JUNE 2018 | THE F I GH T S F 1
2 T H E F I GH T S F | www.thefightmag.com
PRIDE CELEBRATION + RALLY civic center plaza, san francisco
•
saturday, june 23 noon to 6:00 pm sunday, june 24 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
• over 20 locally-produced community stages and gathering spaces free to the community $1 to $5 contribution earns $1 off drinks from official beverage vendors
SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE MAIN STAGE the steps of majestic city hall
the best in bay area talent, speakers, music, and dance featuring Yaeji, Le1f, Shopping, Kim Petras, Alphabet Rockers, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Hector Fonseca with Natascha Bessez, and a performance from celebrity grand marshal Our Lady J (POSE, Transparent) visit SFPRIDE.ORG for the full lineup
48TH ANNUAL SF PRIDE PARADE + MARCH market street [ from beale to 8th ]
•
sunday, june 24 begins at 10:30 am over 250 floats, groups, and supporters will march down market street in a spectacular display of solidarity, celebration, and acceptance
THE OFFICIAL SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE VIP PARTY under the rotunda at san francisco city hall
•
sunday, june 24 2:00 to 5:00 pm
featuring a hosted bar, delicious bites, and three rooms of non-stop entertainment
SF PRIDE FREE COMMUNITY CALENDAR visit our website for a glimpse into the many events and opportunities in the city for Pride month
for more information and to purchase event tickets visit
JUNE 2018 | THE F I GH T S F 3
THECONTENTS
FEATURES 12 GENERATIONS OF STRENGTH THE SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE PARADE AND CELEBRATION 13 COVER GIRL SUPERSTAR PERFORMER TS MADISON 18 WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? LGBTQ CULTURE VERSUS MAINSTREAM 22 THE EPHEMERALITY OF EVERYTHING LANDSCAPE ARTIST AND ACTIVIST DONGYI WU 28 TAKE A WALK ON THE WILDE SIDE CELEBRATE PRIDE ON OSCAR WILDE TOURS DEPARTMENTS 08 THE TALK RYAN MURPHY 10 THE CITY SONI WOLF 11 THE NATION CONVERSION THERAPY 17 THE SHARE LOCAL RECOVERY 23 THE EPIDEMIC BACK TO THE FUTURE 24 THE ART THE APOTHECARIUM 26 THE EVENT POWERBLOUSE 30 THE CALENDAR THINGS TO DO www.thefightmag.com 4 T H E F I GH T S F | www.thefi ghtmag.com
ON THE COVER TS MADISON COVER PHOTO, TOC PHOTO AND FEATURE PHOTO BY DUSTI CUNNINGHAM
Creating Families for 38 years
With pride, CSP celebrates our first gay parents birth, 31 years ago! Make a Dream Come True - Be a Surrogate Mom
15821 Ventura Blvd. Suite 625 Encino, CA 91436 818-788-8288
www.creatingfamilies.com JUNE 2018 | THE F I GH T S F 5
THEEDITOR
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stanford Altamirano MANAGING EDITOR Mark Ariel ART DIRECTOR Nadeen Torio MARKETING CONSULTANTS Tom Pardoe Sean Galuszka Jacci Ybarra SOCIAL MEDIA Mark Ariel Sinan Shihabi WEBMASTER Nadeen Torio ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Sinan Shihabi EVENTS MANAGER Joseph Arellano >> IN THIS ISSUE <<
THE FIGHT is proud to be a media sponsor of The San Francisco Pride Parade and Celebration, taking place this month on June 23-24, 2018. With over 200 parade contingents and exhibitors, and more than twenty community-run stages and venues, the San Francisco Pride Celebration and Parade is the largest gathering of the LGBT community and allies in the nation. See “Generations Of Strength” on pages 12-13 for more information. Also in this issue Syd Peterson examines how far we’ve come and what lies ahead (“Where Do We Go From Here?” pages 18-19). “Like many social justice movements, LGBTQ politics has been defined to a great extent by our shared oppression and our efforts to end it,” writes Peterson. “When you lift out that common thread, our various subcultures are more different than they are similar. The drag balls, motorcycle clubs and lesbian bars of yore weren’t coordinating with each other toward some larger goal. They grew organically out of local queer desires and ideas.”
“We need to continue to question mainstream culture,” states Peterson. “The larger cultural norms and conventions that have developed over human history have been constructed to serve straight people, not us. Just because marriage and monogamy help many straight couples live and grow together doesn’t mean it’s the right path for other combinations of people. Traditional gender roles may serve some cisgender, straight men and women, but they may not fit the wider spectrum of queer lives.” “LGBTQ cultures must continue to be visionary,” says Peterson. “We share a history with legendary geniuses like Leonardo de Vinci, Frida Kahlo and Aristotle, even if the concept of ‘LGBTQ’ or even ‘sexual orientation’ didn’t exist in their worlds. Their sexual otherness helped them find new ways of thinking, solving problems, and creating art. Part of our function as queers in a larger society is to use our unique perspectives on the world to push humanity forward.”
STANFORD ALTAMIRANO Editor-In-Chief
Every month THE FIGHT donates a portion of its proceeds to an LGBTQ community organization. This month’s donation has been sent to The GLBT Historical Society. Founded in 1985, the GLBT Historical Society seeks to document, preserve, and share the stories of LGBTQ people. Learn more at: www.glbthistory.org. www.thefightmag.com 6 T H E F I GH T S F | www.thefi ghtmag.com
CONTRIBUTORS Dusti Cunningham Gabriel van Horne Kian Kamataki Orly Lyonne Tom Pardoe Roxie Perkins Syd Peterson Pickle Sinan Shihabi GET THE FIGHT SF AT HOME Sent Via First Class Mail 12 Issues: $36 6 Issues: $24 Mail check or money order to: Third Step, LLC 611 S. Catalina St. Suite 307 Los Angeles, CA 90005 PUBLISHER Third Step, LLC DISTRIBUTION Pride In Media The Fight SF is published monthly by Third Step, LLC. 611 South Catalina Street, Suite 307 Los Angeles, CA 90005 Telephone (323) 297-4001 Fax (213) 281-9648 Email info@TheFightMag.com THE FIGHT MAGAZINE LEGAL CAVEATS By listing in The Fight SF, advertisers acknowledge that they do business in the spirit of cooperation, fairness and service, maintaining a high level of integrity and responsibility. Providers of products or services are fully and solely responsible for providing same as advertised. The Fight SF assumes no liability for improper or negligent business practices by advertisers. Advertisers and their agencies assume responsibility and liability for the content of their advertisements in The Fight SF. Publisher assumes no liability for safe-keeping or return of unsolicited art, manuscripts or other materials. The Fight SF reserves the right to edit all material for clarity, length and content. All contents © 2018 Third Step LLC. All rights reserved. Content may be reproduced with permission. The Fight SF assumes no liability for any claims or representations contained anywhere in this magazine and reserves the right to cancel or refuse advertising at publisher’s discretion. TheFightMag.com For Display Advertising, please call (323) 297-4001
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Wishing All Of Our Friends & Family A Very Happy PRIDE!
JUNE 2018 | THE F I GH T S F 7
THETALK >> W H AT T H E Y ’ R E S AY I N G <<
KEVIN MCHALE
WHO I LOVE “Here I am. I’m loving, I’m respectful, I’m productive, and I’m a human being who has a right to love who I love.”
GLORIA CARTER
PEOPLE KNEW
“If somebody was a big fan and following everything I was doing [on social media], like the people I interact with on Twitter on a daily basis, I think there was zero surprise. People knew.” —Glee alum Kevin McHale confirming he’s gay in an interview with Marc Malkin during a Facebook Live talk last month.
OUR SUPPORT
—Jay-Z’s mother Gloria Carter at the GLAAD Media Awards last month, in a moving speech where she discussed coming out to her son and falling in love with her partner.
CONSIDER MYSELF
“Being a queer black woman in America… someone who has been in relationships with both men and women—I consider myself to be a free-ass motherfucker.”
JANELLE MONÁE
—Grammy-nominated singer and actress Janelle Monáe ( Hidden Figures, Moonlight ) coming out in an interview with Rolling Stone, last month.
“I am donating 100 percent of my profits from my new FX show Pose towards trans and LGBTQ charitable organizations. These groups do amazing work and need our support.”
TURN OUR ATTENTION
RYAN MURPHY
—Producer Ryan Murphy, co-creator of Pose, a new series with the largest cast of transgender actors as series regulars of any scripted series ever produced, on Twitter, last month.
USE MY PLATFORM
“… After she was murdered, I knew I had to use my platform to help Mia and women like her. I will do anything, go to any event, any parade, talk in any locker room about acceptance.” —Reggie Bullock, small forward for the Detroit Pistons, at the REGGIE GLAAD Media Awards last month, BULLOCK in a speech honoring his trans sister, Mia Henderson, who was killed in 2014.
www.thefightmag.com 8 T H E F I GH T S F | www.thefi ghtmag.com
“The important thing is that we all now turn our attention to countries that are prosecuting and imprisoning gay people— and even executing gay people.” SIR RICHARD BRANSON
—Sir Richard Branson, in a speech receiving the Special Recognition Award at the 2018 NatWest British LGBT Awards, last month.
MAKES US STRONG
“In Canada and around the world, pride in who we are, how we identify and who we love makes us strong.”
JUSTIN TRUDEAU
—Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau upon receiving the “Media Moment Of The Year” prize at the 2018 NatWest British LGBT Awards, for his formal apology to the LGBT community over Canada’s decades-long campaign against gay civil servants or those in the military.
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JUNE 2018 | THE F I GH T S F 9
THECITY
PHOTO COURTESY DYKES ON BIKES
>> BY GABRIEL VAN HORNE <<
SONI WOLF
The LGBTQ community suffered the loss of two leaders who—each in their own way—had profound impact impact on queer culture and civil rights, and the City of San Francisco. Soni Wolf, co-founder of the legendary, Pride-leading Dykes on Bikes, passed away in her home at 69. Wolf was a driving force behind the transition of the DoB from an informal band of friends to a registered non-profit with 16 chapters across the U.S, U.K, and Australia. She was also instrumental in the movement to reclaim the word “Dyke” for the Lesbian community. In April Wolf was selected to be a Pride Grand Marshall and will celebrated in this year’s Pride celebration as the Dykes on Bikes carry
the gas tank of her motorcycle with them at the head of the Parade. Wolf was followed into the hereafter by Julius Turman, a labor and employment attorney who had recently stepped down as President of the Police Commission, where he oversaw the modernizing reforms to the SFPD recommended by the Obama Justice Department, and worked diligently to increase trust JULIUS between the police and the TURMAN community. Turman will be remembered as a tireless public servant
and a fierce champion of social justice. He was a core member of And Castro for All, which protested against the alleged racial discrimination of the Badlands bar and its owner, Les Natali. From 2004-2006 Turman served as co-chair of BALIF (Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Liberty) the LGBT bar association, and from 2006-2007 as the first African American co-chair of the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club. His memory was honored with a memorial at City Hall.
ROOTS OF LEATHER The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously last month to create a LGBTQ Leather District in the South of Market area. This is the City’s second Queer cultural district, after the Trans Historical District in the Tenderloin neighborhood. The hope is that this new designation will help bulwark the character of the neighborhood, its bars and businesses, and rent prices against the rising tide of Tech’s gentrifying impact. It is expected that the City will next take up the creation of an LGBTQ cultural district in the famously gay Castro. 1 0 T H E F IGH T S F | www.thefi ghtmag.com www.thefightmag.com
THENATION >> POWER TO THE PEOPLE <<
>> NEWS <<
OAKLAND’S SCHAFF IN THE CROSSHAIRS
GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN
In a Whitehouse meeting with opponents of California’s new Sanctuary Law, Donald Trump took aim at Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff. Suggesting Schaff obstructed justice in MAYOR February when she warned the LIBBY Bay Area’s immigrant communiSCHAFF ties about an impending ICE raid, Trump urged Attorney General Jeff Sessions to investigate. Schaff shot back in an op-ed published in the Washington Post. “Mr. President, I am not obstructing justice. I am seeking it.” And that it is her “duty to protect my residents—especially when our most vulnerable are unjustly attacked.”
SF SANCTUARY LAW UNDER THREAT San Francisco’s own Sanctuary Law is under threat from within as Mayoral candidate Angela Alioto has introduced a measure to the November ballot which would remove protections from undocumented immigrants under suspicion—not convicted of, or even ANGELA being prosecuted for—serious felonies. ALIOTO The move galvanized the City’s “elected family” and prompted a press conference denouncing the move which was attended by Mayor Mark Farrell, District Attorney George Gascón, City Attorney Dennis Herrera, Public Defender Jeff Adachi, members of the Board of Supervisors, Board of Education, members of the Democratic Central Committee including Chairman David Campos—himself a formerly undocumented immigrant—and Mayoral candidate and former State Senator Mark Leno. They gathered before City Hall to decry the proposed ballot measure as removing due process and stress the importance of the City’s Sanctuary Law to the safety, health, and educational wellbeing of the people of San Francisco.
FOLSOM OFFERS LIMITED EDITION CLIVE BARKER ART
CLIVE BARKER
The 2018 Folsom Street Fair poster features original photography by Clive Barker. The image has been selected from the never before seen photographic series titled, Imagining Man. Continuing Folsom Street Fair’s relationship with this visionary artist, they have created a limited edition lithograph version of the poster. All have been autographed by Clive Barker. n For more info visit: www.folsomstreetevents.store/product/clive-barker
“CONVERSION THERAPY” BANNED Maryland has joined the list of states banning harmful “conversion therapy” meant to turn gay people straight. The programs greatly increase chances of suicide and are completely ineffective. Governor Larry Hogan signed the legislation last month, along with another bill that will expand housing and support services to youth experiencing homelessness.
LGBT WEBSITE RESTORED The federal Small Business Administration has restored a website geared toward LGBT entrepreneurs that had been offline for some 16 months. The SBA’s restoration of the site comes about one week after two U.S. House members—New York Representatives Nydia Velazquez and Yvette Clarke— voiced concern that its removal in January 2017 “may have been politically or ideologically motivated.”
NO ADOPTION FOR LGBT
Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer (R) has signed a bill that allows adoption agencies to refuse to place children with LGBTQ families. The bill, which was passed by the legislature earlier last month, would make it legal “for foster care or adoption when the proposed placement of such child would violate such agency’s sincerely held religious beliefs.”
LOW IQ INDIVIDUAL
President Donald Trump doesn’t know the difference between the virus that causes AIDS, HIV, and HPV, the virus that causes anal warts according to Bill Gates. Gates took questions from staff at a recent Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation meeting and revealed that in a meeting with the president Trump asked him if there was a difference between HIV and HPV.
GENDER NEUTRAL RESTROOMS
The governor of Vermont, Phil Scott (R) has signed a bill that would open up access to some public restrooms. The bill requires all single-user public restroom to be labeled gender neutral. It applies to restaurants, schools, stores, and other public buildings and public accommodations. The bill passed the Vermont House with a strong majority and got unanimous support in the Vermont Senate. n JUNE 2018 | THE F I GH T S F 11
>> COVER INTERVIEW <<
The San Francisco Pride Parade and Celebration takes place on June 23-24, 2018. For last minute updates visit: www.sfpride.org. CELEBRATION & RALLY
INFORMATION BOOTH
Saturday, June 23, 12:00 noon to 6:00pm. Sunday, June 24, 11:00am to 6:00pm. Civic Center Plaza and surrounding neighborhood.
The Information Booth is located on Civic Center Plaza at Fulton Street. Here you can pick up a copy of the PocketPride Guide, which contains a map of the Celebration showing the locations of stages/venues and amenities.
DONATION AT THE GATE San Francisco Pride is a 501c3 non-profit organization. They are asking everyone to make a $1 to $5 donation at the entry gate. They are able to produce this annual event thanks to the generosity of their sponsors and partners along with donations from the general public and the investment of their membership. They partially fund over 20 community-produced stages and venues at the Celebration and they partner with more than 60 local non-profits to which they have given back more than $2.9 million in direct grants in the last 20 years.
PARADE & MARCH Sunday, June 24, starting at 10:30am Along Market Street, from Beale to 8th Streets.
EVELYN “CHAMPAGNE” KING
FIRST AID
Muni/ BART station is right next to the entrance to the grandstands. Tickets are $40 in advance at sfpride.org or $45 at the entrance on the morning of the parade. Tickets are provided on a sliding scale to those with accessibility needs and their partners. Accessibility seating is also provided for the deaf and hard-of-hearing and the differently-abled at the grandstands. Seating is on a first-come, first- served basis and begins at 9:30am.
SHOPPING
GRANDSTAND TICKETS & ACCESSIBILITY SEATING The grandstands, located at United Nations Plaza, are the perfect place to enjoy the parade. The Civic Center www.thefightmag.com 1 2 T H E F IGH T S F | www.thefi ghtmag.com
The primary First Aid Center is located inside Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, via the Grove/Polk entrance. There are also medical foot patrol teams roaming throughout the event. A satellite First Aid Station is located at the intersection of Hyde and Golden Gate on Sunday.
EXHIBITORS & FOOD Over 200 exhibitors feature a wide variety of artists, local and national businesses, nonprofits, artisans, and food and beverage vendors.
BEVERAGES Throughout the site, you’ll find a variety of Official Beverage Booths featuring water, soda, beer, wine and cocktails. Alcohol not purchased from one of the Official Beverage Booths is not permitted. Please drink responsibly and remember to stay hydrated. The Castro Country Club Sober Stage, located on United Nations Plaza, offers a drug and alcohol free zone.
CHILDCARE & ACCESSIBILITY Free childcare and accessibility services are available; more information is avail-
> > L G B T Q C U LT U R E < <
able at the Information Booth. Accessibility seating and ASL interpretation are provided at the Main Stage and other stages throughout the event.
SMOKE-FREE EVENT The San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration and Parade is a smoke-free event per San Francisco Health Code, Article 19L.
TRANSPORTATION It is strongly recommended that you take advantage of the Bay Area’s robust public transit system when coming to the event.
ADA VOX
post-punk “they never sound dated or like a carbon-copy, a testament to the group’s songwriting abilities,” opines Pitchfork. According to The Quietus, a British online music and pop culture magazine: “live, the band emanates a selfassuredness and a commitment to contributing maximum joy to their audience.”
PARADE The Embarcadero, Montgomery, Powell, and Civic Center Muni/BART stations all serve the parade route. Use Civic Center Station for closest access to the Grandstands.
YAEJI
Use the Civic Center Muni/BART stop to access the Celebration. Bicycle valet is also available at McAllister and Hyde.
Born in Queens, NY to South Korean parents, Yaeji’s self-titled Yaeji EP found her merging club influences with songwriting and hazy raps flitting between Korean and English. Most recently, Yaeji’s EP2, featuring singles “Drink I’m Sippin On” and “Raingurl”, marks Yaeji’s ascendance as a singular and leading voice in dance, hip-hop, and avant-pop music.
WELLNESS TIPS
ADA VOX
If you see something, say something. Pay attention to your surroundings and report suspicious activity or unattended packages to the nearest police officer or security personnel. • Bring a friend with you when traveling to new and unfamiliar places. • Keep yourself hydrated and drink plenty of water. Water is available at all of our Official Beverage Booths. • Do not leave any valuables or personal items unattended. • Be good to one another, look out for one another, and speak up for one another.
Ada Vox is a 24 year old San Antonio drag queen and singer. A top 14 contestant on ABC’s 2018 reboot of ABC’s American Idol, her appearance marked a first for the TV competition show. Notably, Ada earned a standing ovation from judges with her rendition of Etta James’, “I’d Rather Go Blind.”
CELEBRATION
MAIN STAGE PERFORMERS SHOPPING
While Shopping pulls from
a well of 70s
EVELYN CHAMPAGNE KING
“You have to live life to know life,” says vocalist-supreme Evelyn “Champagne” King. Over Evelyn’s 10 album career beginning in 1977 with Smooth Talk, fans and critics have continued to watch and applaud the artist grow and expand creatively without ever losing touch with who she is. “One thing that was engraved early, something my family always taught, was to remember who you are and keep in mind that it was important to be true to your self first,” King says. Evelyn has received a “Dance Music Hall Of Fame Award” in 2004, “Living Legend Award” in 2007, and countless Outstanding Achievement Awards for the work she continues to do in the music world.
STAGES AND GATHERING SPACES
YAEJI
SF Pride also features over twenty community-produced stages and gathering spaces, including: The Tantra Underground Dance Music Stage is a showcase of San
Francisco underground electronic dance music. Brought to you by the same crew who have rocked Pink Saturday, Castro Halloween, and Lovefest SF, the Tantra stage will take dancers through an afternoon of NRG and breakbeats, building up to a peak of high energy trance. Indie Oasis invites you to join us for another year as your Indie & Dance music Destination! We’ve partnered with local favorite Indie events; Hotline [Voted “Best New Dance Party” in SF Weekly!], Fringe, Harder Better Faster Stronger, Boy Division and The Queen is Dead! We’ve got everything from Indie, Electro, Pop Remixes and Hard Dance, something for everyone! Homo Hip Hop Stage produced by DJ Rapture and Get Ur Life Productions is excited to be a part of the celebration. And ready to provide an exciting event that showcases the incredible talent in the community, provides an unforgettable party experience for our patrons, all while promoting peace, unity, and safety. For more info visit www.sfpride.org.
Save the dates! JUNE 1-3, 2018 VENICE www.venicepride.org
AUGUST 17-19, 2018 VENTURA COUNTY vcpride.org
JUNE 2, 2018 FRESNO fresnorainbowpride.com
AUGUST 25-26, 2018 DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES dtlaproud.org
JUNE 3, 2018 SANTA CRUZ santacruzpride.org JUNE 9-10, 2018 WEST HOLLYWOOD lapride.org JUNE 10, 2018 SACRAMENTO sacramentopride.org
AUGUST 25, 2018 SANTA BARBARA pacificpridefoundation.org SEPTEMBER 8, 2018 CHULA VISTA southbaypride.org
July 6, 2018 CENTRAL COAST http://slopride.com
SEPTEMBER 9, 2018 OAKLAND oaklandpride.org
JUNE 16, 2018 SAN MATEO facebook.com/ PRIDEInitiativeSMC
OCTOBER 13, 2018 OCEANSIDE northcountypride.com
JUNE 23, 2018 SANTA ANA prideoc.com
PASADENA sgvpride.org
JULY 14-15, 2018 SAN DIEGO sdpride.org AUGUST 12, 2018 SAN FERNANDO VALLEY www.valleypride.org
OCTOBER 14, 2018 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY www.sgvpride.org NOVEMBER 2-4, 2018 PALM SPRINGS pspride.org
JUNE 2018 | THE F I GH T S F 13
>> COVER INTERVIEW <<
An advocate for social justice, viral sensation TS Madison on racial and sexual discrimination, staying visible as a trans woman and personal, spiritual transitions. BY PICKLE | PHOTO BY DUSTI CUNNI NGHAM
S
ocial commentator and superstar performer TS Madison knows her priorities. Answering the phone, she huffed, “Well I’m on my way to check the mailbox to see if the good Lord done sent me a check!” “I know that walk,” I laughed. TS Madison has found a well-deserved place in the queer community as an advocate for social justice, an entertainer, and a queer trans woman with a voice of pride, strength, and progress. Not to mention she’s from Florida, so she’ll tear some shit up if she needs to! So what are you up to now, what’s on the agenda? Well, I’m always going to be an entertainer, and that’s where I got my start. I’m always going to do something on the internet. Social media is the wave of things going on in the world so we have to be in tune to that. And I’m working on things to entertain people and make them laugh! Have you always enjoyed making people laugh? Yes! I think that’s a gift that was naturally given to me. I love it—I think it’s therapeutic to make people laugh and I believe it’s part of my purpose on this earth! To make people laugh and smile and most importantly to make them happy! What do you think about that’s going on in the world? There’s so much inequality to do with racial and sexual discrimination and I feel that we are divided. I personally think that it’s important that we put a lot of
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“BEFORE I AM ANYTHING, I AM BLACK. I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT. I KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON IN AMERICA. I IDENTIFY AS BLACK FIRST, BUT SECOND I AM A QUEER TRANS.” things out on social media—people are getting their education from social media. This stuff isn’t new, it’s just that social media has brought it to the forefront. It is imperative that we stay social, that we stay current. It’s extremely important that as a trans woman I stay visible, for people who may not want to have a conversation with a trans person, but they come across a video of me and it makes them laugh or piques their interest, and maybe they’ll want to learn more about us! Is there anything that you identify as first before all others? Before I am anything, I am black. I do have to say that. I know what’s going on in America. I identify as black first, but second I am a queer trans. And I learned that when I was working in Australia with
Willam [Belli] and Aja the Queen. We got to know each other on a personal level and through our conversations on the back of the bus, on the way to the gig, I was like “Oh, so that’s what I am! I’m a queer trans!” I hope they know when I hug them it’s genuine, because we were all people from different backgrounds but when we talked it helped me understand something about myself, at 40 years old! Speaking of Drag Race Queens, what are your thoughts on season two winner Tyra Sanchez being banned from Drag Con and then warning attendees not to come? I love Tyra, and she’s young and she will learn. I think what happens and where the trouble comes from is with the fans. When I talked to her she was frustrated, and I understand that. This is America, baby, and you can’t dance around it—it is race. They only let a few of us queens through. Do I think the black queens on Drag Race are treated differently from the other girls? Yes. I am a part of that, I am a part of the WOW family and even though WOW does wonderful things for TS Madison with web shows and their support and love, and my personal relationship with them, sometimes we’re angry because we get tired of getting the short end of the stick or being on the back burner. How are you going to skip me when I’m a better queen? Is it because I’m not marketable? Is it because you can’t sell me? What is it? I get the frustration with Tyra. I get it. She’s a Florida queen like me and we do not play. Bitch, we’re used to Hurricanes; category 6 was discovered through that bitch and we will fuck some shit up!
JUNE 2018 | THE F I GH T S F 15
> > TS MADISON < <
You’ve said that life is a continual transition. I love that. What transition are you going through now? I am going through a personal, spiritual transition right now. I’m learning how to lose gracefully. How to accept things that I cannot change gracefully. Like I said, I’m from Florida and we will fuck some shit up, but I can’t retaliate to things the way I used to. I’m transitioning into a figure in my community. I’m in a spiritual place and a learning place. I’m learning self and having conversations with myself. Like I never knew I was a Queer Trans! I’m not concerned with labels but at 40 I can still learn about who I am and what I’m all about. At the end of your song, Step Ya Pussy Up, you say “Be sure to read good books and bad people.” Can you give us an example of a good book and an example of a bad person? All of E Lynn Harris’ books. Those are all good books. I discovered myself through E Lynn Harris. Bad people are people like Donald Trump.
“TO THE PEOPLE OUT THERE: NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU FALL DOWN— BABY GET UP. GET UP, HONEY. THAT’S WHAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND. NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU FALL DOWN, BITCH, GET UP! GET UP AND KEEP MOVING !”
This is a Pride Issue so I wanted to ask you: What are you especially proud of yourself for? I’m proud that after over 20 years of being trans, I am still able to discover who I am, and I am proud of myself for being open to learning about myself, and learning about my community and learning about the world and not shutting people out from teaching me. You’re THE FIGHT covergirl this month! Have you always known you were a covergirl? Oh yes honey! Put the bass in your walk! Covergirl, make your whole body talk. Yes, I have always known that. It was a pleasure talking with you! Anything you’d like to add? To the people out there: no matter how many times you fall down—baby get up. Get up, honey. That’s what I would really like people to understand. No matter how many times you fall down, bitch, get up! Get up and keep moving !
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CONTACT INFO: booking@viktorbelmont.com
SOMETHING NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT YOU: I grew up in kitchens. My dad was an amazing cook and did it professionally, specifically fine dining and catering.
BEST AND WORST QUALITY: My worst quality is that i’m incredibly hard on myself. My best quality is my ability meet people where they’re at. I see the good in people, even if they can’t always see it themselves.
HOBBIES: I love reading comics, working out, getting new tattoos, taking photos, riding motorcycles, cooking, trying new things and meeting people!
PET PEEVE: I don’t have any patience for bullies. Pushing someone down doesn’t make you any bigger of a person.
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: I have some sweethearts who I adore, but i’m never fully off the market.
CHILDHOOD CRUSH: Trunks from DBZ! I had a VHS of The History of Trunks and wore the tape out because I watched it so much.
CURRENT AND PAST OCCUPATIONS: I’m an escort, adult model, gogo boy and PrEP navigator for trans folks in the STAY study through the Department of Public Health.
SELF IDENTIFY AS: A Queer Transman.
HOMETOWN: A cute little town nestled in between the Cascade and Siskiyou Mountains.
AGE: 28
THESPREAD
PHOTO BY DUSTI CUNNINGHAM JUNE2016 2018| |THE THEF IFGH I GH C JUNE T TS S F F 19
SUNDAY JULY 29 2018
OFFICIAL FRIDAY NIGHT OPENING PARTY
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THESHARE >> BY TOM PARDOE <<
SOBER PRIDE
Drinking and drug use is more prevalent during Pride season. We asked Paul Asplund and Billy Lemon how they celebrate Pride while maintaining their recovery.
A CERTAIN ATTITUDE “Over the past thirty years, I’ve probably attended ten pride events—four of them in the past four years. I could have given you a hundred reasons why I had stopped going: the booze, the drugs, the crowds, but the real reason was that for many years I no longer saw myself as part of the gay community—I didn’t hang out in bars, sing in choruses, or get invited to the A-list parties in the hills. I didn’t see a community where I fit in. PAUL The rift was years in ASPLUND the making and when I was newly sober, being around the partying was a real threat. As time went by I just got embarrassed by the behavior of a few bad actors and told everyone who would listen that I was nostalgic for the days of Pride ‘marches’ and ‘rallies’ not today’s ‘parades’ and ‘celebrations.’ It was after a move to San Francisco that a handful of ‘normies’ and sober friends made a first attempt at removing the stick that had wedged itself so deeply in my behind. They made a point of inviting me to every film, drag show, street fair, barbecue, beach orgy and brunch for the entire month of June. It was exhausting and eventually I just gave myself over to their will. And slowly I started to come to my senses. This was fun: sometimes campy, sometimes ridiculous, always sober fun. I’m a firm believer in the idea that as long as I maintain a certain attitude that I can go anywhere any other person can go without fear of losing my sobriety. I don’t need mood altering chemicals to feel comfortable in my skin anymore and once I read that you couldn’t get high from second-hand pot smoke, I learned to deal with the stench and enjoy a day in the sunshine surrounded by wonderful people. I still get at least one drink spilled on me every time I go into a bar or hang at Pride but now I see the humor of it. This year I think I’ll be okay whether I attend every event or not.” —Paul Asplund, sober since April 13, 1988.
BILLY LEMON
LIKE MINDED INDIVIDUALS “For anyone that has been sober even for a short amount of time, the key to staying sober is surrounding yourself with like minded individuals. Festivals are no different. I make a decision everyday to live my life differently which includes knowing who to have in my immediate orbit. Another sure fire way to stay sober during the ‘high holy days’ of the queer calendar is to be of service to the community. I can only speak for myself but I spent a lot of years selfishly pursuing the next high. I like to make better use of my time now that I am sober. Giving back to the City and Community that helped save my life is always rewarding and the best ‘safe’ way to be a part of big parties without jeopardizing my sobriety.” —Billy Lemon, Executive Director of the Castro Country Club, sober since: November 17, 2013.
BILLY LEMON: “GIVING BACK TO THE CITY AND COMMUNITY THAT HELPED SAVE MY LIFE IS ALWAYS REWARDING AND THE BEST ‘SAFE’ WAY TO BE A PART OF BIG PARTIES WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING MY SOBRIETY.” JUNE 2018 | THE F I GH T S F 17
>> COVER INTERVIEW <<
We must make a distinction between the parts of LGBTQ culture that the mainstream has adopted versus the parts that are still our own.
L
esbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people are extraordinary. We have overcome great adversity by being tenacious and joyful, fierce and loving, smart and revolutionary. While our fight for equality is far from over, we have to remember that politics is the strategy www.thefightmag.com 1 8 T H E F IGH T S F | www.thefi ghtmag.com
BY SYD PETERSON
and culture is the goal. We’ve gained a lot from our civil rights battles, but we can’t forget what we’ve been fighting for. Being LGBTQ in the 20th century was rough. Violence against us was commonplace and socially acceptable. Laws prohibited us from having sex, regulated how
we expressed gender, and failed to respect our relationships. However, some queers experienced freedom and community in underground collectives. Drag shows, motorcycle clubs, and the butch/femme scene are examples of queer-created cultural institutions that supported and inspired LGBTQ
> > L G B T Q C U LT U R E < <
WHAT WOULD THE PIONEERING BEARS OF THE 1990S SAY IF WE TOLD THEM THAT THE MUSCLE BEARS THINK THEY’RE BETTER THAN THE CHUBBY BEARS? HOW DO TRANSGENDER BEARS FEEL WHEN A WEBSITE OR EVENT’S TAGLINE IS SOME VERSION OF “BEARS = REAL MEN”?
people. Freedom rang in these private spaces, hidden from the public gaze. The intense entwinement of LGBTQ culture and politics began in the late 1960s, when riots at the Black Cat Tavern in LA and at the Stonewall Inn in NYC gave birth to new activist groups and the first gay pride marches. From then until the 2010s, the LGBTQ political movement gained ground at a rate not previously seen by other civil rights movements. We forced America to deal with the AIDS epidemic. We legalized gay sex. We made family law inclusive of diverse families. We opened up the military. We made marriage equality the law of the land.
MICRO-COMMUNITIES So where do we go from here? Like
our mainstream world, LGBTQ culture continues to split and re-split into microcommunities. This is assisted in part by technology: never before has it been so easy to self-curate, to identify a narrow swath of interests or kinks or aspirations and dive in. As my friend Ian likes to say, “There’s a Tumblr for everything.” It might feel scary to see these divisions thrive, but don’t forget: there are a lot more of us now than there were in 1950. But technology isn’t the only reason. Like many social justice movements, LGBTQ politics has been defined to a great extent by our shared oppression and our efforts to end it. When you lift out that common thread, our various subcultures are more different than they are similar. The drag balls, motorcycle clubs and lesbian bars of yore weren’t coordinating with each other toward some larger goal. They grew organically out of local queer desires and ideas.
CULTURAL NORMS We must make a distinction between the parts of LGBTQ culture that the mainstream has adopted versus the parts that are still our own. The success of RuPaul’s Drag Race is undoubtedly a win for queer culture. It demystifies drag queens and celebrates the “charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent” they personify. But the fact that a zillion people can quote every zinger from every queen on TV doesn’t
mean they have a deep knowledge of drag culture, or that they know much about the fore-mothers of drag beyond RuPaul, or that they understand why queers do drag. We need to continue to question mainstream culture. The larger cultural norms and conventions that have developed over human history have been constructed to serve straight people, not us. Just because marriage and monogamy help many straight couples live and grow together doesn’t mean it’s the right path for other combinations of people. Traditional gender roles may serve some cisgender, straight men and women, but they may not fit the wider spectrum of queer lives. We’ve also got to continue to question ourselves. For example, we’re a good 15 years into the bear movement now. This means that fewer gay men grow up thinking they’ll only be accepted in our world if they’re thin and smooth. But it also has meant that the same hierarchies that plague mainstream culture have crept into bear culture. What would the pioneering bears of the 1990s say if we told them that the muscle bears think they’re better than the chubby bears? How do transgender bears feel when a website or event’s tagline is some version of “Bears = Real Men”?
LEGENDARY GENIUSES LGBTQ cultures must continue to be visionary. We share a history with legendary geniuses like Leonardo de Vinci, Frida Kahlo and Aristotle, even if the concept of “LGBTQ” or even “sexual orientation” didn’t exist in their worlds. Their sexual otherness helped them find new ways of thinking, solving problems, and creating art. Part of our function as queers in a larger society is to use our unique perspectives on the world to push humanity forward. Most importantly, we can’t forget to have fun. LGBTQ politics has been an incredible tool for us to protect ourselves and to gain power. But elections and courts and optics and messaging can easily suck all the fun out of being queer. We don’t exist to prove ourselves to the larger world: rather, we’re here to squeeze every last delicious drop of gaiety out of our short lives. Don’t forget: LGBTQ politics is the means to an end. That end is the preservation and development of a constantly expanding, wild and wooly, beautifully chaotic collection of cultures. Politics is merely the work we put in so we can enjoy our authentic selves. Now go out there and have the best Pride Month of your life! JUNE 2018 | THE F I GH T S F 19
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TOM & COLLINS
LAITH ASHLEY
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#JUSTBE TOGETHER LA PRIDE PARADE & FESTIVAL
JUNE 9 10
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>> DONGYI WU <<
One of the most intriguing connections I’ve made during my travels is how a place’s climate creates similarities between communities who may exist on different continents, from construction materials, to food, sometimes even attitudes. Of course, a lot of it is also due to globalization and the ever connected world we live in. I am trying to find and build connections between cultures while recognizing and acknowledging their unique histories. What in particular makes the Bay Area such a fertile place for queer art? I think it has to do with geography, it’s history and the way that helps reinforce the sense of community. I was living in LA for a period of time and whenever I came back to visit the Bay, I saw how artists and creators here prioritize people and community building. It’s also a place with strong spirits and continuing practice of resilience. I came back here because I felt an increasing desire to build and be in community. It is also my home and a place to process my past so I am better informed about how to move toward my future.
Landscape artist and activist Dongyi Wu on feminine energy, spiritual devotion and queer art in the Bay Area. BY RO XIE PERKIN S
D
ongyi Wu, a Bay Area based artist and activist by way of Southern China and Los Angeles, explores environmental rights and international, cultural connections through the mediums of visual and landscape art. She is currently studying Landscape Horticulture at Merritt College in Oakland. “I’m a 1.5 generation immigrant from the Pearl Delta of southern China and the culture I grew up in communicates in ways that are subtle and circular,” explains Wu in an interview with THE FIGHT. “It requires some excavation to dig beneath the layers of words to get to the true meaning of what someone is trying to say. Over the years I realized that this subtlety has influenced me in all the work I make, and the way I interact with the world. I have a background in visual art and design, and express myself in those mediums. I document and create work about the nuances of the world I see. Lately I’ve been collaborating with nature often in my creations, as an exercise in understanding the ephemerality of everything.” You’ve spent a lot of time traveling outside of the Bay Area. How does that relate to and inform your work? Every time I have the privilege to travel elsewhere, I see so many different realities of lives that exist on earth. I learn to be humble and listen to the people whom I meet for their stories. I learn that my truth is not the truth of others but that it is important to be receptive and empathetic to their realities.
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What are your favorite places to see art in the Bay? Nature areas, regional parks, and botanical gardens. I get really excited seeing the designs of nature, the flowers in bloom of changing seasons, the patterns of leaves, the way trees grow to their forms. I’ve been visiting Tilden Botanical Garden a lot lately, and discover something new every time. The Albany Hill Park is also magical and an experience to walk through. The SF Conservatory of Flowers, for their exotic plants and displays. I pretty much go where it’s green. Of all your travels is there one experience or place you went to that has influenced you most as an artist? It’s the little things that make up a whole, and so have my experiences been. If I have to say one place though, that would be the Yachen monastery in the Kham region of Tibet. I was in a town full of nuns, and I’ve never felt so much feminine energy and spiritual devotion existing in the same space before. The monastery is in a remote area and took half a day to get to from the nearest town, passing by rolling mountains and expanding skies. The vastness of the landscape and the respect for the spirits and nature has stayed with me since. More on Wu’s work can be seen on her instagram: @xxlilaznangelxx.
THEEPIDEMIC >> HTLV-1 VIRUS <<
DR. ROBERT GALLO
BACK TO THE FUTURE? Doctors issue warning about HTLV-1 virus, an ancient cousin of HIV: “Prevalence is off the charts.”
A
doctor is sounding the alarm over the spread of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1, or HTLV-1, a cousin of the far better known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HLTV-1 infections are surpassing 40% in some remote parts of Australia, reports LGBTQ Nation. “The prevalence is off the charts,” said Dr. Robert Gallo in a CNN report. Dr. Gallo discovered HTLV-1 in 1979 at the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. HTLV-1 is hitting Australia’s Northern Territory hard, particularly amongst indigenous peoples. HLTV-1 is not contained to Australia— it is present around the world, including South America, the Middle East, southwestern Japan, and a portion of the Caribbean—with an estimated 20 million people worldwide infected. HLTV-1 can be sexually transmitted and can lead to a number of illnesses, from lymphoma and leukemia, to the lung illness bronchiectasis. In spite of the prevalence of HLTV-1, there have been very little efforts explore treatments. “There’s little to almost no vaccine efforts, outside of some Japanese research, so prevention by vaccine is wide open for research,” said Dr. Gallo. Last month an abbreviated version of an open letter—signed by 60 physicians, scientists and HTLV-1 advocates from around the world—was published in the journal The Lancet, calling for the World Health Organization to implement five strategies to help prevent the spread of the debilitating and deadly virus. n
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THEART >>
LGBTQ ARTISTS
<<
CRIKET
DOUG SANDELIN
MORE! AS MUSE
A
group show exploring the identity of San Francisco drag queen, Juanita MORE!, as a philanthropist, artist, mother, and muse at The Apothecarium. 2029 Market Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115. Curated by Danyol Leon. Featuring artwork by: Ariel Dunitz Johnson, Criket, Danyol Leon, Doug Sandelin, Gooch, Grey Lux, John Foster Cartwright, Mr. David, MuthaChucka, Sean Freitas and Spike. Opening Reception is June 7 from 6-9 PM (Part of the Castro Art Walk). Show runs through July 4. â&#x2013;
DANYOL LEON
SPIKE 2 GH TT S ghtmag.com 24 4 TTH HE E FFIIGH SFF || www.thefi www.thefightmag.com
GOOCH
JUNE 2018 | THE F I GH T S F 25
THEEVENT >> PHOTOS BY SHOT IN THE CITY PHOTOGRAPHY <<
JUANITA MORE! and GLAMAMORE invited one lucky person to the stage of The Powerhouse last month for a full fantasy drag makeover. They used all of their sacred drag queen powers to tuck, tape, shape, glue and staple this person together, then the newbie, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Director, Brian Wiedenmeier was pushed to the stage for his first-ever lips-sync performance. Music: Rolo Talorda. Benefiting: The Q Foundation.
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>> PHOTOS BY SHOT IN THE CITY PHOTOGRAPHY <<
JUNE 2018 | THE F I GH T S F 27
>> OSCAR WILDE <<
Celebrate the roots of gay Pride On Oscar Wilde Tours’ gay history and art tours of Europe.
T
his summer, come to Europe with Oscar Wilde Tours! Enjoy a sumptuous tea in Oscar Wilde’s favorite café, Take a “gay secrets” tour of the Louvre, and learn about the gay side of art, from ancient Greece to Napoleon’s Paris. See where the first legal gay marriage took place in 2001. Learn about the gay gods and heroes of ancient Greece. Find out about the gay side of the Florentine Renaissance—and the sex lives
of the Caesars. And eat splendid meals in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Greece, or Italy! Oscar Wilde’s London and Paris (August 14-22); Gay Amsterdam (August 22-25); Gay Greece, from Achilles to Alexander and Beyond (September 26-October 4); Gay Italy, from Caesar to Michelangelo and Beyond (October 5-14). Meet the gay heroes and geniuses of history: Socrates and Alexander, Hadrian and Antinous, Shakespeare and Virginia Woolf and Colette and Yves Saint Laurent—
and many more, with eminent gay historian Professor Andrew Lear and the gay history tour company, Oscar Wilde Tours. Visit www.oscarwildetours.com or call 646-560-3205 for more info. Get 10% off—their biggest discount ever—until June 24 by using the promo code “Gay Pride.”
GAY PRIDE DISCOUNT
10%
THROUGH JUNE 24
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THECALENDAR >> THINGS TO DO << SATURDAY, JUNE 2
Bares/SF Strips III“”Top Shelf COCKTAILS: Tales of Sipping and Stripping” with special guest, Jai Rodriguez (others to be announced)! The show is a Burlesque-style strip show with a modern twist.
THE HAUS OF AJA, 4PM-8PM
The Café, 2369 Market St, San Francisco. Aja, MoMo Shade, Kandy Muse & Dahlia Sin are known as The Haus of Aja, New York’s fiercest Drag Collective. Hosted by Mahlae Balenciaga, Beats by DJ Deft. Doors open at 3pm.
DADDY RAY‘S ANNUAL FATHER‘S DAY, 3PM-6PM
SF Eagle, 398 12th St, San Francisco, CA This year’s annual Father’s Day beer/soda bust will benefit Team SF and the SF Eagle softball team as they represent in Paris for the Gay games in August.
SUNDAY, JUNE 3
SUNDANCE SALOON RETURNS TO 550, 5PM-10:30PM
550 Barneveld Ave, San Francisco. Country-western dancing, serving the LGBT community and its friends. Dance lessons at 5:30pm; open dancing at 7pm open dancing.
FRIDAY, JUNE 22
THE GAY HUSBANDS OF SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE PARTY, 6PM-9PM
MONDAY, JUNE 4
Oasis, 298 11th St, San Francisco, CA. Kick off Pride weekend with The Gay Husbands of San Francisco and benefit The LGBT Asylum Project.
TAY DAY: QUEER CRAFTING, 10AM-12PM
Hormel LGBTQIA Center, 3rd Floor, 100 Larkin St, San Francisco, 94102. Queer Crafting for 18-25 year olds. TAY Day will occur every Monday excluding holidays in the Hormel Center from 10-12pm.
BEARRACUDA SF GAY PRIDE 2018—UPGRADED W/GROWLR!: 9PM-3AM
Folsom Street Foundry, 1425 Folsom St, San Francisco. The 10th annual Bearracuda SF Gay Pride—Underwear Night. With DJ Wayne G (UK).
THE SAN FRANCISCO LGBTQ SANGHA, 5:30PM-6:30PM
SF Buddhist Center, 37 Bartlett St, San Francisco, CA 94110. Experience the joy of meditating with LGBTQI community and learning about the Buddha’s teachings on awakening. Every Monday night (except holidays).
SATURDAY, JUNE 23
SAN FRANCISCO LGBTQ PRIDE
TUESDAY, JUNE 5
LGBTQI MEDITATION GROUP, 7PM-8:30PM
East Bay Meditation Center, 285 17th St, San Francisco. Every Tuesday. Both new and experienced meditators are welcome. Please come fragrance free to support folks with environmental illness. Two blocks from 19th St BART.
2018 National Queer Arts Festival. Exhibition is on view June 7–28, 2018. Free admission during gallery hours: Tuesday–Friday, 12–7pm and Saturday, 12–5pm. Opening reception Thursday, June 7, 6–9pm.
BERKELEY: WTF GENDERQUEER GROUP, 7:30PM-9:30PM
The Apothecarium, 2029 Market Street, San Francisco, CA, 94115. A group show exploring the identity of San Francisco drag queen, Juanita More as a philanthropist, artist, mother, and muse. Curated by Danyol Leon. Opening Reception is June 7 from 6-9pm (Part of the Castro Art Walk). Show runs till July 4th.
The Pacific Center in Berkeley, 2712 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705. A social & support group for genderqueers & all others who are BORED WITH THE BINARY approach to gender. Every Tuesday. All ages, hormone types, body configurations, & gender identities welcome. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6
GAY SKATE AT REDWOOD ROLLER RINK, REDWOOD CITY, 8PM-10PM Redwood Roller Rink,1303 Main St, Redwood City. Every Wednesday. $7 covers admission + skate rental. THURSDAY, JUNE 7
QUEER CULTURAL CENTER PRESENTS: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
SOMArts, 934 Brannan St, San Francisco, CA 94103 ((between 8th and 9th). A group exhibition presented by Queer Cultural Center as part of the
MORE! AS MUSE, 6PM-9PM
FRIDAY, JUNE 8
WTF WOMEN/TRANS/QUEER BIKE NIGHT, 6PM-9PM
Bike Kitchen San Francisco, 650H Florida St, San Francisco, CA 94110. Bikes? Ride bikes? Want to learn how to fix your bike? Want to learn how to build your own bike? Touring? Commuter? Road? Mountain? Fixie? Want to meet other ladies who are bike types? Come to WTF night at the SF Bike Kitchen every 2nd and 4th Friday. SATURDAY, JUNE 9
FROLIC—A CELEBRATION OF COSTUME AND DANCE, 9PM-2AM The Stud, 399 9th St, San Francisco, CA.
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A Celebration of Costume and Dance every Second Saturday. $7 cover, only $3 with outrageous costumes, 21+. With dj’s AudioDile and JC the DJ (KZSU/ Epiphany of Sound) and Resident DJ NeonBunny. Visuals by MaliePono. TUESDAY, JUNE 12
HARVEY MILK CLUB PAC MEETING; 6PM-8PM
Galeria de la Raza, 2857 24th St, San Francisco, CA. Political Action Committee (PAC) on the 2nd Tuesday of every month Open to the public www.milkclub.org. SUNDAY, JUNE 17
DEBAUCHERY AT THE WHITE HORSE INN, 8PM-12AM
White Horse Bar, 6551 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA. A naughty strip club for queers of all genders featuring an enticing selection of smoldering performers and the some of the hottest homo entertainment in the East Bay! Every 3rd Sunday.
BROADWAY BARES/SAN FRANCISCO STRIPS III, 8PM-11:30PM DNA Lounge, 375 11th St, San Francisco . “The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation presents Broadway
Parade: From Market/Beale to Market/8th Street in downtown San Francisco. Celebration and Rally: Civic Center Plaza. Sat, June 23, 12 noon to 6pm. Sun, June 24, 11am to 6pm. More info: sfpride.org
COCKBLOCK, 10PM-12AM
Rickshaw Stop,55 Fell St, San Francisco, CA 94102 SF’s Hottest Dance Party for lesbians, lovers and friends. With DJ Natalie Nuxx and special guests, spinning the best of Nineties, Electropop, Hip Hop, Disco, 80’s and other danceable themes all night long. SUNDAY, JUNE 24
HONEY SOUNDSYSTEM PRIDE, 8PM-4AM
August Hall, 420 Mason St., San Francisco, CA. Special Guest (TBA), Jason Kendig, Bézier and Jackie House. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27
MEOW MIX CABARET VARIETY, 11PM-2AM
The Stud, 399 9th St, San Francisco, CA. A Wacky Variety Show every Tuesday, Free, with a tip jar for performers. Hosted by Ferosha Titties. THURSDAY, JUNE 28
THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE AT THE EAGLE, 9PM-12AM
SF Eagle, 398 12th St, San Francisco, CA. Live Bands at South of Market Bar, The Eagle.
Hookups =
Visit www.squirt.org to hook up today JUNE 2018 | THE F I GH T S F 31
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