2014 02 06

Celebrating Black History Month 2014

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February 6-19, 2014 | www.sfbaytimes.com

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Special to the Bay Times The Year of the Horse is a time for setting our sights on the future and committing to efforts that continue our progress together.

We know the state of our great City is still vital and strong – as strong, financially and economically, as we have ever been in our history – and this same robust economic recovery and renewed confidence in our future provides us with the resources and resolve to move forward with an ‘affordability agenda’ as our priority for our residents.

We remain focused on creating jobs, building housing, improving our transportation system, and making sure our youth have a world-class education. We will also continue to make important investments in the City’s social safety net, including HIV/AIDS prevention and health services.

This year we also celebrate a milestone of that historic day 10 years ago that then-Mayor Gavin Newsom took a courageous stand against marriage discrimination, marrying thousands of loving same-sex couples in San

Francisco City Hall and starting the fight for civil rights and marriage equality in our nation. Also this year, we will join Openhouse and Mercy Housing to break ground on LGBT senior housing at 55 Laguna Street.

Above all, we will continue to ensure that San Francisco remains a place where people from every background can call home.

Mayor Ed Lee 10th Anniversary of the Winter of Love with Mayor Ed Lee and Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom Wednesday, February 12, 5:00pm-6:00pm, SF City Hall Rotunda

Time to Protest Rising Repression of the LGBTQ Community in Russia

This Valentine’s Day week marks the tenth anniversary of San Francisco permitting same-sex couples to marry. While the road has been long and winding, those first weddings here a decade ago were key moments in the shift of opinion and practice in both courts and churches.

By Masha Penkova

To mark the occasion, Grace Cathedral is presenting “Love and Justice: A Celebration of Marriage Equality in California” on Thursday, February 13. At 5:15 PM, there will be a short concert of prelude music by the Oakland-East Bay Gay Men’s Chorus, Voices Lesbian Choral Ensemble, and other guest choirs.

PHOTO BY LIZ MANGELSDORF

Love and Justice: A Celebration of Marriage Equality in California

An iconic photo (above) of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon who were the first same-sex couple married in 2004, and (below) a mass wedding held at SF City Hall

Russia is currently in the spotlight as the host country for the Olympics. But this is not the only reason why we should be paying attention. Rising repression and violations of civil rights have greatly worsened in Russia over the past few years.

In 2011 and 2012, people united to express discontent toward the government and to demand fair elections. The protests were the biggest since the early 90s. To oppress and intimidate people, the government arrested about a thousand protestors.

To distract people from dishonesty and the poor job of the Putin administration, the government used an old trick: they fabricated an “enemy.” This time the so-called enemy is the LGBTQ community. A homophobic law, initiated by politician Vitaliy Milonov and Elena Mizulina, came out in 2013. The law prohibits any “propaganda of homosexuality.” Those who “propagandize non-traditional relations” are subject to persecution.

The law has given permission to chase after sexual minorities and their supporters. (continued on page 16)

For more information, please visit www. gracecathedral.org/loveandjustice.

See page 13 for more about the “Winter of Love.”

Protesters at the Russian Consulate in SF during early August, 2013

PHOTO BY RINK

The collection from this special service will benefit housing programs for local, homeless LGBTQ youth at Larkin Street Youth Services and it will also benefit Grace Cathedral’s social outreach programs.

PHOTO BY RINK

At 6 pm, an Evensong will be sung by the Men of the Cathedral Choir. A beautiful, centuries-old part of the Anglican tradition, an Evensong service includes hymns, choral chants, and anthems, as well as readings from scripture and prayers. A reception will follow in Gresham Hall. Nursery care for infants and toddlers will be available from 4:30 to 8 pm.

National News Briefs compiled by Dennis McMillan

Boise, ID - State Police Cite 44 for Trespassing After “Add the Words’’ Protest Blocks Senate - 2.3 Frustrated after eight years of rejection, a group of “Add the Words” supporters blocked the entrance to the Idaho State Senate chamber at the Capitol in Boise. The group members, standing in silence, covering their mouths, and wearing t-shirts emblazoned with “Add the 4 Words,” said they were prepared to be arrested.

“We are here to insist the Idaho Legislature finally add four words, ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity,’ to Idaho’s Human Rights Act to prevent the suicides, beatings, loss of jobs, evictions and the fear that too many gay and transgender Idahoans live with every day,” the group said in a news release. “We do this for those who live in fear and those who may despair this year if no one speaks for them.”

Idaho State Police arrested 44 people and cited each for trespassing.

The last arrest came when former state Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, was taken into custody after the Senate voted to suspend its rule that allows former members to be on the Senate floor.

The rules also prohibit former members from lobbying. LeFavour stood in the doorway to the Senate, hands over her mouth, refusing to move or to talk. The Senate voted to suspend for the day the rule that allows former members floor access. Monday’s protest targeted the fact that nothing in Idaho statutes prevents a citizen from being fired or blocked from buying or renting a home based on his or her sexual orientation. There’s no federal law offering specific workplace protections based on sexual orientation, either.

“Gay and transgender Idahoans have tried every means to get the Legislature to consider the ‘Add the Words’ legislation,” the group’s press release stated. “If the Legislature again chooses to ignore us and not hear or vote on the bill, we are prepared to peacefully remain here to bring attention to the issue and the Legislature’s failure to protect those in our community from harm.”

I’d like to add the words “Civil Rights Activist” to the Senator’s title!

Source: idahostatesman.com

NYC, NY - Queer Nation to Protest Olympics at Russian Consulate - 2.4 Members of the gay activist group Queer Nation and others who oppose the Russian government’s continued attacks on human rights, including the rights of LGBTQ Russians, marked the start of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games with a protest outside the Russian consulate in New York City at noon on February 6.

“Gay bashing is not an Olympic sport,” said Scott Wooledge, a member of Queer Nation. “The International Olympic Committee, the Olympic sponsors, including Coke, P&G, and McDonald’s, and the athletes who are competing in Russia have refused to support human rights - so we will. The Russian government is on notice that the start of the Olympics is not the end of this fight.”

“Vladimir Putin,” Russia’s president in effigy, appeared at the protest outside the Russian consulate, where he was scheduled to desecrate an Olympic flag.

Last June, the Russian government enacted legislation that effectively bans any pro-queer statement in public or private and on the Internet. In July, a law banning adoptions of Russian children by people from any jurisdiction that allows same-sex marriage took effect. Last year, the Russian parliament considered legislation that would allow the government to remove children from a household headed by a gay or lesbian parent. While that legislation has been withdrawn ahead of the Olympics, activists believe the parliament will reintroduce it after the Games are over.

That legislation’s passage has been followed by unprecedented, effectively state-sanctioned violence against LGBTQ people, who have been harassed, arrested, beaten, raped, tortured and killed. Activists had called for a boycott of Sochi and for the Games to be moved from Russia, citing its abysmal human rights record, including its attacks on queer Russians.

The protest is the latest in a series of high-profile protests launched by Queer Nation dating to July 2013, including earlier confrontations with Moscow government officials at meetings promoting US investment in Russia.

Just say nyet to Putin!

Source: bulgebull.wordpress.com

Oklahoma City, OK - To Keep Same-Sex Marriage Ban, OK Might Ban All Marriage - 1.24

Richmond, VA - Ousted Attorney General Really Really Really Hates Queers - 1.13

State lawmakers are considering throwing out marriage in Oklahoma.

Just hours before leaving office, former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) issued an opinion that appears intended to entrench his own anti-gay policy preferences while he could still speak as his state’s top legal officer. Cuccinelli, who once claimed that the “homosexual agenda… brings nothing but self-destruction, not only physically but of their soul,” lost his bid for Virginia governor to recently inaugurated Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D).

The idea stems from a bill filed by Rep. Mike Turner (R-Edmond). Turner says it’s an attempt to keep same-sex marriage illegal in Oklahoma while satisfying the U.S. Constitution. Critics are calling it a political stunt, while supporters say it’s what Oklahomans want. “[My constituents are] willing to have that discussion about whether marriage needs to be regulated by the state at all,” Turner said.

Other conservative lawmakers feel the same way, according to Turner.

“Would it be realistic for the State of Oklahoma to say, ‘We’re not going to do marriage period?’” asked News 9’s Michael Konopasek.

“That would definitely be a realistic opportunity, and it’s something that would be part of the discussion,” Turner answered. Such a discussion will be made possible by a current shell bill - something that can be changed at almost any time to react to upcoming rulings on Oklahoma’s same-sex marriage ban.

“I think that, especially with issues like this, [these lawmakers are] out of touch with most Oklahomans,” said Ryan Kiesel, ACLU Oklahoma executive detector.

Kiesel says prohibiting all marriage is new territory. In fact, the ACLU was unable to find an example of where a state has ever tried to ban all marriage. Kiesel believes the entire idea just boils down to politics.

By defeating Republican nominee Cuccinelli in the gubernatorial election, Virginia voters rejected one of the most openly right wing politicians in the country.

Governor-Elect McAuliffe repeatedly hammered the point that Cuccinelli was focused on his own agenda of climate change denial, anti-LGBTQ discrimination, restrictions on women’s reproductive health, steadfast opposition to the Affordable Care Act and blocking any gun violence reduction efforts.

Cuccinelli’s nonbinding opinion, which is dated January 10, 2014, concludes that “a Governor may not direct or require any agency of state government to allow same-sex couples to receive joint marital status for Virginia income tax returns.”

The question of whether married same-sex couples may file joint Virginia tax forms hinges upon a potential conflict in state law. Although the state constitution includes an expansive ban on same-sex marriages or similar arrangements, gay rights advocates note that forbidding same-sex couples from filing jointly “is in conflict with the state law that requires conformity with federal rules” - married couples of all kinds file joint tax returns under federal law.

“Moving forward, I think we’ll see less efforts like this,” Kiesel said.

Additionally, the United States Constitution forbids Virginia from “deny[ing] to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws,” and at least one federal judge has held that states cannot deny marriage equality to same-sex couples under the Fourteenth Amendment.

Turner admits his idea makes a lot of people uncomfortable. He also says, “I accept that.” Turner plans to wait until the federal appeals process plays out. The fight over Oklahoma’s ban on same-sex marriage will now head to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver.

Gov. McAuliffe, whom the voters of Virginia chose over Cuccinelli last November, campaigned on a pro-gay rights platform. His first action as governor was an executive order shielding LGBTQ state employees from employment discrimination.

Maybe queers should stop fighting for marriage and begin the battle to end it for everyone!

Good thing “The Cooch” is gone; he also tried to ban oral and anal sex!

Source: newson6.com

Source: thinkprogress.org

Erratum: In the December 5, 2013, i s s ue of t he B a y T i m e s, com ment s made by Tea P a r t y For t L a u d e r d a l e co -fou nder Da n it a K i lcullen in an e-mail were mista ken ly attr ibuted to Jim Gleason of t he L og Cabin Republicans.

Gleason infor med us t h at , “ To t he cont r a r y, I denounced Danita K i lcu l len’s e -ma i l.” We apolog ize to Gleason for t he er r or. T he or i g i n a l stor y source for our cover age, a S u n-S e nt in el a rticle, is at http://articles. su n- s ent i nel .com/2013 11-26/new s/sf l-tea - pa rt y- g ay-re publ ic a n-t a ke over-20131126 _1_ end a gay-republicans-broward-republican-party.

Washington D.C. - Scholars to Explore “Lavender Languages” at American University - 2.3 Scholars will gather at A merican University for North America’s longest-running academic conference on language use in LGBTQ life. The conference, which runs Feb. 14 through 16, is expected to draw up to 150 registrants, including students and scholars of language and sexuality.

Language use is defined broadly to include modes of linguistics such as pronunciation, vocabulary and meaning, conversational structures and styles, life stories and other narratives, fiction, print media, sign language, nonverbal communication and communication through visual arts. This year, attendees are likely to explore the use of language in the controversy surrounding LGBTQ rights and the Sochi Olympics.

“As Lavender Languages enters its third decade, it continues to elevate the study and scholarly exploration of queer thought and languages,” says William Leap, a professor in AU’s College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Anthropology and conference founder and organizer. “The discussion of gay rights and Sochi needs careful analysis. This isn’t about, ‘Do we go to the games or stay home?’ Russia’s policies on gay rights are playing with people’s lives.”

Additionally, the conference program includes sessions on themes of queer language and hip hop, neoliberal homophobia, varieties of speech in the drag speech community, the LGBTQ reclaiming of slurs, pornography, the “sounding gay” of gay speech, sex and violence, and language and queer online communities. Speakers from Brazil, Canada, Scotland, France, South Africa, Taiwan, and the mainland United States and Puerto Rico will take part, and there will be sessions on representations of sexuality in Spanish and Catalan, in French, and other languages and linguistic traditions.

Over the years, the conference has played a part in expanding the field of queer linguistics. Edited collections and books have come out of the conference, or been created in response to the event’s proceedings.

If I learn “Lavender Language,” will that make me bilingual?!

Source: american.edu

Local News Briefs Renters’ Day of Action Scheduled in Sacramento

Even More Local Activism: SF Tenants Union Announces Citywide Convention

Tenants Together hosted a phone bank Tuesday night in their office at 995 Market Street to mobilize tenants for the Renters’ Day of Action. On Feb. 18, renters and allies will unite in Sacramento for a march and rally to demand justice for California renters. The event is less than two weeks away, and they need activists’ help to make sure they show up in full force on the steps of the Capitol.

Soaring rents and evictions fueled by the tech boom have put many people’s homes at risk. Tenants need to develop a legislative agenda to put a stop to these evictions and outrageous rents. This will include changing laws via City Hall and via ballot measures. The Citywide Tenants Convention will be where they finalize that agenda and begin their work to end this housing crisis.

To be discussed: California’s Ellis Act is out of control. When the Ellis Act was adopted, proponents claimed it would rarely be used to evict tenants. For ten years, that was true. But then real estate speculators starting abusing the Ellis Act to turn a quick profit by evicting long-term tenants and selling the units. Ellis Act evictions are now surging. In San Francisco and Los Angeles, in particular, thousands of rent-controlled tenants are being displaced by Ellis Act evictions.

Also on the agenda is reinstating rent rebate. In 2008, then-Governor Schwarzenegger used his line-item veto power to eliminate $150 million in tax rebates to low-income elderly and disabled renters. This was the governor’s single biggest line-item veto in the budget, eliminating all funding for renters under the Senior Citizens Renters Tax Assistance program.

The program, in effect for decades, makes senior and disabled renters who earn less than $44,096 eligible for up to $347.50 as a tax rebate. Low-income seniors relied on these funds, and many had already filed applications for the tax rebate for 2008. With the governor’s veto, the Franchise Tax Board refused to pay these claims.

Meanwhile, Tenants Together need as many signatures as possible at petitions.moveon.org/sign to show legislators that Californians want more jobs and affordable places to live. Every signature on this petition gets emailed to an Assemblymember. They’ll be the next to vote on the CA Homes and Jobs Act to create 29,000 jobs annually, help California businesses attract and retain the talent that fuels California’s economy, and build affordable homes for veterans, seniors, foster youth, people with disabilities and Californians struggling to make ends meet.

Story by Dennis McMillan 2

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After hosting successful neighborhood conventions in the Mission, Chinatown, Richmond/Haight, Castro and SOMA/Tenderloin, the Citywide Tenants Convention will bring activists together to discuss and vote on the proposals that were generated from the neighborhoods.

If you live in rent-controlled housing in San Francisco, attend the CTC meeting on Saturday, Feb. 8 at Tenderloin Elementary School, 627 Turk at Van Ness Street. Lunch at noon. Convention from 1 to 4pm.

The San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition (SFADC) is a new coalition of organizations that have joined together in this moment of crisis to fight the widespread displacement of residents from San Francisco. Their focus for 2014 is to support policies and actions that stop the wave of evictions and loss of rent controlled housing that is devastating our communities and that threatens the economic and social diversity of our city.

It may be of interest to discover that states and metro areas like California and seven of its cities garnered the most profit for house flippers (averaging $99,999 in profit) even though the sale prices were expensive.

It should also be noted that legislation to ban condo conversions for at least the next decade, and to then prohibit conversions of 5+ unit buildings, was passed by the Board of Supervisors back on June 11 by an 8-3 majority. Only Supervisors Scott Wiener, Mark Farrell and Katy Tang voted against the measure.

The Wiener-Farrell legislation to convert apartments into condos was turned from one of the biggest threats to tenants into legislation that will save thousands of apartments from conversions and thousands of tenants from evictions. All condo conversions will be stopped for at least the next decade.

Story by Dennis McMillan

Health News Queer Lifespace Provides Mental Health and Substance Abuse Care ing services for our community by members of our community. Most research has found that there are mental health disparities in the LGBTQI community compared to the general population. This is thought to be connected to the social stigma and discrimination associated with a queer lifestyle.

Friends of Naomi

Our community has been shown to be at higher risk for depression, anxiety, suicide and substance abuse disorders. LGBTQI individuals are

Dr. Naomi Jay, RN, NP, PhD Have you heard of Queer Lifespace?

Have you seen their beautiful new off ice, full of calming energy, on 2275 Market Street (right next door to Books Inc)? They have been there since last May. I was fortunate to meet one of their founders, Nancy Heilner, executive director of QLS, at an art show of a mutual friend, and she agreed to be interviewed for this article.

Queer Lifespace was founded in July 2011 as a non-profit organization that provides low-cost therapy and serves as a training program for graduate level students. Its mission is to provide a safe space for the LGBTQI community with client-centered mental health care.

This is an important, affordable and easily accessible resource provid-

more frequently victimized and experience violence, both physical and verbal. All of these factors can have long-lasting effects on mental health.

Mental health disorders may be 2.5 times more prevalent in the queer community versus that of heterosexuals. Heilner concurs, listing anxiety disorders, depression, relationship issues, substance abuse, and isolation as key issues.

“People arrive in San Francisco thinking they’ll come and find immediate community, but they don’t,” she says, adding that this contributes to their depression and other related mental health problems.

The support groups offered by QLS are especially helpful as an intervention for the isolation she notes.

Because different issues might be more prominent among particular clients— for example, substance abuse among gay men—their support groups are tailored to specific groups and/or topics. These include groups for queer women, people of color, men’s relationships, intersex, and harm reduction, to name just a few. The providers at QLS are LGBTQI-identified and, as for Heilner, are “passionate about the need for a space where people will feel safe, and the importance of embracing the entire community in all its diversity.”

Queer Life Space is open Monday through Saturday by appointment.

They serve 150 people weekly with individual therapy, couples’ counseling and group programs. You can make appointments by calling 415358-2000, or visit the website for more information (or to make a donation): www.queerlifespace.org.

Pass it forward! Let’s support this important community resource.

Dr. Naomi Jay is a nurse practitioner in the department of Infectious Disease at UCSF.

Sochi Olympics: Going for Human Rights Gold Teenagers are isolated and bullied; kids can be taken from LGBT homes; and homophobic hatred, harassment and violence are all on the rise. In St. Petersburg in December, local organizers of a film festival and the American makers of the Oscar-winning film Milk who traveled to Russia had

The KiAi Way Sensei Jamie Leno Zimron Peak Performance Speaker and Trainer The 2014 Winter Olympics, set for February 7-23 in the Russian city of Sochi, are about to begin this weekend. The XXII Games will go on, despite appeals for boycott due to the draconian anti-LGBT laws enacted in Russia last year.

President Vladimir Putin and his conservative parliament have made it illegal to promote “propaganda of non-traditional sexual practices in front of minors.” Putin is actually spreading and legislating on the medieval idea that LGBT people are immoral sexual predators. Speaking to volunteers in Sochi last week, he made his latest crass and misleading remarks, claiming that homosexuals who come to Sochi “can feel calm and at ease. Just leave the kids alone, please.”

Based on the foul ‘propaganda’ law in Russia today, the lives and well-being of gay people are severely endangered for holding hands, making any public displays of affection or partnership, having a rainbow f lag or t-shirt, attempting to hold pride marches, etc.

Anyone, gay or not, can be fined or thrown in jail for expressing support for us – much less being us!

to persevere through 5 bomb threats to do a screening. It is all a brutal and shocking legal reality, threatening the most basic human rights and physical safety of people in Russia, not to mention the thousands of LGBT athletes, families, friends, coaches, fans, and straight allies arriving now in Sochi.

The Olympics boycott strategy was controversial and never gained serious traction. The US will send more athletes (230) to the Winter Olympics than any single country ever has, and Russia is spending more money than ever before by a host country. Almost all of us will turn on our televisions, not only to watch awesome athletic feats, but also to see how the situation unfolds there in the struggle for LGBT rights.

Fortunately, the virulence and backwardness of state-sponsored homophobia in this zenith of global sporting events has been eliciting outcries worldwide, and is galvanizing even more activism and momen-

tum for full LGBT rights in Russia and everywhere. President Obama told Jay Leno he has “no patience for countries that try to treat gays or lesbians or transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them.”

In conscious counterpoint to Putin, President Obama met with social activists on a recent visit to Russia, and has chosen Billie Jean King and other gay athletes to join an American delegation to Sochi. Gay gold medalists Bonnie Blair, Eric Heiden, Caitlin Cahow, and newly-out Brian Boitano are all going - while Obama isn’t. For the first time in years, under his direction, there will be no current or former American president, VP or First Lady on hand at the Games.

The message to Putin should be clear.

Multinational corporate sponsors too are feeling the heat to openly support LGBT rights, denounce the Russian laws, and stop doing business with brutal homophobic regimes. It’s becoming known that big business sponsors had many chances since Sochi was chosen for the 2014 Games, to prevent Putin from going ahead with the discriminatory laws.

A mnest y Internat iona l, Human R ights Watch, and t he Human Rights Campaign are among a coalition of 40 human and gay rights groups across America, Europe and Russia petitioning the 10 biggest Olympic sponsors to actively oppose anti-gay discrimination as “all eyes turn toward Sochi.” Coca Cola, McDonald’s and Procter & Gamble have had to alter their PR and merchandising campaigns in response to daily pressure from enraged and savvy social media activists. Coca Cola, for example, featured 2 gay dads in a Super Bowl ad. (continued on page 17) BAY T IM ES F EBRUARY 6, 2014

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Business Outings

Kipper Clothiers Specializes in Custom Clothing for the LGBT Community

Kyle and Erin Kipper Clothiers is a new San Francisco-based design firm offering custom clothing for our community, and especially for women seeking fine tailored menswear. The Bay Times recently caught up with Kyle Moshrefi, who coowns the business with Erin Berg.

BT: How did the two of you meet and decide to become business partners?

KM: Erin and I worked together at a fashion start-up and got the entrepreneurial spirit. We worked really well together and felt as though we had the right amount of drive and commitment to be able to start our own business. With my background in fashion and Erin’s ability to manage the operations side of the business, we knew we would be an effective team that could not only build a business, but also be innovators in the industry.

I have 5 years previous experience as a stylist for J. Crew, and on the production/merchandising side for retail start-up Everlane. I felt as though I had really honed my creative and styling skills and was ready for the next step. When I met Erin, he was working at a law firm and was looking to change careers. He quickly became interested in the project and because we got along so well, deciding to co-found Kipper Clothiers together seemed like the natural next step.

BT: Did you consider creating other businesses together, or was Kipper Clothiers your first concept?

KM: Kipper Clothiers was the first business we considered creating together, and we don’t have any foreseeable plans to start any other future ventures. Kipper Clothiers is our passion and we are 100% focused and committed to serving our community.

We saw the new burgeoning market in the fashion industry, specifically in menswear for women, and we saw the repeal of Prop 8 as a sign for us to launch this business. The idea has always been thrown around amongst friends, but Erin and I decided it was finally time for the idea to come to fruition.

BT: What’s the goal or mission behind Kipper Clothiers?

KM: Kipper Clothiers is a custom suiting and shirting venture founded on the notion that women want formal menswear clothing that fits and looks great. We’re reaching beyond the minimum acceptability of placing individuals in masculine styled suits and shirts by providing true fit along with expert styling.

While a majority of our clientele is part of the LGBT community, we do cater to anyone and everyone. We provide quality and true fit to anyone who comes through our doors.

BT: Tell us about your immediate plans for the business. What is the “pop-up” concept as you use it, and do you plan to create a permanent store?

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KM: Our immediate plans are to take things slow. We really want to build trust and confidence within our community. Once we feel that we are solidly embraced within San Francisco, we will look to expand. Currently, we have been taking appointments only

out of a temporary location in the Financial District. We held a pop-up shop for one week during the month of December for people who were coming from out of town, etc. We do plan on creating a permanent, centrally located store and are actually in conversations right now with a location that we hope is “the one.”

We follow all the latest fashion and menswear blogs; we look at street style blogs from all over the world, and also follow all the various fashion weeks. Most recently, we were very inspired by the latest Pitti Uomo trade show in Florence. We look up to designers such as Thom Browne, Sid Mashburn, Tom Ford, BT: How do you describe the and Michael Bastian, and we like to style of clothing that Kipper follow the sartorial doings of icons offers? Who sets the tone for such as Lino Leluzzi, Sam Lambert, your style, and how do you see and Nick Wooster -- these guys are it evolving? doing it right. Obviously, we draw KM: Kipper Clothiers offers cus- inspiration from all around us and tom-made suits, suit separates, and hope to be the ones setting the tone shirts. We build garments to fit the in the future. specifications of each client’s unique measurements, and in that way we As Yves Saint Laurent once said, are able to provide superior fit to “Fashions fade; style is eternal.” off-the-rack garments. Our suits and We are striving to help individuals shirts are timeless, classic, and are find their inner, personal style. We tailored to each individual’s style.

We can do anything from vintage want all of our clients to put on our to modern day with just a few mea- garments and feel like they are their surement and customization tweaks. best selves With our Put-Together Promise, we like to think of ourselves as the one- To find out more, visit: stop-shop for all of your needs. kipperclothiers.com.

Building Connections Is the Key to Healthy Aging job counseling, affordable housing or other community-based service. For many, the information is enough. Others benefit from individual appointments with our social service staff or attend one of our monthly housing workshops. The key is to start somewhere and have a person to call.

Aging in Community Seth Kilbourn Connection to community is the number-one predictor of health and wellbeing for older adults. No matter your income level, cultural background, degree of mobility or living arrangement, it is the key to living longer and remaining independent. Openhouse is expanding our programs and services to help us stay connected and healthy.

Information and referrals about senior services in San Francisco is often the beginning of community building.

It usually starts with a phone call.

Figuring out what community-based services are available, and then navigating through the array of options, can be daunting for anyone. With legitimate concerns about being treated with respect and understanding, many LGBT older adults need some basic information to get started and a friendly advocate to support them.

Of the more than 1,500 community members who have turned to Openhouse in the last two years, almost one-third have started with our information and referral services. Some callers need information about LGBT-friendly senior retirement communities. Others need in-home care,

Volunteer-based friendly visitors offer emotional support, practical assistance and reassurance.

Often without children to step in as aging-related challenges arise, LGBT older adults count on community and families of choice. The Caring Connections Friendly Visitor Program at Openhouse matches screened, trained, and staff-supported volunteers with an LGBT older-adult. Both volunteers and participants create meaningful and rewarding relationships.

Just a few hours of regular connection each month promotes independence, significantly reduces the risk of hospitalization, and keeps both volunteers and participants emotionally and physically healthier. We have recently expanded this program to include weekly telephone check-ins and follow up. Over the next year, we will offer an even wider range of support, including assistance with shopping, transportation, and other practical assistance.

Staying engaged with our communities of choice is critical as we age.

As women, as members of the transgender community, as caregivers, as artists, as opera buffs and more, LGBT older adults identify with multiple communities. Having access to a diversity of programs and activities is essential so the entire community of older LGBT adults in San Francisco can feel at home and feel connected.

Every month, hundreds of older adults come together for discussion groups, social events, outings and art programs. The Openhouse Men’s Second Sunday gathering, for example, features local authors, performers, and musicians. It provides gay, bisexual, and trans-identified men a regular opportunity to connect with one another. West of Twin Peaks is a new social group of women who identify as older, female, lesbian, bisexual, questioning, and transgender.

confidential space for participants to share their experiences and discuss the gifts and losses that come with being a survivor.

older adults. Our expansion plans will ensure that we will be that place for more diverse segments of the community in the months and years ahead.

No single organization can directly meet the needs of every person in the community it serves. But every community needs a place to start. Openhouse is that place for many LGBT

Seth Kilbourn is the Executive Director of Openhouse. For more information on Openhouse services and programs for LGBT older adults, visit w w w.ope nhou se-sf.org or call (415) 296-8995.

Our newly formed opera group will meet in February to watch Richard Strauss’s Salome. And beginning in March, our much-loved Spanish instructor will offer a lively and entertaining ten-week course on Thursday evenings that will explore the birth and evolution of the Romance languages.

A safe space to discuss health issues is proven to promote health and well-being.

In her inaugural column in this space, Dr. Marcy Adelman noted the health disparities that result when LGBT older adults defer health and support services. To address these issues and encourage early access to care, Openhouse is offering a wider range of health and wellness programs.

Starting in February, in partnership with the San Francisco Department of Aging and Adult Services and On Lok 30th St. Senior Center, Openhouse will offer a workshop series, developed at Stanford, proven to help older adults manage chronic health conditions. Our Fourth Friday Health and Wellness Series brings LGBT older adults together with health professionals to discuss diabetes prevention, healthy eating, managing stress, reducing suicide ideation, and building healthy relationships. Our HIV support group provides a safe and

Round About — In the South Bay BAY MEC ( Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee) launched its Communit y Foundat ion Spea ker Ser ies by host ing a wel l-attended event for women. E nt it led “ T h rough t he T h ick Gla ss Cei ling: A Conversat ion w ith L esbian L eaders of Silicon Valley,” the evening featured a panel discussion on the def icit of women, part ic u l a r l y le s bi a n women , i n S out h B ay bu s i ne s s a nd g over n ment lea der s h ip r ole s . Joi n i n g mo der at or C i nd y C h ave z wer e A my Brown, Kathy Lev inson, Sheila Mitchell, and Molly O’Neal.

Photos by Jo-Lynn Otto

Dr. Marcy Adelman oversees the new Bay Times Aging in Community column. For her overview of current LGBT senior challenges and opportunities, please go to: sf baytimes.com/challenges-andopportunties

I still collect

art,

but not as

fast as I collect friends.

BAYMEC board member Leslie Bulbuk (right) enjoying the pre-event reception with featured speaker Amy Brown.

For a retiree, psychotherapist Dr. Lu Chaiken is pretty busy. She still sees clients. She attends seminars and parties at The Sequoias, goes to the opera and symphony, and dines with her many friends in the community. So what has Dr. Chaiken retired from? Cooking, cleaning and worrying about her future health care. If that sounds appealing, maybe it’s time for you to get busy, too. Call

Laura Sprague, Cari Hays, Barbara Ferrell, Yolonda Franco-Clausen, Shay Franco-Clausen

Candiece at (415) 351-7900 to learn more.

A Life Care Community 415.922.9700 sequoias-sf.org 1400 Geary Boulevard

This not-for-profit community is part of Northern California Presbyterian Homes and Services. License# 380500593 COA# 097.

BAY T IM ES F EBRUARY 6, 2014 Job # / Name: NCPHS-997 SSF Chaiken BayTimes Jan 9

Date: 12/31/13

Publication: Bay Times

Issue date: Jan 9, 2014

Due at pub: 1/2/14

9

Real Estate and Design

FAQs on Fees and Commissions

Real Estate Mark Penn In this mysterious world of how things happen in real estate, there are a few subjects that sometimes make us, clients and agents alike, squirm. One of those subjects is that of fees and commissions to the real estate brokers, and how we actually get paid.

There have been various attempts at new compensation models along the way but, here in California, the old standard of agents getting paid if and when an escrow closes is still the norm. Agents can spend months, and even years, showing properties to buyers and never see any paycheck if they don’t successfully f ind and purchase a property. That generally is not a good business model, but it happens.

It’s also true that, whether I represent the buyer or the seller, the check that I earn comes out of the seller’s proceeds. Commissions are negotiated between sellers and their agents, and at the same time the parties also decide on what percentage of that commission will be shared with the

buyers’ agent and their company.

Typically that’s half of the total commission, but it’s not set in stone until it’s agreed upon between the seller and his or her agent, and then is published to the general agent community via the local MLS (Multiple Listing Service).

So how much commission should a seller agree to? First of all, as previously indicated, it is a negotiated amount; a law does not control it.

Most listing agents will ask for a total commission of something around 6% of the final sales price. Often, it ends up being lower, perhaps 5%, and sometimes it actually ends up being higher, depending on what an agent is being asked to do.

though always present, costs of doing business – taxes, marketing, equipment and technology, insurance, and so forth. Also keep in mind that most escrows take around 30 days, but that does not include the amount of time that agents spend with clients before the paperwork for an escrow even begins.

Do agents “earn” their money? Most of us work very hard, and you bet we earn it. My clients know that I work nearly 24/7 for them, and that I will protect their interests like the queen’s jewels. I’ve had transactions in my career that have ended up netting me about 5 cents per hour, if I took my net commission and divided it by the time I put into the matter.

This seems like a lot of money, though, doesn’t it? Well, it starts off being that way. Using the December 2013 median sales price of singlefamily homes in Alameda County (as reported by the California Association of Realtors), for example, the total commission (at 6%) would be a little over $36,000. Let’s split that 50/50 between the listing brokerage and the selling brokerage – we’re now at $18,000 per “side.”

Is the current fee and commission process the best model out there?

Perhaps, but either way, it remains the tradition that is most followed.

The majority of us won’t get rich from this business, but if we’re willing to work hard for our clients and do the right thing, we’ll probably manage a decent living, capped off by helping people with some of the most important milestones in their lives. That makes it all worthwhile.

From that we deduct the internal fees and costs that brokerages charge their agents (new agents may split their commissions with their company by as much as 50%). Then we subtract some of the more nebulous,

A Bay Area native, Mark Penn has been a REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker since 2004. He is also active in animal welfare, and is a former educator, facilitator, and air traffic controller. Mark can be reached at mark@MyHomeInSonoma.com.

PHOTO COURTE SY OF OAKLA ND GEOLOGY

Awe-Inspiring Nature in the East Bay Hills

Real Estate John Wesley As I sit at my desk putting thought to keypad, I am watching the sunset over the East Bay Regional Park near the Parkridge trailhead. Although the hills and Mt. Diablo in the background this year are sadly shades of tan spotted by the greens of oak and bay trees, it is always an awe-inspiring view. For this midwestern transplant, I am reminded daily how fortunate I am to look out our windows to the serenity that is part of the old Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.

Beginning at Joaquin Miller Park, a four-lane road easily winds up the Oakland Hills turning into Skyline Boulevard. At this point, you are struck by the impressive city and bay views on one side while being lured into the canyons of the parks on the other. Along the boulevard, you easily meander past bicyclists and joggers, see people beginning their hikes, having a picnic or walking their dogs.

At the Cascade at Joaquin Miller Park, you may see a wedding. You’ll 10

BAY TIMES F EBRUA RY 6 , 2 0 1 4

pass by an amphitheater where every summer you can catch a show under the stars. It’s often then that people realize Oakland’s best kept secret is that you can live in the midst of all of the natural wonder that is the East Bay Regional Park system with views of the world’s most beautiful city across the bay for lots less than struggling to make it there!

Oakland and the East Bay real estate market are poised for a very active spring season. Coming off of a record year where most neighborhood real estate values surpassed their highs of ’07, it is worth noting that the true value in the hills has a median price of $695,000 for a spacious 3 bedroom 2 bath home, with an average of more than 2,000 sq. ft. and a great sized yard for BBQ’s, gardening, and play space! Acquiring a home with a view of the bay, the park, or both, could be yours.

The neighborhoods between the Joaquin Miller/Crestmont areas, through Skyline-Hillcrest Estates

to the old Sequoyah Country Club, define quintessential East Bay suburban life. This is where you’ll find a variety of home styles ranging from cottages, condos and townhomes to mid-century modern Eichler’s and rambling ranches zoned for horses.

Yes, there are private and public stables with a thriving horse community and a world famous golf course all along the ridge!

It takes mere minutes to escape the wonderful, craziness of urban life from the city below. The peace of mind and tranquility that you can have in your own backyard are priceless and will last a night, a weekend, or for the rest of your life when you make the Oakland Hills and the East Bay Regional Parks your home.

John Wesley, a realtor at The Grubb Company, has over twelve years of real estate industry experience defined by exceptional professionalism and client service. He and his partner Gene Boomer, along with dogs Smokey and Coco, live in the East Bay.

Real Estate and Design

The Legacy of Morgan and Mizner

Julia Morgan

Project Remodel Jim Tibbs

early part of his career, and incorporated these international inf luences into his designs.

1919 was a milestone year for both Julia Morgan and Addison Mizner.

That was the year that Julia Morgan was introduced to William Randolph Hearst and began work on La Cuesta Encantada, better known as Hearst Castle, and Addison Mizner was introduced to Edward T. Stotesbury and began work on El Mirasol, a 37-room mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. Both of these palatial and over-the-top homes combine Spanish, Ita lian, Med iterranean and Gothic inf luences in a manner that didn’t exist in American residential architecture at that time.

Addison Mizner I have long been fascinated by the work of Julia Morgan and Addison Mizner, two Bay Area architects who made an indelible mark on the architecture of California and Florida in the early twentieth century. Although there is no record that these two iconic architects ever met, they share a legacy of startling similarities (and some distinct differences).

Julia Morgan and Addison Mizner were both born in the Bay A rea in 1872 and spent their formative years in Oakland and Benicia respectively. They both came from highly respected families of substantial means and social standing.

It is remarkable that these two Bay Area architects, working on projects at opposite sides of the continent, came up with very similar design solutions that would change the face of high-end residential architecture for years to come. Morgan would develop and evolve this style throughout her career, and Mizner would become famous for the Palm Beach style of architecture that he introduced with El Mirasol.

The other similarity between Julia Morgan and Addison Mizner is that

they are both assumed to be gay.

Both of them had same-sex “companions” who played an important, and yet discreet, role in their lives.

Neither of them opted to hide behind a marriage of convenience, which was a courageous life choice for two such sought-after architects.

Julia Morgan would go on to have a prolific and successful career, leaving behind a rich legacy of buildings that have survived to the present.

Addison Mizner reached incredible career heights, but ultimately died broke and disgraced because of his involvement in a Boca Raton development scandal. He is remembered for the Palm Beach style he created, even though there are very few of his buildings still standing.

Those of you who saw the recent production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Road Show” at Theatre Rhinoceros got an entertaining introduction to Addison Mizner and his notorious brother Wilson, who are the protagonists of the show.

Jim Tibbs is the creative director of HDR Remodeling. If you would like to learn more, please read his blog at http://hdrremodeling.wordpress.com or follow him on Twitter @HDRremodeling1.

Julia Morgan was a feminist trailblazer who was the first woman to receive a degree in architecture at l’Ecole Beaux-Arts in Paris, and was the first woman architect to be licensed in the state of California.

Julia Morgan’s design aesthetic was greatly inf luenced by her mentor, Bernard Maybeck, and by her exposure to European architecture as a student in Paris.

Addison Mizner, on the other hand, did not receive a formal education in architecture, but became an apprentice and eventually a partner with a successful San Francisco architecture firm. Mizner traveled extensively in Europe, South America and the South Pacif ic during the

Julia Morgan’s Hearst Castle

Addison Mizner’s El Mirasol, Palm Beach, FL BAY T IM ES F EBRUARY 6, 2014

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Editor’s Note: Welcome to our Weddings, Anniversaries & Occasions section. Inquire how your social announcement can appear free of charge, or how your wedding services ad can be included at a special rate: Publisher@sfbaytimes.com or 415-601-2113.

PHOTO FROM JUST JARED

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMANDA NEAR AND SYDNI PEELER

Wedding at the Grammys - Special to the Bay Times

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDON STYLES AND KEVIN MASEK

Sydni and Amanda

Brandon and Kevin, center Brandon Styles and Kevin Masek were one among the 33 couples, both gay and straight, saying “I do” in the wedding led by Queen Latifah and televised on the 2014 Grammy Awards. During the unique ceremony, Madonna joined in on stage with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, who performed “Same Love,” their hit song on marriage equality. “It was one of, if not the most climactic moment of my life up to date,” Brandon said in describing the experience. “Not only because I was able to marry my best friend, but because of the love and support from those who were giving a standing ovation resonated with all of us - gay or straight.” Brandon and Kevin were not the only Bay Area couple participating in the wedding at this year’s Grammys. They reported enjoying the celebration with Amanda Near and Sydni Peeler, top right.

Your First “Date” With Your Officiant This coming weekend I’m going to be at Gay Vanity Fair, which will be a huge LGBT wedding expo. It will be at a fancy venue with lots of top-notch vendors. Even a fashion show will take place up and down the aisles.

With so many vendors, how can you choose among them? How do you go about selecting the “right” person to capture the real you in pictures, and the “right” person to bring nature to your wedding through f lowers?

How do you choose the best venue, cake, music, musician and clothes?

And, of course, I am most interested in how you choose the officiant who is right for you. I believe the answer is the same for all questions involving your wedding: choose services and individuals with whom you feel a connection.

I liken my first meeting with a couple to a first date. I encourage them to get to know me whether it’s faceto-face, via FaceTime or Skype. I suggest that they think about whether they’ll feel comfortable with me in front of them on one of the biggest days of their lives.

I typically start the first meeting by asking a couple how they met. This allows them to share something special about themselves. This also allows me to start learning about each couple’s personalities and unique experiences.

I’ve off iciated numerous, diverse weddings for a wide variety of couples. In all the years that I’ve been doing this, there was only one couple for whom I felt I couldn’t meet their needs. They were looking for a sarcastic, caustic officiant a/la Rodney Dangerfield.

12

BAY TIMES F EBRUA RY 6 , 2 0 1 4

so that the first couple in the procession had to climb over the ribbon. I wished that I’d had a pair of scissors!

Weddings Howard Steiermann I want couples to know that I enjoy customizing ceremonies to ref lect their style and tastes. Additionally, I can be the stable force if they’re feeling untethered during their wedding day.

Once a couple decides they want me as their officiant, we continue discussing the process. To book their wedding date, I require a 50% deposit. Then I move forward in crafting their ceremony with as much input as the couple cares for me to provide.

Over the years it’s been my experience that, no matter how much planning goes into a wedding, something is bound to go not as expected.

While I’m not a wedding planner, my calm demeanor allows me to handle the unexpected. I usually tell couples half seriously and half jokingly that, like the Allstate commercial, they’re in good hands with Howard!

I’ve had a father of the bride interrupt me not once, but twice, during a ceremony. At another wedding, the on-site coordinator forgot to take the ribbon off the last row seats

I always mention to couples they only need to say, at a minimum, two words during the ceremony: “I do.”

While I invite them to read their vows or anything else they might want to say, many people recognize that they’re extremely uncomfortable as public speakers and choose not to go beyond the two needed words.

I encourage couples to choose traditions and rituals that are meaningful for them and that were not selected just because “Aunt Gladys” wants something included. I let my couples know that I’m their advocate. This is their day, and not that of their parents, grandparents, best friends and more. And, if they choose to include something to make someone else happy, I encourage them to make that ritual meaningful. I facilitate by sharing the tradition and history around the ritual, as well as investigating how other people have imbued the ritual with contemporary meaning.

My goal is to craft meaningful experiences that reflect the couple while creating a warm and welcoming space for their guests. If you’re attending the expo, please stop by and say hi!

Gay Vanity Fair: February 9, 11 am- 4 pm, The Bently Reserve, 301 Battery Street, San Francisco.

Howard M. Steiermann is an Ordained Ritual Facilitator based in San Francisco.

For more information, please visit www.

SFHoward.com.

The Relevance of the Winter of Love to the Entire LGBTIQ Community Today Next week marks the ten-year anniversary of the beginning of San Francisco’s “Winter of Love,” in which 4,037 same-sex couples married at San Francisco City Hall from February 12 to March 11, 2004. Those extraordinary days took the movement for marriage equality in California to a whole new level and inspired thousands of people to get involved. We now have the freedom to marry in our state. What the “Winter of Love” sparked remains highly significant as we continue the struggle for full LGBTIQ equality.

We began our involvement with the marriage equality movement on February 12, 2004, when we got married at City Hall. The experience was especially profound for us because it gave us the feeling of equality as members of the LGBTIQ community. From the beginning, we have always considered the movement for the freedom to marry to be linked inextricably to the struggle for LGBTIQ equality in all aspects of our lives.

Marriage Equality Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis, Marriage Equality USA the most compelling of reasons for the law. The decision protects lesbian and gay people in myriad aspects of their lives from education to employment to the criminal justice system.

As public attention and opponents’ efforts focused on marriage, the California Legislature also quietly enacted laws establishing many important rights and protections other than marriage for LGBTIQ people. The 2010 Proposition 8 trial presented testimony about the gross harm that so-called gay “conversion” therapy exacts on lesbian and gay people, and the California Legislature went on to ban such therapy for minors.

Soon we may be faced with another challenge at the ballot box in California regarding LGBTIQ rights.

On January 1, 2014, the School Success and Opportunity Act (Assembly Bill 1266) took effect. It

The state is now conducting a full count of signatures, and the referendum may or may not qualify for the ballot. If it does, we must share our lives and tell our personal stories to show the world, as we did during the Winter of Love, that laws excluding LGBTIQ people harm real people – in this case, transgender students.

We must remember that discrimination in any aspect of our lives and against any members of the community affects us all. And we must invoke the spirit and enthusiasm that the Winter of Love evoked to defeat the referendum if it appears on the ballot, or prevail in whatever challenge lies ahead for our community.

John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, together for nearly three decades, were plaintiffs in the California case for equal marriage rights decided by the California Supreme Court in 2008. They are leaders in the nationwide grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA.

PHOTO COURTESY OF B.C. CLIVER

The Winter of Love ultimately led to the California Supreme Court’s 2008 decision in In Re Marriage Cases, establishing marriage equality in California before Proposition 8 and recognizing that commonality of purpose. It established that any law discriminating against lesbian and gay people in any aspect of their lives, not just marriage, was presumptively unconstitutional unless the government could provide

requires that all California public schools respect students’ gender identity and ensures that students can fully participate in all school activities and facilities that match their gender identity. Opponents (many of whom backed Prop. 8) collected petition signatures to attempt to repeal the law on the November 2014 statewide ballot.

Margaret and B.C. Cliver were married 15 years ago on January 30 and are celebrating their anniversary. “After all these years the love is just as passionate, but also deeper and more complex. It still feels like we’ve only just begun, and we look forward to many, many more years together,” B.C. said.

Valentine’s Wedding Cake

PHOTO BY MARIA STOKES, PROJECT OPEN HAND

PHOTO SOURCE: LOU16.SQUIDOO.COM

Well-known physician Dr. Mark Higgins and Kieran Flaherty have been enjoying an island honeymoon after their recent Irish wedding held at Mira Vista Country Club.

Grooms David Kaye and Kevin Leah were married in a unique setting with a City view.

Held on the roof of Project Open Hand’s headquarters in San Francisco, POH’s Jared Scherer officiated. Left to right, David Kaye, Kevin Leah and Jared Scherer BAY T IM ES F EBRUARY 6, 2014

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Round About — Valentines in the Castro — Photos by Rink St. Valentine’s Day annually brings out creativity and romance in the Castro, and one place that’s very visible is in the array of window displays in shops located throughout the neighborhood. Bay Times photographer Rink brings us a collection of images from 2013 and 2014 windows. Enjoy, and we wish you a very happy Valentine’s this year!

FI

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LA DOLCE VITA & B EYON D 1950–1990 SEPTEM B ER 21, 2013–FEB RUARY 17, 2014

With 150 breathtaking pieces, this exclusive US exhibition highlights a pivotal period in the evolution of Bulgari’s distinctive Italian style and the jewels loved and worn by celebrities and jet-setters, including several from the legendary collection of Elizabeth Taylor.

Golden Gate Park • deyoungmuseum.org

This exhibition is organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco in collaboration with Bulgari. Curator’s Circle: Mr. and Mrs. Carl F. Pascarella. Benefactor’s Circle: Mrs. George Hopper Fitch, Dr. Alan R. Malouf, and Wells Fargo. Patron’s Circle: Jeri Dexter.

Media Sponsor Sautoir, 1969. Platinum with sapphires and diamonds. Formerly in the collection of Elizabeth Taylor. Bulgari Heritage Collection. Photograph by Antonio Barrella, Studio Orizzonte Roma

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BAY TIMES F EBRUA RY 6 , 2 0 1 4

!

Dreaming of Snow in the Castro California has always been the Golden State, famous for its gold digging and sunshine. But the current drought, talk of climate change, and memories of past winters here have us hoping for more seasonal weather. The Winter Olympics even have us thinking about snow in the Castro. After all, we enjoy a bit of drama, and what’s more dramatic than snow in San Francisco?

It’s actually snowed- in any measurable kind of way- at least eleven times in our city since such things have been recorded. The Golden Gate Weather Service (GGWS) documented the following events: 1856 (2.5”), 1868 (2.0”), 1882 (3.5”), 1884 (1.5”), 1887 (3.7”), 1888 (0.1”), 1896 (1.0”), 1932 (0.8”), 1952 (0.3”), 1962 (3.0”) and 1976 (1.0” with up to 5” at the top of Twin Peaks).

1887 1976

The 1882 event happened on New Year’s Eve when, according to the GGWS, “snow fell for 5 hours, reaching 3.5 inches deep in the downtown area.” Telegraph and telephone services were affected by downed wires, and a blanket of ice damaged flowerbeds and gardens in Golden Gate Park.

The all time record snowfall of 3.7” occurred around this time of year, on February 5, 1887. The Chronicle reported that a toboggan club formed as the snow was coming down. The club even had a “trial run down Haight Street hill.”

1882

1932, Clement MUNI car

Snow has been hauled into San Francisco for various reasons. In 2005, Olympic gold medal winner Jonny Moseley- the f irst Puerto Rican to become a member of the U.S. Ski Team- celebrated his 30th birthday with a memorable ski jump on Fillmore Street. Snow was also brought into the city for the ICER AIR skiing and snowboarding competition at AT&T Park and for a 2011 family snow slope across from City Hall at Civic Center Plaza.

1976

PHOTO BY JOSPEH ROSENTHAL

But what of the Castro? Our search of related photos confirmed snow was seen in the Castro and Noe Valley during the disco era 1976 snowfall. Residents really got a view looking up at Twin Peaks, where a “dirty snowman” reigned the day.

1976

PHOTO BY CLEM ALBERS

T here is some debate about whether or not it snowed here in early February of 2011. The New York Times reported that “residents here saw snow late Friday, a longabsent visitor.” The Chronicle and MSNBC, on the other hand, mentioned that there was “no snow day for SF” and “the dusting would not count toward official records that show the last measurable snowfall in the area 35 years ago.”

CHARLES SMALLWOOD COLLECTION

Many of you probably remember the February 6, 1976 “f lurry.”

One member of our team recalls playing in the snow that day, such as it was, and making tiny snowballs with the light dusting that melted not too long afterwards.

1976, Pleasanton

1976 BAY T IM ES F EBRUARY 6, 2014

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Sochi 2014 Olympics Principle 6

Principle 6 of the Olympic Charter states that, “Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.” The IOC has confirmed that this includes sexual orientation.

In Russia, you can be fined or arrested for speaking out publicly about gay, lesbian, bi or trans issues. The Principle 6 campaign cleverly uses the language of the Olympic Charter to allow athletes and fans to speak out against this discrimination during the Sochi Games without violating Russian anti-gay laws or violating the Olympic ban on political speech.

Hudson Taylor, founder of the organization Athlete Ally that has partnered with P6, will be in Russia during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

There, he plans to raise awareness for LGBT rights. Taylor, a straight ally and wrestling champion, has been a tireless, vocal advocate for our rights for years now, so this latest brave move comes as no surprise.

By openly supporting P6, everyone can celebrate the values that inspire the Olympic Games and stand in solidarity with lesbian, gay, bi and trans people in Russia and around the world. Look for athletes flashing six fingers (lesbian snowboarder Belle Brockhoff said she plans to do that) and for people wearing P6 gear. After covering costs, proceeds from P6 merchandise sales are going directly to benefit LGBT groups in Russia.

The organization All Out has also joined forces with P6, as has GLAAD, which is serving as a media partner.

For more information and to order P6 gear, please go to: http://www.principle6. org/.

P HOTO SOURC E: P RIN C IP L E 6. O RG

Principle 6, a campaign inspired by the values of the Olympic charter, is a way for athletes, spectators and global supporters to celebrate the Olympic principle of non-discrimination and call for an end to Russia’s anti-gay laws.

Left, NFL players Brandon Ayanbadejo, Kris Klewe and snowboarder Belle Brockhoff, above support Principle 6.

(RUSSIA continued from page 1)

PHOTO SOURCE: L IGN ET.COM

Discontent toward the government hasn’t gone away, but people are now being turned against each other.

For example, teenagers organized a movement called “okkupay-gerontufilay,” the purpose of which is to find and bully a gay kid. After the Milonov-initated law had been signed, videos showing bullying of gay youths have appeared on the Internet.

One group that claims it is fighting for high “moral” standards reported on biology teacher Ilya Kolmanovsky for supporting the LGBTQ community. Kolmanovsky, as a result, was fired from his job for protesting the homophobic law. Same sex couples with children live in fear that their kids could be taken away if someone decides the couple has broken a law just because the couple has chosen to raise a child together.

ality to a bad habit such as smoking.

She also asserts that children need to be protected from interacting with homosexuals. Skvotsova doesn’t see it as oppression, as she also says that she is against discrimination towards sexual minorities.

An online project called Deti-404 (Children-404) is one of the few helps in Russia that LGBTQ kids have.

Youths send in letters describing their heartbreaking struggles of being gay in Russia. Deti-404 publishes those letters online and, through reading them and commenting on them, participants support each other.

The president of the league of patients’ advocates, Alexander Saversky, wrote a letter to Putin, asking him to make it official that homosexuality is a disease. Saversky believes that the “disease” can be cured. Yes, that oldfashioned perception of homosexuality still exists.

The organizer of the project, Elena Klimova, recently was persecuted.

She was charged with spreading propaganda concerning homosexuality among teens. Milonov has asked that the project be shut down. If Deti-404 is deemed to be illegal, the LGBTQ teens in Russia will lose a rare safe place to freely express who they are.

Many, many kids mention in their letters that they can’t wait to get old enough to leave Russia, to leave homophobia, to leave violence.

Despite increasing discrimination in Russia, it was decided that this country would hold the Olympic Games this year. Partly because of the Olympics, serious problems that exist in Russia have been discussed more often on an international level. People from all over the world have sent messages of support to the oppressed in Russia.

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Student and civil rights advocate Masha Penkova is co-organizer of the Rally for LGBTQ Russian Rights in San Francisco.

BAY TIMES F EBRUA RY 6 , 2 0 1 4

PHOTO COURTE SY OF COMI NG OUT R USSI AN PR E SIDE N T IAL PR E SS SER VI C E

Even though, officially, homosexuality is not considered to be a disease according to ICD-10 (a medical classification listed by the World Health Organization), it is viewed by many in Russia as such. The Minister of Health of the Russian Federation, Veronika Skvortsova, likens homosexu-

San Francisco is not an exception.

People who have serious concerns about the situation in Russia have organized a rally to protest the increasing fascism under Putin’s administration, as well as to demonstrate solidarity with those who have been unfairly treated due to the Russian government’s inhumane policies. The rally will be on February 8, 11:00 am1:00 pm at United Nations Plaza, 7th & Market Streets, San Francisco. All are welcome!

P H OTO S O URC E : AME R IC AB LO G . C O M

The oppression of sexual minorities that is occurring due to the homophobic law is not the only LGBTQ-related problem that Russia faces. The extremely backward understanding of homosexuality among doctors and psychologists is making homophobia worse.

Masha Penkova

Activist Pavel Lebedev was arrested after waving a rainbow flag while standing among onlookers along the route of the Olympic torch relay in the Russian town of Voronezh. Pavel was approached by Olympic security officers and other security personnel.

Sochi 2014 Olympics LGBT Athletes and Straight Allies Supporting the P6 Campaign

Additional Olympic athletes engaged in the campaign include fourtime Olympic gold medal diver Greg Louganis, four-time Olympic luger and International Sports Law expert Cameron Myler and two-time Olympic middle-distance runner Nick Symmonds who, immediately after winning the Silver Medal at this past August’s World Championship in Moscow, dedicated the win to his gay and lesbian friends and openly criticized Russia’s anti-gay laws.

“Sport does not discriminate on grounds of race, religion, gender or otherwise.”

Other Olympians that have signed on to support the campaign include Australian tennis player and four-time Olympian Rennae Stubbs, ParaPan Am gold medalist archer Lee Ford, figure skater Mark Janoschak, gold medalists and soccer players Megan Rapinoe and Lori Lindsey, soccer players Hedvig Lindahl, Sally Shipard, Robbie Rogers and Chris Seitz, two-time gold medalist rower

Caryn Davies, Irish Olympic runner Ciarán Ó Lionáird, former Soviet Archer Khatuna Lorig, US basketball star Teresa Edwards, US swimmer Dan Veatch, US Paralympian Tanner Gers, Paralympic bronze medalist Lindsey Carmichael, wrestler Ben Provisor, tennis standouts Martina Navratilova, Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish and James Blake, rower Esther Lofgren and Paralympic Australian basketball player Sarah Stewart.

Still more include Australian Olympic trampoline silver medalist and HIV activist Ji Wallace, Swiss snowboarder Simona Meiler, American fencer Race Imboden, US diver David Pichler, US snowboarders Callan Chythlook-Sifsof and Seth Wescott, Canadian speed skater Anastasia Bucsis, German bronze medal fencer Joerg Fiedler, US Paralympic tennis player Sharon Kelleher, US speed skater and silver medalist Miriam Rothstein, German silver medal fencer Imke Duplitzer, US beach volleyball player Jen Kessey, and American hockey bronze medalist Caitlin Cahow. We expect the list to continue to grow in the days to come.

PHOTO S OURCE : SOCHI 201 4 .COM

Megan Rapinoe

Bolshoi Ice Dome

KIAI WAY (continued from page 3) The International Olympic Committee has warned athletes against bringing politics onto medal podiums, but says they may make statements away from official venues and at news conferences. Fifty-two Olympic athletes, including 12 current competitors, the Australian bobsled team, and such gay superstars as Martina Navratilova and Greg Louganis, are outspokenly calling on Russia to repeal the hateful laws.

Look for athletes wearing ‘P-6’ logos, a campaign launched to constructively rebuke the Russians by spotlighting Principle 6 in the Olympic Charter that prohibits any form of discrimination as “incompatible with belonging to the Olympic movement.” Belle Brockhoff, an out gay Australian snowboarder who will be sporting P6,

told a local newspaper before heading to Sochi: “After I compete, I’m willing to rip Putin’s ass. I’m not happy and there’s a bunch of other Olympians who are not happy either.”

Another hope I have for all of this LGBT attention at the 2014 Olympics is to shift the way Americans think about gay people and athletics. The sports world remains one of, if not the hardest places to be queer or to come out. More brave LGBT athletes are daring to share their sexuality publicly, but it’s still only a trickle. The number of out-athletes remains fractionally tiny because it’s still a very perilous road for them, their performance, their careers and endorsements.

Greg Louganis

Cameron Myler Rennae Stubbs

U.S. Delegation to Sochi The White House Delegation to the Sochi Winter Olympic Games includes three out gay athletes: • Billie Jean King, Tennis • Caitlin Cahow, Women’s Ice Hockey • Brian Boitano, Men’s Figure Skating Led by Janet Napolitano, former Secretary of Homeland Security and current president of the University of California, the delegation’s activities include attending events, meetings with US athletes and attending the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

LGBT advocacy groups have noted the naming of the openly gay athletes as a message or statement of support by President Obama countering the Russian government’s anti-gay policies.

In June 2013 the Russian parliament passed a law barring “propaganda” and “nontraditional sexual relations” for the purpose of protecting children.

Rally for LGBTQ Russian Rights

PHOTO SOUR CE: TEAM USA .ORG

Sochi-bound Olympians, including snowboarder Belle Brockhoff, Australian bobsled team captain Heath Spence and alpine skier Mike Janyk are just a few of the on-site ambassadors in Russia who will promote the Principle 6 message.

Saturday, February 8, 2014, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, United Nations Plaza (7th and Market Streets).

Nick Symmonds

While LGBT people make up 10% of the general population, we are not 10% of professional sports teams or Olympic delegations. At least not that we know of, since it’s so difficult to be out of the closet and compete. So far, and as of this writing, only 6 of 2500 Winter Olympians are out. That’s just 0.0024%! All are women; none are American. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, there were 23 out athletes, of which 20 were women.

(Next month, we’ll look further into how sexist stereotypes interact with homophobia, so that somehow it’s a little more okay for lesbians to do manly things like play sports, while the idea of gay men being jocks isn’t allowed in the heterosexist or macho mind.)

A little-known story occurred in 1985 when Ed Gallagher, who had been a football tackle while a University of Pittsburgh student, jumped off a dam 12 days after his first sexual experience with a man. He survived, but was left paraplegic. He later was very vocal about how his suicide attempt stemmed directly from depression and despair in facing the truth of his sexuality. As an out gay and disabled man, he became an author, activist and founder of the non-profit Alive to Thrive. Gallagher died in 2005, having left this quote that I think speaks so poignantly to the very core of all these issues: “I was more emotionally paralyzed then than I am now physically.”

As we sit in the comfort of our homes watching T V, let’s root for hu-

man rights and equality to take the torch and triumph in these Olympic Games. Let’s give our loudest cheers to known LGBT athletes and straight allies from any nation who are willing to take a stand against discrimination and oppression, and for the true ideals of all humanity. Let’s pray for the security of all those traveling to Sochi in the face of hateful threats to their safety. Let’s not be surprised by all the ways these issues play out during the Games. And let’s look for ways we ourselves can stand up in support of full human rights for every athlete and person on the planet.

For more information about Jamie Leno Zimron and her work, please visit www. thekiaiway.com/.

BAY T IM ES F EBRUARY 6, 2014

17

Should I Divorce My Family?

Kim Corsaro Publisher 1981-2011

2261 Market Street, No. 309 San Francisco CA 94114 Phone: 415-503-1375 525 Bellevue Avenue Oakland CA 94610 Phone: 510-504-9255 E-mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com www.sfbaytimes.com The Bay Times was the first newspaper in California, and among the first in the world, to be jointly and equally produced by lesbians and gay men. We honor our history and the paper’s ability to build and strengthen unity in our community.

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Jennifer Mullen

Examined Life Tom Moon, MFT Q: I told my parents I was a lesbian ten years ago and have been with my wife for eight years. My parents refused to come to our wedding, and, in fact, made it clear that my wife isn’t welcome in their house.

This year, I flew back East alone and spent Christmas with them. It was one of the loneliest five days of my life. I have a brother who’s prone to periodic, hateful tirades in which he switches from treating me like a close friend to a total enemy, and then he doesn’t speak to me for a year or two.

No matter how badly he behaves, he always sees himself as the wronged party, and never apologizes for his

cruelty. Whenever he does this, my parents make excuses for him and even blame me for “provoking” him.

tional love – and, for some, the reality actually approaches this idealized picture.

This year I made the mistake of confiding in him how much I was missing my wife. He f lew into a rage, accused me of ‘bad mouthing’ our parents, and promptly went to them and told them his version of everything I’d said. Christmas dinner was awkward, silent, and miserable. After I got home, my mother sent me an angry email accusing me of sulking and being ungrateful for all the trouble they’d gone through to make Christmas special for me.

But psychology long ago recognized that family could also be the source of all that’s unholy, and the task of psychotherapy regularly turns out to be to loosen or even sever loyalties to toxic and abusive family members.

And, while almost everyone these days accepts divorce as an appropriate response to an abusive relationship, there is still a stigma about ending relationships with other family members, no matter how badly they behave.

I haven’t responded, and for the first time in my life I’m seriously considering severing contact with all three of them. But I feel guilty about it, and I’m afraid that, if I take this step, knowing them, none of them will ever forgive me or speak to me again.

What are your thoughts?

Most of us seem to think that we’re stuck with our families for a lifetime, and that we have no choice in the matter. But does it have to be that way? As adults we have the power, if only we’ll claim it, to decide who counts as family and who doesn’t. If we define “family” as the people in our lives that have earned our trust and who nurture us emotionally and spiritually, then not all of our relatives are family, and many who are not blood relations are. You have the right and the power to decide for yourself who belongs in your “family of choice.”

A: Wow! You’ve been putting up with way too much from your family.

It’s common in our culture, especially among the “family values” social conservatives, to romanticize family as the source of all that’s sacred -- nurturing, safety, belonging, uncondi-

If, when interacting with a relative, you constantly feel drained, angry, or manipulated; if you find yourself feeling emotionally ill, or even worse, physically ill (back and stomach problems, ulcers, migraine headaches, etc.), you may be in a toxic, destructive relationship. Most seriously of all, if you don’t feel safe (physically or emotionally) in the presence of a relative, then it is probably time to put some distance between you and that person.

That said, there are also intermediate steps between setting appropriate boundaries and the “full Monty” of divorce. In your case, for instance, you can resolve never to spend Christmas, or any other time for that matter, in any place where your wife isn’t welcome. As your partner she should be your first loyalty. You can also make a decision not to have intimate conversations with your brother, since he doesn’t have the emotional maturity to be trusted with what you disclose.

Begin with a f irm commitment to yourself not to let yourself be abused any further, and then find out how much distance from your family is required to achieve that goal.

Tom Moon is a psychotherapist in San Francisco. His website is tommoon.net.

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Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Kirsten Kruse, Kate Kendell, Pollo del Mar, Heidi Beeler, K. Cole, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Paul E. Pratt, Terry Baum, Gypsy Love, Rafael Mandelman, Shelley MacKay, Kit Kennedy, Leslie Katz, Karen Williams, Gary Virginia, Stu Smith, Zoe Dunning, Jim Tibbs, Mark Penn, Marcy Adelman, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller & Joanne Jordan, Kippy Marks, Naomi Jay, John Wesley, Jamie Leno Zimron Thom Watson

In Memoriam Gwen Avery 1943 – 2014 Singer, songwriter and musician Gwen Avery passed away last week at a Santa Rosa hospital after complications from gall bladder surgery. She was best known for her beautiful and groundbreaking song “Sugar Mama,” featured on the 1977 Olivia Records’ collection Lesbian Concentrate.

She was quoted in a San Francisco Gate 2002 interview as saying that “the same issues of race and classism that confounded the early feminist and gay rights movements also infected the women’s music scene. I’ve always felt like a warrior or soldier. I’ve learned to deal with separation, isolation in the crowd, rejection in the abandonment.”

Photographers Rink, Dennis McMillan, Steven Underhill, Phyllis Costa, Cathy Blackstone, Robert Fuggiti, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto

In an obituary published by Soul Tracks this week, fellow musician Linda Tillery shared, “Gwen Avery was an authentic blues and gospel singer. She was raised in a juke joint, where from an early age, she heard first hand, the sounds of black troubadours weaving tales of love, passion, frustration and pleas to God - any god, for release from Jim Crow, segregation and the horrible legacy of racism in America.”

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“Lesbian yes, Black woman yes, real deal soulful singer, yes. Yet I wonder how many people really understood her gift?

You would have had to listen to Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey and Mahalia to recognize the ‘time stamp’ that marked her unique style. She became the Sugar Mama of Women’s Music, no longer a prisoner of love denied, but a champion of love out in the open - raw and unashamed. That was her gift to us all.”

Classified Advertising: Refer to the order form in The Classifieds section, which you may mail or fax in, or e-mail us at classifieds@sfbaytimes.com. Deadline is 3 p.m. the Thursday preceding publication. For display classified information, please call 415-601-2113.

This Friday, February 7, at 5:30 PM, public jazz station KCSM will air the documentary “Sugar Mama: Sweet Soul Music and a Conversation with Gwen Avery.” It will run on 91.1 FM and will stream at www.kcsm.org.

National Advertising: Contact Bay Times / San Francisco. Also represented

by Rivendell Media., Mountainside, NJ 908-232-2021.

Stu Smith December 7, 1940 - February 3, 2014

CALENDAR

Surrounded by family and loved ones, Bay Times columnist and treasured community leader Stu Smith passed away at 10:05 PM Monday night. He was diagnosed last month with metastatic cancer. We will miss him tremendously, and plan to celebrate his life and work in a future issue.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Stu was board chair emeritus of Shanti Project, board chair of The Paratransit Coordinating Council, a member of the Castro Country Club Advisory Board and the LGBT Senior Task Force, and producer and host of the public access TV program “The Drag Show.” KQED honored Stu as a 2013 LGBT Hero.

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. © 2014 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas Reprints by permission only.

PH OTO C O URT E SY O F THE N OB HI L L GAZETTE

Event listings for consideration to be included in the Bay Times online or print Calendar section should be sent by e-mail to: calendar@sfbaytimes.com.

He worked in the restaurant business for several years before launching his own non-profit, Tin Pan Alley Productions, which produced many fundraisers for Shanti and other organizations.

Diagnosed with HIV in 1988, Stu began to volunteer for numerous AIDS Service Organizations, beginning with Shanti. He also served on the board of the Richmond Ermet AIDS Foundation. One need only glance at the many tributes to him now on social media to see what a major, healing impact he had on the lives of countless others, and particularly those living with HIV. We will miss his warm hugs, considerate guidance, loyal support, and beautiful, strong and comforting voice.

He is survived by his husband, Dave Earl, who wrote: “Stu is up in Heaven, cheering for us all. With even more gusto than ever before. Rest in peace my polar bear. I loved you from the moment I first met you. You were my better half, mentor, comedian and husband. Kisses now and always.”

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BAY TIMES F EBRUA RY 6 , 2 0 1 4

Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow Pussy Non Grata I read somewhere that a woman in one of those homophobic African countries had tossed her cat into the streets, evicting him from her home due to his unnatural interest in other male cats. I was all set to research this item and deliver a detailed report. Here is prejudice in all its purity, unreasoned condemnation unleashed on an innocent animal who (if memory serves) had been a part of the household for years.

Sadly, we cannot afford to digress.

Such stories cannot take precedence over the 47 marriage lawsuits now pending in 24 states. The hapless cat, whether gay or straight or perhaps just “questioning,” cannot overshadow the news that Scotland’s parliament has legalized marriage. He cannot displace a story on Maine’s top court, which just ruled in favor of a transgender schoolgirl who seeks bathroom access. Nor can he be allowed to distract us from the fate of California’s ban on reparative therapy, which could proceed to the High Court now that the full court of the Ninth Circuit has refused to rehear the matter.

I read that Coke had a gay male couple in one of its Super Bowl ads. I see that Mayor de Blasio is going to skip the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in a tip of the hat to New York’s GLBT community. There’s lots of news out of Sochi, and the Indiana House has passed another antigay marriage amendment in a move that may or may not actually work in our favor. So you see, the cat must wait, and in doing so, may move off our radar screen into the empty void where old news stories fade away like background radiation from the Big Bang.

But I feel so sorry for him! The sevenyear old feline, named “Bull,” lives in Nigeria, where lawmakers recently enacted a ban on gay relationships and activism. We are all hoping that some kindly neighbor will overlook his purr-ient interests and welcome him into their home so that our gay cat is not doomed to a sad life cruising the dusty streets of Lafia. Also, a name change might be appropriate.

How about “Bruce?”

Meanwhile, in related news, a short article on how to tell whether your cat is gay advises us to look for some tell-tail signs. Does he lick his nether regions in public? Does he wander away at night on mysterious trips only to return in the morning with a selfsatisfied smirk? Does he demand to be taken to the musical “Cats?”

Thanks, But No Thanks I was astonished to read in Tuesday’s New York Times that our favorite team of rivals, Ted Olson and David Boies, would like to take over the two marriage cases that are now racing through the Tenth Circuit, presumably en route to the High Court. Say what? These are the same two guys, backed by the same organization, who nearly crashed the gay rights movement with their naïve approach to marriage litigation five years ago.

Lost in the excitement of the Windsor ruling last June was the clear indication the Supreme Court would have ruled against us if they had accepted review of the merits in the Prop 8 case. (Fortunately, they voided the case on a technicality instead.) Even our allies at oral argument demanded to know how they could uphold the lower court without overturning bans on same-sex marriage throughout the rest of the country. The obvious implication was that such a sweeping decision was not an option.

When Prop 8 was first filed in early 2009, Olson and Boies told the press that they expected a quick run to the High Court, followed by an easy victory based on prior rulings by Justice Kennedy. Convinced by the constitutional arguments in favor of marriage equality, they had zero knowledge of the pitfalls, no sense of the strategies put in place by the gay civil rights lawyers who had been fighting for decades, and they seemed oblivious to the profound emotional barriers that still protect antigay bias throughout society and the courts.

We were saved by two men who bought us time: Judge Walker, who insisted on a lengthy trial, and Judge Reinhardt, who delayed the appeal for over a year with a question for the California Supreme Court, and who subsequently issued a narrow ruling designed to withstand High Court review. We also had the benefit of California’s decision to side with gay couples and the ensuing confusion over the status of the Prop 8 organizers who rose to the defense.

If the Prop 8 case had somehow risen to the Supreme Court in 2011 instead of 2013, and if there had been no problem with standing, the High Court would likely have ruled that states had every right to pick their own definition of marriage. We would have been set back by a generation.

Thankfully, that did not occur. And thankfully, our GLBT legal strategists succeeded in bringing a successful challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act to the High Court. Keep in mind, just as it was clear to experts that we would lose a Prop 8 challenge, it was equally clear that we were likely to win a DOMA challenge. That’s why the sudden appearance on the gay legal scene of two novices like Boies and Olson was alarming to say the least.

Don’t get me wrong. I like Boies and Olson and appreciate their support.

But much as I’d appreciate two small children volunteering to clear the dinner table of china that’s been in the family for a century, I still want them well supervised. According to Tuesday’s Times article, the team is now angling for a leading role in the Tenth Circuit cases based on the absurd idea that they are better suited than our own legal advocates--- you know, the same incompetent group that won Romer, Lawrence, Massachusetts, and Windsor.

“The reason we were brought in,” Olson told the Times, “was the people in California who first contacted us were very concerned that lawyers would bring a challenge to Prop 8 that didn’t know how to take a case all the way to the Supreme Court, how to prepare it, how to build a foundation, how to present it, how to articulate the arguments.” But “the people in California” to whom Olson refers were not gay rights veterans, but clueless activists who had no idea what they were doing in the f irst place.

The blind were leading the blind and those in our community with twentytwenty vision had to warn them off the cliff.

Olson and Boies are now arguing a federal case in Virginia, where oral arguments took place this week and where we expect another quick federal marriage ruling from an Obamaappointed judge. A second federal case is running on a parallel track in the Lovers State, this one launched by the American Civil Liberties Union.

In a nice reversal, the Democrats who came to office last November have moved to our side of the fence and the state is now an ally rather than a foe. Stepping up to defend are several county clerks, represented by conservative legal activists.

Professional Services In short, even though they seem poised for a significant win and a trip to the Fourth Circuit, they apparently want more. It’s not enough to litigate one of the most important marriage suits in the country. They must be in charge of the cases at the front of the pack (Utah and Oklahoma), the ones that seem most likely to reach the High Court and the history books.

Would Olson and Boies have asked Thurgood Marshall to step aside during Brown v Board? I won’t answer that one.

Speaking of Utah and Oklahoma, both cases are coordinated and will be heard by the same three-judge panel.

We’ll know the panel in late March or early April. Written briefs are being f iled in February and March, and oral arguments are scheduled for April 10 (Utah) and April 17 (Oklahoma).

Finally, do you remember the Ninth Circuit ruling in the gay juror case?

Come on! It was only two weeks ago!

Well, the decision instructed courts in the western U.S. to apply heightened scrutiny to cases involving gay bias.

As a result, Nevada’s attorney general has announced that she will reevaluate her defense of Nevada’s ban on same-sex unions in the case that is now pending in the Ninth Circuit.

Normally, the Nevada case would be considered “ahead” of the Utah and Oklahoma cases if you use a race metaphor. But the Ninth Circuit has delayed that litigation for all sorts of reasons, allowing the Tenth Circuit cases to zip out of nowhere and jump to the front. Now, Attorney General Cortez Mastro’s new deliberation may slow the case even further. But, in a good way.

Ahead to the Past in Indiana I feel obliged to f lesh out the stories I mentioned at the top, beginning with Indiana. I haven’t done much reporting on the anomalous situation in the Hoosier State, where lawmakers have been tasked with trying to amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage just as the rest of the country is moving in the opposite direction. Why not? Well who wants to hear about it? No one. Plus, I was sort of hoping the legislature would just drop the whole thing and slink away.

The problem for Indiana is that amendments must pass in two subsequent two-year sessions. Since the previous legislature passed an antigay amendment, the current gang feels compelled to follow through. Last week, however, the house passed an amendment that leaves civil unions intact, a discrepancy that would hit the reset button on the whole process and require the next legislature to approve the newly phrased amendment.

If the senate agrees with the language, the whole thing is shoved off for another two years, which might be the easiest solution.

In Maine, the high court has ruled that the state’s ban on gender identity discrimination means that a young transgirl cannot be barred from the ladies room at her school. The law cannot be construed to mean that the average citizen can simply announce that he or she feels more comfortable in the bathroom of the opposite sex, wrote the court. But nor can obsessive fixations on the sanctity of bathrooms (my words) be used as an excuse to discriminate against someone who has transitioned.

Indeed, obsessive is the correct description of the bathroom defenders who imagine burly lumberjacks peeing in the sinks next to delicate f lowers of femininity adjusting their lipstick and trying to avert their eyes.

In most places, there is no actual law (continued on page 26)

Read more @www.sfbaytimes.com and check us out on Twitter and Facebook.

BAY T IM ES F EBRUARY 6, 2014

19

Get in the Game LEO (July 23 – August 22) Have faith in your feelings, Leo. Psychic sensations can uncover practical solutions to some longstanding concerns now. Hold on to your hunches and allow them to take shape.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21) Watch your wallet, Sagittarius. Stellar circumstances inspire you to eliminate extraneous financial strain now. Reconsider your reliance upon “resources” that seem only to sap you dry. Detach from deadweight.

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) Bountiful “brain food” beckons you now, Taurus.

Absorb the sights and sounds of subjects that may seem alien at first. Flashes of foreign insight seek to feed your soul.

VIRGO (August 23 – September 22) Pursue your passions with vigor, Virgo. Current creative endeavors could help you carve out a captivating cosmic niche now. Vibe with your tribe and enjoy the art of collaborative expression.

CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19) Reconcile old connections, Capricorn. Remnants of relationships you thought were part of history could very possibly haunt you now. Face former mistakes head-on so you can focus on your future.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 20) Reassess your assets, Gemini. Personal principles always prevail over material possessions. The former transcends time, while the latter proves impermanent. Beat the odds by honoring the value of your virtues.

LIBRA (September 23 – October 22) Hone in on how you leave your mark now, Libra.

Your career situation calls for more stimulation.

Before you even begin to revamp, you must first revisit what vitalizes you.

AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18) Reclaim your truth, Aquarius. The planets implore you to confront dark secrets that hide in the corners of your subconscious. Purge poisonous fears so they no longer pollute your power.

ARIES (March 21 – April 19) Reconnect with your roots, Aries. Reach out to repair rifts with relatives. Whether you mend fences or decide to move on, making peace with the past is a priority now. better.

Astrology Gypsy Love In his book Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success, legendary NBA coach Phil Jackson describes basketball as a spirit that arises when players focus wholeheartedly on something greater than themselves.

Recognized for “benching the ego” in a sport notorious for fostering egomaniacs, Jackson even convinced the mighty Michael Jordan to cut back on his scoring average. A championship dynasty ensued. Astrologically, teamwork is trending now.

Get in the game.

CANCER (June 21 – July 22) Take care of yourself, Cancer. A recent reality check has revealed ripe opportunities to renew your body and revitalize your public persona.

Close partners can help you see more clearly.

SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21) It’s time to stretch, Scorpio. The astral atmosphere asks that you expand your mental range of motion now. Broadening your perspective will bring bigtime benefits. Explore the unfamiliar.

PISCES (February 19 – March 20) Come out and play, Pisces. The stars insist that you summon the spirit of your inner child now. Deepen friendships and fulfill long-term wishes by embracing the idea of “agelessness.”

Visit www.GypsyLoveProductions.com

Gypsy Love Productions is dedicated to inspiring love and unity with music, dance, and astrology.

As Heard on the Street . . .

compiled by Rink

AL L PHOTOS BY RIN K

What are your thoughts about the upcoming Olympic Games in Sochi?

China Silk

Rev. Michael Peterson

Carol Queen

Kelly Hart

“We should show them that our athletes are equal or better than all of the athletes in the world.”

“I pray that all of the assemblage will go well.”

“It could be a bad situation but it is also shining a light on the situation in Russia during the Olympics and later.”

“I have mixed feelings. Our out athletes should win big time, but I am opposed to staging it in Russia.”

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BAY TIMES F EBRUA RY 6 , 2 0 1 4

Galilea “I wish there wasn’t so much controversy, everyone. Need to focus on the Games.”

Arts&Entertainment Hypnotic, Seductive Stranger by the Lake ing the erotic trysts and as the tension increases in the final reel as a series of violent murders occur.

Guiraudie spoke (with the assistance of a translator) to me about creating his seductive, erotic thriller.

Film

Gary M. Kramer Stranger by the Lake, opening February 7, depicts a love triangle that develops at a gay cruising area. Written and directed

by Alain Guiraudie, the film tells the story of Franck (Pierre Deadonchamps) who befriends area newcomer Henri (Patrick d’Assumçao). However, he lusts after Michel (Christophe Paou). Even though Franck spies Michel drowning his boyfriend, Ramière (François-Renaud Labarthe), he can’t resist coupling up with the murdering hunk.

However, once their affair begins, Franck is frustrated that his relationship with Michel is limited to their lakeside assignations. Curiously, both men lie to Inspector Damroder (Jérômre Chappatte), who is investigating Ramière’s death.

This seductive erotic thriller—which is shot in a series of hypnotic, repetitive sequences—plays with issues of attraction and voyeurism, as well as trust and truth as the characters strip down on the beach, swim naked in the lake, and stroke and sometimes suck each other off in the woods.

Director Alain Guiraudie’s film is incredibly atmospheric and uninhibited.

Viewers will be breathing heavy dur-

Gary M. Kramer: Your entire film is shot on a nude beach, in the water, and in the woods. The all-male cast appears more frequently than not sans clothes. Can you discuss what you spent on costumes and locations?

Alain Guiraudie: [Laughs, answers in English]. The beach was free. The costumes were 1,500 Euros. Expensive!

GMK: Your film is very much about voyeurism and the male gaze. The men on the beach look at us, the viewer(s). There is a scene in which Franck spies a murder.

There are also the men in the woods looking at other guys having sex. Can you talk about this visual theme?

GMK: Why was that?

AG: The theme of voyeurism wasn’t really something that was predominant for me. I think what I was more interested in was about “how to look, and how things look.” One of the questions I was interested in answering was, “How do you show naked men on the beach? How do you film them when you are opposite them?”

So it was really more a question of how to show things, and how people saw things (other) than voyeurism itself. Going back to the example of shooting naked men on the beach, when you are looking directly at them, if they have their legs spread out, their sexual organs are going to appear large in the image. So I thought I could move the camera slightly off to the side, but in the end, we decided it was better to do it in this very frontal way.

AG: Because that’s how it is! I did it that way, because I’ve gone to these kinds of nude beaches. That’s the way it is—you look directly at them, and that’s what you see. This is really a film where nothing is hidden. There were some things needing to be hidden, but nothing about the body needs to be hidden. The other thing I was interested in doing—and I don’t know if it is linked to voyeurism—was addressing the whole question of point of view and how do we look at things? How are the ways we look at things received by the object that we are looking at? What I also thought was interesting was to play with the idea that you can oftentimes have the same look. One day that look is from one point of view and it can seem very benevolent, very inviting, and very loving.

But the next day, you can be looking at the same image or view, and suddenly, it can seem very disturbing, very threatening, and even very oppressive.

GMK: You deliberately show Michel drowning his boyfriend in the water through the trees. Why did you make this murder unambiguous?

AG: I wanted the viewer to know exactly the same information that Franck knew.

I wanted the audience to be with him, and I didn’t want viewers to get involved on a psychological level with Franck trying to determine should he tell the police, or should he not tell the police? I didn’t want it to be a psychological film in that respect, so it was really obvious for me to let the audience know. The main thrust

of the plot is here is Franck being caught between his desires and the ethical and moral questions—should I turn this guy into the police because he just killed someone?

GMK: Can you talk about the love triangle between Henri, Franck, and Michel?

AG: I think what is very interesting is that it posits two very different approaches to what is love and what is desire. On the one hand, you have the relationship between Franck and Michel, and it’s something very sexual, and the desire is all consuming and that is the primary aspect of that relationship. But then you have the relationship between Franck and Henri. Again, it’s a relationship that’s (continued on page 26)

Debonair Dance Music Star Amoray ent, is it any wonder that his own independent label is called Knockout Fashion Records? Amoray is definitely a knockout.

Gems of The Bay Kippy Marks When I f irst saw Amoray, he was dressed to impress. He walked over and greeted me with a smile and a huge hug. He’s stylish, debonair, entertaining and sings like a man on a mission with a story to tell. Also an accomplished fashion designer, Amoray can do an updo like no other!

But you are probably most familiar with his high-powered, funky, house electro dance tracks that have landed Amoray in the top 30 Billboard club charts for weeks. Given all of his tal-

He was born right here in San Francisco to parents Gwendolyn and Banks Brougain. Amoray is the second youngest of 6 children. With a family steeped in music, Amoray chose singing as his life’s path. He explains, “I can express myself in so many different ways. I love writing lyrics, melodies, and hearing them come to life. It’s such a great gift to be able to do this, and the feeling of accomplishment is awesome.”

A moray recalls that his mother would ask him and his other siblings to perform talent shows for her and her friends. He fondly remembers the shows. “Those were the good old days,” he smiles. “Our family should have been the Jacksons.” Singing came naturally to him, and he became the lead singer of a group called Suede and interned at KMEL radio.

After attending McAteer High School for the Performing Arts and a pro-

gram at American Conservator y Theater, he tackled dramatic roles and performed in musical theater. As if singing and acting weren’t enough, he became a licensed cosmetologist and studied design at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.

In terms of musical inf luences and mentors, he mentions Jeanie Tracy, Sylvester, Angela Winbush, Stephanie Mills, Lou Rawls and Teddy Pendergrass, to name a few. Amoray adds, “Jeanie Tracy has helped me in so many ways with music and the business of music. And, of course, Sylvester (has too). Many have compared me to Sylvester. What an honor!”

Currently, Amoray is in the middle of two projects to be released this year.

The first one is a single titled “Let It Go.” It’s a take on the disco era, which he loves so much. Amoray is in full production for the release now. It will be accompanied by a music video and remix package. “Let It Go” is expected for release in the spring.

The second project is a single called “Don’t Say It.” It’s also a take on the

Amoray disco era, and is slated for release in August with a video and remix package available. Before then, you can see Amoray perform live on May 16 at San Francisco State University. He’ll also be a featured performer in the “Gems of the Bay” concert series at Martuni’s in the summer.

I encourage you to check out his website at w w w.amoray.net. He’s also on Fa cebook at w w w.fa cebook .

com/amoray.brouga in, YouTube at w w w.yout ube.com/user/a mo r ayc d , Tw it t er at t w it t er.c om / amoraycd and on iTunes at itunes. a p p l e . c o m /u s /a r t i s t /a m o r a y/ ad390841219.

Violinist Kippy Marks entertains audiences worldwide with his inspirational compositions and lively performances that draw from classical , jazz, blues and dance. www.kippy marks.us

BAY T IM ES F EBRUARY 6, 2014

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P H OTO B Y RE E D SAXO N

Rose Parade Newlyweds Danny Leclair and Aubrey Loots

Aubrey and Danny

Bay Times Exclusive Rev. Alfreda Lanoix, officiant, atop the parade float with Danny and Aubrey

P HOTOS C OURT ESY OF AIDS HEALT H F OUN D AT ION

On New Year’s Day, Danny Leclair and Aubrey Loots became real-life wedding cake toppers by marrying atop a cake-shaped float in the 125th Tournament of Roses Parade. The Los Angeles-based couple decided to do this after Danny e-mailed a photo of himself to long-time partner Aubrey with the questions, “Will you marry me legally? Do you want to get married on a Rose Parade float?” Clearly Aubrey’s answer was, “I do!”

The Bay Times recently interviewed the couple, who are now well on their way to living happily ever after. We were delighted by their conversational back and forth, with each helping to clarify and expand upon the thoughts of the other. If you’re not in the Valentine’s Day mood yet, we hope you will be after learning more about this devoted, loving couple.

Bay Times: When, where and how did the two of you first meet each other?

Danny: The story actually begins September 11, 2001. I was so impacted by those tragic events that I felt compelled to do something to improve the world. I joined the African AIDS Trek and raised over $10,000 for African AIDS Education and Relief in order to spend three weeks in South Africa hiking through the Cederberg Mountains. Between meeting so many brave, optimistic and generous people from AIDS Service Organizations and hiking some of the most gorgeous terrain in the world, it was an intensely life affirming journey.

When I returned, I couldn’t sleep due to the jet lag. I contacted some friends and I went out dancing at a club.

Meanwhile, Aubrey (a South African who immigrated to the United States) was hosting his best friend, Craig, who was visiting from Johannesburg. They went to a birthday dinner. Aubrey convinced Craig to go out dancing.

Near the end of the night, I was ready to leave the club. I spotted my friend across the dance f loor, so I began to make my way toward him to tell him goodbye. As I weaved my way through the tightly packed dance f loor, the club producer pumped dry ice onto the dance f loor so thickly I couldn’t see the hand in front of my face. I was forced to stand in place until the smoke parted. When it did, gone was my friend and in his place was Aubrey.

Aubrey: I spotted (Danny) right away.

I was with Craig and I began dancing towards Danny. We reached each other and danced for a while until he asked if I wanted to get some water from the bar. I said, “Yes.” When we got to the bar, he asked for my name.

When I told him, he immediately asked if I was from South Africa. I was shocked. People think my accent is Australian or British. No one ever says, “South Africa.” I asked him how he knew and he told me that he was there no more than 36 hours prior. We haven’t been apart since.

BT: What inspired the Rose Bowl Parade marriage idea, and how were the two of you selected?

Check out the new Bay Times website: sfbaytimes.com 22

BAY TIMES F EBRUA RY 6 , 2 0 1 4

Aubrey: The idea of celebrating California’s momentous success in Marriage Equality by staging the f irst same-sex marriage in the Rose Bowl Parade was the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s idea. They have had floats in the parade for a few years (this

being the third). Initially, Farmer’s Insurance was going to stage another wedding (last year was their first) and they decided last minute to change the theme and honor teachers instead. AHF was contacted by the parade committee, to whom they had already pitched the idea, and were told that they can now perform the wedding on their float.

Danny: At Frontier’s Magazine’s first annual same sex expo, AHF had a booth hoping to find a couple. I was there supporting a friend who took a booth to promote her marriage planning business. I was approached by one of their reps. After hearing what they were standing for in hosting the wedding, I found myself aligned and enthusiastic, so I filled out their questionnaire. I then found two grooms on top of a cake and I snapped a pic, sent it to my husband who was teaching in Kentucky and added the caption, “Will you marry me legally?” A few weeks later we were asked to come in and do an on camera interview. The following week, we were asked to be “the couple,” which, of course, we accepted.

some people saw this image of us on top of the cake as groundbreaking, a life changing moment and became overwhelmed by it. A woman was screaming uncontrollably like we were (pop band) One Direction!

When we acknowledged her, the woman next to her yelled out, “She has been waiting for this all day!”

Then there were the families who had their children. They would hold up their hands or encourage them to yell, “Congratulations!” Certainly, we had some boos, cynical signs, turned backs and negative hand gestures along the way expressing dissent. It was few and far between.

When we saw them, we acknowledged them directly and simply said, “We see you, we hear you and we love you.”

Aubrey: We exchanged our vows as we approached and turned from Orange Grove to Colorado Blvd.

We wanted to have the kiss right on press row. It was a glorious moment because we could not only hear our commitment be solidified, but we could also hear the world change.

It is no coincidence that the last six weeks have been the most active in marriage equality debates that this country has ever seen.

BT: What was it like being in the parade, and at what point along the route did you exchange vows? Who was the Danny: Our officiant was the gorgeous, vivacious and loving Reverofficiant? end Alfreda Lanoix from Love@ Danny: Several times during the Work. Check her out w w w.a lfreroute, Aubrey would grab my hand dalanoix.com/. and say, “Take it in. Let’s be present.” I would then say, “How can BT: How d id you celebrate you not be present? Look around.” your marriage? Did you go It was awash with love and celebra- on a honey moon or, i f not tion. People were screaming like we yet, what plans do you have were rock stars. Some sections prac- for one? ticed a call together so they could yell it in unison. People held up signs D a n n y : We c e l e b r a t e d l a t e r with our names or quotes like “Love t hat even ing at our home w it h (continued on page 26 is Love.” I got the impression that

“Mostly British Film Festival” Offers Brit Miserablism at Its Best

Film

Gary M. Kramer

Darren Stein The “Mostly British Film Festival” unspools February 13-20 at the Vogue Theater, 3290 Sacramento Street, in San Francisco. Offering premieres of over two dozen new films (The Lunchbox), old favorites (Sliding Doors), documentaries (The Spirit of ’45) plus a conversation with actor Michael York, the festival showcases some terrific and veddy British films.

The opening night presentation, Le WeekEnd, is a bittersweet drama about an aging

couple (Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan) visiting Paris on their anniversary to reinvigorate their marriage. They share some comic adventures—such as running out on the bill at a fancy restaurant—but also fight bitterly. As they re-evaluate their lives and their relationship, they also disclose secrets that may permanently alter things between them. Veering from comedy to drama, often within a single scene, Le Week-End is heartrending throughout.

Broadbent and Duncan are both outstanding, and they handle the demands of Hanif Kureishi’s wistful script with great aplomb.

The closing night film, Summer in February, is a handsomely mounted period film, set in 1913, and is based on a true story. When Florence Carter-Wood (Emily Browning) arrives in Cornwall to stay with her brother Joey (Max Deacon), she inspires artist A.J. Munnings (Dominic Cooper) to paint her. His best friend Gilbert (Dan Stevens), a war veteran, also falls under the spell of her beauty. But Gilbert hesitates to tell her how he feels about her, and A.J. proposes to Florence. As the melodramatic love triangle plays out, Summer in February turns a bit soapy. The first half of the film is quite strong, showing how manners drive emotion. Florence, a budding artist herself, is attracted to the freedom the irresistible A.J., stuffy Gilbert, and carefree Joey have in Cornwall, where they can be bold and brave and are free to do what they like. But once Florence is captured both in paint and in marriage by A.J., he becomes possessive, and she becomes trapped. Alas, the film becomes risible depicting her despair. Still, while Summer in February is not a memorable or distinguished film, it is a moderate diversion for lovers of British costume dramas. (continued on page 27)

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb From a Fun Nun

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Valentine’s Day is cumming, and my candy box is empty. Such an odd day - supposedly honoring a priest in Rome who was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry, was later beheaded, and finally martyred about AD 496. But all I know for sure is that Congressional Repugnicans do not celebrate Valentine’s Day - as they were obviously born without hearts.”

I know one more thing: I <heart> Pink! Are you a PINK fanatic like me? Did you miss her reeedonkulust tour in Melbourne? Well, wipe yer tears, Pinkfan, because she has released her new DVD, PINK: THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE TOUR on RCA. Awesome! Just fast forward through the creepy clown opening and get to her unbelievable trapeze entrance! Later, during her “Try” number, she works the ropes high above the audience. Amazeballs!

Even better than her recent Grammy performance in the air! This would make a great Valentine’s gift for someone special. thetruthaboutlovetour.com And speaking of the Grammys, how powerful was the beautiful ceremony of 33 (mostly) same-sex couples exchanging wedding rings as Macklemore, Lewis, Madonna (in appropriately white tuxedo), Queen Latifah, and Mary Lambert took the stage to rap and sing the praises of queer love with “Same Love” and “Open Your Heart.” Now that was the greatest Valentine ever! Macklemore & Ryan Lewis also took home four Grammys, including awards for best new artist and best rap album.

XLNT!

SH A NTI PROJECT and Nordstrom San Francisco Centre (strong supporters of Shanti) invited friends of Shanti to meet Lee Rhodes, creator of GLASSYBABY, at a cocktail party benefitting Shanti Project. Battling cancer for the third time with three young kids, Rhodes found peace when she dropped tea lights into hand-blown candleholders. She hired artists to make more, and gave them as gifts. Creating each piece involves eight hands, 2,000 degrees of focused heat, and a multi-layered glassblowing process that results in a glassybaby of every hue, “because kindness comes in all colors, and no two hues glow quite alike,” according to Rhodes.

Shanti exists to enhance the health, quality of life, and wellbeing of people living with life-threatening illnesses.

Each year, Shanti serves over 2,000 women and men with HIV/AIDS or breast cancer, many of whom are low-income and medically underserved. Shanti provides culturally and linguistically competent Care Navigation, basic in-home assistance including practical and emotional support through trained staff and long-term volunteer care-givers, as well as health education, wellness, and survivorship classes and events.

For many of their clients, Shanti is their sole care advocate during this extreme time of need.

Glassybaby lovers have been all about giving and giving back. In this spirit, 10% of their revenue goes directly to organizations that support people in all kinds of need. Last year, Glassybaby reached its one-millionth dollar mark in charitable giving since its inception in 2001. Currently, purchasing any in the Hudson series in the store at 3665 Sacramento Street benefits Shanti. glassybaby.com.

CUMMING UP! LESBIAN/GAY CHORUS OF SF invites you to the 11TH ANNUAL LOV E B I T E S A N T I - VA L E N TINE’S CABARET at Martuni’s Piano Bar for an intimate show featuring solo and small group performances full of bitterness, heartbreak, and laughter. Pieces range from a condensed version of Camelot by Artistic Director William Sauer(continued on page 26) BAY T IM ES F EBRUARY 6, 2014

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compiled by Robert Fuggiti

See many more Calendar items @ www.sfbaytimes.com

The Chieftains will be at the Marin Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium on Feb. 20th.

Healthier Living Workshop – LGBT Center. Free. 12:30 pm.

(1800 Market St., Room 306) www.

openhouse-sf.org. Healthier Living is an evidence-based Chronic Disease Self-Management Program developed by Stanford University School of Medicine.

The Life of Your Estate After Death – SF LGBT Community Center. Free. 6 pm to 7:30 pm. (1800 Market St.) www. hospicebythebay.org. Learn about choosing successor trustees and fiduciaries to implement your estate plan.

St. Lucia – The Independent. $15.

8 pm. (628 Divisadero St.) www. theindependentsf.com. Jean-Phillip Grobler, known as St. Lucia, performs hits from his most recent album When the Night.

writer whose character comes to life in the body of her 13 year old daughter.

The Pain and the Itch – Gough Street Playhouse. $15-$35. 8 pm.

(1620 Gough St.) www.custommade.org. A hysterical, insightful look at suburban hypocrisy.

The Cold and Lovely – El Rio. Free. 10 pm. (3158 Mission St.) www.thecoldandlovely.com. Hailing from Southern California, the all female alt-rock quartet, The Cold and Lovely, is a band on the rise.

The Pornographer’s Daughter – Z Below. $32. 5 pm. (470 Florida St.) www.zspace.org. The story of Liberty Mitchell, daughter to Artie Mitchell, of the Mitchell Brothers, famous for pioneering the porn industry in the ‘70s.Through the16th.

Noises Off – Shelton Theater. $38. 8 pm. (533 Sutter St.) www. sheltontheater.org. Noises Off reveals the hilarious backstage happenings during rehearsals and performances of a play dubbed Nothing’s On. Through February 8.

Pardon My Invasion – Phoenix Theatre. $14. 8 pm. (414 Mason St.) www.phoenixtheatresf.org. A hilarious comedy about a pulp fiction

Bootie SF – DNA Lounge. $15.

10 pm to 3 am. (375 11th St.) www.bootiesf.com. Bootie celebrates pop culture and music with bootleg mash-ups and nonstop dancing.

PFLAG Meeting – St. Francis Lutheran Church. Free for members. 3:15 pm to 4:15 pm. (152 Church St.) www.pflag.org. Join PFLAG to hear from Courtney XXXX of the GSA Network (Gay Straight Alliance).

Yuna will be at the Great American Music Hall on the 16th.

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BAY TIMES F EBRUA RY 6 , 2 0 1 4

RuPaul’s Drag Race: Battle of the Season – The Regency

Center. $30-$60. 9 pm. (1300 Van Ness Ave.) wwww.theregencyballroom.com. Michelle Visage hosts an unforgettable night of dazzling performance from your favorite contestants of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Gay Vanity Fair – Bently Reserve. $25-$30. 11 am to 4 pm.

(301 Battery St.) www.gayvanityfair. com. A stylish gay and lesbian wedding event and fashion show.

The Bay Bridge: A Work in Progress, 1933–1936 – de Young Museum. $25. 9:30 am to 5:15 pm.

(50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr.) www.deyoungmuseum.org.

Documenting the original construction of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge in the 1930s, the exhibition includes 72 photographs, prints and drawings from the Museum’s collection. Through June 8.

Comedy Returns to El Rio – El Rio. $7. 8 pm. (3158 Mission St.) www.elriosf.com. Now in its 5th year, this monthly comedy show features the best of Bay Area comedians and beyond.

Karaoke Night – Toad Hall.

Free. 8 pm. (4146 18th St.) www. toadhallbar.com. Toad Hall’s weekly karaoke night.

GLBT Caregiver – SFSU Campus. Free. 1:30 pm. (1600 Holloway St.) www.sfsu.edu. A support group to discuss issues among

gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s. Meetings occur second Tuesdays of every month.

Trivia Night – Hi Tops. Free. 10 pm. (2247 Market St.) www.hitopssf. com. Test your trivia knowledge at this popular sports bar.

Block Party – Midnight Sun. Free. 9 pm. (4067 18th St.) www. midnightsunsf.com. Enjoy weekly screenings of favorite music videos.

The New Public - Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center. $11. 7 pm. (1118 Fourth St., San Rafael) www.cafilm.org. Jyllian Gunther’s inspiring documentary follows the new Brooklyn Community Arts and Media High School through its formative years from 2006 to 2010.

Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits – Jordan Miller & Associates. Free. 5:30 pm to 7 pm. (The City Club, 155 Sansome, 9th Floor) www.ameripriseadvisors.com. A complimentary seminar to help participants make the most of their Social Security benefits.

Last Drag – LGBT Center. Free.

7 pm. (1800 Market St.) www.lastdrag.org. A free 7 session stopsmoking class for LGBT and HIV positive community.

Sweet Honey in the Rock – Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley Campus. $22-$58. 11 am. (01 Zellerbach Hall #4800, Berkeley) www.calperformance.org. Sweet Honey in the Rock, the renowned a cappella ensemble will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a special program.

Gym Class – Hi Tops. Free. 10 pm. (2247 Market St.) www. hitopssf.com. Enjoy a night of fun at Castro’s only gay sports bar.

Throwback Thursdays – Q Bar. Free. 9 pm to 2 am. (456 Castro St.) www.qbarsf.com.

Playing dance and house music from the ‘80s and ‘90s with 2 for 1 drinks all night.

The Vagina Monologues/ Monólogos de la Vagina – Brava Theater Center. $35-$45. 8 pm. (2781 24th St.) www.brava.org.

Don’t miss a Spanish production of The Vagina Monologues.

A Valentine’s Day Celebration of The Color Purple – Castro Theatre. $25-$35. 7:30 pm. (429 Castro St.) www.castrotheatre. com. A Valentine’s Day Celebration of The Color Purple with Oscar nominee Margaret Avery (‘Shug Avery’) live in-person.

Stand for Real Love – First Presbyterian Church. $10-$100. 7 pm to 10 pm. (2619 Broadway, Oakland) www.bayarearising.org. A performance ritual to end violence against women and girls.

Annual Women’s Group Dance Fundraiser – Twin Pines Senior & Community Center. $15.

6:30 pm to 11 pm. (1233 Ralston Ave., Belmont) wenel@comcast.net.

Annual fundraising dance for PFLAG with music by DJ Page Hodel.

Something for Everyone – OutWest Dance. $10-$15. 6:30 pm to 11 pm. (465 Morris St., Sebastopol) www.outwestdance. com. Enjoy 2 step, East & West

Coast Swing, Country Waltz, Nightclub 2 Step, Cha Cha, Line Dancing & Disco Bop til you drop.

Jalwa – Club OMG. Free. 10 pm to 2 am. (43 6th St.) www.clubomgsf.com. Enjoy a night of dancing at this unique, Bollywood themed gay bar.

Affinities Exhibit – A Woman’s Eye Gallery. Free. 12 pm to 5 pm.

(678 Portola Dr.) www.awegallery. com. Affinities is a collaborative photo show, conceived as an experiment in image presentation.

Through February 26.

Merrily We Roll Along – Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center. $11. Check times. (1118 Fourth St., San Rafael) www.cafilm. org. Stephen Sondheim’s musical, Merrily We Roll Along, is set over three decades in the entertainment business and charts the relationship between close friends.

Yuna – Great American Music Hall. $21. 8 pm. (859 O’Farrell St.) www. slimpresents.com. The younger singer-songwriter from Malaysia delivers a contemporary blend of pop, acoustic folk and soulful R&B.

night hosted by Ronn Vigh.

Meow Mix – The Stud. Free. 9 pm. (399 9th St.) www.studsf.com.

A weekly cabaret variety show.

Georgia O’Keeffe and Lake George – de Young Museum. $25.

9:30 am to 5:15 pm. (50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr.) www.deyoungmuseum.org. Modern Nature: Georgia O’Keeffe and Lake George, organized

by The Hyde Collection with the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Through May 11.

The Queen of Hearts DIVAfest – Exit Theatre. $25$150. 7 pm. (156 Eddy St.) www. divafest.info. Upcoming festival excerpts include an Alice in Wonderland inspired burlesque show.

Smack Dab Open Mic Night – Magnet. Free. 8 pm. (4122 18th St.) www.magnetsf.org. An open mic night for all with host Larrybob Roberts.

Wanted – Q Bar. Free. 10 pm to 2 am. (456 Castro St.) www.sfwanted.com. A night of dance and electronic music with $2 drink specials.

Mahogany Mondays – Midnight Sun. Free. 8 pm. (4067 18th St.) www.midnightsunsf.com.

A live drag variety show with $5 drink specials all evening.

Motown Monday – Madrone Art Bar. Free. 6 pm. (500 Divisadero St.) www.madroneartbar.com.

Dance the night away to favorite Motown songs and remixes.

Beach Blanket Babylon – Club Fugazi. $25-$130. 8 pm. (678 Green St.) www.beachblanketbabylon.com.

Enjoy Steve Silver’s famous musical revue packed with hilarious pop culture and political antics.

Funny Tuesdays – Harvey’s.

Free. 9 pm. (500 Castro St.) www. harveyssf.com. An LGBT comedy BAY T IM ES F EBRUARY 6, 2014

25

(ROSTOW continued from page 19) against using the other bathroom.

And yet, women have stuck to the ladies rooms and men have kept to the men’s rooms all the same with the possible exception of those annoying situations when ten women are in line and no one is using the other facility.

As for the notion that a child molester could run amok in the girls room, this scare tactic presupposes that sexual predators have a deep respect for a nonexistent law that currently prevents them from entering any bathroom at will.

And above all, in keeping with the gender comity that now keeps us all using the sexually correct bathroom, what would we think if some law suddenly required transmen to use the ladies room and transwomen to use the men’s room? Now there’s a law that could produce the lumberjack scenario, although the peeing in the sink was an unrealistic embellishment.

At any rate, the question at hand wasn’t a bathroom law, but a discriminatory school policy. Still, this parade of horribles marches through

every debate on transrights as it did in this case, and the Lobster Court got it right.

As for the Coke ad, I missed it. I had the Super Bowl on, but I paid scant attention. My mild dislike of the Sea Hawks in combination with my vague affection for Peyton Manning could not overcome the sheer boredom of a sloppy blowout. arostow@aol.com

(STRANGERS continued from page 21) more disturbing. It’s less clear what it is about. It’s certainly friendship, but you can also say that it’s a love relationship between Franck and Henri, too. The way I deal with desire in the film is this idea of the “spiral quality of desire”—this circular movement that goes between Franck and Michel and Franck and Henri. The way they all interact with each other— the circular motion—really became evident during the editing process.

GMK: How did you work with your actors?

AG: I think a large part of the work was actually done during the casting process.

What was important there was to find

two actors that would work together well as a couple. When they actually did come together, a lot of that work had been done in advance by casting them. We would then take the script and discuss the scenes. With the sex scenes, there was much more intense discussion.

GMK: What can you say about filming the explicit sex scenes?

AG: We had a lot of discussions, and did a lot of rehearsing. It was really exploring where I could take them, and how far the actors were willing to go. I wanted the actors to invest something of themselves in the characters they were portraying. I didn’t want to stuff them into a

(ROSE PARADE continued from page 22) about 50 of our nearest and dear- in the national discourse. We (as est fr iends and fa m i ly members. a nat ion) have of ten excha nged My mot her a nd fat her just hap - our sense of love and community pened to be visiting over the holi- w it h shame and der ision. So, no days from Canada. It was for tu- matter the subject, people would itous that this all happened so they much rather condemn the exprescould witness it. It was even more sion of another human being than for t unate t hat t hey were able to endeavor to understand them. We cook for our reception dinner, as want to continue to espouse love a s t he a nswer i n a l l t hat we do they are such amazing cooks. w it h ou r bu s i nes ses a nd i n ou r Aubrey: We will be leaving for our communities. honeymoon in a few weeks. We are going to Belize for a week of noth- A u br e y : M or e s p e c i f ic a l l y, w e h av e r e a c he d out t o M a r r i a g e ingness.

Freedom, H RC a nd GL A A D to B T: W h a t a r e y o u r f u t u r e lend our voice of support. We are plans for participating in the willing to share our experience on LGBT community of your lo- our wedding day and the experience of ou r rel at ion sh ip a s one cal area, or nationally? of the many amazing stories that Da n ny : O ne of t he t h i n g s t h at show that love is no dif ferent bethis opportunit y has taught both tween my husband and I than it is of us is t hat t here is much to be for a “trad it ional marr iage.” We done, not on ly i n t he conver sa- look for ward to prov id ing whattion of marriage equality, but also ever we can on the national front.

26

BAY TIMES F EBRUA RY 6 , 2 0 1 4

(SISTER DANA continued from page 23) land to a number by the Chiffons. The R A L LY IN SOL IDA R IT Y So come, drink away your sorrows WITH RUSSIAN LGBTQ PEOwith a bevy of beverages and enter- PLE (see related story on page 1) and tainment provided by LGCSF, Sun- for defense of human rights at home day, February 9th at 4 pm, Monday, and abroad regarding Sochi OlymFebruary 10th at 7:30 pm, 4 Valencia pics and homophobia is Saturday, February 8th, 11am-1pm, United NaStreet. Tix at the door, only $10. tions Plaza, 7th and Market Streets.

You will be disturbed by the “HOR- Support other solidarity activities on RORS OF LOVE ” H AUNTED Friday, February 7th: 12-1pm, picket HOUSE, this Valentine’s Day week- the Russian Consulate, 2790 Green end, from the creators of the Zombie Street at Baker; 5pm sign waving at Christ haunted house and Faetopia, Harvey Milk Plaza; 5:30-8:30pm Friday, February 14th and Saturday, join Team SF at Pride House Int’l/ February 15th, 8–11pm, Center for Winter Olympics Opening CerSex and Culture, 1349 Mission Street. emony, HiTops sports bar, 2247 Artists have created a labyrinth filled Market, between 16th and Sanchez with interactive performance and vi- Streets. Initiated by BAY A REA sual arts tableaus that will awe and FREEDOM SOCIALIST PARTY appall, exploring the sinister and and the FEDERATION OF GAY sometimes sadistic sides of love, in the GAMES-TEAM SF. Info at (415) typically hilarious flair of the radi- 730-2917 or email maketheworldbetcal faeries and queerdos of the tersf@gmail.com.

Bay. $10-20, No One Turned Away At the SAN FRANCISCO EQUALfor Lack of Funds (NOTAFLOF), ITY AWARDS KICKOFF COCKwith funds raised supporting the TA IL PA RT Y, Execut ive DiCENTER FOR SEX AND CUL- rector John O’Connor will be TURE and CALAMUS, a radical talking about his exciting new plans faerie fellowship. sexandculture.org. for EQCA in 2014 at Jones, 620 Jones Street, Tuesday, February 11th, 6-8 This Valentine’s Day Eve, BOOKS p.m. eqca.org, 620 -Jones.com.

INC. in the Castro pairs with CLEIS PRESS for a night of SWOONING- V O T I N G F O R I M P E R I A L LY ROMANTIC STOR IES OF E M P E RO R A N D E M P R E S S GAY LOVE. Reading together for is Februar y 15th from noon to 6 the first time is the venerated Felice pm in the M UN I Castro Station Picano, critically acclaimed Lewis and ot her locat ions. Cand idates DeSimone, and saucily prolific Rob for t he 2014 Of f ice of Emperor Rosen. This evening of spice and are “JP” Soto and Ray Tilton. sensuality coincides with the releases Ca nd idates for t he 2014 O f f ice of the award-winning series Best Gay of Empress are Misty Blue and Romance 2014, Best Gay Erotica 2014, Da n iel le L oga n. SA N F R A N and Foolish Hearts. Get ready for an C I S C O I M P E R I A L C O R O unforgettable and unique Valentine’s NATION 49 t heme is “A K i l ler Eve party. Sparkling libations to be V iew - A n Even i ng of I nter naserved. Thursday, February 13th, t iona l Myster y Bond St yle” and 7:30pm, Books Inc., 2275 Market i s bei ng held at Sa n Fr a nc i sco Ga l ler ia Des ig n C enter, Sat u rStreet. (415) 864-6777.

pre-designed mold of who or what these characters were going to be. Through the rehearsal process, and in talking to them about the sex scenes in particular, we worked on the positions, and the “choreography,” as it were. Because we did so much preliminary work, when the time actually came to shoot it, it went very, very easily. © 2014 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” You can follow him on Twitter @ garymkramer.

Da n ny : O n t he lo c a l f r ont , we f i r m ly bel ieve i n t he work t h at Family Equality Council does on a regular basis advocating for families of same sex couples. The truth is that marr iage equalit y is most i mpact f u l i n t he a rea of ra isi ng children. The protect ions it provides and the support the organization provides go a long way toward creating a much more loving and well-adjusted next generation.

Aubrey: We also believe that there a re so m a ny ch i ld ren who need homes in this country and so many same sex couples who have a lot of love to offer. We are beginning that journey and look forward to share t hat jou r ney w it h ever yone. We want the fabric of this countr y to include these families by showing us on television, in the media and welcoming us in all communities.

day, Februar y 22, doors at 5pm.

ImperialCouncilsf.org.

For twenty-two years, Presidents Day Weekend h a s b een B E A R W E E K E N D i n S a n Fr a nc i s c o, st a r t i n g i n 19 92 w it h t he f i r st B ea r E x po. S eventeen I nter na t ion a l B e a r Rende z vou s we e k s fo l l o w e d ; but s a d l y, 2 011 w a s the last IBR. In its absence, and w ith the understand ing that the essence of a ny bea r event is, of course, the people, SF Bear Weekend - a grassroots, web 2.0, social med ia d r iven event - was bor n.

SF Bear Weekend 2012 and 2013 were huge successes, and the hirsute community looks forward to seeing old friends and some new ones at SF Bear Weekend 2014, Februar y 14th-17th! sf bear weekend.com.

GAY VA NI T Y FA IR is a St yl ish Gay & L esbia n Wedd i ng Event & Fashion Show of fering same-sex couples a unique wedd i ng per spect ive at T he B ent ly Reser ve, 3 01 Bat ter y at Sacr a mento Street. Touch t he gow ns, taste the wedding cakes, smell the f lowers, try the makeup, and taste creative food and drinks. Tix $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Sund ay, Feb. 9 t h, 11 a m- 4 pm. t i nyurl.com/mlppwlz.

Po r nu c o p i a : M y c u r r e nt f l i c k pick is Caught in the Act, a Joe Gage Chronicle from titanmen. com.

Sister Dana sez, “Stay safe in Sochi, dear queers, and Happy V.D. to all my readers! No, that ’s not Venereal D isease, silly; it’s Valentine’s Day!”

Round About — All Over Town

P HOTO BY ST EVEN UN DERHIL L

P HOTO BY ST EVEN UN DERHIL L

Ghirardelli Chocolate staff members were all smiles at the check presentation ceremony where POH’s executive director Kevin Winge accepted on behalf of the organization. The funds were raised at the annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival.

Dana Van Gorder and AOF board member Beth Feingold at the Academy of Friends Toast Party at the Bubble Lounge.

(l-r) Marissa Currie, POH Director of Special Events, volunteers Eddie Valtierra and Tom Durein and Jared Scherer, POH Director of Development

PHOTO BY M ARIA STOKES

PHOTO BY RIN K

PHOTO BY M ARIA STOKES

Project Open Hand’s Hannah Schmunk was honored with a going away party as she begins her journey to Africa to volunteer at the Rift Valley Children’s Village in Tanzania.

Hannah Schmunk with POH volunteers Tom Durein, Jay Ensley and Jon Borset

PHOTO BY R I NK

Academy of Friend’s Matthew Denckla and POH’s Kevin Winge at the AOH Bubble Lounge Toast Party held in anticiDJ Christopher and AOF board VP Matthew pation of the upcoming AOF Gala to be held on March 2 at Denckla Terra Gallery.

PH OTO B Y R I NK

PHOTO BY RIN K

(FILM FESTIVAL continued from page 23)

Co-host and Entertainment Commission member Glendon Hyde, former SF Supervsior Christina Olague, and DJ and co-host Supervisor John Avalos at a fire relief benefit for Olague.

One of the best films in the festival is also one of the bleakest. The Selfish Giant (February 17, 5:00 pm), based (loosely) on an Oscar Wilde story, has Arbor (Conner Chapman) as a feisty, foul-mouthed, and medicated 13-year-old. His best friend is Swifty (Shaun Thomas), a shy teen who comes from a poor family. Outcasts at school, they support each other, even as parents and teachers remark on Arbor being a bad influence. Their bond is palpable, especially when they start spending their days scrounging up scrap metal for Kitten (Sean Gilder). While Arbor dreams of big money—and helping Swifty get his family out of debt—Swifty is more interested in helping Kitten win a horserace.

Writer/director Clio Barnard coaxes a blistering performance out of Chapman, who is all piss and vinegar; just watch how he handles two police officers that question him about stolen telephone wire. Yet there are also some incredibly tender scenes with the two friends playing on a trampoline, or between Arbor and his mum. Barnard creates a keen sense of time and place; viewers can feel the cold blowing through Arbor’s ripped jacket. The Selfish Giant may be grim as it depicts the fates of its sad, troubled characters, but it is also extremely gripping.

The Mostly British Film Festival includes two noteworthy Irish dramas. Run and Jump (February 18, 5:00 pm) is a feel good comedy-drama about a family headed by the cheery Vanetia (Maxine Peake). As the film opens, Vanetia’s husband Conor (Edward MacLiam) is returning home after suffering a stroke. Ted (Will Forte), an American neuropsychologist, has come to live with the family to document Conor’s recovery. While the film has a few didactic scenes of Ted and his handheld camera discussing the case, Run and Jump soon settles into its gentle, easygoing rhythms.

Director (and San Francisco native) Steph Green alternates between scenes of Ted helping Conor out of his shell with Vanetia helping Ted out of his. And after the matriarch and the doctor go bicycling in the rain, a romantic friendship develops between them. Run and Jump also includes a subplot involving Vanetia and Conor’s gay teenage son, Lenny (Brendan Morris) struggling with his self-worth, and bullying. These episodes are poignant and dramatic, but Lenny’s storyline is a bit underdeveloped. Green may have crammed too many elements into her film. Moreover, she wallpapers the soundtrack with pop tunes to provoke emotions, which would come naturally without them. Despite these flaws, Run and Jump is an enjoyable and engaging film, buoyed by the charismatic performance by Peake.

What Richard Did (February 18, 9:30 pm) asks viewers to wait on tenterhooks for the rich, handsome title character (Jack Reynor) to commit a shocking crime that will forever change his life. This absorbing chamber drama shows how Richard reacts to, and grapples with, the consequences of his actions. It would, of course, spoil the film to say what it is that Richard does, but director Lenny Abrahamson, working from Kevin Power’s source novel Bad Day in Blackrock, creates an intimacy before and after Richard’s crime, and he freights every scene with meaning. As the film’s protagonist, Reynor is excellent, never hitting a false note as this quietly devastating drama builds to its intense climax. © 2014 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” You can follow him on Twitter @ garymkramer.

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