September 18-October 1, 2014 | www.sfbaytimes.com
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RINK
And he’s still going strong! See Special Section - Pages 13-15
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Photographing Our Community for Nearly Five Decades
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The Ability to Self-Identify Is a Matter of Safety as Well as Self-Expression users to publicly list their legal names. Many people’s identities, particularly in the LGBT community, are not reflected on their driver’s license or ID cards. I have known these wonderful drag performers for years and have never called them by any name other than the ones they use on stage.
Building a Coalition of Us-es Supervisor David Campos For many members of the LGBT community, the ability to self-identify is as much a matter of health and safety as it is an important outlet for self-expression. The outrage expressed by members of San Francisco’s drag community over a recent crackdown on Facebook’s profile name policy has demonstrated exactly why this is the case. Many of my good friends, including Sister Roma, Heklina, BeBe Sweetbriar and Lil Miss Hot Mess, have been locked out of their Facebook profiles in recent weeks due to a policy requiring
Facebook may not be aware that, for some members of the LGBT community, the ability to self-identify is a matter of safety. Not allowing drag performers, transgender people and other members of our community to go by their chosen names can result in violence, stalking, violations of privacy and repercussions at work. Sister Roma addressed the breadth of the community affected by the policy best when she said, “This issue is way bigger than a bunch of drag queens complaining because we can’t use our stage names. This policy is discriminatory and potentially dangerous to a variety of Facebook users including abused and battered women, bullied teens, political activists, sex workers, and especially members of the transgender community; all examples of people who use pseudonyms to ensure their safety and privacy.”
Last week, I extended an invitation to Facebook to meet with members of the community. I am glad that they have accepted our invitation to engage in a meaningful public dialogue with the drag queens and members of the transgender community who have been affected by the prof ile name policy. I look forward to participating in this very important conversation and reaching a solution that allows all Facebook members to feel empowered and safe when using the website.
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We know that many Facebook employees live in San Francisco and enjoy the contributions to nightlife that Heklina, Sister Roma and others have made. This will be a great opportunity for Facebook to engage constructively with its neighbors and create a community that is safer for everyone regardless of what name is listed on their driver’s license. David Campos is a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors representing District 9. This column for the “SF Bay Times” was inspired by Harvey Milk’s efforts to build a coalition of what Milk termed “us’es,” meaning communities that value diversity and attempt to leave no one behind. For more information about Supervisor Campos and his work, please visit http://www.sfbos. org/index.aspx?page=2117
Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun
By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “The populist movement for progressivism is beginning to build. Whether it will find expression in the November elections remains to be seen, but it is already moving across the country. Keep it moving!” The classic dragtastic f ilm, TO WONG FOO, THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, JULIE NEWMAR, was screened at the Castro Theatre as part of the 17TH CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL where Julie Newmar herself was in attendance to be honored with the CAIFF Lifetime Achievement award. In the hilarious, heartwarming cult classic, To Wong Foo, Wesley Snipes, John Leguizamo, and the late Patrick Swayze star as three drag queens traveling cross-country. Things take a bizarre turn when their Cadillac breaks down, and they are stranded in a hick town. The f ilm also features Stockard Channing, Blythe Danner, and a cameo from Julie Newmar. But first we adored Newmar at Fork Cafe across the street for a tres gay reception. When I told her that I, along with millions of fags, worshiped her, she gave me a kiss. When I asked what the award meant to her, she quipped, “I don’t know. I haven’t got it yet. Maybe they didn’t bring it.” When asked does she love the gays, she remarked, “Right over there is my brother, John Newmeyer, ‘king of the gays,’ who has moon parties in Pacific Heights. You simply must attend!” She said her brother convinced her to do the Batman series, because his Harvard pals loved that show. Her Catwoman cat-suit hangs in the Smithsonian Museum. Movie maven Jan Wahl expressed her disappointment that I was not in full nun regalia, but still forgave me.
Later, on the Castro stage, Newmar appeared in a sexy black see-through lace body suit, seated on a golden throne, waving a huge rainbow feathered fan to the song from the “To Wong Foo” movie, “Hold Me, Thrill Me.” When Wahl interviewed her and asked why she loved the gays, she joked, “Because they dress so well!” When asked her advice to us, she simply stated, “Moisturize!” When the film came out in 1995, Newmar was in the Gay Pride Parade with her brother. She said she really admired the Radical Faeries. She agreed with Wahl that “the bigger the star, the better they are,” and cited the late Robin Williams, who had a part in the film, as being “a very giving and loving gentleman.” When she finally received the award, presented by Newmeyer, she said she was deeply honored and always had a special place in her heart for San Francisco. As we do in EssEff for her! Cla m my Fae introduced BE A DAZZLER (1998 Faux Queen) who presented, in association with the KLUBSTiTUTE KOLLECTiVE, FAUX QUEEN PAGEANT 2014: Fashion Faux-ward! Held at SOMArts, this was the original Pageant for Drag Queens Trapped in Women’s Bodies. This year’s beneficiaries were Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue (mickaboo.org), SaveABunny (saveabunny.org), and Women Organized to Make Abuse Nonexistent, Inc. The evening was dedicated to the late, great Arturo Galster, and included video clips of some of the actor’s famous characters - male and female. Celebrity femcees were the First Faux Queen titleholder, the indomitable Laurie Bushman aka Coca Dietetica (FQ 1995), and original faux queen and stylish entrepreneur behind the Glama-Rama Hair Salon, Deena Davenport. Celebrity judges included last year’s title winner Cara Couture (FQ2013); Trannyshack’s own Heklina; Cricket Bardot (FQ 2000), Aunty Anita; and pageant founder Ruby Toosday.
Vying for FQ2014 were Agorafauxbia, Alabama Slamma, Ferosha Titties, Hazzard Strange, Linty, KaiKai Bee Michaels, Migitte Nielsen, Roxanne Redmeat, and Miss Shugana. After viewing their talents, judges voted: second runner up was Agorafauxbia, now living in Maryland, with her spectacularly spacey Star Wars number; first runnerup was Hazzard Strange, who said besides her love of horror and gore, she also has an unhealthy obsession with all things cute and f luffy, with her very scary Marilyn Manson “Beautiful People” number; and the new Faux Queen 2014 is Linty, who performed an amazing and much more loving version of Katniss Everdeen from Hunger Games. Linty said she had been inspired by a lecture on how “it’s okay to be different” after wearing mismatched shoes to kindergarten. Cara Couture’s stepping-down swan song was a flawlessly lipped “Will You Still Love Me.” The audience favorite (voted on by amount of tips they gave each contestant) was Hazzard Strange, who was audience favorite last year as well. Faux sho!
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HARVEY FIERSTEIN & CYNDI LAUPER, co-creators of the smash hit musical, KINKY BOOTS, appeared on the Orpheum Theatre stage to be interviewed by Randi Zuckerberg, director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and editor-in-chief of Dot Complicated, a digital lifestyle website. In between the gales of laughter and mock fights between the two actors/composers seated on stage, we learned that shoes are a metaphor for how a person walks and acts. It is best to strive to be triumphantly authentic. Be yourself out loud and proud. The story is how two completely different characters learn to stop having preconceived notions and prejudices against each other and eventually find common ground, partnership, and friendship. Fierstein called himself “Mommie Dearest” to Lauper’s “Christina” during the creative pro(continued on page 30) BAY T IM ES S EPT EM BER 18, 2014
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National News Briefs Compiled and with commentary by Dennis McMillan
Lewiston, ID - Lewiston City Councilors Oppose Proposed Nondiscrimination Ordinance - 9.12
Purchase, NY - Activists Against Bullying Are Urged to Turn Purple on Spirit Day - 9.12
The good news is an ordinance that would make it illegal in Lewiston, ID, not to hire someone or rent your house to them because of their sexual orientation or gender identity has been proposed. But on the other side of the story, some members of Lewiston City Council voted against it.
PepsiCo has announced a “Purple On!” campaign against bullying. The campaign supports GLAAD’s annual Spirit Day on October 16, which inspires millions of Americans to wear purple to take a united stand against bullying and show support for queer youth. PepsiCo is the official food and beverage sponsor for Spirit Day.
“All seven councilors are completely opposed to discrimination based on sexual orientation including myself,” said Lewiston City Council, Mayor Pro Tem R.J. Johnson. “However, this ordinance infringes on our basic civil liberties.” Ordinance 4614 makes it illegal to discriminate in housing, employment and public accommodation based upon sexual orientation and gender identity. However, both Mayor Pro Tem Johnson and councilor Clinton Daniels said that’s not all it will do. “If you tried to sell a new car to someone and you refused to sell that car to someone because they’re sexually orientated in a way that you disagree with, it would actually put you in jail for six months and a $1,000 fine,” said Johnson. “My strong belief in liberty compels me to oppose ordinances that do not respect private property, freedom of association, and voluntary contracts; even when the stated goal of such ordinances is something I support,” said Daniels. “When you engage in commerce, whether it be for a personal sale or a commercial one, it is a form of a contract, and in a free society all contracts should be voluntary.” Johnson echoes those same beliefs, and said that’s one of the reasons why he cannot vote for the ordinance as is. “They just want to throw business owners in jail,” he said. “I think most people are fond of their property rights,” said Johnson. “That includes the fruits of our own labor. No one should be able to force me into involuntary servitude, and when I talk to business owners they agree with me.” Before becoming law, council needs to pass two more readings. The next of which will be completed on September 22. This is why now, more than ever, we need to pass ENDA, the federal Employment Non Discrimination Act. (Editor’s Note: There has also been LGBT opposition to ENDA. SF Bay Times columnist Ann Rostow, for example, wrote that “we should be fighting to include sexual orientation and gender identity in existing federal law rather than carving out a special stand-alone bill, one that can be manipulated to isolate us against the rules that govern every other marginalized class.”)
“PepsiCo is deeply committed to building a workplace environment where all of our associates can bring their whole selves to work and are empowered to reach their full potential,” said PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi. “That’s why we are pleased to partner with GLAAD in support of Spirit Day, which fosters a spirit of inclusion in our communities.” “PepsiCo leads by example and is a true ally of the LGBT community and our organization,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. Observed annually since 2010, individuals, schools, organizations, corporations, and public figures wear purple, which symbolizes “spirit” on the gay rainbow flag. As part of the campaign, PepsiCo is encouraging its employees to wear purple on Spirit Day and to share with their family members, friends and communities GLAAD’s anti-bullying messages and resources. PepsiCo also is activating a social media campaign using the hashtags #SpiritDay and #PurpleOn. Whether it’s on your homepage or social media, show your support by turning your logo purple on Spirit Day, organizers urge. Turn your official Facebook and Twitter profile photos purple on Spirit Day. Additionally, Patrick McLaughlin, Senior Vice President of Human Resources for PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America Division, was among the speakers at GLAAD’s 2014 “Game Changers!” gala in San Francisco on September 13. Spirit Day coincides with the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network’s (GLSEN) “Ally Week” as well as National Bullying Prevention Month. According to GLSEN’s 2011 National School Climate Survey, 63.5 percent of LGBTQ students reported feeling unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation; 43.9 percent, because of their gender expression. GLSEN also reported that 81.9 percent of LGBTQ students reported being verbally harassed because of their sexual orientation; 63.9 percent, because of their gender expression. These shocking statistics should turn our faces purple with rage! Source: lgbtweekly.com
Source: klewtv.com Hollywood, CA - Orange Is the New Black Writer Divorces Husband, Dates Show’s Out Actress - 9.15
Atlanta, GA - Disowned Gay Georgia Teen Helps Launch New Homeless LGBTQ Youth Shelter - 9.9
Charlotte, NC - Congressman Says Everyone Should Be Free to Fire Up a Cigarette and Fire Queers - 9.9
No, this is not a plot line in the popular Netflix dramedy Orange is the New Black.
19-year-old Daniel Ashley Pierce, staying strong after being kicked out of his house for being gay, has helped open a new home for homeless LGBTQ youth. The emotional footage of his family calling him a “fag” in Southern accents and claiming to disown Pierce in God’s name went viral on YouTube this month, and prompted over $100,000 of donations in Pierce’s name.
North Carolina House Republican Robert Pittenger has compared the right to fire LGBTQ workers to the right to smoke cigarettes on private property.
A writer for the show is making headlines this week for divorcing her husband to date one of the show’s stars, out actress Samira Wiley, who plays the sassy and goodhearted Poussey. Writer Lauren Morelli revealed that she is lesbian in an essay for Identities. mic, US Weekly reports, saying that writing for the program’s main character, Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), and her ex-girlfriend Alex Vause (Laura Prepon) led her to realize her own sexuality just months after she tied the knot with her then-husband. “I realized I was gay in fall 2012, one of my first days on the set. It wasn’t so much one thing, but the sum of many small details: how uncomfortable I felt around groups of lesbians or how I considered myself (shrug) a “not very sexual person,” she wrote. “When considered alone, these seemed like little quirks that made me me. Wanting to read a book instead of have sex is a perfectly reasonable preference to have, right?” Morelli continued, “But on set, these small moments came into sharp relief, and I found myself answering to an endless stream of cast members who peppered me with questions like a gaggle of kindergartners curious about their new teacher: ‘Are you dating anyone?’ ‘You’re married?’ ‘To a man?’ ‘But you used to kiss girls?’ ‘Do you miss it?’ I was finally forced to consider a question that had never, ever occurred to me before: Holy s-word, am I gay?” According to TMZ, the split was amicable as both Morelli and her ex filed jointly for divorce. The writer has reportedly kept her Lexus, and her former husband got the Mazda hatchback. The writer and Wiley appeared at the Emmy’s together, holding hands and dancing together at after parties, US Weekly points out. The new couple has even posted pics of each other together on social media sites like Instagram. All this behind-the-scenes queer talk has me chomping at the bit for the next season of Orange Is the New Black! Hurry up! Bring it on! Source: edgeonthenet.com
Now under the care of Atlanta-based Lost-n-Found, a shelter for homeless queer youth, the teen has urged future donations be sent to the organization itself, which over the weekend previewed its new Midtown home. Still under construction and pending city approval, the home will be fitted with electricity and plumbing to accommodate three times as many beds as the current shelter for a total of 18. “This will become the premier youth shelter in Midtown or Downtown Atlanta,” outreach director Art Izzard said. “There is no other youth shelter within walking distance of where the majority of these youth are at on the streets.” According to the Center for American Progress, there are between 320,000 and 400,000 homeless LGBTQ youths in the U.S. Carl Siciliano, founder of the largest homeless LGBTQ youth organization in the U.S., the Ali Forney Center, noted while LGBTQ activists have championed marriage equality, many have forgotten to ensure economic recourse for young queer individuals. “We’ve been so focused on laws—changing the laws around marriage equality, changing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ getting adoption rights—that we haven’t been fighting for economic resources. How many tax dollars do gay people contribute? What percentage of tax dollars comes back to our gay kids? We haven’t matured enough as a movement yet that we’re looking at the economics of things.” Lost-n-Found executive director Rick Westbrook said six homeless LGBTQ youths in the U.S. die every day. “We can’t have that. That’s just not the way I was raised,” he said. “I don’t care if you’re from the north or the south or another country. When you’re in Atlanta, we take care of our kids. And that’s what we’re going to do.” I’m proud that in San Francisco, helping queer homeless youth is one of our top priorities. Source: gaystarnews.com
“You need to respect the autonomy of somebody running their business,” he said. “It’s like smoking bans. Do you ban smoking or do people have the right to private property? I think people have the right to private property. In public spaces, absolutely, we can have smoking bans. But we don’t want to micromanage people’s lives and businesses. If you have a business, do you want the government to come in and tell you you need to hire somebody? Why should government be there to impose on the freedoms we enjoy?” Though North Carolina is one of 29 states where bosses can still fire someone for being queer or merely perceived as such, Pittenger asserted: “I believe people are already protected.” The freshman congressman said that’s why he is opposed to passing the Employee Non-Discrimination Act, known as ENDA, which would make it illegal for companies and unions to hire, fire, promote, or compensate people differently based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The protections in the bill—which passed the Senate nearly a year ago—would not apply to religious organizations, members of the armed forces, or companies with fewer than 15 employees. But Pittenger, who is running unopposed, isn’t likely to have the chance to cast a yea or nay vote on the legislation anytime soon, as House Speaker John Boehner has said there is “no way” he will bring it to the floor for debate. Sigh! A vote is even less likely in the few weeks between Congress’ return from a five-week summer recess, and its impending fall recess for lawmakers to return to their districts to campaign for the midterm elections. As many as 43% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people and 90% of transgender people have experienced some form of harassment or discrimination in the workplace.
Local News Briefs
Source: thinkprogress.org
9th Circuit Hears Nevada, Idaho, and Hawaii Marriage Cases in San Francisco
Recent Vandalism at AIDS Memorial Grove Stirs Emotions and Actions
Last Monday in San Francisco, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in marriage cases out of Nevada, Idaho, and Hawaii, seeking both the freedom to marry and legal respect of same-sex couples’ lawful marriages. This is the first time the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has heard a freedom to marry case since holding in SmithKline Beecham Corporation v. Abbott Laboratories that discrimination based on sexual orientation requires heightened scrutiny—a presumption of unconstitutionality—by the courts.
As most of us are aware, the National AIDS Memorial Grove has recently suffered senseless vandalism. On two separate occasions, damage was inflicted on both living landscape plantings and hard-scape features, including benches and the “heart of the Grove”—the Circle of Friends. We are devastated by these attacks on the Grove, a place where so many in our community come for healing, hope and remembrance.
“The 9th Circuit should swiftly move to do what all three other federal appellate courts ruling on marriage this year have done: require equal treatment under the law and uphold the freedom to marry,” said Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry. “We clearly have momentum, but until marriage discrimination ends nationwide, families in states like Nevada and Idaho will continue to endure unjustified harm, indignity, and deprivation of constitutional rights.”
Since these incidents took place, the Grove board has been working very closely with the San Francisco Police Department, their partners from the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department, as well as numerous public officials, to help in every way possible to apprehend whoever committed these crimes. While authorities believe the vandalism to be the work of a single individual, they are leaving “no stone unturned” to assist them in their investigation.
The decision by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals will have a direct effect on more than 12,400 same-sex couples estimated to be living in Nevada, Idaho, and Hawaii, including service member Rachael Robertson and her partner Amber Beierle. Robertson is a veteran and served in the Idaho National Guard, including a tour of duty in Kirkuk, Iraq.
They are developing a plan and working with community partners to repair the damage and ensure that measures are in place at the Grove to ensure its protection, and prevent any similar incidents from occurring in the future. They are also in the process of determining the amount of damage inflicted. While some of the natural landscape cannot be repaired or replaced, initial estimates of the damage are in excess of $250,000. With additional security and other safeguards now needed to protect the Grove, community member support is greatly appreciated.
Since the Supreme Court struck down the core of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act in June 2013, 39 state and federal courts have upheld the freedom to marry, with only two courts ruling the other way. Every appellate ruling has been in favor of the freedom to marry, including the Utah and Oklahoma cases in the 10th Circuit, the Virginia case in the 4th Circuit, and the Wisconsin and Indiana cases in the 7th Circuit. “Idaho’s same-sex couples deserve to be treated as equal citizens with the same dignity and security as other families,” said NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter. “Over the past year, nearly every court to consider the issue has held that laws barring same-sex couples from marriage are unconstitutional after considering the real hardships these laws impose on these couples and their children and the complete absence of any legitimate reason for doing so. The time to bring an end to these laws has come.” Story by Dennis McMillan
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After assuring ThinkProgress that he “respects everyone” and “loves people,” Pittenger said he believes companies should have the right to fire or refuse to hire someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
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As this sanctuary was built by and for the community, and the Grove has comforted countless individuals, it is again our opportunity to give back to this space that has given so much to so many—and repair the damage done. One way is on September 20 at 9am for their annual Volunteer Appreciation Workday. Also, consider joining in at 111 Minna Gallery (Zappa Room) in San Francisco on September 24, 5:30pm, for a special fundraiser for the Grove hosted by BNY Mellon Wealth Management. “As a community, we have prevailed through far darker times than these, and together we will be stronger, more loving and compassionate,” says Executive Director John B. Cunningham. “We appreciate your continued support and commitment to the Grove.” Story by Dennis McMillan
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Sports
SF Fireballs’ Hot Season Lands Them a Spot at the Gay Softball World Series Dallas, with most people being rather unfriendly towards him.
The Gay Softball World Series, with over 5,000 participants and fans from 44 leagues in North America, is one of the world’s largest annual LGBT sporting events. This year, the Gay World Series is being held in Dallas, Texas, from September 22 to September 27, and is expected to be one of the best yet. I recently caught up with a few members of the SF Fireballs, who will be competing in the “C” division. The Fireballs are just one of three San Francisco teams in that division. Still more SF teams will be competing in different divisions.
Speaking of political conservatives, when Smith was in Portland for a prior Gay World Series, he happened to stay in the same hotel that President George W. Bush was also at for a fundraiser. Smith was amused because Secret Service agents watched him closely. They even prevented guests from leaving the hotel for certain periods of time (fifteen minutes or so) as part of security control. Smith regularly observed sharpshooters on the roof of nearby buildings.
The Fireballs’ captain and 2nd baseman, Cesar Lorenzo, was very pleased with his team’s performance this season. Last year, the team won one game while losing 14, but this year was a complete turnaround. The team, with mostly the same lineup as for 2013, went 11 and 3, which qualified them for the Gay World Series. Lorenzo said that he started the SF Fireballs 18 years ago, and this is the first time they qualified for the big event. He beamed like a proud (albeit, very youthful looking) father.
PHOTO SOURCE: SF FIREBALLS FACEBOOK PAGE
By Tony Jasinski
SF Fireballs softball team
Lorenzo credits much of the success to team camaraderie and, as he puts it, “no drama.” Six of the players on the Fireballs will be experiencing the World Series for the first time. Teams cannot attend the Series unless they have earned a top place in the local organizations’ standings. Lorenzo said he played for ten years before he was on a team that qualified. The Fireballs lost their first game of the season, so expectations were low, especially from the opposition. The Fireballs therefore enjoyed the role of being an underdog for most of the season.
In the category of unsung heroes there is Russ Smith, a pitcher and a coach for the SF Fireballs. Smith revealed that, though he has worked at the same job for 28 years, he has played in the local gay softball program for 32 years. He has participated in the Gay World Series three times before: in Kansas City, Portland, and Philadelphia. He didn’t want to be quoted about the Lone Star State, but he did tell me, “I want my opinion of Texas to change.” He said that he didn’t have a very good time on a previous visit to
Such memorable experiences are par for the course for Smith, who has been involved in competitive sports for years. He has refereed LGBT basketball events. In the 80’s, he even refereed one such game that featured a gay men’s team playing against a lesbian team all for a good cause—the AIDS Emergency Fund. More recently, he refereed a basketball game for the “Shirts and Skins” television show that was on LOGO. In that game, it was the oldsters versus the youngsters, and the oldsters just could not keep up, except for Smith!
Lorenzo said, “Russ has the biggest heart of anyone I know.” Not surprisingly, Smith was assisting a griller at a fundraiser for the team’s expenses at the Mix when I was fortunate enough to cross his path. I asked him to share advice for younger players hoping to make it to the Gay World Series too. He said, “It doesn’t matter if you have prior baseball experience, as all women and men are welcomed. There is a ‘free-agent’ setup so that people will be added to a team that is appropriate for their current skill.” So give softball a try for a season. It’s a great way to meet others and to stay in shape. Plus, like Lorenzo and Smith, you could find yourself competing at a World Series event. As the logo for the Series says, be “Proud to Play.” For more information about the Gay World Series, please visit: http:// www.gaysoftballworldseries.com/ Check out the Fireballs at: https:// www.facebook.com/sffireballs Tony Jasinski is the former president of the San Francisco Gay Basketball League.
Round About – StartOut Awards 2014 “Celebrating Exceptional LGBT Entrepreneurs”
Photos by FBFE Photography, https://www.facebook.com/ephoto88
StartOut board chair Chris Sinton and Silicon Valley executive leadership guru Sue Bethanis welcomed featured guest and honoree George Takei at the VIP reception held prior to the 3rd Annual StartOut LGBT Entrepreneurship Awards. Columnist and author Dan Savage interviewed Takei. The event was held at the Mariott Marquis San Francisco, on Thursday, September 11, with recording star Lance Bass serving as emcee. Honorees in addition to Takei included business consultant and financial expert Amy Errett (Trailblazer Award); Dave McClure, venture capitalist involved in more than 800 companies (Pillsbury Winthrop Advocate Award); and Li Han Chan, entrepreneur and DynaOptics founder (Next Generation Award).
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Round About - Macy’s Passport Glamorama Fashion Show & After Party Photos by Steven Underhill stevenunderhill.com The 2014 Macy’s Passport Glamorama “Fashion Rocks” was held Friday, September 12, at San
wide with over 1 billion views on YouTube. Glamaroma is an hour-long high-end fashion show and
Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre and was followed by a stylish After Party at the famous rock
musical production presenting the latest fashions and showcasing musical and dance performances.
venue, The Warfield. Featured performer was Jason Derulo, who has sold 30 million singles world-
Beneficiaries included AIDS Emergency Fund, Glide Foundation and Project Open Hand.
With over a dozen extraordinary vets working in a state-of-the-art facility, our hospital provides the very best in animal care — from wellness exams to urgent care, surgeries and more. And all proceeds go to help local animals in need.
our hospital is just for pets.
SAN FRANCISCO SPCA VeteRINARy HOSPItAL | SFSPCA.ORg/Vet
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@Home in the Wine Country It’s still a great time to buy!
Primary Residence Second Home Investment / Rental Minutes to the Golden Gate
Real Estate and Design
While SF Prices Continue to Skyrocket, Sonoma County Remains a Bargain the top ten metropolitan areas (out of 401) saw increases of between 11.4% and 20.5%. And guess where the biggest increase in the country was? Yep, the San Francisco metro area that, for the purposes of this survey, included certain outlying cities like Oakland and Vallejo. The median price in the SF Metro area for the 12-month period ending in June was as high as $925,000 ($987,000 in the City).
Mark Penn
Toll free: 888-766-6622 Mark@HomeInTheWineCountry.com www.HomeInTheWineCountry.com BRE# 01425244
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Realtor, CalBRE # 01360255
Realtor, CalBRE # 01776075
Real Estate Mark Penn Let’s face it. The statistic or number that matters more than any other to buyers, sellers, and anyone who wants to be one or the other is price. While national, state or even local statistics may not matter to you personally when you are negotiating that sale or purchase of a home, the final price of your own home will likely be heavily influenced by the overall direction that prices are going in your community. Kiplinger magazine published an article last month that analyzed numbers from CoreLogic, an often-quoted real estate information company. The report listed the top ten U.S. metropolitan markets in terms of the highest gain in median price for the previous year ending June 30, 2014. Nationally, prices increased by 7.5%, while
The relationship between a region’s economy and its real estate values is tightly bound. There are several interdependent factors, such as employment, which affect all of the other numbers as well. Job growth in the SF Metro area, for example, increased up to 3.2%, and unemployment fell to as low as 4.3%, two full points below the national number (non-adjusted for seasonal change). Add job growth, mostly due to tech in SF, to the limited supply and growing demand, and there’s the recipe for upward pressure on home prices. While the rate of increase may be slowing somewhat, there do not appear to be any signs that affordability will improve or that prices will actually fall, even as the world appears to be destabilizing in so many other areas. Widening our lens a bit, it’s interesting that five out of those ten metro areas with the sharpest gains are in California. Our state seems to be recovering, at least in terms of real estate, faster
than any other. The reasons for that, I believe, are varied. The #2 metro area in the nation where prices jumped the most was the Central Valley. Yet job growth has been slower there, as low as a half percentage point. Perhaps prices had fallen so low that there was only one way for them to move—up. Settling into the nation’s #6 position was the Santa Rosa metro area. This one seems to make sense for many of the right reasons. Prices fell as much as 30% there during the darkest days of the recession. Now, however, with job growth up by 3.7% and unemployment a full percentage below the national average, Santa Rosa and its environs are enjoying a considerable bounce, although the rate of increase may be slowing slightly. With the wine and tourism business f lourishing again, and significant growth in other areas as well, Sonoma County, with its current median home price of $497,000 (per data from the California Association of REALTORs®) might be a bargain for some time to come, which is great news for anyone desiring a home in the wine country. A Bay Area native, Mark Penn has been a REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker since 2004. He is also active in animal welfare, and is a former educator, facilitator, and air traffic controller. Mark can be reached at mark@MyHomeInSonoma.com.
How Much Should I Offer? a sixth sense of what things were worth. Studying lots of comparables is especially important in the inner Bay Area. Here we have Victorians, craftsman bungalows and brand spanking new condos all on the same block, like a little rainbow housing coalition.
Real Estate Taylor Sublett
Bridging Communities in the West and East Bay
America Foy
Taylor Sublett Realtor, CalBRE # 01776075
Realtor, CalBRE # 01360255
510.301.9569 | 510.542.2600
510.473.7775 | 510.542.2600
taylor.sublett@sothebysrealty.com
america.foy@sothebysrealty.com
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BAY TIMES SEPTEMB E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 4
I was out with some clients the other day, Chris and Pat. We’d finally found a house that they really liked. It had a nice big yard, was in walking distance to a coffee shop and park, and included a large basement that they were going to use as a music studio. The price seemed great, but a little too great. Some agents price their properties a little low to get attention on the property. Fair enough. Some agents will price their properties so incredibly low that you would swear they just arrived in a DeLorean from 2009 and hadn’t heard the news about the meteoric rise in Bay Area real estate prices. Chris and Pat asked me, “What should we offer?” I gave my standard, incredibly unsatisfying answer, “It depends, and it’s up to you.” That doesn’t mean I didn’t have some arrows in my quiver to help my lovely and talented buyers. We would be able to come to an offer price that they could live with. Comparables, and why they aren’t as helpful as you think Comparables, or recent sales, are an essential first step. I had Chris and Pat look at recent sales of properties of similar size and condition. They had been viewing homes in the area all along and were imbued with
Comparables are great for a general sense of value. What they won’t give you is a scientifically arrived at number for what you should offer. You have to learn to feel the value in your bones and then, Grasshopper, you will know its worth, at least to you. How much competition is there? Another thing I told Chris and Pat was that we really wouldn’t be able to tell what to offer until we get a feel for the competition. Those poor listing agents with popular listings get bombarded with calls as the offer date approaches. They get asked questions like: How many disclosure packages do you have out? How many confirmed offers do you have? Will the sellers accept a bribe as part of the down payment? In these competitive times, they hear it all. As part of reading the tealeaves, I have found that you get about 1 offer for every 3 disclosure packages out. So 12 disclosure packages means about 4 offers. The more offers, the higher the price will be (no duh). If there are 3 offers, though, you might think about 10-15% or so over the asking price. If there are 10 offers or more, I ask, “How much can you afford and do you really want to go that high?” You’d better be ready with your prettiest offer dress on. What is it worth to you? Deciding how much you want to offer can seem like a stab in the dark. You know what, though? I believe in you! You actually do know what you want to offer. You really do!
I have a basic technique for figuring out how much my buyers want to offer. The house that Chris and Pat wanted was listed at $669,000. There were 21 packages out and the listing agent had 7 confirmed offers. This was going to go signif icantly over asking, probably in the mid-$700’s. Good music studio spaces are hard to come by, especially in homes with a Viking range. Chris and Pat claimed to have no idea what they should offer, but I knew they actually had a number in mind. I used a bookending technique to see if we could narrow it down. I said, “Well, do you want to offer $800,000 for it?” No, they replied, that would be too high. “If you offered $700,000 and didn’t get it,” I asked, “would you feel like you didn’t try hard enough?” Yes, they told me, admitting they would get a case of the sads. We went back and forth until they were between $750,000 and $760,000. That is the point at which the buyers just have to decide. $10,000 is a lot of money, except when you’re buying a house. In that case, it’s a rounding error, and not a very big one. What is the price that, if you don’t get it, you still tried as hard as you wanted to? You’ll be disappointed, sure, and probably think that the winning buyer was a crazy person for paying so much! Alternately, what is the price that if you do get the home, you won’t feel like you got totally hosed? Were you the sucker who ended up $200,000 over the next highest buyer? Like Chris and Pat, you know more than you think you do. Taylor Sublett, a life-long Bay Area resident who now resides in the East Bay, has been selling residential real estate since 2007. He was top producer of his office for 2013 and is a tough, but fair, negotiator who likes to work out solutions that make for win-win situations. Find out by contacting him at taylor.sublett@sothebysrealty.com or 510301-9569.
Real Estate and Design
FAQs About ADUs Growth” by providing more affordable housing for the swelling population without resorting to unsustainable suburban sprawl.
Project Remodel Jim Tibbs The demand for housing in the metro Bay Area is far outpacing the supply, a phenomenon that is driving inflated real estate prices even higher. There are high-rise apartment buildings popping up all over San Francisco to meet the housing needs of the upwardly mobile and aff luent. The trend that is gaining momentum in the East Bay is the construction of cottages, studios and accessory buildings in the backyards of single family homes to help meet the housing needs of those that have been priced out of the market elsewhere. Housing demand in the East Bay is enormous, especially in walk-able neighborhoods with convenient commercial districts and public transportation where residents can reduce their reliance on cars. The premise that these desirable, well-established, single-family home neighborhoods should continue to be zero-growth zones is being challenged. Many city planners agree that small backyard accessory buildings represent part of the solution for promoting “Smart
Berkeley has taken a proactive stance in leading this housing trend. “We favor increasing the number of secondary units,” says Debra Sanderson, Planning Manager at the City of Berkeley. Regardless of the architectural form (backyard cottage, converted garage or pre-fabricated studio), legal Accessory Dwelling Units aka ADUs are part of the same property as the main home and cannot be bought or sold separately, as a condominium or a mobile home might be. These types of buildings appeal to homeowners looking for more space without relocating or going through the disruption of a major remodeling in their primary residence. On the smaller end of the ADU spectrum are the single-room studios that supplement the living space of the primary residence versus functioning as independent dwellings. The most cost-effective ways to add one of these units to your backyard is to remodel a detached garage or purchase and construct a refabricated studio from brands such as Studio Shed (http:// www.studio-shed.com/), Summerwood (http://www.summerwood. com/) and Modern Shed (http://modern-shed.com/). These structures are usually between 120 and 200 square
feet of conditioned space and include electricity, insulation, drywall, flooring and sometimes plumbing. Prices range from $20,000-$50,000 depending on the size and the amenities that are included. Completing one of these projects is at least a 4–6 month process when you factor in planning, permits, fabrication, construction and city inspections. On the larger and more costly end of the spectrum are backyard cottages that function as permanent, self-contained dwellings. These take about six months to build after permitting (which can take up to a year depending on the city) and cost between $80,000 to $250,000. These cottages serve as good starter homes for children who return to the area after college. They can also function as first homes for newlyweds, safe and secure housing for aging parents, retirement homes and, in some cases, rental property. Accessory Dwelling Units are a smart way for communities to meet the housing needs of the growing population. ADU’s are also a smart way for families to meet their own changing needs and significantly increase the value of their homes in the process. Jim Tibbs is the creative director of HDR Remodeling. If you would like to learn more, please read his blog at http://hdrremodeling. wordpress.com or follow him on Twitter @ HDRremodeling1.
FINAL WEEKS! CLOSES OCTOBER 12
A PERFECTLY SUITED EVENING horizons foundation’s
GALA DINNER & CASINO PARTY
San Francisco Bay Times says “THANK YOU!” to our Readers, Advertisers, Friends and Supporters!
CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
Please join us
H E R B ST E X H I B I T I O N G A L L E R I E S
This exhibition is organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Presenting Sponsors: Penny and James George Coulter. Director’s Circle: Estate of Dr. Charles L. Dibble. President’s Circle: Bernard Osher Foundation. Curator’s Circle: Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund. Conservator’s Circle: National Endowment for the Arts and the S. Grace Williams Trust. Benefactor’s Circle: Nion T. McEvoy. Patron’s Circle: Carol and Shelby Bonnie, Richard and Peggy Greenfield, the Ednah Root Foundation, Dorothy Saxe, and Sotheby’s. The exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
Photo © FAMSF
September 27, 2014 The Fairmont San Francisco
Honoring
Donna Sachet
AT&T
Leadership Award
Visionary Award
To purchase tickets: http://horizonsfoundation.org/page/events/annualgala For more information: contact Jenna Heath at 415.398.2333 x115 jheath@horizonsfoundation.org
BAY T IM ES S EPT EM BER 18, 2014
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The Choice to Move
Aging in Community Bev Scott
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My spouse and I recently moved to a smaller home after 30 years in our beautiful painted lady on Castro Street. As we downsized, donated, gave away and sold some of our belongings collected over our life together, I reflected on the life of my grandmother, left a widow in 1911 with five children, living in a dugout in New Mexico. Because my current project is writing a fictionalized version of her life and the life of my grandfather, I frequently think about the contrast of my life and my good fortune. Let me share a brief excerpt from the story I am writing to give you the context and why it has impacted me. It involves Sarah, who is packing her family’s meager belongings into a wagon to begin the trek with her children back to the Sand Hills of Nebraska where she was raised. Now, as she packed up six bowls and six plates, she thought of her neighbors, most of whom she barely knew. When they heard she was leaving, they generously shared their limited supplies, bringing over dried meat, starter for bread, vegetables from their root cellars and a sack of flour. She was grateful for their generosity because these supplies would help stretch their meager resources. She was pleased with herself in the fair price she negotiated with Mr. McNab for their two milk cows. There wasn’t much else to bring in money. Too bad she couldn’t sell their homestead, but they had not lived on it long enough to “prove it up,” to get the deed like they had done in Nebraska and Oklahoma. They would just have to abandon it like so many others had done.
In contrast to a two-room dugout, typical of the dwellings of homesteaders in New Mexico in my grandparent’s time, dug into the side of a hill, my partner and I moved from a spacious, high ceiling two flat Victorian built in 1892, with lots of stairs and generous storage in the garage. Our challenge was not stretching meager resources to provide food for a family preparing for a long trek, but facing the dilemmas of who should receive family treasures, reluctantly disposing of mementos of minimal worth to anyone else, but with sentimental value in our memories. We made difficult decisions for us, weighing what would really fit in the much smaller condo we had chosen as our next home. You might be wondering why we made this move since it was a matter of choice, not a matter of survival or the need for the security of nearby family for the benefit of children who have lost their father. Yes, we would be the first to admit that making this move was emotionally challenging. We left the wonderful close proximity in the first floor flat of our daughter, son-inlaw and two grandsons who have daily brought us smiles and special joy since they were born 10 and 12 years ago. We left a neighborhood where we shared barbeques and potlucks, celebrated birthdays and holidays and cared about each other’s lives. We left shop owners who knew us by name. We left a community and a beautiful home. We were nostalgic and sad to leave these benefits that brought us daily pleasure. Yet, we reminded ourselves that we have watched relatives who waited too long to move, clinging to the comfort of the familiar, dreading the work of sorting, packing and moving, and fearing the unknown and unfamiliar of a new location. As all of us age and health deteriorates, driving and navigating stairs may no longer be possible, and isolation can set in. The friends, family or someone else has to intervene and make the decisions about moving, disposing of treasures
Round About – Susan Freundlich Exhibit Reception Photos by Sandy Morris Photographer Susan Freundlich’s current exhibit, Divine Imagination, kicked off with a reception on Sunday, September 7, at Kehilla Community Synagogue. The exhibit continues through November 6, at the Synagogue, 1300 Grand Avenue, Piedmont. Visit the website, susanfreundlichphoto.com, or call for an appointment with the artist: 510-387-1951.
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and mementos, and arranging needed care. Instead we chose now, while we are still healthy and active to make our own decisions, to move into a smaller space with less “stuff,” no stairs and the time and opportunity to make new friends in our new neighborhood in San Francisco. We hope to “age in place” and avoid institutional settings. We enjoy the modern benefits of life to support our move that my grandmother couldn’t imagine when she moved her family by wagon over the mid-western prairie 100 years ago. We are grateful to have the resources to stay connected to family and community by remaining in San Francisco and the options and energy to implement what we planned and chose. Our grandsons will soon be old enough to come on the Muni to see us. We return often to our old neighborhood to visit both friends and family. We are enjoying our new home, meeting new friends and engaging in our new San Francisco neighborhood. And, we are grateful that we continue to have the love and support of so many close friends from our years spent in San Francisco. Bev Scott is writing the story of her paternal grandparents, her first novel. She also writes about the issues and challenges of the boomer and traditional generations based on her experience as the founder and creator of The 3rd Act, whose mission is to support positive aging. She also published books and articles during her 35year career as an organization and management consultant. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Horizons Foundation.
Dr. Marcy Adelman oversees the Aging in Community column. For her summary of current LGBT senior challenges and opportunities, please go to: sf baytimes.com/ challenges-and-opportunties
Celebrating San Francisco Bay Times Photographer Rink
Positive Resource Center to Honor SF Bay Times Photographer Rink
Vito Russo (center), film critic and author of The Celluloid Closet, with photographer Rink (left) and Bern Boyle (right), founder of the San Francisco Gay Film Festival, at Russo’s NYC apartment in 1980.
On October 1, Positive Resource Center will present the Emerson Community Volunteer Award to San Francisco Bay Times photographer Rink, who has been photographing our community for nearly f ive decades. The award will be presented at the Center’s “Windows of Opportunity” event, to be held at SPUR Urban Center on Mission Street. We hope to see you there, and that you will join us in congratulating Rink on this well-deserved honor. Our guess is that you know Rink, or at least have seen him around town. If you’ve been to a queer demonstration, street fair, film screening or nearly any LGBT event in San Francisco since the late 60’s, chances are you’ve seen, or perhaps have even had your picture taken by, Rink. He covers 10–15 events per week and 600 plus a year. If you do the math, considering the timeline of his efforts, he has literally chronicled tens of thousands of events! Often his photos are the only tangible reminders of these events. The photos, in a compelling and revealing
way, therefore help to preserve our community and tell our story. Jonathan David Katz, who co-curated the Rink Foto photography show “San Francisco: The Making of a Queer Mecca” in New York City, described Rink as a photojournalist, “but as with others like Frank Capra, Dorothy Miller and the great Henri Cartier Bresson, the prosaic term ‘ journalism’ does not do full justice to the work. Rink has the gift for being there at the right moment, not only to catch the action, but also to catch the image that is rich enough and dense enough to tell a complex story without words.” Rink’s inspiration sparked in the volatile late 60’s, with one particular day being a standout. On June 27, 1969, while celebrating his birthday at a party, Rink’s festivities were interrupted by news from Greenwich Village about the Stonewall Riot. Katz shared that, after getting caught up in the thennascent LGBT political movement, “Rink turned his focus to the rich
fabric of queer social life, chronicling San Francisco’s seismic selftransformation, the gradual and occasionally violent birthing of the San Francisco that we know today.” Rink held fundraisers for Harvey Milk’s early campaigns at the Savoy Tivoli in North Beach and at his 1870 Twin Peaks f lat. Rink’s first show was in Milk’s Castro Camera windows in 1974. That storefront exhibition of June Parade photographs was the very first mirror of the newly Queer Castro. We agree with Katz that these are portraits of a particular time and a very particular place. “But they also,” as Katz wrote, “move effortlessly from the particular to the general, transforming into epics on universal themes like justice, love, equality, sexual desire, and aspirations for the future. Rink’s great subject has always been slow, difficult building of a better world, one in which if we are not yet able to live that betterment, we can at least see it f leetingly figured—a quiet
utopianism populating the image of the everyday.” Rink additionally is an LGBT activist who, over the years, has supported the Gay Liberation Front, Bay Area Gay Liberation, Solidarity, Queer Nation, ACT UP and both the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club and the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, just to name a few. He has been with the San Francisco Bay Times since 1979, and his flickr.com/rinkfoto website has 260,000 plus viewers worldwide. As a friend and colleague, Rink has always been warm, supportive and the consummate professional. We are so glad that Positive Resource Center has chosen to honor Rink with its prestigious Emerson Community Volunteer Award. In this issue, we take a look back at some of Rink’s favorite photographs, sharing his own words about them. For more information about the Windows of Opportunity event and to buy tickets, please visit http:// posit iveresource.org/NewsUp comingEvents.aspx
BAY T IM ES S EPT EM BER 18, 2014
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Celebrating San Francisco Bay Times Photographer Rink
“The first large group of lesbians to march in the Gay Parade after I invited Harvey Milk to a Parade meeting and he persuaded the Parade Committee to welcome lesbian participation, 1974”
“Lesbian and Gay Hippie Love-In at Golden Gate Park’s Hippie Hill in June 1970. This was the first observance of the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City, which began on June 27, 1969”
“Gay Hippies, 1974”
“Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk at City Hall on their Inauguration Day, 1977”
“Harvey Milk and friends electioneering on a truck, 1976” “Lesbians with candles at the AIDS Memorial March and Rally, 1989”
“A contingent in the 1976 Gay Parade on Polk Street” “Sylvester performing, 1983”
“Roberta leading Dykes on Bikes, 1978”
“Youth carrying the banner at the front of the Trans March that traversed a route from Dolores Park to Civic Center, June 2014”
“Comic Joan Rivers at an Alice in Wonderland-themed benefit for the AIDS National Memorial Grove, 2004”
“Community memorial for Stu Smith at Hibernia Beach, 18th and Castro Streets, 2014”
“Hon. Leslie Katz and friends at the Equality California Annual Gala, 2013” 14
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“Diva D and Gary Virginia at Krew de Kinque’s Bal Masque Mardi Gras at the Eagle, 2013”
“Empresses Marlena and Donna Sachet at the High Tea for Empress I Jose Sarria, February 22, 2013”
“Pride Grand Marshal Mario Benton and Pride Board Chair Lisa Williams at The Clift Hotel’s Penthouse for a special Pride Reception. 2013”
Celebrating San Francisco Bay Times Photographer Rink
YO U ’ R E I N V I T E D ! POSITIVE RESOURCE CENTER’S
W I N D OWS OF
OPPORTUNITY W E D N E S D A Y, O C T O B E R 1 , 2 0 1 4 “Friends under the trees at the Gay Parade Celebration in SF Civic Center, 1978”
“Activists dancing on a truck at the Gay Parade with a sign that became buttons, and the published photograph later raised hopes during the worst of the AIDS Pandemic, 1977”
6-9 PM
2014 Community Pillar Award The Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation 2014 Bob Emerson Community Volunteer Award Rink SPUR Urban Center 654 Mission Street San Francisco Tickets: $125 RSVP online at www.positiveresource.org
Positive Resource Center 785 Market St., 10th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103
“Drag queen looking for Dan White, 1979”
“The first public ‘Gay Cancer’ photographs from a brochure mounted on Castro’s Star Pharmacy window showing pictures of AIDS-related Kaposi Sarcoma, 1982” WoO ad Bay Times 4x6 v4.indd
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“Divine on the loose, 1978” “Lesbian lovers at the Castro Street Fair, 1980” “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence protesting at USF, 1980”
“Community memorial for Jose Sarria at 18th and Castro Streets, 2013”
“Sister Dana with children in the Castro Children’s Halloween, 2006”
“Harvey Milk aide Anne Kronenberg led the Milk Moscone Candlelight March, with her daughter and grandson, 2013”
“Castro Christmas Tree decorated and lit annually”
“Jose Sarria with Supervisor Bevan Dufty at a ceremony near the Harvey Milk Library in the Castro dedicating a plaque and street name in honor of his activism, 2006”
“Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom spoke at SF City Hall on Supreme Court Decision Day, June 26, 2013” BAY T IM ES S EPT EM BER 18, 2014
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What is STRIBILD? STRIBILD is a prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. It combines 4 medicines into 1 pill to be taken once a day with food. STRIBILD is a complete single-tablet regimen and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines. STRIBILD does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS. To control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses you must keep taking STRIBILD. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about STRIBILD? STRIBILD can cause serious side effects: • Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious medical emergency. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include feeling very weak or tired, unusual (not normal) muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold especially in your arms and legs, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat. • Serious liver problems. The liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and fatty (steatosis). Symptoms of liver problems include your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice), dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored bowel movements (stools), loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, and/or stomach pain. • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or serious liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking STRIBILD for a long time. In some cases, these serious conditions have led to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of these conditions.
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• Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you also have HBV and stop taking STRIBILD, your hepatitis may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking STRIBILD without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health. STRIBILD is not approved for the treatment of HBV.
Who should not take STRIBILD? Do not take STRIBILD if you: • Take a medicine that contains: alfuzosin, dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, methylergonovine, cisapride, lovastatin, simvastatin, pimozide, sildenafil when used for lung problems (Revatio®), triazolam, oral midazolam, rifampin or the herb St. John’s wort. • For a list of brand names for these medicines, please see the Brief Summary on the following pages. • Take any other medicines to treat HIV-1 infection, or the medicine adefovir (Hepsera®).
What are the other possible side effects of STRIBILD? Serious side effects of STRIBILD may also include: • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do regular blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with STRIBILD. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking STRIBILD. • Bone problems, including bone pain or bones getting soft or thin, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones. • Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicines. • Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking STRIBILD. The most common side effects of STRIBILD include nausea and diarrhea. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or don’t go away.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking STRIBILD? • All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection. • All the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. STRIBILD may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how STRIBILD works. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Do not start any new medicines while taking STRIBILD without first talking with your healthcare provider. • If you take hormone-based birth control (pills, patches, rings, shots, etc). • If you take antacids. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or after you take STRIBILD. • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if STRIBILD can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking STRIBILD. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Also, some medicines in STRIBILD can pass into breast milk, and it is not known if this can harm the baby.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Please see Brief Summary of full Prescribing Information with important warnings on the following pages.
BAY TIMES SEPTEMB E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 4
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STRIBILD is a prescription medicine used as a complete single-tablet regimenmedicine to treat HIV-1 in STRIBILD is a prescription used as a complete single-tablet regimen to treat HIV-1 in adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines adults who have never before. STRIBILD does nottaken cure HIV-1 HIV-1 medicines or AIDS. before. STRIBILD does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.
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BAY T IM ES S EPT EM BER 18, 2014
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Patient Information STRIBILD (STRY-bild) (elvitegravir 150 mg/cobicistat 150 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/ tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg) tablets ®
Brief summary of full Prescribing Information. For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information. What is STRIBILD? • STRIBILD is a prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. STRIBILD is a complete regimen and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines. • STRIBILD does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. You must stay on continuous HIV-1 therapy to control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses. • Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others. Do not share or reuse needles, injection equipment, or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them. Do not have sex without protection. Always practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood. What is the most important information I should know about STRIBILD? STRIBILD can cause serious side effects, including: 1. Build-up of lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis can happen in some people who take STRIBILD or similar (nucleoside analogs) medicines. Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Lactic acidosis can be hard to identify early, because the symptoms could seem like symptoms of other health problems. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms which could be signs of lactic acidosis: • feel very weak or tired • have unusual (not normal) muscle pain
• Do not stop taking STRIBILD without first talking to your healthcare provider • If you stop taking STRIBILD, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking STRIBILD Who should not take STRIBILD? Do not take STRIBILD if you also take a medicine that contains: • adefovir (Hepsera®) • alfuzosin hydrochloride (Uroxatral®) • cisapride (Propulsid®, Propulsid Quicksolv®) • ergot-containing medicines, including: dihydroergotamine mesylate (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal®), ergotamine tartrate (Cafergot®, Migergot®, Ergostat®, Medihaler Ergotamine®, Wigraine®, Wigrettes®), and methylergonovine maleate (Ergotrate®, Methergine®) • lovastatin (Advicor®, Altoprev®, Mevacor®) • oral midazolam • pimozide (Orap®) • rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifamate®, Rifater®, Rimactane®) • sildenafil (Revatio®), when used for treating lung problems • simvastatin (Simcor®, Vytorin®, Zocor®) • triazolam (Halcion®) • the herb St. John’s wort Do not take STRIBILD if you also take any other HIV-1 medicines, including: • Other medicines that contain tenofovir (Atripla®, Complera®, Viread®, Truvada®) • Other medicines that contain emtricitabine, lamivudine, or ritonavir (Atripla®, Combivir®, Complera®, Emtriva®, Epivir® or Epivir-HBV®, Epzicom®, Kaletra®, Norvir®, Trizivir®, Truvada®)
• have trouble breathing
STRIBILD is not for use in people who are less than 18 years old.
• have stomach pain with nausea or vomiting
What are the possible side effects of STRIBILD?
• feel cold, especially in your arms and legs • feel dizzy or lightheaded
STRIBILD may cause the following serious side effects:
• have a fast or irregular heartbeat
• See “What is the most important information I should know about STRIBILD?”
2. Severe liver problems. Severe liver problems can happen in people who take STRIBILD. In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death. Your liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and you may develop fat in your liver (steatosis). Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms of liver problems: • your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice) • dark “tea-colored” urine • light-colored bowel movements (stools) • loss of appetite for several days or longer • nausea • stomach pain You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking STRIBILD for a long time. 3. Worsening of Hepatitis B infection. If you have hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and take STRIBILD, your HBV may get worse (flareup) if you stop taking STRIBILD. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before. • Do not run out of STRIBILD. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your STRIBILD is all gone
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• New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking STRIBILD. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking STRIBILD if you develop new or worse kidney problems. • Bone problems can happen in some people who take STRIBILD. Bone problems include bone pain, softening or thinning (which may lead to fractures). Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bones. • Changes in body fat can happen in people who take HIV-1 medicine. These changes may include increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), breast, and around the middle of your body (trunk). Loss of fat from the legs, arms and face may also happen. The exact cause and long-term health effects of these conditions are not known. • Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having any new symptoms after starting your HIV-1 medicine.
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The most common side effects of STRIBILD include: • Nausea • Diarrhea Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. • These are not all the possible side effects of STRIBILD. For more information, ask your healthcare provider. • Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking STRIBILD? Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including: • If you have or had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis B infection • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if STRIBILD can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking STRIBILD. - There is a pregnancy registry for women who take antiviral medicines during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk with your healthcare provider about how you can take part in this registry. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take STRIBILD. - You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. - Two of the medicines in STRIBILD can pass to your baby in your breast milk. It is not known if the other medicines in STRIBILD can pass into your breast milk. - Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements: • STRIBILD may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how STRIBILD works. • Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you take any of the following medicines: - Hormone-based birth control (pills, patches, rings, shots, etc) - Antacid medicines that contain aluminum, magnesium hydroxide, or calcium carbonate. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or after you take STRIBILD
- disopyramide (Norpace®) - estazolam - ethosuximide (Zarontin®) - flecainide (Tambocor®) - flurazepam - fluticasone (Flovent®, Flonase®, Flovent® Diskus®, Flovent® HFA, Veramyst®) - itraconazole (Sporanox®) - ketoconazole (Nizoral®) - lidocaine (Xylocaine®) - mexiletine - oxcarbazepine (Trileptal®) - perphenazine - phenobarbital (Luminal®) - phenytoin (Dilantin®, Phenytek®) - propafenone (Rythmol®) - quinidine (Neudexta®) - rifabutin (Mycobutin®) - rifapentine (Priftin®) - risperidone (Risperdal®, Risperdal Consta®) - salmeterol (Serevent®) or salmeterol when taken in combination with fluticasone (Advair Diskus®, Advair HFA®) - sildenafil (Viagra®), tadalafil (Cialis®) or vardenafil (Levitra®, Staxyn®), for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). If you get dizzy or faint (low blood pressure), have vision changes or have an erection that last longer than 4 hours, call your healthcare provider or get medical help right away. - tadalafil (Adcirca®), for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension - telithromycin (Ketek®) - thioridazine - voriconazole (Vfend®) - warfarin (Coumadin®, Jantoven®) - zolpidem (Ambien®, Edlular®, Intermezzo®, Zolpimist®) Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. Do not start any new medicines while you are taking STRIBILD without first talking with your healthcare provider. Keep STRIBILD and all medicines out of reach of children.
- atorvastatin (Lipitor®, Caduet®)
This Brief Summary summarizes the most important information about STRIBILD. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can also ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about STRIBILD that is written for health professionals, or call 1-800-445-3235 or go to www.STRIBILD.com.
- bepridil hydrochloride (Vascor®, Bepadin®)
Issued: October 2013
- Medicines to treat depression, organ transplant rejection, or high blood pressure - amiodarone (Cordarone®, Pacerone®)
- bosentan (Tracleer®) - buspirone - carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Epitol®, Equetro®, Tegretol®) - clarithromycin (Biaxin®, Prevpac®) - clonazepam (Klonopin®) - clorazepate (Gen-xene®, Tranxene®) - colchicine (Colcrys®) - medicines that contain dexamethasone - diazepam (Valium®) - digoxin (Lanoxin®)
COMPLERA, EMTRIVA, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, HEPSERA, STRIBILD, the STRIBILD Logo, TRUVADA, and VIREAD are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. ATRIPLA is a trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb & Gilead Sciences, LLC. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. © 2014 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. STBC0083 04/14
BAY T IM ES S EPT EM BER 18, 2014
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Distractions all these activities have in common is that they diminish self-awareness. They’re really about getting away from our emotional discomfort rather than facing and understanding it. The most obvious mind-altering distraction is abuse of alcohol and drugs, but there are many others, including:
Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman Co-Founders in 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 Phone: 510-504-9255
1. Food: overeating in search of comfort
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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CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Kirsten Kruse, Kate Kendell, Pollo del Mar, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Paul E. Pratt, Terry Baum, Gypsy Love, Rafael Mandelman, Kit Kennedy, David Campos, Leslie Katz, Bill Lipsky, Karen Williams, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Jim Tibbs, Mark Penn, Marcy Adelman, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller & Joanne Jordan, Kippy Marks, Naomi Jay, Jamie Leno Zimron Thom Watson, America Foy, Philip Ruth, Courtney Lake, Michele Karlsberg Photographers Rink, Dennis McMillan, Steven Underhill, Phyllis Costa, Cathy Blackstone, Robert Fuggiti, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg
Examined Life
2. Sex: avoiding painful feelings through sexual distractions
Tom Moon, MFT
3. Television: watching hours of TV every day
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” That saying, which Plato attributed to Socrates, succinctly expresses the basic value underlying every form of personal exploration—the idea that self-knowledge is an indispensable value in human life. Whether it’s Western psychotherapy or Eastern spiritual paths of self-inquiry, the message is the same. It is that genuine happiness and peace of mind come only to those who work to attain greater self-awareness. But most aren’t all that interested in knowing ourselves. What we really want is to feel good. We spend an amazing amount of time immersed in mood-altering and mind-numbing entertainments, habits, and distractions whose purpose is to increase comfort and numb anxiety and other painful emotions. What
4. Computer: spending hours every day on social media, surfing the net, etc. 5. Workaholism: constantly working to exhaustion; inability to rest or take time off 6. Exercise: compulsively exercising as a way of avoiding emotional pain 7. Adrenaline: addiction to the rush of frequent and compulsive risk-taking 8. Shopping: seeking comfort in acquiring things 9. Religion: using spiritual beliefs and practices to bypass awareness of fear and uncertainty 10. Cleaning: constantly cleaning to avoid anxiety or discomfort 11. Rage: avoiding fear or feelings of powerlessness through inappropriate anger
12. Caffeine: The Starbuck’s syndrome; staying buzzed all day on high-octane cof fees to diminish awareness of emotional pain, especially depression Modern technology provides us with an unprecedented number of opportunities for diversion and self-soothing, but the sad irony is that they’ve also made us the most restless generation that has ever existed. Millions of us are completely incapable of ever being alone and quiet with ourselves. One of the many bad effects is that millions of us suffer from chronic insomnia. It’s estimated that in 1900, the average American got about 10 hours of sleep per day. That’s probably because people didn’t really have much to do after dark. Not any more. When I explore insomnia with clients, I often find that they’re in the habit of immersing themselves in media stimulation right up until they go to bed. They watch the late news or late night talk shows, listen to music, play computer games, cruise online, or several such activities at once. Then, in a hyper-stimulated state, they turn off the lights, climb into bed, and discover that they’re too wired to sleep. I believe that our collective need for more intense distracting stimuli is progressing, exactly the way that addictions progress. Many people can’t watch a f ilm from the 1940s or 1950s, for instance, because those films seem to move at a snail’s pace
compared to the roller coaster rides of current popular movies. More and more of the people I talk with are in such a restless, jumpy state that they give me the impression they’ve been at a heavy metal concert for the past twenty years. Anyone interested in pursuing a path of personal growth and greater awareness must first cultivate enough quiet and focus to be able to do the work. It isn’t necessary to get rid of all distractions, but it’s important to have some time free of them. Spending time in nature can do much to cool down an overactive nervous system. Some people find it useful to practice periodic “media fasts” from all electronic stimuli. What is crucially important, however, is to stop running from our suffering, and instead to get to know it, feel it, explore it, to understand its meanings and causes. The rewards of this kind of work are subtle but profound: greater freedom from self-deception, confusion, and anxiety; calm selfacceptance, contentment, and peace of mind; comfort in one’s own skin; greater capacity to think and act independently of the herd. But this maturity comes only to those who can examine their suffering rather than run from it. Tom Moon is a psychotherapist in San Francisco. For more information, please visit tommoon.net
Round About - Women’s Weekend 2.0 - Photos by Jo-Lynn Otto All of our SF Bay Times hats are off to the She She team, Carmen McKay and Annie Albright, on the success of Women’s Weekend 2.0 held this past weekend at the Monte Rio Amphitheater in the town of Monte Rio near Guerneville and the Russian River. By all accounts, the hard work and preparation were evident in the first Women’s Weekend in the event’s new era. Featuring a list of headliners every women’s event organizer would envy, WW 2.0 entertainment included a duet by Lorie Moore (X Factor) and Beverly Mc
Clellan (The Voice), comics Suzanne Westenhoeffer and Julie Goldman, Azucar Con Ache, Average Dyke Band, Lorie Moore and many other favorites. One favorite memory for many attending, as we’ve been told, was the daily “Happy Dance” led by WW2.0 staffers. Another fave was the “color drop” aka what Julie Goldman called “spirit powder.” That’s so Bay Area, our photographer Jo-Lynn Otto said! Now, mark your calendars because planning is already underway for WW 2.0 to be held May 17-18, 2015!
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Producers Carmen McKay and Annie Albright
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.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR If you would like to write a letter to the editor with comment on an article or suggestions for the Bay Times, email us at editor@sfbaytimes.com. © 2014 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas Reprints by permission only. 20
BAY TIMES SEPTEMB E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 4
Julie Goldman
Fortnight in Review By Ann Rostow Tough Times Hello, dear readers. I changed the name of my Wi-Fi network last night and now my main computer no longer goes on line. The little tablet I’m using won’t let me use my favorite font (Times New Roman) so I am obliged to use “Ariel,” which I hate. I stayed up too late and am tired. I lost my list of news ideas for this column. My pug is gradually going senile, or maybe blind, and has spent the last hour barking outside the dog door. By barking, I mean a continual and loud “ruff ruff ruff.” Three barks, pause, three barks, pause. It is driving me crazy. Oh, thank heavens. She just came in. Good dog. Speaking of pugs, tomorrow we’re scheduled to go to our monthly pug bar night, an evening at an outdoor saloon south of town with maybe twenty or thirty more or less identical dogs and their owners. Doing our part to keep Austin weird. So here’s what I recall from the missing list: Some guy was put in jail for being gay in some conservative area of the world, in part because he drank Bailey’s, considered an unmanly affectation. One of the writers of Orange is the New Black has dumped her husband after realizing that she’s a lesbian. Everyone hates the vendor down the street from New York’s Big Gay Ice Cream store, who has started to advertise “straight ice cream.” A German activist was beaten up by antigay thugs in Belgrade where he was attending a conference. I’m sure there was more, but I’ll have to go search for the list or spend another hour (that I don’t have) refreshing my memory. And I was just reading an article about the nefarious international escapades of National Organization for Marriage head, Brian Brown, when I noticed a link to “Woman Finds Body in Trunk, Learns it’s her Neighbor.” Say what? And it was a Lexus to boot. Talk about lowering your resale value. The woman was shopping at a Walmart in Riverside, California, and noticed a bad smell when she returned to her car. The offensive aroma turned out to be the decomposing remains of one of her neighbors from Pomona, about twenty miles away. Who drives twenty miles to shop at Walmart? Why are you shopping at Walmart if you can afford a Lexus? Why didn’t she discover 33-year-old Miguel Angel Perez prior to the shopping trip? And how did Mr. Perez’s killer manage to open the trunk? I can think of several answers to those questions, but no other details were forthcoming from the report. Maybe she left the trunk ajar. Maybe she had other errands in Riverside and needed cheap t-shirts or bargain paper towels. Maybe it was hot in the parking lot. I suppose, since this is a gay news column, that I should mention that the National Organization for Marriage is considering renaming itself the International Organization for Marriage. Considering the group’s lack of success here in the Homeland, I’m thinking Brian Brown and company would have a lot more luck preaching homophobia in Russia or Uganda. By “more luck” I mean more bait for their fundraising hooks. I gather that NOM’s coffers are pretty dry at the moment. Supremes Hurr y to Rev iew Marriage Case Here’s the big news of the week. First, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit waited all of one week after oral arguments to issue a
unanimous ruling in favor of marriage equality. We already expected a 3-0 decision in these cases out of Indiana and Wisconsin. But no one expected the decision to be virtually instantaneous. My God! Appellate rulings usually take months and months, even after all the arguments are done. The marriage cases are mostly fast tracked, but this appeal was wrapped up in warp speed. More importantly, the Supreme Court has asked everyone involved in the Tenth, Fourth and now the Seventh Circuit’s marriage cases to deliver their petitions for review in time for the Justices’ September 29 conference. Again, the petitions usually take months to prepare. Once they’re filed, the Court may dilly-dally before the petitions are scheduled for review. Not this time. The September 29 conference marks the start of the High Court’s 2014/2015 term, so it’s evident that some combination of these cases are headed to the docket. We knew that, but it’s nice to see this kind of intensity from the Supremes. So, this may explain why the Seventh Circuit played hurry up. Both the Tenth and the Fourth Circuit based their marriage rulings on the Due Process Clause, concluding that marriage is a fundamental right for samesex couples and cannot be abridged without a compelling reason. The Seventh Circuit, by contrast, ruled that marriage bans are a violation of Equal Protection, discriminating against same-sex couples without a legitimate public purpose. Although the decision laid out a scheme to deliver heightened scrutiny to sexual orientation bias, it concluded that the discrimination in marriage could not survive any level of legal analysis. It seems likely under these circumstances that the Seventh wanted to add their line of reasoning to the mix before the Court. Meanwhile, the Ninth Circuit just heard arguments in the Nebraska, Idaho and Hawaii cases. This panel is sure to rule in our favor, so I wonder whether they too will issue a quick ruling in an attempt to join the party at the High Court. And we’re still waiting for word out of the Sixth Circuit, where arguments were held August 6 in cases out of Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky. We may well lose these appeals since there were two conservatives on the threejudge panel. That said, do they want their voices heard in Washington as well? Or do they want to slink into a corner and avoid the dreaded “wrong side of history?” You Are What You Drink I’ve been considering making myself an iced coffee with Bailey’s ever since I mentioned the allegedly effeminate concoction at the start of this column. For the record, the aforementioned incident took place in Cameroon, where being gay can cost you f ive years in the clink and where stereotypical behavior is grounds for conviction. In other words, you can be put in jail for acting gay. A defense lawyer, explaining this state of affairs to a reporter from ThinkProgress, used the example of one of his clients, who lost his freedom to a judge who believed only women drink Irish Cream. Perhaps Brian Brown should put Cameroon on his travel agenda. I just had an image of Brian Brown ordering a Kir Royale at the Yaounde Hilton. The bartender pushes a button under the counter and, a few minutes later, two men in dark uniforms approach the American. The quick thinking activist takes a sip of the sparkling pink cocktail and spits it out in feigned disgust. “What’s this fag drink? I said Scotch. Neat!”
Professional Services Still suspicious, the officers nod and walk back to the lobby. Stone faced, the bartender serves Brown a shot of 12-year-old Deanston. He’s not fooled. As Brown raises the tepid liquor to his lips, his hands tremble imperceptibly. Actually, it’s too nice a day for the heaviness of Bailey’s. I made myself a Campari and iced tea instead. A drink of my own invention. Perfect for a late summer afternoon. My Best Mate’s Wedding Let’s move on to the two straight men who got legally married in New Zealand in order to win a radio contest. I’m unclear on the contest details, but I can report that 23-year-old Travis McIntosh and 24-year-old Matt McCormick tied the knot in Auckland surrounded by about 60 family members and friends. The men, described as “best mates,” have won a trip to next year’s Rugby World Cup in London. At least one gay activist told the Australian Associated Press that the men’s charade made a mockery of the fight for marriage equality, and at first I agreed. But on second thought, I changed my mind. The escapade makes a mockery of marriage in general perhaps, but it’s no different than reality show marriages or getting hitched to a stranger in Vegas. In a way, it illustrates that same-sex marriages can be just as absurd as straight ones. I was oddly touched by all the family and friends who showed up, as well as the comment by Mr. McCormack, who told the press that he thought the marriage might last about two years. For the record, same-sex marriage was legalized in New Zealand in 2013. And what else is new? In addition to the Belgrade bust up, there are other gay bashing stories, including a gang attack on two men in Philadelphia, a nasty bar fight in Wellington, and the case of a gay man in Wales who was splashed with gasoline and lost the use of his (previously damaged) left eye in the assault. In a detailed article on September 7, the Guardian’s Helena Smith described conditions in Greece, where antigay violence is a serious problem, exacerbated by the reluctance of the country’s conservative leaders to pass strong gay rights legislation. A couple of weeks ago, Smith reports, two men were attacked by over a dozen skinheads in the middle of an Athenian park. One man’s leg was broken in three places, yet police dismissed the injury as minor scratches. And we’re not even going near the African continent, otherwise we’d be fixated on this depressing subject for pages and pages. My mood has darkened over the last half hour and, to make matters worse, the sun went away and the afternoon turned from gorgeous to gloomy. I even lost interest in my drink. No, I’m not joking about violence. It’s there. It’s inescapable and, quite frankly, I’d rather write about constitutional law.
• • • • • • • •
So Sue Me Yet surely there must be a third alternative topic, or even a fourth. How about the guy from Bangladesh who sued his employers at an Italian restaurant when he claimed a male chef put the moves on him back in 2011? Mohammed Muktadir also said the staff called him names and refused to accommodate his diet at the employee meal. All in all, it sounds like Muktadir had an unpleasant working experience, but was it worth a lawsuit? Brooklyn judge Frederic Block apparently didn’t think so. During a break in (continued on page 30)
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PHOTO BY STEVEN UNDERHILL
John Davis and Steve Porter, along with many family members and friends, celebrated their wedding held this month at San Francisco City Hall.
PHOTO BY STEVEN UNDERHILL
Michelle Sanchez and Cynthia Evans were married this week and are enjoying their honeymoon in Maui.
Nancy and Dotti Curried celebrated their 1st Anniversary together at Shadowbrook Restaurant in Capitola.
Why Marriage Matters While I am an officiant and this is a weddings column, I am keenly aware that marriage isn’t for everyone. I try to balance my enthusiasm for rituals with the understanding that saying “I do” may not be every reader’s goal. I mention this since I received an email in response to my column last month. In that column I wrote that a friend “wondered how much people who are making wedding vows think about the 50% divorce rate.”
Weddings
An excerpt from the e-mail follows:
Howard Steiermann
“My wife and I have definitely wrestled with the idea of marriage as the national conversation within and outside the community metamorphosed before our eyes…I think the question for queer folk has less to do with the statistics of marriages vs. divorce…but perhaps what it means to us in a historical perspective.” I am aware that some LGBT individuals feel that expending so much of the community’s resources on marriage equality has been a mistake. Some have said that we are acquiescing to heteronormalcy. Some people claim we are sacrificing gains we fought for in sexual freedom and expression. Some worry that we are buying into an industry that wants to exploit us for our dollars. All of this was percolating in my brain when I was a guest at the wedding of my good friends, Mark & Paul. In addition to the graciousness of the hosts, as well as the love satu22
BAY TIMES SEPTEMB E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 4
rating every moment, what struck me that afternoon were the words of fered by State Senator Mark Leno, who officiated. He said: “For years, first as an activist and then as an elected official, I had always wanted for myself and for my community the same rights, benefits and privileges, along with the responsibilities and obligations of marriage, but I was not sure that we needed to fight a war over a word.” He continued, “My heart and mind were changed irrevocably after having read the November 2003 decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. That court…ruled that there is no constitutional basis for the discrimination of denying loving and devoted same-sex couples marriage licenses. They went on to say that our nation’s history has taught us that separate is seldom, if ever, equal. But they then went on to
say something even more powerful, something that I had never thought of before then. The justices stated that the only remedy to this identif ied discrimination is marriage and marriage alone. No parallel construct such as civil unions or domestic partnerships would do, they said, because it would perpetuate a destructive stereotype that suggests that there is something inferior and unstable about the way same-sex couples love.” Leno added, “If we, through our public policy and law making, are going to say that one group of humans loves in a way that is deserving of a marriage license, but this other group just doesn’t love quite good enough so we will deny them their fundamental right to marry, then we are denying that group their very humanity. It was at that time that I decided that I was ready to fight a war over a word.” The word “marriage” is important for many. I am proud that State Senator Mark Leno took up the fight for marriage equality. His remarks reminded me of the importance, and indeed the centrality, of love. For those who have, or will, celebrate their love through legal matrimony, may your marriage be filled with health and happiness. Howard M. Steiermann is an Ordained Ritual Facilitator based in San Francisco. For more information, please visit www. SFHoward.com
Heading Toward the Supremes that same-sex marriage advocates are rightly fighting for.”
All eyes will be on Washington later this month, as the United States Supreme Court has announced that on September 29, they will consider whether to hear one or more of the federal marriage equality cases in their current term. If they take one of the cases, we could have a nationwide marriage ruling as soon as June 2015.
Outside the courtroom, we were reminded of the true meaning of love and marriage when we learned there are newlyweds in our family. The announcement came, not from one of our younger siblings or cousins, but from my 93-year-old uncle
Marriage Equality John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, Marriage Equality USA who married the wonderful woman who has spent the last four decades by his side. At the same time as the anti-equality lawyers before the 9th Circuit were arguing that straight couples will no longer wed or stay married once same-sex couples are able to marry, my uncle and aunt proved the opposite to be true. They married for the exact same reasons that all couples marry: to love, comfort, honor, and keep each other in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. Upon hearing their wedding news, one of our cousins remarked on the common themes that unite us in matrimony, whether gay or straight, young or old: “So sweet that they have decided to get married at this late date! Also wise, since it will give them the rights they deserve…just the same rights
We are very thankful that the United States Supreme Court ruled in 1967 that interracial couples have the freedom to marry all across our country. Today, as a gay American married in California, I know the time has come for the Supreme Court to rule that LGBTQ Americans in all 50 states have the basic human right to marry the person they love. We hope that as soon as next summer the justices do exactly that. John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, together for nearly three decades, were plaintiffs in the California case for equal marriage rights decided by the California Supreme Court in 2008. They are leaders in the nationwide grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA.
PHOTO BY STEVEN UNDERHILL
We ref lected on the road that has led us to this point as we sat in the courtroom here at the 9th Circuit in San Francisco, where we recently attended oral arguments in the federal marriage equality cases for Nevada, Idaho, and Hawaii. Inside the courtroom, the lack of credible anti-equality arguments was evident, as demonstrated by the dubious analogies to sticks and balls repeatedly used by Monte Stewart, the lawyer arguing in favor of antimarriage equality laws in both the Idaho and Nevada cases. If you weren’t there, you might have been confused by news items such as this one from Boise State Public Radio: “Stewart mentioned crystal balls several times during the hour long hearing”—a surreal turn that felt to those in the courtroom like the other side had clearly run out of ideas.
As a family, we see many parallels to the current marriage equality debates taking place today in courtrooms and dining rooms all across America. As a child of interracial parents who grew up in the 1960s, I know exactly what Judge Posner meant when he wrote earlier this month in the 7th Circuit marriage cases that asking interracial couples in the 1960s to accept “same-race unions” instead of marriage would have been “considered deeply offensive, and, having no justification other than bigotry…”
Lynda and Betty Gates are celebrating the 24th Anniversary of their wedding on September 6, 1992, at the First Unitarian Church. Paul Lopez Montwillo and John Montwillo showing off their sense of humor at their September wedding.
Tennis star Martina Navratilova proposed to Julia Lemigova at the U.S. Open. BAY T IM ES S EPT EM BER 18, 2014
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Y-our Needs Include Our Needs ARIES (March 21–April 19) The temptation to run for the hills chasing your freedom tail will only leave you dizzy and nauseous. Consider freeing yourself by trusting that your primary other has your best interest at heart. Tune in a little deeper to what he/she is feeling and requesting of you.
Astrology By Linda Amburgey True intimacy with another depends on our capacity to courageously individuate and free ourselves from the limiting patterns that polarize us. Missing your freedom and independence when coupled, and perusing dating websites longing for your soulmate when single, are all too common, and reflect the ping ponging of our own internal polarization. Striking the harmonization of autonomy and intimacy is about as easy as tying your shoe when flying coach and the person seated in front of you is reclining in your lap. The Cosmic air is blowing us to the edge of the limitation cliff, and calling us to play with our capacity to be whole within the context of our relationships. Wholeness requires that we accept our need for both intimacy and autonomy, thus gifting ourselves the choice to occupy either need rather than claiming one and importing the other.
TAURUS (April 20–May 20) Do not be lazy with your health habits right now. Copious amounts of sugar will not sweeten your life in the same fulfilling way that a solid routine around sharing time and energy with others will do. This is a great time to seek out a mentor or become one to another in need.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A new flame or an old one rekindled will be the source and point of reference for your new passionate expression of creativity. Be forewarned that great pleasure is often derived from friction, and it will serve you to make an effort to be less fanatically righteous if a battle ensues.
CANCER (June 21–July 22) You are being beckoned home. The latest chaos in your work life has thrust you back into your shell. This month it will feel good to snuggle into the safety of your significant other’s arms, invite a gathering of loved ones over for a meal, or throw a new color of paint on your bedroom walls. Relax and enjoy a bit of inner peace.
LEO ( July 23–August 22) Speak to your circle of friends, family, and followers with your natural warmth and your newly sharpened negotiation skills. Harmony happens within you before it can be created on the outside. Is your internal dialogue harmonizing with the actual words you speak? Trust your inner compass to choose the best words for the most impact.
VIRGO (August 23–September 22) You are attracting and manifesting all the resources you need. Value your time and energy and others will too. You may even receive a surprise raise or gift that reflects what you have invested in your own self worth. Allow yourself to receive.
LIBR A (September 23– October 22) You are extremely visible this month. The magnification of your gift to attune to others makes you very attractive and hard to leave. Assert your own selfish needs from time to time, and you will feel a comforting balance returning to your life.
SCORPIO (October 23– November 21) You are receiving much more recognition than you realize right now. Imagine being in an interrogation room where people can see in but you cannot see out. This mystery is both enticing and unnerving, as you don’t know if they are friend or foe. Do not start the performance until you know who is in your audience.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22– December 21) Get out and about and mix it up with your friends and coworkers. You never know whom you might end up meeting out there. Paying too much attention to the cover might make you miss the juicy details that are inside, so don’t get overly nit picky.
CAPRICORN (December 22– January 19) You are a magnet for praise and recognition right now. The sudden insights that arise from your most recent inner emotional work are lighting up the skies around you like the aurora borealis. Do not let your jealousy or the jealousy of others reroute your best intentions.
AQUARIUS ( January 20– February 18) Your inner shaman is calling you over the river and through the woods for a little vision quest. Any companions that you take with you or meet along the way are likely to have more than two legs and be either furry or feathered. Resist any urges to go back to the village before your vision has become clear.
PISCES (February 19–March 20) Be fierce and courageous as you free yourself from self-imposed limitations around worth and value. The prize is your capacity to remain whole and individuated as you embark on the desirable and yummy merge. Shapeshifting with another is only healthy when you can return to your own shape and form.
Linda Amburgey has owned Crystal Way Metaphysical Center for 11 years, and has been an Intuitive Reader for 20 years. To book readings, on-going counseling for couples or individuals, events and parties, please e-mail her at Con sciousCounsel@gmail.com or call 415-218-5096. Mention this column for a $10 discount.
As Heard on the Street . . .
compiled by Rink
What do you think is the second most photographed LGBT landmark in the SF Bay Area, assuming that the Castro Theatre is in the #1 spot?
David Smith
Steve Schultz
Thomas Dorn
Tom Pasco
Frank Pietronigro
“The Stud Bar”
“Land’s End”
“The GLBT Historical Society Museum in the Castro”
“575 Castro Street, the site of Harvey Milk’s Castro Camera store”
“The Rainbow Flag at Harvey Milk Plaza”
Steven Underhill
PHOTOGRAPHY
415 370 7152
WEDDINGS, HEADSHOTS, PORTRAITS
stevenunderhill.com · stevenunderhillphotos@gmail.com 24
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#KateClinton2014 “Looks like President Obama will take the ISIS bucket challenge. Ugh..”
Arts & Entertainment Unforgettable Pippin Resonates with LGBT Audiences By Dr. Betty L. Sullivan My first and only year as a high school drama teacher happened at Bishop Byrne High School, located down the road from Graceland in the suburban town known as Whitehaven just north of the Mississippi-Tennessee state line. The year was 1980, and with the goal in mind of seeing every play I could possibly squeeze into my schedule, I decided to trust a friend’s recommendation of a musical called Pippin playing at Playhouse on the Square in Memphis. Pippin had closed on Broadway some years prior, and was making its way through the regional theater circuit. This was fine for my purposes. Let’s just say I was a happy sponge in the year 1980, soaking up everything I possibly could about teaching drama and also about what it meant to be gay now that I had finally admitted it. Sitting in my seat at Playhouse on the Square, I was unknowingly awaiting a play with a main character who was also anticipating change and trying to make sense of what was going on. First came the brightly lit hands emerging from darkness. Then came a haunting tune and the singing of doodle-ee-do: “Join us, leave your field to flower. Join us, leave your cheese to sour. Join us, come and waste an hour or two, doodle-ee-do...”
White gloves come waving as the lyrics invite everyone, even a studious one like me, to break away and have some fun. Why? Because we have magic to do and it’s just for you. Because we have miracle plays to play. What else does Pippin bring? An initiation rite storyline and a song about finding one’s own corner of the sky, wanting life to be something more than long. It also features an incorrigible granny with a song so compelling that I lost myself one time singing it while driving down Interstate 55 toward New Orleans. Ended up that song with a speeding ticket, I did, and I knew in my heart it was that granny singing about time to start living and a chance to raise some hell. She was to blame for that ticket. Pippin is a parable about making right choices, valuing hearth and family, and standing for country, flags flying, armor polished. Pippin brings the story of Charlemagne, aka Charles the Great of France. I relived that play, and those thoughts of magic to do, some years later while standing outside of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, where a big statue of Charles the Great dominates the courtyard. The musical is a modern day medieval allegory with a morning glow that’s here…at last.
Spotlighting Five Pippin Stars The national touring cast of Pippin is a mind-blower for Broadway fans. For starters, it includes Tony Award winner John Rubinstein, who created the role of “Pippin” in the 1972 original Broadway production. The cast and crew also include several out and proud talented individuals, such as the following: Alan Kelly (Player, Understudy for Charles) Dublin born Kelly trained at the National Performing Arts School and the College of Dance in Dublin. A skilled actor, voiceover artist and choreographer, Kelly’s work continues to take him from stage to screen in performances seen all over the world. http://www.alankelly.me/ Mark Burrell (Swing, Assistant Choreographer, Dance Captain) Juilliard graduate Burrell made his Broadway debut in the first national tour of Fosse, so he was more than ready to immerse himself in the Bob Fosse-styled choreography of Pippin. http://www.danj.us/faculty/ regular_faculty/mark_burrell.html Mathew deGuzman (Player, understudy for Lewis) deGuzman has been performing in the theater professionally for 20 years. His shows include Tony-nominated productions on Broadway, such as Follies and A Christmas Story, The Musical. https://www.linkedin.com/pub/ mathew-deguzman/75/49a/48b Fernando Dudka (Player) Cirque du Soleil favorite Dudka will take your breath away with his solo hand balancing act and other acrobatic moves. http://www. idea.no/index.php/2013-03-06-15-46-53/acrobats/fernando-dudka Borris York (Player) As York’s website says, “Imagine the genuine honesty of Oprah with the sheer determinism of Beyoncé, wrapped up in the charming presence of a young Sydney Poitier and you’ve got Borris York!” Having watched the videos of handsome York, we’re inclined to agree. http://www.borrisyork.com/
And right here in San Francisco, I remember some years ago smiling and singing along on my first visit to AT&T Park when, just before a Giants game began, that remarkable song “Magic to Do” came f lowing across the stadium, and I had a moment of thinking about the magic of living here so many years and miles away from Memphis, TN, and the Mississippi Delta just south of there. So, I have been trying now to have and do magic for the past three and a half decades. Trying all over the U.S. and in a big handful of international places too. How many fields have I left to flower? I wonder, and I wonder how much cheese did or didn’t sour? Pippin launched me in 1980, launched my magic, and I can’t begin to say how excited I am that the traveling company of this important show is on its way and will soon open for a four-week run at SHN’s Golden Gate Theatre on Market Street in San Francisco. For more information about the show and to buy tickets, please visit: https:// www.shnsf.com/online/pippin Dr. Betty L. Sullivan is the founder of “Betty’s List” and the co-publisher of the “San Francisco Bay Times.” BAY T IM ES S EPT EM BER 18, 2014
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Joe Goode Performance Group’s High Velocity Queer Poetry in Motion Innovative dancer and choreographer Joe Goode and his company have been recognized both nationally and internationally for their contributions to the development of contemporary dance theater. Goode’s signature work, 29 Effeminate Gestures, was produced by PBS and helped to open minds about gender and dance from an unapologetically queer perspective. The company is hosting an LGBT night on September 26 at Z Space, which we encourage you to attend. As you’ll soon read, Goode is a thoughtful, intelligent artist who has remained true to both himself and his craft. He generously took time out of rehearsals for the upcoming season to share more about his life and work with us. SF Bay Times: How did you become interested in movement? Joe Goode: I was an introverted child, and definitely a sissy boy. I hated sports and hated the loud, competitive space of the gym and the locker room. Somehow, when I saw dancing for the first time (followed my sister to dance class, I know—it’s classic!), suddenly there was something beautiful and artistic that I could do with my body. It’s ironic really, because the brand of dancing that I do now is very physical and athletic, so I’ve kind of circled back to the athleticism I scorned as a child. SF Bay Times: It sounds like dance has been a healer for you. Do you think this healing, transformative power carries over to your audiences? Joe Goode: Dancing is autoerotic. It’s pleasure in the body. It’s visceral; it’s animal. When it’s done right, it’s guileless and honest. Almost every dancer will tell you how dancing saved their lives. It was a place to put the excess energy, but also it was “church,” a place to praise the sheer physical joy of being alive. Audience
members can take the kinetic ride of movement, even if they are not doing the moving themselves. They can also feel the community of bodies touching and sharing weight. It’s a chance for them to slip out of their analytical approach to living for a few moments, and be a kid again, twirling around in the front yard until they fell down. We all know the primal power of kinetic movement and we just need that little reminder every now and then. SF Bay Times: Why did you decide to host a special LGBTQ night? Joe Goode: The two pieces that we are performing this time at Z Space are so quintessentially “queer.” Both are about the very real exclusion that queer people feel in this dominantly hetero culture. We have to really work at being the courageous, shining stars that we are. It would sadden me if LGBTQ folks didn’t get to see these works. They’re about us! SF Bay Times: One of your signature works, 29 Effeminate Gestures, will be on the program that night. What can
you tell us about the genesis of this work? How has this work changed for you? Joe Goode: 29 Effeminate Gestures was the first performance work where I decided to really tell the hard truth about my own place on the gender spectrum. I always knew that my voice as an artist came from a queer place (I was always “out” as an artist), but this piece was the first where I said, “Look at all of my fears. Look at the effeminate child that I erased to fit into this culture. Feel for him and feel for all of us who have trimmed our lavish tendencies to fit in and be accepted.” It is done with humor and compassion, but it’s a really brutal work in many ways. What surprises me is how durable it is. I made this piece in the late eighties and people can still relate to it. Now, it’s being taught in Gender Studies Programs, and has been written about in endless PhD theses, but what matters to me most is that it still resonates with audiences, both queer and straight. (continued on page 30)
Legendary Singer-Songwriter Tret Fure to Perform at SF’s Park Presidio United Methodist Church Tret Fure could easily rest on her laurels. Her music career spans four decades and includes work recording and producing some of the best of Women’s Music, such as “Meg and Cris at Carnegie Hall.” SF Bay Times co-publisher Dr. Betty Sullivan was at one of the two Carnegie Hall performances hosted by Meg Christian and Cris Williamson and remembers how magical it was. Over the years, Fure has also performed as a guitarist and vocalist for Spencer Davis, and has herself recorded 14 albums. Fure—one of the first women sound engineers in Los Angeles—broke down gender barriers with sheer determination and talent. Her passion for music has only strengthened over time. When she performs in San Francisco on September 27, she’ll be presenting both old and new favorites. We welcome her back for this visit after a too-long absence and were delighted to catch up with her recently. SF Bay Times: When we think of your music we think of connection: between your music and the audience, humanity and nature, you as an individual and your listeners. Some performers seem to sing at people; your performances seem more about inclusion. Is this something that you have worked towards, or has it always just happened organically for you in performances? 26
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Tret Fure: Performance is an unending growth process. I’ve always felt that communicating with your audience is the job of the performer and of utmost importance. It is a conversation. I’ve not always been as connected as I am now. I work at it. I’ve been doing this for a very long time and I am very comfortable in my skin, in who I am and it feels welcoming to people. We have a great time at my shows. My audience laughs with me, cries with me and travels with me through my stories and songs. People ask me if I am nervous before a show and I answer “rarely” because I look forward to that communication every time. It feeds me and heals me. SF Bay Times: Going back a bit, who inf luenced you when you were just starting out as a performer? Did you have any relatives, for example, who inspired you, given that you were already doing professional work as a musician at age 16? And who have some of your other mentors been along the way?
Tret Fure: My mother was a big band singer in New York City. She was good, but she hated the lifestyle. So singing and music is in my blood and my family has always been proud of me and encouraged me. My parents saw my talent at an early age and arranged piano lessons for me when I was 5. I was writing songs on the piano by age 7. My oldest brother gave me my first guitar when I was 11 and I learned quickly. He played some as well, and we became a duo for a few years, playing at faculty parties, the one coffeehouse and around campus. They he moved away and I was on my own. Growing up, I really didn’t have a lot of musical friends or mentors. I was pretty isolated in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. But I listened to every folk album I could get my hands on. I learned to finger pick by listening closely to Judy Collins and Joan Baez. I didn’t have songbooks. I had to learn everything by ear. I loved Bob Dylan and later Joni Mitchell and James Taylor. I imitated everyone I could until I found my on voice. Of course, when I went to school at Berkeley, the whole world opened up and I shared music with many talented people. SF Bay Times: Your career is full of tremendous achievements. Please share some of your most memorable moments over the years, perhaps mentioning any anecdotes that have stuck with you. From Spencer Davis to your (continued on page 30)
Horny Wetlands Is Not a Film for the Easily Offended presents
the 9th Annual
CRESCENDO Brunch with the Boys!
Film Gary Kramer In the cheeky, horny teenager sex film, Wetlands, Helen (Carla Juri, in a star making performance), claims, “If you think penises, sperm, and other bodily fluids are gross, you should just forget about sex altogether.” She licks the seminal fluid—what she calls her “sex-souvenir chewing gum”—from her fingers, and then tests which vegetables, borrowed from the family fridge, are best for masturbating. She determines cucumbers are OK, ginger is not, and carrots are the best. The eighteen-year-old Helen, who thinks about sex almost all the time, makes her pronouncement in the film’s opening ten minutes. She has already revealed her itchy hemorrhoid problem, her penchants for filthy toilets (that rival the one in Trainspotting), and her “living pussy hygiene experiment,” which is used to arouse men.
Sunday, September 28th Noon - 3pm Four Seasons Hotel, 757 Market St. San Francisco If Wetlands is a piece of hard candy that has fallen on the f loor and gotten dirty, it does eventually dissolve in one’s mouth to reveal a sweet center. In the hospital, Helen flirts with her handsome male nurse, Robin (Christoph Letkowski). She has an erotic fantasy about him, which involves licking his ass. Moreover, his patience for her bad behavior seems to appeal to the bold and daring Helen, who really just wants to be loved. Robin seems to enjoy this rule-breaking patient, who asks him to take photos of her ass, and orders pizza so she can recount an outlandish tale of a semen-covered pie that Wnendt films in explicit—and hilarious—slow motion.
Suffice it to say, Wetlands is not a film for the easily offended. But this vivid, darkly funny comedy-drama, adapted from Charlotte Roche’s best-selling novel by director David Wnendt, will have adventurous viewers laughing and gasping in the same scene. This is evidenced in a deliciously cruel episode from Helen’s childhood, in which she learns a harsh lesson about trust from her mother. Helen’s extreme behavior stems perhaps from her bitterness over her parents’ divorce. She wants them to reunite, and tries to arrange this from her hospital bed, where she is recovering from surgery to repair an anal fissure that Helen created during an unfortunate shaving accident.
The pizza sequence is sure to become infamous, but so too is another offputting episode in which Helen trades a homemade tampon with her best friend Corinna (Marlen Kruse). When Corinna’s tampon gets stuck, Helen solves the problem in a way that is both hysterical and horrifying. Apparently,
nothing is off-limits for Wnendt, who also does not shy away from showing Helen’s painful and bloody action that will keep her hospitalized so she can continue to romance Robin.
VIP Table of 10: $2,500, Table of 10: $1,500 Single Tickets: $150 Order tickets online: sfgmc.org/crescendo
Despite all of the shocking scenes, Helen is sympathetic, even when she is not especially nice. Helen tells her mother that she looks forward to taking care of—and humiliating—her when she is older and infirm. She also has contempt for her father, who has started dating a younger woman. A late revelation explains the root cause of the family dysfunction, but it comes across as Psychology 101. Wnendt’s presentation of this subplot—teasing it out over the course of the film—is part of his strategy to taking audiences on a rollercoaster ride throughout Wetlands. He also uses visual tricks to get viewers into Helen’s mindset. An animated sequence is used to illustrate the bacteria on a dirty public toilet seat that Helen vigorously wipes with her naked ass. Wnendt employs devices such as a split screen during a hallucinatory episode where Helen and Corinna take a copious amount of drugs. The director deliberately creates breathers between the outrageous moments to give viewers a chance to recover from—or brace themselves for—the next uncomfortable sequence. Juri is, as one would expect from Helen’s extreme behavior, fearless in her performance. Her willingness to skateboard bare-assed through the hospital corridors, or visit a brothel where she has oral sex with a female prostitute, are moments that are as thrilling for viewers as it is for the uninhibited character. But Helen is also endearing when she tiptoes through filthy water, or experiences anal incontinence. It just may not be very pleasant for viewers to watch.
Z SPACE Joe Goode Performance Group returns to Z Space for encore performances of two signature pieces.
Wonderboy
29 Effeminate Gestures
Sept 25 - Oct 5, 2014 Photos by RJ Muna
at Z Space, 450 Florida Street, San Francisco Tickets and Info at www.zspace.org
And this is both the strength and drawback of Wetlands. The film is so over-the-top it almost challenges viewers to endure it. Were it not so well made and well acted, Wetlands would be unwatchable. Instead, for those who dare, it is unforgettable. © 2014 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” You can follow him on Twitter @garymkramer
The San Francisco Bay Times is proud to announce the arrival of our 2015 Media Kit! Want to see it? Send a note to Publisher@sfbaytimes.com BAY T IM ES S EPT EM BER 18, 2014
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See many more Calendar items @ www.sfbaytimes.com
compiled by Robert Fuggiti
Acoustic Open Mic – Take 5 Café. $3. 7:30 pm. (3130 Sacremento Ave.) www.take5cafe. net An open mic night with new and established local artists. Small Business Expo 2014 – The Show Producers. Free. 10 am. (Fort Mason, 2 Marina Blvd.) www. one1design.com The largest & most anticipated business-to-business networking event, trade show & conference for business owners, entrepreneurs & decision-makers. Luna Fest – Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. $50. 6 pm. (3301 Lyon St.) www.jenmckgowan.com Join LUNA Bar and Award-Winning Filmmaker, Jen McGowan, for the World Premiere of LunaFest and enjoy great films while supporting the Breast Cancer Fund.
Cockettes Film Tribute – de Young Museum. $10. 6:30 pm. (50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr.) www. deyoung.famsf.org David Weissman, producer and co-director (with Bill Weber) of the 2002 documentary The Cockettes, will present film clips of the legendary Cockettes. Some Thing – The Stud. $5. 10 pm. (399 9th St.) www.studsf.com A uniquely themed party every Friday night, with drag performances at 11 pm. Beck – Nob Hill Masonic Center. 8 pm. $85. (1111 Californa St.) www.beck.com The multi-talented vocalist delivers a performance that’s not be missed.
“Old Hats” will be at the American Conservatory Theater through October 12.
Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Mission Creek Pavilion. Donation Based. 8 am. (Mission Creek Park Pavillion). www.act.alz.org Walk to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Bond Con 2014 – The Armory Community Center. $75. 6 pm. (333 14th St.) www.bondcon.com A celebration of bondage for enthusiasts,
models, practioners and the curious. Jalwa – Club OMG. Free. 10 pm to 2 am. (43 6th St.) www.clubomgsf.com Enjoy a night of dancing at this unique, Bollywood themed gay bar.
Female Vocalist Extravaganza – Humanist Hall. $30. 2 pm (390 27th St.) www. brownpapertickets.com/ event/783048 An afternoon of song and dance with proceeds benefitting the Charlotte Maxwell Clinic. Sunday’s a Drag Brunch – The Starlight Room. $49. 12 pm to 2:30 pm. (450 Powell St.) www. starlightroomsf.com Donna Sachet host an elegant brunch with modern dance numbers, classic singing, and hilarious comedy. Daytime Realness – El Rio. $6. 3 pm. (3158 Mission St.) www.facebook.com/daytimerealness Heklina, Stanley Frank & DJ Carnita present an afternoon of drag, dancing and disorder happening every third Sunday.
Karen O – Great American Music Hall. $36. 8 pm. (859 O’Farrell St.) www.slimspresents.com Karen O performs songs from her latest album, “Crush Songs.” Karaoke Night – Toad Hall. Free. 8 pm. (4146 18th St.) www.toadhallbar.com Sing your heart out at Toad Hall’s weekly karaoke night. Piano Bar 101 – Martuni’s. Free. 9 pm. (4 Valencia St.) www.dragatmartunis.com Sing along to your favorite songs with friends and patrons.
Queer Youth Meal Night – SF LGBT Center. Free. 5 pm. (1800 Market St.) www.sfcenter.org Queer Youth Meal Night is a safe space to meet with your trans/ queer/ally friends every Tuesday. Singing Class for LGBT – First Congressional Church of Oakland. $300. 7 pm to 9 pm. A-nine week course to explore singing in harmony and learn how to hear and sing major triad chords, in a fun group setting. Funny Tuesdays – Harvey’s. Free. 9 pm. (500 Castro St.) www. harveyssf.com Enjoy a night of comedy, food and drinks.
Drumming Class – Barbara Borden. $510. 1 pm. (Marin Location TBD) barbara@bbbeats.com Explore pulse and rhythms, techniques and improvisations to express yourself through drumming.
Michelle Tea reads on Friday the 26th 28
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Castro Farmers Market – Noe St. at Market. Free. 4 pm to 8 pm. (Noe St. at Market) www. pcfma.com Enjoy fresh produce and local made foods and delicacies. Happening every Wednesday.
Beach Blanket Babylon – Club Fugazi. $25-$130. 8 pm. (678 Green St.) www.beachblanketbabylon.com Enjoy Steve Silver’s famous musical revue packed with hilarious pop culture and political antics.
Fabulosa – Yosemite. $20. September 25-28. (Spinning Wheel, Yosemite) www.fabulosa.org A celebration of women’s arts for women, their families, and friends of all genders. Noises Off – Shelton Theater. $15-$20. 8 pm. (2255 Sutter St.) www.sheltontheater.org Michael Frayn’s outrageous comedy which follows the on-and off-stage antics of an acting troupe. 4Bidden – The Cellar. $10. 10pm to 2am. (685 Sutter St.) www.cellarsf.com A fun lesbian dance night playing your favorite throwback songs.
Yours, Mine, and Ours – Wells Fargo Advisors. Free. 8 am. (420 Montgomery St.) www.marcumllp. com An overview of family law, tax and planning. Going Down on Valencia – GLBT History Museum. $5. 7 pm to 9 p. (4127 18th St.) www.glbthistory.org A reading by Michelle Tea with commentary by Darius Bost, assistant professor, San Francisco State University Mixed-Media Art Making Stations – de Young Museum. $10. 6:00 pm. (50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr.) www.deyoung.famsf. org Every week, Friday Night at the de Young offers art making to encourage everyone, of all ages, to tap into their creativity.
Queer Prom – Metropolitan Community Church. $15. 7 pm. (150 Eureka St.) www. brownpapertickets.com/event/859646 DJNewRo (a.k.a. Kevin Groves) will spin tunes all night, ranging from 40’s swing to current pop. Horizons Foundation’s Gala Dinner – The Fairmont San Francisco. $75. 5:30 pm. (950 Mason St.) www.horizonsfoundation.org A sizzling evening of dinner, drinks, and conversation with your LGBT community.
A sold-out sensation, Old Hats combines the incomparable magic, slapstick, and hilarity of Bill Irwin and David Shiner. Pride Skate: LGBT Roller Disco – Church 8. $10. 7 pm to 10 pm. (554 Fillmore St.) 415-7521967. An LGBT roller skating disco every Tuesday. Trivia Night – Hi Tops. Free. 10 pm. (2247 Market St.) www. hitopssf.com Test your trivia skills at this popular sports bar.
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Housepitality Wednesday – F8. $5. 10 pm. (1192 Folsom St.) www.feightsf.com Featuring DJ Brett Johnson, Sharon Buck, and more. Smack Dab Open Mic Night – Magnet. Free. 8 pm. (4122 18th St.) www.magnetsf.org Open mic night with host Larry-bob Roberts. Queer Salsa Dancing – Beatbox. Free. 8 pm. (314 11th St.) www.beatboxsf.com Latin City Nights presents a queer salsa dance every Wednesday night.
2014 Baymec Dinner Gala – Fairmont Hotel. Donation based. 6 pm. (170 South Market St.) www. baymec.org Jazz and cocktails followed by dinner and program with special guest, Speaker of the California State Academy,Toni Atkins.
Drag Queen Brunch - Flames Eatery & Bar. $15. 11 am. (88 South Van Ness.) A wonderful Sunday brunch with fierce drag performances and $9 bottomless mimosas. Golden Gate Park Band – Gold Gate Park. Free. 1 pm. (Music Concourse). www.goldengateparkband.com A salute to the Swing and Jazz eras with music by Stan Kenton, Henry Mancini and more. Salsa Sundays – El Rio. $10. 3 pm to 8 pm. (3158 Mission St.) www.elriosf.com Live music and dancing second and fourth Sundays.
Motown Monday – Madrone Art Bar. Free. 6 pm. (500 Divisadero St.) www.madroneartbar.com Dance the night away to favorite Motown songs and remixes. Comedy Returns to El Rio – El Rio. $7. 8 pm. (3158 Mission St.) www.elriosf.com Now in its 5th year, this monthly comedy show features the best of Bay Area comedians and beyond. Wanted – Q Bar. Free. 10 pm to 2 am. (456 Castro St.) www.sfwanted.com Enjoy dance and electronic music along with $2 drink specials.
CASTRO
ruits f m o r “F s” FARMERS’ MARKET to nut
WEDNESDAYS
4PM - 8PM
This September at the market: You know Alpine Blue for their awesome blueberries but right now they have fantastic walnuts and almonds. They're great for baking and to munch on. Happy Boy Farm has organic veggies from Watsonville. Mounds of onions, fresh herbs, bunched braising greens, radishes, beets, and more. Cucumbers, and of course, tomatoes are here to enjoy! Watch for winter squash to arrive soon.
NOE ST. BETWEEN
MARKET ST. & BEAVER ST. 1.800.949.FARM • pcfma.com/castro
Old Hats – American Conservatory Theater. $25-$100. 8 pm. (415 Geary St.) www.act-sf.com
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(ROSTOW continued from page 21)
Now that I reread that, I f ind the story much less interesting than I had thought. I don’t know. I had an image of the predatory chef, his knife blistering through an onion, his beady eyes on his colleague. I could see Muktadir sullenly picking bits of smoked ham out of his antipasto, mind whirling, suppressing his outrage. A desire for revenge builds, frustrated only by the need for a paycheck. Finally, even this consideration is tossed aside. He quits! He sues! In Brooklyn, the wheels of justice turn slowly. Settlement talks go nowhere. Motions are heard. Depositions are
(SISTER DANA continued from page 3) scheduled, delayed, rescheduled. But Muktadir persists. He must have his day in court. Dollar signs dance in his thoughts as he falls asleep. He imagines his former foes in deep distress, ordered to pay for their sins. Bankrupted. Rueful. And finally, the trial begins. First jury selection, then testimony. And then? An 80-year-old white guy calls his case stupid and the jury throws it out without a moment’s thought or a dime of recompense. Could this be happening? In the courtroom, Muktadir can’t help but take a sidelong glance at the randy chef. He’s smirking! Well, that’s my version of it anyway. I can’t stand people who sue over life’s relatively minor setbacks. And I’m assuming that, since the jury tossed the case so easily, Mr. Muktadir’s complaints were ill founded. At any rate, the story was a psychological improvement over broken legs and blind eyes. And the sun has returned. arostow@aol.com
(GOODE continued from page 26)
cess and beyond. Both were just hysterical, worthy of a standing ovation, and it didn’t hurt that they have done so much for the LGBTQ community! FLIRTING & CRUISING was a “playshop” (“workshop” is too formal and less playful a word for it) held at Magnet, the health and wellbeing hub for gay/bi men in the Castro, put on by the folks at queerbody. com, facilitated by Dr. Sam & Josh. We learned about playing with body language and other nonverbal cues; successful flirting and cruising techniques and strategies; changing the way we think about and experience f lirting, so we don’t have to *think about it* but can just play and enjoy connecting with new guys! Flirting is fun! It’s a way of playing with people socially. GLAAD GALA San Francisco, held at the Hilton, was entitled GAME CHANGERS! It was a celebration of national and Bay Area leaders advancing LGBTQ equality through the media. GLAAD introduced the Ric Weiland Award, a new honor for innovators promoting queer equality through tech and new media, which was given to Google and YouTube. During a night of incredible performances, a delicious dinner, and inspiring speeches, this fundraiser helped GLAAD extend its long history and successful track record of advocating for LGBTQ inclusion in various media into a safe and inclusive digital world. Eight out of 10 LGBTQ youth report being bullied. That’s unacceptable! At the GLAAD reception, attendees could have their picture taken while holding a sign against bullying, promoting Purple Spirit Day, October 16th, when activists worldwide will wear purple to take a stand protesting bullying.
“As gay men, we have both experienced feeling silenced, like we had to hide some part of ourselves to be safe in the world, to be respected.” SF Bay Times: 29 Effeminate Gestures was originally performed by you, but you are now passing the torch on to another dancer, Melecio Estrella. Can you tell us about this process? Joe Goode: It’s not without some angst, passing along such a personal piece. Melecio is beautiful and an amazing dancer. The transcendent parts, the luscious dancing, were really fun to work on with him. There are some ugly, bloodier parts that are tougher. I can’t ask him to feel my pain and humiliation in the same way that I feel it. He has to tap into his own reservoir. As gay men, we have both experienced feeling silenced, like we had to hide some part of ourselves to be safe in the world, to be respected. But we are from different generations. What I had to hide was different from what he had to hide. So the trick has been to let him find his own way through these issues. I have full faith in him. I did the work for decades, so it has my “stank” all over it. He has to find a way to make it his. SF Bay Times: LGBTQ night will also feature a special encore performance of Too Bad You’re Not Invited. What can you tell us about this work? Joe Goode: We will be doing just a short excerpt from this piece (a song really), that we made for Trolley Dances a couple of years ago. I chose as my site the Harvey Milk Center. It was at the time of the Prop 8 debacle, when the fine people of California voted to relegate LGBTQ folks to second class citizenry. I felt such rage, not so much 30
because I wanted to get married, (still not sure if that’s for me), but about being told that there was this whole giant part of the culture that I was not allowed to participate in. So, it’s an angry little gem about the right to marry. SF Bay Times: Is there anything else that you’d like to share with our readers? Joe Goode: I didn’t really talk much about Wonderboy. This is a piece I made in collaboration with the wonderfully talented puppeteer Basil Twist. It’s about the uber sensitive artist child trying to find a way to be in the world. Of course, the child is the puppet, and he is the central figure in the work. He is, again, the queer outsider. And the scary world threatens him at every turn. What’s beautiful about the piece is how he finds his power, that art-making liberates him and allows him mobility. He learns to trust that his odd way of seeing and perceiving things is actually his gift. It’s the story of both Basil and myself, and probably half your readers. It’s a really wonderful, innocent piece that expresses something in a very childlike way. Z Space presents works by the Joe Goode Performance Group, September 25–October 4. LGBT night is Friday, September 26, and includes a post-performance party with complimentary beer, wine, desserts and a chance to meet the artists. Z Space, 450 Florida Street, San Francisco, $15-$100, www.zspace. org, 866-811-4111
BAY TIMES SEPTEMB E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 4
GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis noted our victories as well as our challenges reported in the media.
recommended and encouraged! An Indiegogo Campaign has been created to help defray costs for the memorial service. To contribute please visit: indiegogo.com/projects/a-celebration-of-arturo-galster/x/157923
Dennis McMillan with Julie Newmar
Proposition 8 plaintiffs Kris Perry & Sandy Stier were honored with the Presidential Local Hero Award. Rick Welts, openly gay president and COO of the Golden State Warriors, received the Davidson/Valenti Award. The gala was hosted by Orange Is the New Black star Taryn Manning and featured a special performance by Glee star Alex Newell singing “Don’t Rain on My Parade.” Lead singer for Third Eye Blind, Stephan Jenkins, sang “Jumper” - about a gay teen considering suicide. Other special guests were TV host and political pundit Meghan McCain and actor/director Peter Paige, as well as YouTube LGBTQ advocates Tyler Oakley & Hannah Hart. The after-party was hosted by Juanita MORE. CUMMING UP! Arthur Francis Galster, known to his friends and loved ones as ARTURO, died suddenly on August 25th. With innumerable friends and theatre colleagues in disbelief that Arturo is no longer with us on earth, a CELEBRATION OF LIFE - one that he would be proud of - has been planned for Monday September 22nd at 7:30 pm at the Castro Theatre 429 Castro Street. The event is FREE and open to the public. The evening will be a multimedia celebration of all stages of Arturo’s life and work - including song, dance, visual art, video, film, and photography. Please come as who you are - festive attire is highly
PHOTO BY STEVEN UNDERHILL
the trial, Judge Block ran into a colleague who asked him what he was working on. “Just a stupid little trial,” Block said, unaware that one of the jurors was right behind him. Judge Block was obliged to announce his transgression to the lawyers and dismiss the eavesdropper from the jury. The newly constituted jury threw out the case in fifteen minutes, arguably proving Judge Block’s point.
ART FOR AIDS, presented by The UC SF A L L I A NCE H E A LT H PROJECT, is at the City View on September 19th - with a thrilling auction. Funds raised at Art for AIDS support mental health services for LGBTQ and HIV-affected clients at AHP. ucsf-ahp.org LEATHERWALK, the kickoff for Leather Week, took place on Sunday noon at the 440 bar in the Castro. After a brief ceremony, leatherfolk proudly marched down Market Street, stopping at various leatherthemed watering holes in SoMa for cocktails, ending at The Eagle for the official raising of The Leather Flag. All this was in preparation for the leather/fetish/SM event of the year, the FOLSOM STREET FAIR on Sunday, September 21st, noon-6pm, on Folsom Street, 9th to 11th Streets and beyond. ROYA L BR I T ISH COM EDY THEATRE presents ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS (ABFAB) starring Terrence McLaughlin as Edina, ZsaZsa Lufthansa as Patsy, Annie Larson as Gran, Dene Larson as Saffy, and Raya Light as Bubble at Stage Werx, 446 Valencia Street, Thursdays at 8pm and Fridays at 11pm. “Fashion and Fat”: October 2nd-3rd, 9th-10th; “France and ISO Tank”: Nov. 6th-7th, 13th-14th; “Birthday and Magazine”: December 4th-5th, 11th-12th. Tickets: eventbrite. com/e/absolutely-fabulous-abfab-tickets Sweetiedarling, don’t miss these! Sister Dana sez, “House Repugnicans just postponed a vote on funding the government to next week - and Ted Cruz started talking about the unthinkable: another government shutdown. We cannot let this happen again!”
(TRET FURE continued from page 26) recent honors, it all sounds remarkable! Tret Fure: I moved to LA when I was 19 and was quickly introduced to the women in Fanny, the first all women rock and roll band that had any success. It was an incredible introduction. June Millington and I became personal partners and I spent a lot of time with the band, at home and on the road. I was introduced to Spencer Davis by Nicky, the keyboardist for Fanny. Working with Spencer opened many doors. He was doing acoustic blues at the time and I was well versed in Lead Belly style blues finger picking and twelve string slide guitar, a skill few women at that time had. Through that connection, I met the manager who got me my first deal on MCA/Uni Records. He also suggested Lowell George as producer. I had met Lowell through June. Lowell was a huge influence and taught me so much about integrity in the industry. He knew how hard the business was, especially for women. He taught me how to hold my own, something I’ve never forgotten. Later, when I left L.A. and fell into women’s music and became partners with Cris Williamson, another world opened up. In the 80s we would play for thousands, mostly women, women who were hungry for women-made, women-owned music. Those were very heady times. We toured constantly, sometimes doing 5 shows a week. We worked with a band for several of the years we worked together, which was just so much fun, though hard work. I will never forget the crowds that would come to these shows. They were events, historical events in an historical time. I learned how to be a
good producer in those years. I would have to say that the “Meg and Cris at Carnegie Hall” was a highlight. Two back to back sold out shows. 5000 women dressed to the nines. I was coproducer and engineer for that album and I spent much of that night running back and forth from stage to the sound truck to make sure everything was happening right. It was exhausting work, but incredibly inspiring. I still get chills when I listen to it. One other memorable moment was at the Ark in Ann Arbor where I got to sing with one of my heroes. I got to sing “Rambling Boy” with Tom Paxton and I remember thinking, “Who would have thought when I was a teenager learning this song, that I would one day sing it with him on stage?” You’ve got to love it! SF Bay Times: What was it like being one of the first women sound engineers in L.A.? Was the environment welcoming, difficult, or...? Tret Fure: The environment was definitely not welcoming. I did get on the job training from the guy who was engineering my album and he was great. He saw how much I wanted to learn, how I hated being ignorant of the tools with which I was working. I read the sound engineering bible and he realized I understood the mechanics, that I knew what I was talking about, that I loved the language and he hired me as his second engineer. I worked 18-hour days with him, 7 days a week for 18 months before I had my own client. But being a woman engineer was not welcoming. It was actually funny at times in that my name is so androgy-
nous, new clients wouldn’t know they would be working with a woman. They’d walk into the studio, look at me and ask, “Where is the engineer?” When I would tell them that I was the engineer, I could visibly see the color drain from their faces. I had to prove myself every time, but I never lost a client. I knew what I was doing, I had a very good ear and I had patience, not a usual engineering trait. I was the first woman engineer to be asked to join IATSE, The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States. It was an honor that I would refuse because it would have cost me $1100 a year and I wouldn’t be hired for a job for at least two years, just the nature of the beast. I just didn’t have the money or desire to just work in TV and film. But still, it was an honor. There still are not that many women engineers, which is a shame. It’s still a very male dominated field and the truth is, women are very good at it. S F Bay Times: As the LGBT movement has evolved, so too has its music. Some of us are concerned that Women’s Music has not received the play it has deserved, and that “assimilation” might jeopardize the richness of LGBT culture, including its music. How do you see such music evolving now? Tret Fure: I think most of the women’s music has been assimilated. A lot changed when k.d. lang and Melissa Etheridge came out. It didn’t change for the lesbian artists working in the trenches, but it seemed to make it okay (continued on next page)
Round About – California Independent Film Festival 17
(TRET FURE continued from page 30) SF Bay Times: We don’t get to see you often enough here in the SF Bay Area! What do you like to to be part of the mainstream. So that do in San Francisco? What are culture, that need for ‘a room of one’s own’ started to change and evolve into some of your favorite places to something else. And younger women visit, for example, and have you had their own heroes and role models ever lived here before? who didn’t grow up in the culture of women’s music and didn’t need that community. They had their own. There are still a lot of women artists in the movement and a handful of festivals, but it is definitely a smaller culture. I’m grateful for the women that still take the chance and come out for the shows. I don’t bill myself as a lesbian artist; I am a singer/songwriter in the folk and new music world, but I couldn’t do it without the women. They are the backbone of my concerts and so much of my history. SF Bay Times: Please tell us about your latest release, “A Piece of Sky,” and what inspired you to record the songs. Tret Fure: “A Piece of the Sky” is my 14th release and, in many ways, I think my best. It came out of a very hard time in my life. My world was crumbling. My partner of 10 years had left me and I found myself approaching 60 and alone and starting over. It only gets harder. But it led me to the relationship I have now, the life I have now and it was all meant to be. Some of the songs talk about the hardship of loss and loneliness, some talk about the joy of my new life, some deal with both at the same time. There are songs of celebration, my life as an artist, Alzheimer’s and even a remake of my very old, very well loved song, “That Side of the Moon.” I worked with the drummer and bass player that I’ve worked with on 5 of my 6 last CDs, which was an absolute joy. Pamela Means worked with me and June Millington played some kick-ass guitar on one song. I’m very fond of this CD.
Tret Fure: I lived in San Francisco in 1975 for about 6 months. I moved up from L.A. to work with another artist, but his band didn’t want a woman in it so that didn’t really work out. I moved back to L.A. because that was where I was supposed to be. But I love San Francisco and the Bay Area. It’s been so long since I’ve spent any quality time in the city, I wouldn’t know what places there might be. I’ve spent more time in Berkeley but even then, not as much as I’d like. Most of my friends have moved away, though I do have a nephew in Berkeley and an ex sisterin-law. I hope to spend a bit of time with them. Now that I live on the East Coast, it is a long travel time west, but I do manage to play Oregon, Washington and southern California every year or so. I’m delighted to be making it back to SF after too long a time. SF Bay Times: What do you hope audiences take away from your performances? Your shows have always struck us as being very peaceful, inspiring, life-affirming and healing. Benefits that we could all sure use more of today. Tret Fure: My audiences take away a sense of home and family, joy and sorrow as the emotions of our lives. My storytelling is as much a part of my show these days as my songs and my audience seems to love it. The stories are inclusive; the songs are inclusive and we laugh and cry together in meaningful ways. I hope people come away with a better understanding of who I am as a person, and who they are as people.
PHOTO BY STEVEN UNDERHILL
PHOTO BY STEVEN UNDERHILL
PHOTO BY STEVEN UNDERHILL
PHOTO BY RINK
PHOTO BY RINK
PHOTO BY STEVEN UNDERHILL
PHOTO BY RINK
PHOTO BY STEVEN UNDERHILL
PHOTO BY RINK
Dressed as Catwoman, film star Julie Newmar was the featured guest at a VIP reception at the historic Castro Theatre on Friday, September 12, on opening night of the California Independent Film Festival. Newmar was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award in conjunction with a Festival screening of the cult classic, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. She was interviewed on stage by her brother, Dr. John Newmeyer, who is well-known in the Bay Area’s LGBT community, as well as SF’s own favorite film critic Jan Wahl. San Francisco Bay Times photographers Rink and Steven Underhill were there.
SF Bay Times: Please tell us about some of your other projects, such as “Tomboy girl” clothing, your cookbook and music workshops. You are a Renaissance Tomboy Girl! Tret Fure: The “Tomboy girl” line of clothing came out of a pop-rock song I wrote back in the 90s, a song that appeared on the “Radio Quiet” CD that I did with Cris. So many of us grew up as tomboys and some of us never lost that nor wanted to. The clothing appeals to a lot of women as well as young girls and young women who embrace the title that was once an onus to us. I had a storefront for about 7 years in Madison, WI, and mothers and grandmothers would buy clothing for their daughters and granddaughters. It was fun, though I would never have a storefront again! But the clothing always sells well at my shows. My cookbook has been around for a long time. In fact, it’s time for a second edition! I put it together first for friends when I was leaving L.A. My friends were sad to see me go, not because they would miss me, but they would miss the dinner parties that Cris and I would throw. So I did it as a Christmas present for friends and one of those friends reprinted it through her publishing company as a contribution to my CD “Back Home.” It still sells well! My workshops have evolved out of a desire to share the knowledge I have gained as a prolific songwriter who has struggled in her own right. Songwriting is a learnable skill and I love to share that with people. It is life changing and the workshops are so rewarding, not just for the attendees, but for me as well. I usually get a song out of the workshops myself! Out of those workshops, I have developed a student roster that I teach on Skype. So it goes on.
SF Bay Times: Your work for Local 1000 is important in keeping the art of music alive, helping to preserve its integrity. Please tell us a bit more about it. Can anyone join? And how has it helped you? Tret Fure: I’ve been in the musician’s union since I was 16. I joined in my hometown of Marquette, MI, because it was the right thing to do. It was the folkie thing to do. Pete and Woody were singing about unions. I had to be in my union! But really, the AFM did little for me until I joined Local 1000 because you cannot reap the benefits of a union if you don’t work in your jurisdiction. Locals are built on jurisdictions. I’ve always been on the road, never really playing Marquette except when I was young or when I came home for a concert, but still I paid my dues. In 1999, John McCutcheon called me and told me I needed to join Local 1000, which was the non-jurisdictional local of the AFM (American Federation of Musicians). He said this was chartered specifically for traveling musicians and I could work toward getting a pension if I joined. Not only did I join, but he talked me into being on the board and within 2 years I was Vice President, a position I held for 9 years. In 2011, I ran for and won the Presidency and have held this position for 3 years and hopefully for another 3. In two years, I will start collecting a pension and I can keep working and keep building that pension for as long as I can sing and play my guitar. It is a great union and I wish that every traveling musician would join and see that their future can be secure. Folk musicians have almost always died poor but not anymore. There is also contract protection, equipment insurance, disability and any number of benefits. To be a member you have to work primar-
ily outside your jurisdiction, otherwise you should join your own local. If you are not a working musician, you can join in solidarity, to help secure the longevity of the local and the work we do. As you can see, I’m a big believer in unions! SF Bay Times: Please mention anything else that you’d like our readers to know. Tret Fure: I just want the readers to know that I am passionate about the music and the work I do. I want to share what I have learned over the years of working in the industry, in the women’s music world, in the folk world and in the world of the heart. I want women and men to see me today, not a memory of something from the past, but the work I do now, which I think is as valuable as any work I’ve done, even more so. I want to gather community together again, as it has become so fractured and we need community, now as ever. We need to gather in celebration of life, and I hope we can do that at the concert for that brief moment in time. Tret Fure will be performing at Performance@Park Presidio on Saturday, September 27, at 8 pm. Performance@Park Presidio is located at the Park Presidio UMC, 4301 Geary Blvd., San Francisco 94118. Tickets for the performance are $20 advance, $25 reserved (seating in the first rows) and $15 for supporting members. Tickets can be purchased at Brown Paper Tickets, www.brownpapertickets. com/event/817861 For more information on the series, please visit http:// performanceparkpresidio.tumblr. com For more info about Fure, go to: http://www.tretfure.com/
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