writer and producer primarily involved and committed to the LGBT community on a very broad scale, scarcely a day or night goes by here in our gay Mecca that Donna isn’t lending her support and passion to an event or cause that benefits others. She once found time to shack up with a boy friend, but is now fiercely independent and happy.
Twenty years ago, Donna created “Songs of the Season” to benef it AIDS Emergency Fund, which kicks off the holiday season for many hundreds of San Franciscans and fellow travelers from near and far. That show represents another personal journey Donna faced head on, beating the odds by becoming a recognized singer and stage performer. Subsequently, she became the first drag queen superstar to sing the National Anthem in a major league baseball stadium. This happened at a San Francisco Giants game.
No stranger to boards and committees, local and global, Donna has helped raise millions for everything from AIDS Emergency Fund, Positive Resource Center, Shanti, Pride, The Imperial Court, Academy of Friends, The Richmond Ermet Aids Foundation and The Sisters of Per-
Donna Sachet with activist Cleve Jones
Another of her stellar achievements is the creation of the long running Pride Brunch, which takes place every year on the Saturday before Pride and honors all those being chosen by our Pride Board. Always respecting those who lend their hands and wallets to her giant work load she points to Gary Virginia, Richard Sablatura, Mark Leno, the late Bob Ross, Tom Horn, Lenny Broberg, Patrick Gallineaux, Paul Boneberg, Suzan Revah and many hundreds more I can’t fit into this column, although Donna wants to honor and thank each of them.
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Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, Supervisors Campos, Olague and Wiener and former mayor Willie Brown look on as Anne Kronenberg of the Harvey Milk Foundation speaks at City Hall during the 34th memorial rally commemorating Harvey Milk and George Moscone.
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So what does Donna do in her spare time, one might ask? I’m here to tell you that rounding out this workaholic’s dynamic schedule is her weekly show at Harry Denton’s Starlight Room, “Sunday’s A Drag,” in the Sir Francis Drake Hotel down on Union Square, just a block from where she once showed fancy frocks to many movers and shakers in local society. She writes a column and also hosts the live television broadcast of the annual Pride Parade. She appears on many local radio and television shows in support of causes she supports and advances. I’m not going out on a limb here, but I would guess that Donna has earned the title that best represents her to me— The 1st Lady of San Francisco—by being almost everywhere a cause needs her energy, commitment, passion and presence, which help make the worthy events such a success. It was years ago when I heard Mark Leno introduce her by that title and it gave me goosebumps then and still does today.
The Week in Review Justice Delayed…Again! By Ann Rostow Before we start, I just read an article about how the sperm count of the average 35-year-old Frenchman has declined by 32 percent from 1989 to 2005. Why is this of interest? Because the article was written for Reuters Health by a guy named Andrew Seaman. Badda boom! In case you’re wondering why it took seven years to evaluate the disturbing drop off in virility, I gather that the researchers used an existing database that was maintained during this period. And no, it’s not just the French. Apparently lighter loads are a general trend. (I’ve heard boxer shorts can help.) Moving along, you may have noticed that the High Court discussed no less than ten gay rights petitions last Friday, November 30, and subsequently took no action whatsoever. Oh yes, actually they did do something. They rescheduled closed door debate on all ten for their next conference, December 7. It’s like Lucy and the football. And we, the pathetically excited observers of GLBT legal history, are Charlie Brown, ever willing to line up for another dash at the elusive pigskin. As one of the fools who’s been expecting High Court pronouncements since late September, I am tempted to turn my back on the justices and let them know that I just don’t care anymore. Go ahead, Court! Postpone the petitions for another week. Wait until after the New Year. Why not? Doesn’t matter to me either way. You won’t find me glued to my computer next Friday afternoon when you might issue a news release. As for Monday morning at 9:30 Eastern when you announce your official orders, I’ll be too busy to check in. I think I’ll watch my pre-recorded episodes of The Hour. Maybe I’ll dye my hair or complete a dozen “challenging” ken ken puzzles. Oh, I have many many options. (Cue: “I don’t need you.”) A quick tour through the legal blogs provides some theories on why the justices failed to move last week. It’s possible, for example, that the Court decided to reject the Prop 8 case (as many of us hope it will) but that one or more conservatives would like to write a dissent. As you may know, it takes four justices to agree to hear a case. And, although petitions are usually rejected without comment, it’s not uncommon for justices to dissent in writing if they strongly disagree with the vote. Remember that a decision to reject Prop 8 will legalize marriage equality in California almost immediately. The Ninth Circuit would have to issue some paperwork and the insidious proposition would be history. It’s also possible that the Court could not agree on which of the several DOMA cases should proceed. It’s fairly complicated after all. Everyone agrees that the justices have no choice but to review the status of the Defense of Marriage Act. But they’re looking at eight petitions on five different cases. Plus, Justice Kagan will probably not be allowed to consult on the three petitions out of Massachusetts since she was Solicitor General during the early litigation. Is she even allowed to vote on those petitions? I don’t know. And what if the Court combined the Massachusetts cases with the Windsor case out of New York. Would Kagan be able to participate on a partial basis? Maybe the conservative side wants to take the Massachusetts case, while
the friendly justices want to take up Windsor. Or maybe the justices blew off the whole conference last week, made themselves a pitcher of Margaritas and watched cute animal tricks on youtube for a couple hours. Laughing. At all of us. At any rate, it doesn’t matter because I’m completely indifferent to the entire subject. — Therapist, Heal Thyself We really should take a close look at the dueling federal court rulings on California’s new law against reparative therapy. Is it a violation of First Amendment rights to tell therapists how to run their practices? Or is the law a simple matter of encoding professional standards that protect the public from rogue treatment? Well, we’re not taking a closer look because that’s the question in a nutshell and if it fits into a nutshell, why pour it into a giant soup tureen? Last week, as you all know by now, one court ruled against the law (in an opinion that only applies to three people) and another one ruled in its favor, guaranteeing that the matter will eventually be settled by our good buddies on the Ninth Circuit. I have to add that we’ve seen at least two courts deal with a related issue. Do you recall those Christian grad students who complained when they were ordered to keep their antigay views to themselves if they wanted to become clinical social workers or therapists or whatever? Two federal courts ruled that grad schools and professional organizations have the right to enforce nondiscrimination standards. The students can be antigay if they like. But they can’t bring that prejudice to their sessions with gay or lesbian clients. I’m not sure where those cases stand, and don’t feel like checking. I think one of them was conf irmed by an 11th Circuit panel and the other was sent back to the lower court. Anyway, the point is that it’s arguably not unconstitutional to protect gay patients from openly hostile therapists.
that seems to me to render the policy moot. I mean come on. Norway’s not that big. At any rate, Princess MetteMarit inadvertently stepped into that controversy, although most commentators recognized the kindness of her gesture and gave her a break. The babies have since arrived in Norway. Don’t you love this story? Shades of Roman Holiday. I confess I’m a little jealous of these EU monarchies. I know we fought a revolution for our Democratic system, but I still think it would be fun to have a queen or a prince or a few duchesses. Or maybe I’ll stick to the vicarious appreciation of William, Kate and my new favourite, Mette-Marit.
— More Stuff About Marriage A civil court in Israel just granted a same-sex divorce, which is a sign of something. I’ve never understood marriage law in the Holy Land, which seems to be governed by religious organizations. I think same-sex marriages are recognized in some way, but not affirmed by rabbinical courts. At any rate, this divorce is a positive precedent of some sort. So yay!
Nanny For A Day
—
Here’s a headline that caught my attention: “Norway Princess Makes Secret Trip to Play Nanny for Same-Sex Couple.” Turns out that 39-year-old Crown Princess Mette-Marit went to India to take care of twin newborns as a favor to a gay male couple. The twins were born to a surrogate mother, but the fathers were unable to get visas on short notice, and there was no one to look after the babies. One of the men worked for the royal family and was a good friend of the Princess.
Strange Goings On
Surrogacy is apparently illegal in Norway, where it’s considered akin to human trafficking and an exploitation of poor women. That said, it’s not illegal to arrange for a surrogate from outside the country, a loophole
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I think we’ve had enough marriage law for this week, so I’ll skip the full Monty on the Neanderthal federal ruling out of Nevada, where an uberconservative judge stepped into the dark ages to deliver a ludicrous defeat to same-sex couples in a Lambda Legal marriage case. That decision will rise to the Ninth Circuit (along with a similar bad decision out of Hawaii) where we hope justice will prevail.
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Her highness was able to make it to New Delhi, using her own cash I might add. There she took care of the infants for three days until the dads arranged their own travel. The hospital staff thought she was a paid nanny, so Mette-Marit went with the assumption and stayed in the royal closet during her trip.
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I am hoping that William and Kate have a girl who will someday be first in line for the throne now that they’ve made the rules of succession gender neutral. I’m also hoping that Queen Elizabeth will arrange to skip over Charles and the un-queenly Camilla. I’ve never gotten over the “tampon” comment. You know what I’m talking about, right? If not, I’ll leave it to you to look up.
And conservatives are bent out of shape after two women got married in the West Point chapel, God forbid. I read a number of tirades about the ceremony, many of which bemoaned the “violation” of the Defense of Marriage Act. Say what? DOMA doesn’t ban same-sex couples from getting married. It bans federal recognition of those who do. When last I checked, West Point was in the state of New York, where same-sex marriage has been legal for quite some time.
Looks as if we spilled out of our nutshell despite ourselves. Now that I think about it, most nutshells are destroyed by the shelling process and do not function as effective vessels to begin with.
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What else is new, you ask? Well, I was reading about a high school principal in Mesa, Arizona, who forced two boys to sit hand-in-hand for 15 minutes as punishment for fighting. The boys were surrounded by jeering classmates, calling them gay etc., and in a photograph, you can see the anguished miscreants turned away from each other and hiding their faces with their free hands. The photo really disturbed me. The kids were humiliated. The school used homophobia as a crucible. Plus, it was weird. Holding hands—- a sweet, sympathetic gesture—- was transformed into an ugly spectacle. It was almost like punishing gay kids by making them kiss heterosexual kids in public. And yet, it shouldn’t have been such a big deal, right? I’m confused by my own reaction. In addition to the taunting students, there’s some underlying wrongness in the incident that I can’t put my finger on. (continued on page 18)
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Laugh and Count to Ten defense, I was merely asking just how many gels and creams of mine could actually fit in that very small “quart” plastic bag provided by the TSA’ers.
Speak Up! Speak Out! Laugh Often! Karen Williams My dear friend and fabulously suave singer, Suede, often opens her set by stating that “Diva is in a dangerous mood...” Well, I’m not about to sing, and I’m hoping that my recent encounter with TSA officials has possible future comedy value. However, I’m feeling slightly dangerous and somewhat violated because over half of my rather expensive and precious toiletries were confiscated after going through security at Akron-Canton Airport! Not DCA or JFK or LAX or somewhere someone might actually try to halt American progress. But a damn near-rural airport an hour and a half outside of Cleveland, Ohio. To add insult to injury, I was reprimanded by a TSA supervisor for the way I treated “her” employees! In my own
Last time I checked, the purpose of airport security is to protect me, as a citizen, not to harass me about my beauty care products. It’s been hard enough since 9/11 for me, as a comic, not to tell bomb jokes or to make fun of the out-of-shape airport security personnel, many of whom look like they haven’t run after anyone since grade school. It doesn’t help that I know that the repression of humor during times of war is standard authoritarian lockdown on a citzenry’s right to joy, happiness and good cheer. That’s why we can’t tell those jokes or laugh too hard while going through security. Yet, nothing peeves me more than theft under the guise of my personal protection. What does TSA do with all the expensive facial creams, mosturizing gels, and antiaging masks that it takes for our protection? After all, if we think back to that awful time in our country’s fate when we were in fact attacked, many of the suspects made their way through our airports. And in typical posttraumatic stress syndrome response aftermath, now we’ve got strangers looking through our underwear -and in some cases sex toys -- and de-
ciding whether we can keep that tube of toothpaste. If only I could get my moisturizing cream to vibrate! Okay, breathe...there’s nothing like a little self-righteous indignation to get the blood pumping, but I gotta take it down a notch and admit that I simply don’t follow rules. Not out of rebellion...mostly because I don’t know them. I did not know that there was a rule about the actual number of liquids and gels that I could carry on that Airtran flight. I thought it was all about the number of ounces, not number of items. Perhaps it’s written at the bottom of the f light itinerary in the little print that I never read. The fact is that I am prone to lose my sense of humor when I’m side-swiped by some rule that I didn’t even know existed. Yet, being the eternal optimist and just too damn vain to let my smiles turn upside down, I’m gonna take this episode as a learning opportunity. And the next time I travel, I will check the bag that has my toiletries so that I can smile my way through security and laugh myself silly in my seat. No anti-aging cream can wipe away the wrinkles on my heart when I let things I don’t control ruin my moments. Maybe it’s time to read that fine print after all. My new meditative practice: Laugh and count to ten!
Whale Watching Trip– Photos by Phyllis Costa Led by naturalist guide Kim Powell of Blue Water Ventures, the Bay Times/“Betty’s List” outdoor adventurers enjoyed a day of viewing seals, birds, whales and other wildlife at Monterey Bay. The next Women’s Whale Watch event will be on Friday, Janaury 18th. (bettyslist.com)
Joann Lee June 19, 1940 - October 26, 2012 Joann is best known for her compassionate and independent spirit that drew friends and chosen family to her throughout her life. The self-professed Purple Queen and Ms. Lady of the Rainbow was an ardent activist throughout her life, advocating for the most marginalized.
Celebration of Life Saturday, December 15 12:00-2:30pm Jewish Community Center 1414 Walnut Street, Berkeley, CA
Donations can be made to the American Friends Service Committee (Pacific Mountain Region, SF), The Berkeley Free Clinic, Our Family Coalition, or a charity of your choosing.
More at sfbaytimes.com Joann Lee June 19, 1940 - October 26, 2012
18 BAY TIM ES DECEM B E R 6 , 2 0 1 2
Joann is best known for her compassionate and independent spirit
(ROWSTOW continued from page 17) And while we’re on the subject of vague discomfort, did you read about the Christian guy who went “undercover” for a year by pretending to be gay? The guy even lied to his conservative parents, along with everyone else he met during the year in question. After his self-taught lesson in tolerance, he wrote a book entitled: “The Cross in the Closet,” and lived happily ever after. His name is Tim Kurek and he’s 22 or 23. I know I should read his book before rolling my eyes at this baby fundamentalist. But, still. I’ve never been particularly comfortable with the journalism of deceit. Nor do I understand why he had to make his parents go along with the scam. Surely he could have taken an extended walk on the wild side without dragging them along. Plus, there’s something self-serving about the whole charade, beginning
with the notion that the author was originally homophobic until he spent a year in the midst of our happygo-lucky community. I don’t think anyone decides to spend a year “pretending” to be gay unless they find something intriguing about the exercise. — Let’s Do Lunch Oops. I only have a hundred words left which is not enough to start a new topic. And yet, it’s too many to leave unwritten. Perhaps I’ll leave you with the tidbit that gay Star Trek icon George Takei had lunch the other day with Donald Trump. The unlikely pair discussed same-sex marriage, and I gather the deranged tycoon told Mr. Sulu that he recently attended a gay ceremony and found it “beautiful.”
This is not to say that Trump has changed his policy position. Trump once famously compared same-sex marriage to the use of the (soon to be outlawed) belly putter in golf. Like the ungainly long putter, Trump basically said that gay unions were just unattractive and made him uncomfortable. I forget exactly how he put it, and I have no idea if the “beautiful” wedding has altered his views on the matter. The long putter, by the way, is being outlawed because the game of golf should require a player to calm his or her nerves through an act of will rather than a mechanical anchor. I agree with Trump on this issue, and this issue only. — arostow@aol.com
Arts&Entertainment A New Holi-gay Classic: “Scrooge & Marley” GK: What do you remember from your Christmases pasts? DM: I got thousands and thousands of presents either because I’m an only child or because my parents were divorced. G K : What were some of your favorites?
Gary M. Kramer
GK: What else do you remember about the holidays?
Call it a new holi-gay classic. Scrooge & Marley is a queer—and musical— take on Dickens’ perennial favorite, A Christmas Carol. This amusing new film features out actors in many of the leading roles. David Pevsner is Scrooge, the miserly owner of a nightclub he “stole” years ago from his savoir, Fezziwig (Bruce Vilanch). This action also cost him his relationship with Bill (Christopher Allen). Now, running his club with an iron fist, he fires Randy (Ronnie Kroell) and makes life hell for his manager Bob Cratchit (David Moretti). With visits from the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, will Scrooge come to see the error of his ways?
DM: Christmas in my house also had lots of loud screaming in Italian. 18 parties in a span of 3 hours. Lots of fish, curse words, and praising Jesus.
For the Bay Times I recently spoke with David Moretti—Scrooge & Marley’s voice of reason (and the film’s coproducer) to discuss his Christmases past, present, and future, and whether he has been naughty or nice this year. GK: Why make a gay version of Dickens A Christmas Carol? DM: I feel like we gays needed a Christmas movie to call our own. It was a fun idea to put a rainbow-colored spin on A Christmas Carol. Making a Christmas movie has been on my bucket list since seeing Christmas Vacation as a kid. And gays love the holidays! We’re a festival bunch!
GK : W hat are your current celebrat ions l ike? DM: It changes every year. I’m not sure what I’m doing yet this year. My whole family is meeting me in Chicago for the premiere of Scrooge & Marley. That may be our Christmas this year. I usually go back and forth to Rhode Island and/or Ohio. Ohio is calm—dinner with my mom and lots of mother/son time. If I am at home with Dad, all the Italians live there, so it is one party after another all over the state, which is the size of a city. Sometimes I stay in Los Angeles and have Christmas with friends. GK : W hat do you hope for Christmases in the future? DM: In the film, I play Bob Cratchit, a happily married dad with a family of orphans. He’s a pillar of stability. I want that: a family, nice traditional Christmas with kids around—I think I want kids. I want the relationship, the dog, the white picket fence in suburbia. Though it’s odd for an actor to say that—but Bob’s life is ideally what I want. GK: Bob has a pretty mean boss in Scrooge. What can you say
P HOTO BY JAM ES F RAN K L IN
Film
DM: I loved building things, like G.I. Joe base stations. I liked puzzles, but I liked action figures where you had to create things.
about Scrooge’s situation? How do you relate? DM: It’s a classic story of redemption. Scrooge has an unscrupulous demeanor towards life. I don’t relate to Scrooge, but I do relate to Cratchit. The take home is finding redemption and making amends. GK : Speaking of making amends, what did you do this year that was naughty? DM: [LAUGHS] Um, Naughty…I can’t say that. GK: Off the record you can… DM: [He demurs] I don’t like to think I’ve been naughty. I will confess I’ve had many cheat days. I’ve developed a thing for chocolate covered pretzels. I cannot walk by them in the supermarket without throwing them in the basket. I live dangerously, what can I say? GK: Ok, smartass, what did you do that was nice? DM: I attended the gay/lesbian elderly housing benef it in L.A. this
year. I plan to get more involved with that. I also started paying one of my Mom’s bills just to take a little load off her back and show her how much I care about her and appreciate all she’s done for me in my life. GK: That’s sweet. But let’s get saccharine. You wear a pretty hideous Christmas sweater in the film. Do you don gay apparel at Christmas? DM: [LAUGHS]. No. I wear a touch of red or touch of green—that’s it. I’m festive without being gaudy. I don’t get into the sweater thing. GK: Scrooge & Marley is a musical. While you don’t get to sing, are you a caroler? DM: No! If you read the reviews of [my performance in] My Big Gay Italian Wedding in New York you’d know that. I just started learning to sing better. GK: Speaking of song, do you think Christ mas is “Like a Broadway musical” as one of the songs in Scrooge & Marley
goes? Do you find the holiday campy, or is it more solemn for you? DM: Christmas isn’t somber, or campy for me, it’s just in the middle: a beautiful holiday to get family and friends together. I love this whole season. Snuggle weather…a chill in the air, lighting a fire, appreciating everyone. I like what Christmas is all about. Granted people go overboard with decorations, and that loses sight of the holiday, but I celebrate Christmas telling everyone I appreciate them. GK: Bob Crachit and his family get a cooked turkey with all the trimmings for the holidays. Do you like to cook a big meal, or just eat? DM: I am the eater that brings something that comes in a bottle. I can only cook well for me. I’m good at grilling. I’m really good at steaming vegetables. Turkey and sides—I tried one year to make a Greek version of spaghetti squash. My guests tried to eat it, and couldn’t. (continued on page 20)
Alan Cumming on His Personal Life and His Latest Film, “Any Day Now” Film
Gary M. Kramer Any Day Now is a remarkable—and remarkably affecting—film about a gay couple in 1979 Los Angeles involved in a custody battle. The plot sounds like a saccharine TV movie-of-theweek: Rudy (Alan Cumming) is a drag queen who quickly meets, mates and moves in with Paul (Garret Dillahunt) a closeted lawyer. Rudy does this because he wants to take care of
Marco (Issac Levya), a teenager with Down syndrome, who is abandoned when his mother is arrested. While Paul obtains emergency legal custody of Marco, the couple soon face court appearances and eventually, scrutiny of their queer lives. Any Day Now, which has won numerous audience awards on the festival circuit, shows, without lecturing, just how hard obtaining legal rights were—and in some places still are— for same-sex couples. The f ilm’s chronicle of justice will wring strong emotions from viewers. That’s not to
say the film isn’t biased, but its points are cogent, and compelling, and never didactic. There are also many poignant moments—from Rudy’s reaction to watching his “son” Marco sing at school, to a heartbreaking letter Paul reads (in voice-over) in the film’s most powerful scene.
Rudy is a drag queen. It’s a small part of the film, but it is the initial scene. So I was a drag queen with slightly hairy armpits. That was my concession. I wanted to be truthful and real. I wanted to be in the moment of the love story and not a distracting stereotype.
Cumming, who is fantastic here, also gets to showcase his fabulous voice, especially when he movingly covers Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released,” the song that gives this top-notch film its title.
GK: How did you work on your rapport with your co-stars Garret Dillahunt and Isaac Levya?
For the Bay Times, I spoke with the out actor about making Any Day Now. GK: How did you make Rudy a character, and not a caricature? AC: Obviously, some of the anxieties I had about how to deal with things that could fall into stereotypes or be negative portrayals, or cloying. I was conscious of that—much more than a straight actor would be. The part was originally more effeminate. But I fought to resist that. Any drag queen I know has balls of steel to walk down the street in wig and heels. I forgot
AC: I just really felt incredibly comfortable with Garret. When you have to do something like this—where we’re going to be making out and weeping, and realistically portray a thunderbolt love affair—we just dove right in. I met him at the wig fitting, and we shot two days later. We just really got on. Never any awkwardness about the sex stuff or lovey-dovey stuff. He’s easygoing and open and lovey. And easy on the eyes. Isaac was just so lovely. He was excited to work with me having seen me in Spy Kids. He was so excited to see Mr. Floop. I did fall in love with him. In a way, my relationship with Issac mirrors what’s in the movie. My favorite thing about the experience was meeting Isaac; he
was a ray of light. Honest, real and in the moment. GK: How did you work on the songs Rudy sings as a performer in the film? AC: It’s always a matter of which songs we have the rights to. And that changed all the time as we got nearer to shooting. What can we afford? But I thought that it was amazing that we got the Dylan song, a cri de couer. The songs are more about what’s happening in the story, they have a thematic contribution. I love that the film ends with a song. It’s concluded by a performance; the song says more than any scene could. But it’s hard because you have to pre-record them. So you have to remember where the song came [in the film] so you know the feeling. The day I had to perform it I was so exhausted. I was in a state of distress throughout making this film, but I really wanted to give it my all. GK: You did. It’s an incredible scene. Speaking of performing, what can you say about the drag (continued on page 20)
BAY T IM ES DEC EM BER 6, 2012 19
Goodbye, Jake’s Less than 10 months after openi n g , t h e r e s t a u r a n t J a k e ’s o n M a r k et h a s c lo s e d . B a y T i m e s publishers Dr. Betty Sullivan and Jen n i fer V ieg a s hosted nu merous “Betty’s List” and “Harvey’s List” events at the location, 2223 M a rket St r e et b et we en No e & Sanchez. That tradition extended back to t he restaurant 2223, which preceded Jake’s. J a k e ’s o n M a r k e t j o i n s B l u e , L ime, Trigger and several other Castro-based businesses that recently have closed. We empathize with the hard-work ing individua l s who lost jobs a s a resu lt of
(MANAGER continued from page 1) these closures. The news reports often tell us that the economy is improv ing, but those gains have yet to trickle down to many. The cycle of Castro business life g o es on , howe ver, w it h c l a s s ic favorites like Café Flore still going strong and new joints like Hi Tops ( bi l led a s Sa n Fra ncisco’s f irst gay sports bar) opening up. Wo r d o f m o u t h a n d o p i n i o n s shared via social media, through ser vices such as Yelp, can seemingly ma ke or brea k businesses, as the letter posted to the door of Jake’s indicates.
kimmen in shtetl) To town. Oy Vey boasts The Kinsey Sicks reinterpretations of not only this, but other holiday classics such as “God Bless Ye Femmy Lesbians,” “Satan Baby,” and “I’m Dreaming of a Betty White Christmas,” plus hilarious Jewish satiric fare, including “Don’t Be Happy, Worry,” the Chanukah spa classic “I Had a Little Facial” and, of course, the requisite and new Christmas cuisine standard, “Soylent Night.” It will play Herbst Theater, 401 Van Ness Ave, Dec 22 at 8pm. Tickets can be purchase at w w w.cityboxof f ice. com or call 415/392-4400.
See more Stories @sfbaytimes.com (SUGAR PLUM continued from page 8) The circle of baby ballerinas watched enraptured as Jose twirled and leapt. That’s when the moment came. Judging the mood of the crowd, Jose scooped a tutu-clad girl into her arms and swept around the room like the Snow Queen with Mini-Me. I don’t know if the parents in that room understood the signif icance of that dance, but we Bandies got it. The Grand Dame of drag queens dressed as a literal fairy was dancing with a child… and the audience was charmed. No one stormed from the room, and we musicians pushed down tears to keep playing. Today, though the grownups-only gala still offers cocktails and a swing dance reception, the daytime shows runneth over with wee ones and their paparazzi moms and dads, gay and straight. For us, it’s a sign both of our inclusion in the Bay Area mainstream and of our own community’s leap into
Billy Green
parenthood. This weekend, the Imperial Court celebrates Jose Sarria’s 90th birthday. To our first and most celebrated Sugar Plum Fairy, we send our best Sugar Plum wishes. Thank you, Jose, for all you’ve done over the
decades to rock our world! Happy birthday to you. For more information about the show and to purchase tickets, please visit www.DanceAlongNutcracker.org.
(SCROOGE & MARLEY continued from page 19) GK: Sounds regrettable. The theme of Scrooge & Marley is about regrets and change—do you have regrets from how you treated people in the past? DM: The only regret I have—and I’d like to say I don’t believe in regret—is from when I first came out, I didn’t acknowledge myself properly. I wasn’t comfortable with myself, so I wasn’t myself. I’d lie to people and deny my identity. I was leading a very superficial life and I created a character I wanted to be and not who I was. A lot of people saw through that, but it’s a process for everyone. I was younger and lost some friends from that, and I regret not having those people in my life. But I’ve done a 180 and I have more friends now. I’m confident, secure, and happy. GK: Is there anything you want to change, perhaps in the New Year?
DM: I would give myself more patience, in all aspects of life—but especially in the love department. I can sometimes rush into things as I chase my dream of this uber-romantic, perfect problemless partnership, and it’s invariably with the wrong guy. Things start out great in the honeymoon phase, but then as I peel the layers of the onion and get to the core, I generally realize I fell for show over substance. That’s oftentimes the L.A. way, unfortunately. And it›s my fault too. For some reason I›m attracted to d-bags and push good people away. GK: What do you think others might want to change in you? DM: My mom wishes I was a banker rather than an actor, because she’d prefer not to see me in horror films were my face is eaten off. GK: Well Scrooge & Marley isn’t a horror film, so she’ll probably
enjoy it. Last question: What do you wish for this Christmas? DM: I’d like to be on a series. I would love stability in my professional life. When that’s not stable, it becomes your priority, and that’s tough for relationship. The acting world is a profession where you have to focus your time on yourself. I want an L.A.based show so I can get the house, the picket fence, and the family time. See “Scrooge & Marley” on Sunday, Dec. 16, 3:15 p.m., Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, Calif. In a doubleheader with “Hannah Free” starring Sharon Gless, 1 p.m., $8, start time, Scrooge & Marley at 3:15 p.m., $10. Tickets available at the door prior to showtime,www.castrotheatre.com. © 2012 Gary M. Kramer
(CUMMING continued from page 19) scenes? Do you enjoy doing that, or was it just part of the part? AC: I dreaded those scenes! I did a thing for BBC where I played transgender, and I never want to see a high heel ever again. I was sore! I have respect for women; it’s like bondage. I don’t have an inner drag queen. It’s not my thing. Androgynous works for me. GK: What research did you do on custody issues—both past and present—for same-sex couples? AC: I read a bit and talked to people and over the years, I have friends who have tried adopting, and the issues of adopting now through the state system is very hard as a gay couple. Your rights are vague. GK: What drives you as an advocate/activist?
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AC: I don’t like injustice. I want equality. I’m Scottish, and I grew up with a sense of fighting injustice— it’s almost genetic. As a gay man, I feel more and more angry. It’s easy to
get lackadaisical even though great strides are made, we’re still secondclass citizens. GK: Do you think you would make a good parent? AC: HA! I think so. I have two dogs, and that’s as far as it’s going to go. I was once obsessed about having a child. My novel [Tommy’s Tale 2002] was a thinly veiled memoir and [I wrote about] wanting to be a parent. But now—after all the guys I dated—I am with someone whom it would be sensible to have a kid with, we’re content and don’t want to. GK: Do you prefer to play gay characters/tell gay stories? AC: I feel a responsibility to take part in things that are meaningful and can change minds that need to be changed, but I don’t think, “Oh, I’ve not done my quota of gay characters.” Travis [Fine, the director] spoke to my manager and she really pushed me to read Any Day Now. And sometimes when you read something like
this, you think: That’s why you pay them! Mostly, I’m drawn to things that are interesting and that I’m passionate about. A lot of the time they are gay, and I get asked to play gay characters because I don’t have an issue with it. Doing something like this, the passion and energy is more about how I feel than the actual role—what the film can do to open minds if more people see it. GK: The film addresses issues of justice. Do you think the world is just? AC: [LAUGHS]. NO! I don’t think the world is just. I think there are heartening things in the world, like Obama being re-elected. And states voting not to oppress gay people’s rights. But there is a long way to go, and I hate when they throw us a bone to think it’s all lovely, but we don’t have equality yet, and when that happens, it will be a more just place. © 2012 Gary M. Kramer
The Christmas Revels: Created Out of Imagination and Love Theater
Lynn Ungar
This is the Christmas Revels, a performance of music and dancing and story that has been taking place at the Scottish Rite building on Lake Merritt for some 25 years. Each year, the show is set in a different time and place: Medieval England, frontier French Canada, 19th century Bavaria, and so on. Every show is meticulously researched, and features music of the place and period. The show leans on the expertise of early music expert Shira Kammen for authenticity in music selection and performance. But the Revels also takes place “outside the space-time continuum,” as music director Fred Goff recently put it. The haunting Abbots Bromley dance finds its way into every show, without regard to the distance from the dance’s original English setting, as does the participatory Lord of the Dance, which features an American Shaker melody foreign to pretty much every show. And so, in Revels World, though same-sex parenting might have been less known in 15th century Italy than in 21st century Oakland, if you look carefully on stage during the Revels performances, you’ll
P HOTO SOURC E: REVEL S | DAVID T HOM P SON
It’s the beginning of the 15th century in the small Italian village of Prosecco, and the townspeople have gathered together to perform a nativity play and celebrate the shortest day of the year. The cast enters, singing the Sicilian Bagpiper’s Carol, and the village assembles in small family groups: children and teens, husbands and w ives, w ives and wives…. Wait. Wives and wives? In 15th century Italy?
find a couple of little family groups that are headed by two women. Why not? After all, there are lesbian parents among the cast members. And the world of Revels is a world created out music and dance and story, of foolery and juggling and imagination and love. It is a place for people of all ages, a place where all families
are welcome—in the audience and on the stage.
SF Pinoy Jazz Fest presents
Anna Maria Flechero
See Lynn Ungar and many talented others in this year’s Christmas Revels, Dec. 7-9 and 14-16. Go to www.californiarevels. org for more information or to purchase tickets. Bay Times and “Betty’s List” readers get 10% off. Use discount code LGBTR EVELS
My Dream is Your Dream Holiday Concert
Critical Bliss: A Queer Band that Infuses Spirituality into Rock Music
Music Shelley MacKay
PH OTO SO UR C E : C RI T I C AL BLI SS
They did meet in church and, yes, they are a rock band, but Critical Bliss does not consider itself “Christian Rock.” The San Franciscobased, queer identif ied band only formed two years ago. However, the professional musicians that make up the group effortlessly gel with such a tight sound that it’s as though they have always played together. When I saw them perform at Martuni’s this past August, I felt like a teenager at a concert for the first time. I was moved to join the other audience members and stand on my chair while singing at the top of my lungs to rock anthems like You Oughta Know. I left that night energized and inspired.
The majority of the music the band plays are covers, but they also perform original music. While most of it is secular, they often add sacred music when they do church gigs and Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah is a part of their regular set list. Spirituality plays a major role in their music and their mission, but not in the traditional sense. The drummer, Julie O’Neal says, “Since we met at church and music is a very spiritual experience for us, we knew that we wanted to share our spirit with the world through music. We have a flavor of spirit, whether you call that God or Higher Power or whatever.” Bass player Kathleen McGuire adds, “We don’t cater to the audience. It’s more about what we’re passionate about.” Their name is derived from the term Critical Mass, which is a chain of events that starts spontaneously, reinforces itself and expands. “Choosing our band name was tough,” says male lead singer Stephen Camarota. They were originally given the name “The Introverts” after several of them were caught hiding behind the piano during an MCCSF rehearsal. Unfortunately, the name was already taken by a band in the UK. Luckily, brainstorming a new name, though it was challenging, brought them closer together and they finally settled on
“Critical Bliss” after they polled their fans on Facebook. The band’s fans on Facebook also have some questions for them. Carolyn Eidson asks, “Do you have a signature song?” They agree Taking It To The Streets and Origin of Love are a tie. Pam Quiton asks, “Will there be a CD or video release soon?” The keyboard player, Dustin Manuel, answers, “We are in the process of laying down music in the recording studio, but there is not a planned release date yet.” Their gigs are incredibly eclectic, including: churches, fundraisers, queer, leather and bondage events. You can also find them at Martuni’s the second Wednesday of the month at 6pm. Soon, they aspire to play the main stage at San Francisco’s Pride and ultimately become San Francisco’s resident LGBT band. Finally, Kathleen McGuire says in good humor, “We are available for all sorts of things for hire...musically that is.” The guitarist Ashley Wai’olu Moore laughs and adds, “We’ve sold ourselves, but we haven’t sold our souls.” Check out Critical Bliss at www.critica lbl iss.com a nd L i ke t hem on Facebook.
Wednesday
December 12
Windham Hill Winter Solstice Celebration featuring
Liz Story Barbara Higbie Lisa Lynne Aryeh Frankfurter & George Tortelli Wednesday
December 19
Get 25% off with online promo code LIST 510 Embarcadero West @ Washington For tickets & dinner reservations go to yoshis.com or call 510-238-9200 All shows are all ages.
Advertise in our Holiday Guide Email us at ads@sfbaytimes or call 415-577-6422 BAY T IM ES DEC EM BER 6, 2012 21
compiled by Robert Fuggiti
See many more Calendar items @ www.sfbaytimes.com
2 am. (4149 18th St.) www.edgesf. com. Enjoy $1 well drink specials and a fun-loving crowd.
OUT Ladies Night – Café Flore. Free. 5 pm. (2298 Market St.) www.cafeflore.com. Featuring speed dating with Dr. Frankie Bashan and DJ Flirty G. Toasting the Holiday Season at this classic Castro location. Hosted by Bay Times publishers, Betty and Jen.
Free Quit Smoking Class for LGBT – SF LGBT Community Center. Free. 7 pm to 9 pm. (1800 Market St.) www.lastdrag.org. The final meeting of a seven-session class designed to help LGBT smokers quit smoking. Also December 5.
Drag Queens on Ice – Union Square. $10. 8 pm to 9:30 pm. (Safeway Holiday Ice Rink) www. unionsquareicerink.com. The 2012 festivities will include the lovely Donna Sachet as Mistress of Ceremonies, and a contest to crown the first ever “San Francisco Drag Queens & Kings on Ice.” Tubesteak Connection – Aunt Charlie’s. $4. 10 pm. (133 Turk) www.auntcharlieslounge.com. Dance the night away with great music and a fun crowd at one of the best SF dive bars in town.
Candlelight Flow Community Yoga – LGBT Center. Free. 7 pm to 8 pm. (1800 Market St.) www.sfcenter.org. Replenish your energy level with this weekly “Candlelight Flow” class.
A Christmas Carol will be at the American Conservatory Theater through December 24. (Photo: Kevin Berne) holidays! Also December 8 at 2:30 pm & 7 pm.
Friday Nights at the De Young – De Young Museum. $11. 6 pm to 8:45 pm. (50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr.) www.deyoung.famsf. org. Enjoy the museum in a fun, festive and dynamic atmosphere with live music and cocktails. Fever – Endup. $20. 10 pm to 10 am. (401 6th St.) www.theendup. com. An all night dance party with DJ Adrian, Joey Jinks and Glittery Ricky. Boy Bar – The Café. $5. 9 pm to 2 am. (2369 Market St.) www.guspresents.com. A hot weekly Castro party with go-go dancers and early drink specials.
San Francisco Boys Chorus Winter Concert – St. Dominic’s Church. $19. 8 pm. (2390 Bush St.) www.sfbc.org. Celebrate the season with the nationally acclaimed San Francisco Boys Chorus as they perform two wonderful concerts of holiday music. Also December 15. Santa’s Fantastic Holiday Revue – The Retro Dome. $36. 11 am and 2 pm. (1694 Saratoga Ave., San Jose) www.theretrodome.com. A 45-minute live stage show featuring singing and dancing elves and toy soldiers, with an appearance by Santa plus post-show cookie decorating, holiday card making and photos with Santa. Sweet Honey in the Rock – The Paramount Theater. $25-$100. 8 pm. (2025 Broadway, Oakland) www.ciis.edu. Enjoy internationally renowned a capella ensemble “Sweet Honey In The Rock,” which presents a one-of-a-kind seasonal concert, celebrating music from many faiths and religions around the globe.
2012 Dance-Along Nutcracker Goes Hollywood – Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. $26-$50. 1 pm. (701 Mission St.) www.dancealongnutcracker.org. This fun holiday show follows Fritz and Clara to Tinsel Town as they haul out the Hollywood for the 22 BAY TIM ES DECEM B E R 6 , 2 0 1 2
Songs and Stories from an Actor’s Life – Venetian Room of the Fairmont San Francisco. $47. 7 pm. (950 Mason St.) www.bayareacabaret.org. Tony nominated actor/ singer Peter Gallagher returns to the Venetian Room, bringing his critically acclaimed show “Songs and Stories from an Actor’s Life.” Beach Blanket Babylon Holiday Show – Club Fugazi. $25-$59. 2 pm and 5 pm. (678 Green St.) www.beachblanketbabylon.com. Packed with hilarious spoofs of pop culture and political characters, this holiday show features a chorus line of tap dancing Christmas trees and parodies of traditional Christmas carols.
Funny Mondays – Deco Lounge. Free. 7 pm. (510 Larkin St.) www.decosf.com. A weekly comedy open mic night hosted by Victor Torres. Monday Night Tights Ballot Series – Mills College Art Musuem. Free. 7 pm. (500 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland) www. mcam.mills.edu. A free performance happening every Monday night. Gay Bowling – Mission Bowling Club. $15. 5 pm to 8 pm. (3176 17th St.) www.missionbowlingclub. com. Mix, mingle and meet new friends at this weekly bowling social. Full bar and restaurant inside club.
The White Snake – Berkeley Repertory Theatre. $35-$69. 8 pm. (2025 Addison St., Berkeley) www. berkeleyrep.org. Directed by Tony Award-winner, Mary Zimmerman, “White Snake” is a heartwarming story from Chinese legend in which love conquers all. Through December 23. Funny Tuesdays – Harvey’s. Free. 9 pm. (500 Castro St.) www. harveyssf.com. An LGBT comedy night hosted by funny-man Ronn Vigh. Easy – The Edge SF. Free. 7 pm to
The New California – Traveling Jewish Theater. $20. 8 pm. (470 Florida St.) www.pianofight.com. PianoFight’s female-driven sketch comedy group ForePlays is back in action with the debut of their allnew sketch comedy variety show, “The New California.” Also December 19.
Natasha Miller’s 6th Annual Holiday Concert – Yoshi’s. $20. 8 pm. (1330 Fillmore St.) www. yoshis.com. Enjoy new and classic holiday songs with a modern twist. Go Deep – El Rio. Free. 8 pm to 2 am. (3158 Mission St.) www.elriosf. com. Cruisy guys, drag queens and man-on-man lube wrestling make this a night to remember. Happening second Thursdays. 80’s Night – Cat Club. $6. 9 pm to 3 am. (1190 Folsom St.) www. sfcatclub.com. Serving up drink specials and classic 80’s hits all night long.
One Republic and Adam Lambert – The Warfield. $49.50. 8 pm. (982 Market St.) www. thewarfieldtheatre.com. Enjoy two special holiday performances in one evening. Kinky Beats – Café Flore. Free. 9 pm to 1:30 am. (2298 Market St.) www.cafeflore.com. A weekly gathering at Castro’s iconic Café with 2 for 1 martinis all night. Cubcake – Lonestar. Free. 9 pm. (1354 Harrison St.) www.lonestarsf.com. A monthly bear dance party happening second Fridays.
The Nightmare We Call Christmas – Castro Theatre. $20$45. 8 pm. (429 Castro St.) www. peacheschrist.com. Peaches Christ presents a showing of the classic Tim Burton film, “Edward Scissorhands.” Sugar Buzz – Stud Bar. Free. 9 pm to 2 am. (399 9th St.) www. studsf.com. Dance the night away and enjoy music by DJ Ellen Ferrato and Juan. Truck Holiday Party – Truck. Free. 9 pm to 2 am. (1900 Folsom St.) www.trucksf.com. Celebrate the holidays with drink specials, holiday giveaways, and fun company.
Christmas classics performed by some of San Francisco’s finest brass musicians.
Santa Skivvies Run – Lookout. $35. 12 pm to 4 pm. (3600 16th St.) www.greaterthanone.org. Strip down to your skivvies, run, and raise money to fight AIDS.
Jackie Beat: Come They Told Me – Rebel. $26. 9:30 pm. (1760 Market St.) www.rebel-sf.com. Jackie Beat returns with another year of holiday songs, hits and stand up comedy. Also December 19.
Crones for the Holidays – Stage Werx. $20. 3 pm. (446 Valencia St.) www.crackpotcrones. com. A holiday sketch comedy starring Terry Baum and Carolyn Myers. Directed by Joan Mankin. Also December 22, 23, 29 and 30.
The Lion King – Orpheum Theatre. $70-$420. 2 pm. (1192 Market St.) www.shnsf.com. Experience Disney’s “The Lion King” brought to life in an elaborate production directed by awarding-winning director, Julie Taymor. Through January 13.
Glamazone – The Café. Free. 9 pm to 2 am. (2369 Market St.) www.cafesf.com. Enjoy drink specials during the day and drag performances through the evening.
A Christmas Carol – American Conservatory Theater. $20-$95. 7 pm. (415 Geary St.) www.act-sf.org. The Bay Area’s favorite holiday tradition returns with a lively cast of dozens, delightful music, gorgeous costumes, and those deliciously spooky ghosts. Katya…A Holiday Spectacular – Hotel Nikko. $30. 8 pm. (222 Mason St.) www.vendini.com. An annual holiday spectacular filled with holiday songs and stories.
Peter Gallagher will be at the Venetian Room December 9. (Photo: Jordan Strauss) Piano Bar 101 – Martuni’s. Free. 9 pm. (4 Valencia St.) www.dragatmartunis.com. Sing along to your favorite songs with friends and patrons.
Christmas at Grace Cathedral 2012 – Grace Cathedral. $15-$50. 7 pm. (1100 California St.) 415-392-4400. Hear
Rufus & Martha Wainwright’s Christmas 101 – Fox Theater. $45-$166. 8 pm. (1807 Telegraph Ave., Oakland) www.thefoxoakland. com. A holiday benefit for the Kate McGrarrigle Foundation. Featuring Emmylou Harris, Maria Muldaur,Van Dyke Parks and more. BHP: Bernal History Group – Bernal Heights Library. Free. 7 pm to 8:30 pm. (500 Cortland Ave.) www.sfpl.org. Discuss and share information about the history of Bernal Heights. Red Hot Burlesque – El Rio. $5. 7 pm. (3158 Mission St.) www. elriosf.com. A hot, outrageous women’s burlesque show happening every Wednesday and Friday.
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