The Standard Magazine

MAY, 2015 VOLUME 3 ISSUE 5 THESTANDARDPS.COM

T HE ICO N IC

Darlene Love

SHARING THE LOVE AT EUTS EXCLUSIVE Q & A

HARVEY MILK

ONE MAN’S FATEFUL MEETING

CONTENTS VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5

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Volume 3 Issue 5 COVER EVENING UNDER THE STARS TAKE 5 MARK ANTON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AAP CELEBRITY Q & A THE ICONIC DARLENE LOVE FEATURE THE IMPACT OF MEETING HARVEY MILK MUSIC THE VOICE OF LA VOIX

MAY, 2015 3

COMMENTARY

The Standard Magazine 1111 Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs CA 92262 760-831-4869 Nino Eilets Publisher Luciano McNulty Editor Maya Kalabic Art Director Photographer David A. Lee Contributors Trent Blanchard, Mona De Crinis Chris Heritage, Ron Huberman, Dennis Mason, Devin Payne, Michael Rivera, Jason Salerno, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Ken Toth & Rick Zbur www.thestandardps.com Editorial Credits : BrandPoint, Huffington Post, LGBTQ Nation & Project Publicity The Standard Magazine is published monthly. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of the Standard or its staff, advertisers or readers with exception of editorials.

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COVER|EUTS

EVENING UNDER THE STARS

ENDING THE SEASON ON A HIGH NOTE

It’s everybody’s favorite gala of the year. AIDS Assistance Program’s Evening Under the Stars has served as the grand finale of the charity season in the valley for the 22nd year running now.

Like the grassroots organization it benefits, Evening Under the Stars, as the locals dub it, is a chance to celebrate and party with a cause with the fundraiser that puts the “Fun” back into fundraising.

AIDS Assistance Program (AAP) was founded in Palm Springs, California in 1991, by a small group of concerned citizens who provided meals to low-income men, women, and children in the community who were suffering with HIV/AIDS. Since then, AAP’s client roster has grown from approximately 20 to more than 550 people.

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Managed by a five-member volunteer Board of Directors, the primary purpose of AAP is to raise funds for the organization and its food voucher program. 100% of the funds needed for AAP’s operational expenses are generated through a growing private donor base, local business support, special events, and grant funding. Two full-time employees manage the organization from a small office in Palm Springs, and all support personnel is drawn from a pool of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers.

Any one-year resident of the greater Palm Springs area, living in poverty and diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, is qualified to receive AAP food vouchers. Dependent children are also eligible for dollar

EUTS|COVER

amounts equal to those received by their parents. Currently, AIDS Assistance Program distributes food vouchers redeemable at local Stater Brothers Supermarkets. The goal is to ensure that clients can continue to live their lives with dignity and self-respect.

AAP relies on its major annual fundraising gala, Evening Under the Stars to help support its programs. In 2014, an electrifying performance by the First Ladies of Disco – Linda Clifford, France Joli, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Maxine Nightingale, Pamala Stanley, Anita Ward, Martha Wash, and the ladies formerly of Chic: Alfa Anderson, Luci Martin, and Norma Jean – had everyone on their feet with an amazing night of 70’s dance music. Evening Under the Stars has also featured the talents of Nell Carter, Tyne Daly, Melissa Manchester, Jane Oliver, Lorna Luft, Suzanne Somers, Bea Arthur, Barry Manilow, Nancy Wilson, Lily Tomlin and the entire remaining cast of Laugh In, Mary Wilson of The Supremes, Pink Martini, ABBA

by Arrival, The B-52s, The Go-Go’s, and Cyndi Lauper.

Private donations and grants have dwindled in recent years; therefore, AAP seeks new and innovative ways to finance its operations with a simple fundraising philosophy: “AAP offers special events to ensure that loyal community supporters have a great time while contributing to a very worthy cause.”

While it’s a sure bet a few ties will be worn to the event – by the time the incomparable Darlene Love takes the stage at the O’Donnell Country club, Saturday, May 9th, those ties will be loosened and dancing shoes will be getting a work out. There’s just something cool about EUTS, where the community comes together one night for a great cause, recognize people who make a real difference in our community, and all the while have a stellar time for a great cause!

IF YOU GO Evening Under the Stars May 9 at 5:30 PM O’Donnell Golf Course Palm Springs CA Info: www.aidsassistance.org

MAY, 2015 7

FEATURE|TAKE FIVE 5 QUESTIONS WITH MARK ANTON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AIDS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM The Standard: What is the main goal of AIDS Assistance Program?

MARK ANTON: AIDS Assistance Program has focused on the same goal since 1991— providing nutritional support to low-income men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS in the Greater Palm Springs area. To qualify for assistance from A.A.P., a client must have an HIV Diagnosis, earn less than $17,505.00 (which is 150% of the Federal Poverty Level) and supply verification of housing status and submit to random testing for illegal drug use.

As stewards of our donor’s contributions, we believe in ensuring funds go to those who are indeed qualified to receive.

TS: AAP does voucher distribution twice a month; with the change in the economy, have the number of clients walking through the door to receive these vouchers significantly changed as well?

MA: We would certainly like to do more. The demand for services has not shifted for the better. We receive calls daily—some of them really make you stop and think about your own life and how blessed many of us are. The past economy was tough on many charities including A.A.P.; several local organizations could not keep their doors open. At A.A.P. we are committed to working hard and being here as long as we are needed. We can only do that however with the help of the community. When we add a client to our rolls, we have to plan financially to sustain that client for many years, so it is not a commitment we take lightly.

TS: Can you tell us any misconceptions you believe the public may have about AAP? MA: I’m not sure there are misconceptions about AAP, but there are certainly misconceptions about HIV/AIDS. I am adamant that we treat clients in a non-judgmental fashion. Many people living with any disease whether it be HIV/AIDS, lung cancer, liver disease etc. deserve to be treated with kindness, respect and to be encourage they have something to offer society and are important.

Many people living with lung cancer chose to smoke cigarettes, yet

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we should not shun them or consider them anything less than the rest of us. We all make choices, sometimes great, sometimes not so great; however, we all deserve dignity and respect. I hope if anyone does have any misconceptions about us they would pick up the phone and call. We are 1 full time and 2 part time staff and work diligently to do the right thing. And hats off to our 50 plus volunteers that make it all possible.

TS: Evening Under the Stars is the organizations biggest fundraising event and one of the Valley’s most fun I might add; can you tell us your fondest memories from past events?

MA: Well—perhaps my fondest was last year—we had 12 amazing performers—and all of them were so happy to be together—performing. I watched in awe how the audience was so receptive to them—several of the ladies told me they “felt the love”. Martha Wash, Pamala Stanley, Linda Clifford and the rest of the Ladies were amazing. The Former Ladies of Chic, Norma Jean Wright, Luci Martin and Alfa Anderson were brought together for the 1st time in 20ish years—seeing this was historic. Other fond memories include the two years my sweet friend Mary Wilson of the Supremes performed and my amazing friend Lily Tomlin corralled the original cast of “Laugh In” together. Then of course there were the years when the amazing Barry Manilow performed too—a tried and true gentleman. Cyndi Lauper dancing on Jim Houston’s and Harold Matzner’s table is pretty unforgettable too.

TS: What can we look forward to at this year’s event?

I’m head over heels for Darlene Love—just don’t tell her husband Alton—or mine! Darlene incidentally, performed for President and Mrs. Obama at the White House on April 14th. We’ve also got a few twists this year that we haven’t had in years past. Great auction items and a relaxed dress code—we’re encouraging imagination and creativity. We came in 2nd place in the Desert Sun’s “Best of the Valley” contest for best reason to get dressed up, behind the Palm Springs International Film Festival. It will be a blast.

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Q & A|DARLENE LOVE

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

A SETTING DESERT SUN, AN EVENING UNDER THE S MOUNTAINS, AND THE INDISPUTABLE TALENTS OF D

BY M. M. DE CRINIS

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STARS IN THE SHADOW OF THE SAN JACINTO DARLENE LOVE — WHAT ELSE IS THERE? With one of the most recognizable voices that you might not have recognized as hers, Darlene Love has parlayed decades of session work for big-name artists into a blooming solo career with roots as strong as an oak’s.

As part of Phil Spector’s “wall of sound” hit factory, Love flirted heavily with fame since the early 1960s as a lead singer of The Blossoms who sang background for 20th century household names such as Tom Jones, The Righteous Brothers, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Presley, Nancy Sinatra and Cher (to name only a few). She also established herself as a hit-maker with a handful of her own Billboard classics, including “He’s A Rebel,” “The Boy I’m Gonna Marry,” and “He’s Sure the Boy I Love.” During this time, Love exercised her tremendous instrument without having to do all the heavy lifting that goes with superstar status. And today, she’s flexing those vocal muscles and showing the world why she was one of the most sought-after singers during the Motown era and beyond.

In the last several years, Love has breached the berm separating backup singers from top-billed artists. She was the headliner for the final season of The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies. She’s achieved the coveted golden triad in music: An Oscar and Grammy for her work in the award-winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom, and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (or what she calls her “music Oscar”). Her double decade stint on the David Letterman Christmas Show singing the No. 1 holiday favorite “Christmas Baby Please Come Home” kept her in the game, but her will, faith and inestimable talent has pushed her close to the finish line — even though she’s nowhere near taking her medal and going home.

If folks in their golden years are “seasoned citizens,” as Ms. Love teasingly refers to mature individuals, then she, at 73, is pepper personified. Bold, feisty, and delivering a pop of flavor to everything she does, Darlene Love is finally reaping the benefits of a life devoted to music and a spirit that projects seemingly eternal youth.

In anticipation of her appearance at Evening Under the Stars on May 9 — the year’s major fundraiser for AIDS Assistance Program held annually at O’Donnell Golf Club in Palm Springs — Love graciously took time out of her busy schedule to speak with The Standard about her road to success and the fierce love she feels for her peers, fans, and the industry to which she has devoted her life.

MAY, 2015 11

Q & A|DARLENE LOVE The Standard: Thank you for speaking with us, and congratulations on all of your success, particularly in the last several years with a Grammy and Oscar for 20 Feet from Stardom and, now, a new album. How does it feel to be firmly in the spotlight?

DARLENE LOVE: [Laughs] It’s been amazing. Because, you know, I’ve been at this for about thirty years trying to get on the top of my game. So I’ve been working quite a bit, but what has happened since the Academy Awards is that it has gotten me more recognition.

Producers, when they hire you, want to know that you can put butts in the seats. [Laughs] So I have gone from like five-, six-hundred seaters to a thousand, two thousand-room seater now. And I’m doing the same thing! I’m working just as hard for the five-hundred seats as I do for the two-thousand seats. That hasn’t changed. I think what has made me so successful is that I do the same show with the same energy for two hundred people as I would do for two thousand people. The difference level is the energy that the audience gives to you. But other than that, I do almost the same exact show, and it’s a wonderful feeling.

DL: Well, you know, the one thing people always ask singers is, “Aren’t you tired of singing those songs?” You know, “He’s a Rebel,” “Da Do Ron Ron”? I say no, I never really get tired of singing them because every audience is different. And they all want to hear those songs. It’s not like the same people every night. New audiences act and react differently, more or less. So for me, and I don’t know about anybody else, I feel like I’m doing it for the first time for this audience. And I have a lot of faith in God — I’ve had to, because it’s been me and my husband struggling on this road a long time by ourselves. Also, my daughter is an exercise teacher, and I get up every morning and do a 5 a.m. kickboxing class with her. [Laughs] TS: You are an inspiration!

DL: [Laughs] That’s what all the ladies in the class say. I can tell when my energy is down, when I really have to pull hard to do a show, that I haven’t been working out — which usually is because I’m not home, I’m working. But when I’m home, I’m at every class. That’s what gives me that energy and that strength and that power to do shows.

TS: What do you do to stay emotionally, spiritually, and physically fit to perform with the same energy level and passion you have your entire life?

TS: How about mentally and emotionally?

DL: Mentally I’m always prepared. My sister travels with me and

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JUDITH HILL, MERRY CLAYTON, DARLENE LOVE, TATA VEGA AND LISA FISCHER 20 FEET FROM STARDOM AND DARLENE & BETTE

she knows when it’s time for people to get out of my dressing room.

You know, “Miss Love needs this time by herself, she’s preparing for her show.” And I do. I do a quiet time for about an hour, if I can. I put on gospel music, and I just calm myself down by listening to that.

Everybody that’s in that room with me knows it’s my quiet time; that’s how I kind of stay up on my game. I prepare every night to do my show. I don’t just go to work and say, “OK, I’m ready, let’s go on.”

[Laughs] I prepare mentally before every show I do.

TS: Lots of people don’t feel like it’s really Christmas until they’ve heard “Christmas Baby Please Come Home.”

DL: Exactly. And that’s what I keep trying to tell my agent. I said, “Listen, you need to tell people I have another show that I do that’s not a Christmas show.” [Laughs] So that’s what we’ve been doing.

What’s been so good is that I don’t have to do more than four or five shows a month. And they have gotten bigger and bigger and bigger, especially since I was singing “Christmas Baby Please Come Home” on the David Letterman Show. The last time I did that song on David’s show was 2014, because he’s retiring. I did that show for 28 years. I get fan mail, and people say they sit around their television set with the children; it’s a big night for them. They wait to see that Christmas show. Somebody passes you on the street and says, “I’m like David [Letterman]; Christmas doesn’t start until I hear you sing that song.”

[Laughs] That’s a great reflection on me, that I’m still doing those songs great — I’m not just sort of doing them, I’m doing them!

excited to have us, as we were to sing on their record. They didn’t treat us like old background singers or an old rag that you threw to the side and the say, “OK, it’s time to sing!” [Laughs] They waited to hear our input. There are a lot of stars that we worked for who wanted to hear what we thought of the background. “What do you hear here? Do you hear oohs here, ahhs here?” You know, let us know what you want. And then there were the ones that came prepared, and they told us what they wanted. So it was always great because it was always a challenge; we’d never know what the artist was going to want. So we had to be prepared, and we also had to be good enough to learn what they want, you know, and then do it well.

TS: Would you say then that being one of the greatest session singers in history, being so versatile and flexible, helped you in your solo career?

DL: Yes, it did, because when I went out on the road and sang background for like Nancy Sinatra or Sammy Davis Junior, they let us open their show. We did like a 15-, 20-minute opening act. Then we’d go change clothes and do background for the show. So I always got a chance to step out. When we worked for Nancy Sinatra, she’d call me up [on the stage] and say, “This is the singingest woman I know.” You know I had to have a lot of nerve to be on the stage with her. [Laughs] Then I would do my little thing and people would really applaud.

And I’d be going back to sing background, and she’d say — now the audience would be applauding — she’d say, “Come on girl, come back up here and take another bow.” Those were great opportunities for me to sing in front of thousands of people, you know, for thousands of people to see me, even though it was just this one little step out.

Cher did the same thing with me when I worked for her. She’d pull me out of the background, let me come up there and sing with her. It gave me a thrill. It also helped me when I decided to put my shows together.

TS: How did you continue believing in yourself and your talent, even while it was your voice that helped launch huge careers for other artists?

DL: When I was doing background [singing] during the ’50s and ’60s, I loved it. Because there was no pressure, you know? And the singers would come to us and they would say, “Man, we’re excited to have you doing background on our record.” They were just as

TS: Last year at the Academy Awards, you received a standing ovation when you sang at your acceptance speech for 20 Feet from Stardom. Did you plan that or was it a spontaneous decision?

DL: It wasn’t a spontaneous that night. But the spontaneous part about it was that I didn’t find out till the night before. [Laughs] They said, “We want you to go up on stage and represent the girls.

And I went, “What?” As far as we knew, it was just going to be the

TS: How many shows are you doing these days?

DL: Well, my biggest show times over the last five or six years was really Christmastime. From November to January 1st, I am busy, busy, busy.

MAY, 2015 13

Q & A|DARLENE LOVE producers, because when you do a documentary they only allow the producers to come up on stage. And I said, “Well, what am I going to say? What am I going to do?” And they said, “You’ll think of something to do. You know, you always do.” I’m one of those people who always land on their feet. And then they said, “Maybe you should sing something.” And I said, “Now I know you all have lost it.

What am I going to sing in 45 seconds that would make any sense?”

But I did what I usually do; I call upon the strength that I need. I just bowed my head and I said, “OK Lord, give me a song.” And then to get the standing ovation, it was like, man, this is out of sight. [Laughs] TS: It must have felt really empowering to be honored like that by Hollywood A-listers.

DL: It was amazing. I went to all the parties that I could go to, because they wear you out with parties. [Laughs] When you win an Academy Award, you get in to all the A-list parties. We went to every one of the parties…. If there’s another highlight of my career, I can’t think of what it would be. That night was amazing. There are not a million, but a billion people watching you, and you say to yourself, “What am I doing up here? Am I going to make a fool out of myself?”

[Laughs] You know, I still think about it. I’ve even dreamed that that happened. And you wake up, and you go, oh yeah, that really did happen. It’s something you just don’t expect… I am so humbled by all of the accolades. You know, I have the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Oscar (I call it an Oscar too), and the Grammy is going to make the set complete. Three of them, the highest honors you could get in this business: an Academy Award, a Grammy, and being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I don’t know what’s happening next, but I’m going to be ready for it, whatever it is. [Laughs] TS: You have an album coming out soon, right?

DL: I do. We just finished it. And Steven [Van Zandt] is mixing it right now. I’m so excited, because he said, “Ooh, I found the perfect name for that album.” But he won’t tell me what it is. [Laughs] Everybody in the control room said it’s a masterpiece, and that it’s probably one of the greatest albums they’ve heard in many, many years. Steven put his heart and soul into it. It’s something he’s been thinking about doing for years. When I say years, 20 years, as long as I’ve known him. He would always say, “We’re going to go in the studio one day, Darlene, I’m going to record you.” I’ve never seen anybody work like him, a record producer in a studio, where things just come to him out of the blue. You can just see the wheels turning in his head as he’s listening, you know. So it’s a masterpiece as far as I’m concerned. Except for two songs, everything is brand-spanking new. I just hope the world and our fans are ready for it. [Laughs] TS: When you come to the desert next month to perform at Evening Under the Stars, do you already know what you’re going to do?

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DL: We have a regular show that we do that’s very high energy.

When we do shows like this, we try to sing songs that people know, that they’re familiar with. The best thing to do is sing a song the audience knows or recognizes, because they get into it with you. And they start singing with you, which is really great.

TS: How big is the band that you travel or perform with?

DL: There are seven musicians and three singers. It’s pretty big. We have gotten to the place now where we don’t have to do a pickup. We used to just take my conductor and my singers, and then we’d pick up the band, you know, on the way or when we get to California. But God has really been blessing us with good jobs, and now we can afford to take the band with us when we go. It’s something I’ve been working toward. It’s really great to be able to take my band and my singers with me.

TS: How does it feel for you to now be the person with the backup singers?

DL: It’s a lot of work. [Laughs] When I was a backup singer, I just showed up and knew what I was supposed to sing. I didn’t have to worry about hotels or airfares or flights or meet and greets — all of those wonderful things. But my singers make it so easy for me, because I was going to have the best singers on the planet behind me. [Laughs] TS: Having been in the music industry a long time, what is your impression of music today and the industry in general?

DL: Well, all I can say is, it’s their music. We had our turn; they have their turn now. I think people expect more of the new people.

Now it’s more of a show-show, you know. It’s not just a performance; it’s a show. So much is involved. People expect to see the smoke and the lights and dancers, and they expect you to take your clothes off and be half naked, and that ain’t our world. [Laughs] … But I’m so appreciative that people still come and see you, you know? They don’t have to. [Laughs] But they do. It actually keeps me humble. I enjoy it so much, and my fans can see that; they can see I am enjoying what I’m doing. You know, I’m not out on that stage going, “Oh God, I got to sing this song one more time. OK, come on, y’all.” No, I enjoy it.

TS: You have so much energy and enthusiasm. And it doesn’t seem like there’s any plan of slowing down soon.

DL: Nope, not for a while, as long as I can do it. Just call me Tony Bennett-ette. [Laughs] If he can do it, I can do it, too.

IF YOU GO 22nd Annual Evening Under the Stars May 9, 5:30 p.m.

Performance by Darlene Love, followed by dancing to Nightshift O’Donnell Golf Club in Palm Springs Visit www.aidsassistance.org for tickets and information.

FEATURE|HARVEY MILK

THE IMPACT OF MEETING HARVEY MILK

FROM MARCHING IN A PROTEST TO MAKING HISTORY IN THE WORKFORCE

BY RON HUBERMAN

I’m Ron Huberman and I’m from Boston, Massachusetts.

I first met Harvey Milk when I walked into his camera store on Castro. In the summer of 1975, I was teaching school at that time and I had the summers off, and I decided I would go cross-country. Joining me was a good friend of mine, Keith. Actually I came out to him as a gay man in the car as he did also. And I arrived in San Francisco and I saw a sign that said “Camera Store” and I said to Keith, “Oh, great, we can drop all this film off.”

We walked into the camera shop and there was this kind of shaggy-haired guy with a heavy New York accent. “Ron,” he said, “you don’t mind, do you, if I took a couple of these pictures of your little friend Keith, do you, because I want to keep them for myself.”

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And that’s how I met Harvey Milk.

There was an amendment coming on the California ballot, the “No on 6” Amendment which would have banned all the gay and lesbian teachers from teaching in the state of California. And I wasn’t paying attention, I didn’t care, and Harvey said in a New York accent that was priceless he said, “You’re a teacher in New York!

They’re gonna take it away from out here! You gotta be a part of it!”

There was a rally going on up at a bar called The Shed and I went up there and I met a man by the name of Bill Kraus and Bill and I became very good friends. I joined, through Bill, the San Francisco Gay Democratic Club. In 1977, Harvey ran for supervisor as an openly gay candidate and was elected. Our club was instrumental backing him in

that election. A year later in 1979 Harvey Milk was assassinated, as was the mayor of San Francisco, George Moscone, by a gentleman named Dan White who was a former police officer and fireman.

Our club then changed its name to the Harvey Milk Gay Democratic Club. Dan White was charged with two homicides. The jury came back with a verdict of voluntary manslaughter. That evening, every bar in Castro was packed and they were 10-deep on the sidewalks. They proceeded to march down to City Hall to protest and as we moved down Market Street passing the restaurants and the bars and the shops, there was a chant that started, “Out of the bars and into the streets!” And it was a universal feeling by everybody that you had to say something about this. Life was not going to go on that evening. I saw lesbian and gay people fight back and really show their anger.

The criminal justice system in the late 70s in San Francisco was the good ol’ boy network. You had to go to the right schools, have the right families, and it was all straight white men. November of 1979, the District Attorney who had so miserably presented the prosecution of Dan White was up for re-election and was challenged by a gentleman by the name of Arlo Smith and he made a commitment to the club that if he were elected that he would make sure he would have attorneys and criminal investigators that were women, there were people of color, and were gay. Arlo Smith defeated Joe Fredas who was the incumbent DA overwhelmingly. He came back to the Harvey Milk Gay Democratic Club and said, “We need people to submit applications, I want people from your club, and I want people from all over the city.”

I submitted my application and I was hired as the first openly gay criminal investigator of District Attorney’s office.

When I first began criminal investigations there was a lot of mistrust because the police and the gay community for years in San Francisco had adverse relationships. And in the late 70s early 80s in San Francisco it was very common for lesbians and gay men to be harassed by the police department. The gay community did not trust the police because the police officers were arresting them, i.e., “I’m

trying to tell you this guy beat me up on what picked up in the bar.”

Well the police officers would turn around and say, “Well, you picked someone up in the bar, that’s illegal.” You now are the criminal.

My role as the DA investigator was to work with the bartenders.

The bartenders were really important. They were the guys who the victims would complain to and then the bartenders would help me, the older more seasoned investigators. They were amazed that when I would walk into the bar and they would talk to us because for years if they walked into a gay bar, the bartender saw nothing, heard nothing, did nothing. I was getting victim after victim coming in and sitting down and talking to me, often breaking down into tears and outing themselves in front of me but they had to make a decision: “Am I going to continue to be victimized or am I going to step up and finally say what’s happening?”

I would go home at night and say, “Hey, I’m really making a difference here.” And it was a very moving part of my life and I enjoyed the work, it was great work.

The 80s were the worst of times. I lost friend after friend, lover after lover, and I think that was one of the reasons the DA appreciated me because they knew that a friend of mine might be dying. And I’d rather be there, but I had a job to do. I had many cases of gay men who did not want anyone to know that they had been diagnosed. I was front and center on almost all those cases and I was instrumental in working with a lot of those folks in contacting their families. My straight partners had a more difficult time dealing with it than I did. And the compassion as just a human being would come out of them. And I think it changed, they no longer thought of them as gays and these whatever whatever, they thought of them, “This guy is dying and he hasn’t talked to his mother in 20 years.”

And a lot of them are from very solid family backgrounds that they couldn’t believe that you haven’t talked to your mother in 20 years. And we would have great conversations about it and those were good years.

The District Attorney’s office in the last 5 years that I was there, it’s like walking through San Francisco and Golden Gate Park. The inclusion of more folks that represented the city of San Francisco to the point where when I was leaving it was probably 50% women. I decided that after 32 years it was time to retire. And I actually retired as a lieutenant which at the time, 2 years ago, the highest rank of an openly gay peace officer in the city and county of San Francisco. I felt very proud of the fact I served all four of the District Attorneys from 1980 to whatever time in 2013. I think back, it all began with Harvey Milk who told me that day in the Camera Store, “You gotta get involved in politics, you gotta do something, and you gotta change something.” I’ll always remember that and I followed what he said. I got involved in politics, which led me to the DA’s office, which led me to working with people.

And that’s my story. http://imfromdriftwood.com/ron_huberman/

MAY, 2015 17

BOOK REVIEW

ALWAYS OVERBOOKED…

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

According to what you read in the checkout line at the grocery store this week, another celebrity has released a tell-all.

The thing is, you’re sure nothing in it will be surprising, nor are you scandalized. Really, is anything private anymore? Can anyone keep a secret for long? Read “Frank” by author and former Congressman Barney Frank and decide…

From the time he was ten years old, Barney Frank was fascinated by politics. By age fourteen, he understood two things: “I was attracted to the idea of serving in government and I was attracted to… other guys.” He also thought that he had to keep the latter quiet “forever.”

Growing up in a liberal Jewish household in New Jersey, Frank’s political beliefs were formed early. He volunteered to work on Adlai Stevenson’s second presidential run, went to Harvard as a liberal with the occasional conservative viewpoint, and worked for voting rights during Freedom Summer. His volunteerism taught him a lot, which qualified him to work for the Mayor of Boston in 1967, where he honed his political talents, opinions, and negotiation skills. By 1972, he told himself that “an all-out war on homophobia” would be part of his activism henceforth.

Throughout his early political life, however, he was surprised nobody asked him “the question.” He says, “…There did not appear to be any public comment on the fact that an unmarried thirty-twoyear-old man was the state’s most ardent advocate of gay rights.”

When he was finally asked, despite his promise to himself, he denied his sexuality; shortly thereafter, he launched a run for Congress that he didn’t think was winnable as a gay man.

After the election, he “decided to adopt a hybrid status” to be out privately but not publicly. That changed by late 1989, when he faced action from his Congressional colleagues over his long-time relationship with a male prostitute.

Undaunted, Frank continued to work on behalf of LGBT rights and consumer issues. His career always came first but by mid-2005, he says he “wanted to enjoy a personal life,” having once claimed that he hoped to retire at age seventy-five, in 2015.

“This,” he says, “was one of my better attempts at a personal prediction: I was only two years off.”

Reading “Frank” is something like taking a tour in a working artists’ studio: it’s a mess, but there are colorful and interesting things to see here and there.

On the latter, there are enough asides and tidbits to keep

readers going and, though they’re woefully underrepresented, we’re treated to some personal, non-political anecdotes. Understandably, however, most of what author Barney Frank offers is of a political slant: mostly-linear details of his accomplishments, opinions on what happened, and occurrences that are matters of public record - a little braggadocio, a little observational, and a lot of ho-hum.

Fans of politics, I think, will be far happier with this book than will others, since that’s largely the focus inside. If you’d rather have a more personal memoir, though, know that “Frank” is merely a tell-some.

“Frank” by Barney Frank c.2015, Farrar, Straus and Giroux $28.00 / $32.50 Canada 387 pages

MAY, 2015 19

FILMOUT|EVENT SAN DIEGO’S FILMOUT CELEBRATES 17

TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL

FilmOut San Diego’s 17th Annual LGBT Film Festival will take place from May 29 – 31, 2015. Over thirty films will be screened during the three-day film festival at the historic Observatory North Park Theatre in San Diego. Eighteen films will have their premiere with FilmOut San Diego along with award-winning films from both the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals, along with independent features and a variety of short films. Q&A’s will follow many films with director and cast members in attendance. The Opening Night Film and Party will take place on Friday, May 29, 2015 at 7:30pm and our Closing Night Film will end the festival on Sunday, May 31, 2015 with the Closing Night Party after the film.

OPENING NIGHT FILM: Jeffrey Schwartz’s Tab Hunter Confidential – California Premiere *Tab Hunter will be in attendance and receive a Lifetime Achievement Award OPENING NIGHT PARTY AT: Claire de Lune’s Sunset Temple (3911 Kansas Street— Directly across the street from the theatre) 10:00pm to midnight.

CLOSING NIGHT FILM: Justin Kelly’s I Am Michael – California Premiere Closing Night Party at: West Coast Tavern (2895 University Avenue) 9:00pm to 11:00pm.

BOYS CENTERPIECE: Matt Riddlehoover’s Paternity Leave – West Coast Premiere

DROWN

GIRLS CENTERPIECE: Erica Tremblay’s In The Turn – California Premiere FESTIVAL SPOTLIGHT: Michiel Thomas’ - Game Face – California Premiere INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: Dean Francis’ - Drown U.S. PREMIERE’S: Santiago Giralt’s – Jess And James Joris van den Berg’s - Ten Minutes Later Filmmakers and talent representing more than half of the films plan to attend the festival and will participate in audience Q&A’s after their respective screenings. A complete list of all filmmaker contacts is listed below for press interviews. FilmOut San Diego annually affirms the ongoing integrity and boundless imagination of our community and the artists who tell our stories. The Board of Directors believes its work is an integral part of an ongoing effort to build a vibrant, affirming and sustainable LGBT community in San Diego County.

For complete festival ticket info, screening updates, sponsorship and volunteer information, please visit us at www.FilmOutSanDiego. com and follow us on Facebook at FilmOut San Diego or on Twitter at @FilmOutSD. FilmOut San Diego 2358 University Avenue, #1869 San Diego, CA 92104

MAY, 2015 21

MUSIC|LA VOIX

LA VOIX BRINGS BACK THE VOICE

BY JASON SALERNO

La Voix made waves across the Atlantic last season with her vocal prowess on Simon Cowell’s hit competition show, Britain’s Got Talent. Now the gender-illusionist is taking aim at stateside lipsyncing queens, telling them it’s time to retire the copycat act and step up to the mike to belt out their own tunes. She’s showing them how it’s done with her double-single album of beautifully energized and contemporary arrangements of American standards “Don’t Rain On My Parade” and “New York, New York”. Accompanying her are the sexy men and lesbians of The London Gay Big Band.

First, how do you pronounce your name?

It’s La Vwarrrr. How glamorous?

Did you come up with it yourself?

The American drag star, Lypsinka, has always massively inspired me. I love how she based her act on the glamour of the 1950s and how her name defined her act. I wanted to base my act around the strong iconic women of the 1950s too, but use my singing and impersonations skills alongside it. That’s why I became La Voix, French for ‘the voice’.

What attracted you to Big Band music?

It’s loud like me! Big band is easily the most lively and high-energy type of live music so I was instantly drawn to it. I love to belt a top note.

Are the first to mix drag with big band?

It hasn’t been done to this scale, that’s for sure. My act is as authentic as possible. You never saw Judy singing to backing tracks

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so you won’t catch me either. Also, it’s just so different to what people consider a drag show to be. It’s pure pizzazz!

Where did you find all those sexy guys for your band?

Seriously, if I knew band geeks were that sexy, I would have joined the school band when I had the chance!

They are a mix of lawyers, scientists and teachers. Basically I find hot guys and force them to learn instruments by whipping them, Fifty Shades style.

What else can they do with that trumpet? Just kidding! On to the next question. Tell us about your decision to take your act to Britain’s Got Talent.

We weren’t sure whether to do it or not but we were quickly glad that we did.

Did you enjoy the experience?

The show looked after us so well and really embraced the whole campiness and drag element of our act. They never showed me as a boy or out of character. It was a great platform for us. And they made my frocks! I got to keep them too, so big bonus there.

What was it like to face the judges each week?

Petrifying! They are very good about building the tension and making it must-see television. Just before you step out on stage, the producers would ask things like, “So how do you feel about performing in front of eleven million viewers?”

Did you spend your weeks feverishly preparing for the next competition?

There was no down time. There were musical arrangements to be made, then we would rehearse like mad with the band and dancers, I had endless fittings, there were camera rehearsals and sound checks.

It was trying to make sure everything was right for that one final performance in front of the judges.

Tell us the truth. Did the pressure of the show get to those sexy band queens? Did you ever have to bitch slap them into shape?

It was like “All about Eve”. The leader of the band spent longer in makeup than I did! Sometimes they needed to be told who the real queen was. They would get me back by playing the song extra fast while I was trying to walk down the stairs. The bitches.

The audiences loved your performances, which is to your credit because “New York, New York” and “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” are two of the most overly performed songs.

What did you do to make the songs your own?

It was all about version selection. We performed the incredible Liza Minnelli arrangement of “New York New York”. It’s a version of the song that not many people know and it has such an amazing build.

We had three standing ovations during the song! For “Diamonds”, we used the Moulin Rouge version to give the most costume and face options and also because it sweeps across generations. Simon Cowell loved it, calling it “very authentic”.

By the way, being a Brit, why did choose to perform American standards over British standards?

It goes back to my passion for 1950’s Hollywood. I adore that whole era. I do British songs in my live show, though.

What took so long to release your own recordings?

Have you ever tried to pin down twenty lesbians and gay guys to record? Nightmare!

You need me to take care of those boys for you? I’ll show them what they can do with their trumpets.

Back off; bitch. It’s my band!

Ok, ok. Seriously, I love you and what you’re bringing to the stage, La Voix. You are uniquely fabulous. I hope you launch the next British Invasion to the states.

Why, thank you! The next dream is to play the states and show your lip-syncing queens that it’s time to bring back the glamour… and the voice.

Visit lavoixtheshow.com

MAY, 2015 23

PSP FOCUS FADE TO BLACK

THE 16TH ANNUAL FILM NOIR FESTIVAL IS BACK The sixteenth edition of the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival is set to open on Thursday night, May 14th, and run through Sunday, May 17th, 2015. The complete schedule includes an outstanding list of noir favorites; which can be seen online in its entirety at www.arthurlyonsfilmnoir.org The annual Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival brings together film noir fans for film screenings, lectures and more from this classic period of cinematography.

Founded by mystery author and Palm Springs community leader Arthur Lyons, the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival features a series of vintage movies that represent some of the era’s finest productions – and some of its most obscure.

Expect appearances from some of the biggest names in film noir, including actors and writers, who will join audiences to discuss techniques, answer questions and sign autographs.

“The 2015 program promises to be one of our finest combinations of proven and obscure cinematic gems,” said Alan Rode, Festival Producer and Host. “From our opener of the recent classic Miller’s Crossing to traditional masterpieces including The Big Clock, Panic In The Streets, On Dangerous Ground and discoveries including Chicago Calling, Tomorrow Is Another Day, and Abandoned, the Camelot Theater remains the perfect venue to enjoy the best of noir on the big screen.”

“Along with our opening night guest appearance by renowned actor Jon Polito,” Rode continued, “I am gratified to present the Library of Congress’s recent restoration of Joseph Losey’s M with a return visit by the amazing Norman Lloyd who celebrated his centennial last November. Also scheduled to join us again is a duo of noted cinema biographers: J.R. Jones (ON DANGEROUS GROUND) and Steven C. Smith (HANGOVER SQUARE). Film Noir Foundation President Eddie Muller and noted film scholar Foster Hirsch will also be in attendance and are scheduled for film introductions and guest interviews”.

Tickets and Passes are available at the Camelot Theatres Box Office, and on-line at www.arthurlyonsfilmnoir.org All Film Noir screenings will be held at Camelot Theatres, 2300 E. Baristo Road in Palm Springs.

The Arthur Lyons’ Film Noir Film Festival is presented by the Palm Springs Cultural Center, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

COMEDY NIGHT PALM SPRINGS™

Get ready for big laughs Saturday, May 9, at Comedy Night Palm Springs with top comic stars Scott Silverman and Tracie Walker.

From New CD Truth be Told, Nuvo TV’s Stand-Up and Deliver and VH1’s Walk Of Shame Shuttle, Tracie Walker

AT THE PURPLE ROOM 24 THESTANDARDPS.COM

Tracie is the kind of comic audiences really enjoy.

PSP FOCUS She is smart and unapologetic with just a little bit of an edge. She’s also the kind of comic who doesn’t walk away from playing a room because it is difficult; she embraces the challenge and does well even when the deck is stacked against her. She is described as empowering and inspirational and funny for keeping it real sharing her life experiences. A native of Atlanta, GA, Tracie was nominated Best New Female Comedian at the Atlanta Comedy Awards. She performs regularly at comedy venues throughout Southern California, including The World Famous ComedyStore, Laugh Factory and Flappers. She also performed her one-woman comedy show “Tracie Walker Just Talking” at The Knitting Factory in Hollywood.

Comedy Central’s Out There 2, Logo’s Wisecrack Comedy Festival and Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival, Scott Silverman

TRACIE WALKER & SCOTT SILVERMAN

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Scott avoided show business and was on a course to a career as an Automotive Journalist. But he “did a 180” and moved to San Francisco to become a stand up comic, sensing that if he could make people laugh. He has since gone on to open shows for Margaret Cho on her sold-out tours. Scott has also appeared on several television shows, including Comedy Central’s Out There 2 and such mainstream shows as A&E’s An Evening at The Improv, and more recent on LOGO’s Wisecrack Comedy series. He has also performed at the Montreal Just for Laugh’s Festival. Scott was finalist in the San Francisco Comedy Competition.

With every monthly show for the past six years sold out, get your tickets now by calling 800-838-3006. Tickets for this great show are only $20. Dinner seating begins at 5:30pm and the show starts at 7:00pm. For reservations and info go to www.purpleroompalmsprings.com

MAY, 2015 25

PSP FOCUS THE STREETBAR ARTWALL PROJECT WELCOMES THE WORKS OF PAUL HAMEL Paul Hamel started his recent “Modern Mandala” collection when he retired from a career as a school administrator in Los Angeles and moved to Palm Springs in late 2014. Paul is also a graphic designer who has been writing, designing, and publishing textbooks for many years. The inspiration for his “Modern Mandala” collection is a doily that his mother crocheted in the 1950s. It is now framed and proudly displayed.

The mandalas are created using Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. Photos and images are taken from copyright-free Internet sites or from his own personal photo library. The images are cropped, sized, and color-corrected using Photoshop. Then, they are imported into InDesign where they are again sized onto 18” x 18” or 20” x 20” digital canvas. At this point, the individual images are arranged onto a round grid for uniformity and spacing. Finally, backgrounds are designed and details such as shading are added.

Reception for the artist will be held Wednesday, May 6 at 6 pm at Streetbar, 224 E. Arenas Rd. in Palm Springs.

In the twenty years since it’s opening, the staff and customers of Streetbar have raised over two hundred seventy-five thousand dollars for various local charities, primarily AIDS related. The two main fundraisers the bar employs are the ‘Holiday Wreath Auction’ and the ‘Artwall Project’. The Artwall Project is the brainchild of several

26 THESTANDARDPS.COM

Streetbar employees, themselves artists, who select local artists to display and sell their works to benefit the AAP and other charities. In 2006, the Artwall committee was presented by the AIDS Assistance Program with the annual Gloria Greene Inspiration Award, named after one of the organization’s original founders, community activist Gloria Greene.

There are 8 Streetbar staff visual artists that show their art annually for the Artwall project (along with serving the best drink in town). They are the foundation for artistic continuity and outreach to other local artists introduced on the Artwall. Including, Chuck Billen (photography), Michael Brown (painting and assemblage), David Farnsworth (watercolor painting and ceramic sculpture), David Herholz (photography), Joe McClaskey (digital painting), Zane Rhys (drawings & illustration), Steven Smith (paintings), and Paul Whiteley (home decor and found object assemblage). More than 50 local artists work has been exhibited by the Streetbar Artwall Project since 2003.

The Artwall Project is a grass roots organization that introduces local artists while raising funds for Local charities (i.e. AAP, Animal Shelter, Desert Art Center, LGBT Center). 20% of art sales are donated by the artist to a charity of their choice. For more information contact David Farnsworth (Artwall coordinator) at drfar@aol.com.

SUCCESS STRATEGIST

ASK THE COACH

BY TRENT BLANCHARD

Dear Coach Trent, I get depressed when I turn on the TV to see the state of our world today. I am most concerned with hearing about global warming and how the environment is in danger. I have children and want to make the world a better, safer place. I feel completely helpless and get so angry when I see our elected officials seemingly avoid the subject and disregard what scientists are saying about the future.

What can I do?

I hear your concerns and appreciate your feelings of anger and hopelessness. The key is to use such feelings as fuel to take action and make changes in your own life, which will then affect the world.

Every single person CAN make a difference and it begins with you! If we all used our anger and made some small changes to our everyday lives, then the world around us would also change. As Gandhi once said “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

What are such small changes? Purchase a water purifier for

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your faucet instead of buying individual plastic water bottles that would make less refuse. Call the catalogue companies and tell them to stop sending you the catalogues you don’t use and save a tree.

(I personally did this) Only use your washing machine when you have a full load, saving gallons of water annually. Call your local political representative and share your concerns about the state of our environment and world. Imagine if we all did such things, we would have a decrease feeling of hopelessness because we are actually doing something. Be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem! Challenge your friends, family and neighbors to do the same. Anger can be a wonderful tool if we act ON it instead of act it OUT! Use your anger to make some changes and you will feel yourself more empowered and hopeful, instead of angry and depressed. Good luck!

Trent Blanchard, M.A. To ask your own personal question and be considered for a future issue, please write me at “askthecoach@thestandardps.com”

TRANSCEND

A JOURNEY

BY DEVIN PAYNE

In the fall of 2012, I seriously began questioning my gender identity. I had been living as a husband and a work-from-home father of four children. In raising my children, I enjoyed the opportunity to live in a more traditionally maternal role. But as they aged, and we stopped having babies, my sense of unease with myself grew.

What once were idle considerations became more and more pressing: I wanted to live as a woman. I educated myself and sought treatment. We relocated to Palm Springs on the recommendation of a friend, primarily for the weather and small-town feel. (Only later did we discover it to be an LGBT haven.) Now, almost three years later, I consider my gender transition complete.

When I began this process, transgender issues had just started to hit mainstream media and culture. Language had begun to move from negative slurs and stereotypes to more inclusive and affirming terminology. Healthcare systems were changing, dismantling barriers and recognizing the value of living authentically.

People were transitioning faster, easier, and in greater numbers than they had ever before. The 1990’s-era experience of years of institutional gatekeeping, of playing games with providers, and suffering dearly for a chance to live fully and authentically was becoming a thing of the past. The current of change was accelerating as public awareness and acceptance increased, and I was fortunate to have transitioned at that time.

I have also been very fortunate from circumstance and have benefited from many intersections of privilege. This is not lost on me, that my experience has been exceptional. Many have it much harder, far too many do not survive.

Today, the concept of “transitioning” as a movement from one well-defined state of being to another, in my case from a malebodied person to female-bodied person, is rapidly becoming dated.

Rigid ideals of heterosexual male and female gender expressions are giving way to the recognition of the validity of spectrums in gender identity, gender expression, and sexual preferences.

However, what is happening within the various transgender communities is largely stratified based on age of entry, and in all cases they are leading mainstream society as a whole. Only a minority of Americans know or work with someone who identifies as transgender,

and of those, only two-thirds are supportive. The majority remains stuck in tradition, and the only exposure they have to transgender issues is through mainstream media and culture.

April 24, 2015 marked a turning point for the majority in terms of transgender awareness and representation. Olympic legend Bruce Jenner discussed identifying as transgender in a sincere and moving two-hour interview on national television. And while many of the younger generation only know of Jenner from Kardashian fame, those of my generation and beyond associate that name with a title of World’s Greatest Athlete, and a masculine ideal of athletic glory.

This interview was an important event because it spoke directly to those older generations, the ones who hold power, create and enforce policy, and pass on values to their children. For them, the pinnacle of masculinity being revealed as a woman challenges long-standing beliefs instilled by hundreds of years of patriarchal colonialism in America. (For Kardashian-era viewers, however, Jenner’s interview isn’t much in the way of news; such an announcement of identity seems a natural part of their gender-expansive world of modern media and culture.)

Jenner’s announcement, while not in itself something new or unexpected, comes at the right time to force rethinking beliefs and discussing the issues facing transgender people. Up until recently, transgender men have largely been invisible, while transgender women have been written off as curiosities. For both, transition usually occurred later in life. Now these lives are starting to be recognized as authentic and valid. The age at which gender identity is expressed and supported has been moving back earlier and earlier, too: it is becoming more common for children to make up the bulk of transgender health programs.

Striking advances have been made in terms of rights and protection, yet we are still severely lacking in support. Gender expression is still a basis for harassment, bullying, being fired or denied services, and acts of violence. Intersections of oppression result in the marginalization of a disproportionate number of transgender individuals, particularly transgender women of color. Even the ability of transgender people to use the bathroom is under attack.

By the telling of our stories, by making personal connections, we have the power to change these things for the better. That is what Bruce Jenner has done, and what I hope to be able to do here in The Standard.

MAY, 2015 29

LEGALLY SPEAKING

CAN YOU PREDICT THE FUTURE? A GOOD LIFE PLAN NEEDS GOOD ESTATE PLANNING

BY CHRISTOPHER HERITAGE

Most of us like to bring some order and predictability to our lives by planning ahead. We think about where we are now, and where we would like to be. We figure out how to get there, and how to avoid as many pitfalls along the way as we can.

Moving through life, we accumulate things - our possessions; our estate that are all integrated into our lives. As an estate-planning attorney, it is my job to help everyone plan for the care of their possessions as they move through life now, and after they die.

Here are a few of the issues that should make you think and do something about estate planning: DO YOU HAVE A LIVE-IN PARTNER AND YOU AREN’T MARRIED OR REGISTERED? The 2013 U.S. Census Bureau Survey listed around 107,000 California same-sex couples living together. Of these, about 37% were spouses, and the rest were not. In California, community property rules mean that possessions (assets), and what happens to them, are clearly defined for spouses, but not for others. Although you and your partner may have a long-term relationship, your possessions can become a serious issue if you drift apart, become ill, or die. A plan for the care and keeping of your assets is essential to avoid the pitfalls that can upset your lives. If you have a car, bank account, savings or retirement funds, or a home, you have assets to plan for. What will happen to them if something happens to you or your partner?

DO YOU HAVE CHILDREN? Many in the LGBT community have children from a previous or current relationship. If they are minors (under age 18 in California), they are usually under the legal control of one or both parents. But what happens if a parent becomes incapacitated or dies? That is where planning is essential to the child’s welfare. Care of children

30 THESTANDARDPS.COM

can’t be transferred to just anyone. A legal guardian will be required, and if there are no other plans in place, the state will appoint one and maintain jurisdiction until the children reach adulthood. It is always possible that the guardian will not be one that the parent would choose. Planning ahead can make the process predictable and greatly reduce the stress on the children.

DO YOU OWN A HOME? If you own or are buying a house, it is an asset that is part of your estate. What will happen to that house if you become incapacitated or die? It all depends on how the property is titled on the deed. If you own it alone, you can create a Will that gives the house to a partner, a spouse, or another person if you die. The Will must be probated

in court, and it may take a year or more to actually transfer the property to the beneficiary. As a better option, you can create a Trust, and transfer the property into the name of the Trust. Your Trust names who will manage the property if you become incapacitated, and who will inherit the property when you die. The Trust does not need to be probated in court.

What if you own the house jointly with a partner, and you aren’t married? There are several serious problems with this strategy. What happens if one of you becomes incapacitated and you need to sell the house? A joint tenant has no right to act alone on any house issues. What happens if one of you has a tax problem, or is in an accident, and a lien is placed on the house? What is the tax bite if your partner dies and you now own the whole house? There are much better ways of holding title to property, and a little planning will avoid lots of pitfalls.

ARE YOU COVERED FOR ILLNESS OR INCAPACITY? I am not a medical professional, so my concern with these issues is not about your health care plan, but with the plan for care of your possessions when something happens to you. And I say “when” very seriously. As our population ages, a majority of us will, at some point, require assisted living, long-term care or hospice. What happens to your estate when you can no longer manage it? Who will pay your bills, keep up your house or sell it, make sure your finances are in order? If you have a Will, it won’t help at all. A Will is effective only when you die. If you are a single person, or partners who are unmarried or registered, you need to plan very carefully for your own protection.

A Durable Power of Attorney will provide for a personal agent of your choosing to handle financial matters for you. An Advance Health Care Directive will give your instructions to your agent for handling medical and end-of-life issues with the medical professionals who care for you. A Trust will provide the instructions for handling all of your affairs when you are incapacitated, and after you die.

I have never been able to predict the future, so good estate planning is the very best I can do to help you keep your life plans on track.

This article is part of an ongoing series of articles pertaining to legal issues relevant to the LGBT community, and is intended for general information purposes only – not legal advice. Christopher Heritage is an attorney in Palm Springs and San Diego, who focuses on LGBT estate planning, domestic partnerships, same-sex marriage, probate, trust administration, and bankruptcy. He welcomes questions and comments and can be contacted at 760-325-2020 or at chris@heritagelegal.com

MAY, 2015 31

EQCA UPDATE IT’S TIME TO ADEQUATELY FUND PREP, PEP, AND HIV PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

BY RICK ZBUR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

HIV/AIDS remains one of the most critical health issues facing the LGBT community in California. The CDC has reported a 132 percent increase in new HIV infections among young gay and bisexual men, ages 13-24, in the last decade, with an estimated 54,000 new infections per year. Men who have sex with men (MSM) accounted for over 63 percent of these new infections in 2010. And young black MSM accounted for over 55 percent of infections in MSM overall.

This crisis has been exacerbated by major cuts in government funding for HIV/AIDS treatment and services, primarily the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), which provides lifesaving medication to HIV-positive individuals without insurance. In 2009, after the financial collapse, California cut $85 million in general funds spending on HIV/AIDS programs, going from a total of $130 million in 2008 to $13 million in funding in 2014. Reinvestment in new HIV treatment and prevention methods is critical to reducing new infections among MSM and today three powerful biomedical tools are available to achieve this: TasP, PEP, and PrEP. Evidence has shown that HIV-positive individuals on treatment, and with an undetectable viral load, have significantly reduced rates of HIV transmission. This “treatment as prevention” (TasP) is fundamental to slowing the spread of HIV, as transmission occurs most often when HIV-positive individuals are lacking treatment and experiencing high viral loads.

Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), which involves individuals taking a 30-day supply of anti-retro viral medication after being potentially exposed to HIV, has been shown to be highly effective in preventing sero-conversion, if taken within 72 hours. Finally, there is Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), the important new biomedical measure, which involves HIV-negative individuals taking the anti-retro viral medication Truvada preventatively to inhibit HIV transmission by up to 99% when taken once per day.

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All of these tools are dramatically changing how people can protect themselves and others, but each depends on budgetary resources and public education aimed at at-risk communities (with a focus on LGBT people of color where programs have not been adequately funded). Another challenge for many low-income LGBT individuals who would benefit from PrEP is the failure of healthcare plans to fully cover these prevention options. Even though coverage is provided under MediCal and Covered California plans, excessively high copayments are required under many plans making these treatment options financially out of reach for low-income members of our community.

Endings HIV/AIDS epidemic will require increased government funding for HIV-positive individuals who lack treatment, an effective statewide outreach campaign to educate at-risk communities about the new preventative options available, and a PrEP-based drugassistance program (PDAP), similar to ADAP, that would provide biomedical prevention drugs to members of the LGBT community who lack health insurance, or are under-covered.

Equality California has been advocating for enhanced funding and programs and these recommendations were made as part of Equality California’s Fair Share for Equality report. The report included seven groups of recommendations that were advanced to the Governor and every member of the state legislature. Equality California’s advocacy to address HIV/AIDS will continue as we push to adequately fund PrEP, PEP, and HIV prevention and treatment.

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FITNESS

DO IT FOR YOU

BY DENNIS MASON, BFA, CPT One of the biggest roadblocks to finding the time to exercise is exactly that…trying to “find the time,” This is wrong thinking. As long as you think this way, you never will “find the time.” During a guest spot on my radio show, former West Hollywood Mayor John Duran pointed out that “You must make the time. Do it in the same manner that you would anything else. Write the days and times down on your calendar and stick to it, just like a doctor’s appointment.”

No one really wants to hear about all the ailments that could settle into their body as time goes by. It’s frightening. But, that’s what we’ve been led to believe. It’s as though our logical mind has been hypnotized into thinking in a manner contrary to nature. The truth is our bodies were meant to move around, not sit around. The active use of our body is one of the ways in which it stays in good running order. Over the years, our society has changed and evolved.

Essentially, a lot of us have forgotten how important our body really is to us and, how we must keep vigil over the activity (or the lack of activity) that can do us harm. We have become a people so very wrapped up in our jobs to make the money to spend on things that we don’t need, in an effort to make a “success” of ourselves while, at the same time, failing miserably at our most important job…that of maintaining the good health and well-being of our very lives.

With the advances in technology, science, medicine and genetically modified organisms (GMO), we have become increasingly disconnected from the basics of how to stay healthy, fit and generally in good shape. We are bombarded daily on television, in newspapers, and even on billboards with information on methods to change the way we look and feel without having to change the way we live our lives. Fast food joints tempt us around every corner. On top of all of that, we live in a drug culture that caters to our wants and desires to mask the symptoms of many problems instead of eliminating the cause. At the same time we continue to do the very things that create the problems and symptoms we seek to eliminate. Have you noticed that there are more and more angry, unhappy and frustrated people around today than ever before? Somehow, that seems like a flashing red-malfunction light on the car dashboard to me.

Many of the ailments we experience as we age are a direct result of poor nutrition and insufficient physical exercise. These ailments include obesity, lack of strength and endurance, fatigue, low libido and depression. Generally speaking, it’s not so much that these ailments come along as we age, as much as it is because of our

nutritional abuse, physical inactivity and other unhealthy habits. See the difference? The solution for the most part is to give your body what it needs to help itself naturally work properly.

What would you think if I said that you could increase your energy, elevate your mood, decrease body fat, add some lean muscle mass, slow down the aging process and increase your libido all naturally and without synthetic steroids or other drugs? It’s not only possible but it’s a scientific fact. That’s the way your body was designed and is supposed to work, given a chance. There is a natural, universal energy flow that runs through everything, including ourselves, which allow us to continually unfold. In other words, our bodies are predestined to live, grow, be active, healthy, fit and happy. Fitness is more than just a workout. It’s a LIFESTYLE committed to staying active; eating healthy; reducing stress and having fun.

Dennis is a certified Personal Trainer and Master Fitness Coach with over 40 years’ experience. NPC bodybuilding competitor, charity cyclist, health and fitness motivational speaker and author. Body Sculpting - Nutritional Guidance - Aquatics & Post Rehab Conditioning Web: www.dennismasonfitness.com Email: dennis@dennismasonfitness.com Phone: 760-219-5877 Home Base: World Gym Palm Springs Join Dennis on his Internet radio program, Fitness & More, on demand at: www.BlogTalkRadio.com/FitnessAndMore Also on Facebook and Twitter as fitnessradio.

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WELLNESS

HOW GOOD DO YOU LOOK IN YOUR TIGHTY-WHITIES?

BY DR. KENNETH TOTH, BA, MAT, DC, RN, CPT

That is the acid test, right? How sexy do you look in your tightywhities in the private reflections of your own bathroom mirror?

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the hottest of them all? And who’s the healthiest of them all? Come on, now; be honest. No one will hear you talking to yourself in the naked sanctuary of gorgeous glass, tile, and fancy plumbing fixtures. Be honest with yourself.

Take off your “skinny-colored” glasses, and throw them away once and for all. Take a plunge into the cold reality of looking at things the way they really are, and not the way you’d like them to be or what you’ve been pretending them to be.

Every day, whenever you look into that mirror, you personally create depending on what your thoughts, feelings, desires, and expectations are regarding the appearance of your physical body and state of health.

If you’re already wonderfully healthy and physically fit, you smile approvingly at yourself, and tell yourself how much you love yourself and how great you feel and look! (No, that is not narcissism.

It’s gratitude to yourself and the universe for what you have created and continue to maintain.) On the other hand, if you dislike or disapprove of what you see looking back at you, and you continue to do so, you are not being very nice to yourself. You are actually creating more of what you do not approve of by disapproving.

If you are not happy with what you see looking back at you in the mirror, you need to change that situation immediately. You are creating your health, your body, and your physique every single hour of every single day of your life by your thoughts and beliefs about yourself and your health.

And how are you treating your state of health? Are you producing more health problems by ingesting junk foods, pesticideladen vegetables, hormone laced meats, and xenoestrogens from food can liners and those convenient little water bottles?

Are you neglecting, no, shunning the plethora of valid research these days on the direct connection between properly designed and executed exercise and such things as blood chemistries, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and Alzheimer’s, to name just a few?

Most people live in, and actually embrace, a culture of disease where disease states seem to be acceptable because they can

usually be managed, not cured, by the prescribing of more and more medications to mask the nasty symptoms. As a nation, we don’t appear to be proactive when it comes to health, but very passive and thus relatively, personally self-destructive. The evidence is in what you and I see walking around in the supermarkets.

As a nation, the media only talks about what we need to do to be healthy by a bunch of good-looking, healthy looking people like on “The Doctors”. However, their health advice barely skims the true surface, and is entertainment at best.

There are a million and one excuses, usually erroneously called reasons, why one can’t get and stay healthy.

How are you taking care of yourself?

Dr. Kenneth Toth, BA, MAT, DC, RN, CPT holds multiple degrees and credentials as a Science Educator, Chiropractor, Registered Nurse, and Personal Trainer.

He is currently limiting his professional activities to PERSONAL TRAINING / Nutritional Coaching, and accepts new clients exclusively at WORLD GYM PALM SPRINGS. You may contact Dr. Ken at 949-235-9408 or ken@kentothfitness.com For more information on Dr. Ken’s results-producing approach to personal training, please visit his website at KenTothFitness.com.

MAY, 2015 37

ART VIEW LIVING ART DESERT LANDSCAPE DESIGN Landscape design, which may seem utilitarian or purely functional and decorative, is actually an art form. From conception to execution, landscape design combines many different artistic mediums. One starts with an idea contained within a measured form in space, for instance the boundaries of a backyard. Much like a painter’s canvas, this perimeter becomes the frame in which to create. The next step is graphic. It involves paper and pencil or a computer program to lay out the background. The existing elements such as walls, buildings and property lines are static. Once established, the remainder is left up to imagination.

Just as with any other artistic endeavor, color is paramount in a landscape. Whether matching or contrasting or tricking the eye, color must be arranged. Its temperature is considered when warming or cooling a space. And color is essential in creating a mood. Peace, tranquility, action fun, and drama all rely heavily on color scheme.

Form and structure create the next layer in a well-designed landscape. Here in the desert the shape of a plant or tree can matter more than its prolific foliage. In a temperate climate, the density of plant material can be exploited. Our hot and arid conditions dictate a more controlled aesthetic. Geometry and placement take hold in much the same way as a cubist painting or sculpture. Similar to the traditional art inside of a home, the curb appeal and outdoor living space of a dwelling also offer a glimpse into one’s personality, interests and design sensibilities. Creating a landscape that combines art, design and functionality in an ever changing, kinetic and living sculpture is what makes landscape design an enduring and satisfying form of art.

Desert Landscape Design Visit our showroom in Palm Springs www.desertlandscapedesign.com

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ART VIEW

TRAVEL

YOU TOO CAN ESCAPE TO INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

BY GEORGE W. ZANDER

Its time to plan your summer travel. So much of our globe is now much safer for LGBT folks but caution like anywhere is always recommended.

SYDNEY This amazing city is one of the premier urban tourist destinations in the world. Along with this, it is a leading LGBT destination. This beautiful cosmopolitan city has over 4 million folks in neighborhoods from beach towns to mountainside neighborhoods. The Sydney Mardi Gras is one of the largest LGBT celebration in the world growing the ranks of gay tourist before and after the event.

Many of the city’s gay and Lesbian bars, which total more than 50 at last count, boutiques and restaurants are in the area of trendy Oxford Street in Darlinghurst. Folks there call it “Darlo.” There are other neighborhoods in Newtown. The Lesbian scene is in a place called Leichhart…aka- “Dykeheart.”

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There are many gay owned and gay friendly accommodations.

Three, which have been recommended by Desert travelers, are: The Kirketon Hotel in Darlinghurst, The Governor’s B and B in Fitzroy, and the Devere. It has some full apartments. It is similar to the Inn at the Park in San Diego. Oast has many LGBT friendly venues as well. It is a VERY long plane ride to Sydney, so stay in Australia for a while and explore more on the diverse continent. Melbourne, Perth and the Gold Coast all have lots of LGBT venues to explore. The natives are very friendly and partying is national custom. Cheers, mate!

PRAGUE The “City of Spires” has much more than great historic sites and fascinating architecture. Though the city beckons travelers like an open-air museum, for our community Prague and The Czech Republic has become a very progressive and gay-friendly destination over the last decade.

For starters there is the Vinohrady area in the center of the city.

It is truly vibrant, and exiting. There are around 30 gay bars, discos and saunas and there are new establishments opening all the time.

LGBT folks have full rights and there are no prohibitive laws against people with HIV/AIDS. In a country with one of the finest medical coverage in the world, high education levels, and partnership laws since 2006, the place is wonderful. The Czech military has allowed openly LGBT folks for a decade.

Previously a fish and meat market, the art deco Central Market is now a designated Malaysian Heritage Site. Shops and stalls sell souvenirs, art and local products. Also try the diverse range of excellent food – Hokkien Mee, Ice Kachang, Bak Kut Teh, to name a few.

Probably the most iconic representation of KL is the 452-meter high Petronas Towers. Buy a ticket to the 86th floor observation deck or walk from one tower to the other by using the world’s highest double-decked sky bridge.

For Eastern Europe Prague prides itself on being the Amsterdam of Eastern Europe.

Local Palm Springs recent visitors to Prague recommend the Hotel William. “It’s very conveniently located, newly remodeled and very gay friendly.” In addition, check out the Rainbow-Inn, the Hotel Metamorphous, and the Hotel Constans.

Choose this dynamic city as a destination or mix and match with some other favorites such as Berlin, Munich, Vienna and Budapest.

You will certainly make Prague one of your favorites!

The National Mosque is one of the most popular mosques in Malaysia. Its design is based on the Grand Mosque in Mecca, with 48 small domes. The main dome symbolizes the 5 pillars of Islam and the 13 states of Malaysia. Remove your shoes before entering.

Robes are provided if you are not dressed appropriately.

Close by this city center are many parks, hiking trails, cave exploring and mountain roads and trails.

The city, of course, has many hotels from which to choose. Recent visitors recommend Furama Bukit Bintang in the Golden Triangle close to clubs and cities. As with many of the large hotels, the lobby bars are a fun and festive place to meet LGBT folks. Some recent travelers loved the small Anggun Boutique Hotel. It was recently converted form historic shops and it is a very entertaining spot. The wood floors, art, and teak furniture add historic perspective and the rooms overlooking the peaceful courtyard are great to have.

KUALA LUMPUR For a kick off in Asia, try fascinating Kuala Lumpur, capital of the very friendly Malaysia. KL attracts millions of visitors every year, with its world-class shopping, affordable hotels great food and cultural sites. Here is a roundup of the best things to see and do in the city.

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GETAWAY

5 YEARS OF MATINÉE IN SIN CITY

BY MICHAEL RIVERA

Matinée Las Vegas Festival celebrates its 5th Anniversary in Las Vegas this Memorial Day with its hottest and wettest outdoor event ever. This year’s weekend takes place Friday, May 22nd thru Monday, May 25th, with eight spectacular events over four days. For the first time, the Saturday night main event will be held at Cowabunga Bay, America’s newest waterpark featuring fifteen water slides!

“We are bringing the ‘wow’ this year,” promises Paul Nicholls, a partner at Matinée USA. “We always combine superior fantasy elements and theatrics but for our five year anniversary, we’re taking it one giant step further. Right from the minute revelers walk in, they will be greeted with wow moments they could never have seen coming.”

“A Matinée party is all about awe and extravagance,” continues Patrick Crough. “We partner with the hottest and most cutting-

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edge acts from around the world. For this year’s fifth anniversary celebration, we are integrating several amazing Cirque acts into our main events. It will be breathtaking.”

Matinée launched nearly twenty years ago in Ibiza.

Their first US event was Pride in New York where they transformed Manhattan’s Governor’s Island into an extravagant dance arena with explosive music, a thrilling light show and a surprise fireworks display at sunset.

Matinée made its Las Vegas debut in 2010 with Matinée Las Vegas Festival. It included jaw-dropping spectacles, including one that involved synchronized swimmers performing in a glass pool of water set on fire. The evening capped with a surprise performance by pop singer Natasha Bedingfield.

“Matinée continues to raise the bar on nightlife,” says Jake

Resnicow. “Whether in the heart of Manhattan or on the beaches of Miami, a Matinée event is meant to take revelers out of body and beyond the confines of their imagination.”

“One reason we stay so cutting edge is we re-invest into the parties,” adds Crough. “As the numbers get bigger, so does the experience.”

This year’s event will be the biggest yet. The Saturday night waterpark event with feature beats by DJ Hector Fonseca and Matinée Spain all-star DJ Taito Tikaro, as well as a surprise musical performance. Sunday night’s event, “La Leche!”, will take place at Rain Nightclub in the Palms Hotel. Isaac Escalante and Lydia Sanz will provide the beats, along with a special opening by the winner of an “America’s Next Top DJ” search currently taking place on Facebook.

“Las Vegas has proven to be the perfect city for our unique party revolution”, says Resnicow. “In Vegas, partiers can do what they want, when they want. There are very few restrictions and absolutely no last calls. It’s been five years of non-stop revolution and its only getting started.”

Weekend passes start at $199. The exclusive and luxurious Rumor Hotel (455 East Harmon Avenue, Las Vegas) is the host hotel for Matinée Las Vegas Festival. Suites are sold out, however there is still availability across the street at Hard Rock and at the Tropicana with special Matinée rates starting at $199. There will be complimentary shuttle service from Rumor to all Main events.

For more information, visit www.matineevegas.com

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the3D’s RESTAURANTS WANG’S IN THE DESERT 424 S Indian Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone: (760) 325-WANG (9264) www.wangsinthedesert.com NATURE’S HEALTH FOOD & CAFE 555 S Sunrise Way Suite 301 Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 323-9487 www.natureshealthfoodcafe.com SHERMAN’S DELI & BAKERY 401 E Tahquitz Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 325-1199 www.shermansdeli.com HACIENDA CANTINA & BEACH CLUB 1555 S. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760-778-8954 www.haciendacantina.com AZUL RESTAURANT 369 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 325-5533 www.azultapaslounge.com TINTO 1800 E. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760-323-1711 palmsprings.tintorestaurant.com COPLEY’S ON PALM CANYON 621 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 327-9555 www.copleyspalmsprings.com

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DINE | DRINK | DANCE { Coachella Valley } WORKSHOP KITCHEN & BAR 800 N. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760-459-3451 www.workshoppalmsprings.com LULU CALIFORNIA BISTRO 200 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 327-5858 www.lulupalmsprings.com POMME FRITE 256 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 778-3727 www.pomme-frite.com DISH 1107 N. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760-322-7171 www.dishcreativecuisine.com THAI SMILE PALM SPRINGS 100 South Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone: (760) 320-5503 www.thaismilepalmsprings.com TRIO RESTAURANT 707 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 864-8746 www.triopalmsprings.com THE TROPICALE 330 E Amado Road Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 866-1952 www.thetropicale.com

BARS AND NIGHT CLUBS

ZIN AMERICAN BISTRO 198 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 322-6300 www.pszin.com

HUNTERS NIGHTCLUB 302 East Arenas Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-323-0700 www.huntersnightclubs.com

BIRBA 622 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 327-5678 www.birbaps.com

TOUCAN’S TIKI LOUNGE 2100 North Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-416-7584 www.toucanstikilounge.com

CHEEKYS 622 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 327-7595 www.cheekysps.com

PURPLE ROOM 1900 E. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760-322-4422 www.purpleroompalmsprings.com

EL MIRASOL 140 E Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 323-0721 www.elmirasolrestaurants.com RICK’S RESTAURANT 1973 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Phone: (760) 416-0090 www.ricksrestaurant.biz PINOCCHIO IN THE DESERT 134 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-322-3776 www.pinocchiops.com

CHILL BAR 217 E. Arenas Road PS 760-327-1079 STREETBAR 224 E. Arenas Road PS 760-320-1266 www.psstreetbar.com THE TOOL SHED 600 E. Sunny Dunes Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.3299 www.toolshed-ps.com SPURLINE VIDEO LOUNGE 200 Indian Canyon Drive Palm Springs CA 92262 760-778-4326 www.spurline.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

ART + DESIGN mayakalabic.com

www.TrioPalmSprings.com

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COMING UP NEXT MONTH 2015 BEST TRAVEL DESTINATIONS G’DAY; HEADING DOWN UNDER EUROPE’S BEST FOODIE SPOTS MAY, 2015 47

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EVENTS CALENDAR DBA MAY EVENTS MAY 4 Mixer 6:00pm – 8:00pm Hosted by VNA of California Location: 42-600 Cook St. #202 , PD MAY 4 DESTINATION PSP INAUGURAL DINING CLUB DINNER. DESTINATION PSP PALM SPRINGS Destination PSP, an upscale retailer specializing in unique Coachella Valley branded and inspired products, will host the first in a series of intimate dining and shopping events in partnership with Appetito, the popular Cal-Italian deli in south Palm Springs with a modern approach to the classic Italian eatery. The inaugural Dining Club dinner will take place at Destination PSP’s flagship store at 170 N. Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs. www.destinationpsp.com

THROUGH MAY 13 EARTH MATTERS: AN ECO-CENTRIC EXHIBIT. PALM SPRINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY PALM SPRINGS Earth Matters: An eco-centric exhibit focusing on land and water at the Palm Springs Public Library. Featuring the work of three local photographers Gary Dorothy, Chari Godokanda, and Dennis Johnson, their work will be on display in the main Library, presented in partnership with the City of Palm Springs Public Arts Commission.

This exhibition looks at our relationship with our natural environment and two of the most common and precious resources on earth – land and water.

For info visit www.palmspringslibrary.org

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MAY 18 Mixer 6:00pm – 8:00pm Hosted by Bean Counter Bookkeeping & Okane & McKee 140 N. Luring Drive Suite G Palm SPRINGS www.desertbusinessassociation.org MAY 22 HARVEY MILK DIVERSITY BREAKFAST. HILTON HOTEL PALM SPRINGS The breakfast will be held to honor the memory of Harvey Milk, an American hero, and to strengthen coalitions among the many diverse community organizations that work toward equality in the Coachella Valley. Attended by individuals, businesses, interfaith groups, civic officials and nonprofit organizations this is the Coachella Valley’s largest Harvey Milk celebration.

For more information call 760-416-8711 or email milk@pspride.org NOW THRU MAY 24 FOR THE LOVE OF BROADWAY SERIES. THE PURPLE ROOM, PALM SPRINGS Purple Room Restaurant and Stage in Palm Springs, in association with producer Dick Taylor, is thrilled to announce a very special For the Love of Broadway three-show series this spring featuring renowned stars of Broadway. Jo Anne Worley of The Drowsy Chaperone and TV show Laugh-In, Dale Kristien of Phantom of the Opera and Bill Hutton of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat together in “A Salute to Andrew Lloyd Webber” and Carole Cook of 42nd Street. The performers will sing many of the songs they performed on Broadway and tell stories of their careers, all with loads of fun and laughter. Each show in the series will have a Friday and Saturday evening performance and a special “Brunch and Broadway” show on Sunday. For info visit www.purpleroompalmsprings.com

ONGOING >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> NOW THRU JULY FIRST WEDNESDAY ART WALK, BACKSTREET ART DISTRICT PALM SPRINGS Please join us for the First Wednesday Artwalk at the Backstreet Art District. Enjoy beautiful art and meet the artists. Located off highway 111, behind the Mercedes Benz Dealership, on South Cherokee Way. www.backstreetartdistrict.com

SUNDAYS THE SUNDAY BAND W/ SPECIAL GUESTS. PAPPY & HARRIET’S PIONEERTOWN The Sunday Rock + Roll Service is a Pappy and Harriet’s institution celebrating the healing powers of music and community!

Every weekend the club’s favorite singers and players get together and trade songs.

Come join us to see Victoria Williams, Gar Robertson, Carol Ann Crandall, Damian Lester, Bob Furgo, Rachel Dean, Ryan Norman, Caleb Winn, Danny Frankel and other talented locals

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EVENTS CALENDAR performing for your drinking and dancing pleasure. With a come-as-you-are vibe, Sundays have seen great special guests like Robert Plant, Lucinda Williams, The Jayhawks, Rickie Lee Jones to name a few. www.pappyandharriets.com

Bloody Mary with brunch, during which both our full breakfast and lunch menus are available. Also join us for Sunday Funday Weekly Tea Dance 4pm-Close! Live entertainment weekly visit our website for details. www.oscarspalmsprings.com

COPA In a throwback to old Palm Springs’ nightclubs, the Copa is fashioned around an elevated performing stage and a stunning u-shaped bar lined with leather barstools, upholstered booths, and gilded cocktail tables. Sink into the sexy lounge, sip a cocktail, and enjoy the lineup of local and guest entertainers. For weekly schedule visit www.coparoomps.com

LIPSTICK AT COPA Thursday nights at Copa just got a little hotter with a new show at the new showroom inside Copa. The Hot New Lipstick show is a raucous affair where the audience is encouraged to participate in singing, clapping, dancing, partying and celebrating special events. Featuring performances by Charles Herrera, Pinkie Meringue Shimmer, Marina Mac, Sassy Ross, Dion Khan, and Cherilyn, and emceed by the fabulous Bella Da Ball, this show will not disappoint. For ticket info and schedule of performers visit www.coparoomps.com

THE PURPLE ROOM Supper club, drinks and live music. It’s where Palm Springs plays. Great entertainment nightly and dinner specials. You never know whom you might see at The Purple Room.

For monthly schedule and info visit http://purpleroompalmsprings.com

OSCAR’S CAFÉ & BAR Located in the heart of downtown Palm Springs on the corner of Tahquitz Canyon Way and Indian Canyon, Oscar’s has a huge outdoor patio with lots of umbrellas for shade and misters to keep you cool, too.

You can beat the heat any time of year and enjoy the views of Palm Springs. On Saturday and Sunday from 8am – 2pm, enjoy a $9 Bottomless Mimosas (juice included), a single $2 mimosa or a $5

HUNTERS NIGHTCLUBS® Palm Springs, Palm Springs’ go-to gay bar and dance club, has been leading the way in full-out fun for 13 lucky years now! We enjoy having the desert’s most sought-after and friendly DJs, full-on themed events, and a staff that has it all without the attitude. And of course, we are proud to hold the longest happy hour in the entire Valley. Remember: Size Matters. Come by for our happy hour from 10am – 7pm. Yes, that’s right: 9 hours long! For a list of all events and specials visit www.huntersnightclubs.com

SUNDAYS “The Playgirls” at Toucans Tiki Lounge featuring Tommi Rose. Performances 8, 10pm.

These darling Divas of drag really deliver with their very own brand of entertainment to packed houses. Special guests appear weekly.

DJ in the sound booth. Every Sunday Complete list of events www.toucanstikilounge.com Wang’s in the Desert. The weekly Wang’s Live Entertainment series features the best in local and regional musical talents.

Guests can relax from cabaret and Broadway show performances to upbeat, jazzy showcases on the Zen Patio, with its beautiful stone outdoor fireplace, giant red Buddha statue and lush tropical surroundings. The Sunday series is becoming the new performance showcase for weekends and holidays in downtown Palm Springs. It’s the perfect, casual venue for great music, cool cocktails and of course, a fantastic crowd.

For more information about Wang’s in the Desert, visit www.wangsinthedesert.com TUESDAYS Bella da Ball Cabaret Variety Dinner Revue at Azul features a different show each week with a cast of male and female vocalists and drag personalities. The highly popular show is hosted and produced by Palm Springs’ area social ambassador, Bella da Ball, and features music-comedysong-dance-costuming-headdresses-photo ops-door prizes-audience participation and more. The 95+ minute production features musical numbers ranging from show tunes to country to pop and everything in between.

Don’t miss the fun every Tuesday at 7:30pm! No cover.

FOR A COMPLETE CALENDAR OF EVENTS VISIT OUR MEDIA PARTNER, GAY DESERT GUIDE. CLICK ON LOGO

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EVENTS CALENDAR party in Miami Beach for women who love other women. The proceeds from Aqua Girl benefit the Aqua Foundation for Women, a not-for-profit foundation that serves the lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community in Southern Florida. www.aquagirl.org

MAY 8 - 11

DALLAS PURPLE PARTY DALLAS, TEXAS Dallas’ award- winning charity dance weekend, The Purple Party, is excited to bring you our biggest and best party yet.

We’re outdoing ourselves this year with the hottest international DJs, famous Texas hospitality, and other developments to continue the evolution of America’s favorite HIV/AIDS dance fundraiser. www.purplefoundation.org

organizations and that document significant Queer arts events taking place in San Francisco. www.qcc2.org

MAY 16 - 17 MAY 8 - 10

OUTLANTACON ATLANTA, GEORGIA Outlantacon is an Atlanta-based event for the Queer Geek audience! You’ll find all the usual convention fare here - discussion panels, gaming, costuming, special events, etc. - the difference is that it all has a queer ‘bent’ to it. Here you can enjoy all the convention trappings in an atmosphere where you’re free to be yourself! www.outlantacon.org

LONG BEACH PRIDE LONG BEACH. CALIFORNIA Over the past several years, the Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Celebration has become one of the premiere Pride events nationwide, now attracting over 80,000 participants over two days. The Festival Celebration includes five large dance areas including a main stage that has featured musical artists such as Grammy Award Winner Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Rowland, Dev, Fantasia, Queen Latifah, Maya, India Arie, and Village People. www.longbeachpride.com

JUN 4 - 27

MAY 13 - 17

AQUA GIRL MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA Aqua Girl, started in 1999, is a five-day

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NATIONAL QUEER ARTS FESTIVAL SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Founded in 1993, Qcc is a multiracial community-building organization that fosters the artistic, economic and cultural development of San Francisco’s LGBT community. We implement our mission by operating programs that commission and present Queer artists, that promote the development of culturally diverse Queer arts

JUN 5 - 14

BOSTON PRIDE WEEK BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS Celebrating its 45th year, Boston Pride’s focus is to achieve inclusivity, equality, respect, and awareness in Greater Boston and beyond. Pride fosters diversity, unity, visibility, and dignity, by building and strengthening community connections through education, communication, and advocacy. www.bostonpride.org

If you have an event you want to promote please email us at info@thestandardps.com

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EVENTS CALENDAR annual event, celebrating contribution of gay people to theatre, past and present.

The Festival was founded in 2004 to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Oscar Wilde, in his native city. With an emphasis on new or recent international and Irish works with a broadly gay theme or relevance, the Festival has grown to become the largest event of its type in the world. www.gaytheatre.ie

is quickly becoming the largest LGBT Pride event in the region: Vallarta Pride. Join Andrew Christian, Topher Dimaggio, Pablo, Diego, and Cheddy in the first Official Fashion show and Gay Pride Parade. Lea Delaria will be Grand Marshall. Lots of fun and festivities in Mexico’s Gay Beach capital. www.vallartapride.com

MAY 3 - 31

PIERS & QUEERS: TOUR OF LGBT BRIGHTON BRIGHTON, ENGLAND Piers and Queers is a tour of Brighton from a lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer perspective, taking in over 200 years of history in a colorful 80-minute walk along the beach and historic center of one of Europe’s queerest cities. Follow in the footsteps of Lord Byron, Oscar Wilde and Dusty Springfield...see where England’s first Civil Partnerships were celebrated...and discover some extraordinary unsung heroes, including a pioneering doctor who passed as man decades before women were allowed to practice medicine, a 19th-century lesbian diarist, and a same-sex marriage - back in 1923! www.onlyinbrighton.co.uk

MAY 4 - 17

INTERNATIONAL DUBLIN GAY THEATRE FESTIVAL DUBLIN, IRELAND The Dublin Gay Theatre Festival is an

MAY 31 - JUN 6 MAY 14 - 18

AMSTERDAM FETISH PRIDE AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND A weekend that aims to bring people from the community together, to simply have a good time and organized by people from that same community. Amsterdam is proud to be a diverse and gay friendly city and it is time we celebrated that with a Fetish Pride.

Join us, meet old friends and make some new ones. Explore the city, enjoy the broad range of culture, and shop till you drop, sample the food and get a taste of the buzzing nightlife! www.amsterdamfetishpride.com

MAY 17 - 24

PUERTO VALLARTA GAY PRIDE PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO For the third consecutive year, Puerto Vallarta

ALL GAY CARIBBEAN WINDJAMMER CRUISE. ST. BARTS FRENCH WEST INDIES Inaugural Windjammer Voyage - private charter hosted by Outings & Adventures. No cruising with the masses, instead, 24 guests are taken care of by a staff of 10, like your own private yacht! Barefoot cruising is relaxing yet adventure awaits if you choose to answer the calling: sightseeing, day hikes, kayaking, sunset yoga, stand up paddling, snorkeling and more. All meals onboard, snacks, evening appetizers, beverages, wine, beer, use of snorkel gear, yoga classes, guided hikes and port charges are included. www.outingsandadventures.com

Our international media partner, FNQ Magazine, Cairns gay lifestyle and travel publication that gives Australia and the world a taste of gay life in the tropics, sponsors the International Calendar. www.go2gaycairns.com

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I got my life back online.

Scott, D.A.P. client

D.A.P. treats and supports the whole person My addiction led me into homelessness and I thought I had nowhere to turn. But D.A.P. helped me see there was a way back, if I was willing to do the work. Now, I have five years of sobriety, have finished four years of college with two degrees and a promising career...but best of all, I have peace-of-mind again. Now, I’m volunteering my time here in D.A.P.’s computer lab because it’s time to “pay it forward” to others who might need a little help. Just like I did.

This and more...all under one roof

Thanks to your generous support, Desert AIDS Project has been saving lives for 30 years.

Please continue to help by donating at desertAIDSproject.org, joining one of our annual giving programs, or by saving the date for one of our upcoming fundraising events.

Queen of the Desert | May 27, 2015

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desertAIDSproject.org

PHOTO REWIND ACS DESERT SPIRIT GALA PHOTO COURTESY OF THE STANDARD MAGAZINE STAFF/ SHERRI BREYER & PAT KRAUSE

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PHOTO REWIND NCLR GARDEN PARTY PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID A. LEE

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Harvey MILK Diversity Breakfast COACHELLA VALLEY MAY 22, 2015 Hilton Palm Springs 9:30AM - 11AM

Honoring

Geoff KORS HARVEY B. MILK Leadership Award

For tickets or sponsorship visit bit.ly/2015milk Platinum Sponsor

outlook DESERT

Gold Sponsors

Boyd & Lisette Haigler Hilton Palm Springs Bloom in the Desert Ministries UCC Borrego Community Health Foundation CCBC Resort Desert AIDS Project

Silver Sponsors

The LGBT Center of the Desert Geoff Kors and James Williamson

Table Sponsors

Desert Business Association Emerald Kingdom Desert Regional Medical Center Equality California

Gray Public Relations & Marketing

Greater Palm Springs Pride The Desert Stonewall Democrats Palm Springs Human Rights Commission Raymond Gregory & Eric Ornelas

Student Table Sponsors

Desert Business Association, Hunters, Steven Henke, Tom Stansbury & Larry Fechter sponsor list as of 3/23/15

PHOTO REWIND PS ART MUSEUM PHOTO COLLECTION COUNCIL PARTY PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID A. LEE

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