THE FIGHT SOCAL'S MONTHLY LGBTQ MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2022

In recognition of Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence Awareness Month during October, the City of West Hollywood will, throughout the month, focus aware ness efforts on highlighting the impact of domestic violence/inti mate partner violence in the LGBTQ community and through the lens of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression (SOGIE) as well as the intersection of other dimensions of diversity including age and ability status by sharing information and resources with the community about intimate partner violence.

From Friday, October 7, 2022 through Tuesday, October 18, 2022, the globe lanterns above Santa Monica Boulevard and West Hollywood City Hall located at 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard will glow in purple in recognition of Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence Awareness Month.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, in the United States, more than 10 million adults experience domestic violence annually. On average, nearly 20 peo ple per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. On a typical day, domestic

violence hotlines receive more than 20,000 calls, an average of close to 15 calls every minute.

Domestic violence is prevalent in ev ery community and affects all people regardless of age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality. Domestic violence, also referred to as intimate partner violence, which is abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship. It occurs in same- and opposite-sex relationships, and among those who are married, in long-term, and short-term relationships.

Domestic violence can take many forms; in addition to physical abuse, it can include sexual abuse, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, intimida tion, controlling behaviors, isolating behaviors, and economic abuse.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline website at www.thehotline.org offers immediate help to everyone 24/7/365 via the “chat now” button on the website or by calling 1-800799-SAFE (7233).

The Los Angeles LGBT Center of fers domestic violence/partner abuse counseling services geared toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans gender communities by contacting (323) 993-7649.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stanford Altamirano

MANAGING EDITOR Mark Ariel

ART DIRECTOR Nadeen Torio

MARKETING CONSULTANTS Sean Galuszka Antonio Garnica Marcus Knight

NATIONAL ADVERTISING Rivendell Media www.rivendellmedia.com

SOCIAL MEDIA Mark Ariel

Sinan Shihabi

WEB DEVELOPER Nadeen Torio

ARTS EDITOR Sinan Shihabi

CONTRIBUTORS Dusti Cunningham Darseen

Orly Lyonne Victor Melamed Paulo Murillo Ann Rostow Sinan Shihabi

EVENTS MANAGER Antonio Garnica

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I SEE YOU

“We, as LGBTQ folks, as people of color, are a powerful and unstoppable community. I want every young queer person out there to know that I see you, you are beautiful in all of your forms, and you are never, ever alone in this world.”

Janelle Monáe, upon receiving the Trevor Project’s Suicide Prevention Advocate of the Year award, last month.

THIS INCREDIBLE

“I’m humbled and honored by this incredible award from the United States of America… I will treasure this so much.”

Elton John at the White House last month, upon receiv ing the National Humanities Medal to honor his music and HIV advocacy.

AS INCLUSIVE

Kelley Robinson, the Human Rights Campaign’s new president, in an interview with The Advocate last month.

GOOD PROMO

“Just told my team to send them pizza, this is really good promo!” in a tweet last month, after finding out that a group of Christians were pro testing his show— Long Live Montero Tour—in Boston.

LOVE FOR PETS

“Puppy Love was my very first record and six decades later my love for pets is stronger than ever.”

—Country music legend Dolly Parton in a video last month an nouncing the launch of her dog apparel line, Doggy Parton.

OBVIOUS

“Ricky Martin was concerned because he was a sex symbol. I was like, ‘Dude, it’s obvious you’re gay.’ It’s been wonderful to see all these people finally come into themselves.”

Melissa Etheridge in an interview with The Daily Beast last month, on closet ed stars back in the day who turned to her for advice.

LADY DOTH

“He’s always acting so butch and strutting around. You know what that means, don’t ya, uh-huh? The lady doth protest too much!”

Leslie Jordan on Instagram last month mocking Russian President Vladimir Putin

“I’m entering this role with a deep commitment to leading with equity [and to] building an organization that is as inclusive as the people we’re fighting for.”

LESLIE JORDAN

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LOS ANGELES MIDTOWNE SPA IS UP FOR SALE

The Midtowne Spa Los Angeles property, home to the historic sex bathhouse catering to gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (MSM) went up for sale last month. Insiders say this is the end of the last Midtowne Spa standing in Southern California and across the nation. Located at 615 Kohler Street in Los Angeles, the bathhouse was founded in 1972, marking a good 50 years of provid ing a safe space for men to meet men. According to sources, the spa could be closing as early as October. The property is listed as a prime Downtown Los Angeles Development site by Major Properties. Built in 1914, the land area is listed at 30,160 sq ft with a property size of 22,419 sq ft. The asking price is $6,500,000. The portfolio would be delivered empty, which is another sign of Midtowne Spa will not survive the sale of the property.

LONG BEACH STABBING INCIDENT LEAVES ONE DEAD, ONE INJURED AT MINESHAFT BAR

A stabbing incident outside of Mineshaft Bar in Long Beach left one man dead and one man injured last month. The Long Beach Police Department stated that officers found two men with upper body stab wounds at the scene. One of the men succumbed to his injuries.  The man who died was iden tified as 28-year-old Christopher Finley of Long Beach. The stabbing resulted from a verbal altercation that escalated

into a fight between the two injured men and the perpetrator, who was later ar rested. 56-year-old Michael Smalls was identified as a suspect in the murder of Finley. He is being held on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, and is being held on $2 million bail.

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

SGV PRIDE FESTIVAL IN EL MONTE THIS MONTH

San Gabriel Valley Pride is happen ing this month on October 16, 2022 from noon to 6pm. FREE to the public the event takes place at Arceo Memorial Park, 3125 Tyler Ave, in El Monte. The festival will include a Family area, STEM, Author’s Tent, Health & Wellness, Arts exhibit, Cos Play (costumes encouraged), interfaith benediction, interfaith Blessing of the Animals, Lawn Gaymes, Entertainment and Food Trucks.

For more info visit: www.sgvpride.org.

LOS ANGELES CENTER CALLS ON CONGRESS TO INCREASE MONKEYPOX FUNDING

LA LGBT Center and other LGBT organizations are urging Congress to approve increased funding to address the monkeypox crisis. President Biden requested that Congress allocate $4.5 bil lion in emergency funding, includ ing $1.6 billion to strengthen vaccine manufacturing and hundreds of mil lions more to sup port state and local testing, vaccination, and treatment efforts. Congress chose not to in clude this funding in a Continuing Resolution. As a result, states, local health departments, and communitybased organizations have effectively been abandoned at this crucial point in the outbreak.

“The failure of Congress to respond with the urgency and funding necessary to prevent the physical and emotional suffering felt by the LGBTQ+ community is beyond disappointing,” said Los Angeles LGBT Center CEO Joe Hollendoner

WEST HOLLYWOOD

WEHO HOSTED PICNIC FOR BI VISIBILITY WEEK

The City of West Hollywood and its LGBTQ+ Advisory Board capped off Bi Visibility Week last month with a Bi Picnic Day at Plummer Park’s Vista Lawn. The event featured a DJ, lawn games and information booths by the Los Angeles Bi+ Task Force and amBi social group. The City of West Hollywood’s recognition of Bi Visibility Week was intended to raise the visibility and increase awareness of the Bisexual community.

NADYA TOLOKONNIKOVA, PUSSY RIOT

Todrick Hall, the fiercely independent pop cultural phenomenon, headlines the Festival on Saturday, Nov. 5, and sets the stage for an unprecedented and di verse group of LGBTQ+ perform ers in the Palm Springs Pride lineup. Conceptual artist and activist Nadya Tolokonnikova, the founding member of Pussy Riot, a global feminist protest art movement, will be the headliner Sunday, Nov. 6. Pussy Riot stands for gender fluidity, inclusivity, matriarchy, love, laughter, decentralization, anarchy, and anti-authoritarianism. Nadya, the lead member, was sentenced in 2012 to two years imprisonment following an antiPresident Vladimir Putin performance.

Direct from Australia, singer, DJ, artist, and proud queer community member Tanzer performs Saturday, Nov. 5. Tanzer is known for her cinematic, high-glamour, escapist works that are intensely power ful and darkly humorous.

The Truly Vodka Main Stage opens Friday night, Nov. 4, with Dash Radio’s Tropical Oasis featur ing the LGBTQ+ commu nity’s best-emerging talent. The Tropical Oasis features Los Angeles-based galactic dream pop artist Polartropica, re cently crowned LA Weekly’s Best Indie Pop Band.

With songs described as a gumbo of soul, funk, pop, and camp, Tolliver joins the lineup that includes Lucy and La Mer with their message of self-acceptance and positivity. The West Hollywood-based electronic rock/pop band with a grungy edge, Glass Battles, and an appearance by Sassy Ross and host Bella da Ball complete the Friday lineup.

Todrick Hall and Pussy Riot headline Palm Springs Pride Festival, taking place next month

Todrick Hall, Pussy Riot, Tanzer, Polartropica, Jake Zyrus, and Ballet Folklorico Proyecto Trans Latina top the 36th annual Greater Palm Springs Pride Festival lineup.

The Festival, a highlight of Pride Week, will celebrate and embrace the re gion’s diverse LGBTQ+ community from November 1-6 in downtown Palm Springs.

Other highlighted acts include Filipino pop star and transgender icon Jake Zyrus, BETTY, the award-winning indie rock trio, and Ballet Folklorico Proyecto Trans Latina, a group of six Transidentified women showcasing their highly choreographed and colorful traditional Mexican Folklorico. The new Oscar’s Pride stage on Tahquitz Canyon Way will feature Keith George—The Boy George Experience, performances by Mimosa Men, Bitchiest Brunch, and others.

Palm Springs Pride Week is scheduled for November 1-6, 2022. For more information, visit www.pspride.org.

TODRICK

JAKE ZYRUS

According

to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, domestic violence can occur in LGBTQ relationships at rates equal to or even greater to that of cisgender/heterosexual relationships.

Domestic violence can take many forms; in addition to physical abuse, it can include sexual abuse, verbal abuse, emotional

abuse, intimidation, controlling behaviors, isolating behaviors, and economic abuse.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline website at www.thehotline.org offers im mediate help to everyone 24/7/365 via the “chat now” button on the website or by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

Immediate help if you are experiencing

domestic violence and in need of shelter is also available via the Los Angeles County Domestic Violence 24- hour Support Services by contacting 1-800-978-3600.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center offers do mestic violence/partner abuse counseling services geared toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities by contacting (323) 993-7649.

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco)’s legislation to provide refuge for trans kids and their families, Senate Bill 107. It will take effect on January 1, 2023.

SB 107 will protect trans kids and their families if they flee to California from Alabama, Texas, Idaho or any other state crimi nalizing the parents of trans kids for allowing them to receive gender-affirming care. If these parents and their kids come to California, the legislation will help protect them from having their kids taken away from them or from being criminally pros ecuted for supporting their trans kids’ access to healthcare.

SB 107 is co-sponsored by Equality California, Planned Parenthood, TransFamily Support Services and Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis

“As so many states work to erase trans kids and criminal ize their families, California must always have their backs,” said Senator Wiener. “With SB 107 signed into law, California is forcefully pushing back against the anti-LGBTQ hatred spread ing across parts of our nation. The rainbow wave is real, and it’s coming. Thank you, Governor Newsom, for standing with our community.” n

“THE RAINBOW WAVE IS REAL, AND IT’S COMING. THANK YOU, GOVERNOR NEWSOM, FOR STANDING WITH OUR COMMUNITY.”

GOV.

LIFE IS SHORT

I may have mentioned this before, but have you noticed the headline links that tell you to bring a bread clip to the airport or put plastic bags over your passenger side mir ror? When you click on them, you find yourself in a strange labyrinth of oddball pieces of information mixed with Captain Obvious level tips, but you never find out why you need the damned bread clip or the plastic bag. It’s very irritating and it has both ered me for some time which is why I thought I might be repeating an old complaint. If so, forgive me.

Meanwhile, a quite few of us were annoyed with the Queen’s funeral coverage, even though we all loved the Queen and wish her the best in the afterlife. That said, did we really need to focus on the spider that landed on her coffin or the bishop who dropped a piece of paper during some ceremony? Did we really need to drill down on why members of the royal family seem sad?

Moving right along, simply because, in principle, we do not have time nor space for these diversions, I was just reading an article about mayflies (the world’s oldest winged insect!) and I was reminded of one of my favorite New Yorker cartoons.

Picture a couple of mayflies standing on a rock in the dis tance waving goodbye at two other mayflies who are flying away. One of the flies in flight is saying to the other one:

“We’re only alive for one day, and you had to schedule dinner with the Hamiltons.”

I have this taped to the inside of my pantry door, along

SLOPPY FILINGS COST YESHIVA

So Yeshiva University and their rightwing lawyers asked the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency stay that would allow them to reject a GLBT student club while a lawsuit was underway to determine whether the club must be recognized. Yeshiva is a secular college, operating in the middle of New York City where there are laws against antigay discrimination. By rights, that should be enough to entitle the gay club to what ever perks are enjoyed by the other student clubs, but Yeshiva has continued to turn down their requests by play ing the religious card.

Given the astonish ingly warm welcome we’ve seen extended to religious plaintiffs by this Supreme Court, it was a pleasant shock when Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Kavanaugh joined our three liberals to deny Yeshiva its stay. It seemed Yeshiva didn’t bother to file correct appellate papers be fore the high court of New York state, which should have been its next stop. Instead, the college tried to take a shortcut to the U.S. Supreme Court, which was frowned upon.

with a bunch of recipes, some other cartoons and a full page newspaper ad for some kind of tequila that my mother had af

fixed in one of her own collec tions that reads: “Save gas. Stay home and drink.” Beats dinner with the Hamiltons, right?

After losing this motion, Yeshiva childishly announced they would not recognize any student club for the dura tion of future litigation. But the gay club graciously said that they would withdraw their claims on any particular status while the lawsuit con tinued in order for the other students to keep their clubs in good standing.

PHOTO BY EKATERINA BELINSKAYA

THE RESPECT FOR REPUBLICAN SENATORS ACT

It seems we will wait until af ter the midterms before Chuck Schumer will send the Respect for Marriage Act to his Senate colleagues. According to spon sor Tammy Baldwin, it will be easier to corral the ten GOP votes necessary for passage if the bill is not tied to politics.

What. Ever. Much has been made of the fact that some 45 Republicans voted for this bill in the House, suggesting that it could actually get though Congress as a bipartisan law. Given that Congress rarely does anything nice for our de serving community, everyone has been filled with enthu siasm, even though the bill would do nothing more than put a Congressional stamp of approval on the settled law of the land. News Flash: same-

sex marriage has been legal since June, 2015, and despite some bloviating from Justice Thomas, that is not going to change.

Still, we have seen the im possible become reality, both in law and politics over the last decade, so perhaps the Respect for Marriage Act isn’t all for show. It can’t hurt, un less some of our Republican friends believe that since they voted for this bill, they don’t have to join us in voting for the much stronger and much more necessary Equality Act.

CLEAN UP ON LANE FOUR

Have any of you been follow ing the chess player who is ac cused of using vibrating anal beads linked to wifi in order to receive computerized moves?

The player, Hans Neimann,

allegedly beat the world’s champion player, Magnus Carlsen, using this device. When questioned, Neimann, who is 19, admitted cheat ing to his younger days, but disavowed the anal bead idea. Carlsen, however, now refuses to play Neimann, and the chess world is going berserk over the whole thing.

What has this to do with our colorful GLBT commu nity? Um, it’s a stretch, but I’ll wager that if you isolated one hundred people who were familiar with anal beads, that the percentage of GLBT people would be higher in that population than it would be in a random group.

Using this “kink link” if you will, I will also tell you about the truck load of sex toys that fell into the highway outside of Oklahoma City the other day. No one on the news desk

felt like discussing the details on TV even though hundreds of packages of dildos were visible for all to see.

“This is a semi that over turned and lost its load here,” helicopter pilot Jim Gardner told the local anchor. “There is a lot of stuff to clean up.”

“Jim, can you tell what he’s carrying there? What’s all over the road?” asked the anchor,

“Not really. Maybe you can tell—I can’t tell,” Jim replied.

“There’s a lot of stuff laying on the road—whatever it is it’s go ing to take a while to clean up.”

Oh, please. There’s no way Jim was sent into the air to cover the dildo spill on Interstate 40 without get ting the nitty gritty. He knows exactly what’s all over the road and so does the rest of the news crew! n

In

BY MARK ARIEL

an interview with THE FIGHT Ron DeHarte talks about his decision to run for Palm Springs City Council and the various challenges facing the city.

You have been involved in various community organizations for over a decade. What motivates you to be of service?

I grew up in a blue-collar home where volunteerism and a strong work ethic were part of daily life. Being involved in the community has always meant service to others.

What made you decide to run for city council this year?

My boys are grown. I can commit to the time. I’m not one to talk for years and years about what needs to be done. I see a need, and I do something about it. There is a need for proven, ethical, and credible leadership at city hall, and I’m committed to answering that call.

What are the major challenges facing the city?

Homelessness is a crises level issue and requires a priority focus and collaborative ef fort from community stakeholders. Climate change and ensuring a sustainable future are other significant challenges. Everything we do, from business and residential develop ment to reducing the transportation burden, will impact our environment. Sustainability and environmental stewardship must be culturally ingrained.

Just about everything we do needs to be done with a sustainability mindset.

At the city level, we must do what we can now to conserve, reduce and recycle. Promote a culture of supporting sustainability in all city programs. Make sure Palm Springs is tied in at the state level with the Governor’s water strategy.

Fuel a green economy with tax incentives that make a difference for the businesses that can bring good-paying jobs and strengthen our working-class families. Work at the state level to get a fair share of funding for incentives to encourage significant adoption of residential

solar programs. I also want to see the city lead the way in using solar and wind power and transition to a clean energy fleet.

Smart inclusionary housing develop ment is a priority. This development must provide workforce housing adjacent to transit hubs so our workforce can easily travel to and from work.

Accessible housing is a crisis issue. Many of our workforces travel an hour to and from home to work, and I’ll work to create workforce housing opportunities. We must allow our workforce to live, raise a family, and be involved in the community where they work. At the same time, we must continue pursuing housing for low-income earners, young people, and seniors.

And lastly, I believe we must support a digital future for all. One of my infrastruc ture priorities is high-quality internet con nectivity for everyone regardless of income level, race, ethnicity, gender, ability, or age.

Is there anything we haven’t asked that you would like to share with our readers?

I believe that effective government leadership reflects the people it serves. With an LGBTQ population of 50% or more in Palm Springs, we need LGBTQ candidates to serve at all levels of gov ernment to ensure fair representation. Representation is power. I encourage THE FIGHT readers to elect pro-choice, proequality candidates who are out members of the LGBTQ community to public office. Credible and qualified openly LGBTQ peo ple can move equality forward at all levels. If you live in District 3 in Palm Springs, I’d be honored to earn your vote.

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BY MARK ARIEL | PHOTO BY DUSTI CUNNINGHAM

Multi-media

artist Astor Yang’s iconic style and creative vision exist in the realms of per formance, video and artistic direction, fashion, costume, product de velopment, toy, and experiential design.

His one-of-a-kind dolls, featured around the world, have modeled minia ture looks from every major fashion house since their debut and discovery by Anna Wintour in 2010.

His work has been featured in Vogue magazine, the New York Times, and SHOWstudio Gallery in London, Galeries Lafayette Paris, Barneys New York & Japan, and K11.

In 2019 Yang brought his dolls to life through puppetry and costume combin ing visual art and dramatic performance in an immersive fairy tale that debuted at the IATI Theater in New York for his pro duction of the Diamond Stag. He went on to collaborate with renowned drag queen Katya Zamo on the artistic direction for her Vampire Fitness EP, and create Reverie with singer Brian Justin Crum

Currently residing in Los Angeles, Yang is the great-grandson of actress Mary Astor

In an interview with THE FIGHT Yang talks about his journey in the fashion industry, his love of dolls and the power of Anna.

At what age did you become interested in fashion?

When I was 16 my parents split up before getting back together again and I lived in Taipei, Taiwan with my family for a while. There was a factory there filled with many floors of fabric, and then a floor of seam stresses. You could pick fabrics out, bring a sketch, and then have an outfit made, for not a lot of money. I had never created something this way—turning a sketch into a reality with fabrics you could touch—it was incredible and I was hooked.

How did your career evolve after return ing to the states?

I worked as an intern for Proenza Schouler when I attended FIT in the early 2000s. Then I worked as an assistant designer for Dennis Basso, a furrier at the top of the luxury market, and then quit to “find myself,” selling silkscreened t-shirts at a young designer’s market and doing odd jobs. I had started making fabric dolls for fun, and one night, outside of the The Cock , I was approached by the creator of a very popular blog, East Village Boys . He did a kind of “viral” article about my dolls, and then I was commissioned to do a few for a Canadian fashion magazine. This spread went viral amongst the fashion internet set, and through a chance meet ing, I ended up bringing my dolls into the offices of Vogue

I’m guessing that meeting Anna Wintour was a pivotal moment in your career.

Well, I love dolls, and when I started making dolls, I was selling them at local doll shows, but people didn’t really “get them”—they are 28”, fabric, hand painted faces. I didn’t know how much I should charge for them. Some people recog nized them as art, some people thought they were creepy. But after meeting Anna Wintour—she saw the “fashion” in them, and connected me with Barneys New York. Suddenly it clicked—I was making a luxury fabric doll, akin to a luxury skirt or a sweat er. As soon as I took the doll out of the doll space and put her into high end retail, things made sense. It was a wild ride—for many years I was the “official” doll maker of the fashion industry—I worked with retailers who all secured permission from the major fashion houses for me to make dolls in their looks and have them for sale in stores. Azzedine Alaia, Rick Owens, Ricardo Tisci, Rodarte —a lot of these

designers personally commissioned dolls and many approved them to be sold in these luxury spaces. I went from being a kid from Brooklyn freelance gigging to suddenly traveling all over the world and commandeering $30,000 orders, running my own studio, in a matter of weeks. That’s the power of Anna!

What are you currently working on?

I’m always making new dolls, and I’m pretty active making video content about the making of those dolls—I am launch ing a Patreon in the coming weeks where I share a lot of my tools and tricks. But more recently, I have been collaborat ing with my friend Edward Vigiletti and making music under the name of my internet handle, which is a highschool nickname that has followed me every where— @Yangabang. He is a phenom enal producer, and I like writing and creating melodies and pushing myself out of my comfort zone—but mostly it just gives me focus for the side of me that is a performer—and that person always has to be answered to! Instead of me just doing random photoshoots or videos with friends for Instagram, creating a song, telling the story around it with photogra phy and visuals, and turning myself into a doll/character who gets to own that music—allows me to concentrate my energy a bit.

We just came out with a song called “Muscle Queen” that I randomly wrote and recorded with a girlfriend of mine years ago. I shared it with my Edward, who remixed it and wanted us to release a video. I shot the video with Katya, and a bunch of my friends who work in porn…

I am not trying to be a pop star tomor row—music is a medium like painting, or doll making—and for me, all of it is art— and fun!!! I’m just here to enjoy the ride.

Acrystal

meth psychosis can be scary AF. Ask any sketchy tweaker who has reached the end of the party, when there isn’t much play ing, and they’ll share some crazy horror stories of the psychosis that keeps them sober today.

The stories of a methamphet amine psychosis may vary, but all are equally terrifying. Some swear they saw shadow people jump ing out of trees or crawling all over the walls at the most inopportune times and random places (like at a bathhouse after the fifth night of partying).

Some tweakers go on a speed ing frenzy all over town trying to outrun a police car or a helicopters that isn’t there; there are the dark evil forces that are out to cause harm (forces you don’t see, but can clearly sense); there are the rats crawling all over you body, there’s being raped by a ghost, or hearing whispering voices coaxing you to do some really bad things...like set your house on fire because it’s the only way to destroy the shadow people (let there be light).

I know a trans girl who said meth made her teeth itch so badly that she took some pliers and straight-up knocked them out to get some relief. She swears the itching was real and she uses that itch as fuel for her sobriety today.

I know a guy who ripped out his eyelashes because they were antennas being used by aliens to keep track of his every move. He carefully placed the lashes on a frying pan and burned them to a crisp to cutoff this nefarious surveillance.

The horror that keeps me sober today didn’t involve shadow people—although I did hear Satan whisper in my ear that he was go

ing to fuck me to hell one fateful bumpy night. I don’t believe in Satan, and yet there he was, all up in my ear, threatening me with a good time, so I kept tweaking (such are the wonders of meth).

I will never forget that last bump that did me in. I was on the third or fourth night of tweaking and not eating or sleeping, when my fingers cramped up and my right arm stiffened. I felt faint, so I swore I was having a heart attack or a stroke. Splashing water on my face didn’t work. The cheap white wine only heightened the faintness, and then the psychosis took shape with my mother’s face. I could see her sobbing over my coffin and that’s when I dialed 911. I had hit rock bottom and that gave me the moment of clarity I needed to decide that I was either going to die that night, or get help. And that was the last time I drank alcohol or used meth.

The beauty about being clean and sober 15-plus years later is that the darkest, most desperate moment in my life is what keeps me clean and sober today. I’ve been on this planet long enough to under stand that I could’ve crossed over and stayed stuck on that meth psychosis watching my mother’s sobbing face on a loop to the very end. Instead, my moment of complete powerlessness is what gives me the power to stay the course one day at a time. I’m one of the lucky ones, so listen to me when I tell you to stay away from from the shadow people. Stay away from meth.

PAULO MURILLO

LIVING

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BY BRIAN HUG

Kristine W is riding dance floors full speed ahead this season with her new single, “Can’t Look Back,” the first release from her upcoming album.

Produced by James Hurr, one of the masters of UK House, the song is a lush, soulful club groove, made even more powerful with its mes sage of rising up and appreciating the day. It was inspired by the passings of Kristine’s mother and sister.

In an interview with Brian Hug she says she found solace through writing the song and hopes by sharing “Can’t Look Back” now with the world that it helps those experiencing similar loss to move forward too. You have faced some big personal challenges these past last few years. My older sister Viki passed away from colon cancer two years ago. None of the family could believe that she died from a cancer that was treatable. I was grieving my sister and trying to be there for my mom, but I intuitively knew that she was not going to survive the loss of her oldest daughter and best friend. Mom passed away due to complica tions from a stroke last year. These two angels were always on either side of me cheering me on. It has been very difficult staying motivated without them. I can’t believe they are both gone. Somedays, I experi ence a crippling grief. At shows, I have had the opportunity to others experiencing similar loss. We hug and cry together over our lost ones. Thankfully I am blessed with my music. It has been a lifeline. What have you learned about yourself and your ability to overcome obstacles?

I have learned that God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers. I try to be brave and remember how much my mother and sister contributed to my success. I owe it to them to push forward.

When did you begin the work on “Can’t Look Back?” Tony (Moran) sent me the first draft of the track two years ago. It was very sparse at the time but I could tell that it had a magic to it.  I started playing around with it, writing and rewriting. Tony didn’t like the first verse melody I presented to him but he loved the chorus, so I kept working on making the verses stronger and the lyrics more relevant. I then met with my collaborator, Mark Matson, to record the first vocal demo. It was pretty good but not perfect. We let the song marinate for a few months before giving it a second look. The last part we recorded was the rise up section. When I looked up from my congas and saw the look on my en gineer’s face, I knew that we had made something special. Does the song serve as a prelude to what’s in store for your next album?

This song has a message that everyone needs to hear. I know listening to it during its many rewrites helped me get through some rough days. There was a reason Tony sent me that simple blank canvas. I feel like this song and others on the upcoming album are good medicine. We have all been through some traumatic challenges these past few years and it’s important that we do not let the pain defeat or define us. It’s natural and healthy to look back and reflect every once-in-a-while but we can’t live in the past. We need to keep pressing on.

Kristine W’s “Can’t Look Back” is available now on all digital retailers via Kristine’s own imprint, Fly Again Music Productions. For more information, visit http://kristinew.com.

If you’re the type of person who sends unsolicited nudes on dating apps in California you may want to pump the brakes. Soon you could be sued for dropping those D pics without permission, reports Instinct magazine.

Californians who find themselves victims of “cyber flashing” can sue under a new law signed last month by Governor Gavin Newsom

According to the Associated Press, the law aims to punish and deter those who send unsolicited sexually explicit messages via text, email, or other electronic means.

The law will allow recipients to recover at least $1,500 and as much as $30,000 from senders of obscene material who are older than age 18, along with punitive damages and attorney’s fees. They’ll also be able to seek court orders blocking such behavior in the future. n

FOLSOM STREET FAIR

San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair, the world’s largest celebration of kink, leather, and alternative sexualities, returned last month. An estimated 100,000 kinksters thronged the over 13 city blocks closed off for the festival. Over 200 vendors were onsite selling leather goods, accessories, novelty pins, and foodstuffs. Also among the booths was a pop-up vaccination site hosted by SFDPH.

MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, FRIDAYS

TRANSACTION 1PM–3PM

Trans Wellness Center. For more info: (323) 993-2900 or visit: www. mytranswellness.org.

A social support group for transgender women at any stage of gender transition, many partici pants are in a marginal or transi tional living situation. Facilitated by Friends Community Center.

EVERY TUESDAY

BLUSH 2PM–4PM

Trans Wellness Center. For more info: (323) 993-2900 or visit: www. mytranswellness.org

A sex-positive youth program facilitated by staff from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, focus ing on HIV/STI prevention and education, harm reduction, and discussing best practices for per sonal wellness.

SELF DEFENSE CLASS

7PM–9PM

Trans Wellness Center. For more info: (323) 993-2900 or visit: www. mytranswellness.org

All trans/queer self-defense class taught by a Trans Woman and former National Judo Champion, Ryka Aoki. FREE.

EVERY WEDNESDAY

JEST IMPROV CLASSES

7PM–9PM

Community Resource Center, 2471 Portela Road, Suite 100, Ventura, CA.

Looking for a fun and safe en vironment to play? Join Diversity Collective at Jest Improv for their introductory improv classes, every Wednesday.

EVERY FRIDAY

FREEDOM FRIDAYS

11AM–6PM

Trans Wellness Center. For more info: (323) 993-2900 or visit: www.mytranswellness.org

Drop-in clinic for name and gender marker change, also fi nancial coaching and employment resources, as well as referrals for other legal issues. Presented by the TEEP Program of the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Legal Department.

SATURDAY, OCT 8

TOM OF FINLAND ART & CULTURE FESTIVAL 2022

Second Home Hollywood, Los An geles. Info: www.tomoffinland.org.

UNIDAD: GAY & LESBIAN LATINOS UNIDOS

Highland Theaters, 5604 North Figueroa Street Los Angeles, CA 90042.

Documentary film featuring 9 founding/original members of GAY & LESBIAN LATINOS UNIDOS (GLLU) in Los Angeles, California, one of the first Queer Latinx orga

nizations in the country.

SUNDAY, OCT 9

TOUR HOMESTEAD MUSEUM AFTER DISCUSSION OF 1914 PURITY RAIDS AGAINST GAYS

15415 East Don Julian Road in City of Industry, CA.

Gay Men Los Angeles tour at tendees will listen to Gennie Tur lock Discusstion about The Long Beach Purity Raids of 1914 and Remembering LGBTQ+ History

THURSDAY, OCT 13

EDGY CONFERENCE 2022: DIMENSIONS OF GENDER

Skirball Cultural Center 2701 North Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90049.

A one-day conference for pro fessionals working with LGBTQ youth and families hosted by Penny Lane Centers.

FRIDAY, OCT 14

DEAR HARVEY

El Camino College, 16007 Cren shaw Blvd. Torrance, CA.

A documentary-style play about the impact and legacy of Harvey Milk, California’s first openly gay elected official and groundbreak ing activist, told through a series of speeches, historical documents, and verbatim interviews with the people who knew him.

THURSDAY, OCT 27

DENNIS HENSLEY’S THE MIS MATCH GAME! THE DRESSED TO THRILL EDITION, 8PM

The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, 1125 N McCadden Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90038.

The long-running comedy hit returns to the Renberg for two nights of R-rated game show insanity. Also Sunday, Oct 16 at 7pm.

SUNDAY, OCT 16

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY PRIDE, 12 NOON

Arceo Memorial Park, 3125 Tyler Ave, El Monte.

FREE to the public, the festival will include a family area, STEM, Author’s Tent, Health & Wellness, Arts exhibit, Cos Play (costumes encouraged), interfaith benedic tion, interfaith Blessing of the Animals, Lawn Gaymes, Enter tainment and Food Trucks. For more info visit: www.sgvpride.org.

FRIDAY, OCT 21

CINEMA DISCO! PRESENTS: THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW + QUEER DANCE PARTY! 6PM

Oracle Tavern, 1640 North Spring Street, Los Angeles.

SATURDAY, OCT 15

QUEER HISTORY LA EXCURSION 8:15AM-5PM

Pearson Library, Chapel Ln, Thousand Oaks, CA.

Center for Cultural Engage ment and Inclusion at California Lutheran University is partnering with The Lavender Effect to offer a walking tour of locations in Downtown Los Angeles that are significant in Queer history. After the walking tour, participants will attend the Queer Mercado, an East L.A. market that promotes small Latinx Queer businesses.

¡JOTERÍA! A CULTURAL EVENT 4PM

LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, 501 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

An afternoon highlighting queer Latinx Culture and an evening screening of Bamby Salcedo’s documentary “Que enCiañera.” Music, vendors, food, arts and crafts, plus panels discussing talents and leadership in community will be part of the day’s celebration.

BLACKOUT WITH JOE GAUTHREAUX 10PM-6AM Los Globos, 3040 Sunset Boulevard,Los Angeles,90026.

Reflex & Gay Almanac present ROAR Los Angeles BLACKOUT after Above & Beyond.

HawtMess Productions Is excited to announce they are launching a brand new monthly series that combines watching your favorite CULT CLASSIX. LGBTQIA+ CiNeMa DiScO : Rocky Horror Picture Show AND Queer Dance Party! BYO-blankets, picnic chairs, besties and babes!

SATURDAY, OCT 22

MODELS OF PRIDE, 9AM

Los Angeles City College, 855 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90029.

The world’s largest FREE confer ence for LGBTQ+ youth and allies ages 24 and younger. Celebrating it’s 30th anniversary, Models of Pride is returning to its tradi tional all-day conference and will include more than one-hundred workshops, a Resource, College, and Job Fair, carnival games, live entertainment, and more! More info: www.modelsofpride.org.

EDEN ANARCHY LA 9PM-2AM Rainbow Bar & Grill, 9015 Sunset Boulevard West Hollywood, CA 90069.

An emo Halloween dance party for the lesbian, queer, nonbi nary and trans community in Los Angeles! Your favorite alternative throwbacks all night long with LIVE MONSTERS.

THURSDAY, OCT 27

PALM SPRINGS LEATHER PRIDE Info: www.pslod.org.