Inside Pride | 2017 by VIA MEDIA / BAYSTAGES

THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE

San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Celebration and Parade

PRIDE STAFF George F. Ridgely, Jr. Executive Director

TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome from the Board President..................................2 2017 SF Pride Sponsors................................................... 6 Welcome from Mayor Lee................................................ 9 Welcome from LGBT Elected Officials..............................11 Celebrating the Life of Gilbert Baker.............................. 15 Event Information............................................................ 17 2017 Community Partners.............................................. 25 2017 Pride Members...................................................... 29

Alvaro Gonzalez Project Manager

SF PRIDE 1841 Market Street Fourth Floor San Francisco, CA 94103-1112 415.864.0831 info@sfpride.org sfpride.org

2017 GRAND MARSHALS

The Cast of Hamilton........................................................ 31 Chris Carnes...................................................................... 32 Alex U. Inn ......................................................................... 33 Amy Sueyoshi..................................................................... 34 Danielle Castro................................................................. 35 Dr. Marcy Adelman........................................................... 36 San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus...................................37 Brett Andrews................................................................... 38 El/La Para TransLatinas.................................................. 39 National Center for Lesbian Rights............................... 40 Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits.......................... 41 Blackberri.......................................................................... 42 Subhi Nahas...................................................................... 43 Maria Zamudio.................................................................. 45

Embracing our Differences.............................................47 City Hall VIP Party........................................................... 49 More Than Resistance..................................................... 51 Betty Who Headlines SF Pride Celebration.................... 53 Main Stage Entertainment.............................................. 55 Community Stages......................................................... 63 Why We Fought Back in '77 & '78................................... 69 Trans Youth Need Us to Speak Out ................................70 Leinonen & Shepard........................................................73 Conversion Therapy........................................................77 Struggling for Survival in the Middle East....................... 81 Volunteer, Engage, Organize......................................... 83 All content contributed/compiled by SF Pride staff, contractors, honorees and other participants unless specifically credited. Opinions expressed by guest authors, contributors and commentators do not necessarily reflect the views of SF Pride or VIA MEDIA. All photos are provided by SF Pride or are courtesy of the subjects. Photo credits are included as provided.

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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DONATE! A donation to SF Pride helps support dozens of diverse nonprofit organizations in the community. Please join us, knowing you can give with Pride while supporting the critical work of building community and creating safe spaces for LGBT people. sfpride.org/donate

sanfranciscopride @sfpride sanfranciscopride

FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT Welcome to the 47th Annual San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration and Parade! We are honored to be chosen as a destination to celebrate the LGBTQ community. Forty-seven years ago, San Francisco Pride was a protest to liberate LGBTQ people. Today, it continues to be a platform for the freedom of expression and has evolved to celebrate a multicultural, multifaceted, and diverse community. While the LGBTQ community has witnessed milestones such as marriage equality – especially under the Obama administration – we sadly are also witnessing major setbacks and regression at lightening speed under the current Administration. Immigration is an LGBTQ issue. Women’s Rights are an LGBTQ issue. #nobannowall is an LGBTQ issue. BlackLivesMatter is an LGBTQ issue. Many people might see LGBTQ issues as specific or linear issues only concerning LGBTQ people. The reality is that sexual orientation and gender identity are inclusive in all social categories, regardless of race, class, or age; and discrimination and oppression within our society and structures of power intersects through all of these. The current Administration is looking to attack all facets of our lives: where we live, how we interact, who we love, our health, our children, our history, our environment, our bank accounts, and most importantly our Democracy. San Francisco is lucky to have the leaders that we do, leaders who have fought against hatred and bigotry in the past and who are ready to fight again. When this Administration declared war on immigrants and refugees, San Francisco stood up and did not waiver as a sanctuary city. In fact, we have just announced a separate legal department dedicated to providing legal aid to immigrants who are unfairly targeted. A Celebration of Diversity is the theme for this year’s San Francisco Pride. It is the opposite sentiment of the current Administration. The LGBTQ community is no stranger to the types of attacks we face today. In reality, the most marginalized members of our community, and in particular Transgender people of color, are self-trained and have been resisting long before it became a hashtag. Diversity is our strength. Diversity is our unity. We will continue to resist. We will celebrate our differences. We will love one another. We will demand equality and justice for everyone. Have a safe and wonderful Pride.

Michelle Meow

President, Board of Directors 2 • INSIDE PRIDE | A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

2017 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MELANIE NATHAN

NGUYEN PHAM

JACQUELENE BISHOP

KENZI CONNOR

ANIETIE EKANEM

DJ GRAY

JOEY STEVENSON

JUSTIN TAYLOR

WILLIAM WALKER

image: womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stage, 2016. photo by christie james.

Vice President

Secretary

Treasurer

OUR

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COMMUNITY STAGES PRODUCERS & STAFF

CONTRACTORS

Accessibility Information & Assistance.... Father River Sims

Special Projects

Asian & Pacific Islander Community Pride Stage & Pavilion..................................... Nikki Calma Castro Country Club Sober Stage.................. Carlos Perea Cheer San Francisco Stage...................... Anthony Chavira

Kent Anderson Natalie Case

Gate Partners Manager

Andy Copperhall

Beverage Manager

Club 21/Club BNB International Stage....... Valentin Carrillo

Jacob Dornan

Club Papi/Club 21 Super Slyde Lube Latin Stage.................................Jamie Awad

Jim Gong

Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing Gathering Space..... Serena Smith

Exhibitor Relations Bookkeeper

Faerie Freedom Village....................................... A.J. Cook

Jennifer Holmes

Global Village................................................Joshua Smith Lisa L. Williams

Marsha Levine

Homo Hip-Hop Stage....................................Ronnie Jones Indie Oasis Stage.....................................Starr Piwowarski Leather Alley................................................... Rover Spots The LGBTQ Family Garden...............................Yusni Bakar Queer Youth Space.......................................... Martha Mar Soul of Pride Stage and Village................. Lisa L. Williams Christiana Remington Sundance Country-Western Dance Corral...John Hoffman Tantra Trance...........................................Brandon Picardal Women’s Stage............................................Christie James

VIP Party Producer Parade Manager

Fred Lopez

Media Coordinator

Brian Probst Consultant

Eddie Shapiro

Celebrity Manager

Scott Shuemake

Executive Producer

Matthew Smith

Beverage Manager

Jenn Stokes

Main Stage Producer

VOLUNTEER STAFF

Mike Taft

Dykes on Bikes.................................................Kate Brown Hospitality...................................................... Davace Chin Jay Gresham Office/Sponsorship Intern....................... Gwen Gourvellec Main Stage Intern.........................................Martin Wenzel Safety.............................................. Joseph (Joey) Jelincic Arielle McKee

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Legal......................................................... Sheppard Mullin

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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Assistant Parade Manager

Tori Trylovich

Production Coordinator

Lisa Williams

Sponsorship Sales Manager

2017 SPONSORS San Francisco Pride is supported in large part by the generosity of our sponsors.

PRINCIPAL SPONSORS

GRAND SPONSORS

MAJOR SPONSOR

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

ASSOCIATE SPONSORS

6 â&#x20AC;¢ INSIDE PRIDE | A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

ADVOCATE SPONSORS

MEDIA PARTNERS

TRAVEL PARTNERS

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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Major Partners:

San Francisco’s gay district is called “San Francisco.” Welcome to the city that practically invented gay. Sip cocktails at a local hot spot. Walk over the Golden Gate Bridge hand-in-hand. Dance to a local band in a SOMA club. Stroll through a museum on date night. Or better yet, get married here and spend your honeymoon in one of the most romantic cities on earth. Whatever your state of bliss, San Francisco will show you just how fabulous 49 square miles on the edge of the Pacific can be. Find out more at sftravel.com/lgbt.

Office the Mayor Office of theofMayor

Edwin M. Lee Edwin M. Lee

& County San Francisco City &City County of SanofFrancisco

Office of the Mayor

Edwin M. Lee

City & County of San Francisco

GREETINGS FROM THE MAYOR OF SAN FRANCISCO GREETINGS FROM THE MAYOR OFSAN SAN FRANCISCO GREETINGS FROM THE MAYOR OF FRANCISCO

On behalf the and County of Francisco, Sanit Francisco, ita welcome is a pleasure to2017 welcome you to the On behalf theCity City City and of San is a pleasure to youto to welcome the Sanyou Francisco On behalf of of theof andCounty County of Francisco, San it ofisDiversity. pleasure to the 46th 46 Lesbian Gay Transgender (LGBT) Pride – A Celebration Annual SanBisexual Francisco Lesbian Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Parade Celebration. Annual San Francisco Lesbian Gay Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) PridePride Parade and and Celebration. I am the Mayor of that a that city a strong history of being at forefront the forefront of I amproud proud bebe the Mayor of aaCity has has athat strong history of being atof thebeing forefront extending civil rights to extendin am proud to betotothe Mayor of city ahas strong history atofthe of extending all citizens equality for all. Francisco San Francisco place that pride in itsin diversity, and this year’s civil rightsandtovalues all citizens. San is isa aplace thattakes takes pride its diverse communities an civil rights citizens.ofSan Francisco is a place that takes pride in itsHere diverse and theme ofto “Aall Celebration truly represents SanRacial Francisco is all about. in San communities Francisco values equality for all. Diversity” This year’s theme ofwhat “For and Economic Justice” greatlywereflects ou valuescelebrate equality for all. Thisofyear’s theme of “For Racial and Economic Justice” greatly reflects our diversity as a way life. continued hope and tireless efforts towards the long arc of the moral universe bending toward continued hope and tireless efforts towards the long arc of the moral universe bending towards We have faced a number of challenges toward achieving equality in California and across our country, and we justice. justice. will continue to fight for equality for everyone and against injustice. San Francisco has led the fight for marriage equality – one of the most important civil rights issues of our generation – and won. We must continue to stand up

We have faced demand a number of challenges toward achieving equality in California, and we will continu against exclusion, and celebrate diversity. We have faced a number ofequality challenges toward achieving equality in California, and we will continue to fight until absolutely everyone is treated equally. San Francisco has been a leader in the struggl to fight absolutely everyone is treated equally. beenflag. a leader in the struggle Weuntil also celebrate the life of Gilbert Baker, the creator of theSan iconicFrancisco and belovedhas rainbow Gilbert first raised for marriagein equality for over tenside-by-side years, ever since then Mayor Gavin Newsom started one of th the flag here San for Francisco, with Harvey Milk. The rainbow flag is more than just for marriage equality over standing ten years, ever since then Mayor Gavin Newsom started onea of the most important civil rights issues our generation tobecome ensurea equality for all.comfort and pride symbol; it is the embodiment of the LGBTofcommunity, and it has source of solace, most important civil rights issues of our generation to ensure equality for all. for all those who look upon it, and is now seen all around San Francisco and around the world.

To the manymembers members ofLGBT the LGBT community, theirfriends families, friends, and visitors Tomany the many the community, theirtheir families, and visitors fromcolleagues aroundand the world, I fromfrom To thearound members ofIofwish the LGBT community, families, friends, colleagues visitors youwish all a great PridePride 2016. thisexciting wonderful, exciting, an welcome the you world, to San Francisco and you all a happy 2017.May Enjoyyou this enjoy wonderful, and joyous around the world, I wish you all a great Pride 2016. May you enjoyhearts this wonderful, celebration of acceptance inclusion today forever intoday your hearts! joyous celebration ofand acceptance andand inclusion and in your forever! exciting, and joyous celebration of acceptance and inclusion today and in your hearts forever! With warmest regards,

With warmest regards, With warmest regards, Edwin M. Lee

Mayor Edwin M. Lee EdwinMayor M. Lee Mayor

1 DR. CARLTON B. GOODLETT PLACE, ROOM 200 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94102-4681 TELEPHONE: (415) 554-6141

1 DR. CARLTON B. GOODLETT PLACE, ROOM 200 1 DR. CARLTON B. GOODLETT PLACE, R94102-4681 OOM 200 , CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO , CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO : (415)94102-4681 554-6141 TELEPHONE TELEPHONE: (415) 554-6141 SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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WEINER

CISNEROS

SHEEHY

MANDELMAN

RANDOLPH

TEMPRANO

WELCOME FROM YOUR LGBT ELECTED OFFICIALS SCOTT WEINER

State Senator, California Senate District 11

"Welcome to San Francisco for the 47th Annual Pride Parade and Celebration. As the California State Senator representing San Francisco, thank you for joining us to celebrate both the successes and continuing efforts to bring equality and justice to the LGBT community. In the current political climate, celebrations like Pride are more important than ever to show the unity and strength of our community."

JOSÉ CISNEROS

Treasurer, City & County of San Francisco

"Welcome to SF Pride 2017. As your Treasurer and an openly gay elected official, I am proud to represent a City which stands so strong for equity, fairness and respect. I will continue the fight for financial justice and economic empowerment. On this day of celebrating diversity, let us stand PROUD together for justice for all."

JEFF SHEEHY

Supervisor, City & County of San Francisco - District 8

"I want to welcome everyone to Pride this year, but this is a somber year. I, along with many in the LGBTQ community, am standing strong to resist Trump. I am particularly concerned about our most vulnerable – young people. While the advances achieved under President Obama like same sex marriage, LGBT folk in the military, and Justice Department defense of transgender kids encouraged many young people across the country to express their authentic selves, many in Trump America seethed. With the election of Trump, those filled with hate and bigotry now feel vindicated and are emboldened to act out against members of our community. Due to this, many are escaping from across the country and coming to San Francisco where they can truly be free. As a result, half of the young people on the streets are LGBTQ and 13% are HIV positive. To bring exposure to this crisis I held a hearing on youth homelessness. One transgender kid from Kentucky recounted their experience of how their mother, while accepting, urged them to flee because their life was in danger. I hope you will join with me this Pride in committing to ensuring that our LGBTQ youth – internal refugees – who come here for the freedom we all enjoy, can also find a home, a job, create family and a welcoming community."

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RAFAEL MANDELMAN

Member, Board of Trustees, City College of San Francisco

"Harvey Milk understood that the movement for gay civil rights was inseparable from the struggles of other marginalized groups. He talked of giving hope not just to queer people but to all these “us’s” – women, minorities, seniors, youth, the disabled - and he championed a social and economic justice agenda broad and inclusive enough to encompass us all. The election of Donald Trump last year was obviously a setback for the us’s, and already we have seen his administration move to roll back the hard-earned progress of the Obama years. Since January, resistance has become our watchword. And thankfully, Milk’s coalition of us’s is stronger, more organized, and more capable of effective resistance than ever before. San Francisco Pride’s theme this year A Celebration of Diversity is especially appropriate as we steel ourselves for the long struggle ahead. Our diversity is indeed our strength, and together we will once again bend the arc of history back toward justice.

ALEX RANDOLPH

Member, Board of Trustees, City College of San Francisco

“Welcome to San Francisco as we celebrate 47 years of Pride and community! This year’s theme A Celebration of Diversity highlights the unique contributions each one of us makes to our amazing community. That diversity is represented by our very own Pride Flag, fabulously designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978. Earlier this year, Gilbert left us way too early but his legacy and gift to the world will carry on forever. Pride has always been about building community, being visible, and making our voices heard. Now more than ever, our activism and resistance is needed. Our community and the rights many of us fought so hard for are under attack. Washington D.C. has decided not to include us in the 2020 Census, our transgender sisters and brothers still can’t choose the bathroom of their choice, and hate crimes are on the rise. So this year: let us go back to our roots. Rise up and resist! ”

TOM TEMPRANO

Member, Board of Trustees, City College of San Francisco

“As San Francisco’s youngest elected official I want to give you some inside info on what to do during Pride. San Francisco is the gay mecca of the world and our LGBT history dates back to the gold rush! While you’re here I encourage you to explore our rich trans, lesbian and queer neighborhoods and historic spots. This year’s Pride theme is A Celebration of Diversity and our distinct LGBT neighborhoods illustrate that diversity perfectly. I’ll be in the SoMa leather district, the Tenderloin, and the Castro. I’ll see you out there!” SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF GILBERT BAKER Our movement lost an icon this year

Gilbert Baker, who called himself the “gay Betsy Ross,” was a courageously idealistic artist and a life-long LGBT activist. In the 1970s, as the gay rights movement spread from San Francisco and New York, Gilbert was often asked by friends to make banners for protests and marches. His creations, like others during that time, often included the pink triangle, which protesters had claimed as an icon after its initial use by the Nazis to identify gay men in concentration camps during World War II. image: daniel bergerac-reinhardt muir

Before a gay pride parade in 1978 in San Francisco, Harvey Milk, a city supervisor and gay rights leader who was assassinated later that year, joined others in asking Gilbert to create an emblem to represent the movement. “It was a phenomenal time,” recalls Baker. “A wave of cultural transformation. Harvey Milk was in office. We had a community center on Grove Street, where we made the first flag. Downstairs, the band was rehearsing in one room and the chorus in another. It was just amazing!” Gilbert, with help from volunteers, filled trash cans with dye in the attic of the community center and sewed together the first flags, which debuted in the parade on June 25, 1978. These hand-dyed and hand-stitched rainbow flags instantly became the most recognizable international symbol of gay pride. The first flags had eight colors, each stripe carrying its own significance: pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sun, green for nature, turquoise for magic, blue for peace and purple for spirit. The flag was changed from eight colors to six after 1978, because pink fabric was too expensive, Gilbert said, and the turquoise and blue were combined into royal blue. The rainbow flag has become a universal symbol for LGBTQ rights and the hopes and aspirations of the community. It has been waved by gay rights supporters in China and around the world fighting for equality and it has been displayed in innumerable ways as a sign of solidarity. After the United States Supreme Court affirmed marriage equality in 2015, more than 26 million people on Facebook changed their profile photos to include rainbow flag elements. Always a visionary, Gilbert latched onto the idea of installing a giant rainbow flag over the Castro in 1997. Having earlier identified an unused flagpole elsewhere in the City, he subsequently had a chance encounter with then-Mayor Willie Brown during the annual Castro Street Fair. After a brief discussion and the Mayor’s approval, today’s iconic rainbow flag was raised in about six weeks, and has proudly flown continuously at Castro and Market Streets since then at full mast at all times, as the artist intended. Gilbert Baker was born on June 2, 1951, in Chanute, Kansas, a tiny rural town that was a stop on the Santa Fe Railway. Mr. Baker said he was outgoing growing up but had always thought of himself as an outcast because he was gay. SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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CELEBRATION + PARADE CELEBRATION + RALLY • CIVIC CENTER PLAZA

SATURDAY, JUNE 24 | NOON TO 6:00 PM • SUNDAY, JUNE 25 | 11:00 AM TO 6:00 PM $1.00 SUGGESTED DONATION • COOLERS, GLASS BOTTLES, OUTSIDE ALCOHOL NOT PERMITTED.

47TH ANNUAL SF PRIDE PARADE + MARCH

SUNDAY, JUNE 25 | STARTS AT 10:30 AM ON MARKET STREET, FROM BEALE TO 8TH STREETS

OFFICIAL VIP PARTY AT CITY HALL

SUNDAY, JUNE 25 | 2:00 PM TO 5:00 PM • TICKETS AVAILABLE AT SFPRIDE.ORG

2017 GRAND MARSHALS + AWARDEES CELEBRITY GRAND MARSHALS: THE CAST OF HAMILTON COMMUNITY GRAND MARSHALS

Local heroes (individuals currently living primarily in the nine counties of the Bay Area) who have contributed significantly to the Bay Area LGBTQ community or, as openly LGBTQ people, have contributed significantly to society at large.

CHRIS CARNES • ALEX U. INN • DANIELLE CASTRO • AMY SUEYOSHI SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS ORGANIZATION • DR. MARCY ADELMAN

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

HERITAGE OF PRIDE AWARDS

NATIONAL CENTER FOR LESBIAN RIGHTS (NCLR) PRIDE COMMUNITY AWARD EL/LA PARA TRANSLATINAS PRIDE FREEDOM AWARD BRETT ANDREWS 10 YEARS OF SERVICE AWARD

COMMEMORATION AWARDS

BAY AREA AMERICAN INDIAN TWO-SPIRITS (BAAITS) GILBERT BAKER PRIDE FOUNDER’S AWARD BLACKBERRI THE AUDREY JOSEPH LGBTQ ENTERTAINMENT AWARD SUBHI NAHAS JOSÉ JULIO SARRIA HISTORY MAKER AWARD MARIA ZAMUDIO TEDDY WITHERINGTON AWARD SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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EVENT INFORMATION PARADE + MARCH

Sunday, June 25 | Starts at 10:30 AM Market Street | Beale to 8th Streets

GRANDSTAND TICKETS + ACCESSIBILITY SEATING

The grandstands, located at United Nations Plaza, are the perfect place to enjoy the parade. The Civic Center Muni/BART station is right next to the entrance to the grandstands. Tickets are $40 in advance at sfpride.org or $45 at the entrance on the morning of the parade. Tickets are provided on a sliding scale to those with accessibility needs and their partners. Accessibility seating is also provided for the deaf and hard-of-hearing and the differently-abled at the grandstands. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and begins at 9:30 a.m.

CELEBRATION + RALLY

Saturday, June 24 | 12:00 to 6:00 PM Sunday, June 25 | 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM Civic Center Plaza + Surrounding Area

$1.00 DONATION AT THE GATE

San Francisco Pride is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We are asking everyone to make a $1.00 donation at the entry gate. We are able to produce this annual event thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and partners along with donations from the general public and the investment of our membership. We partially fund over twenty community-produced stages and venues at the celebration and we partner with more than 60 local non-profits to whom we have given back more than $2.7 million in direct grants in the last twenty years.

ENTRY SCREENING

Everyone entering the celebration will be subject to screening. The following items are prohibited: • any bag or container over 18” x 18” • alcohol • coolers • glass bottles • illegal drugs or substances • hazardous or toxic materials • firearms, fireworks, explosives • drones • weapons • knives, impact or electric pulse weapons • stunning devices • radios, walkie-talkies, jammers, scanners • portable speakers • any item deemed inappropriate or hazardous by law enforcement or security

INFORMATION BOOTH

The Information Booth is located on Civic Center Plaza at Fulton Street. Here you can pick up a copy of Pocket Pride which contains a map of the celebration showing the locations of stages, venues and amenities.

18 • INSIDE PRIDE | A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

FIRST AID

Our primary first aid center is located inside Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, via the Grove/Polk entrance. There are also medical foot patrol teams roaming throughout the event. A satellite first aid station is located at the intersection of Hyde and Golden Gate on Sunday.

EXHIBITORS & FOOD

graphic design + publishing

Over 200 exhibitors feature a wide variety of artists, local and national businesses, nonprofits, artisans, and food and beverage vendors.

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BEVERAGES

Throughout the site, you’ll find a variety of official beverage booths featuring water, soda, beer, wine and cocktails. Alcohol not purchased from one of our official beverage booths is not permitted. Please drink responsibly and remember to stay hydrated. The Castro Country Club Sober Stage, located on United Nations Plaza, offers a drug and alcohol free zone.

CHILDCARE + ACCESSIBILITY

Free childcare and accessibility services are available; more information is available at the information booth. Accessibility seating and ASL interpretation are provided at the main stage and other stages throughout the event.

KEEP IT CLEAN, KEEP IT GREEN

We are striving to reduce our impact on the environment. Waste collection stations are provided throughout the celebration with clearly marked receptacles for recycling, compost, and landfill. Please do your part to dispose of your waste in a thoughtful manner.

TOILETS

Portable toilets are clearly identified and available in numerous locations throughout the celebration.

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THRIVE WITH PRIDE We all deserve to be healthy and happy When you embrace equality, it helps lead to a healthier, happier future for all—and we want everyone to live life to its fullest. That’s why we champion diversity and invest in the community. Kaiser Permanente is proud to have a long history as a major sponsor of the San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade. And we’re always proud to be your partner in health. Look for our float in the parade lineup on June 25.

kp.org/sanfrancisco

GENERAL INFORMATION SMOKE-FREE EVENT

The San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration and Parade is a smoke-free event per San Francisco Health Code, Article 19L.

TRANSPORTATION

We strongly recommend that you take advantage of the Bay Area’s robust public transit system when coming to our event. • PARADE: The Embarcadero, Montgomery, Powell, and Civic Center Muni/BART stations all serve the parade route. Use Civic Center station for closest access to the grandstands. • CELEBRATION: Use the Civic Center Muni/BART stop to access the celebration. Bicycle valet is also available at McAllister and Hyde.

WELLNESS TIPS • If you see something, say something. Pay attention to your surroundings and report suspicious activity or unattended packages to the nearest police officer or security personnel. • Bring a friend with you when traveling to new and unfamiliar places. • Keep yourself hydrated and drink plenty of water. Water is available at all of our Official Beverage Booths. • Do not leave any valuables or personal items unattended. • Be good to one another, look out for one another, and speak up for one another.

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This advertisement made possible by funds received from theCalifornia California Tobacco Control Program, under Contract 15足10244 advertisement was madewas possible by funds received from the Tobacco Control Program, under No. Contract No. 15足10244

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2017 COMMUNITY PARTNERS

The San Francisco Pride Community Partner Program is a beneficiary program that exemplifies SF Pride’s commitment to community investment. Since 1997, SF Pride has been able to grant over $2.7M to our community partners thanks to donations made at our event gates and purchases made at our beverage booths. Community partners provide SF Pride with volunteers the weekend of the event and, in return, SF Pride awards the organizations with a grant based on patron support. When you donate at the gate or purchase a beverage at one of our official beverage booths, you provide critical support to local charities, including LGBTQIA organizations and those organizations working on issues related to HIV/AIDS, cancer, homelessness and animal welfare. For nearly twenty years, SF Pride’s Community Partner Program has been a primary source of funding that serves to strengthen our communities and build a strong future for the celebration and parade.

2017 COMMUNITY PARTNERS Alameda County Leather Corps All Blues Rugby Club Bay Area Derby Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition Berkeley Community Health Project/Free Clinic Berkeley Humane California Men's Gathering Castro Country Club Cheer for Life Foundation City of Refuge Ministries UCC Council of Grand Dukes & Duchesses Discovery Community Inc. Foggy City Dancers Folsom Street Events Freedom in Christ Church Gay Asian Pacific Alliance Healing Waters Wilderness Adventures Homeless Children's Network Imperial Council of San Francisco Inferno Softball Lesbian Gay Chorus of San Francisco

Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco NIA Collective NorCrid Oakland Pride Oakland Pride Latin Stage Pagan Alliance Q Foundation Rocket Dog Rescue San Francisco Gay Basketball Association San Francisco Gay Softball League San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band San Francisco Sex Information San Francisco SPCA San Francisco Spikes San Francisco Tsunami Water Polo San Joaquin Delta Empire SF Mix DNA Softball Team Silicon Valley Softball League Success Center San Francisco Tenderloin Tessies Whole Human Project

List as of May 31, 2017

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There’s something everyone

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HELP STOP THE VIRUS.

BECOME A MEMBER OF SF PRIDE!

San Francisco Pride is a world-leader in the global Pride movement. We are a part of the fabric of Pride events that happen around the world. Every Celebration and Parade in every corner of the globe offers an historic moment in our journey to full equality. It is our mission to educate the world on LGBTQ issues, commemorate our heritage, celebrate our culture and liberate our people. The annual budget to produce the San Francisco Pride Celebration and Parade exceeds $2.5 million. We fund this through the support of our corporate partners, individual donations and member dues. Membership helps provide the essential funds we need, and also gives you a platform to participate in our annual decision making. Please consider becoming a Member and visit sfpride. org/membership for more information. 2017 MEMBERS: Marion Abdullah • Allan Acevedo • Russell Allen • Yvette Alley • Francis Almanzor • Christina Amate • John Anderson • Dr. Mark Arseneau • LaVonda AtkinsonSweat • Mariva Aviram • Jamie Awad • Donald C. Bachman • Sulaiman Bangura • Kevin Bard • Bruce Beaudette • Lyle Beckman • Alan Beckstead • Jerry Berbiar • Deva Berman Gene Bidwell • Renata Bilella • Jennifer Bishop • Jacquelene Bishop • Alvin Blackmore Marcus Borgman • Thomas Boyer • Steven Bracco • Jacob Bravo • Bob Bravo • Caleiph Brewer • D'Arcy Brewer • Torrance Brouillard • William Brown • Isaac Burrough • Braden Busch • Marco Cabrera • Joey Cain • Chris Carnes • Patrick Carney • Jen Chan • Irma Chilin • Tamara Ching • Max Cohen • Kristi Colmenero • Marco Colon • Tosca Comvalius • Timothy Connor • Mario Crespin • E.G. Crichton • Joe Czuberki • Nhung Dam • Mai Dam Hong Dam • Chris Darst • Davonne Davis-Butler • Luis De la Garza • Jonathan De Vera Donald Dewsnup • Bob Dockendorff • Anietie Ekanem • Felicia Elizondo • Jose' Enes Susan Englander • Larry Eschenbacher • David Ferry • Louise Fischer • Colleen FitzSimons Joseiph Fleming • Theresa M. Frye • George Fuentes • Michael Fullam • Ivy Gaitatzis Jason Galisatus • Max Gasner • Jasmine Gee • Andrew Gibbons • Roberta Gonzales-Gregg Samuel Gray Hinojosa • Harold Hagen • Larry Hashbarger • Kenneth Henderson • Kate Henneinke • Andrew Heppelle • Dewitt Hoard • Jason Husted • Monique Isom • Carlin Jacoby • Joseph Jelincic • Reggie Johnson • Deanna Kalill • Nicole Kim • Josh King Elinor Knechel • Thomas D. LaBelle-Seymour • Samuel C. LaBelle-Seymour • Douglas Lam Jennifer Lane • Elizabeth Lanyon • Darryl Lee • Marsha Levine • Paul Levine • Kaleb Lewis Chris Lintz • William Lipsky • Merredith Lloyd • Calvin Lum • Nancy Mancias • Jonathan Mangosing • Justin Matthews • Kim-Shree Maufas • Mitch Mayne • Lin Mayr • Leatha McGirt Arielle McKee • Loren Meissner • Edwin Morales • Carmen Morrison • Melanie Nathan Phil Nelson • Lawrence Nelson • Ngoc Ngo • Michael Nguyen • Cao ky Nguyen • Gary Noguera • Alana Nohrden • Elsmarie Norby • Michael Nulty • James Oerther • Brooke Oliver • Patricia A. Olson • Ronda Pacheco • Bryan Pangilinan • Nicholas Parker • Jeffrey Pekrul • Andrew Pembroke • Greg L. Pennington • D. Pham • Nguyen 'Win' Pham • Brian Probst • Seth Radin • Marjorie RankinGoppert • Georgia Rawlings • Chandra Redack Jackie Rednour-Bruckman • Amanda Reiman • Wanda Roland • Christopher Rosales Donna Sachet • Marcus Sauceda • Lloyd Schofield • Richard Shadoian • Lawrence Shine Simona Shumanova • Thomas Simpson • River Sims • Michelle Sinhbandith • Liliana Sirazetdinova • Joshua Smith • Felix Smith • Serena Smith • Yvonne Smith-Adams • Laurel Snead • Reggie Snowden • Robert Sokol • Martin Soto • David Spiciarich • Lisa Starliper Brendon Steele • Joey Stevenson • Jeff Stiarwalt • Jenn Stokes • Sansiri Suangchomphan Nathan Svoboda • Bebe Sweetbriar • Thom Taft • Atefeh Taheri • Fish Tate • Justin Taylor Coma Te • David Tejeda • Jameson Thornton • Aaron Thul • Yuki Togawa • Jimmy Tsai Gary Virginia • Joe Wagenhofer • Eric Wagner • William Walker • Katrin Wehrheim • Barbara Weiss • Christopher Whitfield • Michael Williams • Angela Williams • Lisa Williams • Ronnie Willis • Jokie X. Wilson • Leon Winston • Cesar Zepeda List as of May 31, 2017

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S AV E T H E D A T E : P R I D E 2 0 1 8 S AV E T H E D A T E : P R I D E 2 0 1 8

ANGELS IN AMERICA: ANGELS IN AMERICA: A GAY FANTASIA ON NATIONAL THEMES A GAY FANTASIA ON NATIONAL THEMES PART ONE: MILLENNIUM APPROACHES PART ONE: APPROACHES PARTMILLENNIUM TWO: PERESTROIKA PART TWO: PERESTROIKA

By Tony Kushner By Tony Kushner Directed by Tony Taccone Directed by Tony Taccone April 28–July 22, 2018 April 28–July 22, 2018

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Don’t miss the epic masterpiece Angels in Don’t miss the epic masterpiece Angels in America, the world premieres of the musical America, thePROUD—THE world premieres of the musical AIN’T TOO TEMPTATIONS and AIN’T TOO PROUD—THE TEMPTATIONS Daniel Handler’s dark new comedy Imaginaryand Daniel Handler’s darkOffice new comedy Imaginary Comforts, Julia Cho’s Hour, Lillian Comforts, Julia Cho’s Office Hour, Lillian Hellman’s classic Watch on the Rhine, and the Hellman’s classic Watch on the Rhine, return of virtuoso solo performer Nilajaand Sun!the return of virtuoso solo performer Nilaja Sun!

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THE CAST OF HAMILTON

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s isn’t easy.

image: hamilton - national tour cast. photo by joan marcus.

Reaching us is.

CELEBRITY GRAND MARSHAL Hamilton is the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington's right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation's first treasury secretary. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, Hamilton is the story of America then, as told by America now.

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If you care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, memory loss or dementia, you are not alone. We’re here day or night — whenever you need us — offering reliable information and support. Free 24/7 Helpline: 800.272.3900 LGBT Dementia Care Network:

alz.org/norcal

LGBT SUPPORT PROGRAMS at Curry Senior Center

CHRIS CARNES

(serving older adults 60+)

COMMUNITY GRAND MARSHAL Selected by Public Vote

315 Turk Street (at Leavenworth) San Francisco, CA 94102 Questions? Call Jeffrey or Karla at (415)292-1090

Wednesdays MEN’S LUNCH BUNCH, WOMEN'S TEA PARTY & REVOLUTIONARY SOCIETY

Thursdays

Chris Carnes is a Bay Area LGBTQ activist, fundraiser, event producer, and philanthropist. Over four decades, Chris has had an active role in leading and supporting LGBTQ causes, from her work on the Board of the Cable Car Awards, to her role as a pivotal Board Member of Equality California, securing the first major corporate sponsor, AT&T, ensuring EQCA’s future. For 10 years Chris fought for equal marriage rights culminating with the joyous Supreme Court decision 2015 Pride weekend. Chris was an early Board Member of the SF LGBT Center, where she was instrumental in turning the dream into a reality. With her legendary fundraising expertise, Chris leveraged her growing contacts and donor base launching Carnes Productions and ChrisCarnesList harnessing the power of social media. “Over the arc of my four decades as an LGBTQ activist, I have fought for our unprecedented advancement of LGBT Civil Rights and much needed visibility and recognition for our lesbian community.”

BIG GAY MOVIE DAY

Fridays LONG TERM SURVIVORS’ GROUP 32 • INSIDE PRIDE | A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

ALEX U. INN

Amazon has hundreds of millions of customers who can beneﬁt from diversity of thought. We are a company of builders who bring varying backgrounds, ideas, and points of view to inventing on behalf of our customers.

COMMUNITY GRAND MARSHAL

Selected by the SF Pride Membership

Alex U. Inn (Carmen Alex Morrison), a Bay-Area resident for more than thirty-five years, is an advocate for justice and equality, fighting for the rights of others and speaking truth to power. One of few to be named to Sainthood by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and winner of thirtytwo gold medals at Gay Games/Gay Olympics, Alex also has been a critical force for many important LGBTQI institutions, such as the SF LGBT Center, MyNameIs Coalition, SF Pride’s NECTAR/Women’s Stage, UNLEASH! Dance Party for Women, and Committee for Queer Justice. Alex also founded Momma’s Boyz, a troupe of Hip Hop artivist drag kings and KINGDOM! Drag King House that fundraises for our community. Happily married to Ellen Morrison for nine years.

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Learn more at Amazon.com/diversity

BARTable is honored to support San Francisco Pride.

A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY AT GRATON RESORT & CASINO

AMY SUEYOSHI

Destination: All in.

diverse

Selected by the SF Pride Board of Directors

Amy Sueyoshi is an educator, activist, and leading scholar in queer Asian American history. Her work addresses Orientalism, cross-dressing, and interracial desire. She is the author of Queer Compulsions, the first monograph on queer Japanese American history that details the sexuality of artist Isamu Noguchi’s father. Her essay on queer Asian Pacific Islander history also appears in the landmark National Parks Foundation LGBTQ Theme Study. Amy implemented the Asian Pacific Islander Queer Women and Transgender Community scholarship; initiated the Queer Ethnic Studies Initiative at SFSU where she is Associate Dean; and seeded the Dragon Fruit Project, API Equality’s queer intergenerational oral history project. Amy is also the founding co-curator of the GLBT History Museum. “Support accessible public education that equips a populace to think critically, value difference, and activate change. We should serve one another not because of our common humanity, but rather for our distinctiveness. Get your queer on and make the world a better place.”

inclusive community

34 • INSIDE PRIDE | A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

DANIELLE CASTRO

Supporting

diversity and

equality!

COMMUNITY GRAND MARSHAL

Selected by the SF Pride Board of Directors

Danielle Castro is a transgender community advocate who creates positive change through her work. She co-founded multiple trans serving organizations and coalitions, including Trans Advocates for Justice andPrideAd2016.indd Accountability (TAJA’s) Coalition and inspires others to promote a society devoid of transphobia. Currently Project Director of Community Based Research for the Center of Excellence for Transgender Health (COE) at the University of California, San Francisco, her academic writing is published in the Praeger Handbook of Community Mental Health Practice. Most recently, Danielle was awarded the UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies International Women’s Day Award for her work on advancing health care for trans people throughout the country and abroad. In 2013 Danielle became one of a handful of trans women of color psychotherapy interns in the country.

5/25/16 2:45 PM

“Our entire community must unite to stop the genocide of (primarily) black and brown trans women, gender diverse, and queer communities throughout the world. We need to come together to protect one another, and stop relying on a corrupt capitalistic government that exists to exploit us and abolish our human rights. Unite, resist and love one another…”

#HereToHelp SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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DR. MARCY ADELMAN

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT GRAND MARSHAL

Selected by the SF Pride Board of Directors

6/10/16 2:34 PM

OPEN 10AM-2AM FRI-SUN PRIDE Weekend 225 Church St @ Market PilsnerInn.com

Dr. Marcy Adelman is a widely respected psychotherapist and pioneer in the field of lesbian and gay aging. In 1998, many couldn’t afford rising rents or were evicted and senior housing and service providers didn’t know how to welcome LGBT elders and assure their safety. With few housing options, LGBT elders had to go back into the closet to access housing and services or were forced to leave the city. Marcy and her late partner Jeannette Gurevitch founded Openhouse to address the housing and service needs of LGBT elders. For over three decades, Marcy has worked to make visible the lives, contributions, and concerns of LGBT elders and is a leading advocate for quality LGBT affirming elder care and policies. “I encourage everyone to wake up every morning committed to marching, writing/ calling legislatures, signing petitions and attending town hall meetings in support of immigrants, all LGBT people but especially LGBT elders and youth, people of color, Muslims, women and protection of the earth. Do this and we will transform ourselves and the country by a more deeply lived and held belief in multiculturalism.”

36 • INSIDE PRIDE | A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONAL GRAND MARSHAL Selected by Public Vote

"The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) is honored to be a Grand Marshal for this year’s SF Pride Parade. We celebrate diversity every day at SFGMC and believe all people should be treated fairly and equally which is why, as we kick off our 40th season, we are taking our mission and message of community, activism and compassion across the South with the Lavender Pen Tour in October."

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T:1.75” S:1.5”

S:3.6875”

For nearly 40 years, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) has served as an international standard bearer for a powerful mix of extraordinary musical excellence and mission-driven activism. Founded in 1978, it was the first choral organization to courageously proclaim its orientation in its name and is credited with helping start the LGBT choral movement that now spans the entire globe, galvanizing and changing the course of LGBT history. It continues to inspire other arts-based community organizations through its performances and involvement in human rights, community activism, empowerment and inclusiveness, establishing it as an icon among LGBT organizations.

B:1.75”

OUR PRIDE IS UNLIMITED AND SO IS OUR SUPPORT

#UnlimitedPride

BRETT ANDREWS

HERITAGE OF PRIDE 10 Years of Service Award

For those organizations, individuals, or other entities who have contributed ten years of consecutive service to the LGBTQ community. Chosen by the SF Pride Board of Directors.

Brett Andrews currently serves as the CEO of Positive Resource Center (PRC), a 30-year-old San Francisco-based nonprofit organization providing culturally appropriate legal benefits counseling and employment services to people disabled by mental health conditions or HIV/ AIDS. Mr. Andrews holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from George Washington University. Currently, Brett is a member of the San Francisco HIV/AIDS Provider Network, the San Francisco Human Services Network, and the Mayor’s CBO Taskforce. He serves on the Board of the National Working Positive Coalition. Most recently, Brett received the 2016 Association of Fundraising Professionals Spirit of Philanthropy Award and the 2017 Imperial Court of San Francisco Bob Cramer Humanitarian Award. “I am thrilled to be this year’s Heritage of Pride awardee. It is a particular honor to be recognized by the community in which I live, love and work. Pride’s theme, A Celebration of Diversity, is not a goal that is achieved, but an ongoing process that leads to beautiful outcomes. I’m reminded of a quote by Toni Morrison, “The peace I am thinking of is the dance of an open mind when it engages another equally open one.” Here’s to all of this year’s grand marshals and awardees – thank you for your presence in our community.” 38 • INSIDE PRIDE | A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

EL/LA PARA TRANSLATINAS

HERITAGE OF PRIDE Pride Freedom Award

For outstanding contributions to advancing civil rights and freedom for LGBTQ people. Chosen by the SF Pride Board of Directors.

The mission and vision of El/La Para TransLatinas is “to work to build a world where translatinas (transgender Latinas) feel they deserve to protect, love, and develop themselves." We support each other in protecting ourselves against violence, abuse, and illness. El/La works to build collective vision, action, and power to promote our survival and improve our quality of life in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Because we exist in a world that fears and hates transgender people, women, and immigrants, we fight for justice.” We are working within a culturally competent holistic model on behalf of translatinas in the fight for human rights, dignity, and freedom to live without personal and institutional discrimination and violence. El/ La has been serving transgender Latinas since 2006. “El/La Para TransLatinas is honored to receive the Pride Freedom Award. The translatina and the trans community in general, have long gone unrecognized and under-resourced. It is positive to see the society at large getting educated about the trans community and the LGB community, in specific, recognizing and supporting the trans community, especially in these oppressive political times.” SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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NATIONAL CENTER FOR LESBIAN RIGHTS

Happy Pride! HERITAGE OF PRIDE Pride Community Award

Presented for outstanding service to LGBTQ communities. Chosen by the SF Pride Board of Directors.

CliFF’s Variety

479 CASTRO STREET SAN FRANCISCO 415-431-5365 CLIFFSVARIETY.COM

The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) is a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, legislation, policy, and public education. Founded in 1977, NCLR is celebrating 40 years in service to LGBTQ communities across the country. In this unprecedented political moment in which everything we have fought for is coming under threat, NCLR is unwavering in our commitment to those whose are most vulnerable. We will be fearless in our efforts to call forth an America in which we can all live together in justice, equality and respect. In June 2015, NCLR won one of the biggest LGBTQ legal victories in history — the SCOTUS decision affirming marriage equality nationwide.

40 • INSIDE PRIDE | A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

BAY AREA AMERICAN INDIAN TWO-SPIRITS

COMMEMORATION AWARD Gilbert Baker Pride Founder’s Award

For those who have made a significant and historical impact on the LGBTQ community and the movement for LGBTQ rights.

Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS) exists to restore and recover the role of Two-Spirit people within the American Indian/First Nations community by creating a forum for the spiritual, cultural, and artistic expression of Two-Spirit people. BAAITS is a communitybased volunteer organization offering culturally relevant activities for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex Native Americans, their families, and friends, which includes hosting our annual Two-Spirit Powwow. Two-Spirit refers to the commonly shared notion among many Native American tribes that some individuals naturally possess and manifest both masculine and feminine spiritual qualities. Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits comes together to socialize, share, and network in an alcohol and drug-free environment. “Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS) is honored to receive the Gilbert Baker Pride Founder’s Award. In these times of political and spiritual uncertainty we must come together, take personal responsibility and celebrate our diversity. We must offer our continued support for those putting their lives on the line in the name of art, creative expression, equality, justice, Indigenous sovereignty, and environmental protection.” SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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BLACKBERRI

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Serving 0 h Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner! YYE EA ARR

3991-A 17 TH STREET MARKET @ CASTRO

415.864.9795

2304 MARKET STREET SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114 T 415.558.8123

CH A S E O PU R FA

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COMMEMORATION AWARD

The Audrey Joseph LGBTQ Entertainment Award Honors those who have made significant and historical impact, or left an indelible impression on the LGBTQ community and the movement for LGBTQ rights, through their artistic expression, or through their contribution within the entertainment industry. Chosen by the SF Pride Board of Directors.

Blackberri is a song stylist, song maker, poet, writer, photographer, health educator, and community advocate. In other words an Artivist. Born in 1945 in Buffalo, New York, Blackberri grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. He performed music and appeared in several films, including Marlon Riggs's Tongues Untied, Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien (No Regret), Anthem, Affirmations, and Black is Black Ain't, Isaac Julian's Looking for Langston, and Nancy and Peter Adair’s Word is Out. Blackberri’s first album, Blackberri and Friends: Finally (1981) featured the classic award winning song, Eat the Rich. He also recorded the soundtrack for the Haight-Ashbury Radio Collective's History of San Francisco, Knowing at the Gateway of Gold, which aired on KPFA, a Berkeley Pacifica Network Radio affiliate. This pioneer also appeared on the first anthology on Men's Music Wall to Roses: Songs of Changing Men, which is now in the Smithsonian Folkways collection and Gay Men's Music Strong Love Song of Gay Liberation, 1972-1981 CD. This national treasure has toured internationally and has made many radio and TV appearances. He is one of the most visible black queer/ same gender-loving artivists in the country. Blackberri currently lives in Oakland and has recently been given the lifetime achievement award from Generations. 42 • INSIDE PRIDE | A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

SUBHI NAHAS

Salesforce welcomes all and stands with SF Pride. #EqualityForAll

Learn more at salesforce.com/equality

COMMEMORATION AWARD José Julio Sarria History Maker Award

Awarded to Bay Area people who make extraordinary changes in the way society views the LGBTQ community.

Subhi Nahas, founder of spectraproject.org, began advocating for women's and children’s rights in Syria, then started working with Save the Children as a translator and advocate. Through his work with them, he was able to reach the refugee community. At the same time, he co-founded the first LGBTQ Syrian magazine, called Mawaleh. The magazine was used as a platform to raise awareness and to educate both the LGBT community and the Syrian community. Subhi co-founded a support group for LGBT refugees in Turkey and organized a weekly talk called “Tea and Talk”, where LGBT people could sit down and talk about their issues and what they are facing. Then the group expanded to offer medical testing and other services, such as legal help and medical referrals.

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I N VES TED I N O U R

COM MU N IT Y F O R OVER 3 0 YE A RS

Locally locally recognized recognized Locally owned, owned, Locally Locally operating, operating, locally as the TOP LGBT company in 2016! as the TOP LGBT company in 2016!

We don’t just live in the community, we invest in our community. It’s our belief that real estate isn’t just about buildings – it’s about the people inside and the lives they build. Vanguard Properties has been gay owned and operated since 1985. We have supported many of our community programs, that focus on the LGBT+ community. We applaud their extraordinary efforts. AIDS Lifecycle

Lambda Legal

AIDS Walk San Francisco

San Francisco AIDS Foundation

Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District

San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus

Eureka Valley Foundation

The Rainbow Honor Walk The Trevor Project

vanguardproperties.com vanguardproperties.com CASTRO CASTRO

555 Castro Castro Street, Street, San San Francisco, Francisco, CA CA 94114 94114 555

FLAGSHIP FLAGSHIP

2501 2501 Mission Mission Street, Street, San San Francisco, Francisco, CA CA 94110 94110

AN N F FR RA AN NC C II S SC CO O || M MA AR R II N N || W W II N SS A NE E C CO OU UN NT TR RY Y || P PA A LL M M S SP PR R II N NG G SS

MARIA ZAMUDIO

COMMEMORATION AWARD

B:1.75”

Teddy Witherington Award

T:1.75”

Recognizing those individuals who have contributed a longstanding, large body of work to the LGBTQ community.

L:1.5”

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McDonald’s Owner/Operators of the Greater Bay Area are proud sponsors of SF Pride

L:3.6875”

Maria Zamudio is a queer Mexican-immigrant femme raised in a working class mixed-status family in Santa Barbara, where she began organizing with other immigrant students at her high school. She continued her work with immigrant communities at UCSB, graduating with a BS in Feminist Studies. She has been living and working in the Bay Area for the last six years, primarily as a housing rights organizer with Causa Justa::Just Cause, organizing mostly Latinx working class tenants in San Francisco fighting for their homes and their right to live affordably, safely, and with dignity. She helped develop the SF Anti-Displacement Coalition and Plaza16, two forces for housing rights and community development, and is now working with the Center for Story-Based Strategy, harnessing the power of narrative for social change.

EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES: IN PURSUIT OF QUEER SOLIDARITY

The queer community thrives on inclusivity and celebrating the margins By Amy Sueyoshi

In January 2017 Nico Lang declared in the Los Angeles Times that this year would be a “banner year for anti-LGBT discrimination.” He noted, “If you thought 2016 was a nasty brutish year…2017 is shaping up to be much, much worse.” Indeed we’ve seen a tremendous amount of hate emanating from the White House against Mexicans, Muslims, women, as well as queers. In this moment of antagonism and uncertainty, solidarity remains crucial in supporting each other across communities to uphold justice and equity. As early as 1903, Japanese and Mexican farm laborers in Oxnard teamed up to form one of America’s earliest multi-racial labor unions in their struggle against depressed wages. During the 1960s, Kiyoshi Kuromiya, who would soon after found Gay Liberation Front – Philadelphia, The pressures to participated in the Black liberation struggle as one among many Asian Americans. Kuromiya become normal worked as a close aide to Martin Luther King will at times feel and cared for his children in the aftermath of his assassination. More recently, the Japanese insurmountably American Citizens League, one of the first nonseductive. Yet, I urge LGBT organizations to endorse gay marriage in 1994, has organized countless workshops you to stay queer. and actions in support of Muslims and Advance movements Arabs to live peaceably in the United States. Commonality underlies much of this solidarity to eradicate work. Farmworkers regardless of their ethnicity inequality motivated saw their similar class oppression. Activists of color across different races also could readily by difference and recognize parallels in state violence in an effort protect those who are to avoid “repeating history.”

different. Yet as queers and particularly for Pride, I’d like to remind ourselves of the power of difference in creating a robust community. It means embracing the freak within us and celebrating ourselves as oddballs, non-conformists and deviants. In the 1980s, Gloria Anzaldúa asserted the power of the marginalized, those living in the borders or the “borderlands,” “the squint-eyed, the perverse, the queer, the troublesome, the mongrel… those who cross over, pass over, or go through the confines of ‘normal.’” Ten years later, Queer Nation, a radical direct action organization combatting homophobia, reclaimed the shame in “queer,” transforming it from a stigmatizing epithet into an effective political tool. In the twenty-first century, queerness has increasingly become mainstream. In media, politics, and even the military, queers are no longer marginal players to be hidden away, but rather of central concern and interest. Currently, close to 50 degrees in queer studies exist at more than 50 universities. As we gain acceptance, we face perhaps the greatest ideological challenge of our lives. Will we become normal or will we stay queer? SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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The pressures to become normal will at times feel insurmountably seductive. There are great personal benefits to being normal and normal is an easy act to follow. Yet, I urge you to stay queer. Create new cultural norms around gender as well as sexuality. Push the English language to formalize words that promote expansive gender inclusivity rather than binarism. Advance movements to eradicate inequality motivated by difference and protect those who are different. Queer solidarity means community motivated by difference. I’m asking gay men to support dykes, white queers to promote queers of color, cisgender folks to advance transfolks, and able-bodied people to push for accessibility. These types of networks that embrace difference within difference will transform the world. Love and support each other because we are queer. Give a friendly smile and lend a helping hand. Reduce gossiping, eliminate back biting, forgive old hurts, and have empathy for hot messes among us. Make an effort to build queer friends and connections. Be generous to those around you. Take care of the old goats in our community and take the time to bring up the young ones. Get your workplace to hire transfolks. In the words of drag queen José Sarria, a San Francisco activist who exhorted patrons of the Black Cat Bar during the 1950s and 1960s, “United we stand, divided they catch us one by one.” Being queer has never been solely about personal pleasure. From its beginnings, queer has stood for inciting a cultural revolution that brings equity and justice to all who are marginalized among us. Thus continue to be bold and fabulous, take risks, forge a path, and bring people along with you. This Pride re-dedicate yourselves to being queer. Amy Sueyoshi is an educator, activist and leading scholar in queer Asian American history, and a 2017 Community Grand Marshal, selected by the SF Pride Board of Directors.

the official sf pride vip party at city hall

under the rotunda

hosted bar + catering by whole foods market

Sunday, June 25 | 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

entertainment by MYSTIC MIDWAY, JON GINOLI, MADAME GANDHI, ACROLELE, CELEBRATING LA VIDA, SERGIO FEDASZ, SOUTH LIGHT COURT CABERET

TICKETS: $50 through June 6th at 10:00 AM, then $75 after sfpride.org/vip-party

Speak volumes We hear you loud and proud. Experience the vast collection of LGBTQ movies and shows on XFINITY X1. Check out the LGBTQ Film & TV collection on XFINITY On Demand, or just say “Pride” or “LGBTQ” into the X1 Voice Remote to discover fresh, new entertainment that speaks to you – all year long.

MORE THAN RESISTANCE: PERSISTENCE AND LGBTQ MOVEMENT-BUILDING In the face of daunting challenges, we will work to advance equality and justice By Kate Kendell, Esq.

During a BBC interview earlier this year, I stated that San Francisco is leading the resistance. And we are. From challenging this administration’s unlawful immigration policies to rising up on behalf of LGBTQ youth and families, we are speaking up and speaking out. This is a time for action, and we know that we cannot afford to be bystanders. Under this administration, it feels like our community is under constant attack. Every day brings forth new executive orders, firings, appointments, and legislation that seek to take our country backward. In fact, Trump’s U.S. Supreme Court nominee, now Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, once chillingly stated that courts should look “backward, not forward.” After decades of hard-won progress, we face constant pushback and repeated attempts to roll back our rights. Today, a growing number of states are introducing legislation to chip away at marriage equality. Transgender students face more barriers at school. Many LGBTQ immigrants and their families live in fear. And decades of progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS could soon be undercut by the repeal of a healthcare plan that now insures millions of LGBTQ Americans. In the face of these indignities, we have heard many calls from across the country to “resist.”

San Francisco is leading the resistance. This is a time for action, and we know that we cannot afford to be bystanders.

We will continue to take a stand, to lead, and to resist—but resistance alone is not enough. We must do more. We not only must defend against attempts to push us back, but also persist in affirmatively building and strengthening our movement, including seizing on new opportunities for creativity and collaboration that are more important than ever before. We will not put our work to advance LGBTQ equality and intersectional feminism on pause, or be satisfied with merely holding our ground. We will push forward so that LGBTQ people across the country can live freely and safely—at work, school, and in all aspects of our lives. We will ensure that our families are respected and eradicate anti-LGBTQ bias in courtrooms. We will protect more LGBTQ youth across the country from the harmful and unscientific practice of conversion therapy. We will advocate for LGBTQ people in rural communities. We will stand up for LGBTQ immigrants, asylees, and their families. And we will continue to gain ground on addressing the sexism, homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia that are still rampant in many sports programs across the country. We will do these things, and many more. As National Center for Lesbian Rights’ early leaders Donna Hitchens, Nancy Davis, and Roberta Achtenberg can attest, we’ve seen plenty of seemingly unwinnable fights over the last 40 years. From securing same-sex parent adoptions to winning marriage equality, we’ve had decades of experience doing what many said could not be done. Throughout those decades, we’ve expanded our team and our toolset to address a range of issues facing the LGBTQ community, including immigration, employment, healthcare, housing, parenting, incarceration, sports, and barriers faced by transgender youth. There is so much left to be done to bring true justice and freedom to all in our community. Despite the enormity of the challenges, we will never let up nor stand down until we reach that day. Kate Kendell, Esq., is the Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights nclrights.org SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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BETTY WHO

Main Stage, Civic Center Plaza Sunday, June 25

SF Pride culminates its 2017 celebration with a performance by Betty Who. On the heels of releasing her new album, "The Valley," SF Pride is teaming up with JUNGLE Pride at The Armory to bring Betty Who to the Main Stage. In her own words, “I’ve always been the type of person who will tell you everything and put myself out there totally unglossed. Writing is therapeutic in that way. I want other people to be able to hear a song and say, ‘That’s how I felt but was too afraid to say it.’ And that’s the beauty of music, you can really say anything you want with a catchy hook." bettywhomusic.com

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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TheatreWorks S I L I C O N V A L L E Y

A SAN FRANCISCO ADVENTURE

THE FOUR IMMIGRANTS

An American Musical Manga Book, Music, & Lyrics by Min Kahng Based on Manga Yonin Shosei by Henry Yoshitaka Kiyama Translated as The Four Immigrants Manga by Frederik L. Schodt Directed by Leslie Martinson

WORLD PREMIERE!

July 12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Aug 6

Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto theatreworks.org PHIL WONG / PHOTO KEVIN BERNE

650.463.1960

MAIN STAGE

In the heart of the festival, at the steps of San Francisco City Hall.

The Main Stage brings you two exciting days of programming featuring the best of Bay Area, national and international touring acts, community organizations, and important thought leaders. Join us for the largest LGBT gathering in the U.S. as we band together to promote justice through the power of arts and entertainment. SATURDAY EMCEES: Honey Mahogany and Sister Roma (12:00 p.m.to 6:00 p.m.) SUNDAY EMCEES: Marga Gomez (11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) Nancy French and Jef Valentine (2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.)

FRENCH

GOMEZ

MAHOGANY

THE ARTISTS

THE EMCEES

SATURDAY • Kat Robichaud • DJ Holographic • The Stud • MVMNT • CHEER San Francisco • Grasso + Rich • MicahTron • Nikki Borodi, Acrolele • The Singing Bois • Carnie Asada’s Lips & Lashes • DJ Val G • DJ Ms. Jackson

HONEY MAHOGANY i s a n

SUNDAY • Betty Who • Cazwell • Madame Gandhi • Pure Roots • Boyfriend • CHEER San Francisco • SF Gay Men’s Chorus • David Hernandez • UNIIQU3 • HYM • Amber Field • Intensive Claire • DJ Duserock

Photographed Nun In The World™ and 2017 marks Roma's 30th year as one of the most colorful and recognized members of San Francisco's Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. An activist, fundraiser, and entertainer, Roma has fought for civil rights and hosted events around the globe.

activist, drag queen, superstar! Honey is a founding member of the Stud Collective and the newly recognized Compton's Transgender Cultural District. Currently the Bay Area's only representation on RuPaul's Drag Race, you can catch her hosting SF’s hottest new variety show "Black Fridays" every 4th Friday at the Stud!

SISTER ROMA is The Most

MARGA GOMEZ is a GLAAD Award

winner and one of the first openly lesbian comedians in the nation. Her television credits include

ROMA

VALENTINE

SENSE8 (Netflix), One Night Stand Up (Logo), and Comic Relief (HBO). Marga thanks San Francisco for for making her a fierce celesbian. margagomez.com

NANCY FRENCH i s a S a n

Francisco actor, singer, and drag performer (a.k.a. Clammy Faye) specializing in lackluster lap dances and gender gymnastics. Catch her in the title role of the drag version of Debbie Does Dallas at OASIS July 12 – August 5, 2017. sfoasis.com

JEF VALENTINE is a shape-

shifting performance artist who appears at nightclubs and theatre companies throughout the Bay Area. His interactive comic characters and celebrity impersonations have been featured at special events of every description. SFWeekly declared "Valentine lends the drag drollery an unexpected air of gravitas." jefvalentine.com

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

| INSIDE PRIDE • 55

MAIN STAGE SPEAKERS

Experience LGBTQ History

• Huckleberry Youth Programs Non-Profit Educating, inspiring, and supporting under-served youth

• Kimberly Alvarenga The Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club

• Josette Melchor

Founder of Gray Area Foundation for the Arts, Community Organizer

• The Dru Project

Founded out of the Orlando shooting of June 2016, non-profit serving LGBTQIA youth and parents

• Dani Castro

Co-Founder TAJA’s Coalition and Project Director, Center of Excellence for Transgender Health at UCSF

• Maysam Sodagari

Legal U.S. immigrant detained by U.S. Customs officials during the temporary travel ban

• Darren Main

Celebrating more than 100 years of San Francisco’s diverse queer past through dynamic exhibitions and programs

VISIT US AT

4127 18TH STREET SAN FRANCISCO 94114 MONDAY–SATURDAY 11 AM – 6 PM SUNDAY NOON – 5 PM

Best-selling author, and mediation and yoga teacher GLBTHISTORY.ORG Photo: Crawford Barton (circa 1975)

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

| INSIDE PRIDE • 57

MAIN STAGE ENTERTAINERS CARNIE ASADA Drag, Comedy

MADAME GANDHI CAZWELL

Carnie Asada is a fixture in the drag scene known for her sharp wit, biting humor and sultry fashion. She’s at Beaux every Thursday night for My So Called Night, and she hosts Lips & Lashes Drag Brunch Saturdays at Lookout and #Blessed Cabaret Sundays at Oakland’s The Port Bar.

BAY AREA AMERICAN INDIAN TWO-SPIRITS (BAAITS) Performance Art, Native American

Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS) exists to restore and recover the role of Two-Spirit (LGBT and gender variant) people within the American Indian/ First Nations community by creating a forum for the spiritual, cultural and artistic expression of Two-Spirit people. www.baaits.org

NIKKI BORODI, ACROLELE

BOYFRIEND CHEER SAN FRANCISCO

Nikki Borodi is a queer Bay Area-based acro-phenom, m u s i c i a n , s o n g w r i t e r, filmmaker, educator, and activist storyteller. Performing with fierce Portland-based Acro Partner, Bee, Nikki’s signature “Acrolele” is an astounding demonstration of human potentiality that transcends perceived impossibility. Their multimedia performance features live music, acrobatics, video, and spoken word, and is a celebration of full selfexpression, sexual freedom, and bold creative resistance.

BOYFRIEND Rap Cabaret, Pop/Hip Hop

Rap Cabaret artist Boyfriend has been called a “mysterious, raunchy

feminist” by NPR, a “sexpositive English nerd” b y H u f f i n g t o n Po s t a n d “endearingly weird” by Paper Magazine. According to Gambit Magazine, her stage show is "as much cone-bra, arenasized Madonna as it is an intimate, hilariously profane psychosexual bedroom drama.”

CAZWELL

Hip Hop, Electro-Dance Cazwell has been described as “what would have happened if Eminem had grown up on Madonna’s front lawn.” A YouTube sensation after a million views of his "Ice Cream Truck" music video in a week, Cazwell has earned credibility with a slew of anthemic electro-hip hop tracks.

CHEER SAN FRANCISCO Cheer, Dance

Founded in 1980, CHEER San Francisco® is an allvolunteer group and the Official Cheer Team of San Francisco. They have thrilled crowds around the globe, raising and distributing m o r e t h a n $ 3 5 0, 0 0 0 t o organizations that support community members living with life challenges such as HIV/AIDS and cancer.

MADAME GANDHI

Electronic, Alternative

Madame Gandhi is an LAbased drummer, artist, and activist who uses her drums and vocals to elevate and celebrate the female voice.

GRASSO + RICH

Vocal House, Tech House

Philip Grasso and Russ Rich are San Francisco-based DJs and best friends. They are known for their funky tech house beats and their

58 • INSIDE PRIDE | A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

infectious energy in the b ooth . Grasso and Ri ch have spun at some of San F r a n c i s c o’s m o s t i c o n i c venues. Check out their podcast on SoundCloud and Podomatic.

DAVID HERNANDEZ Pop, R&B

David Hernandez is an out and proud performer who has gained notoriety across the globe as one of the most in-demand Pride idols. His current hit song "Beautiful" has been called a gay anthem and speaks to David's belief that we're all beautiful and deserving of love & acceptance.

DJ HOLOGRAPHIC House, NuDisco

Ariel Corley (aka DJ Holographic) is a onewoman funk machine born and raised on Detroit Music. Her mission is to serve a mix of musical cuisine that contains consuming house beats, passionate R&B, and unreserved nu-disco. Join her as she concocts her next rhythmic dish.

DJS VAL G & MS. JACKSON Epic SF queer Pride event, Wild Things, is teaming up with Vice Tuesdays, the now legendary weekly party at Q Bar to bring you two incredible DJs playing hip hop, house, throwbacks and more! Join us Pink Saturday night to continue the celebration at Public Works for the Wild Things Pride party!

HYM's biggest performance yet.

INTENSIVE CLAIRE Drag, Actor

Intensive Claire likes to consider herself the Seabiscuit of drag. In 2016, she claimed the titles of Miss Castro Country Club, Miss California Gold, and Little Miss Monster. These titles have opened one or two doors for her professionally. She's honored to be part o f t h i s y e a r 's S F P r i d e Celebration.

Hip Hop, Rap

HYM is changing the game for gay rappers. With his illustrious lyrics, keen dance moves, and captivating stage presence you are guaranteed the full HYM experience. At just 23 years old, SF Pride will be

HYM

MS. JACKSON DJ

According to Ms. Jackson, "Creating music, fans, and the energy at parties is the most essential thing in my world." She's built a community of followers in the Bay Area and beyond at the biggest and best LGBT clubs and parties.

KAT ROBICHAUD'S MISFIT CABARET Cabaret, Variety

Misfit Cabaret is a splendiferous variety show centered around magical music with a rotating cast of eccentric performers. Emcee Kat Robichaud writes and performs original songs with her Darling Misfit band. There's comedy, romance, and bawdiness around every corner and not a dull moment or dry eye in the house.

MICAHTRON Hip Hop, Dance

HYM

MISFIT CABARET

M i c a hTr o n i s a S a n Francisco native and original Hip-Hop artist. She represents the young, talented, independent, female, and queer artists worldwide.

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

| INSIDE PRIDE • 59

INTENSIVE CLAIRE MICAHTRON

2017

PRIDE PASS The BEST of San Francisco Pride in One Convenient Pass

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

Ofﬁcial SF Pride VIP Party Access (City Hall) Sunday, June 25 | 2:00 to 5:00 PM • $75 Value

Grandstand Parade Seating

Sunday, June 25 | 10:30 AM • $40 Value

image: philbondphoto.com

Plus more than $125 in additional value from our Pride Pass Partners!

PRICE: $135 OR 2 FOR $235 | SFPRIDE.ORG/PRIDE-PASS

MVMNT

THE STUD

MVMNT is an independent family owned dance studio / creative space dedicated to the representation and preservation of urban arts and artists. MVMNT believes in the values of our culture and community using our home as a platform to teach, perform, and share our talents worldwide.

Legendary 50-year-old San Francisco queer bar, The Stud, is the first worker-owned cooperative nightclub in the US. Visit us in SoMa (399 9th St.) for hot happy hours, great drag, allnight dancing, eye-popping burlesque, femme socials, butch clothing swaps, heavy metal yoga, queer cannabis club meetings, live rock and more.

Urban Arts, Dance

PURE ROOTS

Reggae, World

Pure Roots brings people together through music. Originally from Santa Cruz, California, Pure Roots has toured with some of the biggest names in Reggae including Bunny Wailer and Black Uhuru. The message of Pure Roots is One Love. Equality for all walks of life.

SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN'S CHORUS Choral Music, LGBT

For 40 years, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus has served as an international standard for a powerful mix of extraordinary musical excellence and missiondriven activism. It continues to inspire through performances and involvement in human rights, empowerment and inclusiveness, establishing it as an icon among LGBT organizations.

THE SINGING BOIS

Drag

MS. JACKSON

UNIIQU3

Dance Music, Hip Hop

UNIIQU3 is the first lady of the Jersey Club movement m ak i n g wave s i n dan c e music. UNIIQU3 is a soughtafter vocalist and one of the most electrifying producers in the game, from throwing some of Jersey’s hottest DIY events, like her signature e v e n t # 1 3 5 t h e Pa r t y, t o spreading the genre across the globe.

THE STUD

DJS VAL G & MS. JACKSON

DJ HOLOGRAPHIC

Epic SF queer Pride event, Wild Things, is teaming up with Vice Tuesdays, the now legendary weekly party at Q Bar to bring you two incredible DJs playing hip hop, house, throwbacks and more! Join us Pink Saturday night to continue the celebration at Public Works for the Wild Things Pride party!

Pop, Retro

Part boy band, part Rat Pack, The Singing Bois perform original tunes and unique covers in styles including R&B, soul, rock, jazz, and L a t i n g e n r e s . Tw i s t i n g gender expectations, they blend tight harmonies, playful staging, and sexy swagger to tell queer, butch, and trans stories through song.

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

DAVID HERNANDEZ

| INSIDE PRIDE • 61

BROADCAST INFORMATION HOSTED BY

DONNA SACHET

MICHELLE MEOW

Sunday • June 25th | 6:00 p.m. KOFY TV20 Cable 713 PARADE REBROADCAST

Sunday • July 2nd | 1:00 p.m. KOFY TV20 Cable 713

Coverage of the 2017 SF Pride Parade made possible by SF Pride, Kaiser Permanente, Weatherford BMW, airbnb, and KOFY TV20 Cable 713.

2017 COMMUNITY STAGES SATURDAY ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE SAT | SUN • POLK @ GROVE, OR INFORMATION BOOTH (CIVIC CENTER PLAZA @ FULTON)

CHEER SAN FRANCISCO STAGE SAT | SUN • FULTON @ HYDE

DEAF & HARD-OF-HEARING GATHERING SPACE SAT | SUN • POLK @ GROVE

FAERIE FREEDOM VILLAGE

SAT | SUN • UNITED NATIONS PLAZA, NORTH

GLOBAL VILLAGE

SATURDAY ONLY • GROVE @ VAN NESS

CLUB 21/CLUB BNB INTERNATIONAL STAGE SATURDAY ONLY • MCALLISTER @ VAN NESS

QUEER YOUTH SPACE

SAT | SUN • CIVIC CENTER PLAZA, NE

SUNDAY ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE SAT | SUN • POLK @ GROVE, OR INFORMATION BOOTH (CIVIC CENTER PLAZA @ FULTON)

ASIAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY PRIDE STAGE & PAVILION SUNDAY ONLY • POLK @ TURK

CASTRO COUNTRY CLUB SOBER STAGE

SUNDAY ONLY • UNITED NATIONS PLAZA, SOUTH

CHEER SAN FRANCISCO STAGE SAT | SUN • FULTON @ HYDE

CLUB PAPI/CLUB 21 SUPER SLYDE LUBE LATIN STAGE SUNDAY ONLY • MCALLISTER AT VAN NESS

DEAF & HARD-OF-HEARING GATHERING SPACE SAT | SUN • POLK @ GROVE

FAERIE FREEDOM VILLAGE

SAT | SUN • UNITED NATIONS PLAZA, NORTH

HOMO HIP HOP STAGE

SUNDAY ONLY • GOLDEN GATE @ LEAVENWORTH

INDIE OASIS

SUNDAY ONLY • LARKIN @ TURK

LEATHER ALLEY

A Find comfort WHOLE in the most NEW KIND unexpected OF CLEAN places... test drive it now at

SUNDAY ONLY • HYDE BETWEEN GOLDEN GATE & MCALLISTER

THE LGBTQ FAMILY GARDEN

SUNDAY ONLY • CIVIC CENTER PLAZA,NW

QUEER YOUTH SPACE

SAT | SUN • CIVIC CENTER PLAZA, NE

SOUL OF PRIDE STAGE AND VILLAGE SUNDAY ONLY • GROVE @ GOODLETT

SUNDANCE COUNTRY-WESTERN DANCE CORRAL SUNDAY ONLY • GOLDEN GATE BETWEEN LARKIN & POLK

TANTRA TRANCE

SUNDAY ONLY • GOLDEN GATE @ VAN NESS

WOMEN’S STAGE

SUNDAY ONLY • MCALLISTER @ LEAVENWORTH

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

www.concept190.com @totowashletSF

| INSIDE PRIDE • 63

Be prepared. Your lung cancer can spread to your brain. Rose, age 59, Texas

Smoking caused Roseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lung cancer. She had to move from the small town she loved to get the treatment she needed, including chemo, radiation and having part of her lung removed. Recently, her cancer spread to her brain. You can quit.

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ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE

Accessibility information and assistance will be available at the Information Booth located on Civic Center Plaza at Fulton Street. Additionally, Accessibility information will be available at the Deaf and Hardof-Hearing Gathering Space located on Polk at Grove.

ASIAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY PRIDE STAGE & PAVILION

The A&PI Pride Stage 2017 presents twenty amazing A&PI performing acts, 4 deejays, and lots of dancing on the street! C h e c k o u r A & P I We l l n e s s Programs and Wellness Clinic plus HIV Testing and other A&PI Wellness services! apiwellness.org

CASTRO COUNTRY CLUB SOBER STAGE

The Castro Country Club’s Sober Stage is a drug and alcohol free zone with entertainment and fun for all. Bring a blanket, picnic, and settle in for a day of celebration, with Live Music, DJ’s and “Mascara: A Drag Show”; something for everyone.

CHEER SAN FRANCISCO STAGE

CHEER San Francisco and friends will be performing high-flying acrobatic stunts and dance routines. cheersf.org

CLUB 21/CLUB BNB INTERNATIONAL STAGE

The International Stage is one of SF Pride's largest and most popular stages produced by Valentino Presents of Club 21 & Club BNB in Oakland, CA. The stage features the Bay Area's hottest go-go dancers, performances, contests and

DJ’s with music ranging from Hip Hop, House, Top 40 and La t i n . V i s i t o u r w e b s i t e t o download the app to see our line-up. club21oakland.com

DEAF & HARD-OF-HEARING GATHERING SPACE

We offer deaf, late-deafened, deaf-blind, and hard-ofhearing attendees a chance to celebrate Pride. Our space provides a place to socialize and exchange information regarding accessibility for deaf and hardof-hearing people.

CLUB PAPI & CLUB 21 PRESENT THE SUPER SLYDE LUBE LATIN STAGE

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary at San Francisco Pride, the Latin Dance Stage has a long history of presenting world-class international talent at one of SF Pride’s most popular venues! Please come and help us commemorate this milestone on Sunday, June 25 from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Check our website for the line-up. clubpapi.com

FAERIE FREEDOM VILLAGE

Join the Faerie Freedom Village from 11am-6pm Saturday and Sunday for a variety of DJs, performances, lounging, communing, snacking, and fabulosity! We welcome monetary donations, which benefit Calamus Fellowship’s programs throughout the year, but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

GLOBAL VILLAGE

The Global Village stage mission is to provide a welcoming and affirming space for People Of Color and youth at the San Francisco LGBT Pride festival. To that end, over the course of the

afternoon, the audience is taken on a musical journey around the world. Each hour is dedicated to a different part of the world; Latin, Asian/South Asian, Middle Eastern, and African/African American.

HOMO HIP HOP STAGE

Homo Hip Hop Stage produced by Dj Rapture and Get Ur Life Productions is excited to be a part 2017 celebration. And ready to provide an exciting event that showcases the incredible talent in the community, provides an unforgettable party experience for our patrons, all while promoting peace, unity, and safety.

INDIE OASIS

Indie Oasis invites you to join us as we celebrate 15 years as your Indie and Dance music destination at SF Pride! We've partnered with local Indie club destinations such as Hotline and Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger and a lineup of the best Indie and Dance music DJs around the Bay! Indie, Electro, Pop Remixes and pounding basslines: we have something for everyone!

LEATHER ALLEY

Do you think leather is hot? Curious about S&M? Kinky? Got a fetish? Over 21? Meet with experienced players to learn more about leather, attend hands on demonstrations, learn about leather clubs in the bay area, and visit leather vendors. Leather Alley is a project of the San Francisco Bay Area Leather Alliance.

THE LGBTQ FAMILY GARDEN

Our Family Coalition is thrilled to offer the Family Garden once again. This is a safe, fun space for children, youth, and their LGBTQ parents/caregivers

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

| INSIDE PRIDE • 65

LGBTsLIST.com Our Communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Online Marketplace

QUEER YOUTH SPACE

Located in Civic Center Plaza, the Queer Youth Space is a safe environment for youth ages 12-24 to chill out, get some snacks, and participate i n a c t i v i t i e s . We h a v e a community art project, crafts, a raffle, lawn games, prizes, nail painting, and more!

SOUL OF PRIDE STAGE AND VILLAGE

This year the Soul of Pride experience will kick off with many new events including, a conference (featuring Black Lives Matter and Transgender Rights and Immigration), and the First Annual Pink Ball at The Village. The weekend culminates with our dynamic Sunday stage featuring headliner Cece Peniston, along with live bands, amazing artists, legendary DJs, dancers, and Mc’s, as we celebrate 17 years of Pride! soulofpride.com #soulofpride

am to 6:00 pm and soak in the festive vibe. Kick up your heels with easy line dance lessons at 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00. If you have two left feet, bring those, too! sundancesaloon.org

TANTRA TRANCE

T h e Ta n t r a U n d e r g r o u n d Dance Music Stage is a showcase of San Francisco underground electronic dance music. Brought to you by the same crew who have rocked Pink Saturday, Castro Halloween, and Lovefest SF, the Tantra stage will take dancers through an afternoon of NRG and break¬beats, building up to a peak of high energy trance.

WOMEN’S STAGE

The San Francisco Women's Stage is the Nasty Women Block Party for 2017! Join u s S u n d a y J u n e 2 5t h o n the corner of Leavenworth & McAllister from 12p-6p as thousands of women from all over the globe celebrate Ladies who love Ladies!

DEPU

SHER TY

‘

Sundance Saloon presents two-stepping and line dancing at the Sundance Country-Western Dance Corral. We are located at Golden Gate between Larkin and Polk. Drop by from 11:00

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

Our member Deputies Patrol the City and Serve in Times of Disaster to Keep San Francisco Safe.

S I FF

SUNDANCE COUNTRY-WESTERN DANCE CORRAL

Proudly Serving the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs Since 1952.

SO C

| INSIDE PRIDE • 67

during the Pride celebration. Arts and crafts, games, face painting, and resources will be offered to LGBTQ families. Come see old friends and meet new ones. It will be a blast for all, so be sure to stop by and check it out! The Family Garden is a smoke and alcohol-free space. yusni@ourfamily.org

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WHY WE FOUGHT BACK IN ’77 AND ‘78

Historic victories against regressive ideas encourage modern activists By Glenne McElhinney

Sometimes, one has to stand up to an adversary that comes at you from several directions. When faced with threats in 1977 and 1978 from homophobes Anita Bryant and John Briggs, parade planners and community activists stepped up. To honor these organizers and activists who took action to defeat our adversaries Bryant and Briggs, a group of us are coordinating a commemorative contingent in the 2017 Pride Parade, titled WE FOUGHT BACK! AND WON! In 1977, a newly-enacted gay rights ordinance in Miami and Dade County, Florida, was crushingly defeated. Lead campaigner, singer, and orange juice pitch-person Anita Bryant threatened to come to California and bring her Save Our Children campaign to “take care of all the Homosexuals” in our state. We knew we were under attack, and we knew we were up against a very serious and threatening adversary. California activists had begun organizing as soon as Bryant began her campaign in Florida, fearing she might bring Save Our Children here. The defeat in Florida and her announcement of coming into our state came just weeks before the parade. Anger over these events was channeled into the 1977 Pride parade, which ballooned into several hundred thousand participants, many times the size of previous parades. State Senator John Briggs (R-Fullerton) saw Bryant’s success in Florida as an opportunity for his own political aspirations. After the Florida defeat he announced a statewide initiative that prohibited hiring homosexual teachers and school employees, and allowed for their firing. It was first known as the Briggs Initiative, and then after qualifying for the November 1978 ballot, Proposition 6.

Had we not defeated Proposition 6 at the ballot box in 1978, organized homophobic forces may have continued defeating us across the country.

The 1978 parade planners dug in and organized against Briggs, helped by community groups that had sprung up after the Florida loss. Bryant, meanwhile, continued her Save Our Children campaign across the country, where we suffered more losses in cities like St Paul, Minnesota, Wichita, Kansas and Eugene, Oregon. The San Francisco Pride parade in 1978 was peppered throughout with thousands of “No on the Briggs Initiative” signs put together by BACABI, Bay Area Committee Against the Briggs Initiative. The defeat of Proposition 6 by the voters of California, in November 1978, was the first time the anti-gay steamroller Anita Bryant had begun was stopped. (Notably, an election that same day in Seattle also defeated anti-gay forces in that city.) Had we not defeated Proposition 6 at the ballot box, organized homophobic forces may have continued defeating us across the country. I believe the 1977 and 1978 parades deserve acknowledgement and recognition for being an integral part of stopping Bryant and Briggs. It is a great story of two hard-fought and triumphant campaigns that we can carry forward and use as inspiration today. Look for the WE FOUGHT BACK! contingent in this year's SF Pride parade. It will feature activists and community members who participated in the historic activities of 1977 and 1978, and for many, for years beyond. Glenne McElhinney was a co-chair of the 1982 LGBT Pride Parade, and is a member of the Victory over Briggs Commemoration. She is also the project director of Dancers We Lost.

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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TRANS YOUTH NEED US TO SPEAK OUT

Safe schools are vital for the LGBT community to defend and promote, especially now. Report excerpt provided courtesy of Movement Advancement Project (MAP) and GLSEN.

This year has already been a wild ride. The election brought about a sea change in politics and emboldened politicians have targeted nearly every community from Muslims to women to environmentalists and everyone in between. But perhaps one of the most troubling attacks has been on our children, and on our transgender children in particular. As politicians fight to restrict transgender students’ access to bathrooms, we all must speak out about the importance of ensuring access to education for transgender students. Legislating where transgender students can use the bathroom isn’t just about bathrooms. It is about whether transgender students can be included in our public education system. Put simply, if transgender students cannot safely access a bathroom, they cannot safely attend school.

As adults argue about whether to allow transgender students to use facilities that match the gender they live every day, it is transgender students who pay a heavy personal price.

The Williams Institute estimates there are 150,000 transgender youth between the ages of 13 and 17, with many more under the age of 13. GLSEN’s 2015 National School Climate Survey provides a chilling snapshot of the experiences of transgender students at school. Three quarters of transgender students felt unsafe at school because of their gender expression; half reported being unable to use the name or pronoun that matched their identity; and 70% reported avoiding bathrooms. Countless school districts and 13 states and the District of Columbia have proven they can successfully implement laws and policies protecting transgender students from discrimination while still meeting the needs of all students. In fact, having inclusive school policies does nothing to diminish schools’ legal obligation to ensure safe education facilities and to act if a student behaves inappropriately or tries to invade someone’s privacy.

Learning from local success, in 2014, the Obama Administration issued official guidance clarifying that transgender students are protected based on Title IX’s prohibition on sex discrimination. However, the Trump Administration quickly rescinded that guidance, leaving transgender students vulnerable, and causing the U.S. Supreme Court to withdraw its decision to hear arguments in the case of Gavin Grimm. And, with the new administration’s actions signalizing a lack of government support for transgender students, just in the first six months of 2017, 17 states considered discriminatory laws designed to ensure transgender students are either relegated to separate facilities or forced to use facilities that align with the sex on their birth certificate. As adults argue about whether to allow transgender students to use facilities that match the gender they live every day, it is transgender students who pay a heavy personal price. Parents, transgender youth, and research demonstrate the harms that come when transgender students are left to fend for themselves at school. It is time for us to speak up for our transgender students and make sure that schools clearly understand their obligation to ensure transgender students can not only survive in school, but thrive. 70 • INSIDE PRIDE | A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY

TRANSGENDER YOUTH IN AMERICA’S SCHOOLS an infographic presented by

OVER 150,000 TRANSGENDER YOUTH THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 130,000 SCHOOLS IN THE U.S. SCHOOLS MUST BE READY TO SUPPORT ALL STUDENTS, INCLUDING TRANSGENDER STUDENTS.

MANY TRANSGENDER STUDENTS EXPERIENCE DISCRIMINATION AND FEEL UNSAFE IN SCHOOLS 70% OF TRANSGENDER STUDENTS SAID THEY’D AVOIDED BATHROOMS BECAUSE THEY FELT UNSAFE OR UNCOMFORTABLE

75% OF TRANSGENDER STUDENTS FELT UNSAFE AT SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THEIR GENDER EXPRESSION

60% OF TRANSGENDER STUDENTS HAD BEEN REQUIRED TO USE A BATHROOM OR LOCKER ROOM THAT DID NOT MATCH THE GENDER THEY LIVE EVERY DAY

SOME STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS PROTECT TRANSGENDER STUDENTS ONLY 13 STATES AND DC HAVE EDUCATION NON-DISCRIMINATION LAWS EXPLICITLY PROTECTING TRANSGENDER STUDENTS

NH MT

EXISTING FEDERAL LAW PROTECTS ALL STUDENTS FROM BULLYING AND DISCRIMINATION But implementation of these federal protections varies across the country and federal courts are currently hearing arguments about these protections. WA MT

NV UT

WI PA IL

VA NC

PA IL

CT NJ

VA NC

DE MD DC

AR AL

LA FL

FL HI

MS AK

MA RI

NJ WV

SD WY

MN ID

MA RI

MS AK

SD WY NE

MN ID

Estimates of transgender youth between the ages of 13-17 are from the Williams Institute,“Age of Individuals Who Identify as Transgender in the United States,”January 2017. Estimate of the number of U.S. schools is from the National Center for Education Statistics at the Department of Education, “Fast Facts.” Data about the experiences of transgender students at school are from GLSEN, “The 2015 National School Climate Survey,” December 2016. Information about state laws and policies can be found at the Movement Advancement Project, LGBT Equality Maps.

Founded in 2006, the Movement Advancement Project is an independent think tank that provides rigorous research, insight and analysis that help speed equality for LGBT people. MAP’s work is focused on three primary areas: Policy, Movement Capacity, and Effective Messaging. lgbtmap.org GLSEN was founded in 1990 to improve an education system that too frequently allows its LGBT, queer and questioning students to be bullied, discriminated against, or fall through the cracks. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes in creating a more vibrant and diverse community. glsen.org To learn more about the experiences of transgender students in schools and how harmful and unnecessary policies exclude transgender students from school facilities that match their gender, read the March 2017 report by the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) and GLSEN entitled “Separation and Stigma: Transgender Youth & School Facilities.” lgbtmap.org SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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DREW LEINONEN AND MATTHEW SHEPARD: WORKING TO KEEP BOTH MEN ALIVE By Sara Elizabeth Grossman

Sara Elizabeth Grossman, Communications Manager of The Dru Project & The Matthew Shepard Foundation, believes that tireless advocacy allows for progress to emerge through senseless tragedies.

Christopher Andrew Leinonen was a victim of the Pulse nightclub shootings in Orlando, Florida, in June 2016. The Dru Project, a nonprofit formed in Drew’s honor, is an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization on a mission to spread love across the nation and promote gay straight alliances by creating a curriculum for high school GSAs to use and offering scholarships to students who truly exemplify Drew's spirit for inclusion and unity. Drew lived to be 32 years old. Matthew Shepard was a student at the University of Wyoming who was murdered in a notorious anti-gay hate-crime in October 1998. The Matthew Shepard Foundation’s mission is to erase hate by replacing it with understanding, compassion and acceptance through local, regional and national outreach, empowering individuals to identify and address hate that lives within their schools, neighborhoods and homes. Matthew lived to be 21 years old. Grossman: Often, I am asked two questions: 1. How do you do the work you do, when it is dealing with the untimely death of two men; one of whom you knew personally? 2. Are there similarities between Matthew Shepard and Drew Leinonen? The second one is easy. The answer is yes. They were both gay, loved by many, described as amazing friends and human beings, enjoyed intellectual sparring when it came to pop culture and politics, and both died incredibly untimely deaths due to hatred. I have photos of both of them right next to each other on my desk at work at the Matthew Shepard Foundation in Denver, CO.

For most people, these stories run parallel. For me, it’s an intersection. I am helping their voices stay alive. We cannot be silent, indifferent, or complacent.

The who and what are easy. I do the work I do to keep their stories active. I do the work I do so that people never forget why they died. I do the work I do so that people always remember these men for the incredible, brilliant, and kind human beings they were. The how? Not so much. As we are coming upon the one-year anniversary of the Pulse shooting (and by the time this is published, it will have already passed), I am filled with mixed emotions. I am so incredibly proud of the work that Drew’s friends have done in his name over the last year. SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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But I would do anything to give The Dru Project back to its rightful owner: Christopher Andrew Leinonen. You see, we got the name for the organization from his “brand.” Ever since I met him the first week of college back in 2003, he was known as “The Dru Project.” The Dru Project was his LiveJournal, his MySpace, his AIM screen name, and then eventually his Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram. He was always a project in process. He was a person who was always introspective – it is why I was so drawn to him. From what Matt’s friends and family have told me, Matt was the same exact way. For most people, these stories run parallel. For me, it’s an intersection. As the person in charge of communications for both organizations, I am in a very unique and even privileged position of helping their voices stay alive, even after they’ve died. Perhaps the most difficult part and a big way that these cases differ is social media. I am constantly reminded of my memories with Drew. I still get to read his thoughts. I recently read a tweet from 2015 that said: “Being gay nowadays has less to do with ‘will I get hate crimed?’ and more to do with ‘does this outfit make me look fat?’” He would make jokes like that all the time. We both would. We thought that we were in this post-hate crime world. It wasn’t the 90s. How wrong we both were. He ended up being “hate crimed” and I ended up working at a nonprofit named after one of the most infamous hate crimes in America. I have learned, as Judy Shepard has said in a speech that has been engrained in my brain for the better part of a year now: “We cannot be SIC. We cannot be silent, indifferent, or complacent. We need to demand progress and we need to create it, ourselves.” I live this mantra every single day. I refuse to let Drew down. I am seeing a trend of many other people living this very same mantra. It took another tragedy to get us there. But here we are. Help us keep their names alive. SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE ON CONVERSION THERAPY: MORE WORK REMAINS TO BE DONE

Young LGBT people in the US may be at risk from regressive “religious freedom” laws By Jack Bryant

When I started writing the screenplay that would one day become the feature film Fair Haven, way back in 2006, ex-gay conversion therapy was not a well-known issue outside of the LGBTQ community. Marriage equality was, for most people, the most pressing, and certainly the most visible, issue the gay and lesbian community was dealing with. And, in a political landscape where US state after state had banned same-sex marriage at the behest of conservative groups and politicians, it was arguably the most important ground to fight over. At the same time, though, countless LGBTQ individuals were being subjected to harmful, pseudo-science and faith-based religious counseling that aimed to alter their sexual orientation or gender identity. So called “reparative therapy” has existed in the United States for decades and has taken on many forms, though it has now been long-discredited by all major mental health and medical organizations as not only ineffective but also psychologically harmful. Still, many adults willingly choose to participate in these programs each year in an effort to change something about themselves – and unfortunate as that desire may be from an outside perspective, it is ultimately their choice.

Many people see the next major fight for equality to be against so-called ‘religious freedom’ laws.

More troubling, however, is the fact that a large number of participants in conversion therapy programs are not adults who have chosen it for themselves but rather minors who have been enrolled by their parents or guardians. For many years now, if parents felt their children might be gay or transgender, they could send them to receive counseling with the aim of “setting them straight.” For a young person who may be struggling with their sexual orientation or gender identity, this can be a hugely traumatic and damaging experience. Survivors of conversion therapy have spoken about the confusion and emotional turmoil they experienced after being enrolled in a reparative therapy program by their parents. They feared their loved ones would reject them if they failed to make the desired change, and upon receiving steadfast advice from an authority figure, like a priest or counselor, came to believe that change was entirely possible and that failure rested solely with them. Children and young adults who have been subjected to conversion therapy often leave with feelings of low self-worth, high self-loathing, and frequently contemplate self-harm. As in the fight for marriage, however, conservative groups and religious leaders argue that parents have a fundamental right to decide the fate of their children, and in this case to attempt to alter their sexual orientation or gender identity, should they not conform with the parents’ religious beliefs. Thankfully, more and more people are now becoming aware of the dangers of reparative therapy in minors, and are working to prevent it from being used on them. Recently, Nevada and Connecticut became the latest states to outlaw conversion therapy for minors. They joined California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Oregon, Vermont, New Mexico, and the District of Columbia, which have similar bans in place. All across the United States, advocacy groups are working to outlaw the use of this dangerous practice on young people, and the recent SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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string of successes will likely remind some of the slow but steady early days of marriage equality. Like that fight, however, this struggle will not be an easy one. With Republicans in control of every branch of the federal government, and of many state and local governments as well, many people see the next major fight for equality to be against so- called “religious freedom” laws. These initiatives aim to allow businesses, federal workers, and private citizens the leeway to discriminate against other individuals who do not conform to their own religious beliefs. A lot has been written already about these laws and how they would allow the mistreatment of LGBTQ individuals, but they will also likely serve as a direct rebuttal to conversion therapy bans. If the “deeply held religious beliefs” of parents must be respected, without interference from the government, then many will argue that these parents also have a right to send their children to reparative therapy. I would encourage people, today, to pay attention to these initiatives when they begin to make their way through state and federal legislatures in coming months and years. Fight for conversion therapy bans. Fight against bills that offer carte blanche to religious fundamentalists. Fight for the mental, physical, and emotional health of LGBTQ youth with the same voracity that we fought for marriage equality. We won that battle and we can win this one too. Jack Bryant is a screenwriter, producer, blogger, and film professor. He has worked on numerous film and emerging media projects with companies like Silent Giant Productions, Ink Stories, and Faceless Fish. Jack has also worked as an educator for many years, teaching at institutions like the New York Film Academy and the Rochester Institute of Technology. Jack currently teaches screenwriting at Ithaca College. Fair Haven is a 2016 feature film directed by Kerstin Karlhuber and written by Jack Bryant. The film stars Michael Grant (Secret Life of the American Teenager), Tom Wopat (The Dukes of Hazzard), Josh Green (Alvin and the Chipmunks), and Gregory Harrison (Trapper John, MD), and deals with the aftermath of a young man’s return home from ex-gay conversion therapy. Fair Haven is available in North America and Europe on DVD and various online streaming services. fairhavenfilm.com

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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STRUGGLING FOR SURVIVAL IN THE MIDDLE EAST: BEING LGBT AND A REFUGEE Solidarity in the face of incredible challenges paves the way for freedom By Subhi Nahas

Currently, the Middle East and North Africa region is arguably the most unsafe and unwelcoming place for anyone that identifies and/or is perceived as a member of the LGBTQ community. They are often poorly treated in their homes, and in their communities. Laws in the entire region vary from imprisonment to execution. Even for those countries that do not have such laws in place, there are no means of protection under the law. In the country of Syria alone, being gay used to be punishable by imprisonment. However, now that extremists have taken over many provinces, it is now punishable by death. ISIS and other military groups actively target gay people. It is enough to just be perceived as gay to be arrested, tortured and/or raped. Then, this person, perceived to be gay, can be taken and thrown off of a building, to a cheerful crowd that will stone them to death if they don’t die from the fall. The conditions have been, and continue to be, truly awful. These conditions, combined with war, have created the worst refugee crisis in history since WWII. Many of these refugees live in camps. However, the general refugee community who lives in these camps perceives LGBT people as a misrepresentation of their culture. Even in these camps, the LGBT refugees can be abused physically or verbally, shut out, or denied services. In addition, most countries of transit where they live, such as Turkey, do not have laws that protect or assist refugees in any way. A few lucky ones can make it to another country where things are a bit safer. Very, very few LGBT refugees are accepted for legal resettlement to safer countries like the U.S., Canada, or Europe. Those who are resettled usually must wait a year or more for their cases to be moved along, and for resettlement to actually occur.

It is the responsibility of everyone here to make the world a better place – a place where we can be safe, love who we love, and know that we are equal.

This tragedy, as horrible as it is, has created international solidarity and has broken the silence of the LGBT community in the Middle East. We see many movements forming up online to tell people that the community exists and that silence will not be the theme anymore. This is a breakthrough, and a big step in the right direction. In addition to this progress, there is even more hope for LGBT individuals living in countries of transit, as they await their resettlement or to find a safe place to live. Spectra Project is a nonprofit organization with the goal of providing safety, emergency services, food, and education to LGBT refugees. Spectra Project provides a safe house where they can learn skills for life and for work, and they can do so without fearing for their safety. It is the responsibility of everyone here to make the world a better place – a place where we can be safe, love who we love, and know that we are equal. Subhi Nahas is a human rights activist, Founder and Board Chair of the spectraproject.org and co-founder of the first LGBTQ Syrian Magazine. He is the recipient of the 2017 José Julio Sarria History Maker Award, selected by the SF Pride Board of Directors.

SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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VOLUNTEER, ENGAGE, ORGANIZE: LGBTQ ACTIVISM IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

Diversity and inclusivity are key values in the fight for equality. Long-time activist, Chris Carnes, one of the 2017 San Francisco Pride Community Grand Marshals, shares her thoughts on our theme for 2017 and delivers a call to action to get involved to affect and ensure the advancement of LGBTQ rights. By Chris Carnes

The theme of the 2017 Pride Parade is A Celebration of Diversity. Fitting, as San Francisco is a city of inclusion and encouragement. San Franciscans enjoy a diversity of cultures, ideas, and tolerance that many of our fellow LGBTQ communities in other cities and states do not. What do we do to protect ourselves in these times of uncertainty? What do we do to help our fellow LGBTQ communities across the United States? We RESIST!!!! We say NO…we are not going backward! We look deep inside ourselves and find our activists and voices! Go out and get connected with the Resistance. Be loud and proud and demand equality through consistent activism. The horizon of change is populated with many individuals and groups who are working to advance progressive visions and mobilize people to run for office. Below are just a few organizations leading the fight. Join the Resistance now! Onward Together – “an organization dedicated to advancing the progressive vision” and “supporting groups that encourage people to organize and run for office.” onwardtogether.org Swing Left – experts from tech, media, finance, nonprofit and arts are mobilizing volunteers in swing districts (winner of the last House of Representatives election was determined by a thin margin) where votes are crucial to take back the House in 2018. swingleft.org Color of Change – a racial justice advocacy group leading the fight for criminal justice reform, fairness and accuracy in the media, as well as an “effective strategy for changing the rules society lives by, and ending the injustices Black people face.” colorofchange.org Run For Something – two former Clinton campaign organizers created this organization to recruit and support progressive millennials to run for down-ballot office. “Run for Something will recruit and support talented, passionate young people who will advocate for progressive values.” runforsomething.net

What do we do to protect ourselves in these times of uncertainty? We RESIST!!!! Be loud and proud and demand equality through consistent activism.

Emerge America – focuses on locating, inspiring, and providing in-depth campaign training to a diverse group of Democratic women who want to run for political office. emergeamerica.org Indivisible – former congressional staffers who know how to make Congress listen are instructing ordinary people how to go to local offices, attend events and call on their representatives to resist the Trump agenda. indivisibleguide.com Volunteer. Engage. Organize. March. Protest. Speak Out. Donate. Run for Office. Chris Carnes is a Bay Area LGBTQ activist, fundraiser, event producer and philanthropist. SFPRIDE.ORG • 2017 OFFICIAL GUIDE

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