San Francisco Bay Times - September 20, 2018 by San Francisco Bay Times

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2018) September 20–October 3, 2018 | sfbaytimes.com

Introducing ‘Donna’s Chronicles’ New Column by Donna Sachet Debuts

SPECIAL TO SAN FRANCISCO BAY TIMES/GARETH GOOCH PHOTOGRAPHY

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Donna’s Chronicles

San Francisco Bay Times Welcomes New Columnist Donna Sachet Entertainer and activist Donna Sachet is synonymous with the best of San Francisco. She has raised countless dollars for worthy causes, going to seemingly limitless lengths to support nonprofits, community members in need and more. Case in point: she once rappelled down 38 stories of the Grand Hyatt San Francisco to raise money for the Special Olympics! We know that many of you have your own personal stories concerning how Sachet saved the day—by stepping in at the last minute to boost a fundraiser, host an event, and through many other charitable work efforts. Her list of accolades and projects could fill many volumes. To mention just a few, she was the first drag personality to sing the National Anthem for a major league game. She served as Miss Gay San Francis-

co, co-hosts the San Francisco Pride Parade television broadcast, cochaired the San Francisco GLAAD Media Awards for several years and stars in the weekly Sunday’s a Drag at The Starlight Room in Union Square. Sachet has served on the boards of directors of Positive Resource Center, the LGBT Community Center, Equality California and the International Court Council, where she was named Absolute Empress XXX in 1995. She has been featured on our cover and in our pages over the years, but “Donna’s Chronicles” begins a new chapter. This will be her first ever column for the San Francisco Bay Times. Please join us in welcoming Donna and be sure to watch for when your name could appear!

elcome to the very first Donna’s Chronicles, the San Francisco Bay Times’ newest column! It is our intention to bring readers a personal view of important events in our Community and San Francisco at large, to feature the people who are making a difference in our City and to show our readers some of the beauty that still shines in this magical place we call home.

One of our pet peeves is the monotonous drone of constant complainers who are convinced that San Francisco’s best days are behind us. While we are certainly aware of the many changes that have occurred and the frightening challenges presented to so many of us every day, we are also anxious to remind our readers of the many special events, dedicated individuals and beautiful moments that still surround us. We remain optimistic for the future and encourage us all to be a part of the changes ahead, refusing to be idle bystanders. We are humbled to join the prestigious group of columnists already contributing to this publication and congratulate the Bay Times on its growth, grassroots appeal and gorgeous graphic style. If you have events or ideas to suggest, please contact us as listed at the end of this column. What better way to begin our first column than with the event that many consider the beginning of the social season: Opening Night of the San Francisco Opera! Although the Symphony opens two nights before and is similarly swathed in glamor, last Friday’s white tie formal occasion brings out San Francisco dressed in its finest in support of one of the United States’ oldest and most respected opera companies. We arrived with Richard Sablatura for the glittering Champagne reception in the soaring lobby of the War Memorial Opera House, immediately running into former Mayor Willie Brown and Sonya Molodetskaya, Mayor London Breed, Randy Laroche & David Laudon, Ken McNeely & Inder Dhillon and the SF Chronicle’s Tony Bravo. As a former employee of a high fashion retailer, we were thrilled by the unabashed color, bold prints and daring necklines of many of the gowns, and equally impressed with the creative menswear, particularly patterned jackets and elaborate decorated footwear. While in the Press Room, SF Opera’s Jon Finck introduced us to internationally acclaimed soprano Carmen Giannattasio, who will be featured in the upcoming Tosca, a production we are advised not to miss! Next was the reception in the upstairs Loggia hosted by Bravo, the group made up of younger supporters of opera and the future leadership of the company. Dress here might not have been as grandiose, but everyone welcomed the chance to dress to the nines, most notably Stephan Rabinov, Andrew Nelder, Robert Saenz, Julie Hall, Talon Storm, Elizabeth Powell and Melissa Montoya in our favorite gown of the night. As the warning bells rang, we entered the theatre, beautifully festooned with flowers across the balcony, and major sponsors were thanked and the audience rose to sing the National Anthem. Finally, Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana began, full of gorgeous music, colorful sets and dramatic performances. Never doubt that the San Francisco Opera offers us world class artists and stellar renditions. Intermission brought us back into the lobby for some liquid refreshment and more socializing, this time with the Chronicle’s Leah Garchik, George & Charlotte Shultz, Roselyn Swig, Victor & Farah Makras, Jorge Maumer and Carolyn Chandler. And although she had to miss Symphony Opening Night due to pressing business in the nation’s capital, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and husband Paul were there for Opera Opening Night, and we spent a few minutes catching up. The second half of the performance featured Ruggero Leoncavallo’s much loved Pagliacci, remarkably, but successfully, with the same stage setting and some amusing character overlaps. Once again, the music was gloriously performed and the audience gave its unqualified appreciation. Bravo hosted a post-performance party in the Green Room of the War Memorial Building with lively music, bountiful food and drink and splendid views of City Hall across the street. As the evening ended and the lights dimmed, we soaked up the after-glow of another incredible Opening Night of the Opera and dashed to Lookout for their 11th Anniversary, just wrapping up, but proud of years of successful fundraising events and community involvement. In news from the Imperial Court, last week’s Golden Gate Gaymes brought a lively group out of the bars and into the sparkling daylight as teams competed in creative games, some in drag, all in good spirits. Afterwards at Beaux, those competitors and others enjoyed a drag show, followed by the announcement of the best sellers of raff le tickets over the past few weeks. We thank Mikey T

“Never let tomorrow get in the way of tonight.” -Donna Sachet

Calendar a/la Sachet Every Sunday Sunday’s a Drag 10:30 am Brunch, 11:30 am Show The Starlight Room Sir Francis Drake Hotel $75 inclusive https://bit.ly/2OB4Gur Saturday, September 29 Roast of Donna Sachet 7 pm Castro Theatre $30 & up https://bit.ly/2plILfI Sunday, September 30 Folsom Street Fair 11 am to 6 pm SOMA $10 donation https://bit.ly/2xh4E1t Thursday, October 4 Shanti Gala: Compassion Is Universal 6 pm Palace Hotel $285 & up https://shanti.ejoinme.org/ciu2018 October 4–7 Varla Jean Merman 7 pm Oasis $27.50 & up https://bit.ly/2pj2P2d October 5–6 Kinsey Sicks 8 pm Marines’ Memorial Theatre $35 & up https://bit.ly/2NVzUzk Saturday, October 6 Horizons Foundation Gala 6 pm to 11:45 pm Fairmont Hotel $300 & up https://bit.ly/2NRQFez Sunday, October 7 Bark at the Park: Fleet Week K9 Heroes 11 am to 4 pm Duboce Park Free https://bit.ly/2QFkuxs Wednesday, October 10 TNDC 26th Annual Pool Toss Phoenix Hotel 6 pm to 9:30 pm $125 & up https://bit.ly/2NVBbX8 Friday, October 12 PRC Gala: Mighty Real 6 pm Four Seasons Hotel $300 & up https://bit.ly/2OAvpax

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San Francisco Bay Times

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS (1978-2018)

LGBTQ Activists to Reunite for San Francisco Bay Times 40th Anniversary Panel 1970s San Francisco LGBTQ activism will be brought back to vivid life on September 28 during the first ever reunion of founding members of the San Francisco Bay Times, which was the first newspaper for the LGBTQ community to be jointly and equally produced by women and men. The event, a living history panel moderated by Dr. Bill Lipsky of the Rainbow Honor Walk, will bring together San Francisco Bay Times founding contributor Cleve Jones, founding news editor Randy Alfred, founding production manager Susan Calico, founding arts and entertainment editor M.J. Lallo, columnist and Commissioner Andrea Shorter, San Francisco Supervisor and former columnist Rafael Mandelman and others. Historic images from legendary photographer Rink will be shown during a reception preceding the panel at The GLBT History Museum. The discussion and images will center around 1978, the year that the San Francisco Bay Times was founded by the late Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, as well as their dedicated team. It is hard now to fathom the emotional highs and lows of that year. Consider that Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in the history of California, took office on January 8 as a San Francisco supervisor. Just 11 months later, on November 27, he and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated. In addition to the founding of the San Francisco Bay Times, 1978 marked the birth of the following: • LGBTQ Rainbow Flag; • San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus; • Women’s Building in San Francisco; • LGBTQ Studies (Department) at City College; • San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band and numerous other LGBT-related non-profits, businesses and more. Helping to fuel LGBT activism then was the Briggs Initiative, officially California Proposition 6, which attempted to ban gay men, lesbians and potentially their allies from working in the state’s public schools. The initiative was part of a larger anti-LGBT movement that started with a successful campaign headed by singer Anita Bryant and her “Save Our Children” organization. Milk, lesbian activist Sally Miller Gearhart and other community leaders were instrumental in fighting the statewide ballot measure, which was defeated by voters on November 7, 1978. The politics of 1978 were an inf lection point, bringing together LGBT men and women for shared goals. This included the founding of the San Francisco Bay Times. “It began with the simplest of ideas: a newspaper ‘by lesbians and gay men’ and for lesbians and gay men, as the masthead of the first issue of the San Francisco Bay Times proclaimed,” Dr. Lipsky says. “The goal of founders Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman was not only to bring the community’s diverse people together, but also to ‘forge links between our movements and those of racial minorities, feminists, rank-and-file labor, environmentalists, the disabled, the old, the young and the poor.’” A “Prospectus” for the paper dated Spring 1978 included the following: “Gay men and lesbians, though similarly affected by prejudice and discrimination, have little understanding of each other’s lives and feelings. Lesbian professional associations may be unknown to their sisters’ militant political groups. Well-to-do gay men may have no understanding of the daily frustrations of their low-income counterparts. (continued on page 6) 4

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Friday, September 28 San Francisco Bay Times: Four Decades of an LGBT Free Press 6pm Reception, 7pm Program GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th Street Cleve Jones Founding San Francisco Bay Times contributor Cleve Jones is an LGBTQ and labor activist who authored the book When We Rise: My Life in the Movement (Hachette Books, 2016) that was made into an ABC miniseries in 2017. He conceived the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, which is the world’s largest piece of community folk art. He also co-founded the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Randy Alfred Founding San Francisco Bay Times news editor Randy Alfred conducted a detailed 1980 probe of the biased portrayal of San Francisco’s gay community in CBS Reports’ “Gay Power, Gay Politics.” His investigation led to CBS issuing a rare public apology for its failed coverage. He went on to produce The Gay Life on KSAN-FM, the first regularly scheduled LGBT-themed program on commercial radio in the U.S. He is also a founding board member of NLGJA, The Association of LGBTQ Journalists. Dr. Bill Lipsky San Francisco Bay Times columnist Dr. Bill Lipsky is a member of the Rainbow Honor Walk board of directors. He created Snapshot: LGBT History of San Francisco for the Human Rights Campaign and GLBT San Francisco: Castro for the GLBT Historical Society. He is the author of Gay and Lesbian San Francisco (Arcadia Publishing, 2006). Andrea Shorter A commissioner and the former president of the historic San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women, San Francisco Bay Times columnist Andrea Shorter is a cofounder of the Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition. A senior consultant for the City and County of San Francisco, she develops non-profit, public and private sector collaborative strategies to intensify outreach and service delivery to San Francisco’s homeless LGBTQ youth and young adult populations. Rafael Mandelman Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, a longtime former San Francisco Bay Times columnist, is the former president of the City College Board of Trustees. He has also served as president of the Noe Valley Democratic Club, commissioner on the San Francisco Board of Appeals, chair of the San Francisco LGBT Center and president of the District 8 Democratic Club. Susan Calico Founding San Francisco Bay Times production manager Susan Calico served as an editor for The Daily Californian and a writer for KPFA. She has fought for social justice for decades. M.J. Lallo Founding San Francisco Bay Times arts and entertainment editor M.J. Lallo had already served as a writer and editor of numerous newspapers in Colorado, and had two published collections of her poetry, before her work in the Bay Area. She is now an award-winning voice artist, director and composer. They and other community leaders will be at “San Francisco Bay Times: Four Decades of an LGBT Free Press,” September 28, 6 pm to 9 pm, at The GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th Street, San Francisco. The reception will take place from 6–7 pm, followed by the discussion. Admission is $5 and free for GLBT History Museum members.

San Francisco Bay Times

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS (1978-2018)

San Francisco Bay Times ‘Personals’ Forged Lasting Connections

For well over three decades, the San Francisco Bay Times “Personals” section provided an essential platform for local LGBTQ people to make connections: for business, pleasure and much more. To this day, those of us at the paper still hear from couples who met each other years ago via the paper. Before the internet, online dating services, cell phones, apps and other technologies, the Personals section ruled. This was especially true for members of our LGBTQ community, who often risked losing their jobs and families if outed. Such risks sadly still exist today, but not to the extent that they did in 1978—the year that the San Francisco Bay Times was first published. On the upside, the common anonymity of the Personals emboldened the otherwise shy and often had a sense of excitement and hopefulness about it.

“If you’re interested in the sexual possibilities, you can say so, but exchange details privately.” Of course, this led to all sorts of erotic acronyms describing individuals and their desired forms of sexual play. A veritable dictionary was needed to translate acronyms like DFK (deep French kissing) OWO (oral without, for those who hated the taste of latex and didn’t mind the related risks) and much more.

Sometimes the authors of the ads were friends who desired to help out their single, and perhaps a little skittish, pals. Such was the case with Deb Mosk. A friend of hers placed a Personals ad in the San Francisco Bay Times without Mosk’s permission. The friend simply told Mosk that an ad had been placed and gave her a post off ice box number. It was up to Mosk to follow up.

Paul and Sean at San Francisco City Hall

At around the same time, the best friend of Debra Shapiro did the same. Shapiro, recently single, was living in Millbrae then, while her friend was in San Francisco and therefore more aware of the Bay Times Personals popularity. Shapiro recalls what happened next: “I checked the ads and circled three to call. I remember not understanding much about Deb’s ad, other than she was obviously Jewish—the header was ‛Professional Mensch’—35, employed, and slightly chicken, like me.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DEB SHAPIRO AND DEB MOSK

Most of the ads, however, were more G-rated in nature and reflected the heartfelt hopes of their authors. Even these were not without risk, however. The first issue of the paper instructed: “For your protection, we advise against the pub-

lication of home phone numbers and addresses. We recommend a post office box or private letter drop service.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF SEAN TIMBERLAKE

The debut issue of the paper featured a “Men’s Section” and a “Women’s Section.” Each were to have their own Personals sections, which soon merged. The introduction to the format in that first issue was as follows: “Personals let you exchange non-sexual information you might not get in other forms of encounter. It’s a different way of meeting people.” It went on to say that you can “make statements about who you really are and who you’d really like to meet.”

“I laid on my couch and repeatedly tried leaving a cool-sounding message on her mailbox recording,” Shapiro added. “After the third try, I was satisfied. Deb called the next morning, a Monday, and we agreed to talk that night. We talked on the phone for 3 hours and arranged to meet in Burlingame in a couple of days. I remember the next day I heard back from another ad I must have responded to, and I simply told that person that I had ‘found someone’ and was not interested in meeting anyone else!” “I sent flowers to Deb’s work with a note that said, ‘In Anticipation,’” she continued. “Although I was late for our first real date at the Hyatt Burlingame, I knew right away that I didn’t want to be with anyone else. She wore a creamcolored blouse and a grey jumper ... and harlequin tights and brown shoes. I don’t think she wore a dress again until our wedding 5 years later! We had a beautiful wedding at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on May 2, 1999. When marriage was legalized by the U.S. Supreme Court, we married, and had another ceremony in Deb’s parents’ garden on September 22, 2013. The actress Sharon Gless was our flower girl.” “It really was a miracle that I saw that ad, and met the love of my life. We have had a wonderful 24 years together, and look forward to many, many more.” Sean Timberlake tells his Bay Times Personals story at his website ( https://www.seantimberlake.com/blog/ ). It begins in 1991, when Timberlake had just moved to San Francisco. Freelancing in theater, he had two roommates and not much of a social life. He posted an ad in the paper, mentioning, in part, that he needed “more fun” in his life and desired someone “to be silly with.” The ad led to numerous calls from interested men. Timberlake writes, “One I responded to was a man named Paul, about my age, who was currently living with his parents in Marin County. In a typical ice-breaking way, I asked what he did, and he responded that he was studying sign language. ‘Oh,’ I said, (continued on page 6)

Deb Shapiro and Deb Mosk S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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San Francisco Bay Times

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS (1978-2018) PANEL (continued) San Franciscans are often unaware of what goes on across the Bay.”

And so it has done these four decades since. The Bay Times continues to grow and evolve wh i le honor ing its h isto ry and ability to build and strengthen unity in the LGBTQ community. This could not have been possible without the hard work of the past and present Bay Times team members, including those who will be on the upcoming panel. Their achievements could fill many volumes. See page 4 for a brief I S C Csummary.

PHOTO BY SANDY MORRIS

It went on to declare: “The Bay Times will provide reliable, authoritative news, covering the less-than obvious stories affecting lesbians and gay men. We will publish every two weeks. Our crisply written basic news will be supplemented with lively features, reviews, photos and graphics.”

Bay Area musician Gigi Cohen, pictured here during a performance at the Open Mic Night formerly held at the Montclair Women’s Cultural Arts Club, has delighted audiences for years with her catchy tune entiled “Bay Times Personals Blues.” During the battle for same-sex marriage rights, William A. “Skip” Oakes and Richard “Ricardo” W. Codington were featured on the Front Page of the San Francisco Bay Times in 1998. In the August 8, 2013 issue, they appeared once again, celebrating their marriage at City Hall, with the headline: History Repeats Itself. Although they did not meet through the Personals section, they were devoted Bay Times readers. Skip passed away in April of 2016, having spent 37 years of his life with Ricardo.

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RinkNe Photo Throwback ws & Calendar for the Bay Area

LGBTQ

‘I know a signer,’ and mentioned his name. Paul made a low grumble. They had just broken up.”

“From that point,” Timberlake added, “we quickly ascertained that we knew other people in common—remarkable as I knew so few people—and when we finally met face-to-face, I realized we had met several times before.”

018) ( CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES 1978–2

1979

ill Hartman (left) and Roland Schembari (right) were photographed by Rink in 1979, just a year after they and their colleagues founded the San Francisco Bay Times. In the 1978 “Prospective” for the paper, Hartman was listed as General Manager and had this bio: “Business manager of Zodiac News Service (national radio news service) 1976–78; publicity co-chair of 1977 SF Gay Freedom Day Parade; past contributor to the Bay Guardian and The Ally (antiwar paper); Vietnam veteran and recipient of the Bronze Star.” Roland Schembari was listed as Associate Editor and Reporter and had this bio at the time: “Program producer for Fruit Punch (gay men’s program) at KPFA-FM, 1973–78; reporter for KPFA-FM Evening News, 1975–78 (currently SF City Hall reporter); former reporter for the Daily Iowan; publicity co-chair of 1977 Gay Freedom Day Parade.” Both men went on to lead numerous other projects. Schembari, for example, was actively involved in the Oral History Project of the GLBT Historical Society. Before his death in 2000, preceded by that of Hartman, he interviewed numerous important LGBT individuals, whose oral histories are now preserved. You can hear some of the recordings online, such as his discussion with early gay activist Arthur Evans: https://archive.org/details/casfglbt_000059

PERSONALS (continued)

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Both were seeing other people then, but they continued to meet up. Paul Brown (who now goes by dpaul) went back east to college. Timberlake, who volunteered with The Names Project, had the opportunity to fly to Washington, D.C., permitting a chance to visit with Brown, who subsequently began to volunteer for the organization as an ASL interpreter. “We spent an emotionally charged three-day weekend together in the capital,” Timberlake recalls. “Seeing the quilt in its entirety, marching on the White House, chanting ‘Shame! Shame!’ at an administration that still appeared not to care about a community in crisis. Ah, but we traveled together. We spent 72 hours in each other’s company, and did not want it to end. I knew, then, this was a relationship I wanted to pursue for the long haul.” Fast forward to the present, and the couple has been together ever since. They have married each other not just once, but three times, and are in their second home together with their second dog. Timberlake now wonders about himself and Brown, “Did these two young men have any idea that they would build a life, a lifetime, together? I don’t think so, but I’m very glad they got beyond that first voice mail exchange.” Not all Personals ad posters were as successful so quickly. In fact, frustrations over not finding the right match led to the catchy tune “San Francisco Bay Times Blues” ( https://bit.ly/2poWvq4 ). But even those who were unlucky in love often look back at those Personals days with wistful nostalgia. We here at the Bay Times certainly do, and always welcome stories related to that memorable period in the paper’s long and continuing history.

BAY TIMES PERSONALS BLUES By Gigi Cohen Bay Times Personals Bay Times Personals Blues I ain’t got anyone to love me So, I got nothing to lose I let my fingers do the walking It costs money to be talking…blues I met one who likes to take a walk on the beach But she just came out and needs someone to teach…her blues I got the Personals Blues I ain’t got anyone to love me So, I got nothing to lose I met one who says she’s sexual But needs an intellectual…blues I met one who was monogamous But she was too androgynous…blues I got the Bay Times Personals Bay Times Personals Blues I met one who’s clean and sober But she couldn’t turn it over…blues I met one who was abusing You could tell that she’d been using… blues I got the Bay Times Personals Bay Times Personals Blues I went walking on the beach And lookin’ in the bar…blues I asked some friends to help me find her But they need a new reminder … blues I got the Bay Times Personals Bay Times Personals Blues I love my femme top’s bottom and my butch bottom’s top But then they met each other and my fun stopped…blues I got the Bay Times Personals Bay Times Personals Blues I write letter after letter, I make call after call I tried so hard to find someone with whom I can fall…in love I met one who was an S & M dial in and switch But she turned out to be a hard core…I got the Bay Times Personal Bay Times Personals Blue I write letter after letter, I make call after call I tried so hard to find someone with whom I can fall in love…in love I got the Bay Times Personals, Bay Times Personals blues

Breaking California’s Lieutenant Governor Glass Ceiling which would require an equal-length rebuttal, I’ll keep the Bay Times publishing staff out of trouble and suggest that you make your own decision in this race, but the words “glass ceiling” are in the title of this article ... just saying.

Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History Louise “Lou” Fischer It’s been almost 2 years since the 2016 presidential election, and some of us are still sitting shivah (mourning) over the defeat of Hillary Clinton (we were robbed!). While we didn’t get the woman who beat the “winner” by over 3 million votes, we have some incredible women running for local, state and federal offices in 2018. As I stated in a previous column, ( https://bit.ly/2xpFPlU ), the election of Donald Trump galvanized the women’s movement, the result of which is a beautiful blue wave of Democratic women running for office throughout the country. Many are first-time candidates and two notable women, Alexandria OcasioCortez and Ayanna Pressley, defeated 20-year Congressional male incumbents in their respective primaries. In November, Americans could elect over 100 women to the U.S. House of Representatives; the addition of 30– 40 new women would shatter the record of 1992’s “Year of the Woman.” 2018 is clearly a backlash to President Trump’s election. As English playwright William Congreve said in 1697, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” We’re not just scorned, we’re more furious than anything hell or the devil himself could cook up. This November, we can shatter a glass ceiling right here in our own backyard. California has never elected a woman Lieutenant Governor. We were taunted in 2009 with a temporary appointee, Mona Pasquil, but she only served for 174 days. This is our chance: former Ambassador to Hungary and longtime Democratic activist, Eleni Kounalakis, prevailed over a crowded field of 11 candidates in a top-two primary and will be competing against Democratic State Senator Ed Hernandez in November. As this is not an endorsement column,

Eleni Kounalakis, a 5’2” (in heels!) dynamo who lives here in San Francisco, was born and raised in Sacramento. The daughter of Greek immigrants, she was the first member of her family to graduate from college. Her father built a successful real estate construction business where Eleni worked for many years. She served as a 5-time delegate to the Democratic Convention and is close friends with 2 of our political “sheroes,” Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton. President Obama appointed Kounalakis as ambassador to Hungary in 2010, where she had a front-row seat

Lou Fischer with Eleni Kounalakis

to the takeover of the country by an autocratic demagogue, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who proceeded to consolidate power within his base, call into question the freedom of the press and set limits on judicial independence. Does that sound familiar? I recently caught up with Kounalakis—in a crowded room of tall people, two 5’2” women will invariably find each other—and spoke with her about the campaign, goals for California and where I can get authentic moussaka in San Francisco. (I never did get the answer to that last question.) Lou Fischer: What made you decide to run for office? Eleni Kounalakis: On the night of the November 2016 election, not only did we fail to break the ultimate glass ceiling, but it also felt like the floor fell out from under us. I knew I had to come off the sidelines and get into the game. As a mom and hardworking activist for marriage equality and gender and racial equity, I have worked throughout my life to fight for equal rights. The role of Lieutenant Governor is a natural fit; I will fight hard for equality for all Californians in policy, government, and every aspect of society. We need champions and advocates to ensure people from marginalized communities have a voice in our state government. Lou Fischer: So what does the Lt. Governor do anyhow? Eleni Kounalakis: California’s Lt. Governor chairs the Commission for Economic Development, serves on the UC Board of Regents and the CSU Board of Trustees, and is one of three members of the State Lands Commission. I’m a committed environmentalist, so I chose to run for this seat to do my part to combat climate change and fight against the Trump administration’s plans to expand offshore oil drilling.

On September 14, legendary entertainers Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin participated in an event at Piccino in San Francisco to benefit One Fair Wage. The campaign, led by advocates for restaurant workers, has the goal of ending the tipped wage system in favor of paying all restaurant industry employees at least the minimum wage—striving for a fair wage for all. Lou Fischer represented the San Francisco Bay Times at the event, and will be writing more about the campaign next month. 8

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Lou Fischer: W hat are your goals if (when!) you win in November? Eleni Kounalakis: I managed a very successful real estate construction business. I (continued on page 26)

The Historic Indian Supreme Court Ruling: Embracing ‘Infinite Shades of Love and Longing’ with the exception of species that never have sex at all, such as sea urchins ... .’” “‛What makes life meaningful is love. The right that makes us human is the right to love. To criminalize the expression of that right is profoundly cruel and inhumane.’”

6/26 and Beyond Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis On September 6, 2018, India, the world’s largest democracy, f inally shed the British colonial-era law that for over a century and a half has been used to criminalize and denigrate the lives of LGBTIQ Indians. In a 495page ruling that included four separate opinions, the Supreme Court of India declared the law, known as Section 377, unconstitutional. The 1.3 billion citizens of India no longer live in a country where for LGBTIQ people “the physical manifestation of their love is criminal.” Instead, love may manifest itself “unhindered.” Many passages of the Justices’ opinions sing both in their eloquence and their insight. We are not Indian law experts, and the Indian Supreme Court differs significantly in structure from the U.S. Supreme Court, e.g. panels of 3 to 5 or more Justices out of 31 total Justices hear different cases. Instead of in-depth legal analysis, we share with you highlights from the opinions that stood out for us. As we read the words of the Indian Supreme Court, we couldn’t help but reflect on the current confirmation hearings for the U.S. Supreme Court, and ways in which the words of supreme courts can either affirm or deny the truth of our very lives: The Indian Constitution is an “organic and breathing document with senses which are very much alive to its surroundings”—“a living, integrated organism having a soul and consciousness of its own and its pulse beats ... can be felt all over its body.” “Section 377 (the ‛unnatural offences’ statute), is based on a moral notion that intercourse which is lustful is to be frowned upon. It finds the sole purpose of intercourse in procreation. In doing so, it imposes criminal sanctions upon basic human urges, by targeting some of them as against the order of nature.” “The natural identity of an individual should be treated to be absolutely essential to his being. What nature gives is natural.” “Homosexuality has been documented in almost 1500 species,” and a recent article “notes that ‘no species has been found in which homosexual behavior has not been shown to exist,

Quoting queer poet Vikram Seth: “To sneer at love, and wrench apart. The bonds of body, mind and heart. With specious reason and no rhyme: This is the true unnatural crime.” “Denial of self-expression is inviting death ... . Identity is equivalent to divinity.” “[O]nly when each and every individual is liberated from the shackles of ... bondage and is able to work towards full development of his/her personality [sic] that we can call ourselves a truly free society.” “We have to bid adieu to the perceptions, stereotypes and prejudices deeply ingrained in the societal mindset so as to usher in inclusivity in all spheres and empower all citizens alike without any kind of alienation and discrimination.” Section 377 has turned LGBT people into social “pariahs” and “has become an odious weapon for the harassment of the LGBT community by subjecting them to discrimination and unequal treatment.” A person may choose to live alone, “but no one, and we mean, no one, should impose solitude on him/her.” Section 377 has “subjugated” LGBT people “to a culture of silence and into leading their lives in closeted invisibility.” This forced “closeting” produces “the ‘hegemonic heterosexual’— the ideological construction of a particular alignment of sex, gender and desire that posits itself as natural, inevitable and eternal.” “What links LGBT individuals to couples who love across caste and community lines is the fact that both are exercising their right to love at enormous personal risk and in the process disrupting existing lines of social authority.” The struggle to overcome “limits imposed by structures such as gender, caste, class, religion and community makes the right to love not just a separate battle for LGBT individuals, but a battle for all.”

PHOTO CREDIT: DEZ SANDIP

“By attacking ... gender roles,” LGBT people “build communities and relationships premised on care and reciprocity” and thus challenge “the idea that relationships, and by extension society, must be divided along hierarchical sexual roles in order to function.”

Erotic sculptures of two men (center) at Khajuraho Mahadev Temple

“The choice of sexuality is at the core of privacy. But equally ... the public assertion of identity founded in sexual orientation is crucial to the exercise of freedoms.” “If one accepts the proposition that (continued on page 26) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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Soirée on the Bay Aboard Celebrity Cruises’ Solstice

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES

PHOTO BY JP LOR PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY JP LOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY JP LOR

PHOTO BY JP LOR PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES PHOTO BY JP LOR PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS PHOTO BY JP LOR

PHOTO BY JP LOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF CELEBRITY CRUISES

The party of the year, a benefit for REAF (Richmond - Ermet Aid Foundation), was hosted by Celebrity Cruises on Monday evening, September 17, in conjunction with the port of call visit of the Celebrity Solstice at Pier 27. Featuring guided tours of the ship and entertainment by the touring cast of Phantom of the Opera, the event included gourmet hors d’ouevres and speciality cocktails served throughout the evening in the Solarium and Sky Lounge venues. Also on hand were members of the ship’s cast who perform on stage during each cruise the ship undertakes. Emcees for the event were 99.7 NOW’s Fernando and Greg. The evening celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and the San Francisco Bay Times. https://www.celebritycruises.com/cruise-deals/special-offer

You’ve Got Mail: $3 and 47 Days to Take Back the House

Cross Currents Andrea Shorter The Democrats’ full court press to win back the House is evident in my email inbox. It is inundated by an average of 15 emails daily from the DNC, DCCC, EMILY’S List, Victory Fund, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Lee, Mark Takano or congressional members from other states with urgent requests to respond to surveys, donate at least $3, donate for double and triple matches to help elect a healthy roster of candidates seeking to either flip seats from red to blue, or simply hold onto various contested seats. It’s also good to hear from President Obama, now that he is hitting the trail to rally the troupes to turn out the mid-term vote. Did you see his speech at the University of Illinois? For those 60 minutes, he made me feel safe, smart and loved. These days, I’ve never hoped for a change so much in my life. Goodness, how I sooo miss Obama. 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for election. Democrats need to maintain their currently held 194 seats and flip at least 24 Re-

publican held seats to win a majority. As candidates from all around the country come through San Francisco to raise awareness and a few dollars for their cause, I’ve had the opportunity to meet more than a handful of these primary winning contestants. I don’t know that I shall ever again meet so many candidates running for Congress, U.S. Senate or Governor in a singular election cycle.

takes great pride as a self-described “daughter of the Foothills” representing the 5th generation of a family that literally arrived in the area by covered wagon. She’s fished, hunted and hiked every hike-able inch of the area, most notably the 500 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from north of Tahoe to Mt. Whitney—a feat that a much elder McClintock never has, nor will ever likely, accomplish.

As pleasant as it has been to shake the hands of, and have small encouraging chats with, these eager visitors, the need to support their campaigns could not be more palatable and urgent. For the intensive purposes of saving the republic from the clear and present dangers presented by the sitting president, his enablers, (GOP), his indicted and convicted associates, his faithful followers, and Vladimir Putin, November 6, 2018, will be without question the most important mid-term election ever in U.S. elections history.

Spurred by nearly every unmentionable action and policy of the Trump administration, Morse decided to run to take back the house, and basically do her part to save democracy. So far, she has outraised her veteran opponent by approximately $200,000, and appears to be making impressive headway in turning blood red voters blue, or at last purplish. She has a shot at winning, and maybe not as long a shot as earlier predicted. She’s clearly in it to win it against McClintock and Trump.

Of the record 185 women in the running for the House seats, 143 are Democrat primary winners. Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Jessica Morse. She is campaigning to overtake longtime Republican stalwart Tom McClintock up north in congressional district 4. The Northern California district is red to the bone conservative, hence the Tom McClintock representation. Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Roseville and Placerville are the major highlights of its 10 counties area span. Morse is 36 and has a master’s degree from Princeton, where she focused on nuclear non-proliferation. She also served as a national security strategist and advisor during the Obama administration. She

When a visitor like Candidate Morse penetrates the ultra-liberal bubble of San Francisco, she reminds us of the keen realities of running today as a Democrat outside of the Fog City beltway. The deep work it takes to flip red votes to blue is not for the faint of heart. Even in less conservative districts than Morse’s, it’s risky business. Still, for these candidates, it’s the chance of a lifetime worth taking. It is equally a chance on which we must take that risk along with them.

Arizona is also a high priority. LGBT Equality Caucus members and Representatives Mark Takano of (Riverside County) CA, Sean Patrick Maloney of NY, David Cicilline of RI, and Mark Pocan of WI all merit urgency in their return to Washington, DC. First time openly LGBTQ congressional candidates such as Kate Hill of CA-25, Eric Holguin of TX-27, Lorie Burch of TX-03 and Lee Castillo of UT-01 deserve whatever support we can muster up to increase those odds of a blue to lavender sweep for the House. If your email inbox is populated nearly as much as mine is with those urgent Democrat do or die requests for $3 or $5 to help a Democratic candidate in some other far away district in

some far away state that is taking that risk to help save the republic, why not take the chance? Who knows? Maybe Beto O’Rourke’s bid to unseat Senator Ted Cruz could prove beyond his buzz that just enough of Texas is ready for a change. With so much at stake, what’s $3 here and there to help save the free world? Andrea Shorter is a Commissioner and the former President of the historic San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women. She is a longtime advocate for criminal and juvenile justice reform, voter rights, and marriage equality. A Co-founder of the Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition, she was a 2009 David Bohnett LGBT Leadership Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

100 Women Walking 100 Miles SEIU United Service Workers West, on Monday, September 10, led a march and rally, entitled 100 Women Walking 100 Miles, supporting women who have survived workplace rape and sexual harassment. From its starting point at the Golden Gate Bridge, the route proceeded to San Francisco City Hall for a rally where speakers urged Governor Jerry Brown to support legislation to fund peer training and counseling for women workers facing sexual harassment in hidden professions such as janitorial work.

Photos by Rink

For LGBTQ identified candidates for Congress, the challenges are as great if not greater, but winnable. Returning first openly LGBT U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin to the Senate is imperative. Sending Krysten Sinema from the Congress to the Senate to replace retiring Jeff Flake of

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Think Your Financial Decisions Are Rational? Perhaps Not shortcuts that people use to make decisions about how to spend, save and invest their money. What does it offer you? Being aware of the biases that can creep into your decision-making allows you to adjust your behavior and make more rational—and hopefully, more profitable—choices. Some of the most common biases include:

Money Matters Brandon Miller You probably think that your financial decisions—to save or spend, buy or sell—are based on taking in all of the information at hand and selecting the right option for you. Psychologists know better. The truth is, every decision that you make is inf luenced by subconscious biases. Financial decisions are no different. You can do all of the research you want to on investing, but if you don’t account for your blind spots, your decisions might have unintended consequences. Preconceptions can sometimes work in your favor, but just as often, they can cause you to lose money, opportunities or sleep. And personal biases across the greater population can lead to market swings, bubbles, panics and other irrational behaviors. Researchers have started studying how human foibles impact portfolios, markets and whole economies in a field known as behavioral finance. Behavioral Finance and How It Helps You Behavioral finance aims to explain why people make the money choices that they do. It combines economics with psychology, particularly cognitive reasoning, to identify the mental

Herd Mentality Following the crowd is common, whether that’s buying a hot stock or selling in a panic when the market drops. If you’re tempted to do what everyone else is doing, take the time to think if it’s really right for you. Overconfidence Most people think that their successes are something they caused and that their setbacks are due to external forces. So, you’re a genius when your stock rises, but a hapless victim if it tanks. This can tempt you to take on more risk than necessary or keep a losing investment longer than you should. Mental Accounting People have a tendency to allocate money for various purposes, putting it into separate “accounts” and treating it differently depending on which account it’s in. The issue with this bias is that it can keep you from putting your money to its best use. For example, you may have a rule that once you add money to your savings, you’re not allowed to touch it. But it may make more sense to pay down high-rate debt that costs more than your savings earn. Value Attribution All of us make buy or sell decisions based on values that we attribute to the item. These may or may not be based in reality. For example, you

might be willing to pay $200 for shoes from Nordstrom because you believe that they are high quality, but you would balk at that price if they were at Payless. An example of how this can hurt you is a losing investment that you won’t sell until it reaches the price you paid for it, even though cutting your losses might be smarter. Behavioral f inance has enormous potential to add to our understanding of what motivates people and moves markets, and it can lead to a wide range of improvements in the industry. While it may be a relatively new field of study for researchers, good financial advisors have always understood that financial planning is as much art as science. Humans aren’t always rational, so you can’t base decisions solely on what makes financial sense. It’s our job to use what I call a reality overlay to make sure the plan fits the person. For example, a client might believe that paying off their house before retirement would be best, so they add $100 extra to their monthly mortgage payment. With a low interest rate and tax advantages, the numbers say that it would be better to invest that extra money each month. But if I know my client would likely fritter away the extra cash rather than invest it, it makes more sense to keep adding the $100 to the mortgage. Bringing your hidden biases to the forefront can add another arrow to your quiver when you’re aiming for financial independence. Or you could just rely on your friendly neighborhood financial advisor to save you from yourself. Brandon Miller, CFP® is a financial consultant at Brio Financial Group in San Francisco, specializing in helping LGBT individuals and families plan and achieve their financial goals.

Sedans Improve as Their Market Declines neglect of the originally gamechanging Taurus cues observers to think that Ford has been intent on reserving its engineering excellence for its trucks and SUVs.

Auto Philip Ruth Goodbye, sedans. You’ve had a good run, but time marches on. That’s what Ford has said, and it’s not an idle threat: production plans for non-crossovers except the Mustang have all been issued an end date. It wasn’t so long ago that sedans were ubiquitous enough that the enormous Ford LTD of the 1970s was dubbed a “standard size” car—the one in which most drivers would end up.

Read current and past issues of San Francisco Bay Times at http://www.issuu.com

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Today, that status has been passed to the SUV and crossover, with the minivan also reinforcing that ideal transport is embodied by a high-roofed cocoon. As with aluminum construction on its F-150 pickups, Ford is boldly carving out the leading edge of current trends by axing its generally venerable car lines. Of course, there were periods when one could make the case for Ford just going ahead and canceling its cars— obese Torinos and f lammable Pintos come to mind—and its persistent

But the Fusion isn’t like that. It debuted early this decade with fastback style that has heavily inf luenced almost all of its competitors, and the Fusion was the first Ford to adopt the Aston Martin-like grille that now extends all of the way to the firm’s vans. It’s a kicker that American sedans are being killed off just as they have finally become solidly competitive with anything from overseas.

Ford Fusion Platinum Hybrid

Lexus ES 300h Hybrid

In fact, the tricked-out Fusion Platinum Hybrid that I drove was credibly fancy enough to compete with another recent mid-sized tester, the Lexus ES 300h Hybrid. Toyota’s Lexus brand is following its parent company’s lead in continuing to commit to sedan production—the ES has been redesigned for 2019, so it’ll be around for a while. The 2018 that I drove shares its platform with the Toyota Avalon, and it has the usual Lexus upgrades.

proach the car, and the driver’s door closes with a hollow clunk.

That translates into a feeling of supremely creamy damping in every response, from the steering feel all of the way down to the console latch. Whatever kind of day you’re having improves even just slightly after interacting with a Lexus, because most everything about it feels gratifying.

The price of the ES starts there and increases with options, but the 2018 will likely be discounted as the heavily revised 2019 model hits showrooms. If you still want a sedan, then you might find a bargain in either last year’s ES or the forsaken Fusion.

There are too many loose ends on the Fusion to create that kind of impression. Trim misalignments typical to the brand are apparent as you ap-

But once inside the tested highestgrade Platinum, you’re taken aback: the visuals are a knockout to you and everyone else who climbs in. Baseball-glove-like leather covers the instrument panel in elaborately stitched formations, giving the effect of a formal parlor and seeming to justify all by itself the optioned tester’s near$40K price.

Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant ( www.gaycarguy.com ). Check out his automotive staging service at www.carstaging.com

Weddings, Occasions & Relationships The Importance of Self-awareness in Relationships: Know Yourself First What we fail to understand is that it’s essential to make conscious efforts to improve ourselves in order to meet life’s demands and challenges. This is why lack of self-awareness is one of the biggest challenges that single gay men face when pursuing relationships. Without self-awareness, we do not have the wisdom to make sensible decisions that directly impact our lives and relationships.

Lonely No More

6 Traits Demonstrating Lack of Awareness in Gay Men

Scott Tsui

1. Repeating the same relationship approaches over and over again and wondering why the results aren’t different

Previously we discussed three broad categories of people in terms of relationships: The Natural, Learner, and Blamer, and how their characters impact their relationship success or failure. For this issue, we’re going to discuss the five elements of love: 1. self-awareness; 2. motivation; 3. authenticity; 4. learning; 5. love. Start small to have big, strong and long-lasting relationships. Know that there are things in your control to make a relationship have more chance of being sustainable. If you learn to appreciate, understand and practice these five elements, you are more likely to achieve relationship success. Self-awareness Self-awareness is the knowledge of being present, in that moment, to one’s character, feelings, motives and desires. How well do you think you know yourself? The reality is, few people are willing to take the time to reflect on what kind of a person they are today, instead of three, five or ten years ago. While we go through different stages of life, our physical, emotional, spiritual and financial needs keep evolving. What we once treasured and desired can change over time. The problem is that most people hope things will just change without any effort or action taken on their behalf. They live their lives, day in and day out, without realizing that they’re the ones who control their destiny.

Rather than trying something new, such as going to new places, meeting new people and experiencing new activities, the tendency is to stay in your comfort zone. 2. Self-imposed rules; you have too many rules and restrictions on whom you will date or won’t date Many people refuse to date someone, not because of their personality, but because of their income, education, job, religion or race, even though they f ind the person enjoyable and compatible. It comes down to how the person makes you feel emotionally and if you feel connected. Give yourselves a chance to discover and figure out the true relationship. Be open to one another and learn the deeper connection you potentially have. Compatibility counts. 3. Living in the past Many might still have coming out challenges, and as a result, the internalized homophobia disempowers the will to pursue love. Others are hurt from previous relationships and thus associate pain with getting intimate again. Avoid having past experiences eliminate the opportunity to live in the present and have a bright future. Take time to acknowledge past wounds and search for ways to heal. Stop being shy, take courage and find support from others who care, are genuine and loving. Self-healing is the first step to entering into a relationship and sharing love. 4. Lack of awareness concerning how others perceive you compared to how you see yourself

Some have no idea they offend others and instead think they’re being funny, even when onlookers perceive them as being arrogant and having an attitude. Be aware of how you’re perceived by others. Become personable and send welcoming energy instead of being aggressive or demeaning. While the latter might work for a while, it can soon turn ugly. Wearing a smile on your face makes others feel welcome. Being personable and genuine draws people towards you. You’ll meet more new people to develop quality friendships and relationships with. 5. Adopting destructive habits, like substance abuse or compulsive behavior It takes self-awareness to identify, acknowledge and change these habits. Dealing with addiction on your own is difficult. Find support from professional groups or people who have the experience in overcoming such problems. Have them be your role models. 6. Refusing to grow up into an emotionally mature adult This type of person is often portrayed as being self-centered or overly dependent/independent. It’s essential to learn to be givers and to respect others, which takes patience. Learning not to be selfish is challenging for some people, yet it is achievable over time with conscious awareness and emotional development. Don’t feel discouraged if you’ve found that some of these indicators resonate with you. If you are committed to discovering and knowing yourself, and where changes could be beneficial, then the odds of f inding the relationship you seek is greatly in your favor. Scott Tsui is the Relationship Results Coach, author of “Lonely No More – 8 Steps to Find Your Gay Husband” and the creator of the world’s first online gay relationship training: Gay Men Relationship Blueprint. Tsui works to help gay men find, attract and sustain meaning ful relationships. For more information: http://scotttsui.com/

Cris Williamson and Judy Dlugacz Receive Lifetime Achievement Award Judy Dlugacz

Cris Williamson

Olivia Records pioneers Judy Dlugacz and Cris Williamson received the Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive [Achievement] from the Americana Music Association during the American Honors and Awards ceremony held on September 12 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Upon accepting the prestigious award, Dlugacz said, in part, “I’m proud of the Americana Music Association for this honor. It takes courage to recognize what we did.” Olivia Records, founded in 1973, was the creation of her, Williamson and other lesbian feminists who desired to record and market women’s music. In 1988, the company founded Olivia, the lesbian cruise line that, like Dlugacz and Williamson, is still going strong. Williamson at the ceremony noted, “We’ve sold out Carnegie Hall three times. This is the first time we’ve been acknowledged by the industry.” She added, “A woman singing to another woman ... . It’s not such a big deal now, because now love is love is love.” She then offered this sage advice: “Love something, love someone. Otherwise you’re not a human being.” S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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Family taking

Care of family

Free Repairs for Low-income Home Owners: An Interview with Rebuilding Together SF’s Karen Nemsick leaky bathtubs or unclogging sinks and water pipes.

Family of Choice Homecare, LLC offers compassionate inhome care that addresses the unique needs and concerns of LGBT older adults, and allows them to age authentically and with pride in their homes and communities for as long as they can.

SERVICES: Light Housekeeping • Companionship • Mobility Support • Dementia/ Alzheimer’s Care • Medication Reminders • Fall Prevention • Shopping • Personal Appointments • Eating Assistance • Menu Planning & Preparation • HIV Care • Transgender Aging

We invite you to contact us directly to discuss your needs or a FREE initial inhome assessment.

We look forward to becoming your family of choice! Kevin Pete & Kenneth Boozer, owners Call (510) 285-6484 FamilyofChoice.us

Dr. Marcy Adelman: What impact do these types of repairs and modifications have on people who use your services?

Aging in Community Dr. Marcy Adelman If you are a low-income resident in San Francisco and need to make safety upgrades to your rental unit, or repairs and safety fixes to your home, Rebuilding Together San Francisco can help. Rebuilding Together SF is a local LGBTQ-welcoming non-profit with a three-decade record of community service. This year alone the organization made free safety modifications and repairs to 275 homes in San Francisco. “Rebuilding Together SF works to keep seniors, families and people with disabilities in safe, healthy and affordable homes through our free home repair and community revitalization projects,” said Karen Nemsick, MSW, Executive Director of Rebuilding Together SF. “We serve both homeowners and renters, although renters are only eligible for safety modifications.” Rebuilding Together SF is part of a national organization with affiliates up and down California and across the country. There are 14 Rebuilding Together affiliates in California, including Northern California offices in Redwood City, San Jose, Oakland, Petaluma, Sacramento and San Francisco. I sat down for a conversation with Nemsick to better understand the services that the organization provides and how low-income residents can benefit from them. Dr. Marcy Adelman: Who qualifies for free services from Rebuilding Together SF? K aren Nemsick: The primar y qualification is income. If a person makes 80% of the area median income (AMI)—which is about $62,000 a year for one person and $74,000 a year for two people—they can access our services. The average income of people we serve is actually much lower, typically about $25,000 a year. Dr. Marcy Adelman: What kind of home modifications do you typically provide? Karen Nemsick: Most repairs we make are simple bathroom modifications such as installing grab bars, bath benches and raised toilet seats. These are simple changes, but they make bathing safer for older adults by reducing the risk of falling. We also install smoke detectors, replace rotted exterior steps, fix interior walls and remove and replace old carpets and unsafe f looring. Of the 275 homes we worked on this year, 45 needed plumbing repairs, such as fixing

Karen Nemsick: Most people want to stay in their homes and in the communities their families may have lived in for decades. But if you are on a low fixed Karen Nemsick (center) was honored by the Breakfast Club of San Francisco. income, being able to continue to live in your home can mean doing without some of the basic things other people take for granted. For example, in some instances we found that older home owners had just stopped using a sink or tub because they could not afford to hire a plumber. The lot to help keep people safe and make repairs we make are often very simthem comfortable so they can remain ple, but they have a dramatic impact in housing they can afford. on the health, safety and well-being of the senior home owners we serve. Dr. Marcy Adelman: All of the safety modif ications and reDr. Marcy Adelman: I underpairs you do for low-income stand that you work with famresidents are free for the recipilies as well as seniors. Can you ients. Where does your funding share an example of a recent recome from? pair project that you completed for a San Francisco family? Karen Nemsick: Grab bars, smoke detectors and simple plumbing reKaren Nemsick: We worked with pairs are paid for by foundation grants a family who had been in their home and installed by volunteers. We have for five generations. They had fallgrants from Archstone, Wells Fargo, en on hard times and the house was and Middle Passage Foundations. We in disrepair, including two decks off have generous donors and sponsors the back of the house that were danwho give to our annual June fundraisgerously close to falling off. We tore ing event where we celebrate our voldown the decks and put in a window unteers and contractors. The Mayor’s where a sliding door had been, made Office of Housing (MOH) provides other repairs to the interior rooms of grants for more significant modificathe house and cleared out the backtions such as installing a stair lift or yard. When we were done, the ownmaking electrical upgrades or repairs er said to me, “Over the years, this to a leaking roof so an older adult or house has seen a lot of chaos and sadperson with a disability can remain in ness, but now I see brightness and their home. MOH grants allow us to hope.” hire professional contractors, roofers, Dr. Marcy Adelman: You men- electricians and plumbers for these tioned that you do community more significant modifications. revitalization projects. What Dr. Marcy Adelman: You menare those about? tioned volunteers. How imporKaren Nemsick: We’ve held events tant are volunteers to the work focused on a single neighborhood you do? where we completed a cluster of home Karen Nemsick: We couldn’t do repairs for seven years, and in 2017 what we do without them. Our volwe formalized this effort as the “Reunteers do an amazing job! In fact, build My Block” initiative. As we about 60% of all our repairs are done complete home repairs in close proxby volunteers. Many of our skilled imity to each other—for example, in volunteers are retired, and some the Mission or Bayview—we reach work full-time jobs. All of our Safe out to neighbors to volunteer. We also at Home installers must pass a backpartner with city agencies like the ground check and are required to go Department of Public Work’s Fix-It through our training for the installaTeam and community-based organition of safety modifications. Volunzations like Friends of the Urban Forteers also do interior painting, replace est to complete street-level improvedegraded carpets, pull weeds, do light ments for the whole block. landscaping, clean clutter and help Dr. Marcy Adelman: Rebuild move and remove boxes. We can alMy Block sounds like a great ways use more volunteers, especially people comfortable and experienced initiative. with power tools. K aren Nemsick: We are ver y proud of all the work we do. Bud- Dr. Marcy Adelman: How can get constraints mean we don’t get to someone interested in using do all the things we would like to do. your services contact you? We don’t do extreme makeovers, and Karen Nemsick: People can call neighbors walking by probably won’t our office and ask for an application. notice the safety repairs that we made on the inside of a home. Still, we do a (continued on page 26)

Alegre Home Care is proud to support Dr. Marcy Adelman’s Aging in Community column in the San Francisco Bay Times. 14

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Rise for Climate, Jobs & Justice Photos by Rink

More than 30,000 people were on hand as contingent members or spectators for the Rise for Climate, Jobs and Justice March and Rallies on Saturday, September 8. The march, following a route up Market Street from the Embarcadero to Civic Center, included diverse groups representing Native Americans, Hawaiians, rainforest dwellers and more.

items of the week Le Creuset Dutch Oven in Provance Based on the lavender fields of Provance, France, Le Creuset’s new color of 2018 would make a fantastic addition to any kitchen.

Le Creuset Mini Cocotte in Indigo Officially launched September 1st, Le Creuset’s newest color Indigo does not disappoint. The deep dramatic blue is the epitome of its namesake and is guaranteed to be the center of attention on any tabletop.

here is just no such thing as 4 seasons in San Francisco. We tend to mark time by events more than weather. August/September is Tourist season. October is marked by sunshine and Halloween. And then it is Christmas...(yes we know Thanksgiving falls in there too, but in retail it is Christmas!) As we start to change over our counters to mark these fall “seasons” please take a minute to appreciate that we didn’t put up Halloween and Christmas in July.

As Heard on the Street . . . What would your drag queen/king name be?

compiled by Rink

Dee Spencer

Diane Sciarretta

Jason Brock

Cleve Jones

Daniel Bao

“Count Jazzy D”

“Diane deMan”

“Big Momma Brock”

“Betty Blender”

“Dolores Park”

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Round About - All Over Town Photos by Rink

The Folsom Street Fair, upcoming on Sunday, September 30, is announced on a banner at the intersection of Market and 8th Streets.

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2018)

Dr. Dee Spencer accompanied singer Jason Brock during a Live in the Castro! performance at Jane Warner Plaza on September 9.

Arts journalist Adam Sandel (center) with attorney Okan Sengun and Kenan Arun of the LGBT Aslym Project at the Krewe De Kinque benefit on August 18

Krewe De Kinque founder Gary Virginia (center) welcomed Barry Miles and JP Soto at a benefit for the organization at Edge bar on August 18. Volunteers at the San Francisco GLAAD Awards Gala on September 15 flashed their light sabres.

Kippy Marks, Leandro Gonzalez, John Weber and Aja Monet at the Edge bar on August 18 during the benefit held there for Krewe De Kinque Designer August Getty, GLAAD CEO and president Sarah Kate Ellis, philanthropist Adriane Getty, artist Nats Getty and actress Gigi Gorgeous paused on the red carpet at the 2018 GLAAD Awards Gala.

Host Leslie Jorden and honoree Ross Matthews waved from their position on the red carpet at the GLAAD Awards Gala on September 15.

Attendees shared a toast during the GLAAD Awards Gala at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on September 15. A table of friends shared a toast at the GLAAD Awards Gala at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Transactivists Octavia Y. Lewis and Toni Cooper were on stage at the 2018 GLAAD Awards Gala where the Compass Points South project was honored for its efforts to alleviate HIV/AIDS in the southern states.

GLAAD’s Sarah Kate Ellis and Tamara Stewart on the red carpet at the organization’s annual Awards Gala held on September 15

Honoree Emil Wibekin on stage at the GLAAD Awards Gala at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on September 15.

A screening of the film Stand Up Stand Out at Oasis on September 14 was followed by a panel discussion featuring Karen Ripley, Tom Ammiano, Dirk Alphin, Monica Palacios and filmmaker David Pavlosky. The panel discussed the gay teacher’s activism that evolved into the Valencia Rose Cabaret, an entertainment and political center.

Audience members Olga Talamante and Eleanor Palacios with friends enjoyed the film screening and panel at Oasis on September 14.

Robert Foster and entertainer Steve Murray were on hand at Oasis for the screening of Stand Up Stand Out.

Comedian Karen Ripley performed at the Stand Up Stand Out film screening and panel discussion at Oasis on September 14.

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Altruism: A Tool of the Resistance clueless as to how to go about it. In the U.S., if you decide to become happier, you naturally pursue bliss for yourself. You decide to take a vacation, go back to school, diet and so on. That’s because, in our country, we think of happiness as something to pursue by and for oneself.

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Examined Life Tom Moon, MFT Like many readers of this column, I’ve been struggling with the question of how best to live my life in the time of the monstrous Trump regime. I want to resist in every nonviolent way that I can, but I also want my life to be an act of resistance, an expression of the human values that this administration violates. Lately it has occurred to me that a better understanding of the nature of happiness may be helpful. Here’s what I mean: As I wrote in a previous column (How Should We Pursue Happiness? 7/25/18), while the pursuit of happiness is supposed to be one of our foundational values, we Americans are singularly

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By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “I’m looking forward to seeing Trump in his orange jumpsuit to match his orange face. Oh yeah, he’s going to jail for sure!” We celebrated the birthday of drag icon JUANITA MORE! and the launch of MORE!JONES, her new indoor-outdoor fully-stocked bar-restaurant at 620 Jones Street @ Geary on Tuesday, September 4. There were passed-around hors d’oeuvres and finger foods, plus Juanita’s signature cocktail. Everyone who was anyone attended the festive kickoff party. With a fresh new approach to “eating out” in San Francisco, the MORE!jones team, including Juanita, Chef Cory Armenta, and food stylist Cole Church, will tickle your taste buds with their Latin-Mediterranean-style dinner menu, including Juanita’s French-style carnitas, pizzas, burgers, and her famous chicken livers. “I need you to come out. I need you to eat at my restaurant,” says Juanita. “Otherwise, I don’t have one! So, my birthday wish is that you come and eat all the time. It’s important to support the queer run and owned businesses in San Francisco. It’s important to give back to the institutions that make this City one worth living in.” http://620-jones.com Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf officially opened her re-election campaign headquarters on September 8 at 3909 Grand Avenue in the Lakeshore neighborhood of Oakland. This will serve the Mayor’s re-election campaign staff, and will function as the base of operations for volunteer activities. According to Rafael Mandelman, District 8 Supervisor, The Castro and Dolores Park, in particular, need to see clear progress around homeless-

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

I have come to see Trump as the outcome of a very unhealthy trend in American life. Our connections with family, community and country have been fraying. Too many of us have become preoccupied with our individual pursuits and have lost any sense of commitment to the common good. My idea, then, is that the most fundamental act of resistance any of us can do is to commit our lives to heal-

In keeping with the idea that the personal is the political, one way to begin this process might be to follow the recommendation of Sonja Lyubomirsky, a Positive Psychologist at Stanford. She tested whether asking people to commit five random acts of kindness per week would reliably increase their level of positive emotion. She found that it does, and that it is most effective if all five acts are carried out on the same day. The idea is that you can gradually strengthen your “altruism muscles” through regular practice of this exercise. Be a listening ear to a friend. Help a friend or neighbor who is ill by doing the laundry, or walking the dog. Give a large tip for a small bill. Do something for someone that requires time and effort on your part. Volunteer in your community. Your own sense of well-being will surely improve, and who knows? You may just make a contribution to healing the soul-sickness that currently infects our country. Tom Moon is a psychotherapist in San Francisco. For more information, please visit his website http:// tommoon.net/

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

Mario Ordonez Juan Ordonez

Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Kate Kendell, Alex Randolph, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Tim Seelig, Cinder Ernst, John Chen Rafael Mandelman, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Kin Folkz, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Peter Gallotta, Bill Lipsky, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Marcy Adelman, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron Michele Karlsberg Lyndsey Schlax, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Scott Tsui, Tom Temprano, Lou Fischer, Frankie Bashan, Karin Jaffie, Brett Andrews

Our cluelessness shows up in other ways. We say, for instance, that money doesn’t buy happiness, but most of us actually believe we’d be a lot happier if we were richer. Yet, the fact is that our gross domestic product per capita has tripled since the end of World War II, but our subjective sense of well-being has hardly changed at all. In that same period, there has even been a ten-fold increase in the incidence of depression, and measurable increases in our levels of anxiety and distrust.

The conclusion seems to be that the materialistic treadmill of greed, acquisitiveness and hoarding can’t make you happier—but generosity can. All of this is consistent with the findings of the relatively new school of Positive Psychology, which attempts, among other things, to discover the components of human happiness. Some of the research findings are that we become happier when we pursue deeper connections with others, when we practice acts of kindness, when we’re generous and when we cultivate gratitude.

ing our alienation from one another through cultivating and practicing altruism, certainly in our politics, but also in our personal lives.

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ness, so earlier this month his office convened a meeting with representatives from neighborhood community organizations including the Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association, Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association, Castro CBD and Castro Merchants, as well as the leaders of the SFPD, Department of Public Works, Department of Public Health and Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. He said the assembled departments will be working with his office and neighborhood leaders to produce a plan to resolve recurring homeless encampments in Dolores Park and deal with the mentally ill and drug addicted individuals we see on the streets of the Castro. OkCupid announced that on September 10 the app became even more inclusive for those who identify anywhere along the spectrum of gender, from male to female to non-binary and all identities in between. OKCUPID collaborated with GLAAD to create a space where users can display their pronouns along with other personal attributes, so that everyone can promote their authentic selves for safer dating experiences. Sister Dana sez, “Trump’s radical Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has REFUSED to tell Senator Kamala Harris if he agrees with the landmark Obergefell marriage equality decision. Yet another reason to say: KAVA? NAH!” RISE FOR CLIMATE, JOBS, & JUSTICE CA was held in San Francisco on Saturday, September 8, as the largest mobilization for climate, jobs, and justice on the West Coast. An estimated 30,000 peaceful demonstrators rallied at Embarcadero Plaza, 4 Embarcadero Center and then marched down Market Street to Civic Center Plaza. On that day, in city streets, town squares, and capital buildings across the world, people rose up to demand politicians stand with their communities and deliver more than just words just days before the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco. Organizers promised this action would not be your ordinary march. They said the event would shift power to demand real climate leadership that protects vulnerable communities, workers, and future generations; keep fossil fuels in

the ground; develop a just, equitable, resilient 100% renewable energy economy that rapidly expands economic opportunity; and create family sustaining jobs for a thriving society that does not sacrifice any community around the world. This was a powerful movement of Indigenous people, frontline communities, immigrants, people of color, people of faith, young people, Californians, queers, and people from across the world demanding real climate leadership to keep fossil fuels in the ground. Among the placards carried were: “Not a Penny More for Dirty Energy;” “100% Renewable for All;” and “Fossil Free!” A long yellow banner was emblazoned with “WE RISE FOR SURVIVAL!” Governor Jerry Brown tweeted, “Today, California’s message to the Trump administration is simple: Not here, not now. We will not let the federal government pillage public lands and destroy our treasured coast!” And on September 10, Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) issued the following statement upon Governor Brown’s signing of Senate Bill 100: “As Donald Trump pushes for more coal and oil, California is going in the opposite direction: moving toward 100% clean and renewable energy future. With the enactment of Senate Bill 100, we are committing to a sustainable future—one in which we stop strangling Mother Earth and preserve this planet for future generations. Thank you, Governor Brown, for signing this critical bill, and thank you de Senator Kevin León, for leading.”

safe area for children and their parents/guardians with free programs and activities. For entertainment, the festival offered a Main Stage, Community Stage, Women’s Stage, and The Club 21 Latinx Stage. It was six city blocks of music, art, vendors, food, and fun! Sister Dana sez, “Seventeen years ago I had just returned from Burning Man so joyous and refreshed—only to see the news about something I could not believe I was watching on TV: the planes attacking America on 9/11! Now our White House has been attacked—by that horrible fascist oligarch, plutocrat, autocrat, and demented, deplorable narcissist! And by his administration! And by his Repugnican Congress!” Designer Marco Marco’s show at NEW YORK FASHION WEEK last weekend featured only transgender models. While transgender models have worked high-profile gigs like this one in the past, this show was notable because there were no cisgender models. THE PARTNERSHIP FOR CIVIL JUSTICE FUND, the constitutional rights legal organization, is challenging the Trump administration’s new and outrageous plan to (continued on page 27)

Over 100 mayors from around the world, heads of cities and states, policy makers, and members of the faith community gathered on September 12 at Grace Cathedral to officially kick off the GLOBAL CLIMATE ACTION SUMMIT. OAKLAND PRIDE 2018 was the 9th anniversary of the Parade and Festival, taking place on Sunday, September 9. The Pride PARADE kicked off 11 am at Broadway & 14th Street. Oakland Pride FESTIVAL opened at 11 am and ended 7 pm. A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Oakland Pride has been reported as the most diverse and family friendly PRIDE in the country. A Family & Children’s Garden within the FESTIVAL focused on providing a fun and

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

E-mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com www.sfbaytimes.com

But in other places in the world, especially in Asia, unhappiness is understood as a symptom of alienation from the collective. In those other countries, when people want to be happier they work to improve their connections with others, and they try to make things better for the people around them. The research consistently shows that our American way doesn’t work, but that the more “collective” approach does.

The research, however, does suggest that there is one other way that money can make us happier. Several published studies showed that money contributed to people’s well-being when they gave some of it away. When they donated it, or gave some of it as gifts to loved ones, their level of happiness increased measurably.

In anticipation of the debut in this issue of Donna Sachet’s new column (page 3), longtime San Francisco Bay Times contributor Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Dana) is saying “Welcome, Donna!” in this photo taken at Juanita MORE!’s Birthday Party on September 4.

GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow

And Another Thing ...

Complacent Toady in the Crosshairs

Before I continue, I just heard that Kavanaugh now claims he wasn’t even at this party, which is odd considering Professor Ford herself barely recalls the exact date of the get-together. I’m assuming that the judge and his handlers have recognized that his flat-out denial is unconvincing. Why would a woman put herself through the ringer with a made-up story for no reason? And why add a witness?

I have turned against Brett Kavanaugh, not because of his bad behavior in high school, but because of his sanctimonious posture during the hearings, during which he appeared to lie, he evaded straightforward answers for no reason and he sat smugly confident in his inevitable rise to America’s top court. I began to dislike him so much that I no longer cared that he might likely be “better” than any other Trump nominee. He has a nasty little mouth, which is probably not his fault. But it’s something I would not have noticed had he behaved like a human being at the Senate. Even so, I was initially fair-minded enough to dismiss allegations from high school. High school hijinks should stay in high school, otherwise who among us dare cast the first stone? But then came the details. And the biggest detail to me was the one about the hand over the mouth to stop her protests. Boys will be boys, but that’s not a boy thing. That’s the sort of simmering brutality that transcends high school. That’s like torturing animals; you can’t dismiss it. Despite the gravity of the offense, I would have still thought we should move on had Kavanaugh said something like this: “Look, I wasn’t exactly a mature kid in high school. I don’t recall this, but I won’t say it didn’t happen and I feel terrible to think that I caused emotional damage that lasted for years. I have called X and apologized ... ” etc. etc. But to flatly lie? To say unequivocally that nothing like this ever happened? After the woman has taken a lie detector test and discussed the incident with her husband and (note taking) therapist? That should put more than a few nails in his coffin. I recently read another article about Kavanaugh seeming to lie when asked about his relationship with former Ninth Circuit chief judge Alex Kozinski. Kozinski was famous for his ribald sense of humor, joked constantly about sex and often sent dirty jokes around to his email list. Anyone and everyone who came in contact with the man was aware of this aspect of his personality, and indeed, the judge was eventually forced off the bench on harassment charges. Yet when asked about Kozinski, Kavanaugh, who clerked for the man, told the Senate: “I do not remember receiving inappropriate emails of a sexual nature from Judge Kozinski.” When asked again in a different way, Kavanaugh repeated his pat answer word for word: “I do not remember receiving inappropriate emails of a sexual nature from Judge Kozinski.” Not only is this improbable, but Kavanaugh would have risked nothing by saying that, of course, he received risqué jokes from Kozinski, just like everyone else who came in contact with the man. Instead, falsehood seems to be Kavanaugh’s instinctive default position. Check out Slate for the original article, written by one of Kozinski’s female clerks. But first, check one of the few non-obscene jokes from Alex Kozinski’s repertoire: “A man is driving down a road. A woman is driving down the same road in the opposite direction. As they pass each other, the woman leans out the window and yells, ‘Pig!’ The man immediately leans out his window and yells out the ‘b’ word. They each continue on their way, and as the man rounds the next corner, he crashes into a pig in the middle of the road.” (Cue: Drumroll/cymbal)

On the other hand (the schemers figure) perhaps we can say that this is all a big misunderstanding! Yes, she was assaulted. But that was some other guy! Not our Brett. Maybe it was Bert! Bert, um, K-something. It was so long ago. And everyone had had a few. That’s going to be their scenario, and it will remain to be seen how well our heroine can convince the Senate and the country that she knew perfectly well whom she was dealing with that afternoon. Oh, and get a load of the witness, Mark Judge, who turns out to be a piece of work. Judge quickly deleted his social media, but not before several outlets grabbed screen shots of the sexist, misogynistic craziness he put online. That, in addition to the book he wrote about how drunk he was all through high school, does little to burnish his credentials as a reliable observer. Moving along, it’s been a long time since we complained about TV commercials in this column. One of my current annoyances is the repetitive airing of the one about the shampoo bottle that wants to be recycled and become a plastic comb. Over and over and over and over again. The annoying song. The stupid script about how the bottle wants to be a hero. The monotonous cadence of the mind-numbing video; seconds feel like minutes, a minute stretches on interminably. The ad itself isn’t particularly offensive. But it has to die. Sometimes it appears twice in the same commercial break; sometimes it plays twice in a row. And what are we supposed to do in response? Recycle? We all recycle! That’s like putting on a commercial for washing the dishes or paying the electric bill. Make it stop! Something Good Happened I was casting about for a gay news item that wouldn’t oblige us to think too deeply. Nothing too complicated. Nothing too depressing. And then I stumbled upon our old friend Kim Davis, the erstwhile Rowan County, Kentucky, clerk, who popped up in Romania, where the powers that be are campaigning for an October public resolution defining marriage as a union of one man and one woman. In this context, Davis has been paraded around as an example of the distressing impact marriage equality may have on, um, narrow-minded religious extremists who want everyone in the world to operate on their terms. Not to be catty, but her looks have not changed for the better since her fifteen minutes of fame back in 2015 when she ignored the High Court by refusing to issue a marriage license to a couple of gay men. (Meow!) For the record, Davis seems to be traveling with the Liberty Counsel, a 30-yearold far right outfit founded by Matt Staver of anti-abortion fame. Meanwhile, chief among the topics deemed too exhausting for coverage this week is the decision by the Indian Supreme Court to overturn the nation’s sodomy law. Hey, I think we all agree that the kind of moralistic and tyrannical government that would outlaw consensual sex imposes an unacceptable degree of oppression on its people. (continued on page 26) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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BAY TIMES S

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2018)

From the Coming Up Events Calendar See page 29

Friday, September 21 - “I Am Not A Witch” Opening @ Roxie Theatre, 3117 16th Street. The story of an eight-year-old female alone at a rural Zambian village. Continues through September 27. Multiple screening times. http://www.roxie.com

Thursday, October 4 -Indigenous Two Spirit Peoples Day @ SF Main Public Library, 100 Larkin Street. An hour of short film screenings followed by a panel discussion about cultural identities, AIDS, gender and race relations. 3:30-6:30pm. https://sfpl.org/

Smuin Ballet to Present Stellar Program Featuring Three New Works Smuin Contemporary Ballet’s founder should be smiling down on the company that bears his name. A passionate supporter of fostering new choreographic voices from within the company, Michael Smuin must surely be proud to see the company launch its 25th Anniversary season—an impressive landmark for any arts organization—with a stellar program that includes three new works by dancer/ choreographers. PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS HARDY

Smuin Artistic Director Celia Fushille, who took the helm after Michael’s death in 2007, has maintained his legacy while enriching the company’s impressive repertoire. She has planned a silver anniversary season that launches this month with a vibrant Dance Series 01. In addition to three new short ballets by Smuin dancers past and present, the program includes two of Smuin’s beloved works (the languorous and sensual “The Eternal Idol,” and effervescent “Schubert Scherzo”), and a bold ballet by acclaimed dancemaker Trey McIntyre (“Blue Until June,” set to the music of blues legend Etta James).

Nicole Haskins is currently in her fifth season as a dancer with Smuin. “It’s difficult to get dancers, time, and space to discover an aesthetic,” she shares. “Smuin has allowed me the resources to work without any kind of requirement. They really give everyone the freedom to find his or her voice.” While maintaining a brilliant professional dancing career, Haskins has also been busy creating commissioned works for a number of ballet companies and received New York Choreographic Institute’s prestigious Fellowship Grant last year.

Smuin dancers Ben Needham-Wood (top) and former Smuin dancer Oliver Paul-Adams (bottom)

“When I saw Nicole’s first work, I could see that she possessed a unique voice,” Fushille says. She has asked Haskins to create several pieces for Smuin’s holiday hit The Christmas Ballet, including instant audience favorites “Joy to the World” and “J-I-N-GL-E Bells.” In Dance Series 01, Haskins steps outside traditional ballet with “Merely Players”—a piece set to indie-pop music and danced in flat shoes (not en pointe). She hopes it will embody “ joy, and the different ways that joy is in our lives.”

will present the mainstage premiere of his “Sinfonietta.” Set to a buoyant Boris Tchaikovsky score, the ballet explores the marriage of contemporary and classical technique. Britain-born Wheeler attended the Royal Ballet School and devoted his early career to mastering classical repertoire, before migrating to the U.S. After seeing Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet he changed his mind about his classical focus, declaring: “It looked like such fun. I thought, ‘To hell with my preconceptions, I want to dance like that!’” Wheeler began creating dances in 2010, learning to develop his own style while performing works by leading choreographers. He now has works in the repertoires of dance companies across the country, including several cheeky dances for Smuin’s annual holiday extravaganza, The Christmas Ballet.

Ben Needham-Wood is another Smuin dancer who has made the most of his opportunities to create. In 2015 he notably collaborated with former Smuin dancer Weston Krukow on the widely acclaimed “BaseBallet,” a TV feature juxtaposing the athletics of dance with that of America’s favorite pastime. It won a Northern California Emmy Award and was followed up by another dance special broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area, which won four regional Emmys. In Dance Series 01 Needham-Wood debuts “Echo” set to music by composer Nicholas Britell. It was adapted from a work he presented in Smuin’s 2016 Choreography Showcase. The third new work is by Rex Wheeler, who retired from Smuin’s dance corps last season. The company

KIT’N KITTY’S

QUEER POP QUIZ

Fushille’s careful nurturing of these talents carries on the supportive attitude and culture Michael Smuin cultivated in the studio— one that benefits all, and not least the audiences who have the opportunity to witness brand new works by the next generation of rising dancemakers. PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS HARDY

Audiences this month will see three such works by tomorrow’s top dancemakers: “Merely Players” by Nicole Haskins, “Echo” by Ben NeedhamWood, and “Sinfonietta” by Rex Wheeler. San Francisco Bay Times in this issue goes behind the scenes with Smuin Marketing Manager Leslie Irwin and Communications Manager Eva Faizi, who interview the dancers-turned-choreographers to uncover the process of creating these premiere-worthy works.

Smuin’s Dance Series 01 will feature acclaimed choreographer Trey McIntyre’s “Blue Until June,” appearing in Walnut Creek and San Francisco September 21-October 6.

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS HARDY

The three new works were all developed in Smuin’s Choreography Showcase, an innovative event that offers dancers a chance to set pieces on their fellow company members and discover their own choreographic voices. Says Fushille, “We find they create works that are astonishing, brilliant and beautiful. Sometimes the dancers surprise themselves by discovering another facet to their creative gifts. I consider the process vital to the future of dance, a chance to foster and encourage the next generation of dance makers.”

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS HARDY

Smuin dancer Terez Dean with the company in Rex Wheeler’s “Sinfonietta,” which will be adapted for its main stage premiere in Smuin’s Dance Series 01 program in Walnut Creek and San Francisco September 21-October 6.

Smuin dancer Ben Needham-Wood

Smuin’s Dance Series 01 will be performed at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco September 28 through October 6. Tickets ($25–81) and more information are available online ( http://www.smuinballet.org/ ) or by calling 415-912-1899. The Series will also be performed this weekend at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center—info at the Smuin Ballet website or by phoning 925-943-7469.

LET’S HAVE A KIKI Who of the following is an American singer-songwriter, author, painter, performance artist, and actor who first achieved prominence in the stage duo known as Kiki and Herb? A) Justin Vivian Bond B) Chad Michaels C) Shangela Laquifa Wadley D) Chad Michael Murray ANSWER ON PAGE 27

Karin Jaffie, aka Kit/Kitty Tapata, won the title of Mr. Gay San Francisco in 2011 and has earned many other honors since. Connect with Jaffie via Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pg/ktapata

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Documentary Antonio Lopez 1970 Showcases an Illustrator with a Passion for Fashion pez “looked like a pimp,” photos of the artist sporting a red hat, jacket and pants, along with a cane, illustrate this idea. He also loved to dance. A series of photos bring his body language to life.

Film Gary M. Kramer Bisexual fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez rose to prominence in the late 1960s/early 1970s with his vivid images of beautiful models. Jessica Lange, Grace Jones and Tina Chow all modelled for him, as did Jane Forth, Donna Jordan and Jerry Hall, whom he discovered. Lopez was close friends with the late Bill Cunningham (of The New York Times style section), and Karl Lagerfeld. James Crump’s buoyant, if skin-deep, documentary, Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco, opening October 5 in the Bay Area, captures the “magic” of this magnetic, charming and f lirtatious man, who is described by several interviewees in the film as being “sensual,” “seductive,” “romantic” and “ahead of his time.” It is easy to see Lopez’ appeal. Crump features hundreds of dazzling photographs and film clips of his subject, and the images of him drawing, posing and even mugging for the camera communicate his larger than life personality. When someone claims that Lo-

Antonio Lopez 1970 showcases much of the artist’s work using big, beautiful images full of sensuality and sexuality. “He drew the way he thought people should look,” one observer remarks. Joan Juliet Buck, the former editor-in-chief of Paris Vogue, describes the difference (as artist David Hockey explained to her) bet ween “render i ng ” and “recording,” noting that Lopez did the former, and that is why his work is so extraordinary. Fr u st r at i ngly, several of the interviewees are not seen while they are speaking. This makes it difficult to determine the source of certain stories except through voice recognition. Many anecdotes are told by noted raconteurs. Jessica Lange provides an amusing account of how she re-connected with Lopez after he lost her number. Patty D’Arbanville remembers dancing and

drinking too much with Lopez, and her enthusiasm is infectious. Bill Cunningham is particularly revealing in his storytelling. He recounts the night Lopez was unable to find the right model for a dress— even forcing Cunningham to try it on. Still unable to get it right, Lopez went out and found a hustler with the perfect body to wear the clothes in a way that would allow him to sketch it properly. Such was his vision and talent. That vision and talent is on display throughout Antonio Lopez 1970. Jerry Hall is described as “the ultimate Anto(continued on page 27)

Lesbian Desire, Second Wave Feminism and In Search of Pure Lust Dorothy Allison, Bertha Harris, Audre Lorde, Gloria Anzaldua, June Jordan and Pat Parker, alongside Adrienne Rich and Mary Daly, it was impossible to persist in imagining that white middle class academics could figure it all out by ourselves.

Words Michele Karlsberg Michele Karlsberg: Lise Weil’s memoir In Search of Pure Lust is featured in this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times. I asked Weil to discuss how second wave feminist history has been distorted and erased, and how her book is a response to that distortion. She also explains how lesbian desire is the key to understanding what second wave feminist history was truly about. Lise Weil: My memoir, In Search of Pure Lust, began as a meditation on lesbian desire. Lesbian desire was the single most transformative force I had known. I wanted to remember and record the utter exhilaration of it, desiring and being desired by a woman, how it opened up untold realms of possibility—and also how from the very start it was inseparable from my desire for a different world, a world with women at the center of it. Lesbian desire threw me into the company, and into the arms, of women I would never have encountered on my narrow path from elite high school to Ivy League college and grad school. Steeped in the writings of Judy Grahn, 22

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Lesbian desire broke me out of the class and race bubble I was born into. When people talk about intersectionality now, as if it were something that only came into being in this century, and when people talk about second wave feminism as if it were a bunch of naïve white middle class sex-negative prudes—they aren’t talking about the lesbians. They have no idea what we were up to. Which is to say that they have no idea what second wave feminism was truly about—because it was lesbians, and definitely not only white lesbians, who were the prime movers in almost every realm. And what we were about was burning through all of the old divisions and paradigms, overruling all of the male authorities who ever lived in our heads. As for the sex-negative part: In 1976, when I came out, I came out into a world with lesbian desire as its pulsing center. We were riding a giant wave of lust and love buoyed by the poets, songwriters and philosophers of the day who each, in her own way, was proclaiming the rightness and greatness of this love and lust.

My memoir is full of these scenes—set in, among other places, a Holly Near concert in New York; a women’s writing center in upstate New York; and the lesbian bars and restaurants and feminist bookstores of Boston. But increasingly as I wrote (over a period of fifteen years), it was impossible to deny that this world was vanishing, if not already lost, and so I felt compelled to chronicle it in as much detail as possible, warts and all: our stumbles and squabbles both collective and personal (my own failures in love are amply documented), alongside the body/soul epiphanies, the blazing creativity and the remarkable institutions these gave rise to. Lesbian desire was at the origin of all of it, and I wanted my memoir to be a document that would not allow any of us to forget, ever. I want it still. Lise Weil was the editor of “Trivia: A Journal of Ideas” and its online r e l a u n c h “ Tr i v i a : Vo i c e s o f Feminism.” She is the founding editor of “Dark Matter: Women Witnessing” ( https://bit.ly/2xrPgRH ) and teaches in the Goddard Graduate Institute. Born in Chicago, she moved to Montreal in 1990. Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBTQI community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates thirty years of successful book campaigns.

The Power of One & Once Martin Luther King, Jr., into national prominence, and galvanized the American public and lawmakers to pass the historic 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act.

The KiAi Way Jamie Leno Zimron It’s really true: A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Also true: Keep putting one foot in front of the other and you’ll be off journeying, making progress and getting where you want to be! These old adages are timeless, and they form a great basis for succeeding in developing great new habits. Most often, the hardest part of anything is getting started. Once you’ve taken that first step and have gotten yourself on the road, you’re on your way, and may soon find yourself off and running. Let’s say you want to get in better shape. The idea of signing up for yoga or martial arts or Zumba classes, or committing to exercise 3–5 times a week may seem unrealistic, or just too much. So, I suggest that you go and do it—one time. Just once! Go out for a walk, run, swim, bike ride or check out a nearby fitness class. That much is doable, and will serve to get you going. Go one more time and you’ll have gone twice! You can turn twice into four times, and four times into eight, until once multiplies into many and you’re well on your way. You’ll have “primed the pump” until you start finding your groove, creating new neural-muscular pathways, and easily turning what may have seemed impossible, or just a dream, into real and good new habits. Maybe you want to make a dietary change—easing off coffee or alcohol, eating less sugar but more vegetables, or consuming less processed but more organic foods. Start with one day of making the change you want to make. Just do one day. Chances are that you’ll wake up the next day and want to continue for day two. Maybe you’ll decide to do one day a week for one month. It’s the power of one and once that can easily open onto many and so much more. Simply get going. Break the ice. Initiate. Experience the benefits. Applaud your first efforts, and inspire yourself to double and triple and quadruple what you’ve set into motion. If the going gets tough along the way (as it likely will), you might feel like quitting, or actually stop. Gently, but firmly, remind yourself to keep on just one more time, and another one more time, then once again. Enjoy seeing it all add up into positive results in your well-being and your life. This is a great strateg y to follow, whether you want to draw or paint, or sing or dance, or try cooking or golfing, or to start doing whatever it is that is stirring in you. It could be breaking a habit like procrastination by getting through your to-do list, one item by one item, until the list is all completed and you feel happily caught up and accomplished. One person and one act can literally change the world. On a cold winter night in 1955, a black seamstress named Rosa Parks sat down on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. When a white man boarded a few stops later, she refused to give up her seat to him or to go to the back of the bus as segregation laws of the time mandated. Her single act of defiance inspired a 381-day boycott of city buses by black people, and led to the Supreme Court striking down racially discriminatory segregation laws. It sparked massive protest marches and full-blown social revolution. It helped to propel Dr. 24

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S E PT E MB E R 2 0 , 2 0 1 8

Of her one action one day, that quickly became a defining moment in American history, Rosa Parks said: “The time had just come when I had been pushed as far as I could stand to be pushed, I suppose. I had decided that I would have to know, once and for all, what rights I had as a human being, and a citizen.” In 2013, a statue of Rosa Parks was dedicated in Washington, D.C., honoring her along with past presidents, Congress members and military leaders. President Obama, speaking at the unveiling ceremony, cited her “singular act of disobedience” and said, “Rosa Parks tells us there’s always something we can do ... . She tells us that we all have responsibilities, to ourselves and to one another.” Just last week, one young gay man from Hawaii, Tadd Fujikawa, became the very first professional male golfer on the PGA Tour to officially come out. A decade ago, Fujikawa was a teenage phenom, qualifying for the U.S. Open at age 15, and a year later becoming the second youngest to ever make the cut at a PGA Tour event. Now 27 years old, he used Instagram to come out and share these thoughts: “So ... I’m gay. I’ve been back and forth for a while about opening up about my sexuality. I thought that I didn’t need to come out because it doesn’t matter if anyone knows. But I remember how much others’ stories have helped me in my darkest times to have hope ... . My hope is this post will inspire each and every one of you to be more empathetic and loving towards one another.” He continued, “The love and support have been overwhelming. I’m so glad that I came out. I can finally be the best version of me. I can’t wait for the day we all can live without feeling like we’re different and excluded. A time where we don’t have to come out, we can love the way we want to love and not be ashamed. We are all human and equal after all. So I dare you ... spread love. Let’s do our part to make this world a better place.” It takes courage and vision to be that singular individual who stands up, speaks out, takes action, breaks new ground, pioneers. One moment or decision or action can throw open doors, change the course of your life, and affect others in untold ways. “The world” doesn’t have to be the national or global stage in order for any one of us to make a significant impact in the personal worlds we inhabit: our family, workplace, home, community, team—even inside our own body and mind. As the Jewish High Holy Days ended, the Hebrew new year 5779 began. The 10 days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur were a time of inner housecleaning and orienting ourselves to how we want to be even better versions of ourselves, and live ever better lives in the unfolding year ahead. I was reminded of this wonderful Jewish proverb, one of both my brother Mark’s and my favorites: “Ours is not to complete the task, neither are we free to desist from beginning.” And to paraphrase the great Rabbi Hillel’s classic questions: “If not me, then who; and if not now, then when?” If today is the only day we have, then it must be the one to take action and to make a difference. You can change your world, and the world, with just one thought, one word, one action. One act of courage, of kindness, of vision. Just once, and you’re already on own your way, enabling everything to transform. Jamie Leno Zimron is a 6th Degree Aikido Black Belt, LPGA Golf Pro, Cor porate Speaker and Holistic Peak Performance Trainer. Contact her for private lessons and coaching, or to work with your conference or company: 760-492-GOLF(4653) and jamiesensei@thekiaiway.com

This Month at the Castro Farmers’ Market

This is the perfect time of year to get out the canning jars and start preserving the best of summer’s fruits and vegetables while getting an early start on fall produce. If you haven’t tried canning, you’ll find it an enjoyable and rewarding way to preserve summer’s peaches, tomatoes and peppers to enjoy in the middle of winter, or apples and summer berries to savor in the spring! You’ll still be purchasing produce when in season, but will be able to enjoy it all year long!

ON MARMALADE BLACKBERRY LEM ed (Berrylicious) 4 cups blackberries, wash d peeled (Arata Fruit) 2 cups lemons, seeded an

The practice of canning and preserving foods has been around for a long time. Pickling, salting and dehydrating have been used for thousands of years to keep food from spoiling, and to make it available to eat all year round. At the end of World War II, most households were canning foods grown in their “Victory Gardens,” when it was seen as a patriotic duty to ensure families were as self-sufficient as possible so more supplies and materials would be available to the troops.

Conservatory of Flowers Corpse Flower Update Recently we told you about a rare corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum) bloom at the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers. This plant species possesses the world’s largest unbranched inflorescence. Each plant also blooms only once—for just about a day—every 7–10 years on average. Mere weeks after this bloom, a corpse flower named “Amor” also bloomed, producing a large flower earlier this month that smelled like—depending on the sniffer—rotting flesh, old gym socks or well-seasoned steak. One visitor was so taken with the pungent and hypnotic Amor that she dressed like a fly to celebrate its bloom. Members of our team enjoyed learning about the plant from volunteer Paul Bourbin, who showed us its leaf and fruit stages. You can now see the leaf stage, resembling a palm tree, at the Conservatory, where preparations are currently underway for the Dracula Ball on October 18. This annual benefit honors the equally eerie and mesmerizing orchid genus Dracula.

5 cups sugar Zest from 6 lemons n 1 package low sugar pecti p sugar; set aside. Heat Mix pectin with 1/4 cu rries in a large pot. Add lemons, zest and blackbe d lemon juice. Bring to pectin/sugar mixture an sugar and return to a a full boil. Add remaining k for gel. Skim foam. ec full boil. Boil 1 minute. Ch d rings. Process 10 an s lid d Fill sterilized jars, ad pints. lf ha minutes. Makes 6 to 7

For the last twenty or thirty years, the long-neglected art of canning has made its comeback due to the emphasis on eating healthy and eating locally grown produce. Young family cooks are turning to grandmothers and older relatives to learn the art of canning. Old canning cookbooks are being sought out. Canning websites are extremely popular. A

MA Staff Recipe: Debra Morris, PCF

wonderful array of home canned fruits and vegetables is being produced by a new generation of canners. You’ll find fantastic fresh produce, ready for canning, from the farmers who grew it. Visit Nyia Yi Farms from Stockton for the perfect pickling cucumbers. Stop by Arata Fruit out of Byron for the last of the season’s peaches, nectarines, and plums for some tasty jam or chutney, or pick up some of their Mission figs for fig jam. Don’t forget an extra stop at Berrylicious out of Gilroy for luscious strawberries and blackberries.

PHOTO BY RINK

Rainbow Orchards from Camino will have crisp early fall apples and cider to make into naturally sweet homemade applesauce. Ken’s Top Notch will have loads of juicy nectarines and grapes for jams, and Fifth Crow Farm will have bushels of beautiful green beans for making a killer batch of pickled dilly beans.

John and Sarah at the Fifth Crow Farms booth at the Castro Farmers Market

You can’t beat the quality and freshness of farmers’ market produce. You’ll find varieties that you won’t see at the supermarket, and you’ll actually know where your food comes from! Enjoy the best of both seasons this month. And thank you for supporting your local farmers and farmers’ market.

Functional Fitness and Vitality of what you are attempting. For instance, if you know that you will be walking a lot on vacation, start adding more walking in your life. All of those cliché ideas really work, such as, parking further away or walking instead of driving. The nice thing about getting ready for a vacation is that it can be a great “carrot” for your motivation. We often use a “stick” on ourselves that rarely ends up well.

Easy Fitness Cinder Ernst Vitality is defined by Oxford as “the state of being strong and active.” I define fitness as “having the strength and stamina to do the things you want to do” (and not by the way you look). With these concepts in mind, fitness is a way to achieve vitality. Functional fitness is strength training in a way that will improve function so that you can do the things you want to do. Your desire for function will differ from someone else’s desire, but how you get there is the same. You start where you are and build strength with consistent small steps while you gradually increase the degree of difficulty. Often with functional f itness you can just begin with a smaller version

What if even getting up from a chair is hard? You need to have stronger legs. You would strengthen your legs and core muscles little by little until you achieve your function. The best way to do this is with chair squats or get ups. Begin by doing it on the side of your bed with some pillows to make a higher starting point. As you get stronger, you take pillows away and eventually do it from any chair. A key point is to make sure that your feet have a slight turn out and your knees always stay wide over your little toes to protect your knees. A good trainer or PT can help with this also. Stairs are a great functional way to build strength and stamina. If stairs are easy for you, go up whenever you can. As you choose the stairs instead of the escalator you will feel vitality! If stairs are hard, practice some stepping up at home on a book or a 2-inch piece of wood. Anything that is lower

than a standard stair and holds your weight is good for this. Build endurance first by stepping at a lower height for more repetitions. You will begin to notice regular stairs getting easier and easier. Then one day you will choose the stairs instead of the escalator and feel vitality. Stairs are good vacation training, too. More extreme activities follow the same path with different starting points and degrees of difficulty. For instance, if you are getting ready to climb a mountain, you start with a smaller mountain and build up. In this case you would also be building upper body strength. Take a moment to think about where in your life you might use a bit more ease and think of a way to improve your function. You can also get some really good ideas online about all of this. Cinder Ernst, Medical Exercise Specialist and Life Coach Extraordinaire, helps reluctant exercisers get moving with safe, effective and fun programs. Her book, “Easy Fitness for the Reluctant Exerciser” ( https://bit.ly/2D6itYo ), is available in paperback and E-book. She specializes in fitness and rehab for plus-size clients, but her stress-free approach is suitable for all. Find out more at http://cinderernst.com

Take Me Home with You!

“Hi there, my name is Chuck! I’m an outgoing two-yearold and I love making new Chuck friends—human and canine alike! My favorite activities include exploring the outdoors during long walks and going on playdates with my besties. My ideal human companion is someone who’s active and likes to explore, just like me! If you’re looking for an adventure buddy, I’d love to meet you!” Chuck is presented to San Francisco Bay Times readers by Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, the SF SPCA’s Co-President. Our thanks also go to Krista Maloney for helping to get the word out about lovable pets like Chuck. To meet Chuck, as well as other pets seeking their forever homes, please visit: San Francisco SPCA Mission Campus 250 Florida Street San Francisco, CA 94103 415-522-3500

Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup

Aside from major holidays, the adoption center is open Mon–Fri: 1–6 pm and Sat–Sun: 10 am–5 pm. Free parking is available for those wishing to adopt! For more information: www.sfspca.org/adopt S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

S EPT EM BER 20, 2018

STUART & JOHN (continued from page 9)

FISCHER (continued from page 8) know what it takes to fund and build housing efficiently. I will work to address the affordability crisis in California by advancing policies that increase the supply of affordable housing while protecting our environment. As the first woman to be elected Lt. Governor, I will use the office as a bully pulpit to help ensure women have equal pay and equal treatment in the workplace and that our legislators provide universal healthcare to our people and affordable higher education for our students. I will fight to bring down the cost of a UC and CSU education. I am the only candidate in this race to pledge not to vote for tuition increases for California’s kids. Lou Fischer: You know the Bay Times is an LGBT newspaper, so as the song goes, “What have you done for us lately?” Eleni Kounalakis: I am very proud to be the first U.S. Ambassador in

Budapest to march in the Pride Parade and the first to contribute cultural funds to support Budapest Pride Week, which provided an extra layer of protection for the organizers. I am proud to have the support of Equality California, Stonewall Democratic Club, your very own Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club and Stonewall Democrats in this race. Lou Fischer: California is one of 22 states that have never elected a female governor. Do you think we will finally get that chance in 2026, or are we doomed to members of the Boys Club for the foreseeable future? Elen i K ouna la kis: Incred ible women are stepping forward to run for office at all levels. I hope we see a growing number of women in our state legislature and Constitutional offices, and yes, as Governor. I’m proud

to be an Emerge sister, and part of this powerful network of women supporting women running—and winning. We need more women in office, especially women of color and those from marginalized communities.

public places are heteronormative, and same-sex sexual acts partially closeted, relegating ‘homosexual’ acts into the private sphere, would in effect reiterate the ‘ambient heterosexism of the public space.’”

“The right to health is not simply the right not to be unwell, but rather the right to be well.”

This interview has been edited for length and the limits of the author’s memory, which diminished in direct proportion to the amount of white wine consumed.

“The right to privacy may be construed to signify that not only are certain acts no longer immoral, but that there also exists an affirmative moral right to do them.”

Louise (Lou) Fischer is the Immediate Past Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club and has served as an appointed and elected Delegate for the State Democratic Party. She is a proud graduate of the Emerge California Women’s Democratic Leadership program, was a San Francisco Commissioner and has served in leadership positions in multiple non-profit and communitybased organizations.

“An individual’s sexuality cannot be put into boxes or compartmentalized; it should rather be viewed as fluid, granting the individual the freedom to ascertain her own desires and proclivities.”

“History owes an apology to the members of this community and their families, for the delay in providing redressal for the ignominy and ostracism that they have suffered through the centuries.”

ROSTOW (continued from page 19) That said, this is the same high court that ruled gay men and woman were protected by a right to privacy in a decision last year, ergo the recent opinion on the sodomy law could be characterized as symbolic. Even so, the country’s gay community erupted in triumph, while the world’s news services trumpeted the news hither and yon to the extent that I felt I couldn’t ignore the story. I wanted to. It’s been a long time since an American audience got excited over legalizing sex between consenting adults, and as I’ve often admitted, I’m a parochial news analyst, usually confining myself from sea to shining sea. But I felt obligated and so there you have it—a report on India’s gay rights decision. Irrelevant Rant When and how did I get so cynical, dear Readers? I think it has something to do with the world we live in. I just saw Al Gore on TV looking old and I could not help but wonder what the last 18 years would have looked like had he been installed in the White House. Assuming 9/11 was not preventable, how would he have reacted? Not by invading Iraq, which had nothing to do with the attack. The sheer amount of money saved by not going to war and not cutting everyone’s taxes is probably a tremendous amount. The progress towards fighting global warming that would have begun in a Gore administration is significant. Those two Bush justices on the High Court? Scratch Roberts and Alito, substitute young liberal candidates’ numbers one and two and call it the Ginsberg Court.

take money from the most watched cable news channel in the country? Do we imagine Fox has no gay employees? Would we rather that Fox boycott the gay journalists’ association? It’s not as if the Association is a political campaign. It’s not as if the Association is giving money to Fox. It’s getting money. What the hell is wrong with that?

credit for sincere apologies and—pardon the stereotype—believe that midwestern meteorologists might not be schooled in the importance of language. I can also see that the expression is almost like welcoming darkies to the NAACP convention. But circling back to the original question, I say let’s take as much money from Fox News as we possibly can.

The piece goes on to take issue with the NLJA, which suffered a scandale the other day that I haven’t delved into. Normally, professional standards suggest I should either research the incident or steer clear of it, but long gone are the days when I myself was a card-carrying member of the NLJA and even used to attend their (kind of fun) conventions.

Truth in Advertising?

So, here goes. As I recall, a longtime NLJA veteran with no previous blemish on his report card began a speech at the (Fox sponsored) convention closing event with the line: “Ladies and Gentlemen, Things and Its.” The intro, which was supposed to be funny, was not taken that way and the guy, a gay TV weatherman from Columbus, returned to the stage to apologize profusely. Later, amidst continuing condemnation, he resigned his membership. First, I see no connection between this incident and the Fox sponsorship. Second, the guy said the anti-trans implications had not occurred to him and he was just trying to amuse the crowd. I can’t tell whether this was an overreaction by the attendees, or an illustration of impermissible boorishness. I guess I have a tendency to give

arostow@aol.com

At this pivotal time in American jurisprudence, we hope that the members of the U.S. Supreme Court read and heed the wisdom of the Indian Supreme Court.

“The Constitution protects the fluidities of sexual experience. It leaves it to consenting adults to find fulfillment in their relationships ... in infinite shades of love and longing.”

Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis, together for over three decades, were plaintiffs in the California case for equal marriage rights decided by the California Supreme Court in 2008. Their leadership in the grassroots organization Marriage

“For people to attain the highest standard of health, they must also have the right to exercise choice in their sexual lives and feel safe in expressing their sexual identity.”

ADELMAN (continued from page 14) Most people complete the application without any help. It is pretty straightforward. But if a person has trouble with the application, we are happy to help them fill it out. Dr. Marcy Adelman: What happens after the application is completed? Karen Nemsick: Once we receive the application, we’ll call the applicant with follow-up questions. For example, if they indicate that their toilet doesn’t work, we’ll ask what part isn’t working, or if they are having a hard time using the toilet. Their answers will help us determine the extent of the repairs needed. We also screen for the urgency of the repair on that call. For example, someone may have an impending release from a hospital and need to have grab bars installed in the bathroom or a hand rail installed on the inside of the house before the hospital will discharge them. We can usually assign an installer to do the repairs within 10 days. Dr. Marcy Adelman: Karen, thanks very much for your time and the information on Rebuilding Together SF. Are there any concluding thoughts that you want to share with us? Karen Nemsick: A lot of people we serve bought their homes, paid their mortgage and pay their bills. They were and are proud of what they have accomplished. But over the years, San Francisco has gotten so expensive; it makes it hard to make ends meet. Even though their mortgage might be paid off and the real estate taxes are low, they have difficulty affording even small improvements. Rebuilding Together SF helps people stay where they want to stay—in a house they are proud of, and in the neighborhood and community where they feel at home. Getting in Touch • For information on free services or volunteering with Rebuilding Together San Francisco call 415-905-1610, email ( info@rebuildingtogethersf.org ) or visit the organization’s website ( https://bit.ly/2MJEwni ) • For information on the Rebuilding Together affiliate closest to where you live, go to this site: ( https://bit.ly/2K2853t )

Executive Director Karen Nemsick has a lifelong nonprofit career focused on moving families and women out of poverty. She has brought her leadership skills to programs that serve homeless families, started her own nonprofit called Women in Action to fill a gap in job preparedness training at welfare-to-work programs and was the executive director of Healing Waters, a nonprofit that provides wilderness adventures to men, women and children living with HIV and AIDS. She joined RTSF in June 2009.

As a Democrat, I’m aggrieved that two of our exceptional candidates have lost the presidency while winning the popular vote in less than two decades. Particularly since the lucky losers who went on to govern were at best inept, at worst demented. How can our whole country not rise up in outrage? Perhaps we will.

Dr. Marcy Adelman oversees the Aging in Community column. She is a psychologist and LGBTQI longevity advocate and policy advisor. She serves on the California Commission on Aging, the Board of the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California and Northern Nevada and the San Francisco Dignity Fund Oversight and Advisory Committee.

Ladies and Germs Here’s a question for you. An Advocate headline asks: “Why is an LGBTQ Organization Taking Money from Fox News?” The organization in question is the National LGBTQ Journalists Association, which seems to answer the query. Why shouldn’t they take money from Fox News?

BAY TIMES S

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2018)

Why shouldn’t the group founded to improve the lives of gay journalists in the mainstream media and elsewhere SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

Have you seen the one where some hikers are looking for the mysterious “peninsula trail” and the old blind man with the white beard says you can’t find it on any map, but offers himself as a guide? And then they proceed to drive down some regular old coast road, which hardly qualifies as a secret pathway known only to wilderness guides. It’s an asphalt coast road! At one point, the gang goes into the woods to listen to an owl, and the girl trips over a root into the blind man’s arms in order to make a not so subtle point about vision. But then they’re back on what looks to me like Highway One just south of Pacifica. C’mon guys. Peninsula trail? Pulease.

“For those who have been oppressed, justice ... committed to human freedom, has the power to transform lives.”

• To watch a short video about repair projects and volunteers working with Rebuilding Together Sacramento: ( https://bit.ly/2D7Swb1 )

Of course, we can’t know what would have transpired in 2008. Would another Democrat have been elected? Indeed, would Gore even have won two terms to begin with? But still, just imagine if we had avoided stomping a deep American footprint into the midst of Mesopotamia. How different things would be.

Finally, I have only a teeny tiny bit of space left and the only legal news I have is some tricky document demand by the lawyers in one of our four transgender cases that has been rebuffed by the Ninth Circuit, maybe (I’m not sure), so I think I will complain about one more TV commercial instead.

“The LGBT persons deserve to live a life unshackled from the shadow of being ‘unapprehended felons.’”

S E PT E MB E R 2 0 , 2 0 1 8

SISTER DANA (continued from page 18) charge demonstrators fees and costs to protest in the nation’s capital. Oh, I guess Drumpf is saying, “to hell with free speech!” A few days before Hurricane Florence arrived on the East Coast, the Trump Administration quietly took $9.75 million out of the FEMA budget— and put it to pay for ICE detention centers. Are we outraged enough yet? Make your own kind of music at PETE’S OPEN MIC Thursdays, 9– Midnight at the Cove in the heart of the Castro at 434 Castro (right across from the theatre). No Cover! beverage and dessert service. This is not karaoke, because we have an awesome keyboard player with lyrics upon demand. She made Sister Dana come alive with “Unchained Melody” and “Ebb Tide.” She can do that for you too! On Thursday, our always hunky host, DerekSpreckelmeyer, sang the hell out of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man!” Please come join us for the fun! On September 15 at SOMArts Cultural Center, we SF Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Inc. presented our outrageous annual event, PROJECT NUNWAY 9 TO 5: WORK! Crafty designers dramatically represented themes of labor, professionalism, and the workplace as they adorned us nuns in recycled regalia. “Supermodel” Sister Dana worked the runway as a journalist nun with my fellow nun models. Our selected nonprofit was POSITIVE RESOURCE CENTER (PRC). The mission of PRC is to help people affected by HIV/AIDS, substance use or mental health to better realize opportunities by providing integrated legal, social, and health services that address the broad range of social risk factors that impact wellness and limit potential. We had fabulous talent: Emcees: Sister Roma & Steven LeMay riffed cleverly throughout. There was excellent entertainment by DJ PussPuss, Alex U. Inn & Momma’s Boyz, Baloney Boys, and Queen Dilly Dally›s Royal Variety Show. Celebrity Judges were Heklina, Juanita More!, Empress Pollo del

Mar, Emperor Leandro Gonzalez, & Kit Tapata. After the esteemed judges returned with the results, we learned 1st was Sr. Agnes Dei’Afta Tamara with her designer Eden Slezin, 2nd was Sr. Guard N O’Pansies, and 3rd place went to Sr. Rose Mary Chicken. Sister Dana was simply honored to be a nominee. Oh waitaminnit, this wasn’t the Oscars. Well okay then, tell my publicists that “it was a totally rigged witch hunt, and this nun was nowhere near Russia.” Sister Dana sez, “I am not ‘Anonymous,’ who broke the amazing op-ed about Trump and all the dirt coming from the White House. ‘Lodestar?!’ I am, however, non-anonymously and openly recommending these excellent events in EssEff.” The monthly CASTRO ART WALK sponsored by CASTRO MERCHANTS continued its every first Thursday evening event. This next one was on September 6 at eight member businesses in the neighborhood that featured art displays (and activities at some). Participating in the Castro Art Walk (and most likely will continue to exhibit all September, so go check them out) were: Art Attack, 2358 Market Street (where I was pleased to see more acrylics on canvas by Tracy Piper in a style reminiscent of Andy Warhol with many gay-positive images); Spark Arts, 4229 18th Street (including live entertainment by musicians and vocalists from Ruth Asawa School of the Arts); Blackbird Bar, 2124 Market Street; Ruby’s Clay Studio & Gallery, 552A Noe Street; The Artist’s Gallery, 4406 18th Street; Brewcade, 2200 Market Street; Norden Living, 3618 17th Street; and Dog Eared Books, 489 Castro Street. Do give ‘em a look! Sister Dana sez, “Trump has called most of the media ‘fake news,’ and many nonfiction pieces against him ‘fake books.’ It is only a matter of time when he calls most of America ‘fake democracy.’”

STRUT is now exhibiting “PERFORMATIVE IDENTITIES” celebrating the work of their special Folsom featured artist, S.M. Shifflett. The exhibit will be on display all September—leather month. Artist’s statement: “What are our perceptions when we see someone dressed in fetish gear? The wearer is putting themselves on display and flagging their sexual proclivities. In everyday life by putting on a suit and tie, or putting on a sundress and sandals, or even putting on a work uniform, we are displaying our identities and often our gender and sexual identities. In my painting “Folsom,” there are leather men, puppy players, pony players, twinks, dykes, cross-dressers, muscle queens, trans people, lesbians, bears, and all variety of fetishists shown. Not only do the fairgoers express their fetishes but they are also reflecting back to us archetypes such as the dominant, the dominatrix, the slave, the submissive, service top, and service bottom. Interestingly, using this costume and performance, they are expressing something more honest and open about themselves than the times when they may have to wear other clothes elsewhere in their lives. In everyday life they may have to present something less true to their sense of selves and imply the relationship between their performed identity and/or gender is more socially acceptable related to the body we presume is under their outfits.” VERASPHERE 25 YEARS: ART, LOVE, JOY is Friday, September 21, 6 to 9 pm at Harvey Milk Photo Center, 50 Scott Street. Come to the OPENINGRECEPTION celebrating the collaborative Partners works of photography, costumes, and paintings by artists David Faulk (“Mrs. Vera”) and MichaelJohnstone. Featuring the “Mrs. Vera’s Daybook” series of photographs, examining everyday life, alienation, magic, and long-term, survival, costumes made with up-cycled items and images of the Verasphere Group, an ever-expanding bunch that marches in Pride SF. Sponsored by San Francisco Recreation & Parks, Har-

vey Milk Photo Center Curator: Dave Christensen, Special Sponsor: Art Saves Lives, Thomasina DeMaio. https://bit.ly/2NUzLfq RICHMOND-ERMET AID FOUNDATION (REAF) has worked with about 60 touring Broadway casts to present their “ONE NIGHT ONLY” benefit cabaret series, and they have all been creative, original, and fabulous shows. These are special nights where the cast members get to choose songs they love to perform and a break from singing the same songs they sing every other night of the week. Cast members from the sensational new production of The Phantom of the Opera will be joined by cast members from the hit show On Your Feet to present an evening of song, dance and comedy. You won›t see this show again anywhere else. This show will take place on Monday, September 24, at Marines’ Memorial Theater, 609 Sutter at 7:30 pm. The 27th annual LEATHERWALK takes place on Sunday, September 23, as the official kick-off for San Francisco’s LEATHER WEEK which culminates one week later at the FOLSOM STREET FAIR. Each year, hundreds of LeatherWalkers take over Market Street and march from the Castro Station to SoMa. On-site registration and check in begins at 10 am at 440 Castro. Please check in at the bar, drop off your last-minute donations, and get your collectible LeatherWalk pin. Entertainment starts at 11:30 am at Jane Warner Plaza. The walk itself plans to start moving at noon from the front of Castro Theatre. The route includes stops at some of San Francisco’s favorite watering holes, ending with the raising of the Leather Pride Flag at the SF Eagle. Each host venue will showcase some amazing entertainment. The walk features Master of Ceremonies BeBe Sweetbriar with performances by some of San Francisco›s most amazing vocal and drag talent. https://bit.ly/2MBOc3n This all leads to the world’s largest leather and fetish event, FOL-

SOM STREET FAIR, which will take place on Sunday, September 30, from 11 am to 6 pm, on Folsom Street from 8th to 13th Streets—over 13 city blocks. A $10 suggested donation benefits local and national charities, and it gets you $2 off each drink you buy at the fair all day long. Sister Dana sez, “Come one, come all, come out!” COMPASSION IS UNIVERSAL 2018 is SHANTI’s main yearly fundraiser. It will be held on Thursday, October 4, at The Palace Hotel, 2 New Montgomery Street. We will be celebrating 44 years of compassionate service in San Francisco. This year’s heartwarming event will feature a silent and live auction, hosted wine bar, sumptuous dinner, and moving remarks from community champions. Cocktail reception and silent auction begin at 6pm. Program and formal dinner begin at 7:30 pm. Honorary Co-Chairs are Honorable James C. Hormel & Mr. Michael P. Nguyen. https://bit.ly/2xIAlmz Please join the GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY on Friday, October 5, 5:30 pm in The War Memorial Green Room, 401 Van Ness, for a spectacular evening featuring Tony Award Nominee and Obie-winning trans-genre cabaret star Mx. Justin Vivian Bond! There will be a hosted bar, resplendent hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction brimming with entertainment and fun inspired by LGBTQ history. At this year’s gala, they celebrate the vibrant history of the LGBTQ community as they honor archivist, collector and curator, Lisbet Tellefsen; a special 40th anniversary recognition of The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus; and a posthumous award to pioneer LGBTQ studies and human sexuality scholar, Dr. John P. De Cecco. https://bit.ly/2LqgM7f Sister Dana sez, “I wish you a fantastic Leather Week to all you leather-folk and leather loving friends!

KRAMER (continued from page 22) nio girl,” and his sketches belie this claim. Viewers may want to see even more of Antonio’s work, as the film focuses as much on his life as it does his art. That life unfolds during the heady, early days of gay liberation. Max’s Kansas City was a place to be seen and dance, and Lopez and his entourage, which included models Pat Cleveland, Jane Forth and Donna Jordan, along with makeup artist Corey Tippin, congregated as a clique that rivaled Andy Warhol and his followers. As Lopez’s various friends re-

count their experiences—begging to get in the club or observing wild behavior (if not performing it themselves)—the film generates a nostalgia for the pre-AIDS, pre-Instagram era. Crump reveals that Lopez was attractive to everyone he met. He slept with both women and men, but preferred men. He also maintained a 5-year relationship with Ramos, whom he met at F.I.T. The two students quit school together and embarked on a professional career that outlived their relationship. Ramos was refined and in-

tellectual, and a formidable partner for the mercurial Lopez. Antonio Lopez 1970 gives Ramos his due, emphasizing his importance in their collaboration—even when the team went to Paris. Ramos’s role in Lopez’ life and career is so interesting that it could have been featured even more prominently in the film. Instead, the talking heads shower Lopez with affection while interesting tidbits are clustered together to flesh out this portrait of the artist. There are discussions of Lopez being hypnotized to cure his inability to work;

his near-marriage to Jerry Hall; his dancing at Club Sept in Paris and going off to San Tropez. There a few items about his family. His father was a psychic and his mother had difficulties with her son’s sexuality. Lopez is also described as being addicted to sex, by one interviewee. He eventually contracted AIDS. (Ramos did as well, dying eight years after Lopez.) The documentary nevertheless presents numerous fond memories. Despite them, Antonio Lopez 1970 never delves very deep. Lopez’ fabulous life looks mostly fun and exciting. But

Crump never really connects the dots to provide a greater understanding of the importance of Lopez’ contributions to fashion and culture. He just seems to revel in its superficial beauty. For some, that may be enough. © 2018 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the coeditor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

DONNA SACHET (continued from page 3) and Scarlett Menzie on their year of service and offer our congratulations to the newest title-holders: Mr. Golden Gate Robert Rushin and Miss Golden Gate Tye! They will now dig into fundraising and otherwise supporting our Reigning Emperor Leandro Gonzales and Reigning Empress Pollo del Mar, who seem to be everywhere these days. By the time you read this, the Celebrity Solstice will have pulled out to sea from its dock here in San Francisco, but on Monday night at Soirée on the Bay, many of us were on board celebrating the 40th anniversary of both the SF Gay Men’s Chorus and this very publication, the Bay Times! On board for the festivities benefiting the Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation were REAF’s Ken Henderson & Joe Seiler; Fernando & Greg of 99.7NOW radio; Betty Sullivan, Jennifer Viegas, Sister Dana Van Iquity and Scott Tsui of this

paper; Artistic Director of the Chorus Tim Seelig; Gary Virginia; Lawrence Wong; Andrew Leas; Beth Schnitzer, and many others. Members of the touring cast of Phantom of the Opera and the ship’s showroom performers entertained us as we enjoyed gourmet appetizers, cocktails and more. Thank you to Celebrity Cruises and Latonya Smothers-Lawson for giving us an inside glimpse at luxurious cruise ship living. Who’s ready for a week on the high seas? Turning to the Ducal Court, this Saturday is your chance to vote for the new Grand Duke and Grand Duchess; polling is at Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro, Project Open Hand in the Tenderloin and The Eagle SOM A. The following Saturday, Reigning Grand Duke Madd Dogg and Grand Duchess Miss Shugana host Ducal Coronation, Russian Mafia, at Holiday Inn Golden Gate

Gateway’s Emerald Ballroom starting at 6 pm. At the conclusion of an evening full of entertainment, pageantry and tradition, the winners of the election will be announced and then crowned. Oh, and as for that Roast of Donna Sachet at the Castro Theatre on Saturday, September 29, rumor has it that it may be cancelled since they are having trouble finding anyone with anything negative to say about yours truly ... other than Bruce Vilanch, Heklina, Jai Rodriguez, Lenny Broberg, Cleve Jones, Sister Roma, Sharon McNight and the SF Gay Men’s Chorus. We understand completely! For events on the horizon, please refer to the handy list on page 3. Each column will feature our recommended upcoming events here with their dates, times and costs. And if an event looks too expensive for your budget, remember that many event organiz-

ers are always looking for volunteers; you can participate in the event and support the cause without spending as much money yourself. We hope to see you all over the City in the coming weeks!

Donna Sachet is a celebrated performer, fundraiser, activist and philanthropist who has dedicated over two decades to the LGBTQ Community in San Francisco. Contact her at empsachet@gmail.com

KIT’N KITTY’S

QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on pg 21) A) Justin Vivian Bond Justin Vivian Bond moved to San Francisco in 1988. It was here that the artist turned androgyny into a professional asset, developing an identity as a queer performer and activist. S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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BAY TIMES S

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2018)

COMING UP

Compiled by Blake Dillon

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS http://sfbaytimes.com/ SEPTEMBER

20 Thursday A Sacred Beautiful - Natural Heritage Hair: An African Diasporan Photo Exposé @ San Francisco Human Rights Commission, 25 Van Ness Avenue. The Black Woman Is God presents this exhibit featuring eighteen images by photographers KaliMa AmiLak and Nye’ Lyn Tho. Monday through Friday, 9am-12noon and 1pm-4pm through October 2. http://www.theblackwomanisgod.com MECCA 2.0 SF Cocktails in the Castro @ Papi Rico SF, 544 Castro Street. Hosted by Kelly Gilliam and Max Mecca, the event is an ongoing social networking opportunity for women. 6:459:45pm. MECA 2.0 SF Cocktails in the Castro on Facebook Author Jim Provenzano @ Dog Eared Books Castro, 489 Castro Street. With music from Queen performed by Peter Fogel,

Provenzano will read from his new novel, Now I’m Here, about two boys whose love for each other and the English rock band bring life to their small Ohio town. 7pm. http://www.dogearedbooks.com Baby Doll @ Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter Street. Tennessee Williamss’ black comedy, newly adapted by Emily Mann and Pierre Laville, is the story of a virgin child bride and her alcoholic husband. It has been called “a triumph over traditional female roles.” Through November 3. http:// www.sheltontheater.org

21 Friday In the Heights @ Woodminster Amphitheater, Joaquin Miller Park, Oakland. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s award-winning musical, about the vibrant Washington Heights neighborhood in New York, is the closing production of the 52nd Woodminister Summer

Musicals season. 8pm and continues through September 9. http://www.woodminister.com I Am Not A Witch Opening @ Roxie Theatre, 3117 16th Street. The film presents the remarkable story of an eight-year-old female who turns up alone at a rural Zambian village followed by the escalation of a minor incident to a full-blown witch hunt. Continues through September27. Multiple screening times. http://www.roxie.com Hedwig and the Angry Itch Live Performance @ Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th Street. Ray of Light Theatre presents this gender- and genre-bending feast for the eyes and ears about the tale of one of the Eastern Bloc’s most unique characters. 8-10pm through October 6. http://www.victoriatheatre.org

22 Saturday Free Legal Clinic @ SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market Street. BALIF (Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom) and the SF LGBT Community Center present a clinic featuring pro bono legal advice in issues of family law, immigration law, employment law, healthcare law, wills & trusts and name/gender change. 10am-4pm. http://www.sfcenter.org Live in the Castro! with Western Star Dancers @ Jane Warner Plaza, 17 and Castro Streets. Come and learn to square dance with the first club in San Francisco to use the Callerlab format. 1-2pm. http://www.castrocbd.org The Out of the Closet Ball @ Beaux, 2344 Market Street. SF Imperial Council leaders host the event that encourages nondrag personalities to dress up and perform in a competition open to all who do not regularly perform. 4-7pm. http://imperialcouncilsf.org Post Street Jubilee Street Festival @ 67 Post Street, San Jose. Held in honor of National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, Jubilee is a free street festival with information booths, DJs, games, giveaways, performances, rides and more. 6pm-2am. http://www.poststjubilee.com Black Panther - Movies in the Park SF Screening @ Dolores Park, 18th and Dolores

Streets. This year’s schedule of outdoor movies concludes its 15th season with the 2018 Marvel hit. Film begins at dusk. http://www.squarespace.com Soulovely Special Edition Dance Party and Screening of Dirty Computer @ Brava Theater Center, 2781 24th Street. Vibe along to Janelle Monáe when Brava screens her hit visual album, Dirty Computer, followed by a dance party where you can deck out in your hottest pynk and party attire and groove with with Aima the Dreamer, DJ Lady Ryan & DJ Emancipacion. 7pm screening / 8pm dance party

23 Sunday LeatherWalk 2018 @ Multiple locations. Registration and check-in begins at 440 Castro (10am) followed by live entertainment in Jane Warner Plaza, 17th and Castro Streets (11:30am) and continues to Oasis, Powerhouse, Mr-S-Leather and more locations. 10:30am-3pm. http://www.sf-eagle.com Bisexual Awareness Day Brunch & Panel @ SoFa Market, 387 South 1st Street, San Jose. An annual gathering where all are welcome. 11am-2pm. http://www.defrankcenter.org 6th Annual Musical Extravaganza to benefit Charlotte Maxwell Clinic @ Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison Street. The concert features a line up of performers from New York City along with LGBT community favorites Shelly Doty, Vicki Randle, Kofy Brown and Julie Wolf with emcee Melanie Berzon of KCSM Radio. http://www.thefreight.org The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? @ Custom Made Theatre, 533 Sutter Street. The 2002 Tony Award winner for Best Play, Edward Albee’s work addresses the unconventional love of a goat by a man who lives with his loving wife and gay teenage son. Continues through October 20. http://www.custommade.org Sunday’s A Drag @ The Starlight Room, Powell Street. Hosted by Donna Sachet, the event features a brunch and a troupe of entertainers. It is described as “The Greatest Drag Show in San Francisco,” and we agree that is is great!

Two shows: 11am and 2pm. http://www.starlightroomsf.com

24 Monday The Beatles Yellow Submarine Sing Along @ Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street. Sing along with John, Paul, George & Ringo with lyrics on screen to guide you. 7pm. http://www.castrotheatre.com REAF’s One Night Only with Phantom of the Opera + On Your Feet @ Marines’ Memorial Theatre, 609 Sutter Street. Benefiting the RichmondErmet Aid Foundation, a nonprofit which raises funds for service provides assisting survivors of HIV/AIDS, breast cancer and other issues. 7:30-10:30pm. http://www.reaf.org

25 Tuesday Grantee Celebration @ 333 Market Street. Hosted by Horizons Young Professionals for Equality (HYPE), the event provides an opportunity to pool monthly donations of $25 to create grants for organizations doing critical work in the Bay Area’s LGBT community while learing about the community. 6-8pm. http://www.horizonsfoundation.org Gram ‘Em By The Songs @ Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo Avenue, Albany. Emily Zisman, Deborah Crooks and Francesca Lee lead the way in an evening of women sharing songs in the round. 8pm on 4th Wednesdays. http://www.ivyroom.com Durst Case Scenario: Midterm Madness @ The Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Valencia Street. Written and performed by political comedian Will Durst, the show analyzes where American and society stands post-election. Tuesdays through October 30. 8pm. Wednesday, September 26 Cris Williamson, Barbara Higbie, Teresa Trull: The Reunion Tour @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 3202 Cedar Street #2, Santa Cruz. This trio of women’s music favorites will bring a mixture of new music and old favorites in a show guaranteed to delight, inspire, cheer and comfort. http://www.criswilliamson.com

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27 Thursday Castro ASCA @ CPMC Davies Campus, 45 Castro Street, North Tower Conference Rm B3. A free peer support group meeting for adult survivors of childhood abuse. 6:30-8:30pm. http://www.ascasanfrancisco.org Sister Circle @ Openhouse, 55 Laguna. A monthly 4th Tuesday event for women-identified LGBTQ community members to make new connections in a luncheon setting. 12-1:30pm. sylvia@openhouse-sf.org Author Lucy Jane Bledsoe Book Launch Party @ Mrs. Dalloway’s, 2904 College Avenue, Berkeley. A Bay Area favorite, Bledsoe will present her new book Lava Falls. 7:30pm. http://www.mrsdalloways.com This is Not Your Drag Fest: Pity Party, Soft Tug, Drag Show @ Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo Avenue. This Is Not Your Drag Fest presents a line-up performers in this benefit for Bay Area Women Against Rape. 8pm. http://www.ivyroom.com

28 Friday San Francisco Bay Times: Four Decades of an LGBT Free Press @ GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th Street. A reception followed by a panel discussion featuring a line-up of past and

current contributors to the SF Bay Times, including Cleve Jones, Randy Alfred, Susan Calico, M.J. Lallo, Andrea Shorter and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman with moderator Bill Lipsky, PhD. Reception/6pm and Panel/7pm. https://bit.ly/2MObqn1

California Street. Tony and Emmy award-winning stage and screen performer Neil Patrick Harris will present the Marcia and John Goldman Lecture, The Magic Misfits: The Second Story, celebrating his new book.

Mark Morris Dance Group - Pepperland, Sgt. Pepper at 50 @ Cal Performances, Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley. The famed dance troupe celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ groundbreaking album. Continues through September 30. https://bit.ly/2pnfSj2

29 Saturday

Smuin Ballet - Dance Series 01 @ Palace of Fine Arts, 3301 Lyon Street. Celebrating the company’s 25th anniversary, the program includes Trey McIntyre’s “Blue Until June,” a sultry dance set to the heart-wrenching vocals of Etta James plus additional works. https://bit.ly/2xxQxa6 Refugee Voices and Euripides’ The Trojan Women @ Royce Gallery Playhouse, Mariposa & Harrison Streets. Multi Ethnic Theater, a community theater that is multicultural, multi-ethnic and gender inclusive, presents the story written by Euripides two and a half thousand years ago. Continues through October 21. http://www.wehavemet.org Neil Patrick Harris @ Jewish Community Center of San Francisco Arts & Ideas, Kanbar Hall, 3200

Artspan Open Studio @ Jane Warner Plaza, 17th and Castro Streets. ArtSpan artists will share their media. 11am-3:00pm. http://www.castrocbd.org Jay-Z and Beyoncé @ Levi’s Stadium, 4900 Marie P DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara. The dynamic duo brings their OTRII tour to the Bay area. http://www.levisstadium.com Matthew Morrison @ Bay Area Cabaret, The Venetian Room, San Francisco Fairmont, 950 Mason Street. Opening night of the 15th Anniversary Season for Bay Area Cabaret will feature Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe award nominee Matthew Morrison in his San Francisco solo concert debut. http://www.bayareacabaret.org Second Change Soiree @ Preservation Park, 1233 Preservation Park Way, Oakland. Join Cat Town and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf for a fundraiser designed to give every shelter cat in Oakland a second chance at finding a home. 6-9:30pm. http://www.cattownoakland.org Play on the Bay LGBTQ Sunset Cruise @ Jack London Square, Oakland. DJ Rockaway presents an evening cruise celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the San Francisco Bay Times. 6:30pm boarding/7pm departure. http://www.djrockaway.com The Roast of Donna Sachet @ Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street. Produced by Oasis SF and Peaches Christ Productions with Emcee Bruce Vilanch, the event will benefit the LGBT Museum of San Francisco. 7pm. http://www.castrotheatre.com Galilea Saturdays @ Ginger’s, 86 Hardie Place. Galilea hosts this monthly show featuring “real San Francisco drag” with special guest DJs. 9pm. http://www.gingers.bar

30 Sunday Folsom Street Fair @ Folsom Street, San Francisco. Leather and fetish fans from all over the world gather for the lagest annual leather event in the U.S. 11am-6pm. http://www.folsomstreetevents.org Live in the Castro! with Rob Reich @ Jane Warner Plaza, 17th and Castro Streets. Underground independent musician Rob Reich’s music defies genre and combines a strong melodic ideas, rhythmic drive and a spirit of irreverence and experimentation. 1-2pm. http://www.castrocbd.org BAYMEC Brunch Gala 2018 @ Rotary Summit Center, 88 S. 4th Street, San Jose. With the theme “Progress Never Stops,” BAYMAC continues its thirtyfour years of advocacy with California State Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins as the keynote speaker. 10am-2pm. http://www.baymec.org Yo-Yo Ma - The Complete Bach Suites @ Cal Perforances - Greek Theatre, 2001 Gayley Road, Berkeley. The acclaimed cellist returns 30

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to the Greek for a special performance of Bach’s cello suites. http://www.calperformances.org Holotta’s Un-BOYlievable Drag Show @ Club 1220, 1220 Pine Street, Walnut Creek. This 1st and 3rd Sunday monthly event features the best of drag in the East Bay. 9pm. Holotta’s Un-BOYlievable-Drag-Show on Facebook

OCTOBER

1 Monday Varsity Gay League Dodgeball @ Eureka Valley Rec Center, 100 Collingwood Street. Back to Fall Dodgeball every Monday at the Rec Center located in the Castro neighborhood. 7-10pm. https://bit.ly/2pkiPRt

The Velvet Rage by Alan Downs. 4-5:30pm. http://www.strutsf.org

3 Wednesday East Bay Coffee Crones @ Zing! Cafe, 3051 Adeline Street, Berkeley. A lesbian social group on Wednesdays meeting for coffee and conversation. 10:30am - 12:30pm. Location varies with Zing! confirmed for November.

screenings followed by a panel discussion about cultural identities, AIDS, gender and race relations. Panelists include Blackberri, Osa Hidalgo de la Riva, Jesús Barragán and Hulleah J. Tsinhnahjinnie. 3:306:30pm. sfpl.org

4 Thursday

Castro Art Walk @ Multiple Castro Locations. Artists welcome gusts to participating locations to view their work with live music in Jane Warner Plaza by Kitten on the Keys. 6-7pm. http:/www.castroartwalk.com

Indigenous Two Spirit Peoples Day @ SF Main Public Library, Latino/Hispanic Rooms A&B, 100 Larkin Street. Moderated by Gay American Indians cofounder Randy Burns, the event will include an hour of short film

Compassion Is Universal Shanti’s 44th Anniversary Dinner @ The Palace Hotel, 2 New Montgomery Street. 6pm/ reception / 7:30pm dinner and program. http://www.shanti.org

Call Her Ganda Frameline Encore Screening @ Landmark’s Piedmont Theatre, 4186 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland. A free screening hosted by Frameline of the film about the painful story concerning the brutal murder of a transgender woman by a U.S. Marine in the Philippines. 7-9pm. http://www.frameline.org

2 Tuesday Free Day at The Conservatory of Flowers @ Golden Gate Park 100 John F. Kennedy Drive. The first Tuesday each month offers free entrance and the chance to see 1,700 species of plants from 50 countries. 9am-4pm. https://bit.ly/2OJqaVK Velvet Rage Book Club @ Strut, 470 Castro Street. Facilitators Wade Smith and Christopher Zepeda lead the club in discussion of gay identify and culture, HIV, substance use, healing relationship trauma and more drawing from the book

SF Sketch Randy Coleman Randy Coleman hails from New York, but has lived in San Francisco since 1975. Coleman shares that before moving to the Bay Area, he studied Art History and Architecture at Boston University while working as a resident artist for architectural rendering at a Massachusetts historical society. “All of my life I’ve been an artist,” Coleman says. “To know me is to know that I have a passion for art and architecture. I love this project for the San Francisco Bay Times, and hope that you enjoy my sketches.”

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