San Francisco Bay Times - January 12, 2017

January 12 - 26, 2017 | www.sfbaytimes.com

MILLIONS OF WOMEN PREPARE TO MARCH Locally and Worldwide

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S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY   T IM ES JANUARY 12, 2017

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MILLIONS OF WOMEN PREPARE TO MARCH

Defenders of Human Rights Ready for Women’s Marches on January 21 patriots and everyone who will to stand with us now to control overreach by this mistake of a presidentelect.

Here are just some of the issues at stake to consider as we approach the fast-approaching fateful week that will include both the marches and Trump’s inauguration:

Debra Walker Walking through the very silent early morning streets of San Francisco on the first day of this year, I thought about the previous 365 days. There were so many horrible things about 2016 that I am especially hopeful for 2017. I have to be. We all must be hopeful, and to remain courageous in our convictions.

As President Barack Obama said: “Hope is not blind optimism. It’s not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It’s not sitting on the sidelines or shirking from a fight.

Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it. Hope is the belief that destiny will not be written for us, but by us, by the men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is, who have the courage to remake the world as it should be.”

Settling for the world as it is, with its glass ceiling for women, is unthinkable. We must not only shatter that ceiling, but also crack it into a million pieces. It may well break soon under its own weight, because so many women in America are mad as hell and are not going to take the misogyny, rape culture, and other longstanding problems exacerbated by the election of Donald Trump.

I believe that women will lead us out of this mess. An important literal step is to join and support The Women’s March on Washington on January 21 or one of the many Sister Marches that will be held across the nation, and even internationally. We need to come together in strength. We need community. All of you who are heartbroken about Hillary Clinton losing and about Trump winning: come and bring a friend. We need our allies, com-

Appointment Hearings The president-elect is rushing forward hearings on his cabinet appointments. The governmental ethics folks have complained that they have not had the opportunity to vet the appointments. Some of the appointees have not even submitted financial records. Of note is the fact that most of these appointees are billionaires; untangling the conflicts of interest these appointees present is complex, and should be mandatory before they have a hearing.

Women’s Right to Choose Republicans in state houses countrywide and in Congress are rolling up their sleeves to make sure they can overturn Roe v Wade. They do not give a rat’s ass for women’s rights, as evidenced by their support of the pussy-grabbing braggart about to run roughshod over our lives. Now, more than ever, become a supporter of Planned Parenthood and take action locally with this organization to defend the right for women to retain healthcare choices.

Trump’s Conflicts of Interest; Illegal Hacking FBI, CIA and NSA investigations of the illegal hacking that affected the presidential election now include investigations into Trump and his minions. This disturbing matter should be on all of our minds.

We need to start coordinating social media response to push forward.

There have been a few lawsuits filed, but the investigations need to continue and we can all vocally support them. As much as we all should remain curious skeptics about everything, we need to support our defense and intelligence experts on this one.

Social Security and Medicare Paul Ryan is already moving forward with a voucher system of privatized Medicare.

That means limited benef its while doing nothing but encouraging higher costs. This is paving a road to overall negative effects on pub-

lic health and quality of life, unless you are in the one percent.

Obamacare Already the GOP senate h a s b een g n awing at the bit regarding the Affordable Healthcare Act. However, (surprise surprise) they don’t have anything to replace Obamacare w ith and they apparently are now worried about leaving people without healthcare. Imagine that. They have spent the last four years bashing everything about Obamacare, and now it turns out people actually like it. Don’t rest on this. They will still grab headlines in their fight to undermine important gains achieved during Obama’s presidency.

LGBT Rights Many states are already taking up transphobic legislation about who uses what bathroom. Congress just removed protections against LGBT discrimination. My guess will be that America has already turned the corner in support of LGBT rights, and any efforts to turn back the clock will fail. The challenges will come, however, and we must all be prepared to mobilize.

Climate Control Agreements Trump’s appointments are horrific for our environment. Those whom he is putting in charge of our environment don’t believe in protecting it. They do not even believe that climate change is occurring. Their rational is tied to the fact that Trump and his nominated Secretary of State are set to make billions of dollars by increasing our reliance on fossil fuels. This plays right into the issue of relations with Russia, which appears hell-bent on draining their country and ours of all natural resources.

Trade Agreements While many, including myself, would argue our current trade deals are much too soft on workers’ rights, benef its and more—and can use changing as a result—calling for ending agreements undermines any trust countries might have in working with us. This is another pull of Trump’s strings by Putin.

NATO, United Nations Trump’s message is that we should pull out of our NATO agreements.

He and his followers are putting at risk our partner agreements with nations across the world. Our allies are now nervous, and the effects of the alt right lean in the U.S. could very well spread to encourage breaking up of the European alliances. Again, undermining our relationships, partnerships and agreements with other free countries plays right into Putin’s hands.

What the series of marches and coming together will do is to empower and support not only us, but also our elected officials who are preparing to fight hard and long until such threats to our livelihoods and democratic values are no more.

As you can see from the list of local events that follows this piece, those of you in the Bay Area who can’t make it to The Women’s March on Washington have options right where you live. Please be loud, active and visible until we can undo this illegitimate election. Each and every day, additional facts are coming to light that give more credence to the belief that our country has been hijacked by a foreign interest and an unqualified soon-to-be-president. If we aren’t out there, making our voices heard, then Trump and his band of crooks could very well break our democracy.

At least we are seeing some really creative activism. The “pussy-hat” knitting group, with members who are knitting hats for march attendees, comes to mind. Check https:// www.pussyhatproject.com for details. San Francisco’s own Terry Baum has created a really interesting project, “Postcards for Democracy,” involving postcard writing parties aimed at specific leaders to take

Above: Historic image from the march in Washington, D.C. held on July 9, 1978 Photo Source: Feminist Majority Foundation

action. Keep up with such projects on her blog at http://terrybaum. blogspot.com/2016/11/democracyanyone-write-postcards-to.html T here is even a g roup for ming to have a phone-bank up and running all the time. You can learn more at a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ DemocracyActionSF/ Participants are making calls everywhere democrats are running, every time an important issue is up, and every time we need to have our decision makers hear from us.

A democracy exists because people participate. You all need to take this responsibility seriously, or we lose.

Whoever shows up makes the rules.

As Clinton, inspired by John Wesley, shared: “Do all the good you can—measure your life by the positive effect you can have on other people’s lives.”

The next four years could spell the end of democracy as we know it.

Don’t let this happen. Activate.

Debra Walker is a Commissioner for the City and County of San Francisco Building Inspection Commission. A past president of the Commission, the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club and the San Francisco Arts Democratic Club, Walker is also an internationally recognized paint e r an d p r intmaker. For more information: http://www. debrawalker.com/

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MILLIONS OF WOMEN PREPARE TO MARCH

SISTER MARCHES The Women’s March on Washington has inspired nearly 300 other ‘sister marches’ to take place on January 21. All 50 states and Puerto Rico are confirmed to have at least one grassroots-led march on that day, as well as 55 global cities on six continents, from Tokyo to Sydney, Nairobi to Paris to Bogotá.

“This is an unprecedented, organic and viral grassroots global movement that is growing every day,” Boston-based national sister march spokeswoman Yordanos Eyoel, who became a U.S. citizen last fall, said. “More than 500,000 people have already committed to march all over the country and the world in just a matter of weeks. The aggregate turnout has the potential to exceed 1 million marchers. What makes this movement even more special is that people who have never been politically active before are now mobilizing.”

While each person may have their own reasons for marching, the mission is to bring people together to take a stand on issues that deeply impact all of us. The marches will seek to reaff irm the core American values of freedom and democracy for all at a time when many fear that their voices will be lost, specifically related to women’s rights, immigrant rights, worker rights, reproductive rights, LGBTQIA rights, environmental rights, rights for all races, and religious freedom.

Spearheaded by first time-organizers and seasoned activists, the marches are bringing together people of all backgrounds, races, religions, gender identities, ages and abilities, as well as communities of immigrants. While led by women, all are welcome to attend the marches. Hundreds of thousands have signed up on Facebook to attend a local march and to attend the Women’s March on Washington, and the numbers keep growing.

Each march will have its own program, from music and speeches to a rally at a suffragist’s grave in upstate New York, to a verbal “human mosaic” of people in Napa Valley sharing their vision for the future. In Maui, the march will begin with a moment of silence followed by a Hawai-

ian blessing. In Birmingham, Alabama, marchers will gather at the 16th Baptist Church, an iconic civil rights site. In Berlin, the march, to be held January 20, will end at the Brandenburg Gate.

“We need to stand united in the fight for justice and recognition of our shared humanity,” said Little Rock, Arkansas’ sister march organizer and Be the Change Alliance founder Gwendolynn Combs, who has never been politically active before now. “The Women’s March for Arkansas strives to build that momentum by uniting, educating, and empowering new activists, exposing them to new ideas, and providing direction while connecting them to advocacy organizations.”

The cities with the largest number of march registrants so far include Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Boston, Denver, San Francisco (let’s continue to grow that number ever higher!), New York, Austin and Minneapolis/St. Paul.

But even marches in small and non-coastal cities are gaining momentum as well, in places such as Topeka, Nashville, Des Moines, Oklahoma City, Columbus, and Phoenix.

“We’re excited that women across the nation and the world are organizing to stand together in solidarity,” said Bob Bland, a co-chair of the Women’s March on Washington. (For more about her, see Bland’s business page at http://manufactureny. org/our-team/ ) “Our unity will send a strong and clear message that women and our allies will protect our rights, our health, our safety and our communities.

These sister marches show a powerful and inclusive movement, which is just as crucial as the thousands who will travel to D.C.” F a c e b o o k : h t t p s: // w w w. fa c e b o o k . com/Womens-March-on-Washington-1338822066131069/ Tw it t e r: ht t ps://t w it t e r.co m/wo m ensmarch and the hashtag #sistermarch Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ womensmarch

The Women’s March is a national movement to unify and empower everyone who stands for human rights, civil liberties and social justice for all. We gather in community to find healing and strength through tolerance, civility and compassion. We welcome all people to join us as we unite locally and nationally.

The below marches will take place on Saturday, January 21.

Women’s March San Francisco 3–8 pm Civic Center At 5 pm, participants will begin a candlelight march down Market Street to Justin Herman Plaza.

Women’s March Oakland 10 am–3 pm Madison Street & 9th Street Participants will march from 9th and Madison to Frank Ogawa Plaza.

Women’s March San Jose 10 am–3 pm San Jose City Hall Participants will march from San Jose City Hall to Cesar Chavez Plaza.

Women’s March Sacramento 10 am–5 pm 1350 10th Street Participants will gather at this location in our state’s capital.

Throughout California, the cities of Albany, Chico, Encino, Eureka, Kings Beach, Los Angeles, Marina, Napa, Oakhurst, Pasadena, Riverside, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, San Marcos, Santa Ana, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Truckee, Ventura, Vista and Walnut Creek will also be holding sister marches.

Importantly, these marches are inclusive, and all who support women’s rights are welcome!

For more information about the related local events, visit: https://www.womensmarch. com/sisters

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In the News Compiled by Dennis McMillan President Obama’s Farewell Address Highlights Need to Continue Fight for LGBT Rights In an eloquent, emotional farewell address given January 10 in Chicago, President Barack Obama more than once mentioned his commitment to LGBT rights. After sharing a memorable quote from To Kill a Mockingbird (“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”) he said: “For blacks and other minority groups, it means tying our own very real struggles for justice to the challenges that a lot of people in this country face—not only the refugee, or the immigrant, or the rural poor, or the transgender American, but also the middle-aged white guy who, from the outside, may seem like he’s got advantages, but has seen his world upended by economic and cultural and technological change.” Later, President Obama said that “we cannot withdraw from big global fights—to expand democracy, and human rights, and women’s rights, and LGBT rights. No matter how imperfect our efforts, no matter how expedient ignoring such values may seem, that’s part of defending America.” He even mentioned “marriage equality,” sharing that if he had set achieving that as a goal early on in his presidency, few likely would have believed him. During these final days of President Obama’s time in the White House, we invite you take a look at a Fact Sheet outlining the many gains that the Obama Administration has made on social progress and equality. https:// www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/06/09/fact-sheet-obamaadministrations-record-and-lgbtcommunity

Mayor Lee Appoints Jeff Sheehy As First Openly HIV-Positive Supervisor Mayor Edwin M. Lee announced the appointment of Jeff Sheehy as District 8 Supervisor, filling newlyelected State Senator Scott Wiener’s vacant seat on the Board of Supervisors. Sheehy will be the first person openly living with HIV to serve on the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco history. Sheehy is a longtime HIV/AIDS activist and pioneer for LGBT equality who has dedicated his life to public and community service. As former President of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, as former Mayor Newsom’s advisor on HIV/AIDS, and as a victim advocate in the San Francisco District Attorney’s office before that, Sheehy has been on the front lines fighting inequality and injustice for disenfranchised populations.

Twenty years ago, he helped create and defend San Francisco’s historic Equal Benefits Ordinance, making San Francisco the first city in the country to require employers with city contracts to offer equal benefits to their employees’ domestic partners. Similar measures were eventually passed by the State of California and municipalities around the country, and more than 4,000 companies have complied, providing desperately needed benefits to LGBT Americans across the country. More recently, he has led communications at UCSF AIDS Research Institute since 2000, educating the public on the groundbreaking work of UCSF’s HIV researchers. Sheehy is also a founding member of the Steering Committee of San Francisco’s Getting to

Zero Consortium aimed to make the City the first municipality to achieve the UNAIDS goals of zero new infections, zero HIV deaths and zero HIV stigma. sfgov.org New Police Chiefs Announced in San Francisco, Oakland New police chiefs were announced on both sides of the Bay. On December 20, Mayor Ed Lee said that he would appoint Bill Scott, Deputy Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, to serve as Chief of the San Francisco Police Department.

Deputy Chief Scott will succeed Interim Chief Toney Chaplin, who was asked by Mayor Lee to lead SFPD after the resignation of former Police Chief Greg Suhr. Scott will lead SFPD as it undertakes key reforms laid out by the Department of Justice.

During the last 16 years, the LAPD has adopted and enacted dozens of major reforms, including overhauling its tools for tracking officer misconduct, investigations into cases involving force by officers, training, an independent watchdog office and more. As for Oakland, Mayor Libby Schaaf on January 4 announced the appointment of Anne Kirkpatrick as the city’s new Police Chief. Kirkpatrick, the first female to hold this position in Oakland, has 34 years of law enforcement experience, and most recently worked to lead reform efforts in Chicago. “I do have the courage to hold officers accountable, but that includes myself,” Kirkpatrick said at the news conference. “But also to the men and women of the Oakland Police Department, in this chief, I have the courage to stand by you.” sfgov.org, abc7news.com Thrillpeddlers Need to Vacate Hypnodrome Theatre Thrillpeddlers, the award-winning quirky and scrappy little theatrethat-could, and artistic director Rus-

sell Blackwood were saddened to announce that due to a sudden sale of the building that has been their home since 2004, they must vacate the premises by the end of next month. The company—which for 17 years has performed an annual Shocktoberfest, and of late has had major successes with revivals of many 1970s Cockettes musicals (working with composer and original Cockette Scrumbly Koldewyn)—has announced the final shows at the theatre, while they regroup and see what opportunities present themselves.

This sudden change in their plans directly affects two upcoming offerings that have been cast, and one of which that just began rehearsals. Amazon Apocalypse, a new musical with book and lyrics by Scrumbly Koldewyn and Cab Covay and music by Scrumbly Koldewyn, was slated to run February 23–April 15, and a revival of Cyberotica—Peter Fogel and Kelly Kittel’s Y2K rock musical— was scheduled for May 4–June 10.

With the sudden news of the theatre’s closure, Amazon Apocalypse will be presented as a semi-staged concert for only 3 nights. hypnodrome.org Transgender Law Center Offers New Resource on Changing Gender Markers on Birth Certificates The Transgender Law Center has created a new resource, “State-byState Overview: Rules for Changing Gender Markers on Birth Certificates.” As the center mentions, some states require a court order, some require surgery, some require a doctor’s letter and a few do not permit gender marker changes. In California, with a doctor’s letter, there is no surgical requirement. To access the new resource, go to: https://transgenderlawcenter.org/resources/id/

state-by-state-overview-changinggender-markers-on-birth-certificates After Orlando to Be Presented at Oakland City Hall The Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando on June 12 last year impacted a number of issues that are particularly relevant post the recent election: LGBTQ rights, gun violence, Islamophobia, and also anti-Latino/antiimmigrant prejudice. As a response to the massacre, artists Caridad Svich, Zac Cline and Blair Baker invited playwrights to participate in an international theater action called After Orlando. Seventy playwrights responded to the call. On Friday, January 13, Brava Theatre will be sharing this important work at Oakland City Hall, Council Chambers at 7 pm, with doors opening at 6:30 pm.

There is a suggested donation of $10–20. No one will be turned away for lack of funds, however. Profits from proceeds will benefit a local charity. oaklandnet.com Kate Brown Sworn in As America’s First Openly LGBT Elected Governor Oregon Gov. Kate Brown makes history as the first openly LGBT person elected governor of any state and the first openly bi governor in history. Gov. Kate Brown was sworn in for the first time as Oregon’s elected governor on January 9 in Salem and outlined her agenda for the 2017 legislative session. In a speech that also served as Brown’s State of the State address, she balanced aspirations for Oregon in the wake of Donald Trump’s presidential victory against the hard reality of a looming partisan fight over state spending. Brown didn’t name Trump, but presented Oregon as a refuge from some of the racist and partisan rhet(continued on page 26)

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Still Dreaming on MLK Weekend black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.”

6/26 and Beyond John Lewis & Stuart Gaffney When John attended his 40th high school reunion in Kansas City last fall, it dawned on him that he and his classmates started kindergarten in early September 1963, less than a week after Martin Luther King delivered his renowned “I Have a Dream Speech” at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

In his address, K ing famously dreamed that his “four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character” and that one day, even in Alabama, “little black boys and

Despite the many times John had heard the speech, it suddenly hit him that the great civil rights leader had been dreaming about little five-year-old kids like us—our generation. As we approach this weekend’s annual commemoration of King’s birthday, we can only imagine how troubled the visionary might be if he were alive today. King’s words 54 years ago have striking relevance in January 2017, as Americans dedicated to racial, gender, LGBT, immigrant, and economic justice and equality face grave threats and uncertainty.

In 1963 King told it like it was. Reflecting on the fact that Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation a century before, King observed: “[O]ne hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.” Over a half century later, the essence of King’s message rings disturbingly true—even though significant improvements have taken place and the particular problems of today differ from those of 1963. And today, economic disparity evidenced by the vast number of Americans living on an “island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity” is reaching a crisis point.

But King did not merely describe problems; he issued a call to action—a charge that still inspires today. King declared: “We have … come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism … . It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment.”

Later this month, millions of Americans will travel to the nation’s capital for the Women’s March on Washington. Five decades ago, King warned that “those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual” and proclaimed that “1963 is not an end, but a beginning.” 2017 must be a beginning, too.

King also spoke unapologetically of hope and articulated a long-term vision of how he wanted the world to be. King implored: “Let us not wallow in the valley of despair … . [E] ven though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream … . I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’”

We in the LGBT community know well the extraordinary value of dreaming, even in the darkest hour. When LGBT Americans routinely faced disapproval and hatred that forced them to live in secret or in denial, we dared to dream of a future in which we could live openly. We came out. When we faced the worst of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, we dreamed of a day when the disease would not ravage our community. We cared for each other and took ownership of our health care in ways never seen before. Even as the law permitted states to imprison people for being gay, we dreamed of a day when we could marry the person we loved and celebrate all aspects of our love. We achieved nationwide marriage equality. As we face today’s ongoing challenges, we LGBT organizers and performers at the 14th Annual Musical Tribute included must keep dreaming.

Page Hodel, Linda Tillery, Melanie DeMore, Tammy Washington, Gina Breedlove, members of the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir and more.

Although King summoned people to stand up fearlessly and nonviolently for their rights and dignity in the face of those who opposed them, his ultimate dream was one of unity— finding shared values and respect and ending divisions, not exacerbating them.

He urged, “Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.” He noted the presence of “many of our white brothers” at the march and reminded everyone gathered, “we cannot walk alone.” In the dynamic climax to his speech, King dreams of the “day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

This King weekend, we wish that King’s vision had already become a reality. But we’ll be sporting our “Don’t Let the Dream Die” buttons—and we won’t take them off until the great visionary’s prophecy comes true.

PHOTO CREDIT: NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

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 nationwide grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA contributed in 2015 to making same-sex marriage legal nationwide.

Dr. Martin Luther King, at the March of Washington for Jobs and Freedom, waves to the crowd on Wednesday, August 28, 1963, from the Lincoln Memorial where he delivered the historic “I Have a Dream” speech calling for an end to racism.

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Get Covered Today Californians still have until January 31 to enroll in Covered California for this year.

You can do so online (www.coveredca.gov) or go to one of several enrollment fairs in the Bay Area. On January 14, the César E. Chávez Library in Oakland will host an enrollment fair from 1–3 pm with Cantonese and Mandarin speakers. In San Jose, the Bascom Branch Library will host an event on January 18 from 5–6:45 pm with Spanish speakers. Kaiser Permanente will be hosting enrollment fairs on January 14–15, 21– 22, 28–29 from 9 am to 6 pm at 20503 Hesperian Blvd in Hayward, with Spanish speakers.

Assemblymember Phil Ting Eight years ago, access to affordable health insurance seemed like a pipedream for millions of working families. Insurers refused coverage to those with preexisting conditions, and some were dropped from their coverage when they became ill.

Insurers charged higher premiums based on gender. Even worse, health care costs associated with medical emergencies were the leading cause of personal bankruptcy.

Since then, we’ve come a long way.

The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, has put such problems in the past. Over 5 million Californians now have access to high quality and affordable healthcare. In San Francisco, nearly 18 percent of us now have health care because of Obamacare.

The same goes for nearly 16 percent of residents in Sonoma County, 15.5 percent in Alameda County, and 14 percent in Santa Clara County.

Ensuring health insurance access is a great way to kick start the New Year.

We owe it to ourselves and our loved ones to benef it from Obamacare.

Protests and Celebrations

Photos by Rink

San Franciscans are welcoming 2017 with mixed emotions. From Castro Street to City Hall, declarations of hope and determination have competed in recent weeks with a sense of angst and fear in a political climate full of unknowns. Faces reflect the full spectrum of expressions ranging from aggravation and dismay to reverence and celebration.

To apply, bring proof of income, identity, and citizenship and know each family member’s birth dates and social security numbers. Counselors will help you find the right health plan and identify financial assistance that may be available.

But remember: a health plan is not just for when you or your family members are sick. It’s also important to use the preventive care that is available to you when you are well so that can help you stay healthy. This is more important than ever now that Obamacare is facing serious threats from the incoming administration.

The president-elect and members of congressional leadership have pledged to repeal Obamacare. Despite the impending uncertainty, we know it took years to implement Obamacare because insurers and the public needed to adapt. Similarly, it will take time for Republicans in Washington to repeal and replace it.

In the meantime, I encourage every person to continue their enrollment during this transition period. While we don’t know what to expect from Washington, we must do what is best for ourselves and loved ones under the law today.

Affordable and accessible healthcare should not be a privilege. We have made enormous progress to expand access and affordability that no one should take for granted. To ensure that you and your loved ones are covered, enroll at www.coveredca.com today.

Phil Ting represents the 19th Assembly District, which includes the Westside of San Francisco along with the communities of Broadmoor, Colma and Daly City.

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Lavender Sweep at City College

A San Francisco Kind of Democrat Rafael Mandelman City College’s governing board has a queer majority. All four of the Trustees sworn in at our January 4 inauguration ceremony—newly elected Trustees Tom Temprano and Shanell Williams, as well as reelected Trustee Alex Randolph and myself—identify as LGBT. At a time when some have worried that our community’s political power is in decline locally, having lost what had been thought of as a queer Assembly seat and reduced to only one (appointed) gay member on the Board of Supervisors, City College’s Board is bucking that trend in a big way.

For me, our inauguration was an opportunity to reflect back on the tumult of my first term, but also on all

that we were able to accomplish. It’s not a small thing to be able to say you saved a community college, but we did. We pushed back on an out-of-control accreditor and, led by the California Federation of Teachers and with lots of help from elected leaders like City Attorney Dennis Herrera, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Congresswoman Jackie Speier, we fought a statewide campaign for fair accreditation. Today, although the future of accreditation in California remains uncertain and the subject of much discussion, the ACCJC itself appears to be undergoing an internal housecleaning, with longtime leader Barbara Beno now serving in an advisory role until her announced retirement later this year. Meanwhile, City College remains open and accredited.

Superviosr Jane Kim swears in Trustee Rafael Mandelman while City College Interim President Susan Lamb, PhD assists.

We restored local control after the Board’s suspension by the State Chancellor during the height of the accreditation crisis, and we demonstrated that a democratically elected Board could govern City College effectively and responsibly, implementing necessary reforms while still reflecting the values of our City. We labored hard to restore financial and administrative stability to a College in dire need of both, negotiating labor agreements that pro- Former Supervisor David Campos swears in City College Trustee Tom Temprano vided our employees their f irst real raises in nearly a decade while ensuring the long-term solvency of the institution. We passed an extension and increase to the College’s parcel tax to provide an added measure of financial security going forward, and we worked w it h t he State Chancellor and our State legislators to pass special legislation guaranteeing the College adequate St ate funding over a five year period to support the recovery of enrollment lost during the accreditation crisis. Thank you Supervisor London Breed swears in Trustee Shanell Williams.

Mark Leno, Phil Ting and David Chiu! And, of course, we fought helped precipitate it for years to come. But I also alongside Supervisor Jane Kim and our facul- believe we have turned the page that, as I said in ty to pass Proposition W to fund Free City Col- my inauguration remarks, our worst days are belege for all San Franciscans. hind us and our best days are ahead.

As this Board begins our new term, I feel more A New Supe for District 8 confident about City College’s future than I have in many years. There is much difficult Congratulations to Mayor Lee’s pick for District work still to do, and signif icant unresolved 8 Supervisor. Jeff Sheehy has a long history of pochallenges; indeed, I suspect we will be struglitical activism and has shown great leadership on gling with the impacts of the accreditation crisis and the mismanagement at the College that HIV-related issues. My College Board colleague Alex Randolph had also been rumored to be under consideration, but the Mayor and his advisers may have decided they wanted someone with sharper elbows. Sheehy is certainly not one to shy away from a fight. Only time will tell if he is a good fit for the neighborhoods of District 8, but Sheehy’s appointment is a big moment for the HIV community, and I wish him all the best in this new adventure.

City College Trustee Alex Randolph

Newly appointed District 8 Supervisor Jeff Sheehy

Carolina Morales

New Leadership for the Clubs Congratulations also to the new leadership of the City’s two LGBT Democratic Clubs. Eric Lukoff will be taking over from Brian Leubitz as the male co-chair of the Alice B. Toklas Club, and will serve with returning female co-chair Lou Fischer. I do not always love Alice’s endorsements, but I am a big fan of both Eric and Lou and wish them well in the coming year. Over at the Harvey Milk Club, folks are excited about the incoming leadership team of Kimberly Alvarenga and Carolina Morales. Expected to be elected as Co-Presidents of the Club later this month, Alvarenga and Morales both have deep roots in community activism and are ideally suited to lead the queer resistance to creeping Trumpism.

Kimberly Alvarenga

Happy New Year to all!

Rafael Mandelman is an attorney for the City of Oakland. He is also President of the City College of San Francisco Board of Trustees.

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SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S JA NUA RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

Eric Lukoff

On the Precipice of a Trump Administration and Local Political Changes and validates our values (NPR, MSNBC for the left, FOX on the right). To me, it is a call for us to look objectively at all data and opinions and really listen, and listen for those voices that contradict our perspectives, not just confirm them.

Do Ask, Do Tell Zoe Dunning Change Is Coming for Democrats Back in October, I was so conf ident Hillary Clinton would be our next President that I went ahead and booked roundtrip flights to Washington D.C. for next week’s Inauguration. Now we sit on the precipice of a Trump Administration and listen to his historically unqualified cabinet picks as they respond to questioning during their confirmation hearings.

“How did we miss this?” everyone is asking. People point their fingers at polls, the media, the DNC, Bernie, third party voters, and Hillary’s campaign. Another contributing factor is “confirmation bias,” which Wikipedia describes as “the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one’s preexisting beliefs or hypotheses, while giving disproportionately less consideration to alternative possibilities.” We all experience and suffer from it; it is human nature. That’s why it’s important to get outside our usual echo chambers: Facebook, our circle of friends just like us, the liberal Bay Area, and media that reflects

One of the big takeaways from 2016 is that Americans are getting fed up with business as usual, with conventional wisdom, with inside baseball. The unexpected rise of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders—who raised money differently, campaigned differently, and spoke to those on the margins— tapped into an artery of disaffect and anger. Sure, the stock market has risen at a record pace and jobs have been added under the Obama administration, but who is benefitting? We must continue to fight for equity and ensure the wealth our economy generates doesn’t land in only the top 1%’s pockets.

Much of the disaffect is targeted at the two political parties. Both Trump and Sanders exhibited outward disdain for their party and its processes.

For the Democrats, change is coming. One opportunity is the upcoming election of the Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) at its Winter Meeting the weekend of February 23–26. Top candidates include former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, Congressman Keith Ellison from Minnesota, and U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez. John Pérez, the openly gay Speaker Emeritus of the CA Assembly, is also considering a run. The party has a real identity crisis to make itself relevant. Does it swing more progressive, as Congressman Ellison is proposing, or reach out to the struggling rust belt working-class white voters that Trump so successfully won over?

Also at the state level there will be an upcoming election for California Democratic Party Chair, as the powerful John Burton steps aside. The “insider” candidate is current Vice Chair Eric Bauman of Los Angeles County.

An openly gay long-time party leader, Bauman has the inside track. Many currently in leadership roles in the party owe their position to Eric. Personally, I like him a lot; he has been a strong advocate for the LGBT and Veterans communities.

However, he has a challenger whose campaign is growing stronger everyday: Kimberly Ellis, the recent Executive Director of Emerge CA. Emerge is a political training organization that prepares Democratic women to run for office. I am a 2010 graduate of the program, as are most of the women in elected office in San Francisco, such as London Breed, Thea Selby, and Malia Cohen. Kimberly is gaining momentum as more progressive delegates to the State Central Committee, women, people of color (Kimberly is African-American) and others sick of inside politics are drawn to her grassroots campaign. I have been an early supporter of Kimberly, and think she has a real chance at riding this wave of change to become the next leader of our state party.

Even locally, the 2016 DCCC election where the progressive slate ousted several moderate incumbents, showed a movement angry with the widening gap between the rich and the poor, real estate interests and tenants, police and communities of color. So, at the national, state and local level, the Democratic Party is taking action to shake up business as usual and respond to the current dissatisfaction with the status quo.

District 8 Supervisor Formally Introduced In other local political news, on January 6, Mayor Ed Lee formally introduced his appointment to the vacant D8 seat on the Board of Supervisors, Jeff Sheehy. Jeff is, according to the Mayor’s press release, “a long-time HIV/AIDS activist and pioneer for LGBT equality who has dedicated his life to public and community service. As former President of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, as former Mayor Newsom’s advisor on HIV/AIDS, and as a victim advocate in the San Francisco District Attorney’s office before that, Jeff has been on the front lines fighting inequality and injustice for disenfranchised populations.” He is also a father raising a daughter in Glen Park and the first HIV-positive member of the Board of Supervisors.

Word on the street is that the selection came down to Jeff and City College Board Trustee Alex Randolph, and the Mayor finally selected Jeff. I don’t know Jeff—I’ve met him on a few occasions—but I think the choice was pretty strategic. Mayor Lee can’t afford to have another one of his appointees go down in defeat the first time they run for election, a/la Christine Olague and Julie Christensen. The strongest challenger in 2018 for the seat is Rafael Mandelman, another San Francisco Bay Times columnist. Alex, who also writes for this paper, has demonstrated he is a strong campaigner and has established some citywide name recognition from his two campaigns for City College. Having been a previous mayoral appointee, though, he is seen as being tight with the Mayor and possibly beholden. He would paint a stark contrast to the feisty progressive Mandelman, who is himself

a seasoned candidate and public figure. By selecting a former Milk Club President in Sheehy, and person with some progressive street cred, the Mayor must be hoping to stave off a Mandelman campaign in 2018 by splitting progressives between the two. Additionally, Alex Randolph is one of the nicest guys in the world. Jeff is seen as a fierier fighter. If the Mayor wants his new supe to go toe to toe with the likes of Aaron Peskin and Campos’ mentee, Hillary Ronen, he is looking for someone who doesn’t shy from conflict. Jeff seems to fit that bill more and I imagine that was likely a deciding factor.

New Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club Co-Chair This week the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club ushered in a new Co-Chair, Eric Lukoff. He joins current Co-Chair Lou Fischer as the 2017 leaders of the club. It was a unanimous choice—Eric is one of those rare leaders who is smart, thinks outside the box, works incredibly hard, and can contribute to both the strategic as well as to the tactical aspects of running a Democratic Club in San Francisco. He replaces termed out CoChair Brian Leubitz, who co-led the club through the Mayor and D3 Supervisor races in 2015, and then in 2016 helped navigate several ballot initiatives, Supervisor races as well as the Wiener/Kim race for Mark Leno’s SD11 Senate. I had the pleasure of being Brian’s Co-Chair in 2015. He is a highly respected Alice Board member and Democratic activist, and a pleasure to work with. He leaves big shoes for Eric to fill, which I am confident he will with aplomb.

There is a lot to get involved with at the local, state and national level. As (continued on page 22)

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES JANUARY 12, 2017

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8 Tips to Improve Your Financial Communication

Can you keep your lifestyle in retirement?

Let’s talk.

415.623.2450 Brio Financial Group

A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Service, Inc. 44 Montgomery St, Ste 4210 San Francisco, CA 94104-4815 415-623-2450

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find financial harmony will reap the benef its over time. As you might expect, the study found that couples who had been together longer tend to have better communication and are on the same page when it comes to financial matters.

Money Matters Brandon Miller What makes a couple successful in their financial relationship? Ameriprise Financial surveyed over 1,500 couples (those married or living together for at least six months) to learn about their money conversations and how they make decisions. The results revealed eight ways you can improve the financial health of your relationship: 1. Understand your partner’s money mindset. It’s normal to have differing views and habits about money, but that doesn’t mean you can’t agree on your financial goals. Couples who report being on the same page financially work to understand their partner’s approach to money and keep the lines of communication open.

2. Make finances a priority and don’t give up. Couples who are willing to have the hard conversations and who work together to

3. Agree on financial goals. It’s tough to pool your money with someone who overspends or who isn’t willing to save for the vacation you’ve always dreamed about.

Sharing financial goals does bring you closer together—or at least it’s one less thing to argue about. To make it easier to save, challenge yourselves to add a timeframe to each goal so you know what you’re working toward first.

4. Assign and accept financial roles and responsibilities.

Most couples split up tasks such as paying bills or monitoring investments. Clear responsibilities allow you to hold one another accountable without worrying if the cable bill was paid. However, be sure to work together on tasks, such as retirement planning, which require close collaboration.

5. Invest in your future together. Make it a priority to set aside a portion of your earnings for shortand long-term goals, including retirement. Know how much you collectively have in retirement savings—a surprising 23 percent of couples are unsure of this number.

If you have kids, talk about how much you’d like to contribute to their college expenses so you can save accordingly.

6. Set a spending limit. Spending habits were the leading cause of contention for couples. Consider setting a spending limit to ensure you’re on the same page as your partner regarding large expenditures. On average, couples said a purchase over $400 should trigger a discussion.

7. Understand that disagreeing is okay. According to the Ameriprise study, even couples who say they’re in financial harmony disagree on financial matters. What’s important isn’t that the partners don’t always agree, but that 82 percent resolve their issues and move on.

8. Enlist a professional to solidify your financial plan. When you need an objective opinion— or a deciding vote—meet with a f inancial advisor. Together, the three of you can create a financial plan that meets your specific needs as a couple.

Ultimately, it feels good when you are in sync with your partner regarding financial decisions and can work together toward managing your finances. Couples who actively work on improving their financial relationship will likely be less frustrated over money matters and may even feel better about their relationship overall.

Brandon Miller, CFP is a financial consultant at Brio Financial Group, A Private Wealth Advisory Practice of Ameriprise Financial Inc. in San Francisco, specializing in helping LGBT individuals and families plan and achieve their financial goals.

Two Zoomy Coupes for the Winter Blues

Lexus RC-F

Auto Philip Ruth “Tell me something good.” That’s what I text one of my classic-car buddies after we’ve vented about the daily updates regarding our presidentelect. We both work alone, and it’s easy for us to feel burdened by the barrage of ominous portents for LGBTQ people in 2017.

So, at the end of the day, I ask him to tell me something good about the cars he’s working on. Last time, I sensed the smile spreading across his face as he texted me a photo of the pristine 1955 Cadillac in his driveway. When it was my turn, I thought about these two coupes I had recently tested: the Lexus RC-F and Subaru BRZ.

2017

Wishing You a Happy and Prosperous New Year from the San Francisco Bay Times 12

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S JA NUA RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

When looking for a coupe, many buyers default to American muscle cars.

Examples include the Chevy Camaro, Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger. Each covers a wide span of performance and prices.

In comparison, the Lexus RC-F and Subaru BRZ are niche players, and the lower sales numbers of the Lexus and Subaru coupes afford them a relative uniqueness, which is prized by some of the style-conscious buyers who are looking for fewer than four doors.

The RC-F and BRZ are aimed at different buyers within the coupe market’s price range. A Lexus badge

Subaru BRZ

would clue you into the RC-F having a premium price tag, and it does— the base price on my 2016 test car was $62,805, and a passel of options swelled that figure to just less than $77K. You don’t have to spend that much to enjoy an RC, with the Turbo trim coming in at about $41K. The BRZ lists for less, with the “Series.Hyperblue” special edition priced at $28,485, with no options. That special series went away for 2017, which is a shame, as its unique color grabbed eyes left and right, and that’s a value-add in a coupe that’s been on our roads since model year 2013.

Sitting at the top of the RC chain, the RC-F thumps with 467 horsepower from its 5.0-liter V8. Eight cylinders mean you have none of the lag that can affect smaller engines boosted by turbos. Launching through San Francisco’s intersections lends a feeling of utter confidence. There’s more there than you need, whenever you need it.

You could say the BRZ does more w it h less, as its 20 0 -horsepower four-cylinder keeps it feeling lively. A knock against the BRZ (and its twin, the former Scion and now Toyota FR-S) has been its middling power for a sport coupe, particularly when there are Honda Accord V6s running around that could shut down the BRZ in seconds. But the key with the BRZ is engagement, with that familiar thrummy Subaru boxer engine keeping you dialed in to how the car is feeling.

The most remarkable aspect of these two coupes is that manual transmissions aren’t missed here. Both offer automatics with fast-acting paddle shifters. The good feelings are all there, and that’s a sentiment we’ll appreciate as we LGBTQ enter this challenging period of our nation’s history.

Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant at www.gaycarguy.com.

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun Nightclub & Cabaret, “KATYA… A HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!” which was sure to make my yuletide Gay. Hailed as best Drag act by the Bay Guardian (2008) Katya delighted us with a fun-filled evening of belting, banter, and ball gowns to bolster our holiday spirit(s)! The show closed with a very clever nativity version of “Proud Mary” and then a lovely “Ave Maria.” Katya, I love ya!

SAN FRANCISCO BAY TIMES threw a fantastically festive party for staff and friends at the fabulous home of TOM & JERRY, high in the hills of the Castro, with a 65-foot holiday tree in an architectural showpiece offering breathtaking views of the Bay Area from its multiple decks. Delicious food and drinks were served while we sang carols with the LESBIAN/GAY FREEDOM BAND brass and woodwind ensemble. We needed a party pretty badly after the terrible T-rump fiasco of an election.

The Band had just wrapped up that year’s highly successful DANCEALONG NUTCRACKER, and Bay Times was getting ready for its 39th year serving the LGBTQI/SBNN (Straight But Not Narrow) community. Fun was had by all!

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Have we already broken our New Year’s resolutions? Well, take my annual Resolution Solution: ‘I resolve to be the best me I can possibly be.’ It’s foolproof!”

“SALVATION SISTERS” was a Ringing Success. On December 17, the SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE and volunteers from KIMO BEAR PROJECT met at 18th and Castro to ring in awareness about the Salvation Army’s continued discriminatory policies toward the LGBTQI Community. The group joined with several other Houses of SPI last month in raising funds and awareness. If readers would like to make further donations, please see kimobearproject.com to specifically help this 501c3, or to donate to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, go to thesisters.org

The December GOLDEN GATE GAYME (3G) NIGHT was held at Lookout bar to the joy of many happy gamers. “REINDEER GAMES” was presented by the IMPERIAL COUNCIL OF SAN FRANCISCO as a social mixer hosted by Mr. and Miss Golden Gate, Mr. Bill & Mimi Osa. The event featured some of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Games, frivolity, JellO shots and more were on the agenda. Empress Emma Peel facilitated “Cards Against Humanity,” and as a virgin player, Sister Dana actually three-way tied second place for the win. Net proceeds will go to the RAINBOW WORLD FUND, the world’s first and only all-volunteer, LGBT- based humanitarian aid organization.

Curator Gerard Koskovich led an informal tour of “THROUGH KNOWLEDGE TO JUSTICE: THE SEXUAL WORLD OF DR. MAGNUS HIRSCHFELD,” an exhibition that ran through the end of December at the GLBT History Museum. Koskovich offered an overview of Hirschfeld’s life and legacy, highlighted the significance of the historical materials on display, and showed and discussed a sampling of further rarities from his personal collection. The talk was sponsored by the CALAMUS FELLOWSHIP as part of its ongoing series “FAGGOT SENSIBILITY: AN EXPLORATION OF GAY CONSCIOUSNESS.”

Every year, the SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS comes together on Christmas Eve to celebrate the holiday season with three notto-be-missed concerts at the historic Castro Theatre! Conducting the Chorus was the inimitable Dr. Timothy Seelig—whom I believe was joking when he announced the Chorus had turned down a request to perform at the Trump Inauguration.

This year was the 27th annual iteration of “HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS,” and the boys had quite a few tricks up their holiday sweater sleeves, including the stunning voice of opera soprano Melody Moore, who joined them twice on stage. Sister Danain XXXMas gear got to join Sister Kitty Catalyst and Naughty Elf handing out programs to eager attendees. Glorious news: it was a full house. The Chorus sang many of the usual standard holiday favorites, but then got all sparkly jingly gay gay gay with “Sparklejollytwinklejingley,” complete with cray-cray choreography, props, lights for days, frolicking, and overall gayness. Homphonics (an ensemble culled from the Chorus), posed this musical question: “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?”

“Although the Nazi regime did its best to erase the memory of Hirschfeld and his contributions, it didn’t succeed. We remember Hirschfeld today not only because he helped found the movement to defend LGBTQ people more than a century ago, but also because his work as a sexologist was prescient,” Koskovich said. “With its emphasis on ‘sexual intermediacy,’ Hirschfeld’s thinking prefigures contemporary ideas about the continuum of sexual orientation, gender-queer expression, and sexual fluidity.” Among the scarce artifacts on display were the 1904 booklet distributed by the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee to advocate repeal of Germany’s sodomy law; one of the handful of volumes known to have survived the first book-burning of the Nazi regime, where the library of Hirschfeld’s Institute for Sexual Science was consigned to the flames; and a review copy of the last of Hirschfeld’s books published during his lifetime, inscribed by the author three weeks before his death in exile in Nice, France.

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

We joined the COUNTESS KATYA SMIRNOFF-SKYY for her award-winning show at Oasis

With the 2016 Tree of Hope providing a dramatic backdrop, Sister Dana (center) was joined (left to right) by Sister Kitty Catalyst, emcee Donna Sachet, Rainbow World Fund’s Jeff Cotter and television personality Cheryl Jennings at the Tree Lighting Ceremony at San Francisco City Hall.

SFPD CHIEF’S LGBT COMMUNITY ADVISORY FORUM, in association and collaboration with the LEATHERMEN’S DISCUSSION GROUP, SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE, CASTRO COMMUNITY ON PATROL, COMMUNITY PATROL SERVICE USA, and various other community groups invited the public to participate in a “TOWN HALL MEETING” at Eureka Valley Recreation Center as a follow up to the Community Safety Meeting held in SOMA in November of 2016. The reason: the election of President Elect, Donald Trump, has raised significant communi-

ty concerns regarding safety, security, possible escalation of hate crime incidents, and many other worries.

Panelists were from the Mayor’s Office, the newly appointed Supervisor, District Attorney’s Office, Chief of Police, Captains of Mission and Park Police Stations, SFPD Chief’s LGBT Community Advisory Forum, Castro Community on Patrol, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and Leathermen’s Discussion Group.

Safety whistles were distributed to audience members who desired them.

Since Mardi Gras season started officially on TWELFTH NIGHT (12 days after Christmas), KREWE DE KINQUE, the celebratory San Francisco Mardi Gras-themed social and fundraising club, was ready to ROLL with the best season in our history! We’re gearing up for “14 KARAT GOLD,” our BAL MASQUE XIV benefiting HOMOBILES at The Cafe on February 11 with Grand Marshal Juanita More! Per tradition, at 12th Night, we announced our to-be-appointed KING & QUEEN XIV privately at our MEMBERS +1 TWELFTH NIGHT PARTY at the Imperial Palace (Donna Sachet’s beautiful home.) Cajun/creole cuisine was served along with N’awlins style hurricane cocktails.

Sister Dana sez, “ The new Congress has been sworn in, controlled by a Republican Party willing to shred longstanding political standards and conventions for pure partisan advantage. Its leaders—who will steal a U.S. Supreme Court seat—are gearing up to repeal the Affordable Care Act before D-rump is even sworn in. T-rump is set to be inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States—giving Republicans control of the House, the Senate, and the White House. But no matter what happens—and no matter how bad it gets—our community will be there to resist, sound the alarm, and tirelessly work to win back power! Are you with me??!”

SISTER DANA SEZ, “HERE ARE SOME GREAT UPCOMING EVENTS TO DISTRACT YOU FROM THE ORANGE OGRE OCCUPATION! YES, I AM REFERRING TO THE DREADED ‘RUMP.” Don’t miss the PRE-TRUMPOCALYPSE HAPPY HOUR! January 19 is the last day before the dreaded PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION. Our final moment of freedom before a horrid human Cheeto strolls into the Oval Office and puts the whole world’s future at risk! (My apologies to Cheetos.) Let’s gather to communicate, commiserate, have a couple cocktails, and—most importantly—start planning a strong, Progressive response to institutionalized oligarchy, xenophobia, racism, and misogyny. Now more than ever, it’s up to us to spread SAN FRANCISCO VALUES to the world. Please join Progressive media leader 48 HILLS (Tim Redmond, Sana Saleem, Marke B), members of the SOS! Save Our Stud! collective (the worker/owner co-op that just purchased the beloved 50-year-old Stud bar in SoMa), and a stellar array of SF progressive speakers and guests.

This is a fundraiser for 48 Hills.

Thursday, January 19, 6–8:30 pm, STUD SF, 399 9th Street. $25 donation requested (no one turned away FLOF). Tickets here: 48hills.org/support-donate Celebrate the art of ZULFIKAR ALI BHUTTO, multidisciplinary artist of mixed Lebanese and Pakistani descent. The month-long show at STRUT, the first-ever home for gay/bi/trans men in the Castro hub of social and physical wellness from San Francisco AIDS Foundation, is titled MUSSALMAAN MUSCLEMEN, which explores a homoerotic world between East and the West, the feminine and the mascu(continued on page 26)

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Dysfunctional Family Roles: #1 The Hero child, and the mascot. In this column, I’ll discuss the first of these roles. In the next three, I’ll talk about the others.

Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, Co-Founders Randy Alfred, Founding News Editor 1978 Kim Corsaro Publisher 1981-2011

2261 Market Street, No. 309 San Francisco CA 94114 Phone: 415-601-2113 525 Bellevue Avenue Oakland CA 94610 E-mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com www.sfbaytimes.com

The Bay Times was the first newspaper in California, and among the first in the world, to be jointly and equally produced by lesbians and gay men.

We honor our history and the paper’s ability to build and strengthen unity in our community.

The Bay Times is proud to be the only 100% LGBT funded and owned newspaper for the LGBT community in San Francisco.

Dr. Betty L. Sullivan Jennifer L. Viegas Co-Publishers & Co-Editors

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Examined Life Tom Moon, MFT The phrase “dysfunctional family” may have become a cliché, but it does describe something real and all-too-common. Dysfunctional families are characterized by abuse coupled with denial that any abuse is going on: by disrespect and violations of members’ boundaries, by shaming and lack of empathy, and usually by a fair amount of chaos, often due to alcoholism or drug abuse. Children in dysfunctional families inevitably find themselves tracked into surprisingly predictable and limiting roles.

The four most commonly discussed of these are the hero, the scapegoat, the lost

The family hero is most often the first-born child in a family. He or she adapts to the chaos and disorder in the system by becoming super-competent at everything—by being very helpful at home, often to the point of parenting one or both parents; getting good grades in school; excelling at sports, and becoming a leader. Heroes seem to be eternally grown up: as children, they’re often described as “six going on sixty.” They “have it all together” and are expected to “have it made” in all their endeavors as adults.

If you grew up playing the role of hero in your family, you probably recognize that there are many strengths in this role. Heroes are highly self-reliant; they take risks in the world and are usually very successful in their work life. The people around them trust and rely on them. But you may also be painfully aware of the difficulties and drawbacks of having to live up to so many high expectations. Many heroes were forced to give up their childhoods, and if that was what you had to do then you may live with a deep background sorrow over that

loss. You may find it easy to be serious and task-oriented, but have a hard time lightening up or being playful.

You may have an intense need to be in control at all times, and feel panicky if you ever feel that you are losing control of anything.

The deepest issue that adult heroes live with is loneliness. Heroes may make good leaders and managers, but often have a hard time being close and intimate with others outside of work roles. There are several reasons for this. First, while they may try to conceal it, they tend to be highly judgmental people. They have a difficult time tolerating imperfections in themselves, and are usually equally harsh toward the imper fect ions in others. They also tend to be as controlling toward others as they are regimented in their own lives. More problematic still, they have trouble tolerating vulnerabilities in others because they are terrified of accepting their own.

Behind their façade of strength and conf idence there is usually a frightened and lonely child inside of them that they dare not acknowledge, even to themselves. Since they’re used to feeling loved for what they can accomplish rather than for who they

are, they are deathly afraid that their inner vulnerability and insecurity will be seen by others and result in contempt and rejection.

So the greatest fear heroes tend to face in their relationships is just to let themselves be known as they really are, beyond their roles. In therapy, this usually requires that they remember and relive the secret anguish, fear, and isolation that, as children, they felt in the background while they were busy trying to hold themselves and their families together. It can be very difficult to enlist heroes in that kind of process of inner exploration.

After all, quarantining themselves off from experiencing their pain was a highly successful survival strategy in very challenging circumstances.

What possible advantage could there be, later in life, in pulling the scab off of old wounds? The answer is that, in undergoing such a process, they won’t lose any of the qualities that made them heroic, but they will strengthen their compassion, their empathy, and deepen their capacity to love.

Tom Moon is a psychotherapist in San F rancisco. For more information, please visit his website http://tommoon.net/

Calendar Editor

Kit Kennedy Poet-In-Residence J.H. Herren Technology Director Carla Ramos Web Coordinator Mario Ordonez Juan Ordonez Distribution

CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Kirsten Kruse, Kate Kendell, Alex Randolph, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Tim Seelig, Cinder Ernst, John Chen Rafael Mandelman, Kit Kennedy, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Bill Lipsky, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Marcy Adelman, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron Thom Watson, Michele Karlsberg Lyndsey Schlax, Elisa Quinzi, Elizabeth River, Debra Walker, Wendy Ross, Howard Steiermann Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Jane Higgins Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg

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In Memoriam: Paul J. Isakson, MD Laguna Honda Hospital’s former Chief of Medical Staff and Medical Director, Dr. Paul J. Isakson, died from complications of renal failure at the Asante Medical Center in Medford, Oregon, on September 25, 2016. A committed clinician of the highest order, Dr. Isakson developed a professional, caring, and continual relationship with all whom he served over his years of practice and in his administrative roles. During the AIDS crisis, he was on the forefront of new therapies, including the AZT trials and subsequent therapies. His commitment to the LGBTQ community was unwavering throughout his many years in San Francisco.

done at the Southern Pacific Memorial Hospital in San Francisco.

He served in the United States Navy at the Naval Hospital at St. Albans, Long Island, New York.

He was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on October 26, 1937. His undergraduate education was at St. Olaf College in Northf ield, Minnesota, and he received his medical degree from the University of Minnesota School of Medicine in 1963.

His internship and residency were

He retired to Eagle Point, Oregon, in 2009. There, he enjoyed his passion for gardening and being with his second life partner, James Johnson. His first life partner, Robert Noeltner, died of lung cancer several years beforehand. Dr. Isakson always considered himself to be

Recent Memorials

Photos by Rink

The deaths of George Michael, Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds hit home with San Francisco Bay Times team members and many throughout the Bay Area’s LGBT Community.

Multiple memorial postings have appeared spontaneously at the “Hibernia Beach” 18th and Castro intersection location.

Circulation is verified by an independent agency Reprints by permission only.

CALENDAR Event listings for consideration to be included in the Bay Times online or print Calendar section should be sent by e-mail to: calendar@sfbaytimes.com. © 2017 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas

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Dr. Isakson was in private practice in San Francisco from 1969, with affiliations at Davies Medical Center, St. Francis Memorial Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital, and the Sutter Group of Hospitals through the time that he assumed the role of Medical Director at Laguna Honda Hospital on a full-time basis. He was appointed to the Mayor’s Long Term Care Coordinating Council in 2004 and the Laguna Honda Hospital Assisted Living Advisory Group in 2006.

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the luckiest person on Earth, having been blessed with two such meaningful and fulfilling relationships.

Dr. Isakson also derived great fulf illment from his tireless work, and never faltered in his commitment to be the best clinician possible, by whatever changes might be made for improvement. A memorial service took place at Laguna Honda Hospital on October 5, 2016, at which time numerous colleagues, nurses, staff, and friends recounted their many fond experiences with him over a lifetime of service to the patients and friends he loved, and in the city of his dreams, San Francisco. In addition to Johnson, he is survived by his sister Joan and his brother Gene.

A fund has been established in his honor at Laguna Honda Hospital.

Please contact Jerome Goldstein, MD, regarding the Paul J. Isakson

Dr. Paul J. Isakson, MD

memorial. Contributions can be made to the Diversity Foundation of San Francisco (divsf.org) or contact Dr. Goldstein at jgoldstein@sfcrc.org or 415-279-6952 for further information.

Thank you to Dr. Jerome Goldstein, MD, for his help in the creation of this memorial, and for his own longstanding support of the LGBTQ community.

GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow

Where No One Has Gone Before I no longer wake up in surreal shock.

In some ways, I suppose I’ve accepted the fact that Donald Trump has won the election. But I haven’t recovered by a long shot. I no longer can stomach the “Morning Joe” panels, with their smug, simplistic political blather. I no longer enjoy watching fictional TV shows about the White House.

Shows like West Wing, Scandal, Madame Secretary, Designated Survivor. Oh, yes, I still watch them. But the fictional presidents, whether Republican or Democratic, are invariably thoughtful and strategic. It makes me sad to see them now. The very definition of “President” has shifted in our collective imaginations.

I’ve retreated into Star Trek reruns, always a favorite but becoming a habit.

Next Generation, Voyager, Deep Space Nine, Enterprise—I’ve found an obscure cable channel (Heroes and Icons) that provides a fix of all four (and also repeats old episodes of Xena). The world of Star Trek is principled, utopian, admirable. Star Trek captains care about people and all life forms. They are good Samaritans, valiant explorers, and brave soldiers when necessary.

What’s right and good prevails on Star Trek, and what’s evil and destructive is vanquished. I need these life-affirming concepts on these winter evenings, along with a cozy couch, a stiff drink, a wife, a couple of pugs and a cat.

I exaggerate my new TV habits only slightly, but it’s true that I can only ingest a limited amount of actual news these days. There’s been a fair amount of crying mea culpa from the mainstream media, and yet they continue to fixate on tweets and shiny objects.

Monday’s lead story online, for example, involved numerous headlines about something mean Trump said about Meryl Streep. No wonder the man tweets! He appears to have total mind control over the assignment editors throughout this country’s news organizations.

As for fake news, I’ve encountered as much fake news from the left as I have from the right, in part because like many people, I’ve created a liberal news bubble for myself, so whatever fake news I get is likely to be left leaning. (For the record, Donald Trump does not have a crazy extra “X” chromosome. The notation “YXX” on his selective service form refers to his draft status, which is routinely given through a code with the letters X, Y, and Z. Nor does the draft board conduct gene tests in the first place.)

All I can say is, thank God for Rachel.

There They Go Again I didn’t intend to turn my intro into a self-pitying little rant, but there it is. The moving finger wrote and now moves on.

Since last we communicated, the North Carolina legislature pledged to repeal the notorious anti-trans HB2, but promptly went back on their word and left it in place. Now we herald the beginning of new legislative sessions around the country, including the new session in Texas where lawmakers meet for three months every other year. Hey, it’s only the second largest state on the continent. Who needs government?

Texas is one of several states that has decided to introduce its own version of HB2, and let me say that I have some hope this bill will be killed by the saner Republicans in the state house. Republicans have supermajorities in the Lone Star State, but the house majority is mitigated by a bunch of conservatives, led by the Speaker, who are less crazy than the really crazy ones. It’s too soon to speculate however, so I’ll get back to you on this.

Other states embarking on anti-trans bathroom bills include Alabama, Virginia, Wisconsin, Missouri and South

Carolina. I got that list from an AP story, so there may be more. Let’s just assume that we can expect dozens of anti-GLBT bills proliferating throughout the states, including religious freedom bills, bathroom bills, and bills to prohibit new local civil rights laws. Usually, you can count the number of bad bills that make it into law on the fingers of one hand, but this year might be different. State legislatures are suffused with far-right entitlement and a sense that anything goes. Will the backlash against North Carolina be warning enough to stem the tide of antigay legislation in other states? It’s our main defense.

Goodbye Obama Administration, We’ll Miss You Meanwhile, the Senate is about to review the qualifications of Jeff Sessions to be Attorney General. I think there could be no worse nominee for the post, but even if Sessions is miraculously defeated, I can’t imagine the next person in line will be that much better as far as we’re concerned.

Say goodbye to the Justice Department’s GLBT-friendly interpretation of Title VII, and while you’re at it, wave farewell to the Department of Education’s promotion of Title IX as a ban on trans-discrimination. Does this matter? Yes. Not only will future civil rights cases proceed without the support of the U.S. Government, but also the administration will likely be arguing on behalf of the other side in those cases. After North Carolina passed HB2, the Obama administration warned that federal policy requires respect for trans-students throughout the public education system. Now, schools and universities can toss those advisory letters in the circular file if they want to, and even if they don’t.

As for the Supreme Court, it’s hard to rank Trump’s short list, which now includes about eight people, all of them under 60. I guess I think that William Pryor is the worst option, but that could be just a result of name-recognition. I had no idea that Sam Alito would combine conservatism with legal ineptitude to become my least favorite justice, worse than Scalia and Thomas in my view, so I hardly trust myself to assess the rest of the gang of eight before us. The whole situation makes me sick. Could there be a David Souter or even an Anthony Kennedy hiding in the group?

I’ve been reading that Trump likes to appoint people who look attractive and who he thinks fit a Hollywood image of high position. The only problem with this, aside from the obvious lunacy, is that Trump’s nominees will likely not have chronic health problems. Would that he appointed a chain-smoking justice with two hundred extra pounds and an alcohol problem. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that!)

By the way, I read a good piece by Jeffrey Toobin in the New Yorker, pointing out that successful opposition to a Supreme Court pick begins instantly, within minutes or hours of the announcement. If the stage is not quickly set for an aggressive push back, the process usually meanders around and results in confirmation. I’d say Harriet Miers was an exception to that general rule, but it was true of Bork and Garland, as Toobin points out. Keep that in mind when Trump nominates his wannabe justice.

Namasteeeeeehhh!

I’m searching for something nice to say, without much success. I will thank a certain source, who shall remain nameless, for news of the goat yoga classes now available in Oregon, where you can do your yoga surrounded by adorable miniature goats who nuzzle and lick you while you stretch and breathe. Oh, and they nibble at your yoga mats too! (continued on page 26) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES JANUARY 12, 2017

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DE YOUNG AND LEGION OF HONOR

Frank Stella’s Prints At the de Young, Anderson Gallery 17, through June 25, 2017

Frank Stella, “Bonne Bay,” from the Newfoundland Series, 1970. Color lithograph and screenprint, 38 x 70 in. Printed by Stuart Henderson and Ron McPherson (lithography) and Jeff Wasserman (screenprinting). Published by Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles. Anderson Graphic Arts Collection, gift of the Harry W. and Mary Margaret Anderson Charitable Foundation, 1996.74.465 © 2016 Frank Stella / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Frank Stella’s Prints highlights the American artist’s experimental printmaking over a twenty-f ive-year period starting in 1967, the year he began working in the medium.

Examples are drawn from the Anderson Collection of Graphic Arts held in the Fine Arts Museums’ Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts and loans from Harry W.

and Mary Margaret Anderson. Though he came to printmaking somewhat reluctantly, Frank Stella (b. 1936) eventually discovered its potential and has continued with the form. He began with lithography, making prints that expand upon formal concerns he explored in his painting practice such as scale, surface, and texture. The artist later

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

© Randy Coleman, 2016 16

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incorporated additional print processes into his practice.

The exhibition provides an opportunity to consider the artist’s prints in the context of the major exhibition Frank Stella: A Retrospective (http://deyoung.famsf.org/exhibitions/ stella). Some of the pieces in Frank Stella’s Prints reprise the paintings in the retrospec-

tive, including Jill (1967), from the Black Series II, based on his 1959 painting of the same title. Other prints, such as Squid (1989) and The Cabin. Ahab and Starbuck (Dome) (1992) are part of larger projects—in this case Moby Dick (1985–1997)—that the artist fashioned from paintings, relief-sculptures, collages, and prints.

So You’re Engaged … Now What?

Plan a Night Out with Just Your Fiancé

By Frederick Sullivan and Jaime Botello

Until the celebrations and parties and wedding are finally over, there’s not going to be much “ just the two of you” moments.

If your partner recently popped “the question” and you said, “I do,” here are some immediate next steps to consider.

Think About Whether You Want a Wedding Planner, Coordinator or Want to Go It Alone

Call Your Relatives—Even the ones you don’t talk with much Engagement dos and don’ts start almost the second you say yes.

Your first task? Sharing the exciting news with the world.

Get Your Ring Sized Your stunning sparkler is perfect in every way, except for the wiggle room (or maybe it’s a little tight and turning your fingertip a not-so-Tiffany-blue).

Get Your Ring Insured Nothing can replace the sentimental value of your ring, but if something happens to it, at least you can get your (or your partner’s) money back.

Set a Date—Even if it’s not the date After “Congratulations,” and, “Let me see your ring,” here’s the first thing people will likely ask: “When’s the wedding?” It will save you lots of headaches if the two of you come up with a vague-yet-specific answer, like, “We’re shooting for 2017 or 2018,” or, “We like the idea of next fall.”

Create a Wedding Blog Now that you’ve told everyone the good news, set up a wedding site or blog to keep everyone apprised of your nuptial news. Post photos, write your “how we met” story and have a guestbook. Make it as personal and interactive as you want.

Daydream, a Lot Get a bunch of wedding magazines. Watch all the wedding movies for feel-good tears, and look at maps for honeymoon ideas. Blog-stalk engagement sites.

Review the elements of your wedding that’ll take a little planning—negotiating with bakers and caterers for the best prices, finding the ideal venue, organizing party favors—and figure out if those are tasks you want to tackle alone, or if you’d rather hire a wedding planner (stress reduction and a little time-saving sounds nice, right?). Keep in mind that a wedding planner or coordinator will cost extra money, so make sure the option fits into your budget before you give it serious consideration.

Start a Wedding Savings Account Remember that even a simple, small wedding costs money, and sometimes a lot more money than you would ever imagine.

Ask Your Parents and Close Family Friends for Their Ideal Guest Lists Before you start putting a number on how many guests you want, it’s time to ask both your parents about whom they’d most want to invite. Be sure to tell them this is just a preliminary list and that things might change

TERRA GALLERY & EVENT VENUE

Chill Out and Have Fun Take time to relax. Get a massage and sleep in when you can, for example. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event purely about you and your fiancé. You are allowed to enjoy it!

Husbands Frederick Sullivan and Jaime Botello run Sullivan & Botello Events (www.sullivanbotelloevents.com) and SnB Party Rentals (http://www.snbpartyrentals.com/). See their more complete biography below.

Frederick Sullivan and Jaime Botello, who oversee the Weddings & Occasions page for the San Francisco Bay Times, are the talented wizards behind Sullivan-Botello Events (http://sullivanbotelloevents.com) and SnB Party Rentals (650-877-0840, www.snbpartyrentals.com). Both are Certified Wedding Planners with extensive experience in creating memorable, personalized events for special occasions. Their rental service is incredible, offering everything from beautiful gold Chiavari chairs to LED dance floors, and all at competitive prices. They are the creators of the Gay Vanity Wedding Show and are longstanding members of the Golden Gate Business Association, which is the nation’s first LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

Contemporary. Elegant. Versatile.

Terra provides the perfect setting to make your wedding unforgettable.

511 Harrison Street (at First), San Francisco, CA 94105 www.terrasf.com • info@terrasf.com • 415.896.1234

New Year’s Resolutions of High School Students Who Took an LGBT Studies Class

By Lyndsey Schlax

( E d itor’s Note: Teacher Ly ndsey Schlax of the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts (Asawa SOTA) launched the nation’s first on-site high school LGBT course in 2015. She has resumed teaching that groundbreaking class. In this column, her students share their thoughts about LGBT-related matters, including their concerns, what they have learned in class and more.)

As we begin 2017, and a new semester of school, the LGBTQ Studies class at Asawa SOTA created some resolutions, determined to take their learning from the classroom out into the world. Here are some of their goals: - Last semester I was filled to the brim with the history and presence of LGBTQ community and history in the United States. I want to dive into another country and study, in depth, the attitudes and customs surrounding LGBTQ communities and how the intersectionality of that country’s culture coexists with and affects such attitudes.

- My resolutions for this year are taking everything I’ve learned relating to LGBTQ and race discrimination and continuing to educate myself and oth-

Student Voices ers. I am now better prepared to be more open minded.

- My resolution is to fully understand my privileges in society. As a straight, white, well-off, cisgender guy, I have almost all of the advantages in the world, and it’s important for me to realize it.

- I want to learn patience. In a world where Donald Trump is our president, I want to seek to understand and listen to those with different views, and who have grown up in completely different worlds, instead of immediately dismissing them. I want to teach and be taught.

- I intend to continue learning about the untold and the under-told histories of people around the world. I want to bring more attention to the unsung heroes I learned about in this class and continue to uncover more in the future.

- I hope that I can become an ambassador and consultant for those that were not fortunate enough to join this class. Whether they had a full schedule, or just did not want to take this course, everyone should know the basics of what we are learning. Everyone deserves to be knowledgeable and respectful of other people’s backgrounds and cultures.

- After taking LGBTQ Studies I feel so much more connected to my community and my personal identity. The class provided historical context for all the social norms revolving around (continued on page 22) Lyndsey Schlax has been a teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District since 2008.

She is uniquely qualified to address multiple areas of LGBT studies, having also specialized in subjects such as Modern World History, Government, Economics and U.S. Politics. She is a National Board Certified Teacher, and earned her M.A. in Teaching at the University of San Francisco.

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Dance Brigade Celebrates 40 Years of Art and Activism audiences, heightening our awareness.

They take on things that need saying in a way that we cannot always hear.

Debra Walker “The Devil whispered in my ear, ‘You are not strong enough to withstand the storm.’

Today I whispered in the Devil’s ear, ‘I am the storm.’”

–Leonard Cohen On a recent afternoon in the Mission, a group of young women skipped and trotted around the corner onto 24th, then turned a hard right and disappeared into a bright mural-wrapped brick building. Above the door: Dance Mission Theater. You could hear the excited conversation following them up the stairs, joining a cacophony coming from the second floor.

Dance Mission is packed this afternoon with dancers spanning generations, just like every day of the week.

The steady rhythm and motion of this cultural space spread across this corner like a blanket of inspiration.

Krissy Keefer is the Executive Director of Dance Mission. I first met her over twenty years ago. I was asked to do artwork for a poster for the LGBT dance festival she was co-producing.

Krissy’s work immediately drew me in. Dance Brigade is unapologetically political at every turn, and pointedly addresses the issues tearing at us locally and globally. To feel the amazingly hopeful and direct power of Dance Brigade as members take on male oppression, global greed, climate change and each and every serious crisis (de) facing us is liberating and inspiring.

They mold into movement the issues, and ruthlessly smash them back into

Krissy was running Brady Street dance those 20 years ago. She had taken it over, with Dance Brigade, after a previous executive director had given up. Brady was a buzz of dance energy. Every time I went over to Brady Street, there were groups of young people dancing around, laughing, and clearly feeling empowered by what they were learning there. I, in turn, found out about the work Krissy did with Wallflower Order, a dance collective founded in Eugene, Oregon.

It gave movement and rhythm to the Women’s Music movement forty years ago, providing the heartbeat for fierce feminism and lesbian rights. Her work and teaching have inspired so many women to break through the barriers that once held them down.

A challenge then and now, for many in San Francisco, was finding affordable housing and business space. In the 1990s, a connected group of builders were skirting the rules of live-work, a program intended to create live-work places for artists. In fact, the program was being used for high-end lofts, and actually wound up displacing artists, one of whom lived right next door to Brady Street. Krissy took note and became active in local socioeconomic issues, rallying an “art army” to take up such causes. She was eventually evicted from Brady Street because the residential units built next door fueled complaints against the “noise” of dance and drumming. Undaunted, she took the leadership helm of Dance Mission in 1997, and has helped to turn it into one of the most successful and respected dance companies and organizations around.

Less than a decade later, in 2005, Dance Brigade started Grrrl Brigade, a program to train future dancers. I have watched Krissy’s daughter Frederica grow from a talented, takecharge youth into one of the Dance Brigade dancers and teachers. Fred-

erica is also a rising hip hop star, having also been instructed by Allen Frias at Dance Mission. Beams Fredrica, “The legacy here lives through each and every person who comes through.

It trickles down through us all. All of us keep this vision alive and going.”

Holly Near, a powerful social justice artist whose work has led revolution and change for decades, shares in this enthusiastic view of Dance Brigade. Holly has collaborated with Krissy from the beginning, and she is performing in the 40th anniversary event, Gracias a la Vida – Love in a Bitter Time, January 13–14 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Concerning Dance Brigade’s influence, Holly told me for the San Francisco Bay Times, “For 40 years the vision we have come to know as Dance Brigade has been exploring and expressing dance generated from the depth of the feminine— from witches in the Middle Ages to revolutionaries leading the multi-cultural dialogue in the 21st century. To have kept such a vision, such a dance company vibrant and solvent all these years, is magnificent and worth celebrating!”

So much of the work in Gracias a la Vida - Love in a Bitter Time grew from seeds sown over the past four decades, in overcoming struggles to scream at indifference with powerful movement and words. Krissy told me, “I started working on this show anticipating a different outcome in the election. It was celebratory. But then we lost. My community is devastated and I feel we have to respond. So we are.”

Joining Dance Brigade to celebrate their historic past on this 40th anniversary will be many artists and musicians who, like Near, have done groundbreaking work that promotes cultural diversity and community engagement. They include musical director Christelle Durandy, vocalist Gina Breedlove and numerous others. Several have been with the troupe for ages, and as for Frederica, I have watched and admired them over the years.

One evening, for example, I was in the audience at a recital, sitting next to the parents of a young dancer who was about to perform. The performance began, with the 8–9-year-olds presenting a piece about domestic violence. They dared to name it, and to stand up to it. The compelling, wellchoreographed piece gave me goosebumps and brought the parents next to me to tears. They were so proud of their daughter and the rest of her fellow dancers. That is what happens at Dance Mission.

Sydney Vermilyea and Mariel Mendoza, classmates together since they were very young, are now very excited to be dancing with Dance Brigade for the 40th anniversary production.

Marivel, a regular since she was six, started assisting teachers at 14 and has come up through Grrrl Brigade.

Her parents wanted her to be an athlete, but she knew that dance was her passion. She settled into Dance Mission very quickly, and took to the political power of the programs, which she loves passing along. “The opportunities to be informed about global issues and to have opinions (expressed through dance) about the world is very empowering and it is especially empowering to be able to teach that to the young dancers, like I learned,” she said. “I am so very excited to be dancing with my mentors in my first professional performance.”

Sydney has been studying at Dance Mission since she was four years old.

She is now in her first year of college in Los Angeles, and is back in San Francisco performing with Dance Brigade after advancing as one of the first class of Grrrl Brigade.

She still remembers her very f irst dance class. “I showed up at Dance Mission in my pink dance skirt and ballet shoes we bought at the Payless down the street,” she recalled. “I couldn’t even reach the bar in the studio.” The unique and powerful schooling of dance become apparent when she discusses her own work. “There wasn’t really a time for me when dance wasn’t merged with a political, powerful background. I dance to have a positive impact on the world.” And those lessons also have an immensely personal effect. “When I started, I was all short and shy,” she explained.

“Dance alone couldn’t have changed that. Dance Mission did.”

Back at rehearsal, the dancers sweat and breathe heavily as they run through, time and time again, each piece. The connection in every movement and in every directional change evokes the feeling that somehow, in this time of political crisis, their common visual voice will make everything okay. I could see them take the reins and pull magic seemingly out of thin air while raging at the machine in genuine despair. Even as a viewer, I could feel the energy of their coordinated chaos and motion. It made me believe that the confusion of nature and humankind will all come together and be saved somehow. Such is the power of dance and of art. It clears our vision and provides strength and direction to find a way forward, and to be a catalyst for positive change.

Photos by Robbie Sweeny

Stella Adelman, Program Director, is assisting Krissy and the Dance Mission Board in trying to find a permanent home for Dance Mission. Just as Krissy’s organization was displaced at Brady Street, Dance Mission is faced with current challenges at the building at 24th and Mission. Dance Mission has fought to stay there, and with the advisement of our city’s arts stabilization program, has devised a plan forward. Says Stella, “Having a permanent home allows for long-term planning and more effective budgeting, instead of having to deal with big fluctuation in rents and having to put off capital investment because we can’t get funding. Funders won’t fund improvements and repairs if you don’t have a long-term situation. It would give us so much more freedom.”

The legacy of Wallf lower Order, Dance Brigade, Dance Mission and Krissy Keefer is therefore being moved forward with plans of a new home.

Dance Mission is partnering with Local 648 United Food and Commercial Workers to rebuild and reside in their building with them at 16th and Mission. Working with the Mission Economic Development Agency, the Northern California Loan Fund, and the city, Stella, Krissy and their team are striving to make the existing building home to Dance Mission and the union. The plans are for a permanent home for Dance Mission and for community-focused dance into the future. The upcoming 40th anniversary event then not only offers reason to celebrate past achievements, but also the potential for more quality, inspired art and dance in San Francisco over the years to come.

For more information about Gracias a la Vida – Love in a Bitter Time, and other upcoming Dance Mission performances, please go to: http://www. dancemission.com/performances/upcoming.html Tickets for the 40th anniversary event may be purchased at: https://www. ybca.org/whats-on/dance-brigade Debra Walker is a Commissioner for the City and County of San Francisco Building Inspection Commission.

A past president of the Commission, the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club and the San Francisco Arts Democratic Club, Walker is also an internationally recognized painter and printmaker. For more information: http://www.debrawalker.com/

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Often Outrageous Gay Filmmaker Works in More Restrained Mode for Julieta

Film Gary M. Kramer Julieta, which opened last week in San Francisco, has the often-outrageous gay f ilmmaker Pedro Almodóvar working in a more restrained mode.

This drama, based on three short stories by Alice Munro—“Chance,” “Soon,” and “Silence”—has the title character played by two different women: Adriana Ugarte is the young Julieta, and Emma Suárez is the older Julieta. The conceit works well as this story crosses time and plays with issues of identity. However, some of the connections Almodóvar wants to make require viewers to fill in the blanks.

The film opens strongly with Julieta (Suárez) preparing to go to Portugal with her lover, Lorenzo (Darío Grandinetti). Yet when she has a chance encounter with Beatriz (Michelle Jenner), who was best friends with Julieta’s daughter Antía (Blanca Parés), Julieta is so taken aback that she calls off the trip and moves back into the apartment building where she had lived with Antía. Julieta, it is revealed, has not seen Antía in over a decade.

As a flood of memories come back to haunt her, she writes about her rela-

tionship with Antía, and how their estrangement occurred.

The plot certainly yields to A lmodóvar’s signature approach, with flashbacks and time shifts that reveal secrets and desires of his heroines. Julieta is very much in the vein of the director’s previous mother/child films, from High Heels to All About My Mother that also focused on women trying to overcome some trauma from the past. But despite the synergy with the material, Julieta seems to lack some of the Spanish bad boy’s typical verve.

Yes, there are the director’s signature reds, from a dress the title character wears to the painted walls of Julieta’s apartment, but mostly, this film feels stiff, with the characters’ rigid behavior creating drama, but not tension.

It is fine that Almodóvar is not infusing this material with his cheeky sense of humor, but there is just not enough juice in what he does present.

A large swath of the film unfolds in a flashback. One key episode has the young Julieta (Ugarte, sporting a punk-y 80’s style blonde hairdo), meet-

ing an older man on a train. She initially shuns him, but their encounter has extreme repercussions for Julieta. Most significantly, it prompts her to meet Xoan (Daniel Grao), a fisherman with whom she becomes romantically attached. Julieta turns up at Xoan’s house several months after their initial encounter, just after his comatose wife has passed. She also discovwers Xoan has been seeing Ava (Inma Cuesta), which makes her jealous. However, the women soon become fast friends. While there is a hint that Beatriz and Antía have a romantic relationship, this possibility goes largely unexplored.

Almodóvar keeps spinning out these characters’ complex lives, but every time the film seems to be getting interesting, it hits a roadblock. Julieta’s search for her daughter becomes as frustrating for the audience as it is for her character. As Julieta responds to the various men and women she meets—even her exchanges with Xoan’s housekeeper Marian (Al(continued on page 26)

Four LGBT FAQs in the Trumpocalypse important for LGBT people, even married couples.

2. Immigration Can I get deported?

Words Michele Karlsberg

Elizabeth Schwartz, the Miami family and estate attorney who helped win marriage equality in Florida, could not have had her book Before I Do published at a better time. Protecting our rights is more important than ever in the Trumpocalypse.

Below, Schwartz answers four questions concerning LGBT issues.

1. Marriage Equality Will my marriage be valid after January 20? Should my partner and I hurry to get married Legally married couples will continue to be married. If you are married legally anywhere, you are married here. If you are not married, you need not rush to get married. While in many ways, Inauguration Day will be the beginning of major difficulties for us all, it will not mean the end of the freedom to marry. If you do decide to get married, please be informed about the legal consequences of marriage. Familiarize yourself with the points my book raises, and look before you leap. Importantly, having in place a will and clear advance directives for your health care is important for everyone and continues to be 20

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It takes a long time for a president to change the law and he can’t do so unilaterally, so seeking asylum based on sexual orientation or gender identity, or getting a green card based on family status (such as marriage), cannot change any time soon. However, DACA is in jeopardy, so if there is a “Dreamer” amongst you, seek competent counsel.

Also, do so if there is a complication like overstaying, a criminal history, or entry into the U.S. without inspection. See whether marriage would help adjust status so, if the threats of mass deportation repeatedly made by the president-elect during his campaign are carried out, you’re protected. Know that having a pre-nuptial agreement does not compromise the integrity or legality of your marriage.

3. Transgender Issues Is there a reason to rush and complete my name and gender marker changes?

A new president cannot impact the process of getting name and gender marker changes with court orders in state courts. While changes in driver’s licenses and birth certif icates are governed by state law, passports and social security cards are federal documents. If you were planning on making those changes, now is a good time to do so in the event that current streamlined policies President Obama put in place are eliminated.

4. Parents Can a new president impact my parental rights?

Adoption is governed by state law, not federal law. A new federal government won’t then erase protections your family has in place. If you are parents, however, it is now more important than ever to obtain confirmatory adoptions, even if you are married. The right to marriage equality may be enshrined across the country, but how that marriage impacts parental rights is decidedly not universal. An adoption or parentage order that confirms your parental rights is strongly suggested, even if you are both already on the child’s birth certificate. Before I Do has a substantial section on what parents should do to protect themselves and their children.

Elizabeth Schwartz is an attorney, author of Before I Do: A Legal Guide to Marriage, Gay and Otherwise (The New Press, 2016), co-chair of the national board of SAGE and a member of NCLR’s National Leadership Council and National Family Law Advisory Council.

Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBT community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates twentyeight years of successful book campaigns.

Speaking to Your Soul ARIES (March 21–April 19) Pause. Reflect. Act. There is added intensity in the atmosphere right now, and act you must, but try and be discerning. Meditate on the good of the whole, which includes you, but is beyond you as well.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Your soul needs attention. Be sure to give yourself solo time to go within and self-reflect. Weed out any deeply-rooted behaviors that no longer serve you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Consider taking a poetry, painting, or music class now. Your imagination is set ablaze and creative expression could really help you resolve some outdated issues that have held you back.

TAURUS (April 20–May 20) You tend to find security in the familiar, but the planets compel you to commit to the unfamiliar right now.

Test your faith so you can allow more wonder and beauty into your world.

Astrology Elisa Quinzi The tension in the atmosphere is purposeful. We are being challenged to grow. Along with such tension, the celestial lights are all green now in a powerful sign of encouragement supporting such growth.

May we answer the call and become our own heroes.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) On what foundation is your sense of security built? It is said that if you dig deep enough you’ll reach the bedrock that connects us all. Find that universal connecting point and your personal sense of security will be fortified.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Old wounds resurface now. The good news is they simply want to be acknowledged and integrated into a more compassionate, empathic self. Cultivating these qualities inspires and deepens your purpose.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan.19) You’ve been undergoing a personal transformation of epic proportions. Your gifts of patience and endurance are carrying you to a new vista where there is more light, more beauty, and more love than you’ve experienced in recent times. Use your new eyes to see it.

CANCER ( June 21–July 22) Relationship dynamics are on the front burner now.

Self-care is priority number one. Love yourself first so you can give voice to your true needs within partnerships.

LEO ( July 23–August 22) This is the time to plant seeds for the coming spring.

Apply discipline to daily habits and have faith that your efforts will eventually produce fruit.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20–Feb. 18) The best way to loosen any shackles and ensure that you are on your most-authentic path is to practice a spiritual discipline such as meditation or yoga. Doing so can help you hear your true inner guidance more clearly.

VIRGO (August 23–Sept. 22) A window is open through which you can tap into the needs of the collective. Let this inform your creative efforts. Inspiration comes through mystically-inclined allies and partnerships.

PISCES (Feb. 19–March 20) If ever the world were in need of, and truly ready for, your offerings, it’s now. In order to bring your gifts into form, you must have discipline. In order to maintain discipline, you must keep the faith. Do what needs to be done. It’s why you are here.

Elisa has been enjoying the art of astrological counseling since earning professional certification many years ago. In addition to astrological knowledge, she brings a high degree of conscious presence to her work, and creates a safe, comfortable atmosphere for sessions to unfold organically. Contact her at futureselfnow@gmail.com or 818-530-3366 or visit www.ElisaQuinzi.com

As Heard on the Street . . . What word or phrase best describes how you feel when you hear President-Elect Donald Trump speak?

compiled by Rink

Laura Hastings

Terrie Frye

Jerry Berbier

Richard Shadoian

“Barbarian”

“Obnoxious”

“Disgust”

“Blah Blah Blah”

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES JANUARY 12, 2017

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Walking Is Wonderful

Easy Fitness Cinder Ernst I’ve been a personal fitness trainer for almost 30 years—wow! Most of those years have been spent helping plus size reluctant exercisers become Easy Fitness movers and shakers. The request I hear most often is that folks want to be able to walk further with more comfort. Walking will enable them to be with family and friends, too. This column will be on how to get started with a walking program the Easy Fitness way.

Let’s tune up your mindset for a successful walking program. In Easy Fitness, we define success with this statement: Doing what I said I would do about exercise consistently and without struggle.

We call this the Easy Fitness Success Formula. Notice that you decide what you say you will do. That is the first mindset premise. You decide.

Take Me Home with You! Didi

“My New Year’s resolution is to bring some sparkle and Chihuahua spunk into my new home! I just need to find that someone special. I enjoy going for long walks and cuddling, especially on these cold winter nights. I’m looking for a quieter home where I can spend quality time with my favorite people. I promise to help you make 2017 the best year yet!”

Didi is presented to San Francisco Bay Times readers by Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, the SF SPCA’s Co-President. Our thanks also go to Krista Maloney for helping to get the word out about lovable pets like Didi.

To meet Didi and other pets seeking their forever homes, please visit: San Francisco SPCA Mission Campus 250 Florida Street San Francisco, CA 94103 415-522-3500

I recommend you do your comfortable walking distance for a few days.

Let it feel easy. If it doesn’t hurt your body and if it doesn’t stress you out, then you are on the right track for you. If you are comfortable, you are more likely to do it again. The objective is to get some positive momentum going in the direction of starting a walking program. If you start where you are comfortable, you will experience less resistance to the idea of it and to the doing of it. This will help your getting started. Getting started is often the trickiest part.

There are two Easy Fitness Keys that will help with the getting started process. The first key is: “Nothing behind, everything in front.” That means to let this be a fresh start. Keep

your eye on what’s coming, not where you’ve been. It doesn’t really matter what you’ve done in the past. This is now. Keep bringing yourself back to now. There is no need to hurry about this; all is well.

The second key is: “Don’t give a damn about what anyone else thinks.” You decide! Use your physical and emotional guidance system. Care about how you feel. Find your own path, and keep it to yourself until you feel steady. This Easy Fitness System is not mainstream. Not everyone is ready for this leading-edge idea. Find your own way.

If you would like to begin a walking program, then begin. Make it easy.

You can march around your house or walk around your backyard. Be creative. I have a client who started by walking around her car one time before she got it. Isn’t that brilliant?!

Then add just a few more steps. In the next column, we will address getting around common walking program obstacles.

Cinder Ernst, Medical Exercise Specialist and Life Coach Extraordinaire, helps reluctant exercisers get moving with safe, effective and fun programs. Find out more at http:// cinderernst.com

STUDENT VOICES (continued from page 17) this topic that I see today. I hope to understand the same in Ethnic Studies; to learn more about the history behind all different cultures and definitely the initial instances of racism.

- My goal in the future is to continue to be a good ally, to express my support for the LGBTQ community through my art, and to continue to learn more about how to do that. I want to be a support system for anyone who needs it, and I want to become more involved in my community.

- My goal for this year is to learn more about Asian American History. I think it is one of the many lost stories of history, rarely talked about, and it is something that I am very invested in.

- I hope to implement my newfound knowledge about the history and current understanding about the LGBTQ community outside of class. My goal is to recognize when someone makes an assumption or misrepresentation about the LGBTQ community and respectfully inform them.

- I hope that wherever I go, I bring all my light, joy and knowledge, and share it with the world. I hope that our younger siblings, our kids, and

our grandkids won’t have to worry or wonder about their identity, who they are—is it wrong? Am I wrong?

- One of my goals this year is to stop doubting myself and to finally set out to achieve and create what I’m passionate about. I want to use the ideas I have on my mind on paper and make films. This goal would help me use the platform I have to speak out on issues today and give light to the undertold stories.

- My goal is to absorb and apply what I have learned in LGBTQ Studies and what I am learning in Ethnic Studies into my everyday interactions, and to know how important it is to remain informed about current issues relating to these topics. I hope to be an ally for people and groups who are being discriminated against.

- My goal is to be extremely openminded. I want to be happier this year, investing my time in things that bring me joy.

- I strive to question societal norms in order to break down discriminating walls and other obstacles. Hopefully by doing this, I can help expand the minds of my friends and family.

- My resolution is to finish senior year strongly, as I graduate and attend col-

lege at the perfect program for me. I also want to promote inclusion and to inspire others through my confidence and positive attitude.

- I hope to further my knowledge and confidence in order to be an active ally. The culture of the United States is likely to become more divided in the next four years, and I’d like to do what I can to fight for and beside the marginalized.

- An important part of telling history is illustrating and sharing the narrative of underrepresented groups. I’d like to learn more about various ethnicities and the cultures they pertain to. For example, I hope to learn more about the language to use when addressing different identities, such as Native American instead of Indian.

- Stand up for justice and the causes I believe in whenever and wherever possible.

- Unlike with LGBTQ Studies, I have an outsider’s perspective when it comes to racial issues. I hope to gain insight and understanding while taking Ethnic Studies this semester.

For more information about the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts, please visit http://www. sfsota.org/

ZOE DUNNING (continued from page 11) Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup

Aside from major holidays, the adoption center is open Mon–Fri: 1–6 pm and Sat–Sun: 10 am–5 pm. Free parking is available for those wishing to adopt!

For more information: sfspca.org/adopt 22

If you create your walking plan around what someone else says is the “right” way, it may not be what’s best for you. There is no shortage of people who will tell you what you should be doing. You know what I’m talking about. The expert recommendations: 30 minutes every day, or three 10 minute bouts, or a specific target heart rate, or … . All of those recommendations are based on something scientific, but they might not be right for you at this time.

How do you know what’s right for you? In Easy Fitness, this decision comes from the inside out. You start where you are comfortable. You pay attention to how you feel physically and emotionally. What is your comfortable walking distance right now?

For some people, it might be 10 steps.

It might be to the mailbox and back.

It might be a block or a half block.

It might be a mile. First, figure out what your current comfortable walking distance is. That is your starting point.

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President Obama stated in his farewell address earlier this week:

some signatures, and run for office yourself. Show up. Dive in. Persevere.”

“Ultimately, that’s what our democracy demands. It needs you. Not just when there’s an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the Internet, try to talk with one in real life. If something needs fixing, lace up your shoes and do some organizing. If you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get

Zoe Dunning is a retired Navy Commander and was a lead activist in the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. She served as Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club and as an elected Delegate for the Democratic National Convention. She is a San Francisco Library Commissioner and is the former First Vice Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party.

Professional Services

LAW OFFICES OF MILES & TORRES Estate Planning 1393 Noe Street, San Francisco, CA 94131 (415) 308-2307 www.milestorreslaw.com

PHOTO BY SANDY MORRIS

NewPer specti ves Center for Counseling

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY   T IM ES JANUARY 12, 2017

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Compiled by Blake Dillon

12 : Thursday

Festival. sfmlkday.org

Diverse Heroes Coloring Book: A Hands On Experience – 6 pm @ SF Main Library, Hormel Center, 3rd Floor, 100 Larkin Street. Featuring authors Jon Macy and Tara Madison Avery. sfpl.org

3rd Annual March to Reclaim King’s Radical Legacy – 11 am @ Oscar Grant Plaza, 14th Street and Broadway, Oakland. Kickoff of 120 hours of direct actions and protests leading up to the Presidential Inaugural. whatdowedo.us

Hettie Jones Book Discussion – 7 pm @ City Lights Bookstore, 261 Columbus Avenue. Jones discusses Love, H: The Letters of Helene Dorn and Hettie Jones. citylights.com On Beckett – Repeats through January 22 @ A.C.T.’s Strand Theater, 1127 Market Street. Tony Award-winning actor Bill Irwin performs passages from Samuel Beckett’s plays, prose and poetry. act-sf.org

13 : Friday Red Hots Burlesque Circus & Variety Cabaret – 7 pm @ The Stud Bar, 399 9th Street.

Featuring Jilian Gnarling. redhotsburlesque.com Michael Tilson Thomas Conducts San Francisco Symphony: Das Klagende Lied: A Semi-Staged Event – 8 pm (repeats Janaury 14 & 15) @ Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue. sfsymphony.org eXposed Juried Street Photography Exhibit – Through January 22 @ Harvey Milk Photo Center, 50 Scott Street. A selection of works by members of the San Francisco Street Photography Group. harveymilkphotocenter.org

14 : Saturday Russian Tales with a Twist – Three Authors Reading – 5 pm @ Laurel Bookstore, 1423 Broadway, Oakland. Three novelists discuss their works, including Gabrielle Glancy, Wayne Goodman, and Arthur J. Levy. laurelbookstore.com Davis Is Burning Drag Show & Competition – 2 & 7 pm @ Wright Theater, UC Davis, Davis, CA. 27th annual benefit produce by Xi Chapter of Delta Lambda Phi Social Fraternity. dib27.com

Pink Out the State Capitol – 11:30 am @ California State Capitol-West Steps, Sacramento.

Hundreds of Planned Parenthood supporters will rally to protect their services to nearly 1 million Californians a year. timeout.com/sacramento The Price of the Ticket: James Baldwin Revisited – 6:30 pm @ Impact Hub Oakland, 2323 Broadway, Oakland. Join a community of creatives to explore nuances of politics, space, art and humanity. thepriceoftheticket.eventbrite.com

18 : Wednesday Smack Dab at Dog Eared Books Castro – 7:30 pm @ Dog Eared Books Castro, 489 Castro Street. Hosts Larry-bob Roberts and Dana Hopkins welcome guests, including Kate Carroll De Gutes who will read from her book Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear. dogearedbooks.com The Nth Power Concert – 9 pm @ Boom Boom room, 1601 Fillmore Street. Out LGBTQ drummer Nikki Glaspie and her bandmates bring their national The Nth Power Tour to SF. boomboomroom.com Margery Kreitman’s Kicking Facebook – 7:30 pm @ The Marsh, 1062 Valencia Street. A solo performance about a love/hate relationship with social media. themarsh.org

19 : Thursday

Beat Bust: A Ghost Ship Fire Benefit – 3 pm @ SF Eagle, 398 12th Street. Join invited artists Kerri LeBon, Matt Risher, Piano Rain, Russell E. L. Butler/ Black Jean, Trevor Sigler and more. sfeagle.com

Exploring Gender & Identity with Youth Art Show Opening Reception – 6 pm @ SOMArts Cultural Center, 9334 Brannan St. 20th Anniversary Art Show of CASA (Children’s After School Arts) casasf.org

SF Comedy Showcase – 8 pm @ Punch Line Comedy Club, 444 Battery Street. Weekly comedy showcase held for over 30 years. punchlinecomedyclub.

16 : Monday SingOut: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration – Music Festival – 11 am @ Yerba Buena Gardens, 750 Howard Street. Four vocal ensembles will perform for the Norcal MLK Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebrations Music SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S JA NUA RY 1 2 , 2 0 1 7

17 : Tuesday

15 : Sunday

Q-Tea – MLK Weekend Tea Dance – 4 pm @ Q Bar, 456 Castro Street. DJ’s Brian Kent, Paul Goodyear and Russ Rich will play classic tea dance music and old school too. qbarsf.com

24

Australia’s Thunder From Down Under – 8 pm @ Cobb’s Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Avenue. An interactive experience with blokes dancing on tabletops and making their way through the crowd. cobbscomedy.com

RADAR Reading Series – 6 pm @ SF Main Library, Latino Community Rm, 100 Larkin Street.

Featuring Carolina de Robertis, Marcela Pardo, Gabrielle Glancy and Andrea Wolf with host Juliana Delgado Lopera. sfpl.org Comedy Returns to El Rio Night Before D-Day – 8 pm @ El Rio, 3158 Mission Street. Featuring Maureen Langan, Joe Nguyen, Ash Fisher, David Lawrence Hawking and producer Lisa Geduldig. elriosf.com

20 : Friday Red Hots Burlesque Circus & Variety Cabaret – 7 pm @ The Stud Bar, 399 9th Street.

Featuring Anna Kaye. redhotsburlesque.com The Blue Ball – 8 pm @ Home on Treasure Island, Avenue D & 12th Street. Fundraiser on Inauguration Night supporting Our Family Coalition, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Planned Parenthood of Nor Cal and others. scenesquid.com The Taming Inauguration Night Benefit – 8 pm @ Dragon Theatre, 2120 Broadway Street, Redwood City. Playwright Lauren Gunderson stages a reading of her play to bneifit Planned Parenthood Redwood City. dragonproductions.net

21 : Saturday Women’s March San Francisco – 3 pm @ Civic Center Plaza. One of the marches taking place in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and more.

Diane Arbus: In the Beginning Photography Exhibit – Continues through April 30 @ San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 151 Third Street. sfmoma.org OutWest Dance – 8 pm @ Wischemann Hall, 465 Morris Street, Sebastopol. Special theme for this date is the “Emma Goldman Revolutionary Stomp!” acknowledging those who have participated in the Women’s March on Washington, in Santa Rosa and other Bay Area locations. outwestdance.com

22 : Sunday How to Be a Unicorn Warrior in Dark Times – 1 pm @ The Center SF, 548 Fillmore Street.Yesenia Sanchez will lead a workshop with real world tactics on standing for love and justice while still keeping an open heart. thecentersf.com Roe v Wade Birthday Party!

– 2 pm @ Brew, 555 Healdsburg Avenue, Santa Rosa. A celebration of the 44th anniversary of the supreme court decision of a woman’s right to choose. brewcoffeeandbeer.com

23 : Monday Trump and Right Wing Populism – 6 pm @ Alley Cat Books, 3036 24th Street. The San Francisco Jacobin Club presents a discussion on how to understand the current version of right-wing populism. alleycatbookshop.com Real Talk: What now?

Mobilizing Over the Next 4 Years – 6:30 pm @ Strut, 470 Castro Street. A community forum to discuss the implications of the next President’s actions, moderated

by Honey Mahogany and Sister roma. sfaf.org

24 : Tuesday Drag Queen Story Hour for Kids – 10:30 am @ San Francisco Public Library – Golden Gate Valley, 1801 Green Street. Black Benatar will read children’s stories at this event designed for kids but welcoming to all. http://sfpl.org/index. php?pg=0100000801 The Irrational Mind – with Michael Lewis – 7:30 pm @ City Arts & Lectures, 275 Hayes Street. cityarts.net

25 : Wednesday Fun Home Premieres at Curran – 8 pm @ The Curran Theater, 445 Geary Street. The Tony award-winning musical based on the work of novelist Alison Bechdel debuts in a premiere evening cosponsored by NCLR. sfcurran.com S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES JANUARY 12, 2017

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NEWS (continued from page 7) oric stirred by last year’s election. victoryfund.org London Breed Unanimously Re-elected as President of Board of Supervisors London Breed of District 5 was sworn in for her second term on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and she said she was proud and honored to be unanimously re-elected as President. “I want to thank the residents of District 5 and volunteers who made my reelection as Supervisor a success, and my colleagues for supporting my re-election as President,” she stated. Breed celebrated with her constituents on January 9 at 1538 Fillmore Street. sfgov.org Castro Artist Shares Inspiration for Vibrant Tributes to Fallen Stars After the passing of Carrie Fisher and the Christmas Day passing of George Michael, a memorial tribute to the two stars emerged at the corner of 18th and Castro created by Castro resident and artist Joe Martinez. Due to the positive reception, Martinez decided to also make a tribute for Debbie Reynolds, mother to Carrie Fisher, who passed away one day after her daughter’s death, at the age of 84. On making the tribute to Fisher, Martinez said that “growing up a gay nerd, I idolized her ever since those iconic hairstyles, kickass action sequences and snappy comebacks scorched my retinas.

KRAMER (cont’d from page 20) She was just amazing.” On George Michael, Martinez said, “He was amazing, a truly gifted talent.”

Martinez feels “many blacklisted or turned their backs on him after that ‘bathroom scandal.’” Overall, Martinez noted that “all three share qualities of complicated people ... outsiders, perhaps.” As a queer Latino, he says, “I definitely feel for outsiders and usually root for them. In this case I mourn for them.” hoodline.com Castro Country Club Family Just Grew by One After a rigorous search and interview process, the clean and sober Castro Country Club has hired a new Café Manager. Brandon Stanton has a long history of service to the community. “We are thrilled to have him as part of our team,” said Billy Lemon, Executive Director of Castro Country Club.

“Help us welcome Brandon by visiting the CCC to say hello and introduce yourself.” Lemon added, “At this time of year, we’re reminded how fortunate we are to have a place like the Castro Country Club in San Francisco. To keep the Club open 365 days a year, we rely on your generosity. Quite simply, there wouldn’t be a clean and sober Club in the heart of the Castro without your financial support.” castrocountryclub.org Congresswoman Barbara Lee Sworn in as Member of 115th Congress

When Congresswoman Barbara Lee was sworn in as a member of the 115th Congress, she released the following statement: “In these uncertain times, I am honored to be a member of the Democratic Caucus, a caucus in which women, people of color, and LGBT Americans constitute an historic majority. Our caucus looks and thinks like America and our strength comes from our diversity. Together we will work to bring an end to systemic racism in this country and provide the solutions necessary to address economic inequality.”

She added, “The trust and confidence my constituents have placed in me once again strengthens my resolve and determination in these trying times. Lee promised a progressive resistance to Republicans and to remain “united against the voices of division and hatred trying to undermine the progress we’ve made over the past eight years.” edgemedianetwork.com SFPL to Forgive Fines on Returned Library Books Now through February 14, the San Francisco Public Library will be forgiving the fines on all returned items, regardless of how long they are overdue. They will also be forgiving pre-existing fines on patron’s accounts. There are currently over 55K patrons with overdue fines preventing them from borrowing items. They have held two prior fine amnesties, but this will be the longest running one at six

SISTER DANA (continued from page 13) Drinks for the reception will be sponline through fabric embroidery and sored by 440 Castro. Cheers!

Arnold Schwarzenegger. In his work, Ali Bhutto explores queer polAlso on Saturday, January 28, 4:30– itics and how it exists in a constant 6:30 pm at The GLBT History Muin-between and non-aligned space. seum, $5; free for members, CuCheck it all out at Strut gallery at 470 rator Jeremy Prince will join Castro Street. strutsf.org cartoonist Fran Frisch in presenting an informal gallery talk Exhibition opening, “BEARTOONabout “BEARTOONIST OF SAN IST OF SAN FRANCISCO: FRANCISCO: SKETCHING AN SKETCHING A SUBCULTURE” EMERGING SUBCULTURE,” the is Friday, January 27, 2–5 pm, The new exhibition at the GLBT HistoGLBT History Museum, 4127 18th ry Museum.

Street. $5; free for members. A new TONY VAGUELY presents: “POEexhibition featuring the work of carPOURRI 5”: EDGAR ALLAN toonist Fran Frisch as a startPOE’S 208TH BIRTHDAY PARing point for exploring the history of TY READING & PERFORthe bear community, a subculture MANCE ART SHINDIG! Poethat developed in the 1980s to celePourri returns this year to a new brate older, larger, hairier, ruggedlocation at Dog Eared Books Castro, ly masculine gay men who had been 489 Castro Street, Thursday, Janulargely excluded from standards of ary 19, 7–8:30 pm. This event falls attractiveness in gay popular culon inauguration eve so, of course, the ture. “Beartoonist of San Francisco” theme will be “fight horror with horwill include original art by Frisch, ror!” It is a FREE event, but they’ll along with photographs, objects and be passing the hat for donations to the ephemera from the collection of cura- AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES tor Jeremy Prince and the archives UNION. How could we live without the ACLU?! No way. of the GLBT Historical Society.

ROSTOW (continued from page 15) I also just realized that Amanda Nunes is gay! Wondering who that is?

She’s the woman who won the fight against the other woman we’ve been hearing about who lost her other fight a year ago, even though she was supposed to be unbeatable. We might not follow fighting, but it’s always nice when a lesbian wins, as far as I’m concerned. Go Amanda!

And speaking of winning lesbians, let’s hand it to Sally Sarratt and Maria Swearingen. The couple was just named co-pastors at the very beautiful Calvary Baptist Church in downtown D.C., a historic congregation that was founded 155 years ago by abolitionists. The church split from the Southern Baptists in 2012, in part, due to a disagreement over homosexuality.

That’s three nice things. Shall we try for four? How about this one: Outgoing Secretary of State John Kerry issued an apology to the gay community for decades of ruthless discrimination: “On behalf of the Department,” he wrote, “I apologize to those who were impacted by the practices of the past and reaffirm the Department’s 26

steadfast commitment to diversity and inclusion for all our employees, including members of the LGBTI community.”

I’ll take it. It’s nicer than anything we’d get out of Mr. Tillerson, the man who has been running a company that took years to finally protect GLBT workers from discrimination.

Indeed, our community boycotted Exxon for a long time after the energy giant merged with Mobil in 1999 and promptly cancelled domestic partner benefits for Mobil’s GLBT employees (Tillerson was a top executive at the time). Exxon came around only after Obama put into place an executive order mandating anti-discrimination rules in the workplace of federal contractors. Oh, and while we’re on the subject, what will happen to that policy on January 20 when Trump has pledged to overturn all of Obama’s executive orders?

Rage Against the Dying of the Light. Or Just Watch Cat Videos I know that Trump is playing with fire by making his son-in-law a White House advisor, and it’s not clear if

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weeks. They expect to forgo between $15,975 and $76,782 in fines and recover between $40,725 and $203,775 in items. sfpl.org California First in Nation to Fund Inmate’s Gender Surgery A 57-year-old convicted killer serving a life sentence in California became the first U.S. inmate to receive state-funded sex-reassignment surgery, the prisoner’s attorneys confirmed. “For too long, institutions have ignored doctors and casually dismissed medically necessary and life-saving care for transgender people just because of who we are,” said Kris Hayashi, executive director of the Transgender Law Center, which represents Quine and other transgender inmates. Hayashi said the surgery fulfills a landmark legal settlement and is a victory for “all transgender people who have ever been denied the medical care we need.”

Quine previously wrote that her presence in the men’s prison creates “confusion and mixed emotions from the males that go from romantic thoughts to disgust and explosive turmoil reactions.” She will be moved to a women’s prison following the operation, which was performed at a hospital in San Francisco, her attorneys said. lgbtqnation.com

ARTSAVESLIVES STUDIO AND GALLERY presents “15 LOCAL ARTISTS OPENING PARTY” on Friday, January 13, 6–9 pm by curator and owner of the studio, THOMASINA DE MAIO at 518 Castro Street @18th. More than a dozen local artists are displaying everything from art on canvas to sculpture to pottery. Incredible musical performances will astound you given by several talented live artistes: Whitney, Alotte Boutte, Debby Dorisal, and Grace Towers, and more. As always, most art displayed is offered for sale—not ever commissioned for income by the curator. She gets not a cent from these endeavors.

This saint does ALL THIS just because she loves our queer community. HUZZAH!!! She also offers complimentary sangria, wine, beer, water, and delish nibblies at these festive soirees. Stop in and enjoy the fabulousness! Tell ‘em Sister Dana sent ya.

CLOUD 9 THEATRICALS, in association with LANG ENTERTAINMENT GROUP AND RAY OF LIGHT THEATRE are proud

Ivanka will have a role in his professional entourage. But she’s one of the few people who seems as if she might advocate for us, not out of any real commitment to civil rights, but more out of pragmatism. I may be grasping at straws, but I wouldn’t mind if she were given an advisory position. Oh, hell—what am I saying? I don’t know.

Frankly, I wish Trump would put a few goats in his cabinet.

Before I go, I should tell you that the Obama administration has challenged the ruling of a federal judge in Texas, who decided that the administration’s guidance on the scope of Title IX should be tossed aside throughout the country. (The Obama government believes that Title IX, which protects public schools against sex discrimination, inherently covers transgender discrimination as well.)

In briefs to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Obama and company point out that the guidance was just that—guidance. In theory, the Texas-led group of states that sued the government over its policy do not have a live case since no action was

modóvar regular Rossy de Palma) are freighted with meaning—viewers will not necessarily feel Julieta’s emotions as deeply as she does. Ugarte and Suárez are admirable, giving distinctive performances at the title character. They make the heroine both sexy and full of despair, respectively, but ultimately, the character of Julieta is more enigmatic than sympathetic.

The film’s larger problem is that Almodóvar, who can be accused of trying too hard in the past, is trying too little in Julieta. He may guide the viewer through a complex plot with temporal and identity shifts, but he makes the audience work far too hard for too little payoff.

The central relationship between mother and daughter has more power for the characters than viewers.

It is as if the director wanted to keep things ambiguous to build tension, or is being true to Munro’s texts, but his plan backfired. Various subplots involving Julieta’s parents, or Lorenzo following Julieta to understand her strange behavior, produce more fizzle than fireworks.

This is not to say Julieta does not have its pleasures. The romantic scenes between Julieta and Xoan generate some passion, and the cinematography, as one has come to expect from an Almodóvar film, is glorious. Julieta even ends on a graceful note that is somewhat satisfying; it is just a shame that much of what transpired before the final scene is so wearisome. © 2017 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

to present the San Francisco premiere of “SILENCE! THE MUSICAL,” the unauthorized parody of the way scary movie, The Silence of the Lambs, playing a limited engagement at San Francisco’s Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th Street, Thursday, January 26 through Saturday, February 25. SILENCE! The Musical tells the story of rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling as she matches wits with the brilliant, but insane, cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter in order to catch the serial killer known as Buffalo Bill. Clarice faces her own demons—and not to mention a troupe of singing and dancing lambs—while racing against the clock to unlock Lecter’s clues before another innocent girl is killed and skinned by Buffalo Bill. It’s a funny parody musical, so please don’t judge me—I loves me this schuff!

Tickets range in price from $35–$55 and are available online at silencethemusicalsf.com and at the theater box office, one-hour prior to performance time. Chianti will be on tap at the theater, but at this time, no fava-beans will be made available for

Sister Dana sez, “Ya needs ta know that LOVE-A-THON will be a threehour FACEBOOK live broadcast on Inauguration Day (gag! barf! shart!) January 20. This awesome movement is a part of an effort to raise money for three wonderful organizations—THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, AND EARTHJUSTICE. These dedicated organizations notably focus on topics ranging from preserving civil rights for all, to preventing climate change, to fighting for women’s reproductive rights. These are hot button topics that came under fire during President-elect Donald T-Rump’s presidential campaign. Celebrities such as Jane Fonda, Jamie Lee Curtis, Judd Apatow, Patricia Arquette, Christopher Guest, and Tim Robbins are taking part. Singer Jeff Tweedy of Wilco will also join. Bonus points for not watching the inauguration. Low ratings would crush ‘rump’s fragile ego.” Sad. Not.” loveathon-facebook-live/index.html

taken. Further, the appeal questions whether or not a district judge has the jurisdiction to apply his decision nation-wide.

not create a precedent for us to use in the future. The Court could also sidestep the merits and rule on the matter of deference.

I’ve resisted this subject because I assume the new administration will just drop the whole thing. In addition, the question of how courts must defer to agency guidance is also pending before the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of a transgender student in Virginia who won the right to use the boy’s facilities in his high school. The student was backed by the Department of Education, and the Fourth Circuit noted that it was bound by the Department’s interpretation of the law.

Finally, one of Trump’s top nominees is Neil Gorsuch, who is strongly opposed to the idea that courts must give way to agency interpretations of law.

In other words, he would beat back the Fourth Circuit transgender victory with a sledge hammer. If Gorsuch is nominated, would the tied Court consider the views of its next member?

Or would it make no difference?

What will happen to all of this litigation now that the agencies in question, particularly the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights, are about to be placed in the hands of our arch foes? Nothing good, I imagine, but I really have no idea. Note that the High Court’s transgender case will be heard by the 4–4 Court. A tie on the merits of the case will preserve our victory at the Fourth Circuit, but will

public consumption. rayoflighttheatre.com

I recommend that we forget about all these disturbing ideas and enjoy a few Star Trek reruns together. Alternatively, check out the cat video that I just watched. The cat’s friend, a dog, had been away from home for ten days, and when the dog came back the cat meowed and hugged him around the neck for several minutes. It was adorable and it made me feel better about the world. arostow@aol.com

Pre & Post Holidays - All Over Town

Troy Burnet (second from right) and friends and volunteers at the Maitri Holiday Open House on December 17

Maitri’s Toni Newman and a volunteer display the San Francisco Bay Times issue, which was distributed at the Holiday Open House on December 17.

Photos by RINK

The “Express Yourself” wall of wishes and dreams for 2017 was created by patrons and friends at the San Francisco Main Library.

The Golden Girls cast D’Arcy Drollinger, Holotta Tymes, Heklina and Matthew Martin entertained sold out crowds throughout the month of December at the Victoria Theatre.

Troy Crossman, host Juanita More and Heath Stoyer at Juanita More’s Tamale and Tequila Dinner at Hecho in the Castro on December 20

Volunteers staffed the bar at the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club’s Holiday Party at Galleria de la Raza on December 17.

Good Vibration’s Stasia displayed recommended gift items at the GV Polk Street Store on December 23.

Galleria de la Raza’s Ani Rivera and volunteer Stephen Torres welcomed Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club members and friends to the club’s Holiday Party on December 17.

Miss Golden Gate Rad Ronda displayed a carrot cake at the Imperial Court’s Reindeer Games benefit at the Lookout bar.

DJ Rosa Hernandez provided music at the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club’s annual Holiday Party.

Mimi Osa and Ehra Amaya presented a banana cream pie at the Imperial Court’s Reindeer Games benefit for the Rainbow World Fund at the Lookout bar on December 21.

Black Brothers Esteem members William Dean and Miss Billie Cooper at the AIDS Emergency Fund Christmas Eve Dinner

Leandro Gonzales, Alexis Miranda, Bebe Sweetbriar and Tama at the “We Go High” benefit for the Southern Poverty Law Center hosted by the Lookout bar on January 5

Event volunteer Sister Lilly and a guest at the AIDS Emergency Fund Christmas Eve Dinner at The Green Room on December 24

Raffle tickets were popular among event attendees at the Lookout’s benefit for the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Volunteer Ron Allen and AIDS Emergency Fund (AEF) board chair Neil Figuerelli at the AEF Christmas Eve Dinner at The Green Room

Volunteers Gerard and Juliette presented refreshments at the AIDS Emergency Fund Christmas Eve Dinner.

Maria Conner (right) celebrated New Year’s Eve with friends at the Cinch bar on Polk Street.

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