San Francisco Bay Times - November 7, 2024 by San Francisco Bay Times

Sarah McBride (Democrat-Delaware)

Honoring Our Trans Family on the Transgender Day of Remembrance

For many Americans, the month of November signals the beginning of the holiday season. However, for the trans community, the month of November is often a bit more somber. November 20th is the Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day where we reflect on those members of our community whom we have lost to violence. Over the last year, the Human Rights Campaign has identified at least 27 trans people across the country who were murdered. Of those murdered in 2024, 74% were people of color, and over half were Black trans women. This list includes Michelle Henry, a Black trans woman killed here in San Francisco on May 15 of this year.

As we continue to see our community targeted and scapegoated by politicians and continue to see disproportionate violence against our community, it’s important to speak out against this violence, fight for change, and also to remember those who have passed. That is why we wanted to take the time to acknowledge those trans community members whom we have lost here in San Francisco. May their memory be a blessing and their names a call to rally for us all to do more work in the fight for equity and justice.

Gina La Divina

A true legend in the drag and performance world, Gina La Divina, aka Regina Elizabeth McQuade, graced San Francisco’s most illustrious and infamous stages for over 20 years. Known as “The $65,000 Silicone Wonder,” Gina was a trailblazer, icon, and regular performer at Aunt Charlie’s, Oasis, and The Stud. For decades, Gina was one of San Francisco’s preeminent wig stylists and a mentor and friend to generations of performers.

Adela Vázquez

Adela Vázquez was a powerhouse of advocacy and warmth. A Cuban trans Latina activist, she fought tirelessly for transgender rights

and HIV/AIDS awareness, working with countless organizations like Proyecto ContraSIDA por Vida and Trans Thrive. Adela’s kindness extended beyond her activism; she was a beloved mentor and trans mother, whose cooking, friendship, and hands-on approach to life brought comfort and joy to all who knew her.

Rickie Blue-Sky

Rickie Blue-Sky, a proud member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, spent decades incarcerated yet remained a beacon of love and support for his community. After his release, Rickie continued to care deeply for his chosen family, guiding them with the same love that defined his life. His passing is felt deeply, but the legacy he left behind—one of strength, connection, and community within, across, and beyond prison walls—will forever remain a source of guidance for those who knew him.

Porshay Taylor

Porshay Taylor was known for her infectious spirit, bringing joy and love wherever she went. Porshay worked with the Office of Transgender Initiatives during its first advocacy week, pushing for the Our Trans Home initiative, which has since helped many trans individuals secure housing. As a former case manager at St. James Infirmary, she guided countless other trans community members toward safety and stability. Porshay’s legacy of love, kindness, and advocacy continues to inspire those who knew her, especially her loved ones at TGI Justice Project, whom she shared close familial bonds with.

Niomi Jenkins

Niomi Jenkins was a bright and cherished member of our community whose life was cut far too short. Her passing reminds us of the harsh realities of violence against Black trans women, but also of the

incredible strength and love she shared with those around her. Niomi’s vibrant spirit and unwavering resilience will forever serve as a beacon of hope and a reminder of why we must continue to fight for justice and equality.

Daniel Colli Chan

Tío Dan was a humble and wonderful soul who dedicated his life to uplifting the TransLatina community. As a cherished member of El/La Para TransLatinas since 2010, he embodied love, support, and resilience. His unwavering commitment to helping others touched countless lives and left a lasting mark on our hearts. We remember Tío Dan, not just for the incredible person he was, but also for the profound impact he had on all of us.

Nataline Rose Kolbe

At just 25 years old, Nataline Rose Kolbe was a brilliant and compassionate soul whose life was tragically taken in a car crash. A computer developer, programmer, and advocate, Nataline fought for transgender rights while also embracing her love of music, gaming, and adventure. Her courage in navigating the world as her authentic self has left a lasting impact on her family, friends, and community. Her legacy of love and advocacy will continue to inspire us all.

Michelle Henry

Michelle Henry was often called a “ray of light.” She was only 25 when her life was tragically taken earlier this year in a homicide. A fierce advocate for trans liberation, Michelle’s warmth and compassion uplifted everyone she encountered. Yet, her legacy of love, resilience, and advocacy lives on. As we mourn her loss, we recommit ourselves to fighting for the safety and equality of all transgender people, continuing the important work to which Michelle dedicated her life. As election results

continue to be tabulated over the next few days, regardless of who wins, I hope we will all spend the month of November thinking about how we can continue to fight for a more just and equitable world. I hope we take time to reflect on how each of us can do the work of chipping away at the barriers and cultural mechanisms that contribute to the disproportionate violence impacting our trans siblings. This Trans Day of Remembrance, as we honor their memories and celebrate their legacies, let’s renew our commitment to creating a world where transgender people—especially trans women of color—can live.

Honey Mahogany, a San Francisco native with a Master’s in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley, is a performer, small business owner, and activist. Her work has earned recognition from the City of San Francisco and various organizations. Mahogany co-founded the San Francisco Transgender District, is a founding queen of Drag Story Hour, co-owner of the Stud Bar, and a singer with nu-metal group Commando. She currently serves as Director of The Office of Trans Initiatives, Chair-Emerita of the San Francisco Democratic Party, and Delegate to the Democratic National Committee.

Trans Action with Honey Mahogany

Ranella Benzarti (left) with Porshay Taylor (right) at the PRC Mighty Real Gala, November 2023

The Day(s) After

ELECTION 2024

fear they promote has been unleashed upon our country, and it won’t disappear just because the election is over.

We have been warned, and for darned good reason, that our very democracy is at stake. And that it was up to us to save it. Every one of us. Again, no pressure.

And yet, there is more to election season than just stress and discord. While it’s easy to look at news and see nothing but hatred, disinformation, and violence, there is another side to the story.

When the pre-election ugliness started ratcheting up to a fever pitch, I received an email saying that volunteers were needed at the campaign headquarters for the San Francisco Democratic Party. I needed to step away from endless doomscrolling, so I headed downtown to see what I could do to help. What I found there was exactly what I needed: hope.

I walked into this year’s headquarters at 5th and Market, in the old Nordstrom Rack building. It was light, spacious, and filled with colorful homemade signs filled with uplifting messages. In one corner, artists were silk screening colorful window signs and t-shirts. At a handful of tables, volunteers were handwriting letters to potential voters, encouraging them to exercise their right to vote. And in the back of the room was the heart of the operation, the phone bank, filled with a gentle hum of voices rising and falling as volunteers made call after call to potential voters. The calls were punctuated with the celebratory ringing of a bell and congratulatory applause whenever one of them secured the promise of a vote.

I could hear fragments of some of those calls. The volunteers were invariably polite and friendly, but also gently persistent, engaging people in meaningful conversations to accomplish their goal of getting every potential voter to the polls. I heard them discussing the issues, and providing helpful information about how and where to cast their ballots. I was impressed by the kindness and professionalism I heard in call after call,

even when the person on the other end was clearly not happy to receive a campaign call.

Many of these callers are battle-tested veterans of numerous phone banks; during breaks in the action, volunteers often swap war stories from past campaigns.

At the front door, friendly volunteers welcomed folks as they came in the building. Many were coming to volunteer, but others simply wanted to check out the colorful headquarters, or to purchase campaign merchandise. Many were visitors from other countries, curious about the American political system, and often expressing their fears about the rise of fascism and authoritarianism, both here and around the world. We welcomed their solidarity.

On weekends, busloads of volunteers took off for Reno and the Central Valley to knock on thousands of doors. Every campaign says the same thing: that those face-to-face encounters can make or break a campaign. I was in awe of their energy, their passion, their willingness to step out of their comfort

zones for the greater good.

And I knew, from the countless emails I get from every GOTV organization in the country, that the scenes playing out at our headquarters in San Francisco were also taking place in similar spaces all over the country. Americans were stepping up to volunteer, and do everything in their power to help their country.

It is these volunteers who give me hope. Whatever the results of this, or any other, election, these are the people who will step up to help their neighbors, help their communities, and serve their country. This is the best of America.

Whatever the results of the election, we will figure out a way to survive. We will step up, and figure out ways to protect our families, our neighbors, our communities, and our country. We will, and we must.

Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.

San Francisco Democrats campaign headquarters located at 5th and Market streets

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi speaking to volunteers at the San Francisco Democratic Committee campaign headquarters

ELECTION 2024

Thank You to the Dedicated Volunteers of This Election Season

Artist Debra Walker, a City of San Francisco Police Commissioner and who designed the cover of this issue, has served as a lead organizer and volunteer at the San Francisco Democratic campaign headquarters located at 901 Market Street. She also traveled to Nevada multiple times with volunteers canvassing in Reno and other towns in support of the Get Out the Vote effort for the Harris/Walz campaign.

Members of the San Francisco Bay Times team, which includes a number who have been honored for their own volunteerism and leadership, have learned much from Walker about the role of volunteers in activities such as phone banking, fundraising, street campaigning, design and production of campaign materials and merchandise, and more in addition to door-to-door canvassing.

Dedicated volunteers were found supporting candidates in many settings throughout the campaign season that led up to the election. Images provided by Walker, as well as Rink, Joanie Juster, Juan Davila, Mike Kirschner, Bill Wilson, and others show that the Bay Area’s LGBTQ+ community and allies devoted countless hours as campaign volunteers.

campaign volunteers outside their buses in a Nevada

Democratic campaign volunteers aboard a bus to Nevada

Debra Walker and a volunteer making signs at the SF Democratic campaign headquarters

Manny Yekutiel and volunteers wrote letters in support of the Harris/Walz campaign at Manny’s. Photos by Rink

Harvey Milk Club volunteers at the Castro Street Fair

Debra Walker and Robert Camino boarding a bus to Nevada SFDC PHOTO

Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club volunteers at the Castro Street Fair

Castro Street Fair participants with a cardboard standup of VP Kamala Harris

Candidates (clockwise)

Mayor London Breed, Daniel Lurie, Joe Sangirardi, and Stephen Torres with their volunteer teams PHOTO BY RINK

Supporting Small Businesses in the Castro & Beyond

For Your Eyes Only Optometry

A San Francisco Legacy Business, For Your Eyes Only Optometry at 552 Castro Street for over thirty years has provided patients with high quality eye care, including some of the most stylish frames in the city. Prada, Dior, Ray-Ban, and götti Switzerland are just some of the well-known brands included in the huge selection of both eyeglasses and sunwear.

On November 2, 2024, it was announced that Dr. Martha Klufas has joined the team at For Your Eyes Only, which was recently sold to Tonya Watson, O.D., Ph.D., by former longtime owner Kathleen Kennedy, O.D.

Dr. Klufas is a California Board of Optometry certified optometrist who has spent over 20 years providing quality care in the San Francisco Bay Area. After receiving her second bachelors and a doctorate in optometry from UC Berkeley, she elected to settle down in San Francisco with her future husband and family.

Eyes have played a huge role in Dr. Klufas’ life!

From an early age, she helped in her mother’s eyeglass store in New Jersey. She tinted eyeglass lenses, as was popular in the 1980s, and helped people select frames. Dr. Klufas received her first bachelors from Fordham University in the Bronx, NY.

Before becoming an optometrist, Dr. Klufas worked in research. She worked on several FDA drug and equipment trials. This type of work even took her to Guatemala, where she collected DNA while looking for a gene marker found in glaucoma. This research was later published by UCSF.

Licensed to treat many ocular conditions, including pink eye and ocular allergies, Dr. Klufas is deeply committed to taking excellent care of patients Specializing not only in medical optometry, Dr. Klufas also has deep expertise in contact fitting, low vision, computer eye strain mitigation, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and more. Her patients range in age from 3 years to 100+!

The San Francisco Bay Times welcomes Dr. Klufas to the Castro. Members of our team

who go to For Your Eyes Only also are grateful for the work of Dr. Kennedy. Upon announcing her departure, Dr. Kennedy wrote: “To all my patients, I have loved every minute that I have been blessed to share with all of you. Getting to know you, sharing life’s ups and downs and having the privilege to care for you as your optometrist all these years has been my greatest honor.”

She continued, “I want you to know that I sincerely love my patients, the Castro, and the opportunity to have been here with you through the years, in good times and bad. Together we have faced and made it through many happy days and also some very challenging times. You will always have a special

place in my heart. You, my wonderful, funny, fun, intelligent, kind, interesting, and thoughtful patients, have made my life’s work so much sweeter.

I thank you for that.”

“As I go on to explore what else there is for me to conquer and experience, I will miss seeing you each year,” she added. “When I meet new people while traveling, working, volunteering, or learning I will think of all of you and how you taught me the importance of human connection.”

The changes at this valued neighborhood staple provide a reminder of how important doctor and patient relationships can be, along with those that many business workers have with their customers. That is especially true for Legacy Businesses, including the San Francisco Bay Times and For Your Eyes Only Optometry, where such valued relationships may continue for decades.

For Your Eyes Only Optometry 552 Castro Street, SF 415-626-0858 office@castrovision.com https://castrovision.com/

Drs. Kathleen Kennedy and Tonya Watson and members of the For Your Eyes Only staff at Finnegans Wake in Cole Valley attending a networking event hosted by the City of San Francisco’s Office of Small Business’ Legacy Business program (2022)

Dr. Tonya Watson and Dr. Martha Klufas

Dr. Kathleen Kennedy, O.D.

Surprising Revelations Upon Visiting Dachau

6/26 and Beyond

Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis

As a gay man, I’ve long known that many LGBTIQ people had been imprisoned in the Nazi concentration camps, and that gay men endured “unusually harsh treatment” at the hands of the Nazis who “saw them as perverts deserving special punishment” as explained by historian Nikolaus Wachsmann in KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps. Wachsmann further describes how not just the Nazis, but also “many fellow inmates shared the social prejudices against homosexuals and ostracized them.” One gay prisoner, Otto Giering, who had been castrated by the Nazis at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp outside Berlin, recalled that he had been “’subjected to mockery and harassment’ by prisoners ‘of all categories’” as soon as he had been forced to wear the pink

triangle marking him as gay on his uniform.

When I visited the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site outside Munich last summer, however, I was stunned to learn that anti-gay discrimination persists at the site today, long after it was liberated from the Nazis nearly 80 years ago.

When I visited Sachsenhausen back in 2006, I particularly noticed how actively attended with flowers the memorial to LGBTIQ prisoners was. I took pride that our ongoing movement for dignity and equality was visible to visitors alongside the terrible history the camp represented. As I approached Dachau, I anticipated a similar experience.

In one of the first rooms of the Dachau museum, I saw an explanation of the persecution of gay prisoners. But as I proceeded through the rest of the museum, I found nothing else—in stark contrast to exhibits and memorials about other categories of prisoners. I exited the museum, walked in the hot sun down the poplar-lined path where numerous prisoner barracks once stood, passed three large

modernistic Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant memorials, and arrived at the remains of the gas chamber and crematoria, surrounded by several other smaller religious memorials.

Having still seen no queer memorial, I happened upon a very well-informed tour guide and asked her whether there was one. She seemed to welcome my question, and her lengthy response took me aback.

The guide explained that the Comité International de Dachau (CID), founded even before the liberation of the camp on April 29, 1945, claims to represent all prisoners from over 30 countries who were detained at Dachau. The CID has the power of “co-decision in all major affairs concerning the Dachau Memorial.” The guide told me that, for years, the CID prevented installation of a memorial to gay prisoners at the camp museum.

Triangle color code: http://www.en-academic.com

In response, the Protestant Church of Reconciliation, one of the three major religious memorials I had seen during my walk through the camp, announced that they would proudly house a pink triangle memorial because they, not the CID, controlled the content of their building. The guide herself took pride in this fact as a

member of the denomination. The guide, however, also articulated the chilling irony that the pink triangle was forced to exist “in exile” within, of all things, a concentration camp.

But that was not all. The modernist “International Monument” designed by Nandor Gild, who won a CID design competition to create an artistic memorial, occupies a central position in the camp. The installation includes a striking sculptural relief depicting “a chain symboliz[ing] the solidarity between the prisoners” with modernistic depictions of variously colored triangles by which the Nazis denoted different prisoner group identities on prisoner uniforms. But missing from the sculpture, installed in 1968, are three particular triangles: the black triangle worn by so-called “anti-socials,” which included Roma, Sinti, and lesbians, among others; the green triangle for purportedly “professional criminals”; and the pink triangle for homosexual men.

The sculpture and the rest of the Monument still remain in their original form today over 55 years later with no (continued on page 20)

International Monument by Nandor Gild

Memorial in Nollendorfplatz, Berlin

Rally to Save Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy

When the list of thirteen schools being considered for possible closures or mergers in the 2025–2026 school year was released in mid-October by the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), parents, friends, and supporters of the Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy (HMCRA) responded with calls to “Save Our School!”

On Wednesday, October 16, 2024, in conjunction with a scheduled visit to the school by SFUSD officials to hear concerns about the closure, a community march and rally, organized by the Castro Merchants Association, was held. Beginning with a walk from Cliff’s Variety through the neighborhood and to the school, the event was planned as a statement of community unity and a stand for education, inclusion, and civil rights.

Students joined adults in the lively but peaceful protest held with the goal of sending a significant signal to then School Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne and all attending. Just a few days later, on October 19, Dr. Wayne resigned. Dr. Maria Su on the same day was announced as the new superintendent ( https://bit.ly/40zIrg7 ).

Your Body of Work

By Dr. Kathleen Sullivan

Eleanor Roosevelt is quoted as saying, “Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.” Getting older is a privilege not afforded to many throughout history or even today. We are fortunate to live in a time and place where so many in our community are living longer, with greater health and access to care. Achievements in medical care and the embracing of models of care other than the allopathic model offer each of us the chance to age more healthfully than those who came before us.

We also have greater access to information about how we can control many of our health outcomes. One example is physical activity. Engaging in physical activity decreases our risk for death from all forms of cardiovascular disease, various forms of cancer, metabolic syndrome, and Type 2 diabetes. That is, perhaps, common knowledge for many; what is not common knowledge is the need and benefit of engaging in performance-based exercises as we age

Performance-based exercise is generally thought of for professional and amateur athletes. According to the National Council on Strength and Fitness, however, older adults

benefit from, and should engage in, performance-based exercise. This exercise group, as opposed to exercises that promote fitness, can prolong good health, independence, and mobility, and prevent falls.

Performance-related exercises build power, agility, speed, balance, and coordination. Getting up from a chair, for instance, is a power move involving large muscle groups and one of our largest joints, our hips. The ability to move one’s body through space successfully relies on a unique set of abilities that are enhanced when we engage in performance-based exercise. Balance, for instance, is our ability to manage force or forces that act to disrupt our body’s stability and is key to older adults managing activities of daily living (ADLs)—from getting up from a chair or bed to bathing safely. Muscular strength and proprioceptors, our body’s kinetic awareness of where it is in space, play a vital role in balance, and performance-based exercises can improve our balance at any age.

ADLs are used to evaluate people at all stages of life, but are particularly important as we age because our ability to perform them is linked to our ability to remain independent. Are we able to self-transfer—get up from a bed or chair? Can we use the bathroom or do we need assistance? Can we feed, bathe, and dress ourselves, and are we mobile? Can we walk or use our wheelchair

or power chair to move within our apartment or home?

Improving our power, speed, agility, and coordination is something we can work on at all stages of life. Ageism has many of us believing that we can no longer build muscle or power after a certain age. That assumption is flatly wrong. We can build our strength and performance ability no matter our age and no matter our current ability— you must start where you are and build from there.

All of us experience muscle loss, which is called sarcopenia. This normal part of aging starts at around age 30 for most people. For others with chronic conditions that reduce mobility, it can start earlier. The body, however, is exceedingly adaptable. No matter your age, you can always grow muscle and improve your physical ability,

with very few exceptions.

Not long ago, an article in The New York Times focused on older adults who were working with personal trainers and lifting weights as a way to rebuild their strength and power. Weight lifting, plyometrics, and high-intensity training are all adaptable exercise programs that help improve our performance metrics. Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins, who recently passed away at age 108, started her track and field career at age 100. She holds many records in the 100-meter sprint. Julia is a reminder to me and I hope you that we can take charge of our lives and health no matter our age. Here’s to seeing you at the gym, on the track, or swimming in the bay!

Gerontologist Kathleen M. Sullivan, Ph.D., is the former executive director of Openhouse.

Dr. Marcy Adelman oversees the A ging in Community column. For her summary of current LGBT senior challenges and opportunities, please go to: http://sfbaytimes.com/challenges-and-opportunties/

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

Record-Breaking Subsidies Available for Health Coverage

It’s remarkable how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made strides in reducing the number of uninsured Californians. In fact, our uninsured rate has reached an all-time record low. We went from 17.2 percent in 2013 to 6.4 percent last year, the largest percentage drop for any state in the country. Over the years, nearly six million Californians have gotten their health insurance through the state’s insurance marketplace, Covered California, which was made possible by the ACA.

There are, however, still 1.3 million uninsured in our state with roughly ten percent from the LGBTQ+ community. If you need coverage, open enrollment is currently underway through January 25, 2025. Simply visit the Covered CA website

( https://www.coveredca.com/ ) to find a plan that’s right for you. Financial assistance is also available to help lower premiums. Covered California especially helps those who cannot get health insurance through work, but have incomes too high to qualify for Medi-Cal.

The good news is the Governor and state Legislature increased subsidies to $165 million next year, providing record-breaking financial support to help lower costs. As a result, all Californians with incomes above 200 percent of the federal poverty level (which is $30,120 for a single person and $62,400 for a family of four) are now eligible to enroll in a higher-tiered plan, called Enhanced Silver 73, with no deductibles and reduced out-of-pocket costs. Those under 200 percent of the federal poverty level will continue to have access to higher levels of benefits.

In addition, a recent federal rule change began this month, making about 40,000 recipients of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) eligible to sign up for a health plan through Covered California. Eligible DACA recipients can receive financial help ( https://bit.ly/3YzUcQX ) if they qualify. Applicants must select the “gained lawful presence” option from the list in the special-enrollment period section when applying. The deadline for this group

(continued on page 20)

Hydrogen’s Promise to Oakland

Out of the Closet and into City Hall

Oakland City Councilmember At-Large, Rebecca Kaplan

As California accelerates its shift to a clean energy future, the debate around how to best reduce emissions often focuses on the merits of one technology over another. But the truth is, to meet our ambitious climate goals, we need a comprehensive approach—one that includes both electrification and clean hydrogen solutions. We cannot afford to choose one over the other if we want to ensure a cleaner, more equitable future for all.

That’s why I was honored to welcome state and federal leaders to Oakland for the official launch of the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES)

( https://archesh2.org/ ), a groundbreaking project that marks a turning point for our city and the greater Bay Area.

The event showcased Oakland’s leadership in hydrogen adoption, demonstrating how Oakland is implementing innovative technologies that have practical benefits for our community. This includes a hydrogen sea ferry that will reduce emissions in our bay, AC Transit hydrogen buses that will improve air quality on our streets, and the NorCAL ZERO First Element Hydrogen Fueling station, the largest in the nation, which will significantly reduce harmful air pollution from our hardest-hit neighborhoods.

Reducing diesel emissions is one of the most important steps we can take toward climate and environmental equity in terms of human health impact; it causes asthma, cancer, and even premature birth in these disproportionately impacted communities. Hydrogen fuel cell technology is a crucial piece of the puzzle in addressing these challenges, offering both environmental and economic advantages that will benefit Oakland and Alameda County for future generations.

For too long, Black, Latino, and lower-income communities, particularly those in industrial truck corridors along West and East Oakland and near busy highways, have been subjected to a disproportionate share of harmful air pollution caused by emissions, especially diesel particulate emissions, from trucks and other sources.

(continued on page 20)

Assemblymember Phil Ting

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Finding Your Place of Love, Hope, and Dreams

Do you have a property listing for this page? Email us: publisher@sfbaytimes.com

Stunning Home Inspired by Legendary Architect Julia Morgan

Listed by Laura Martell and brokered by the Winkler Real Estate Group is this detached residence that was built in 1922 in the French Revival style and was inspired by Julia Morgan. (Morgan grew up in Oakland and went on to design more than 700 buildings in California, including Hearst Castle.) The 5-bedroom, 4-bath home, with an open floor

plan on the main level, features views of Oak Glen Park and is flooded with natural light. The chef’s kitchen opens to a private patio, and the family room leads to a beautiful backyard.

The home’s location is near BART, Kaiser, and the many great small businesses and restaurants along Piedmont Avenue. Morgan aficionados may also note that she designed the brick building housing multiple gourmet destinations at 4001–4029 Piedmont Avenue and the Chapel of the Chimes, also on Piedmont Avenue. Even her gravesite is at nearby Mountain View Cemetery. Outside of all the Morgan connections, this Oakland home, as Realtor.com reports, “blends privacy with urban convenience, all set amidst a tranquil, tree-filled landscape.”

Come see for yourself and enjoy a day exploring this wonderful, historic neighborhood.

3400 Richmond Boulevard, Oakland

$1,398,000

5 bedrooms/4 baths 2,530 square feet

Contact Laura Martell: https://bit.ly/48CfAdh

GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow

Living in the Moment

As I write this, the election results have not been announced, even by my favorite reporters and friends at MSNBC. So, um, what can I say? Literally.

I’m very optimistic, for some reason, but I can’t go blathering on about the proficiency of the Harris campaign when you, dear Reader, already know whether or not she’s been elected. Nor can I speculate on our near-term fate under a Trump restoration when you, dear Reader, already know whether or not he won. As far as the presidency, the courts, and the next four years, there’s nothing I can write about. I don’t even know who’s going to win control over the House, and although I think I know who will run the Senate, I can’t tell whether or not the GOP-controlled branch of Congress will be a gadfly for President Harris, or a demonic sidekick to President Trump. Or who knows! Maybe the polls were all wrong and the Democrats can keep Chuck Schumer in charge.

Making my sad life even more difficult is the fact that I’d like to spend the entire day watching commentary and calculating things like which states will announce results at what moment. For example, I’m watching news with the subtitles and no sound right now and I keep seeing random-looking counts of how many people from each state voted early. But since I have no idea how

many people in whichever state are registered to vote, I can’t determine the significance of these numbers. They’re meaningless! The Wyoming early vote was 89,767, I see on my screen. So what! I can’t put that number in context. The same news stations, like MSNBC, go out of their way to drone on about something that we all understand, like the electoral college, but toss around data points with no explanation.

If I wasn’t on a deadline, I could google the Wyoming electorate and be able to pontificate on the possible implications of the early vote for the edification of my wife and my friend Denise, who is visiting. Instead, I’m forced to let them down.

Oh, before I move on, here’s a pet peeve: It’s those interviews with unknown people walking down the street. Who cares what they think?

“And here’s Leticia to give us a sense of what the voters in Battleground Pennsylvania are thinking. Leticia?”

“Thanks Mike. I’m here with Melissa Morris, who is still torn between former president Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Melissa? What are your main issues?”

“I don’t like some of things he says. I think he goes too far. But he’s good on the economy. I don’t think she knows anything. She just smiles and laughs but she’s never done

anything in her life.”

“Thanks, Melissa. Melissa is a wife and a mom here in Harrisburg. Mike?”

“Interesting viewpoint! This election is on a knife-edge right now but there are still some votes up for grabs. When we come back, we’ll be having a word with presidential historian Michael Beschloss.”

(Cue commercial for Medicare Advantage advisors.)

Banished!

A few minutes have passed. My wife returned from the grocery store and put the volume up on the TV, so I’ve gone to the living room. I can hear it, though. Right now, Steve Kornacki is excitedly telling us what time the polls close and when results are expected. I like Steve, but there are times when he dives too deeply into, let’s say, the trend in GOP voting in Important Bellwether County over the last six elections that he scrawls illegibly on his whiteboard with a magic marker. Sometimes he’ll draw a circle around a particular number, which blots out one of the other unreadable numbers.

Then, when he’s finally done, one of the anchors will thank him and shake her head ruefully and join her fellow hosts in wondering how on Earth they could get through Election Day without Steve, “who’s been up since six this morning!”

Note: my new position finds me right next to

a large tray of Halloween candy. You think forecasting the election was hard; have any of you ever come up with a correct estimate for Halloween candy? We used to throw the excess into a junk drawer with all the paper clips and batteries, and at times, that same candy found its way into future Halloween “treat” bowls. Because kids just like candy, right? It’s like your dog, who will happily eat the remains of your dinner or something you can’t even identify that you found in the fridge. Kids will eat whatever candy you give them. Or at least they’ll put your candy in their bags. Maybe they try a bite when they get home, spit it out, and call for their mothers in tears.

My mother lived in a somewhat remote house that never attracted any trick or treaters. But she still bought dark chocolate every year, basically for her own consumption. I have too many kids every year to try that, and I overestimate and buy too much weird candy. I just ate a “fun size” pack of M&Ms and a gross red “Twizzler,” but I drew the line at the “blue raspberry airheads,” mainly because I have no idea what they are. (I just opened the package after I wrote that line and it was a disgusting gummy sheet of something blue with a nasty taste.)

To Block or Not to Block?

I do have some actual news this week. I have (continued on page 18)

HBy Donna Sachet

alloween in the Castro may never be what it once was, before city officials decided that the potential for crime, violence, and mayhem was too high. Highly publicized, and yet disputed, violent incidents in 2006 led the city to compel neighborhood businesses to close early, discouraging any assemblies or group activities. Gone were the “Muscle Sisters” coordinated arrival and promenade of buff gym bodies in fabulous drag. Gone were the creative group costumes, suggesting flight attendants, cheerleaders, Hollywood legends, and more. And gone were the impromptu costume contests, Super Hero antics, sardonic take-offs on contemporary figures, and popular local personalities exploring new presentations. We clearly remember languishing in front of Daddy’s on Castro Street, mourning the loss of one of the LGBTQ+ community’s favorite nights. Needless to say, the abrupt cancellation of Halloween in the Castro was controversial among local merchants, residents, and visitors, but many have forgotten those harrowing days.

For three years, leadership at City Hall attempted to steer Halloween partiers away from the Castro and towards other designated and supposedly safer locations. We were even featured on billboards throughout the city announcing these changes and cautioning the public against “bad behavior.” We’ll never forget disco superstar Martha Wash performing before a disappointingly small crowd on a parking lot near the ballpark. But alternative locations never panned out, and gradually, costumed revelers returned to the Castro. The worldwide reputation of Halloween in the Castro proved too pervasive and persistent to be extinguished, bringing us to 2024.

Halloween being on a Thursday, public events were announced for the weekend before and private parties were sprinkled throughout the week. We first emerged into the celebrations in the Castro on Thursday, October 24, when Patrik Gallineaux, Global LGBTQ+ Ambassador and VP at Stoli, came to town. He invited a small group of friends to a reception at Lookout honoring Michael Daniels, recently retired from a liquor distribution company. This gentleman helped legions of event organizers with product, decor, and swag over the years, adding immeasurably to so many occasions. He received a Change Maker Award, represented by a beautifully shaped vertical glass art piece. Among those attending were Gary Virginia, Al Treuter, Cecil Russell, and Skye Paterson, also visiting from Florida. Much to our surprise, a second award was presented to this humble columnist, who has certainly witnessed her share of change and who deeply appreciates receiving this Change Maker Award from Stoli and Patrik, who remains a treasured friend.

Friday night was much milder, leading to Saturday’s Heroes & Villains costume party at The Academy SF, Gary Virginia’s Disco Night at Midnight Sun, featuring BeBe Sweetbriar and Kippy Marks, and Glo on Noe Street, the neon and day-glow extravaganza presented by the Comfort & Joy folks from Burning Man. Costumes became increasingly creative and original, crowds grew larger and more diverse, and the spirit of Halloween appeared to return to the Castro!

After Halloween, we took our annual sojourn to Palm Springs for Pride. We love the desert this time of the year, when we can enjoy warm days and cool nights, take in the panoramic natural beauty, spend time with the many San Francisco ex-pats there, meet up with other visiting San Franciscans, and possibly make some new friends. Many of the bars and businesses are concentrated on Arenas Street, closed to traffic for Pride, creating a wonderful open-air central plaza for the thousands who attend. As is our general rule, we do not report extensively on private events, but we must mention the Richmond/Ermet (REAF) Aid Foundation’s Pride house party, hosted by our generous host Tom Ray in his sprawling, beautifully appointed home atop a hill overlooking Indian Canyon.

Featured performers included Kim Shroder Long, Gregory Douglass, David Burnham, Jason Stuart, and Lyena Antonyicq, with Palm Springs resident Lenny Broberg deftly handling the auction, all benefiting FIND Food Bank and the L Fund. This year, Tom received a lovely crystal award for his gracious hospitality from Ken Henderson & Joe Seiler, Executive Director and Chairman of the Board respectively of REAF. Otherwise, we are sure you missed the usually prominent presence of many San Francisco movers and shakers last weekend, including Don Ho, Gary Virginia, Briggs Hawley, Mark Paladini, Carlos Medal & Anthony Corbin, Rick LaTulippe, Kevin Lisle & Dustin Lee, CoCo Butter, Marc Pretscher, Matt Buchanan, John Zowine, and recent transplant to New York, Jon Folmsbee

“Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.”

—James Beard

Friday, November 8

Reopening of QBar

New interior decor

Salutes to SF history

All-inclusive service

Owners Cip Cipriano & John Bellemore

456 Castro Free!

Friday, November 15

The Academy SF’s Legends Awards A Night of Stars

Honoring Donna Sachet, Dr. Dee Spencer, Patrick Carney & Colm O’Brien

Hosted by Sister Roma

Music, entertainment, and awards

Swedish American Hall, 2174 Market Street

Reception afterwards at The Academy SF, 2166 Market Street 6 pm $25 & up

www.academy-sf.com

In closing, vacations are meant as a time to relax and rejuvenate, and this Palm Springs visit was exactly that. Yes, there was a general schedule of events, and believe us, we didn’t miss much, but more importantly, it was a weekend of relaxation without mustdo obligations. We shared most of the weekend reuniting with Drew Cutler, a close friend visiting from the East Coast. Some friends come and go, but we are now confident that Drew will be with us for life and that is a good thing. Cherish your friends and let them know how you feel. Until next time ... .

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

PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

People Who Need People

TLC: Tears, Laughs and Conversation

Dr. Tim Seelig

If the words immortalized by mononym Barbra are true, people need people. If we need people, we’re the luckiest people in the world. I think that is true. I’m needy and lucky. Do you sometimes get things seared in your brain you can never forget? Mine is this very song ... sort of. One of the most memorable acts in the late great Beach Blanket Babylon in San Francisco was an appearance by a flawless Barbra impersonator. The curtain opened with her in her iconic turban-clad profile pose, looking up into the wings. She began to sing, “People (pause, mugs at the audience); I really don’t like people.” It’s been an earworm for decades. She was a funny girl.

Some people may not need people. I volunteer at the incredible Oregon Humane Society three days a week as the Lobby Concierge. I love it. It is a huge organization with lots of foot traffic and something new every day. They have a hard time recruiting for the concierge position. The volunteer coordinator explained that most volunteers are in, or have retired from, people-facing careers. Now they want to work with low-maintenance animals. I spent my entire career working with people. I still need people! Guess that makes me one of the luckiest people in the world.

When I was 50, I considered changing careers from conductor to motivational speaker. I hired an extraordinary coach to help launch my speaking. I spent several months doing homework and then an intensive one-on-one weekend locked away with her as she dug into my life looking for a theme. One of the homework exercises was to number a piece of paper 1 through 50. The task was to write one significant event that happened each of those years! I froze. I had already blocked much of it! But it was required. I started with the easy stuff. I wrote down graduations, wedding (at that point, there had only been one), coming out. A birthday here, a concert there.

When I was 5, my Aunt Mary would take me to look at dress patterns at the local fabric store so I wouldn’t have to play outside with ruffians and get dirty. I listed high school graduation at 18. At 22, it was college graduation and wedding on the same day, and at 35, I came out. There were probably 15 easy entries. I then began to fill in the year before or after those. My memory began to unlock. I got as far back as 4 years old hiding behind the couch as my Mother taught voice in our home. I was an early vocal technique critic and knew “Caro Mio Ben” before “I’m a Little Teapot.”

Looking back at the list, I realized there were no people. So, I decided to go back and do the same exercise, but this time, filled with people! One for each year. The “piece of paper” now had 73 lines. The memory that was unlocked at 50 had a more complicated security system to access and several forgotten passwords. But it did open.

When I started, the faces came flooding back. Laughter, tears, learning, loving. I filled in my children—not their birth year, but rather a time when something extraordinary happened in our lives—and, of course, the year of loss of one of them. Other family members each got a year. There were the love/romantic relationships I have been fortunate enough to have and am grateful for, especially my husband and also my ex-husband, who is now my best friend. Then I dug deeper.

You may have met some of them in previous articles or my memoir. These are a few people that rocked my world. At 15, my best friend Alan, who was Jewish, shook the foundations of my faith because I knew he was not going to hell like my religion said. I was 24 when my voice teacher in Austria, Frau Kammersängerin Hanna Ludwig, told me I would only be successful in my career if I was willing to breathe, eat, walk, talk, and live music at all costs. She was right. I was willing.

At 33, Dale was my hair cutter and choir member at the First Baptist. One day, while backcombing my thinning hair, he randomly said, “You need to come out.” I was outraged. How dare he? I wasn’t gay. After all, I was married and a good Baptist. It scared me to death. Denial was a deep river. I also knew I would lose everything. Two years later, I took Dale’s advice. Before I got the courage, Dale died of AIDS. He never knew that his words planted a seed that would change my life forever. When I came out, there were countless people who helped me discover my “whole new world.” John Thomas was an activist and icon in the LGBTQ+ community in Dallas where I had landed. He saw how truly ignorant I was. He invited me to lunch to see if he could help. It turned into

lunch almost every Wednesday for nine years. He took me under his wing to help me traverse the obstacle course of working with the gays. He saved me from myself. At 60, there was Michael who paved the way for my move to San Francisco and became a priceless mentor. At 71, another Michael and his husband helped us settle into Portland and have become family.

This exercise was a revelation to me. The faces came flooding past my heart and mind—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Ugly didn’t’ get a number! I hope when you read this, you will be encouraged to make your own “People Who Need People” list. Write down each of the years you been here on this planet (we don’t have time for past lives). Start to fill it in with the people who have meant the world to you and assign a year to them. If some are alive, tell them. In my view of our universe, those no longer here saw you write their name down and are touched by your remembering.

Making this list confirmed that I really do need people. I am a lucky people.

Dr. Tim Seelig is the Conductor Laureate of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. http://www.timseelig.com/

Barbra Streisand on the The Ed Sullivan Show (1969)

some appellate court arguments on the ongoing attacks on Biden’s interpretation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of (maybe) 1972. And the Supreme Court also announced they would hear arguments on Tennessee’s anti-transgender health law on December 4. In the end, the Court will pass judgment only on the Equal Protection aspect of the health care ban and will not rule on the question of whether the law tramples on constitutionally protected parental rights.

Tennessee’s ban on health care includes a halt to the type of puberty blockers that are given to kids who are reaching puberty too soon. The blockers will still be available to these patients, but they will be outlawed for transgender kids. That’s mainly where the Equal Protection argument against the law fits in, and that’s the main basis for the Justice Department’s challenge. There was another challenge to the law, however, brought by parents of transgender children. That challenge, which was not accepted by the Court, included the parental rights case that now becomes irrelevant since this issue is not included in the federal government’s lawsuit.

The case against Tennessee will be argued by Chase Strangio, the co-director of the ACLU’s LGBTQ and HIV Project and the lead lawyer for the rejected case. A year ago, when the parents’ High Court petition was filed by the ACLU, Strangio spoke to law

dork Chris Geidner, who had told him that many of his readers were afraid of taking this issue to the conservative Court.

“I would say, ‘Of course, you’re afraid. It’s scary right now.’ It’s going to be scary if it gets to the Supreme Court, although there’s no guarantee of what they’ll do. But it’s also really scary to allow losses to pile up and let them stand.”

That said, Strangio noted that the question of youth transgender health was headed to the High Court one way or another, and the Sixth Circuit 2–1 opinion that upheld the Tennessee law was particularly flawed.

And as a trans man, Strangio felt particularly committed to the fight. “I think it matters that trans people are centrally involved in these decisions,” he told Geidner. “ ... because we have a singular and visceral understanding of how critical this healthcare is. I will speak for myself, and not other trans lawyers involved, but there’s no universe in which my career would be what it was without this healthcare. And I would give anything to have had access to it earlier.”

He continued, “And so for those of us—I’m 41 years old—of my generation, who are seeing a younger generation have access to care earlier, only to have it ripped away by misinformation and horrible untruths spoken about trans life and trans bodies, it propels me to fight back and to fight with everything we have.”

On the Other Hand

Meanwhile, on the same subject, we recently learned of a Los Angeles-based doctor who did a lengthy research project on about 100 trans kids who took puberty blockers. The doctor, Johanna Olson-Kennedy, concluded that blockers didn’t make much of a difference over a two-year period, but then decided not to report her federally funded results, fearing that they might be used as anti-trans weapons by rightwing politicians. Somehow I “forgot” about this story, which doesn’t fit neatly into our valiant LGBT agenda. Indeed, I’ve been having a hard time reporting on the scientific side of the youth trans health story because, as the author of the extensive British study leader explained, we really don’t have long-range studies available. Olson-Kennedy began her study in 2015, but she only recruited 95 kids and then she followed them for two years. She saw no particular change for good or ill, which kind of matched some other studies, including the one commissioned in 2020 by the National Health Service England and run by Hillary Cass. England had been replying on puberty blockers for some time, but limited their use this year following the Cass Report.

The blockers reportedly have some negative side effects, including possible bone loss and possible problems with fertility. These risks would be manageable as long as the outcome was positive. We’ve all been watching the cheery singing and dancing as a happy-sounding narrator recites a terrifying list of possible downsides of whatever drug they’re hawking.

But if the blockers aren’t helping, it’s going to be harder to justify their use. That said, who knows how these kids would have fared without blockers? Imagine developing breasts if you’re a guy, or muscles and facial hair if you’re a girl. It’s a complex area, and the exaggerated disdainful uneducated rhetoric of America’s conservative politicians doesn’t help.

The Adventures of Bostock

I think I might save the Title IX litigation for another time, because we know that this is another legal merry-go-round. Back in 2020, Justice Gorsuch led the 6–3 Court to rule in favor of the premise that “discrimination

because of sex” inherently includes a ban on sexual orientation discrimination and gender bias. That Bostock decision seemed to add LGBT to every federal law that banned sex discrimination. As such, Biden’s administration clarified a number of laws and policies, including Title IX’s ban on sex discrimination in public schools and universities.

Even though this seems to reflect the Court’s majority opinion in a fairly recent case, everyone and his brother on the right is now trying to toss Biden’s various trans-friendly efforts into judicial limbo or worse. That’s why we’ll have many more of these frustrating “Bostock rejections” popping up in these pages.

Can I Hold It?

But not now! Because now I have to mention that One Million Moms hates the commercial that shows parents lying on their bed looking at an iPhone, while their frowning teenaged kids listen to their pillow talk on the other side of the door.

The Moms complain that the parents’ discussion is deliberately provocative, leading the kids to think they’re either having sex or talking about it. Here are the key exchanges that have disturbed our friends.

“I have a surprise for you.” “Oh yes, please.” “Feast your eyes on this.” “Oh, that’s sexy!” “Feels so new.” “I want to feel this feeling again and again.” “Can I hold it?” “How bad do you want to hold it?” “I am not going to beg, but pretty please.”

First, in my memory, the husband also notes that “it’s glowing!” Second, it’s the husband that wants to “hold it,” not the wife. And third, the entire conversation between the parents is spoken in a matter-of-fact voice devoid of the slightest sexual undertones. These people aren’t having sex. What single item would the husband ask to hold? What would glow? It’s not clear what they’re talking about from outside the bedroom, but their kids are teenagers and likely to be disgusted by anything they do anyway. I don’t like this commercial either, but only because it doesn’t add up.

Okay then! The bar’s open and the excitement’s about to begin. Sorry for the haphazard column. See you on the other side. arostow@aol.com

Astrology

Elisa Quinzi

Perhaps the biggest news in astrology right now is that Pluto is entering Aquarius on November 19, where it will remain for the next twenty years. The last time Pluto moved into Aquarius, in the late 1700s, revolution left its mark on history.

One needn’t stretch the imagination to see how our current global climate might be ripening for breeding revolt amongst the people. Yet one might also reflect on if we are any further along, or much better off, for the battles that have taken place on Earth. Sticks have turned into axes ... have turned into muskets ... have turned into automatic rifles and drones. Man is as set in his opinions and beliefs as ever before, and ready to fight those who do not side with him.

While many of us do enjoy a freedom and ease of living that those who came before us did not, as a whole, humanity is still immersed in a paradigm that pits us against each other. Each of us views reality through the lens of separatism, to some degree or another. Aquarius is the sign associated with sudden, quantum leaps of consciousness. It’s worth considering then if a more dynamic and consequential revolution this time around can take place somewhere other than the physical plane. While individuals, political parties, and nations squabble, science is revealing that space and time are not the basis of reality after all.

The discovery that there is something more beneath physical reality resonates with Pluto’s mission to unearth deeper truths and strip away illusions while Aquarius attunes us to envisioning a future that is not yet accepted, or even understood, by the masses. Perhaps the Aquarian revolution that is about to take place is a life-altering paradigm shift. We are certainly entering a new era of groundbreaking discoveries that dismantle traditional models of reality and have the potential not simply to accelerate our evolution, but to wake us up from our very ideas of it.

Speaking to Your Soul

ARIES (March 21–April 19)

Are you satisfied with the way things are? If your answer is yes, something needs to shift. Happiness refuses to take risks, and you, Aries, were born to shatter the status-quo with courageous passion. The center of the galaxy pulls on your soul to press outward on culture’s boundaries. Attune yourself to the light and lead us toward your vision of a new Earth.

TAURUS (April 20–May 20)

Let all you believed about what’s possible for you crumble away. You’ve been limiting your options. When it comes to your ambitions, the next volume of your life is not about stepping higher up the ladder, but tossing the ladder aside and sprouting wings.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Your values are about to undergo a profound transformation. That which had meaning before will no longer hold the same weight. Novelty gives way to a deepening of your soul.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

Whatever your method of soul retrieval, a psychic house-cleaning is on order for you. Confront your wounds and fears heart first and you will come to the other side more empowered than ever before.

LEO (July 23–August 22)

Unexpected past-life memories arise triggered by interactions with soulmates and significant others, offering you opportunities for healing and the shedding of emotional patterns that you are finally ready to release.

VIRGO (August 23–September 22)

Quite possibly soul memories of wounds around boundaries get triggered now, inviting you to heal and subsequently restructure routines in order to grant yourself far greater freedom.

LIBRA (September 23–October 22)

Challenges that arise are cosmically orchestrated to prompt you to notice how hard you try to please others, and to liberate you from the expectations of those around you. The universe wants to bring more joy into your life and all you need to do is ease up to let it happen.

SCORPIO (October 23–November 21)

Your sense of belonging in the world has been challenged as roots have been pulled up or cut away. Thankfully, the universe has a plan and wants you to realize that home is within you wherever you go. In fact, you are now freer than ever to be your most authentic self.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22–December 21)

You have a reputation for trekking the globe, and doing so has given you a wide and open perspective on life. But a two-dimensional map doesn’t serve the next part of your journey. Prepare your mind for multidimensional travel and a fresh way of seeing reality right where you are.

CAPRICORN (December 22–January 19)

If there was suddenly no such thing as money, what would give you a sense of security? Money may exist to be used by you, but all you truly need you’ve had since birth. Focus your efforts on building upon those qualities that already belong to you and the universe will provide.

AQUARIUS (January 20–February 18)

You begin a period of metamorphosis. To the degree that you can surrender your will and accept what arises, that which has been holding you back falls away and you discover that within you which is eternal. You will likely require more freedom now to have the experiences you need for your soul’s growth.

PISCES (February 19–March 20)

Bubbling up from seemingly nowhere are psychic realizations about how you have kept yourself small. Pisceans hold profound wisdom and awareness that is meant to serve the next phase of awakening on Earth, and you are ready to release that which has held you back from doing so.

Elisa Quinzi is a certified professional astrologer who brings a strong spiritual perspective, as well as over 20 years of experience, to her work with clients. Contact her at futureselfnow@gmail.com or at 818-530-3366 with your exact birth time to schedule or to ask questions. For more information: www.elisaquinzi.com

the

“As

Keirra Hall

compiled by Rink

Maya Morya Selkie Scott

“Love, liberation, passion, purpose, Palestine, justice, and joy”

Marta Ramos “Thanks for my 5 kids”

Celestina Pearl “The next generation!”

Joe Sangirardi “My friends and community who have been so supportive”

additional sculpture added with representations of the missing black, green, and pink triangles that had been unjustly excluded from the original one. It wasn’t until 1995 that the CID, in its own words, “granted permission” for the exiled pink triangle memorial to be delivered from exile and relocated to the museum, where it is located today, although I personally did not find it. Furthermore, the guide also told me that nowhere in the entire memorial site is an exhibition explaining the site’s own history of prejudice, ignorance, and injustice in the creation and maintenance of the memorial itself, even though the CID claims as its mission not only to preserve and present the history of Dachau but also equally importantly “not to let this happen again.”

As the guide and I reflected on how former Dachau prisoners and their descendants today who run the CID have failed to recognize the common humanity of all those who were detained or murdered at Dachau, the guide offered a somber assessment: “Being imprisoned in a concentration camp doesn’t necessarily make you a better person.”

Of course, I hope that the Dachau Memorial site will soon adequately commemorate all those who suffered there. But as I have contemplated the guide’s sobering observation for months now, I realize its importance is not confined to Dachau or to times when the human heart is blind or callous. I believe it invites all of us to examine the sources of our own empathy toward others and how, why, and when we act as “better persons.”

John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, 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 Equality USA contributed in 2015 to making same-sex marriage legal nationwide.

(continued from pg 11)

is December 31, 2024.

But the exciting progress we’ve made in insuring more Californians is at risk. The 2021 expansion of federal premium tax credits drove these gains, and they’ll expire after 2025. If that happens, some of the predicted impacts include:

• Coverage gains among communities of color will be reversed. Communities of color have experienced some of the largest increases in enrollment. Without enhanced premium tax credits, premium costs will increase by 76% for Latinos, 71% for Asians, and 67% for Black/ African Americans.

• Almost all self-employed Californians will pay more. More than 1 in 4 Californians are self-employed, with the vast majority making less than about $58,000 per year. 90% of those who are self-employed will see an increase in premium costs if enhanced premium tax credits expire. Middle-income members would see premiums increase by 77%, paying up to 17% of their annual income on health insurance.

• Older enrollees will see major premium cost increases. Nearly half a million older Californians (ages

KAPLAN (continued from pg 11)

55 to 64) are enrolled in Covered California. Those earning under approximately $58,000 per year will see their monthly premium costs increase by 46%, or about $227 per month. Older middle-income enrollees making more than $58,000 will lose all financial assistance and need to pay nearly 25% of their income for health insurance.

To keep access to healthcare coverage affordable, we must begin lobbying our federal representatives. I hope you see the value of this program and begin writing or calling members of Congress next year to let them know financial help must continue. Nearly 90 percent of Covered California enrollees receive this assistance. Without it, people will drop their coverage and the impacts to individuals and our healthcare system would be devastating. A thriving health insurance market only works when everyone is in it.

Phil Ting represents the 19th Assembly District, which includes the west side of San Francisco along with the communities of Broadmoor, Colma, and Daly City, as well as part of South San Francisco and San Bruno.

With zero-emission trucks and improved air quality, we are taking a significant step toward reversing the health impacts suffered by our communities. Beyond the environmental improvements that our region desperately needs, this initiative is poised to create good-paying jobs and boost our local economy.

As we look ahead, we must prioritize a California with cleaner air and a more robust economy. The hydrogen revolution is here, and with it, an opportunity to transform the Bay Area for a brighter, healthier, and more equitable future.

Councilmember At-Large and Council President Rebecca Kaplan, who is the Vice Mayor of Oakland, was elected in 2008 to serve as Oakland’s citywide Councilmember; she was re-elected in 2016 and 2020. She also serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC). Follow Councilmember Kaplan on Twitter @Kaplan4Oakland ( https://tinyurl.com/2dtjmazc ) and Facebook ( https://tinyurl.com/2p9dd5ta ).

Let’s Go Home!

Here are two of the many pets now available for adoption at Oakland Animal Services (OAS): Billie Jean Meet Billie Jean, a 2-year-old, 40-lb apricot pibble mix ready to bring fun and affection to your life! Sweet and charming, she loves hanging out with her humans, soaking up attention, and sharing happy tail wags. Billie Jean is gentle, enjoys neck scratches, and has a medium energy level with a love for play and yard exploration. Though she’s a bit cautious with new dog friends, she’s open to learning and would do great as a solo pet or with a well-matched companion!

Milkshake

Hi, my name is Milkshake because I’m the sweetest cat here! They say I’m a doglike cat because I’m super friendly and affectionate with everyone I meet. Just pet me and I start to purr like a motor and make biscuits with my paws. I’m a special cat, not just because of

my sweetness but also due to my resilience. When I arrived here, I had a rear limb fracture, but now it has healed on its own. Any potential adopter should know that, at some point in the future, this might cause me lameness or pain, and if it does, I might need major surgery. I need someone willing to look out for me. In return, I will be the most loyal and loving cat.

The OAS adoption process focuses on matching you with a pet who is a good fit for you and your family. Come by during open adoption hours Thursdays 12–7 pm and Fridays/ Saturdays/Sundays 12–3 pm to adopt your new best friend, or to learn more about the OAS adoption process. Please see the OAS website to learn more about how you can help by adopting, fostering, volunteering, and donating: www.oaklandanimalservices.org

Halloween in the Castro

Castro Pre-Halloween Block Party & Costume Contests

Noe Street between Market and Beaver on Sunday, October 27, 2024, was filled with both youngsters and adults for the Castro Merchants Association’s Halloween Block Party and Contests. The event featured live entertainment, shopping, The Fun Zone kids’ activities, and prizes for all ages. In addition to traditional Halloween characters and symbols, the colorful gathering also incorporated Day of the Dead and Mexican heritage traditions. A giant skeleton crafted by artist Oscar Zamora Graves was the centerpiece of the event information and registration booth’s decorations.

Sister Roma served as emcee, as well as for the costume contests for kids, adults, and pets. Judges included the SF AIDS Foundation’s Dr. Tyler TerMeer, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, local merchant Terrance Alan, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, and CG Events’ Danimal Padilla. DJ Bugie provided beats.

Mayor London Breed, accompanied by State Senator Scott Wiener, spoke to the crowd and marveled along with all attending at the formidable teeth of the monster sea creature selected as one of the costume contest winners. As Sister Roma later wrote, expressing the sentiment of many: “So many great costumes, wonderful crowd, incredible vendors, and great jams.”

On Halloween Night 2024, just days after Vice President Kamala Harris’ birthday and less than a week before Election Day, “Midnight Magic” was recreated for Divas & Drinks guests at The Academy SF in the Castro. “Midnight Magic” was the answer Harris often gave when asked what her favorite pastime was. As it turns out, it was the name of a disco dance group that she formed with close friend Wanda Kagan and a few other women.

The Feline Finesse Dance Company under the direction of Coach Lilla Pittman recreated Midnight Magic with music by one of Harris’ local favorite spinners, DJ Lamont, who made his Divas & Drinks debut. Their skillful moves incorporated gymnastics, and their costumes evoked those of Harris, Kagan, and their fellow dancers back in the day. Watch for video of this soon at the San Francisco Bay Times website ( https://sfbaytimes.com/ )!

Also special for the evening was guest emcee, longtime Harris friend and supporter Commissioner Debra Walker. She came dressed in her feline best, and arrived at the event after spending long hours volunteering at the Democratic campaign headquarters in San Francisco. Just a few days later, she boarded a bus to Nevada, where she helped get out the vote with other dedicated volunteers.

Singer/songwriter Rachel Garlin, who often sells out shows at venues such as The Freight & Salvage in Berkeley and during tours nationwide, debuted a new song about Harris and performed an encore.

Joining Walker and Garlin on stage were members of the Dykes on Bikes, who helped judge five costume contests: sexiest, most original, scariest, the best “Childless Cat Lady,” and the best overall. Maya Moyra Selkie Scott, who uses a wheelchair and impressed everyone with her costume, great energy, and dance moves, was declared the overall winner.

DJ Lamont was presented by Olivia Travel. Thanks also go to the other event sponsors: The Academy SF, the San Francisco Federal Credit Union, and the Breakthru Beverage Group.

The event marked the last in the Divas & Drinks series for 2024, but you are invited to the San Francisco Bay Times annual holiday party with the Golden Gate Business Association at The Academy SF on Tuesday, December 10, 2024. Singer Jason Brock, a former X-Factor finalist, will be the emcee and performing with accompanist Ben Prince. Donna Sachet will also perform, and beats will be provided by DJ Rockaway. We hope to see you there! https://www.academy-sf.com/

Divas & Drinks @ The Academy SF: Midnight Magic

Kamala Harris’ ‘Midnight Magic’

Fisch

Fabulosa Books

Castro Tarts

Cliff’s Variety

Día de los Muertos 2024 in San Francisco

Widely observed in Mexico, the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is marked annually in San Francisco’s Mission District and adjacent neighborhoods including the Castro. Held on November 1 and November 2, the observance allows for remembrance of children and adults on separate days.

The San Francisco Bay Times team’s Juan Davila and Leticia Lopezz this year dressed in Day of the Dead themed outfits beyond the two days. They participated in pre- and post-Halloween events hosted by the Castro Merchants Association, appeared at the Healing Cuts Barber Shop on Market Street, and were part of Latinx heritage organization events in the Mission.

On November 2 from 6–9 pm, the 43rd Annual Día de los Muertos Procession was held in the Mission. It began at the corner of 22nd and Bryant streets with participants continuing on to 24th and Mission streets. The Azteca Dancers traditionally lead the way, with the observance organized by El Collectivo del Rescate Cultural de La Mission. Before the Procession, the Day of the Dead Festival of Altars was held at Potrero Del Sol Park, aka La Raza Park, at 25th Street and San Bruno Avenue.

San Francisco Transgender Film Festival Returns With Two Weeks of Powerful Films

Championing creative resistance to the current anti-transgender backlash everywhere, the world’s first and longest-running transgender film festival is set to return with more than 40 films from around the world. The 26th San Francisco Transgender Film Festival (SFTFF) will take place November 13–24, with a wide range of innovative films from trans and gender non-conforming directors. Founded in 1997 by Christopher Lee and Alex Austin, the SFTFF is the world’s longest-running film festival of its kind, and is celebrated for highlighting innovative, experimental, and outside-the-box films.

SFTFF 2024 will offer seven programs both in person and online, featuring a range of films across genres from documentaries and politics to animation, dance, music, romance, horror, and experimental films.

Programs 1–7 will be held at the historic Roxie Theater November 13–16. Then later, these same seven programs will be offered online, on-demand for free November 18–24. All in-person programs will be ASL-interpreted, and all films in-person and online will be captioned for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing audiences. All tickets are sliding scale $0–50.

The cultural backdrop for this year’s festival is the rabid and escalating right-wing attacks employing extreme discrimination and violence and intense political hatred against transgender people.

“Despite 2024 being the fifth consecutive record-breaking year of anti-trans bills to be introduced across the U.S., there has also been a burst of unmatched creativity and a spirit of resilience from nonbinary and transgender people— and this is reflected in this year’s films,” says Artistic Director Shawna Virago.

Since 1997, SFTFF has been a haven for trans and gender non-conforming filmmakers to assert their artistic brilliance. It has allowed trans communities to safely gather and watch films that challenge transphobic representation in film.

SFTFF’s Managing Director Eric Garcia says, “ This year’s programs are some of our most groundbreaking yet, and just beautiful. I think the films will really connect with audiences.”

In support of community safety, KN95 masks will be provided and required. The Roxie’s entrance, lobby, bathrooms, and audience seating are wheelchair accessible, and the Roxie has all-gender bathrooms. While SFTFF is not a scent-free event, SFTFF encourages in-person audiences to be mindful of avoiding perfumes and scented products.

Adds Virago, “There’s nothing like being able to bring people together in a theater to have a shared experience and enjoy community representation.”

Note: Program 7 is 18+.

Film Highlights of SFTFF 2024

Saturn Risin9

Directors: Tiare Ribeaux & Jody Stillwater

Queer performance artist and musician Saturn Risin9 returns home to the Bay Area to share their journey of perseverance centering self-discovery, healing, and creative expansion poetically told through documentary, dance, visual narrative, and performance.

TRANS ALCHEMY [ALQUIMIA TRANS]

Directed by Félix Endara States

This is a short documentary that delves into the unique experiences of trans masculine activists across Latin America. Through poignant narratives from individuals in Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Puerto Rico, the film offers a compelling testimony to the challenges and triumphs encountered by trans masculine individuals in the region.

Daisy: Prophet of the Apocalypse

Directed by Venus Patel

A film from Ireland, this work tells the story of a radical trans preacher who, upon meeting a queer goddess atop a mountain, sets on a journey to prophesy the end of the world, promising salvation only for those who denounce heterosexuality.

NEST

Directed by Willem Koller

This film, from New Zealand, features a reluctant who has a deeply shocking labor experience. When faced with her husband’s disgust, she must take drastic measures to reconcile with whom she has become. This is camp horror at its best!

all the words but the one

Directed by Nava Mau

In this rom-com, Maya has dinner with her partner’s new boss and the situation becomes precarious when she realizes she is also dining with someone from her past.

SKIN

Directed by Leo Behrens

A poetic exploration of identity and self-discovery, this film uses visual symbolism to depict a woman’s transformation into a man.

Monster Cookie

Directed by John e. Kilberg

In this anxious comedy, Frankie wants to pay their rent, go to work, and be a good roommate, but is hijacked by their love for weed.

2024 San Francisco Transgender Film Festival (SFTFF) November 13–24, 2024

Tix: $0+ sliding scale

Info/Tix: www.SFTFF.org

Daisy: Prophet of the Apocalypse

all the words but the one

Love More

Film

Gary M. Kramer

The vibrant trans narco musical, Emilia Pérez, out November 13 on Netflix, is an astonishing, operatic story of love, violence, and the power of women. Director Jacques Audiard’s film, which won Best Actress (ensemble cast) and a Jury Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, is a propulsive experience—one that viewers will appreciate for more than just its audaciousness.

Rita Moro Castro (Zöe Saldana), a lawyer in Mexico City, is first seen putting together a case about a couple whose love ends in death. Her success catches the eye of Manitas Del Monte (trans actress Karla Sofia Gascón in a dual role), a drug kingpin who kidnaps her and proposes she help him find a safe place to get a sex change—outside of

Emilia Pérez Is a Fabulous and Operatic Trans Musical

the United States and Mexico. “Ever since I was able to think, I’ve wanted it,” Mantias says, imploring Rita, “but the world I come from, it is very difficult.”

Rita starts exploring opportunities around the world, and a fabulous musical number features patients getting vaginoplasty and other operations spinning around on gurneys in a style that pays homage to Busby Berkeley. When Rita meets with an apprehensive Dr. Wasserman (Mark Ivanir), in Tel Aviv, she must convince him that changing Manitas’ body is a way of changing society. Manitas wants to “live the life that nature didn’t give him.”

Emilia Pérez handles its trans themes with sensitivity. When Manitas sings about wanting “another face, skin, and soul,” it is poignant and moving. And as Manitas realizes this dream to become Emilia Pérez, he whisks his wife Jessi (Selena Gomez) and their two kids off to Switzerland for safety. Manitas then “dies,” and is reborn, but only Rita knows the truth.

The film then jumps ahead four years, and Rita is living in London. She reconnects with Manitas, now Emilia, at a dinner

party and is pulled back into Emilia’s violent world. She wants Rita to keep her secret about transitioning and help Emilia get her wife and kids back. It’s a risky prospect, but posing as a cousin, Emilia reunites with Jessi and their children, all of whom are unaware of Manitas’ new identity.

But there are other secrets. Back in Mexico City, Jessi sings about being in a gilded prison with golden handcuffs and reveals that she is in love with Gustavo (Edgar Ramírez). As Emilia asks Jessi about her relationship with Manitas, she learns some uncomfortable truths about her past.

In addition, Emilia’s son sings about how much she smells like her father. These emotional moments pull at Emilia, who feels conflicted about her family. Emilia Pérez, however, also develops romantic feelings for someone new. When she becomes involved in the plight of the disappeared, and founds La Lucecita, an NGO designed to help women and families learn about their lost loved ones, she meets Epifanía Flores (Adriana Paz) and falls in love.

There is an interesting parallel, between Emilia and her family’s “before and after” with her sex change and the disappeared families learning the truth about their loved ones, and this is examined in a visually inventive song.

The music complements the action well throughout Emilia Pérez, allowing the characters to express their feelings—as Jessi does in her aria—and the film’s showstopping number has Rita singing and dancing at a benefit.

T here is also a visually arresting karaokelike sequence where Audiard uses split screens to showcase each character’s perspective as the drama comes to a head. After Rita finds Gustavo, a battle between Emilia and Jessi ensues. Emilia wants her children; Jessi wants money; and Rita is caught in the middle of their standoff as Emilia Pérez builds to its explosive finale.

The film is incredibly well made and captivating, but queer viewers may wish Emilia’s relationship with Epifanía had been more developed. Still, the performances, along with the film’s dynamic visuals and songs, are fantastic. Zöe Saldana is such a force of nature as Rita that the film sags when she is off screen, even as the tensions between Emilia and Jessi escalate. As the title character, Karla Sofia Gascón is also extraordinary, capturing Emilia’s strength and vulnerability. Watching Emilia express her love for her children, and bond with them, is quite powerful. Although Selena Gomez has a smaller role, and is the villain of the piece, she delivers a striking performance as a woman whose emotions swing wildly, from fear to love to power.

While it takes big swings, Emilia Pérez is just like its title character: unique, bold, and uncompromising. Audiard’s film is sensational in every regard.

Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” He teaches Short Attention Span Cinema at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute and is the moderator for Cinema Salon, a weekly film discussion group. Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

The San Francisco Bay Times was again proud to be a media sponsor for the Mill Valley Film Festival, which for 2024 was held on 10 consecutive nights. Members of our team especially enjoyed American Cats: The Good, the Bad & The Cuddly Check out the film’s trailer at https://rb.gy/krvcmr

My Favorite Movie Theatre and Two Must-See New Films

Off the Wahl

Jan Wahl

It is time for the good movies to come out. Hollywood waits until now. Two of my favorite films of the year have been released, but the deluge of delights usually happens later in the year. The belief is that Motion Picture Academy members will remember your film best if it was something relatively recent to the Oscars. To qualify for the Oscar, a film needs to come out by the end of 2024. So, the rush is on.

The two movies I loved were at my favorite theatre. With comfy living room

seating, easy parking, and imaginative food, Cinelounge Tiburon is a gift to all of us determined to see movies as they were meant to be seen.

Christian Meoli has taken this older theatre and turned it into a cinema paradiso. He started with a successful theatre in Los Angeles in 2012, and has since relocated his family up to the Bay Area. His charismatic business partner and wife, Camilla, has done the nostalgic interiors, from the pay phone to signage showing local stars and films.

The other room is traditional filmgoing but with ultra-comfortable chairs and lighting.”

“So many theatres now feel cold,” Christian told me for the San Francisco Bay Times “I wanted the love I feel for films to be reflected in this two-screen theatre. One room is for events, private parties, and screenings. We call it The Lagoon Room.

I was in The Lagoon Room for a memorial for a friend, actress Barbara Rush. We showed some of her film clips and even an episode of the classic TV series Batman! She played Nora Clavicle, a

women’s rights activist who took over Gotham City. How could we not play it?

The two films I have seen recently at the Cinelounge Tiburon are worth seeking out. Conclave is a mystery thriller that gives us insight into how a new Pope is selected. This is fiction, so Pope Francis does not need to clutch his pearls, but the serious and fast-paced storytelling will pull you right in. When Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events of selecting a new Pope, he finds himself in the center of a conspiracy. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, cardinals from all over the globe meet. Rivals, ambitions, and ego disguised as holiness—plus gorgeous cinematography—keep us connected.

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Leave Signs

I know no one wants to read about a meeting, but here goes! I’ve been on the committee that oversees the endowment of the James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center at the San Francisco Public Library since the new main library first opened in 1996. It was a magical feat to raise the funds for the beautiful reading room named for James C. Hormel, a philanthropist and the first openly gay U.S. ambassador, and to create a system for collecting and archiving the work and papers of Bay Area queer people. Donors gave in unprecedented amounts for a couple of reasons. First, for my generation, there was no place to find the words for who

Jewelle Gomez

Queerest Library Ever

you were and no one wanted to talk about it—at least no one your parents allowed you to talk to. So, we started looking in the library.

At the time, I was being raised Catholic. Each Sunday, I waited for the priest to deliver (between the gospel and parish announcements) the list of forbidden movies and books that came out periodically. My grandmother and I would immediately look

them up to see what it was that the Pope wanted us to miss. That’s how I found the 1961 film The Children’s Hour and read the gay subtext of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, which the 1958 film tried to pave over. Libraries therefore already had a space in queer people’s hearts as the place freedom starts.

The other aspect that made donations imperative is

that the names of those who were initial donors were to be listed on a permanent installation outside the Hormel Center— forever! For us, who frequented bars where the windows were all painted over or you had to enter through an alley, having public acknowledgement in a city building was a “get out of jail free” card!

At the Hormel Center, you can go to a screening about the lesbian feminist activist Sally Gearhart, to a half-day on Black Horror and Healing (January 19, 2025), and to literary readings of all stripes.

You can browse the papers of Ann Bannon and learn how she created the iconic Beebo Brinker novels. You can remember my favorite fairy, Tede Matthews, and peruse the Trannyshack collection, see photos from Robert Giard’s collection of author portraits, and read the short story that was the seed for my new novella.

Going to a meeting of the Endowment Committee is always a treat for me; through them I get to support our history and culture and ensure they are available to everyone. Despite

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Jewelle Gomez

Photos courtesy of Jewelle Gomez

Top of your stack

RECOMMENDATIONS

FROM

BOOK PASSAGE

The Heartbeat Library (fiction - hardcover) by Laura Imai Messina

The Heartbeat Library delves into healing, loss, and connection. On Japan’s Teshima Island, a library preserves the echoes of heartbeats from lives past and present. When grieving illustrator Shuichi meets young Kenta in Kamakura, their bond deepens, leading them to this unique library.

The Message (non-fiction - hardcover) by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates explores how the stories we tell— and those we don’t— shape our understanding of the world. Beginning in Dakar, Senegal, he examines the Afrocentric myths of his upbringing, navigates South Carolina’s complex historical narratives, and

confronts the conflicting realities in Palestine. Through three essays across continents, Coates challenges societal myths, urging us to confront difficult truths and embrace the liberating power of honest storytelling.

The Magnificent Ruins (fiction - hardcover) by Nayantara Roy

In this stunning debut, Indian American editor Lila De is on the brink of a career break-

through in New York when she inherits her family’s Kolkata estate—along with its long-buried secrets. Returning to India after sixteen years, she faces family resentment, rekindles an old romance, and grapples with a tangled past. As hidden truths emerge, culminating in a shocking

(continued on page 42)

American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era by Nico Lang

This is a timely look at trans, nonbinary, and gender-fluid kids across America. From defeat to triumph, and hate to love, this book reveals what it really looks like to grow up gender-nonconforming today.

How Does That Make You Feel, Magda Eklund? by Anna Montague Friendship leads you places. Life does not end at 70, and that might just be the right time to come out.

Angel by Elizabeth Taylor (no, not that Elizabeth Taylor) You can’t help but simultaneously laugh at and admire the way the protagonist bulldozes her way through life to get what she desires. This book deserves to be more well-known! https://www.fabulosabooks.com/

Truffle Hunting, Pasta Cooking Classes, And More: The Langhe Experience in Italy Is Delizioso Bay Times Dines

The Gay Gourmet

When people from the states think of visiting Italy, the definitive tour includes the big three: Venice, Florence, and Rome. Lesser known is the region south of Turin known as Langhe in Piemonte (Piedmont), but this soon-to-be-discovered gem has delights you’ll find nowhere else in Italy. Among them?

Truffle hunting with dogs, pasta cooking classes (where you learn how to make the region’s celebrated local dish, tajarin), culinary innovation, luxury hotels, sparkling wine caves that evoke an ancient

cathedral, hazelnuts, the famed Barolo red wines, and more.

The Gay Gourmet was lucky enough to visit Langhe, and in short, it’s a must-do experience, from the vineyard vistas to the 5-star accommodations, to the gastronomical creations, and, of course, the truffles.

Where to Stay

Our home base for our adventure was the five-star Casa di Langa , up in the hills in Cerretto, Langhe, in the Alta Langa region. Even though it’s only about a 30-minute drive, it feels like a world away from the nearest big city, Alba. It’s a modern, sustainable edifice painted dusty rose to look like an ancient Tuscan villa, and it’s surrounded by acres of lush gardens. The building looms large on a hill, but because it’s only 39 rooms, it feels like the exclusive boutique hotel that it is. It’s clearly a luxe experience that was a highlight of our trip. We’re told that it’s owned by an American entrepreneur; they have thought through every detail, with quality shining from start to finish. There’s the spare but contemporary Scandinavian-inspired design; the large suites with ample storage, huge walk-in showers, and private decks with awe-inspiring views; and a comforting full-service bar with an outdoor terrace. Case di Langa also houses the inventive gourmet restaurant Faula, helmed by its visionary chef. More on that later.

Another great option? Relais Villa d’Amelia in the town of Benevello.

Although we didn’t stay there, the welcoming General Manager Mauro Tezzo was kind enough to give us a tour of this expansive, 19th century restored farmhouse surrounding an interior courtyard and located amidst seven hectares of rolling hills. The property reminded me of the opulence and privacy that define the Beverly Hills Hotel. The bar is cozy and intimate, sporting wooden ceiling beams, with a fully-stocked liquor cabinet serviced by a knowledgeable bartender. The rooms range from well-appointed suites to standard rooms, all refurbished with modern amenities. The in-house restaurant, DaMa, unites a fusion of Asian and Indian influences with more traditional Italian recipes. The results? More on that later, too!

Both sumptuous properties, by the way, are quite affordable by San Francisco standards, with prices starting at 330–350 euros.

Where to Eat

The choices of where to eat are endless, but luckily, my pal Daniela Ferrero at the Langhe Experience Tours and Events was able to help guide me. Here are some of the highlights.

Let’s start with Faula (meaning “tale” in Italian) at Casa di Langa. I have to say, this was a pleasant surprise. Often, hotel restaurants simply don’t make the grade. This one surpassed it with flying colors. The tasting menu brought together flavors of Piemonte in new and different ways, and the visual feast was dazzling. Chef Daniel Zeilinga is a talent to watch. Among the highlights? A vegetarian “Flavors from the Garden” array of seasonal products grown organically right on the property (including the tastiest zucchini roll I may have ever had, as well as a carrot course that blew my mind); a white truffle menu with beef tartare, agnolotti, guinea fowl with local hazelnuts (yes, they grow in Langhe); and a yummy chestnut buckwheat and quince apple dessert. Service was spot-on, and the wine pairings gave us a peek into the many local varieties (Langhe Tres Plus, Tibaldi Bricco delle Passere, Gavi, Nebbiolo, and Barolo) that are tasty as well as in abundance in the area. This was a fivestar culinary experience.

Chef Michelangelo Mammoliti at La Rei Natura (in Serralunga d’Alba), who has two Michelin stars to his credit, might be the biggest gastronomical star in the region. This restaurant can hold its own with the best of the best in New York, San Francisco, Paris, London, and Mexico City. The difference with this restaurant is how the talented chef brings international influences to the fore, while still honoring Piemonte cuisine. The dining experience,

in a chic modern setting, starts by being escorted to a private lounge where a glass of champagne (and a water menu!) awaits. The waitstaff walks you through the dinner offerings, all while enjoying aperitivo (appetizer) bites that are an unexpected treat and a meal in and of themselves. Those “bites” included: a chickpea fritter, red pepper naan taco, tuna and squid ink Oreo-like sandwich, prawn and smoked avocado tart, eggplant arancini, and bell pepper ice cream with crumbles.

You are then escorted to another dining room for the main event. To begin, we ordered a local Gavi dry white wine, which paired well with everything that followed. The amuse-bouche was a carrot starter with a carrot and cumin sandwich and carrot soup. Standouts on the menu included a beetroot cooked with papillon pasta, accompanied by plant-based milk spiked with a bit of spice. The homemade focaccia (with cinnamon and tonka bean, of all things!) and modern caper

David Landis

(L–R) David Landis, Carlo Marenda, and Sean Dowdall with Buk the truffle-hunting dog in Langhe, Italy

Contratto, the king of sparkling wines in Langhe

Agnolotti del plin with truffles at Faula Restaurant in Langhe

Chickpea fritters at La Rei Natura, Langhe

Photos courtesy of David Landis

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Bay Times Dines

papadum were served with a variety of Italian olive oils, which we could compare and contrast. Another delicious offering? Falafel ravioli (who knew?) with basil, flowers, and yogurt reduction. The sweet corn miso quail cooked Mexican-style in tamales, with corn risotto and epazote-flavored jus, was dynamite, as well as the pike sautéed and served in a lemongrass green sauce (grown in the restaurant’s own garden).

But the big winner was a dish the chef sent out since it’s a mainstay of his: a spaghetti that, believe it or not, has a hint of American barbecue, is cooked with prosciutto reduction extract and is topped with black sprinkles. For those with extra time, diners are walked to a third dining room for dessert (although we elected to stay where we were). A deconstructed cannoli and a light, linden crème brûlée were the perfect end to a phenomenal meal and an elevated experience. Bravo!

Guido Peradotto at Ristorante DaMa at Villa d’Amelia is another rockstar chef to watch. Here, Indian, Japanese, and other international influences converge to create a modern Piemonte-style menu that tingles the tastebuds. An amusebouche with barley, mushroom, and pecorino foam tantalized to whet our appetites. The mica bread (baked in a clay pot) and focaccia arrived with a nori (seaweed) butter, an unusual but tasty Asian touch.

it was rich and savory, but a little heavy on the salt.

For the mains, my hubby decided on the duck in filo dough with sweet potato and raspberry vinegar: an unlikely combination, but definitely a winner. And for me? Cauliflower cooked several ways, all delicious, including: cauliflower paper thin chips, cauliflower steamed perfectly, cauliflower leaf mousse, and burnt cauliflower mousse (how do these talented folks dream up these unusual dishes?).

The desserts again displayed the chef’s creative prowess: Szechuan pepper Bavarian gelatin with lemongrass, peanuts, and black garlic (kind of a take on

your Mom’s Bavarian jello); madeleines with citrus; chocolate tart with fig; and a chocolate covered bonbon with lime and basil. The verdict? We can’t wait to return!

Next, we ordered a local Roero Arneis white wine, which paired nicely with all our courses. For our appetizer, we shared a traditional dish, vitello tonnato (cold veal in tuna sauce). Getting it right is a true test for any Italian restaurant worth its salt. This veal was tender, thinly sliced, melted in the mouth, and was topped with a welcome fresh green salad. For the following course, we sampled the guinea fowl ravioli with a parmesan cheese fondue in a Japanese dashi broth. Kudos to the chef for trying something new that combined East and West:

Another charming restaurant we visited for lunch is Ristorante Civico15 in Canelli. With an intimate cave-like but artsy interior space and an inviting outdoor terrace in a small village, this restaurant cooks with aplomb. For our wine selection, we again chose the Roero Arneis white wine, since it’s local and crisp as well as dry. The starter was a local hazelnut “granola” bar with butter and another local favorite, anchovy. Our appetizer was a swordfish carpaccio that was thin and tender, accompanied by fig and onion. We chose the local

(continued on page 38)

The modern interiors at La Rei Natura, Langhe

(L-R) David Landis, Chef Guido Peradotto, and Sean Dowdall at DaMa restaurant in Langhe

Bay Times Dines

tajarin pasta for our main. It’s a thin local tagliatelle, cooked simply with butter and shaved white truffles, a good choice since it was the beginning of truffle season in October. This might be my favorite dish in Piemonte: simple, satisfying, and surprising with that touch of truffle.

What to Do

Truffle Hunting With Dogs

At the top of the list, if you’re in season, is to sign up for one of the many truffle

hunting expeditions with dogs that permeate the area. The documentary film The Truffle Hunters, all about the professional Italian hunters and their bonds with their dogs, will make you yearn to try your hand at this unusual but fun activity. In fact, our guide and truffle hunter, Carlo Marenda from the organization Save The Truffle, was featured in the film. He educated us when we visited about the timing of truffle seasons: black truffles have a winter and summer season, and white truffle harvesting begins in the fall. He also gave us an overview on how to truffle hunt, why the ecosystem must be

maintained, and more importantly, how the dogs learn to hunt for truffles (they start early and truffles are mixed in with their food). The tour consists of a gentle hike through the verdant and scenic woods. Our truffle dog, Buk, is an adorable Spinoni Italiano pooch. He’s so talented that he could smell truffles from what seemed like a kilometer away and perhaps a foot below the surface. When the dog finds the spot and starts to dig, Carlo tells him to stop so he can gently remove the truffle without harming the roots, the dirt, or the leaves surrounding it. We had a successful hunt, capturing two white truffles and one black truffle that day!

Wine Tasting

Of course, Langhe is known as the home to Barolo and Barbaresco wines, but surprisingly, it’s also home to one of the most respected sparkling wine producers in Italy, Contratto Winery in Canelli. An historic UNESCO site, this winery has caves that evoke the mystery and spectacle of an ancient cathedral. Our guide Giulia was a font of knowledge about how these sparkling wines are created (which is a much lengthier process than I ever knew). The tour ends with a leisurely tasting of many different sparkling varieties at a sit-down table (with Frette linens, no less), accompanied by Italian breadsticks, local hazelnuts, salamis, and cheeses. It’s an elegant repast!

Back to Barolos, the popular Cordero di Montezemolo winery is a must. Set in the rolling hills of La Morra, this destination has delicate and dry Arneis white wines, but the stars are the red Barolo, Nebbiolo, and Barbera wines. Rich and robust, these wines pack a punch without dominating the tastebuds. Our delightful tour guide, Valerio Dogliotti (who calls himself the “Italian Trotter”), taught us about the harvesting of the grapes and their fermentation. But, best of all, he had us sample some of these spectacular local wines at a sit-down tasting in a modern, glass-enclosed tasting room overlooking the picturesque vineyards.

Pasta Cooking Class

No trip to Italy would be complete without learning how to cook like a local. So, last but not least, we had a private pasta cooking class with the marvelous chef Elena Currado at Ca Del Re in Verduno, an off-the-beat upscale restaurant with its own private kitchen. The dynamic proprietor Giovanna Bianco oversees the operation, which also includes a lovely bed and breakfast hotel, as well as a line of excellent wines, Castello di Verduno. We learned how to make three types of pasta from scratch (tajarin with shaved white truffles, gnocchi, and ravioli del plin). Then, we had the pleasure of eating

the “fruits” of our two-hour labor, at a lunch accompanied by the establishment’s own wines. Fantastico!

So, dear readers, do add Langhe to your list of upcoming travel destinations. It’s still not overrun with tourists, delivers first-rate food, and embraces the soul of the authentic Italy.

Bits and Bites

Open Table reminded me that the fall version of San Francisco Restaurant Week is just around the corner, November 8–17. Prix-fixe menus from local restaurants start at just $10. And you can easily book online on Open Table. What a deal!

Casa di Langa and Faula Restaurant: www.casadilanga.com/

Relais Villa d’Amelia and Ristorante DaMa: www.villadamelia.com/

La Rei Natura: ww w.ilboscaretoresor t.it/en/la-rei-natura/ Ristorante Civico15: https://ristorantecivico15.it/ Save The Truffle: www.savethetruffle.com/en/ Contratto Winery: https://www.contratto.it/en/ Cordero di Montezemolo Winery: www.corderodimontezemolo.com/ Elena Currado on Instagram: @elena_ilgdc

Ca ‘del Re: www.agriturismocadelre.it/ Castello di Verduno: www.cantinecastellodiverduno.it/ SF Restaurant Week: www.sfrestaurantweek.com/ Open Table: www.opentable.com Langhe Experience: www.langhe-experience.it/

David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a retired PR maven. Follow him on Instagram @GayGourmetSF or email him at: davidlandissf@gmail.com Or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com

Tour guide Valerio Dogliotti explained what makes Cordero wines from Langhe so special

Ristorante Civico15 in Langhe

(L-R) Chef Elena Currado and David Landis at a pasta cooking class at Ca Del Re, Langhe

PHOTO BY SEAN DOWDELL

Bay Times Dines

Post-Election: Finding Calm in a Glass

Cocktails With Dina

At press time, there is uncertainty about the election results in the air—a sense of nervousness about how the results might land. After the whirlwind of election season, the people of the United States are going to be in need of some serious relaxation, whether it’s to celebrate a future that excites us, or to drown our sorrows in the bottom of a glass.

I recently went to The Red Tail bar, where I spoke with owner and bartender Conner. We got inspired to build a fizzy spritz to de-stress (or manage our distress). We combed through our emotions and anxiety surrounding this historic presidential contest, between an elderly, tangerine-colored man obsessed with vengeance, and a Bay Area native who would bring so many firsts to the Oval Office. We felt bitter, sour, elated, bubbly, fresh, and countless other emotions. Then, through many iterations, we came up with this celebratory toast:

Her Cide-r

3 oz still Rosé (we chose Campuget Tradition Rosé)

3 oz Blood Orange Sincere Cider (because there was blood this election season)

and a few splashes of Underberg (the Bitter we all experienced and are hoping we can put under us)

We wanted a drink that was cathartic. It symbolizes the win for the candidate we support, and a release of the anxiety of these past months. This drink was smooth, slightly bubbly, fresh, and crisp, and with the splash of Underberg (meaning under the

mountain hill) to symbolize the hope that we are emerging from this troubling era in American history.

However, it would be remiss of us if we didn’t provide a drink for the other potential outcome. Wes and Ben, the other two owners of Red Tail, spoke about their memories of 2016, and the overwhelming feeling of bitterness and disappointment. We reflected on that moment, and how America has changed in the 8 years since. Halfway through our glass, it clicked to Wes and Ben that we needed dry bitters and to make the drink cold to evoke those memories. It turned out to be a riff on a spritz that is dry, herbaceous, and bitter

Liberal Tears

2 oz Lofi Dry Vermouth

3 oz Dry Sparkling Brut (we prefer Pol Clement)

a splash of Underberg

Pour over ice ... dilution will happen with your tears.

Lastly, I came up with a drink in case there is an uncertain outcome, and our anxiety continues. With an election this close, there’s the potential it could take some time to know the next occupant of White House. This is a twist on the classic gin and tonic, with the addition of chamomile tea to give it a floral flavor and calming effect. Chamomile is known for promoting relaxation and sleep,

Uncertain-Tea Gin & Tonic

1 oz gin (we chose Farmers Organic Gin)

1/2 oz chamomile tea (steeped and cooled)

tonic water (we always choose Fentimans Tonic)

lemon twist and chamomile flowers for garnish

However you choose to celebrate, de-stress, and lament, let us toast to our great city and country, with an eye towards a fresh path forward that allows us to feel effervescent about the future.

San Francisco-based Dina Novarr enjoys sharing her passion for fine wines, spirits, non-alcoholic craft beverages, and more with others.

Conner Frederick

This Month at the Farmers’ Market

Unraveling the Confusion – Sweet Potatoes Versus Yams

By Debra Morris

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, you’re probably thinking about picking up some delicious sweet potatoes, and there’s no better place to find the best than at your local farmers’ market. But did you know that yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing?

You’re unlikely to find a true yam at your farmers’ market, grocery store, or restaurant. Although the terms “yam” and “sweet potato” are often used interchangeably, they come from different plant species. Sweet potatoes are native to the Americas, while yams originate from Africa.

There is incredible diversity in sweet potatoes; you can find varieties with snow-white, purple, or the familiar bright orange flesh. In contrast, a real yam is starchy and dry, with a bark-like brown skin. Its flesh can be off-white, purple, or red, and true yams are rarely found in the U.S.

Why the confusion between the two names? In the 1930s, a new variety of sweet potato was cultivated, and to distinguish it from the existing varieties— smaller, drier, and with white or yellowish flesh—growers began calling this new type a “yam.” This term is rooted in the West African words nyam, nyami, or enyame, that mean “to eat.” Enslaved African communities were the first to use “yam” to refer to sweet potatoes, as the new variety reminded them of the yams they had eaten in Africa. Today, USDA regulations require that products labeled as “yams” also include the term “sweet potatoes,” reflecting the fact that they are technically and biologically not yams at all. There are a few varieties you’re most likely to come across at the farmers’ market.

Beauregard: This is a copper-skinned potato that is the most versatile of the three sweet potato varieties. When cooked, the flesh of the Beauregard retains its vivid orange color, making

it ideal for baking, steaming, roasting and casseroles, and its delicate sweet taste blends with herbs and spices.

Diane, Red Garnet, Jewel: These varieties, with their moist orange flesh, are often called “yams,” but they are actually members of the sweet potato family. The Garnet and Diane are easily identified by their deep red or purple jacket. They are a good choice for pies, breads, and any recipe that calls for mashed or grated sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Fries

• 2 pounds of sweet potatoes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon 5 spice

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Golden Sweet: The Golden Sweet, with its cream-colored skin and yellow, somewhat dry, mealy flesh, is always labeled “sweet potato.”

Debra Morris is a spokesperson for the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association. For more information and recipes: https://www.pcfma.org/

51st Annual Village Halloween Parade in New York

Fernando Camino of SuperFriends NYC, who is also a correspondent for the San Francisco Bay Times, reported that the Bay Times rainbow flag was seen in Greenwich Village during the annual parade there held on October 31, 2024.

The parade included a large flashmob performance of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” walking skeletons, lighted pumpkins, and numerous other contingents of costumed celebrants out for an evening parade that is now more than fifty years old.

This year’s parade also featured live performances by the award-winning The Queer Big Apple Corps, The Demolition Brass Band, and more.

Hear the sounds and feel the energy in the livecast from SuperFriends NYC: https://bit.ly/40wvG5V

Watch the “Thriller” flashmob at the 51st Annual Village Halloween Parade: https://bit.ly/4hP34eH

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the sweet potatoes into sticks 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long, and toss them with the oil. Mix the spices, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, and toss them with the sweet potatoes. Spread wedges out on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until brown and crisp on the bottom, about 15 minutes, then flip and cook until the other side is crisp, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Fernando Camino

JEWELLE GOMEZ

(continued from pg 32)

the significance of the internet, the library is still a portal to a world that some might never have the opportunity to visit. Connecting with other people both on the page and in person is what makes the biggest difference.

We are facing a crisis now because so many conservatives have decided they can restrict what reading material citizens have access to in our libraries. As we know, censorship usually starts with queer books and ideas. Librarians have had to become sentinels guarding our right to read whatever we choose.

Queers no longer have to meet behind closed curtains or hide our faces going out

JAN WAHL (continued from pg 30)

The acting showcased in Conclave will be up for Oscars this year, including that of Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini, and John Lithgow. The writing somehow gives us a sense of fun as well as an interpretation of a crises of faith. Oscar winner Edward Berger ( All Quiet on the Western Front) gives us this bold adaptation of deep secrets and treachery. The flair for grandiosity reminded me of a Dan Brown novel, and the entire film is visually stunning. This one is big screen only please!

I grew up with a literate, passionate mother who loved to tell me true tales of Eleanor Roosevelt, Adlai Stevenson, Jack London, and Cole Porter. She saved a special dark place for the hearings in the fifties of the House of Unamerican Activities and the lawyer who ran much of it behind the scenes, Roy Cohn.

I remembered seeing the terrific Baz Luhrmann film Elvis a few years ago and thought, “Finally, someone got what I know is true about Colonial Tom Parker.” I had that same relief after The Apprentice —at last, an honest depiction of powerful lawyer

BOOK PASSAGE (continued from pg 34)

act of violence, Lila must finally confront her legacy. This is a Book Passage First Edition pick for November.

Upcoming Events

Sunday, November 10 @ 1 pm (non-ticketed - Corte Madera store) Syren Nagakyrie, author of The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California

The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California provides accessible outdoor options from Monterey to the Oregon border, featuring drive-up viewpoints, wheelchair-accessible paths, and a range of foot trails for disabled hikers.

Saturday, November 16 @ 4 pm (non- ticketed - Corte Madera store) Chris Rainier and Terry Garcia, authors of The Future of Exploration: Discovering the Uncharted Frontiers of Science, Technology, and Human Potential

The Future of Exploration invites readers on a journey with the world’s most renowned explorers, including Jane Goodall and Sylvia Earle, as they share personal stories,

to bars. But there are still many who wish we’d go back to the old days. Going to a meeting might not be the most exciting thing when you first think about it, but it helps us protect what is precious from those who would burn it. As Doctor Who said, “We’re in a library! Books! The best weapons in the world ... arm yourselves!”

Jewelle Gomez is a lesbian/feminist activist, novelist, poet, and playwright. She’s written for “The Advocate,” “Ms. Magazine,” “Black Scholar,” “The San Francisco Chronicle,” “The New York Times,” and “The Village Voice.” Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @VampyreVamp

Roy Cohn. Donald Trump’s early career in real estate opens us to the world of 1970s and 1980s Manhattan. Young Donald is eager to make his name and comes under the spell of the cutthroat attorney. Cohn sees in Trump the perfect protégé: raw ambition, hunger for success, and a total willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

Directed by Ali Abbasi and written by Gabriel Sherman, The Apprentice moves quickly and had the theatre audience applauding when it ended. The film will upset many, but an open mind will lead to understand a mindset that we live with and its origins. Trump has put out a lawsuit to stop this film, so you might have to look for it streaming. No matter how you find this film—note that it has graphic sexuality and language—it is interesting and relevant.

Jan Wahl is a Hollywood historian and film critic on various broadcast outlets. She has two Emmys and many awards for her longtime work on behalf of film buffs and the LGBTQ community. Contact her at www.janwahl.com

motivations, and visions for the future of discovery. With breathtaking photography, this book by National Geographic’s Terry Garcia and Chris Rainier captures the relentless spirit of exploration across land, sea, and space, showcasing the technology and dedication that make it all possible—and inspiring everyone to embrace the unknown.

Sunday, November 17 @ 2 pm

(non-ticketed - SF Ferry Building store) Allison Raskin, author of I Do (I Think): Conversations About Modern Marriage

I Do (I Think) by Allison Raskin is a witty and insightful exploration of marriage in today’s world, examining how Gen Z and Millennials can navigate the evolving landscape of love, commitment, and social expectations. With humor and compassion, Raskin draws on research, expert interviews, and pop culture to help a new generation understand marriage’s modern role and decide if it’s right for them.

https://www.bookpassage.com/

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

By Sister Dana Van Iquity

Sister Dana sez, “How do you honor NATIVE AMERICAN MONTH?

Acknowledge what Native land your office (or home) is on. First things first—do you KNOW what Indigenous lands you’re living and working on?”

President Joe Biden issued on October 29, 2021, a proclamation designating November 2021 as “National Native American Heritage Month.” Every year on November 1, NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH is celebrated to honor the remarkable Native Americans who have contributed a lot to improve the character of the nation. This month is also referred to as the American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. This year’s theme is “Recognizing 100 Years of Citizenship and the Fight for the Right to Vote: 1924–2024.” During Native American Heritage Month, it is important not just to celebrate the legacy that Indigenous history makers have left, but also to celebrate those who continue to shape our society, lead their communities, and impact our culture today.

Sister Dana sez, “For Native Americans, the fight for sovereignty isn’t just about self-governance— it includes the fight for water, land, education, employment, cultural preservation, and health care!”

On October 25 at Laveen Village, AZ, reservation, President Biden made an official apology “long overdue” for 150 years of the horribly abusive Native American Indian boarding school system and the systemic separation of Native American families from their children, where they were often physically and emotionally abused. This terrible practice did not end until 1970. Biden added, “I’m proud that our administration has created 200,000 Native American jobs.”

Since we Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (SPI) and the Bears of San Francisco (BOSF) had produced the 4TH ANNUAL BEARRISON STREET FAIR on Saturday, October 19, it was only proper that THIS LAME NUN attend—if only on a wheeled walker with attached seat. I enjoyed all the burly amusement, including the fan-favorite wrestling stage and the buns-out dead-lift competition. Not to mention watching, but not participating (obviously), in the Bouncing Booties

Twerk-Off Contest. I loved the stage with everything from live entertainment to the Drag Contest to the Mustache and Beard Contest. Although I did not enter the Beard Contest—even though I had not sh aved since my awful fall and ankle-mangle on August 12 forcing an admittance to Davies ER; so, after all those months, my looong beard became quite poetic: it was a Longfellow! Har. But summing up: Bearrison was a blast, baby!!! https://www.bearrison.org/

Hosted by Honey Mahogany and Sister Roma , REUNION was an opportunity to gather to celebrate our vast queer past, honor the history makers who move our communities forward, and raise funds to keep LGBTQ history alive! Traditionally held in October to coincide with LGBTQ History Month, “Reunion” is the GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY ’s annual Gala. This year’s event included a reception, awards presentations, a buffet dinner, silent auction, and the opportunity to connect with a wide range of LGBTQ history supporters. It was held at Marines’ Memorial Club and Hotel on October 19. Honey and Roma kept the party going with humor and announcing important bios of guests. This dynamic duo brought to the stage the amazing coloratura soprano gloriousness of Brianna Sinclairé singing classic opera as well as an awesome version of “Summertime” from Gershwin’s 1934 aria to Porgy & Bess. Luscious! Mayor London Breed spoke of the September 2024 announcement of the new site of GLBT Museum’s permanent home in the Castro, where they are entering the next chapter for their mission and work. The unanimous SF BOARD OF SUPERVISORS later signed off on the deal on October 29. The GLBT HS will need to raise additional funds to cover the cost of construction and renovation, and they intend to own the site in the future.

“History Maker Award Presentations” were presented by GLBT HS Board Chair Ben Chavez Gilliam to THE STUD bar, accepted by The Stud’s own Rachel Ryan ; and by GLBT HS Board Member Ani Rivera to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, and Tony-nominated Theatrical Producer Jose Antonio Vargas. Inspirational keynote remarks were made by GLBT HS Executive Director Roberto Ordeñana. Entertainment was provided by the gorgeous Persia.

Sister Dana sez, “Be still, my heart! CHER has been inducted into the new ‘Legends’ category of the ‘Hall of Rock ’n Roll Hall of Fame’! Cher is the ONLY one to have a ‘Billboard Number One’ in each of the last seven decades! Brava, Cher, mon cher!”

“To keep it simple for the State of Florida: it’s the First Amendment, stupid.” That’s what a federal judge wrote recently as he ordered the state of Florida to stop threatening TV stations with criminal charges if they run ads for their amendment to restore and protect abortion rights in Florida. For months, Gov. Ron DuhSantis has deployed

state agencies, police, and millions of dollars of taxpayer money to try to prevent voters from overturning Florida’s extreme, 6-week abortion ban. This judge’s decision was a real victory. Sister Dana sez, “Hey, Ron baby. Do say GAY; Do say ABORTION; Do say BOOKS not bans; and I Do say you are a douche for not sayin’!”

I just saw what could have been one of those awful red MAGA caps, but this was a red cap with the best ever reinterpretation of MAGA stitched on to boldly state: “ M ake the A -hole G o Away!” And I also spotted

a very clever pro-Harris placard: “IT’S ABOUT MA DAM TIME!”

One good thing about the Election Madness being over is that I will NOT be receiving over 250 new emails every damn day asking for donations. Gee, you donate one lousy time—and you’re stuck on their sucker list forever!

October 20 was Vice President Kamala Harris’ birthday, and I was thinking on that very day—wouldn’t it be a lovely birthday present to her as the Presidency and a

(continued on page 44)

Columnists Joanie Juster and Sister Dana represented the San Francisco Bay Times at the GLBT Historical Society’s “Reunion” Gala held at the Marines’ Memorial Club on Saturday, October 19.

SISTER DANA (continued from pg 43)

gorgeous, big Blue Wave throughout the U.S. Congress?!

And is Trump crazy? That’s a rhetorical question. Of course he is. After answering only 5 questions at his Oaks, PA, rally, he cued his sound man to play 38 minutes of recorded music ranging from “Ave Maria” to “YMCA” while swaying and dancing clumsily and idiotically on stage. Dozens of musicians, record labels, and estates have called on Trump to stop playing their songs at campaign events. Many have even sent formal cease and desist letters. And yet, the campaign refuses to quit making playlists full of music and artists who have publicly denounced him. And does Trump realize that “YMCA” is a GAY ANTHEM?

At his Latrobe, PA, rally, Trump went vulgar, shouting, “KaMAla Harris, you’re a (expletive) vice president!” and then got all turned on about deceased golf legend Arnold Palmer and his penis size being “all man” in the showers! Ew. In Erie, PA, he violently spoke of dealing with shoplifters by “having one rough hour” to deal with them. On Fox-TV news he raged about “the people from within” as “very bad people, sick people, radical left lunatics” who can be easily handled by calling out “the National Guard and the Military” to rough them up! He accused the most revered ever House Speaker by saying, “Nancy Pelosi is an enemy from within!” Speaking at the Unavision-TV meeting, he spoke to an aghast audience of Latinx voters by

claiming the deadly January 6 insurrection and riots were “a day of love and peace” where “Ashli Babbitt was killed, nobody was killed, there were no guns, nothing done wrong.” But thank God former Trump associates like his Chief of Staff and MANY Military Generals are calling him a “FASCIST! ”

On October 24 in Tempe, AZ, immigrant-hating Trump told his crowd, “The U.S. is like a garbage can for the world.” Sister Dana sez, “So THIS is the wannabe President of America— calling us trash?!”

And in continuing to cast doubt without any evidence about Harris’ early employment during college at McDonald’s, small-minded Trump showed up to work for almost an entire 15 minutes at a specially-closed McDonald’s site to pre-selected customers to prove— well, I don’t really know WHY he did this. Sister Dana sez, “At least Trump has a career to fall back on when politics and business mogul fail him. Hey Donnie, practice saying this phrase over and over after you fail in everything else, ‘You want fries with that?’”

AIDS LEGAL REFERRAL PANEL (ALRP)’s 41ST ANNIVERSARY ANNUAL RECEPTION was held on October 24 at The Grand, 520 4th Street— the old Trocadero. Marga Gomez (a nationally touring openly lesbian comic since before Ellen DeGeneres came out

Take Me Home With You!

Brindle Lovers, Meet Tiger!

Tiger, a 1-year-old Shepherd mix with a stunning brindle coat, is searching for a patient and understanding home. Although he can be a little shy at first, Tiger is a gentle soul who just needs a bit of time to trust new people. Once he feels safe, his true personality shines, and he becomes a sweet, affectionate companion who loves nothing more than pets and cuddles. As a young dog, he’ll thrive with continued positive reinforcement training, and staff and volunteers describe him as a polite and well-mannered gentleman.

If you’re looking for a loyal friend, come meet Tiger at the adoption center!

Try Before You Commit!

Not quite ready for a full commitment? You can take advantage of our Foster-to-Adopt program! Bring Tiger home for a one-week trial to see if he’s the perfect fit. If it’s not the right match, you can return him with no obligations.

Stop by the Mission Campus, open Wednesday to Sunday, 11 am – 6 pm, and Tuesday, 1 pm – 6 pm (closed Mondays), or email us at adoptions@sfspca.org. Tiger could be the companion you’ve been waiting for!

of the closet) was special guest host. She was hilarious! ALRP Executive Director Matt Foreman inspired us with the past, present, and future of ALRP. He noted the evening’s theme was “rights, resilience, and revelry.” Former Mayor and Speaker of the Assembly Willie Brown presented Representative Barbara Lee with the “Clint Hockenberry Leadership Award.” A social worker by profession and a principled advocate for justice, Congresswoman Lee was first elected in 1998 to represent California’s 9th Congressional District. She was honored for her lifelong dedication to achieving an AIDS-free generation, including authoring or coauthoring every major piece of Federal HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ rights legislation since she was elected.

Bruce Vilanch, two-time Emmy Award winner, was honored with the “Bill Hirsch Leadership Award” for his extraordinary record of volunteering his voice, time, and talent in support of organizations serving people living with HIV/AIDS and the LGBTQ community, and for unflinchingly and hilariously challenging and lampooning homophobia and political extremism. He always makes me laugh, and certainly did not disappoint that night!

Michael Rooney, who joined ALRP as a Panel Attorney in 2007 and has accepted 36 referrals since that time, was honored as “Attorney of the Year.” Often going above and beyond to support clients on multiple matters, in 2023, he contributed over 200 hours of pro bono time to ALRP, including work on two affirmative housing cases for ALRP clients. Congratulations!

It is with great pride and pleasure that SAN FRANCISCO OPERA GUILD announces the 11th Annual Celebration of AN EVENING ON THE STAGE on November 18, 6 pm, War Memorial Opera House. The Guild invites you to this elegant and celebratory evening honoring The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Emerita of the U.S. House of Representatives and Mr. Paul Pelosi for their long-standing support of opera and music education in our community. Enjoy dinner and live opera. https://www.sfopera.com/stage

Works of HeART was a fun fundraising art reception for MAITRI at 2358MKT gallery on October 26 featuring over 100 pieces. I especially enjoyed the tasteful nude male figures on canvas by Serge Gay and the erotic but humorous “still art” by Humberto Moldonado https://www.maitrisf.org/

The world premiere of THE NANNY LIVE at SF OASIS starts November 7! Imagine the kooky folx in the TV classic sit-com with mostly drag actors: “Oh, Mr. Sheffield!” Runs November 7–30, 298 Eleventh Street. I’ll write more in next issue. https://www.sfoasis.com/

It was horrifying that, on October 27, when our beloved, proudly gay Senator Scott Wiener held his yearly, fun and fun-loving “PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST ” in Noe Valley—it was appropriated by a rally of dozens of anti-trans “persons” with cowardly hidden faces donning giant, scary Raptor dinosaur costumes who harassed the children and spewed anti-trans lies. The group calls itself “Detransitioners.” Sister Dana sez, “I can only hope this bunch of backwards-thinking dinosaurs dies out like their dim-witted, prehistoric predecessors!

V.P. Harris, on October 29 at the Washington D.C., Ellipse (actual site where the January 6 riot occurred), gave her closing argument in front of 75,000 enthusiastic attendees to state quite plainly that Trump has shown us who he is—and that is not who we are! Allow me to quote deadly dangerous murderous Trump at his October 31 Arizona rally regarding heroic Harris surrogate, former Congresswoman Liz Cheney: “Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her!” Whaaat?! The ex-president is calling for ASSASSINATION!!!

Sister Dana sez, “Now that the Electoral College has shut its ‘hallowed’ doors, the only polls we are left to watch are stripper poles!”

As we go to press, and the Big Election is over without my knowing the results yet, please choose below the proper current emotional reaction:

A. Glory! Hallelujah! It’s a Great Day! Harris/Walz has won! Democracy lives on! Abortion rights will be restored! Equal rights for ALL! The economy will rise, and inflation will fall!

B. Hell, Damn, Spit! It’s Doomsday! T-rump and Juvenile Delinquent Vance have cheated, and it’s become an all-out Autocracy! Get ready to be locked up or deported! Tariff us into the Poorhouse. Usher in the dreaded “Project 2025.” We’re all gonna die!!!

Rink Remembers

Jerry “The Faerie” Berbiar Organizers Joey Cain and Stuart Siegel welcomed a large gathering of friends, attending both in person and online, to a celebration of life of Jerry “The Faerie” Berbiar at the San Francisco Columbarium on October 31, 2024. Photographer Rink attended representing the San Francisco Bay Times.

Photos by Rink

Sitting together in a Faerie Circle in the Columbarium’s ornate rotunda, participants viewed a slide show about Berbiar’s extraordinary life, including as a dedicated LGBTQ activist and member of the Radical Fairie community. They also joined hands and shared fond memories of their deeply missed friend who was much beloved.

The celebration of life, entitled “Flight of Faeries: A Jerry the Faerie Halloween Celebration and Remembrance,” called for attendees to wear “faerie drag, colorful attire, and costumes.” Berbiar’s legacy lives on, including in the Radical Faerie movement. As he said when the book The Fire in Moonlight: Stories from the Radical Fairies (White Crane Books) was published: “We need queers who have radical askance alternative viewpoints to dominant cultural mores. May the Radical Faerie movement continue to play its role in providing a cauldron of change so needed in this ignorant and repressive world.”

Roberto Carlos Arriaga

A beautiful altar dedicated to Roberto Carlos Arriaga (1991–2024) was erected at the 18th and Castro memorial space. Strewn with bright sunflowers surrounded by lit candles, the altar was the site of a vigil that was captured, in part, on video ( https://bit.ly/3YUxraX ). Friends described Arriaga as a “kind and gentle soul” who will be greatly missed.

A longtime leader of the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club and a former aide to Hon. Mark Leno, Nathan Purkiss (1967–2024) was widely known in the LGBTQ+ community for his capable service, grasp of political policies, and intellect.

A graduate of New York University, Purkiss earned a master’s degree from San Francisco State University in history with a concentration in gender studies.

Members of the San Francisco Bay Times team admired his community relations skills as well, having worked with Purkiss during his tenure on staff in Leno’s offices both in San Francisco and Sacramento.

http://sfbaytimes.com/

featured

and sturdy enough for use all year

https://cliffsvariety.com/

Nathan Purkiss

Terrie Frye, Jerry Berbiar, David Smith, Chuck Bierwirth, and John Daniel at Berbiar’s 60th birthday party

Joey Cain led a circle of friends in sharing memories of Jerry Berbiar at the San Francisco Columbarium on Thursday, October 31.

LVL Vegan Leather Line