2. THE PRIDE L.A., OCTOBER 23, 2015 by THE PRIDE LOS ANGELES

⚫

10.23.2015 MACARTHUR PARK

L.A. GETS A NEW LGBT NEWSPAPER TAB HUNTER LOS ANGELES 1 MORE THAN 40,000 UNIQUE VISITORS CAME ‘50S MEGASTAR IS TO THEPRIDELA.COM IN WEEK ONE! STILL DIVINE ⚫ 12

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VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 | OCT. 23 — NOV. 5, 2015

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

A look at L.A. County’s HIV transmission data focuses a crisis LOS ANGELES ⚫ 5

Los Angeles LGBT Center opens a new location in West Hollywood SACRAMENTO ⚫ 4

Governor Brown signs a spate of new legislation for LGBT 2016 ELECTIONS ⚫ 3

Garden Grove’s gay mayor aims for HALLOWEEN CARNAVAL 2015: IT’S TIME TO PUT YOUR SWEET TRANSVESTITE Washington, D.C. ON FOR THE WORLD FAMOUS WEST HOLLYWOOD STREET PARTY, OCT. 31, 2015, 6PM — 11PM. HIV PREVENTION MATTERS

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⚫ PrEP is a hard sell to Latino gay men but AIDS

and community services organizations are making a determined push to promote the new drug.

⚫ While less than 10 percent of Los Angelinos are

African-American they account for a disproportionate share of new HIV infections.

⚫

10.23.2015

LOS ANGELES

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10.23.2015

LOS ANGELES

Congress

LGBT Candidates

HEADED TO WASHINGTON

⚫ 3

A significant political year for LGBT candidates seeking high office with two candidates vying for Loretta Sanchez’s vacancy

⚫ BY MATTHEW S. BAJKO

Garden Grove Gay Mayor declares run for Congress Mayor Bao Nguyen is one of four out candidates to run for Congress in California.

ay Garden Grove Mayor Bao Nguyen has jumped into the 2016 race for a southern California congressional seat. Nguyen, 35, who came out publicly in July, had suggested this summer that he would seek the 46th Congressional District seat in Orange County. The current officeholder, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove), is running for U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer’s seat. Nguyen made it official October 13 when he announced he had formed a campaign committee and launched his website for the race. “I’m excited to announce that I will be running for Congress in

the place I have always called home. I can’t wait to take my passion, and the passions of so many others around me, to bring reform to Washington, D.C,” stated Nguyen in the news release announcing his candidacy. He is one of four out candidates to run for Congress in California. Anaheim City Councilman Jordan Brandman, who is also seeking Sanchez’s congressional seat, came out Wednesday, October 15, in an interview with TheLiberalOC website. “I felt it was time to tell those closest to me. The support of my family and friends has been overwhelmingly positive and I feel free to be wholly me,” Brandman, 35, told the site. In a story posted Monday, October 19 by the Orange County Register, Brandman said he decided to talk openly about being gay now that he has been with his boyfriend for six weeks. “I’ve found personal happiness in my life, and now is the time to share it with my family and friends,” Brandman told

the paper. “It’s an entirely personal decision to make this announcement, based upon the circumstances in my life.” Congressman Mark Takano (D-Riverside), who is Japanese-American, is seeking a third two-year ter m next November in his 41st Congressional District seat. His election in 2012 marked the first time an out person won a seat in Congress from the Golden State and the first time an LGBT person of color served in Congress. In San Diego gay Marine veteran Jacquie Atkinson, a member of Log Cabin Republicans, is running against Congressman Scott Peters (D-San Diego) for his 52nd Congressional District seat. Nguyen would be the first out immigrant to serve in Congress. Born in a Thailand refugee camp, where his parents and several of his six siblings had sought refuge after escaping Vietnam, Nguyen came to

Anaheim City Councilman Jordan Brandman (left) is also running for Sanchez’s seat; Congressman Mark Takano (center) is seeking a third term for the 41st Congressional District seat; Marine vet Jacquie Atkinson is a Republican running against San Diego Democratic Congressman Scott Peters in the 52nd Congressional District.

Bao Nguyen would be the first gay immigrant to serve in Congress.

the U.S. three months later and grew up in southern California. He became a U.S. citizen at the age of 12. A Democrat, elected mayor last November, Nguyen spoke openly for the first time about being gay at a July forum with Ted Osius , who is also gay and the U.S. ambassador to Vietnam. In a phone interview October 16 with the Bay Area Reporter, Nguyen said he has received wide community support since coming out of the closet. He plans to seek the endorsement of both the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and Equality California’s political action committee. He said he wasn’t surprised by the positive reaction, considering the political makeup of the congressional district, which includes the cities of Santa Ana, Anaheim, and parts of Garden Grove and Orange. “This is a solidly Democratic district based on the numbers,”

said Nguyen, who is an organizer for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union. “I am not sure if it’s new people moving in or not. But if you look at the numbers, it has been changing more and more Democratic.” Nguyen speaks English, Spanish, and Vietnamese and is Garden Grove’s first Vietnamese American mayor. Prior to his election, he served, by appointment in 2011, then by election in 2012, as trustee of the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education, including a term as vice president. Nguyen said he decided to run for Congress because many of the issues he cares about, such as immigration reform and education, are impacted by the policies coming out of Washington, D.C. He supports a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and would SOCAL continued on p. 18

⚫ 4

Sacremento NEWSBRIEFS

10.23.2015

LOS ANGELES

CALIFORNIA

⚫ BY MATTHEW S. BAJKO

Governor Brown signs LGBT, AIDS drug pricing bills Protecting AIDS patients, LGBT youth, and transgender Californians, Governor Brown signs a record number of initiatives to protect our community from discrimination

alifornia will begin collecting LGBT demographic data and restrict how much insurers can charge for AIDS medications under laws signed this year by Governor Jerry Brown. Legislation advancing LGBT issues in the state’s public schools, protecting the rights of same-sex parents, and assisting gay-owned businesses will all soon take effect after Brown signed the bills by the October 11 deadline for him to do so. The governor also signed into law a quartet of bills sent to him this legislative session that advance transgender rights in California. All four will take effect January 1. (See “Transgender Rights” below) “We are deeply grateful to both Governor Brown and the legislators who authored and got these bills passed,” stated Rick Zbur, executive director of statewide LGBT advocacy group Equality California. “California continues to lead the nation recognizing and protecting LGBT people as fully equal

overnor Jerry Brown signed into law four bills during this year’s legislative session that expand rights for transgender people. Jurors in California can no longer be excluded based on their gender identity, while out-of-state companies that do not cover transgender health benefits for their employees are barred from competing for state contracts. A third bill signed allows transgender crime victims, as well as anyone

Governor Jerry Brown.

members of society thanks to their leadership.” Arguably the most consequential bill to advance this year is AB 959, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Disparities Reduction Act authored by Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco). It requires four state agencies to start collecting demographic data on gender identity and sexual orientation by July 1, 2018. Signed by Brown on October 7, the bill specifically instructs the departments of health care services, public health, social services, and aging to collect the “voluntary self-identification information” pertaining to LGBT people. The bill is expected to cost the state at least $600,000 to implement. And more state agencies should be added to the list in coming years. “After years of being left out of statewide demographic data, LGBT individuals will now be able to share their experiences to provide much-needed data to understand and ultimately re-

duce long standing health disparities that have disproportionately impacted these communities,” stated Chiu. In an interview with the Bay Area Reporter, Zbur said he expects to see state forms and computer systems be updated with LGBT-specific questions prior to the deadline set in the legislation. “I think many of the agencies will do it faster,” said Zbur. “From our perspective, we didn’t want to give them too much time but enough time to update their forms under the normal rotation for updating forms and computer systems. This is not a hard thing for them to do.” California now joins New York state in requiring various state agencies to collect LGBT demographic data. EQCA and other LGBT advocates argue the information is necessary in knowing what social problems or health issues are confronting the LGBT community. In turn, the data can be used to advocate for more funding and programs to address those concerns. “LGBT people have been invisible to government agencies that provide social services for far too long, because LGBT people are not counted,” stated Zbur. “This landmark bill will start to give California government and the LGBT community the tools necessary to develop programs to meet the healthcare and social service needs of LGBT people.” Another bill of significant benefit to the LGBT community that passed this year was AB 339 authored by gay Assemblyman Rick Gordon (D-Menlo Park) and signed by Brown on Octo-

Transgender Rights

subjected to violence due to their sexual orientation, to bring a civil action for damages against the responsible party, and a fourth bill adds protections for transgender foster youth. All four pieces of legislation will go into effect January 1. Sunday, October 11 – National Coming Out Day – Brown signed SB 731 by gay state Senator Mark Leno

(D-San Francisco), which requires the consideration of gender identity when officials place youth in the state’s foster care system. Supporters argue that the policy will result in transgender foster youth being placed in appropriate homes where they feel safe and accepted. “Young people have a better opportunity to thrive in situations where

ber 8. It caps the amount an individual pays out-of-pocket at $250 for a single 30-day prescription. Backers of the bill, which will go into effect January 1, 2017, expect it will be a boon for those Californians with cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, or other serious conditions whose medications can cost thousands of dollars and often pay as much as $6,600 out-of-pocket. “In a really big win for people with HIV, the bill requires plans to cover single-tablet regimens (STRs) for combination antiretroviral drug treatments that are medically necessary for the treatment of HIV,” noted Anne Donnelly, director of health care policy at San Francisco-based Project Inform. The legislation also requires health insurers not to place most or all drugs that treat a specific condition in the highest cost tiers of insurance plans. “No longer will patients have to choose between paying for their life-saving drugs and paying for housing, child care, or food,” stated Gordon. “This is a big step forward to improving health outcomes for the most vulnerable of patients.” Brown, on October 7, also signed into law Chiu’s AB 960, known as the Equal Protection for All Families Act. It modernizes California law to protect families using assisted reproduction methods. Under the bill, which takes effect January 1, sperm donors will not be legally considered a parent and unmarried people using assisted reproBROWN continued on p. 18

they are fully accepted and supported for who they are,” stated Leno. “Entering the foster care system is challenging for all youth, but it can actually be damaging for young people whose identities are not affirmed by their caregivers and peers.” Equality California, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Transgender Law Center co-sponsored the bill. The advocacy groups pointed to TRANSGENDER continued on p. 17

10.23.2015 Community LOS ANGELES

LOS ANGELES

West Hollywood

⚫ 5

⚫ BY TROY MASTERS

“What R U into?” asks WeHo’s new LGBT Center

Lorri L. Jean, CEO of Los Angeles LGBT Center opens the new WeHo Center. Photo by Arturo Jimenez for The Pride L.A.

Los Angeles’ LGBT Center continues an ambitious expansion with the addition of a West Hollywood branch that focuses on sexual health

undreds celebrated the opening of the new Los Angeles LGBT Center in WeHo just weeks after opening a Latino focused center in Boyle Heights. Located at 8745 Santa Monica Blvd., above the Gym Sportsbar and Coffee Bean the Los Angeles LGBT Center-WeHo offers free HIV testing, STD testing and treatment, HIV prevention medications: PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis), vaccinations for hepatitis A/B and

HPV, partner notification services, and condoms. With WeHo the Center now offers 7 locations. Lorri Jean, CEO of the Los Angeles LGBT Center has embarked on an ambitious expansion and says she is now busy raising $80 million dollars to develop a new project adjacent to The Village at Ed Gould Plaza. The Los Angeles LGBT Center-WeHo is funded in part by the City of West Hollywood, L.A. County Division of HIV and STD Programs, California

State Office of AIDS, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, AIDS/LifeCycle participants and contributions from other Center supporters. Architectural design services were provided pro bono by Center board member Michael Mueller. “At the new Los Angeles LGBT Center-WeHo, we’re offering the services and support that are essential to protecting the sexual health of our community,” said Jean, “and we’re providing them in a welcoming, sex-positive environment where everyone will feel comfortable talking to our providers and counselors about their risk factors, their interest in going on PrEP, STD symptoms they may be experiencing, and more.” The ultra modern

space was designed by Center board member Michael Mueller and features an outstanding collection of artworks by major artists. The facility is 2,600-square-feet and far larger than the Center’s WeHo based HIV/STD testing and STD treatment unit. The WeHo Center aims to offer 15,000 HIV/STD tests per year with those who test positive for HIV will begin an immediate high level of care. Those who test positive for STD’s will be treated onsite. “If everyone who is HIV-positive could get treatment and reduce their viral load to an undetectable level, HIV could be stopped,” said the Center’s Director of Sexual Health Services,

Dustin Kerrone, “but first they have to know they’re positive. Today, one out of seven people who are HIV-positive don’t know it. By increasing our testing capacity, by offering fast and convenient testing in a sex-positive environment, and by making it easy to obtain PrEP and PEP, we hope to help slow the spread of HIV in L.A. where 83% of those living with HIV are gay or bisexual men.” The Los Angeles LGBT Center-WeHo will offer clients access to financial assistance programs that help cover treatment costs they are unable to afford. The Center has launched a marketing campaign they hope will go social. “What R

U Into?” is designed to help promote the new Center’s focus on sexual health by featuring people in locations throughout West Hollywood locations displaying their favorite “What R U Into” emoji. The campaign’s simple message reads: “Whatever you’re into, caring for your sexual health is our priority at the new Los Angeles LGBT Center-WeHo.” The campaign will run in print, online, mobile and outdoor media supported by the website whatRUinto. org. Testing services are available on a walk-in basis or appointments can be made by calling 323-860-5855. More info is available at lalgbtcenter.org/WeHo.

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⚫ 6

HIV & AIDS

10.23.2015

LOS ANGELES

FOCUS: HIV PREVENTION

HIV Prevention’s focus on PrEP faces cultural hurdles PrEP’s effectiveness at lowering the overall rate of new HIV infections could be stymied without a concerted effort to overcome cultural hurdles and tailor outreach strategies to enroll more people of color.

IV negative Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) nationwide are three times more likely than white MSM to become HIV positive, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New HIV infections have declined in recent years for most Americans, especially among Latinos as a whole, women and IV drug users. But the CDC report, released this month, highlighted an increase in new infections among Latino men who have sex with men. In Los Angeles County there’s a similar disparity. While the numbers (through 2012) are dropping among white MSM it has remained stable but elevated for Latinos, according to a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Activists and prevention experts are nonetheless alarmed that the overall sustained decline in new infections is not enough to slow the epidemic below crisis levels. Some are taking a deeper look at tailoring existing prevention and outreach strategies to fit a new tools in the

fight against HIV. And even though it is too soon to tell if PrEP can make a further dent in the numbers (PrEP was slowly introduced in 2011), the daily Truvada pill is central to current prevention efforts aimed at Latino men. Late on a Friday night at The New Jalisco Bar downtown, a drag show featuring dancers dressed in sequined leotards and feathered headdresses had drawn a crowd — most of them gay Latino men. Inside the bar and out, three health workers chatted with customers, casually asking questions: Do you know about the HIV prevention pill? Would you consider taking it? A few men said they had never heard of it. Others simply said it wasn’t for them. “It (awareness of PrEP) hasn’t really hit the Latino community yet,” Jesse Hinostroza, an HIV prevention specialist with AltaMed health clinics, said while sitting at a table with a bowl of condoms and a stack of bilingual pamphlets about the pill. “Latino’s aren’t educated about it.” In California health care agencies are trying to get more high-risk Latino men to use PrEP. “Pre-Exposure Pro-

phylaxis” or PrEP, was approved by the FDA in 2012 for HIV prevention and has been shown to be more than 90 percent effective when used correctly. But health workers are encountering barriers among many Latinos. Lack of knowledge about the drug, and the stigma attached to sleeping with men or perceived promiscuity is just one of the barriers. Many out Latinos also have concerns about costs and side effects. “Even for people who have heard about it, that makes them reluctant to use or hesitant to even inquire about it,” said Phillip Schnarrs, assistant professor of health promotion at the

University of Texas at San Antonio and research director for the Austin PrEP Access Project. Schnarrs, who is conducting a study with gay and bisexual Latino men in Texas, said 58 percent of those sur veyed see themselves as good candidates for PrEP, compared to 82 percent of non-Hispanic whites, according to preliminary data. A N e w Yo r k C i t y b a s e d s t u d y revealed a knowledge gap. 37 of the 40 Latino males surveyed had never heard about PrEP, said Omar Martinez, assistant professor of social work at LATINO continued on p. 7

AltaMed is conducting HIV prevention outreach at several Latino gay bars in Los Angeles area (Photo by Heidi de Marco/KHN).

10.23.2015

LOS ANGELES

LOUIS AREVALO, 27, says he decided to go on the medication last month after getting scared when a condom broke. The college student from Los Angeles says he uses the pill as an extra layer of protection. Photo by Heidi de Marco/KHN LATINO continued from p. 6

the Temple University College of Public Health, who conducted the study. Martinez said doctors and health workers need to focus on reaching young minority men at highest risk of getting HIV and transmitting it to others, including those who don’t regularly use condoms. “We need to do something,” he said. “And PrEP may be the solution.” Latinos are also more likely than non-Hispanic whites and blacks to get diagnosed at a late stage in the course of their illness, raising the risks to their health and the likelihood of transmission to others. In fact, 17 percent of the total US population is Latino yet they make up 21 percent of new HIV infections. At the same time, Latinos are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to be insured or have a regular doctor, although the Affordable Care Act has helped reduce that gap. In California, health workers are trying to get more high-risk Latino men to use the drug, Truvada. AltaMed Health Services offered free HIV tests at The New Jalisco Bar in downtown Los Angeles on July 10, 2015. (Photos by Heidi de Marco/KHN) T ruvada, aka PrEP, can cost up to $1,300 a month. Most insurance companies and Medicaid programs are covering at least part of that, and many local governments are also cov-

ering the pill for uninsured residents. But the high sticker price can dampen interest among patients. T ruvada, which blocks the virus from spreading in the body, is helping to significantly reduce new infections, said Robert Grant, a professor at UC San Francisco School of Medicine who leads research on PrEP’s effectiveness. But the pill does not protect against other sexually transmitted diseases, requires daily use and can cause side effects in some patients, including kidney problems. “It is a very valuable option, but it is only one option,” Grant said. “Condoms are still very important part of a sexual health strategy.” As customers at the New Jalisco Bar danced to traditional Mexican music beneath a disco ball and rainbow lights, Jaime Cardenas conducted HIV tests in a mobile unit parked in front. Anyone who tested on the spot received a free drink coupon, courtesy of AltaMed and the bar. One of the first to agree was Erik Quezada, a counselor at a Los Angeles high school. Cardenas drew a few drops of blood from Erik Quezada’s finger for the rapid test. Within minutes, Cardenas gave him the good news: He didn’t have HIV. Cardenas quickly followed up with information about the HIV prevention pill. “One way you can prevent yourself from acquiring HIV is by taking PrEP,”

⚫ 7

ERIK QUEZADA, 35, says he has heard Truvada is like the birth-control pill for gay people. Quezada, a counselor at a Los Angeles high school, says he’s not sure he would sign up for it. Photo by Heidi de Marco/KHN

Cardenas said, offering to take down Quezada’s number so the clinic could call him later. Quezada, 35, responded that he had heard it was like the birth control pill for gay people. He agreed to be contacted but quickly added, “I don’t know I would ever sign up for it.” Others wer e even less inter ested. Jose Arriola, 25, a self-described “diva,” said he didn’t want to take any medication. “It’s better to use condoms,” he said, sitting by his boyfriend at the bar. A short video produced by AltaMed played between acts. The video featured dif ferent Latino men getting dressed: a cowboy for a night out, a day laborer for work, a buff young man for the gym. Each took the HIV-prevention pill as part of their routine. At the end of each segment, one word popped up on the screen: listo, or ready. “We are really trying to project the message that taking PrEP can be a normal part of your everyday life,” said Dr. Scott Kim, medical director of HIV Services for AltaMed, which runs more than 40 health clinics in Southern California. That, he hopes, will reduce stigma. Kim said health workers need to be more creative in places like East Los Angeles, where many gay and bisexual Latinos are still in the closet and aren’t getting information through traditional health-care sources. Talking about PrEP at a doctor’s office may not be as

effective as doing so on social media, by text message or in a bar, he said. “There are a lot of social obstacles and challenges we have to negotiate here because it’s harder to be out,” Kim said. AltaMed’s efforts are being paid for by Gilead, the pharmaceutical company that makes Truvada. The goal of its $80,000 grant is to help 100 high-risk gay Latino men throughout Los Angeles County get prescriptions for PrEP. The grant pays for the outreach but does not cover the cost of the medication. In the first month of the project, about half a dozen patients received prescriptions. Hinostroza of AltaMed said there is more interest and more knowledge in gay-friendly Hollywood and West Hollywood. “But for East Los Angeles, where we are, it’s a struggle,” she said. Louis Arevalo, 27, is a college student and AltaMed patient who lives in Los Angeles. He said he decided to go on the medication last month after getting scared when a condom broke. He said he uses condoms regularly and gets HIV-tested every three months, but the medication is “an extra layer of protection.” “I’m not as anxious anymore,” he said. But Arevalo said he understands the stigma that might prevent others from LATINO continued on p. 8

⚫ 8

AIDS

10.23.2015

LOS ANGELES

THE STORY IN THE NUMBERS

AIDS DISPARITY

By race and ethnicity, the numbers of newly infected in Los Angeles County and around the nation are telling

⚫ BY TROY MASTERS

New HIV infection data by race reveals critical need for culturally focused prevention efforts African Americans represent <10 percent of Los Angeles’s population yet account for 24 percent of new HIV infections

he number of new HIV cases nationwide has remained stable in recent years at around 30,000 annually, yet men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to account for the vast majority of cases. This disparity is particularly acute among young African American gay and bisexual men. Although African Americans as a whole represent only 12% of the U.S. population, they represent 44% of all new HIV infections and 41% of all people living with HIV in 2011, according aids.gov. Los Angeles County’s statistics mirror those numbers. While African Americans represent only 9.2 percent of the total population in L.A. they accounted for a disproportionate 22% of all new HIV diagnoses in 2012. 87%, of these diagnoses were among men who identify as gay, bisexual, or as men who have sex with men (MSM). These numbers remain largely unchanged, according to the past 5 years of available data provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. While Latinos represent 48.4 percent of the total population of LA County,

LATINO continued from p. 7

taking the drug. For years, he said, he has hidden his boyfriends f r o m h i s m o t h e r, a n immigrant from El Salvador. Arevalo said her church pastor repeatedly

they account for 48% of new cases in 2012. The vast majority of these cases, more than 85 percent, are among men who have sex with men. According to the National Institutes of Health, on a national level Latino MSM test positive for HIV at a rate of nearly 5 percent, while African American MSM test positive at an approximate rate of 6 percent. The rate among white MSM is 3 percent. Against this backdrop, the Los Angeles LGBT Center and the UCLA Vine Street Clinic partnered in 2014 to conduct a groundbreaking five-year study called the mSTUDY, funded by a $7 million grant to UCLA from the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health. The study will investigate how drug use affects the immune system of HIV+ & HIV- minority male-identified men who have sex with men (MSM). Half of the participants sought for the study will be non-opiate substance users. Substance use, especially use of stimulants like crystal methamphetamine, crack, cocaine, and alcohol, are common factors among those newly infected with HIV. The primary aim of this project is to investigate if and how non-injection drug use affects the likelihood of becoming infected with HIV, and if already HIV-positive, its effects on the progression of the virus. Prospective HIV positive study participants can contact the Center for more information at 323-993-8912 ormstudy@lalgbtcenter.org.

has said that homosexuality is a sin. “It’s just part of the culture, AltaMed’s efforts are just one part of a larger effort to get the word out about Truvada. The nonprofit Latino Commission on AIDS, based

in New York, also recently started a campaign in five cities — Long Beach, Calif.; New York City; Chicago; Miami; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Gustavo Morales, the commission’s director of access to care services,

NEW HIV INFECTIONS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY BY RACE

RACE DISTRIBUTION IN LOS ANGELES

US CENSUS DATA

NEW HIV INFECTIONS IN LOS ANGELES

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health MORE THAN 83 PERCENT OF ALL NEW HIV INFECTIONS ARE MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN, BUT SOME COMMUNITIES ARE HIT HARDER THAN OTHERS.

said now is the time to educate people about PrEP — lest too many people form negative opinions about it and health workers become “like salmon swimming against the current.” Morales said patients

aren’t the only ones who need more information. When he decided to go on PrEP late last year, he went to two dif fer ent doctors who didn’t know about Truvada. A third asked him why he wanted to poison him-

self. Finally, he got a prescription from an HIV specialist. “I was definitely disappointed,” said Morales. “There is a lot of work that still has to be done.” Kaiser Health New and The Pride LA.

10.23.2015

LOS ANGELES

⚫ 9

⚫ 10

Featured Author

WELCOME TO THE PRIDE

10.23.2015

LOS ANGELES

MARK SEGAL

⚫ BY JEN COLLETTA

From rioting at Stonewall to dancing at the White House

“I’m standing across the street from Stonewall in Sheridan Square. Here I was, an 18-year-old kid living at the YMCA in a $6-a-night room with no job, no prospects for the future, no real place to live and no money in my pocket. I’m thinking, What am I going to do? And it came to me: This is exactly what I want to do. I’m going to be a gay activist.” More than 45 years after that fateful night outside the Stonewall Inn, Mark Segal still considers himself, first and foremost, an activist. “That’s what’s inside me and what always will be,” he said. “Everything else is secondary.” Adding to his list of “secondary” titles is a new one: “author.” Segal, the founder and publisher of Philadelphia Gay News, has just released his memoirs, “And Then I Danced.” The 320-page book takes readers from Segal’s meager beginnings in a Philadelphia housing project to his pinnacle of dancing with his husband in the White House. That was a journey that, Segal said, many have prompted him to write about over the years. But, it wasn’t until a 2007 reunion of Gay Youth — which he founded in New York City in 1969 — that he started to gain an appreciation for his own role in the LGBT community’s development. “We had the reunion in the New York Gay Community Center and there were about 100 of us who created this big circle. Each of us talked and, as they went around, people were saying that the organization saved their lives, that they were going to commit suicide until they found Gay Youth or that we saved them from bullying or harassment,” Segal said. “It wasn’t until I was halfway home on the train that it all of a sudden hit me what had just happened. Literally in the train car, I just started howling, just crying out loud. It really affected me.” A few years later, another incident again brought Segal full circle: Comcast senior executive vice president and chief diversity officer David L. Cohen invited him to join the media conglomerate’s Joint Diversity Council.

“I thought it was going to be just a rubber-stamp position and I said I didn’t have time for it. And David said, ‘Mark, there are only 40 people nationwide being asked to join this advisory board. Don’t you understand your history? There you were 40 years ago disrupting media, and now we’re asking you to advise media.’” But, as the significance of his decades of activism began to evince itself to him, Segal started seriously considering recounting that work in book form, especially at the prompting of his now-husband, Jason Villemez. “Jason would say to me every night, ‘Do the book, do the book. Sit at your computer and start writing,’” Segal said, noting that at the time he was wrapping up work on one of the nation’s first LGBT-friendly affordable senior-living facilities, and Villemez knew the memoir-writing would be a good way to keep that momentum going. “He was conscious that the minute that ribbon was cut, I’d go from being 2,000 feet into the air to crashing to the ground if I didn’t have a project to work on,” Segal laughed. “I thought I would just take what I had started writing and put it into book form. It didn’t quite happen like that; once I signed the contract, we basically threw out everything I had and went back to scratch,” he laughed. He set to work creating an outline of his life, checking dates and facts and researching his own storied history. That history began in 1951. Segal’s hardworking yet poverty-stricken parents, Shirley and Martin, raised him and his brother in a South Philadelphia housing project, after the city took over Martin’s bodega by eminent domain. As a member of the only Jewish family in the project, Segal’s feelings of being an outsider germinated from a young age, compounded by his worn clothes and lack of material possessions. But what Segal didn’t lack as a child was conviction; in elementary school, he refused to sing “Onward, Christian Soldiers,” his first act of civil disobedience, which was supported by his mother. His grandmother, Fannie Weinstein, also played a pivotal role in

his upbringing; she brought Segal, at age 13, to a civil-rights demonstration at Philadelphia City Hall, his first public demonstration — of many to come. Exploring the struggles of his childhood in that first chapter, Segal said, was among the most challenging aspects of writing “And Then I Danced” — as the self-doubt he experienced in his youth resurfaced. “The first chapter was extremely difficult to write because there are a lot of things in there that people don’t know about me. I struggled to continue with it because I really didn’t believe in myself,” he said. “I had Jason read the first chapter and at the end he was sitting on the sofa crying, and I said, ‘Wow, you really didn’t like it that much?’ And he said, ‘No, there were things here even I didn’t know.’ He really liked it and his support got me to continue.” Working with editor Michael Dennehy, Segal crafted and re-crafted 15 chapters for a final product that takes readers through the national LGBT community’s evolution, seen alongside Segal’s own development. From his burgeoning coming out — beginning with a childhood pull to the Sears Roebuck male models — Segal’s story is as much a commentary on the times as it is on his own experience. Eventually, Segal learned the name for “it” and came out to his family, who, despite the wholly unaccepting societal nature of the time, embraced his identity. Segal’s own self-acceptance was intrinsically tied to New York City; he wrote that he realized at a young age that the city was a haven for gay people, so he moved to the Big Apple the moment he graduated high school. And, a month after he moved to New York City, Segal found himself at Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969. “And Then I Danced” takes readers through Segal’s first-hand account of the seminal riot and ensuing LGBT mobilization. “From the ashes of Stonewall came GLF, and GLF created the foundation of everything that today is the gay community,” Segal said. “We created the first trans organization in America in 1969. We created the first gay youth SEGAL continued on p. 13

PUBLISHER & EDITOR TROY MASTERS

troy@smmirror.com CONTRIBUTORS MATTHEW S. BAJKO, CYNTHIA LAIRD, HENRY SCOTT, CHARLES KAISER, MAER ROSHAN,KIT WINTER, BRAD LAMM, DAVID EHRENSTEIN, STEVE WEINSTEIN, CHRIS AZZOPARD, DIANE ANDERSON-MINSHALL, ALLEN ROSKOFF, JOHN PAUL KING

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10.23.2015

Oh! Canada’s New Prime Minister

TOP :) JUSTIN TRUDEAU, CANADA’S LIBERAL PRIME MINISTER. BELOW LEFT, MOM MARGARET AT STUDIO 54 WITH ANDY WARHOL. BELOW RIGHT: PIERRE TRUDEAU AND BABS

Kevin Sessums coos over Justin, Margaret, Pierre, Andy, Barbara...oh, and Larry Kramer, too

olks are talking about Canada’s new prime minister Justin Trudeau because he appears to be so...well...glamorous. He comes by it all quite honestly. He is the son of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau who, among other things, dated Barbra Streisand. In 1994 I went to see Diana Rigg in Medea at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre in 1994 and sitting behind me were Streisand and Trudeau. I had done a cover story in Vanity Fair on Barbra so I was a bit acquainted with her. Indeed, Barbra had told me in that interview, “I did Medea when I was fifteen in acting

class in New York, and I still think it is my best work. I’ll always remember one of her lines:’I have this hole in the middle of myself.’ “ So, remembering that, I engaged them in conversation. I could tell Barbra was being quite patient with me being brazen enough to comfortably engage them. And then from the mezzanine right above us I heard my name called out and it was Larry Kramer. Do you remember that, Larry, if you’re reading this? He yelled down for Barbra to look up at him. This was when he was trying to get her to do The Normal Heart, I think. I pointed up at Larry. Pierre grinned. Barbra rolled her eyes. She never made the film. Justin’s mother was a bit of a party girl at one time and I met her once as well when we were both hanging out with Andy Warhol during our Studio 54 days. Here she is with Andy at Studio and here Justin’s father is with Streisand.

LOS ANGELES

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Entertainment LOS ANGELES

10.23.2015

LOS ANGELES

ARTS

Tab Hunter is someone to be reckoned with and definitely someone you want to know more about. John Paul King knows what movies you should see. And be afraid. Boo!

⚫ BY DAVID DRAKE

‘50s Hollywood Sex Symbol Tab Hunter is still a Young Love at 84 Hollywood chews ‘em up and spits ‘em out, but Tab Hunter did just the opposite

“

I’m really excited to open the movie in LA,” says Tab Hunter. “It’s like bringing it home!” After selling out dozens of films festivals since its premiere at SXSW last spring (and racking up a mantle-full of audience awards to boot), Jeffrey Schwartz’s superlative documentary of the life, times, and closeted-to-coming-out journey of the penultimate surfer-boy sex symbol of the 1950s, Tab Hunter: Confidential, screens October 30 at the Nuart Theater on Santa Monica Boulevard in West L.A.

SEXIER STILL, TAB HUNTER AT 84

Based on Hunter’s best-selling 2005 autobiography, but now featuring a swoon-inducing array of vintage photographs and clips, as well as costarring a glittering host of talking heads -- Connie Stevens, Debbie Reynolds, Clint Eastwood, Robert Wagner -- you can expect the film to be greeted with klieg lights, tears, and a horde of happy fans at its first West Coast commercial run. “I love the fact that people have been so receptive [to the film],” says Hunter of his months of personal appearances on the festival circuit. “To see how happy people are to meet me, talk with me, take pictures, it’s really been overwhelming.” For us, too, Tab. It’s been a long road, buddy. Welcome home! Without doubt, the reaction from the capacity crowd of mostly older gay men at the

film’s New York opening earlier this month was nothing but awe, joy, and a surprising sense of pride. Why? Because Tab has survived. And at age 84, in both appearance and demeanor, he has got to be the sexiest octogenarian on the planet. Really. More important, however, is that Hunter has lived to tell the tale when all of his gay male Hollywood contemporaries -- Rock Hudson, Sal Mineo, Montgomery Clift, Roddy MacDowell, Anthony Perkins (with whom Hunter had a three-year relationship with in the mid-fifties, and discusses at length in the film) -- are all long gone. And while Hunter is quick to declare, “I hate labels,” by the ever-expanding nature of the LGBTQ civil rights movement, there’s room for Tab. We understand him. We have compassion for him. We’ve grown to value his particular struggles as our own because we can now see that they are an important part of our larger historical struggles. For within his living, breathing, still-vibrant person, Hunter holds a fragile yet intricate piece of our own collective legacy of “coming out.” Furthermore, when Hunter says, “My sexuality is only one thread in my life,” it actually rings with an air of 21st Century modernity. As younger gay men -- along with their older brethren -- continue to evolve and settle into a more complex and idiosyncratic identities, Hunter’s particular journey of self-realization feels utterly of the moment. That he has done so with such grace and spiritual authenticity (there doesn’t appear to be a bitter bone in his body) makes Hunter an even more welcome member of the tribe. Now, if you’ve never heard of

TAB HUNTER IS A SURVIVOR AND HIS NEW MOVIE IS A WINNER TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL (NR) 1 hrs, 30 mins 11272 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles 90025

this guy, just know that before Ashton Kutcher, Channing Tatum, and the boys of Abercrombie & Fitch, there was Tab Hunter. A product of the sun-setting years of the Hollywood studio system, Hunter was groomed by Warner Brothers in the mid-fifties as the best “boy next door” in the world. Of course, that boy had a secret: He was gay. Sent out on “studio dates” with upcoming actresses like Natalie Wood, among others, Hunter rose to become one of the top-grossing stars of the decade with such hits as Battle Cry, The Burning Hills, and Damn Yankees!. At the height of it all, he was outed in the popular scandal magazine Confidential -- caught attending an allmale “pajama party.” Interestingly, it didn’t affect his career

in the slightest. Whatever personal pain the exposure may have caused Hunter, the incident did not propel him into a “lavender marriage,” such as it did with his closeted peer Rock Hudson. “I thought about it,” Hunter now says of camouflaging his homosexuality by marrying a woman. “I thought about it a number of times, but I just couldn’t. I was just not comfortable with doing that.” A devout Catholic from childhood, Hunter adds, “Of course, I also wasn’t comfortable with talking about [being gay] to anyone either -- not my mother, never with my mother. Not my priest. Nor with friends, really. I spoke a little bit about it to my brother when I was in my teens, because I respected TAB continued on p. 13

10.23.2015 TAB continued from p. 12

him so much.” This does not mean, romantically, that Hunter was a shut-in. Definitely not a kiss-n-tell kind of guy (but definitely a relationship kind of guy), Tab Hunter: Confidential does manage to pull insightful details from Hunter on his relationship with Anthony Perkins. Along the way, the film also swirls in Hunter’s subsequent relationships with Olympic skater Ronnie Roberson, as well as the man he’s still with today -- after 30+ years! -- the documentary’s producer Allan Glaser (who promises that when the film is released on DVD, extras will include something not found in the theatrical release: a discussion of Hunter’s affair with ballet superstar Rudolph Nureyev).

LOS ANGELES Still, on-screen and off, staying true to himself is core to Hunter’s enduring appeal -- as is his loyalty to his family. Abandoned by their father as a toddler, Hunter’s mother and older brother struggled to keep it together. As an adult, Hunter would eventually have to face the difficult decision of placing his mom in a mental institution, as well as endure the loss of his mentor-like brother in Viet Nam. Meanwhile, the seismic cultural shifts of the sixties left Hunter a relic of the studio-packaged past. Marshaling on to pay the bills, Hunter spent the next dozen+ years on frequent flyer miles with Spaghetti Westerns, Roger Corman schlock, summer stock, dinner theater. The 1970s saw a smattering of TV guest spots (Love Boat, Hawaii Five-O, Charlie’s Angels) until the day arrived that

re-ignited Hunter’s “Sigh Guy” brand -- with a phone call in 1980 from John Waters, offering Hunter the lead in Polyester. As the star recalls with a still-sparkling twinkle in his tropicana blue eyes, “The first time I met Divine was at a cocktail party at David Hockney’s place in the late seventies. Hearing him talk about the films, which I’d seen, I thought, “Whoa... I wish I were able to come out of myself like that.” So when John finally did call about Polyester, I went: What the heck, I’ve got nothing to lose. I mean, by that point I couldn’t get arrested in Hollywood. And deep down, I just knew working with John and Divine would be so fulfilling, so creative -- which it was! To this day, Polyester is of my favorite films. Come to think of it,” he pauses to ponder, “... in choosing to do that film, it makes

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me think of something my mother always used to say, “We have to grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.” And with doing Polyester, that’s exactly what I did.” If making the leap from spiritual growth to making love to a 300 pound drag queen in a John Waters movie ain’t an easy jump for some, it is for Tab. And frankly, it is for me too. For as Hunter himself says, “I believe in staying positive. That’s what gives you energy. As I’ve come to learn over these many years, the most important thing is to enjoy your time here.” David Drake is an American playwright, stage director, actor and author. He is best known as the author and original performer of The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me.

Proceeds suPPort local, national and international charities. SEGAL continued from p. 10

Flights of Wine 8th annual

organization that dealt with gay issues in 1969. We created the first medical alerts for the gay community and the first gay community center. And at the end of that first year, we created the first gay Pride march. And all of it had to do with ending invisibility and creating community.” It was with those missions in mind that, upon his return to Philadelphia in the 1970s, Segal undertook a campaign to target television coverage of LGBT issues, an undertaking that secured a wealth of television firsts — and forged his unlikely friendship with Walter Cronkite. From the airwaves, Segal turned his attention to political circles, using his burgeoning notoriety to stage uniquely crafted demonstrations, such as chaining himself to a Christmas tree in Philadelphia City Hall and throwing a faux reception in the office of then-District Attorney Arlen Specter to thank him for his support for gay-rights legislation — which he had not yet offered. “We need that spark of creativity and fun again. Gay liberation can be fun,” he said. “We have to get away from the Internet and the online petitions and start doing things to get people’s attention. Our leaders are stuck in this quagmire because they’re used to being in suits and ties in offices in New York and Washington, D.C., and not out among people. We need to think outside the box. Be nonviolent, but think outside the box.” “I wanted to show young gay people how our community got the rights that we have today. It wasn’t writing letters or visiting Congresspeople. Many of us got arrested, received death threats, were targets of physical violence. It was a rough ride getting to where we are today. It wasn’t, ‘One, two three. We’re there.’ Any social-justice movement takes a lot of work and a lot of time.”

Wine and Jazz

Festival from 2-5 p.m.

Number one best selling memoir on Amazon.

“And Then I Danced” traces the history of the publication, which celebrates its 40th anniversary next year, from its meager beginnings in a building with no plumbing and a leaky roof, where staffers would use quarters from the newspaper boxes for lunches, to a 2014 awards dinner where it received a national award for its investigative series on the murder of a local transgender woman. “I encourage anybody, whether you publish it or not, to write your own memoir. You learn so much about yourself,” he said. “It sounds strange, but I don’t think I had an appreciation for what I’ve accomplished until I read the finished book. This made me look back. I didn’t realize all the issues I was involved in, and how much change they had made over the years. I’m just beginning to get in touch with my own history. And I’m finding out I’m a different person than I thought I was.”

Sunday, November 15 Enjoy a delightful afternoon of delicious food, wine and live jazz music!

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Advance Tickets: $125 - before November 1st Tickets purchased at the door: $175 Call 310-392-3654 or contact SMRotaryWineFest@gmail.com for ticket purchases.

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Santa Monica.

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FILM

10.23.2015

LOS ANGELES

HALLOWEEN HORRORS

⚫ BY JOHN PAUL KING

Horror Movies to creep the pride right out of you What are you doing for Halloween? West Hollywood hosts one the nation’s largest and spookiest parades, but some people prefer to avoid the ghouls

alloween is coming up fast, a favorite holiday amongst LGBT folk- some refer to it as “Gay Christmas.” In the spirit of the season, here’s a list of five queer-relevant spooky movies, mostly off the beaten track (or at least, somewhat forgotten), that might help you get in the mood for the big night, curled up in the dark, on the comfort of your couch at home.

“THE OLD DARK HOUSE” (1932) - Any list of queer-related horror films would be incomplete without James Whale, the legendary (and openly gay) director from Hollywood’s golden era portrayed by Ian McKellen in 2003’s “Gods and Monsters.”

You’ve probably seen his iconic “Frankenstein” and its gloriously queer sequel, “Bride of Frankenstein,” but you’ve likely missed this near-forgotten gem about mismatched travelers seeking shelter from a storm within the walls of a gloomy mansion on the moors. A deliciously macabre vehicle for Whale’s sly approach, it’s almost like simultaneously enjoying two movies- a creepy thriller and a campy comedywhich complement each other perfectly. It was considered a “lost film” a half-century ago, but thanks to its rediscovery and restoration, it’s now possible to enjoy its gothic treats and the surprisingly modern performances of its impressive ensemble cast- which includes

THE OLD DARK HOUSE

Boris Karloff, Melvyn Douglas, Gloria Stuart, Raymond Massey, Charles Laughton, and the magnificently prissy Ernest Thesiger. Queer bonus: An early case of gender-blind casting features actress Elspeth Dudgeon as an elderly man.

“THE HAUNTING” (1963) – This classic makes the list for its inclusion of a lesbian character. On the surface, it’s about a scientist who enlists two women- a psychic (Claire Bloom) and an emotionally fragile spinster (the brilliant Julie Harris)- to help explore the secrets of a haunted country estate; simmering underneath, though, is a pressure-cooker of a psychodrama, in which the characters’ interaction creates as much tension as the malevolent spirits surrounding them. Director Robert Wise used all the tricks of his trade to craft an unsettling creepshow without showing anything overtly supernatural, and the ending leaves us

to decide for ourselves whether we’ve seen a ghost story or a psychological drama; modern horror enthusiasts might find it tame, but there are some set-pieces that remain terrifying today. Queer bonus: Bloom’s lesbian psychic is portrayed in a sympathetic and positive manner, a refreshing touch in a film of its era.

“SUSPIRIA” (1977) – This loopy gem from Italian director Dario Argento is not specifically LGBT-releated, but everything about it makes it worthy of inclusion here. Set at a prestigious dance academy, it follows a new student (Jessica Harper) as a series of gruesome murders leads her to suspect a sinister force is hiding within the walls of the school. Stylistically bold, with disorienting camera work, vivid colors, and extravagant sets and costumes, Argento’s film is an operatic fever dream, reveling in its gimmicky set-pieces and cartoonish gore- which

THE HAUNTING

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Horrors

STRANGER BY THE LAKE

only reinforces the permeating sense of unreality. Queer bonus: Bitchy divas Joan Bennett and Alida Valli, who may or may not be fronting an ancient coven of witches.

“THE HUNGER” (1983) – This is the most familiar queer-oriented movie on the list, but I couldn’t NOT include it. Tony Scott’s exercise in sleek ‘80s style is the quintessential modern-day vampire story, about an ancient undead queen (Catherine Deneuve) seducing a scientist (Susan Sarandon) into becoming her next companion, even as her latest (the sublimely

aloof David Bowie) succumbs to the ravages of time. Sure, there’s horror here (the justly famous opening sequence, with Deneuve and Bowie stalking victims under the lights of a chic disco, is reason enough to watch), but this one is really about beautiful sorrow, a lament over the fleeting nature of life and love. Queer bonus: The almost unbearable eroticism of THAT scene between Deneuve and Sarandon.

will disturb you as much as any slasher flick. Directed by Alain Guiraudie, it plays out under bright sunlight at a secuded lakeside beach where gay men come to sunbathe- and to cruise. One daily visitor (Pierre Deladonchamps) becomes obsessed with a sexy stranger (Christopher Paou)- who might just happen be a killer- and finds

himself drawn, despite his better instincts, into a potentially deadly relationship. It’s a very Hitchcockian premise, and like the master himself, Guiraudie manipulates our sympathies and makes us share his main character’s battle between desire and self-preservation- a battle which has deep resonance within the gay community. That alone makes this

French nail-biter worthy of your attention- but you’ll also enjoy the slow-building thrill ride it takes you on, and the sense of unease which lingers long afterwards. Queer bonus: Lots of full-frontal nudity, some fairly explicit sex scenes, and, well, pretty much everything else.

“STRANGER BY THE LAKE” (2013) – The last movie on the list is more suspense than outright horror, but it

SUSPIRIA

THE HUNGER

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FILM REVIEW

10.23.2015

LOS ANGELES

REEL RECOVERY

⚫ BY JOHN PAUL KING

North Hollywood film festival takes on Sobriety The long road to sobriety is one of the most rewarding experiences one can have in life, and it’s a story worth telling

or those film buffs who have a special interest in the field of recovery, the REEL Recovery Film Festival begins this weekend in North Hollywood. Presented by Writers

In Treatment, it’s a multiday event showcasing filmmakers who make honest films about addiction, alcoholism, behavioral disorders, treatment and recovery. Now in its seventh year,

the REEL Festival takes place in nine cities across the U.S., and features a number of new titles as well as classics that focus on these issues. This year the highlights include:

AMY The much-lauded 2015 documentary profiling the late recording artist, Amy

Winehouse.

UNDER THE VOLCANO The late-career John Huston classic starring Albert Finney as an alcoholic British diplomat whose life is imploding in a small Mexican town.

HOW I GOT OVER A documentary about 15

formerly homeless and/ or incarcerated women in New York, following the process of their crafting of a play based on their own true stories.

ARCHIE’S FINAL PROJECT A musical autobiography by director Issa Ibrahim, who spent 18 years in a mental asylum.

BIG SUR Michael Polish’s film about three dramatic weeks in the life of Beat Generation icon, Jack Kerouac.

BILL W. A documentary about the life of Alcoholics Anonymous founder, Bill Wilson. Numerous other films are being screened, as well as daily collections of shorts, and the festival will conclude with “Say Everything,” an evening of free-form conversation between Dr. Gabor Maté and actress Ione Skye, which includes a reception and buffet after the event.

REEL RECOVERY FILM FESTIVAL OCTOBER 23 – OCTOBER 29, LAEMMLE NOHO 7 THEATRES 5240 LANKERSHIM BLVD., NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA 91601.

All screenings are $10, the closing night event is $25 or $65 for reserved seating and participation in the reception/buffet. For more information you can visit http://reelrecoveryfilmfestival.org/ los-angeles/ or call 818762-0461.

10.23.2015

Transgender Protections in California TRANSGENDER continued from p. 4

studies showing that LGBT youth are at higher risk for homelessness, abuse, depression, and suicide, with transgender youth particularly at high risk for poor health outcomes due to the rejection and harassment they face. Those risks, they noted, are magnified for young people in foster care, many of whom have already experienced significant trauma. “By signing SB 731 into law, Governor Brown has taken an important step toward making the foster care system safer and more supportive for transgender youth,” said Transgender Law Center Executive Director Kris Hayashi. “This is critical for a population of young people whose identities are too often rejected and attacked by the systems put in place to support them.” Four days prior, on October 7, Brown signed Leno’s SB 703, which requires out-of-state companies bidding on state-funded contracts to offer their transgender employees the same benefits other employees receive. California-based companies are already required to do so. The bill prohibits a state agency from entering into a contract in the amount of $100,000 or more with any company that does not offer equal benefits based on an employee’s gender identity. “California law already stipulates that employers cannot deny transgender people health care and other benefits, but a loophole in state law has allowed companies that contract with the state to refuse equal health coverage,” noted Leno. “This bill closes that loophole. Denying equal benefits to employees at the same company based on gender identity is harmful and wrong. It also can jeopardize employee health and strain publicly-funded programs that fill in the gaps when employers don’t provide the same benefits to everyone.” “With a third of transgender people reporting having been denied health care coverage, this law is an important step in improving the health of all members of the LGBT community,” stated EQCA Executive Director Rick Zbur. “It also sends an important message. If you want to do business in California, you have to treat all your employees equally.” NCLR government policy director

Geoff Kors noted that the legislation makes California the first state in the nation to refuse to contract with businesses and other entities that discriminate against their transgender employees in benefits. “This legislation will not only help transgender employees, but will also help California businesses since California already prohibits health insurance carriers from denying transgender individuals benefits offered to non-transgender individuals and will thus level the playing field with entities from out of state that bid for contracts with California,” stated Kors. “Once again, California’s governor and Legislature are leading the nation in ending discrimination and ensuring that taxpayer funds don’t go to those who discriminate.” Earlier this summer Brown had signed into law the other two bills. In August he signed AB 830, authored by lesbian Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton), chair of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus. The bill clarifies that legal remedies for the victims of violence motivated by a person’s gender are also available to transgender individuals and others targeted because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In July Brown signed AB 87, authored by Assemblyman Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay), prohibiting peremptory challenges during the jury selection process of a prospective juror based on an assumption they will be biased because of his or her gender identity, gender expression, ethnic group identification, genetic information, or disability. Under existing law, noted EQCA, peremptory challenges are prohibited for most, but not the above, protected classes of individuals. “This new law will take a modest but necessary step to ensure that defendants are allowed a trial by an impartial jury that reflects a cross section of the population in a community,” stated Stone. “Additionally, without this protection, prospective jurors could be denied the right to participate in the justice system and complete their civic duty.” Matthew S. Bajko is an assistant news editor and the political columnist at the Bay Area Reporter in San Francisco.

LOS ANGELES

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LOS ANGELES

Out for Congress SOCAL continued from p. 3

push to reduce the cost of college should he be elected. “A lot of what happens locally is tied to decisions made in Congress. I want to have a positive impact for my community and want to be the representative for this district I call home,” he said. To date no Republican has announced plans to seek the seat. Three other Democrats are in the race: former state Senators Lou Correa and Joe Dunn, and Pomona resident Heberto Sanchez , a manager with the Los Angeles County Department of Health. Correa has been aggressively courting donors and supporters, reporting he had raised $179,681 as of September 30 with more than $151,000 in his campaign account. He has lined up endorsements from Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D-Whittier), the sister of Loretta Sanchez, as well as Congressmen Juan Vargas (D-San Diego), Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands), and Ted Lieu (D-Los Angeles). A day after Nguyen announced his bid for the seat, Correa’s campaign announced gay state Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) had endorsed his candidacy. In the release, which called Leno an “LGBT trailblazer and longtime advocate for equality,” the Bay Area lawmaker was quoted as saying, “The voters of the 46th Congressional District would be fortunate to have Lou Correa fighting for them in our Capitol. Lou’s rare intellect, work ethic, determination and compassion will serve his constituents well. We need Lou’s leadership in Washington.” While Dunn has yet to report any fundraising, the committee Friends of Joe Dunn for Congress has raised $131,274 to date and reported having $129,777 in the bank. Brandman has raised more than $91,000 and reported having more than $107,000 in cash on hand as of September 30. Heberto Sanchez reported he had spent the $3,318 he has raised to date. As the Orange County Register noted in a recent story about the race, the ethnic makeup of the district’s voters favor Correa and Dunn. Latinos account for 42 percent of citizens of voting age in the district, the paper pointed out, while

non-Latino whites account for 41 percent. Asked about the demographics, Nguyen said he has either lived or worked in every city in the district and is not running to represent just one community. “I am not just reaching out to Vietnamese voters. I am running to represent this entire district,” he said. “I am going to work very hard to earn the trust of the voters in this district regardless of what their racial or ethnic makeup is.” There is still the chance that Sanchez could opt to seek re-election to her House seat instead of Boxer’s Senate seat. She has until the March 11 filing deadline to decide which race to compete in; as of last week she was trailing state Attorney General Kamala Harris in both polling and fundraising. But Sanchez was well ahead of the Republicans in the race: Assemblyman Rocky J. Chavez of Oceanside and former state Republican Party chairmen George “Duf” Sundheim and Tom Del Beccaro . Under the state’s top-two primary system, the two candidates with the most votes in the June 2016 primary will advance to the November election, so at this point it is likely it would be Harris and Sanchez. Nguyen said he couldn’t answer when asked if he knew whether Sanchez would run for the Senate or House next year. Nor would he say if he would drop out of the House race if she sought re-election to her congressional seat. “I am not going to speculate on Sanchez and if she would run for re-election,” he said. Nguyen did say he is planning to fundraise throughout California for his race and welcomed anyone interested in serving on a host committee emailing his campaign manager, Soham Pandit, at soham@bao2016.com. “I think people in this district need reform in Washington. They need a government to listen and put their interest ahead of big corporations,” he said. “I want people to have a government that is on their side. I want to reform how our government works and put it back on the side of the people.” Matthew S. Bajko is an assistant news editor and the political columnist at the Bay Area Reporter in San Francisco.

Governor Brown BROWN continued from p. 4

duction would have the same parental rights as married parents. “AB 960 protects children born through assisted reproduction by ensuring that their family relationships are respected by the law,” stated Cathy Sakimura, the family law director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which co-sponsored the bill with EQCA and Our Family Coalition. “Every child deserves this protection, no matter how they were conceived.” On October 8 Brown signed AB 865, authored by Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D-Salinas), which requires recipients of California Energy Commission grants or loans to increase procurement from minority-owned business enterprises, including those run by LGBT individuals. It goes into effect January 1. “This landmark bill will create relationships between the energy industry and minority businesses,” stated Alejo. “I commend Governor Brown for creating a more inclusive green economy that encourages transparency in procurements and will help level the playing field for diverse businesses that may otherwise be overlooked in the clean energy sector.”

LGBT youth bills pass

wo bills aimed at creating safer schools for LGBT students received Brown’s support this year. Both will go into effect January 1. The most significant, signed by Brown on October 1, is AB 329, the California Healthy Youth Act authored by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (D-San Diego). It requires sex education for students in grades seven to 12 to provide medically accurate and age-appropriate instruction on LGBT youth and families, and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and pregnancy. “Providing sexual education, including information about STDs and their prevention, through our public schools ensures that the state is reaching millions of young people at a formative stage in their lives when this information can take hold,” stated Whitney Engeran-Cordova, senior director in the Public Health Division at the Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “This allows them to make wise

and informed decisions as they engage in sexual activity when they are older.” On October 7 Brown signed AB 827, authored by Assemblyman Patrick O’Donnell (D-Long Beach). It calls for the creation of a training program to help teachers combat bullying and support LGBT youth who are coming out of the closet or being targeted by other students. “My experience as a classroom teacher has taught me one of the most important keys to academic success is a safe and inclusive learning environment,” stated O’Donnell, who chairs the Assembly Education Committee. “With the passage of AB 827, we will ensure our LGBTQ students have access to community resources and teachers are able to foster supportive learning environments, improve academic achievement and make our schools safer.” A third bill, SB 524 by gay state Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), stalled in the Assembly this year, and Lara will push for its passage in 2016. It would have required private residential facilities for youth, whether LGBT or straight, to obtain a license from the Department of Social Services. If adopted next year, it will apply to residential boarding school facilities, military style academies, and boot camps. Another bill that may be revived next year is SB 414, authored by state Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), which would change various code sections in California law mentioning a “husband” and “wife” to the gender-neutral term “spouse” to reflect the fact that same-sex couples can now legally marry in California. The bill had passed out of the Senate and was to be taken up by the Assembly. But in June Jackson opted to junk the bill’s original language, since it merely clarified existing law, and revised it with new legislation in response to an oil pipeline rupture that sent thousands of gallons pouring into the ocean off Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara County. The senator’s office told the B.A.R. that either Jackson or another lawmaker would likely reintroduce the original SB 414 language when the Legislature reconvenes in December. Matthew S. Bajko is an assistant news editor and the political columnist at the Bay Area Reporter in San Francisco.

10.23.2015 The Historian

OUR LIBERTY, OUR LIVES

⚫ BY WES JOE

LOS ANGELES

West Lake

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LGBT folks have not always been a welcome part of LA life; there are people, place and events that paved the way. We remember them.

MacArthur Park was cruisy in the dark MacArthur Park was perhaps the first visible LGBT neighborhood in Los Angeles, perhaps in America, and boasted an impressive list of community pioneers and organizations

“

MacArthur Park” might bring to mind the song of the same name from the 1960s (or Donna Summer’s disco remix). Others recognize it as the focus of the nation’s largest Central American community. And for some, it’s on the frontier of gentrification. What’s likely forgotten is the location’s early role in the L.A. LGBT community – as the home of various organizations, and a cultural center of everyday life. First opened in 1890 as Westlake Park (renamed in 1942), it was at the center of a new subdivision intended for the wealthy. With its lake and landscaped surround, the Park was instantly popular. Otis Art Institute opened in 1918 across the street in a donated mansion. By the 1920s, the wealthy had moved on, apartment towers began to sprout, and a new cultural center was in place. Down the block stood the Masonic Lodge, crowned with its enigmatic statues. Just south, Chouinard Art Institute (now CalArts) opened in 1921. Across South Alvarado Street, the Westlake Theater opened in 1926 with 1,949 seats, configur ed for both

movies and vaudeville productions. In 1960, it became Park Theater, and in June of 1968 (a year before Stonewall), filmmaker Pat Rocco hosted “A most unusual film festival, the first assemblage of films of interest to the adult homosexual.” Most recently, in 1991, the building was converted to house a swap meet. For many years, the park was a popular cruising area. In 1953,Dale Jennings broke up with co-Mattachine founder Bob Hull,and went out ‘looking.’ One night, he met a man in a park restroom, and took him home to Echo Park. The guy was a vice officer, and this interaction was enough to have Jennings arrested. Mattachine organized to fight his conviction, and their success initiated an enormous wave of interest in the organization. Women (Women’s interest groups?) have long had a presence at the park. The Sewing Circle mentions the (capitalize ‘The’ if part of the name, otherwise leave ‘the’ out) Lake Shore Club, the (same) Open Door on Alvarado, and the If Club on Vermont, which was open from the 1930s into the 1950s. In 1973, the Woman’s Building was founded in the for -

MacArthur Park was home to one of America’s earliest identifiable gay neighborhoods.

mer Chouinard space. Initial tenants included Sisterhood Bookstore, Womanspace, and the newsletter, Lesbian Tide. Around the same time, the Alcoholism Center for Women, an offshoot of the Gay Community Services Center, opened nearby, on South Alvarado Street , where it remains today. The Center opened its doors in 1971 at 1612-14 Wilshire Boulevard in a Victorian mansion (since demolished). The Gay Community Services Center was the first gay organization to receive non-profit status by the IRS, and was the first organization with the word ‘gay’ in its title to receive funding by the federal government (1975). Staff reported that during the first year between 1,700 – 2,500 men and women passed through the doors each

week. By the end of the decade it had moved to Hollywood. Gay life in Los Angeles been shaped by what happened in this neighborhood. Bob Mizer established the Athletic Model Guild in 1945. At the time, censorship laws allowed women, but not men, to appear undressed in “art photography.” Mizer worked for 47 years photographing and filming men, during which time he was arrested on several occasions. Over those years, both his content and media changed along with legal standards and technology. An excerpt from Beefcake, by the Leather Archives & Museum, showcases some of his work. Mizer worked out of late 19th and early 20th century homes on West 11th Street, east of South Alvarado Street that is

today protected within a preservation area. Among his models were Steve Reeves, Jack LaLanne, Joe Dallesandro, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Bob Mizer Foundation was founded in 2010 to preserve and restore his work. The Silver Platter is a good p l a c e t o e n d t h e t o u r. A t 7thStreet and South Rampart Boulevard, The Silver Platter served the local community for 50 years, starting in 1963. The clientele changed as the neighborhood and the city changed and by the 1980s, customers were mostly latino. By the early 2000s, it had begun to draw a transgender crowd. And, in 2012, trans filmmaker Wu Tsang began a weekly trans event, “Wildness,” which has been commemorated in a video of the same name.

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LOS ANGELES

10.23.2015