08.10 – 08.23.2018 SPECIAL ISSUE:
Back To School
ISSUE NUMBER 48, VOLUME 2 | AUG 10 – 23, ‘18
LAUSD Gets Schooled on More LGBTQ+ Inclusivity A new LAUSD resolution to increase support for LGBTQ+ students and families will be implemented this school year. MORE ON PAGE 2
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NEWS
EDUCATION
FROM THE COVER
⚫ BY ANNETTE SEMERDJIAN
LAUSD Gets Schooled on LGBTQ+ Inclusivity A new LAUSD resolution to increase support for LGBTQ+ students and families will be implemented this school year.
education for all,” Rodríguez said after the resolution was passed. “...This kind of policymaking is what motivated me to join the board.” This resolution would provide specialized support for LGBTQ+ students. The resolution outlines the following requirements for schools in the district to follow: • Recognize October as LGBTQ+ History Month • Mandate a high school textbook adoption committee to work with the Division of Instruction to include students as part of the committee • Increase LGBTQ+ competency training for educators, staff, administrators and parents • Add a platform to achieve.lausd.net that shares LGBTQ+ information and resources. • Conduct an analysis of single user, all gender bathrooms to find out whether they are compliant with State Law AB1732
With the upcoming school year around the corner, parents are looking to the Los Angeles Unified School District to see how the Rodríguez Resolution will be implemented. Former Board Member for the L.A. Unified Board of Education Dr. Ref Rodríguez authored the resolution in June to better support LGBTQ+ students after listening to concerns and recommendations from the LGBTQA Youth Council of the Latino Equality Alliance. “I have spent most of my life advocating for the LGBTQ+ community and quality
“We should not have to pass resolutions to affirm this basic human right,” said former principal and Board Member Scott M. Schmerelson. In 2011, LAUSD became the first California district to uphold the SB 48 – the FAIR Education Act – which allowed California schools to update references to “certain categories of persons.” It also required instruction in social sciences to include a study of the role and contributions to the development of California and the U.S. by the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities and people from other cultural groups. “All students have the right to a learning environment where they are treated with dignity and respect,” L.A. Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner said in a press release. “We are sending a clear message that all L.A. Unified schools are places where LGBTQ+ students are welcome, supported and valued.” Later this month, Beutner will present his plan for implementing the new resolution. L.A.U.S.D. Board of Education told The
Photos: Courtesy LAUSD.
Former Board Member Dr. Ref Rodriguez.
Pride L.A. that the District is on track with implementing the resolution’s mandated items, as reported by Director of Community Engagement, Northeast Ray Lopez, who was instrumental to the resolution’s creation and passage. After Superintendent Beutner presents recommendations for executing the resolution to the Board of Education, the board will make its final decision on how to finalize the actions of the resolution by October 2018.
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LOS ANGELES NEWS
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HOMOPHOBIA
⚫ BY AMY PATTON
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Just three days into Gay Games 2018, and homophobia is crept into the streets of Paris once again. Anonymous vandals defaced a plaque that honored the last two men given the death sentence for homosexuality in France. The memorial was covered in black paint and papers that suggested that only straight men are fit for procreating. Mayor Anne Hidalgo called the vandalism a "shameful display of homophobia” in a tweet on Monday. “This plaque honours Bruno Lenoir and Jean Diot, the last men sentenced to death for homosexuality,” Hidalgo wrote. “This act only serves to strengthen our determination to fight against all discrimination.” Lenoir and Diot were arrested on January 4, 1750 on the exact spot where the memorial stone now lays.They were sentenced to death and burnt alive six months later, marking the last execution for homosexuality in France. The memorial defacement took place just as the 10th anniversary of the Gay Games
Photo: Twitter.
was kicking off, attracting 10,000 LGBTQ+ athletes that represent 91 different countries, 20 of which homosexuality is still illegal. The plaque was previously vandalized on May 17, International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. Someone lit a bouquet of flowers that had been left at the memorial on fire.
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POLITICS
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HEAR OUR STORIES
⚫ BY AMY PATTON
BIDEN’S GOT OUR BACK
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s launch of “As You Are: A Family and Community Acceptance Campaign” on Tuesday gives the LGBTQ+ youth and families much needed visibility. The goal of the campaign is to collect stories from the community to use as educational tools "with the hope that they will serve to inspire, to create communities, to heal families..." a press release stated. The campaign website says that stories have the ability to “drive nationwide progress,” but that the U.S. still has a way to go regarding employment, housing and public accommodations. LGBTQ+ youth in particular deal with daily discrimination and harassment. "I'm so proud to announce the Biden Foundation has launched this campaign," Biden said in the press release. "We'll use our resources to highlight the harms of family... [and] powerfully show the significant value of family acceptance." Biden and the YMCA made a three-year partnership to pursue LGBTQ+ equality. The campaign website lists the first year’s goals as such: • Identify and understand the needs of local LGBTQ community members. • Assess facilities and policies to ensure they welcome LGBTQ individuals
• Collaborate with local businesses, community leaders and LGBTQserving organizations. • Train leaders to foster a culture of support, connection and inclusivity. • Strengthen capacity to serve LGBTQ members through innovative programming. • Demonstrate to LGBTQ people and families that the YMCA is a safe and welcoming space for all. "LGBTQ young people should never have to face rejection from those who love them," Biden said in a tweet. For more information, please visit www.bidenfoundation.org/pillars/equality/asyouare.
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BACK TO SCHOOL • Living Well, Thinking Well at Pacific School ... page 8 • Embracing a Challenge at Stratford School ... pages 10–11 • Amazing thing Happening at SMT ... page 13
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ENGAGED. INSPIRED. MOTIVATED. Through the integration of the arts and academics using experiential learning methods, Waldorf education aims to open hearts, inspire minds, and build character. Graduates emerge as creative, critical thinkers who are ready to take on the world and can turn challenges into possibilities. INITIATIVE, PURPOSE, AND A WILL TO SUCCEED For more information about Westside Waldorf School and to arrange a tour, visit WWW.WESTSIDEWALDORF.ORG 310.454.7064 ext. 1
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Embracing a Challenge At Stratford School, high expectations yield extraordinary results. Our advanced yet intentionally balanced curriculum starts as early as Preschool to inspire and nurture the minds and hearts of every student. From the outset, we simplify challenging concepts, then accelerate learning to enable our students to study ahead of grade level, develop a love of learning, and prepare for the future. Our curriculum is created in thoughtful and meaningful ways to ignite curiosity, nurture exploration, and encourage inquiry. From Preschool through 8th grade, Stratford’s curriculum is infused with sequential instruction in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics — “STEAM” — to help students develop a diverse set of problem-solving skills and talents they’ll need in today’s world. We accomplish this
through a unique cross-disciplinary approach that enhances critical thinking, integrates ideas from multiple subjects, and ultimately expands student learning. Beginning in Preschool, Stratford’s curriculum is designed to develop the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical building blocks. Hands-on, multi-sensory activities, including our Imaginative STEAM Play, encourage preschoolers to play and share with others, while developing their self-confidence, so each child discovers the joy and excitement of learning. In Elementary, our accelerated core curriculum exceeds the National Standardized ERB Results and motivates students to become critical thinkers, innovative problem-solvers, and proficient writers. This balanced approach imparts students with not only a well-rounded education; it fosters the development of strong friendships, effective study skills, and blossoming self-confidence. Middle School continues the Stratford tradition of excellence. We prepare and mentor students for placement in honors and advanced courses at top-tier private and public high schools. Stratford’s intentional approach to educating the whole child results in young adults who are gifted communicators, skilled and generous col-
laborators, and creative problem-solvers. At Stratford, we combine traditional teaching styles with 21st century learning principles, intentionally integrate technology in engaging ways, and encourage confident thinking. Beyond the classroom, we help students discover and define their passions through a variety of extracurricular pursuits, personal enrichment activities, physical education, and time for free play. Our caring and passionate teachers cultivate a fun and nurturing classroom environment, where high expectations encourage students to try new things with confidence and enthusiasm. They present a broad spectrum of learning opportunities. They engage students. They invite questions. They encourage students to collaborate. Consequently, students laugh a lot, and learn even more. By harnessing the collective power of students, teachers, and administrators, this carefully designed approach, along with our commitment as educational leaders, helps students to excel. Stratford School prepares students to become the future generation of creative problem-solvers, imaginative innovators, and confident, insightful leaders. For more information, please visit www.stratfordschools.com.
Photos: Stratford School.
Stratford School’s advanced yet intentionally balanced curriculum starts as early as Preschool to inspire and nurture the minds and hearts of every student.
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WHEN STUDENTS EMBRACE A CHALLENGE
THE EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENS We are delighted to announce the opening of our new campus in West Los Angeles. Discover a school that inspires children to become creative problem-solvers, imaginative innovators, and confident leaders.
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We deliver the extraordinary. Schedule a tour today! StratfordSchools.com/WestLA
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Inspire Liberate Innovate
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08.10 – 08.23.2018 CULTURE HISTORY
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LOS ANGELES
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GAY L.A.
` ⚫ BY HENRY GIARDINA
The Category Is... L.A. Realness “Pose” may have brought New York’s legendary ball scene to life. For LGBTQ+ Angelenos, vogue balls are just as vibrant a part of L.A. history.
When filmmaker Jennie Livingston released her iconic documentary “Paris is Burning” in 1991, viewers saw scenes of tragedy, community and a specific brand of glamour that can only come from going “mopping” for the best couture. Livingston’s film, which took a close look at the New York City ball scene of the 1980s, centered on a group of mostly black and latinx queer people who were down and out, having been cast to the absolute fringes of society by the dominant (white, straight, upper class) elite, but still conspired to mimic their oppressors on the dance floor, all in the name of opulence. Today, the legend of the ball scene has come
vividly to life in Ryan Murphy and Steven Canals’ series “Pose,” which just ended its first season. But while “Pose” shone a fictional light on the world Livingston chose to immortalize years ago in New York, it is important to remember that NYC isn’t the only ball scene in town. In fact, when it comes to LGBTQ+ community shaking things up on the floor, L.A. has had its fair share of balls. The most notable scene (in any case, the one that’s still going strong) happens at the Standard Hotel in Downtown L.A. each month.The Banjee Ball offers downtowners a chance to strut and pose on the runway, waiting to receive approval, or a harsh read from the judges. An L.A. Times article about Banjee Ball noted of the ball’s participants that: “Most are black or Latino, and they "walk," or compete, at events known as balls. Many belong to cliques known as "houses." Led by a mother or father figure, houses serve as families for their members, some of whom have cut ties with their biological kin.” Like in the world of “Pose” and “Paris,” houses still stand strong today, offering a family structure to young queer and trans individuals who don’t have any other place to go. Even more importantly, L.A.’s ball scene has been tied to specific
community causes in recent years, such as the giant push for most PrEP exposure and West Hollywood’s recent HIV Zero initiative, which has focused on getting and keeping its residents HIV-free. With outreach communities like Reach L.A., which helps Black and Latinx LGBTQ+, and the LGBT Center in Hollywood getting involved in the ball scene in recent years, events like the Banjee Ball have become even more crucial to young people. In 2015, Brian Toynes, program manager of sexual health and education at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, told the Advocate that “many attendees at the ball come from poorer neighborhoods, have no health insurance, and also no knowledge of PrEP.” An event called the House of Latex Ball that’s been around for years in New York City combines HIV/AIDS awareness with the fun and excitement of ball culture. In recent years, the LGBT Center has tried to find ways to integrate these aims in the same way. According to the Advocate, however, the divide between the crowd at DTLA’s Banjee Ball, started by Isla Cheadle in 2013, and queer scenes in Boyle Heights and WeHo is telling, and fraught. “The problem is that we’re a very segregated city," Jeffrey Rodriguez, program manager of sexu-
al health education at the L.A. LGBT Center, told the Pride L.A. in 2015. "You have South L.A. You have East L.A. You have West L.A. We’ve got all these different parts of the city, and who actually lives in those parts? West Hollywood is predominantly white. South L.A. is predominantly black." With 25 percent of gay and bisexual men of color at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS by the age of 25, things need to change, and fast.Will the ball scene be the thing to unite L.A.’s divided queer communities? We’ll have to wait and see.
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CULTURE THEATRE
` ⚫ BY AMY PATTON
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THESPIAN LESBIAN
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A Dark Chapter from Long Beach History As the play-within-a-play unfurls, theatre attendees will leave, feeling the urgency to help their fellow Man. The Long Beach Playhouse’s “The Twentieth Century Way” is based on true events. It marks a dark chapter in Long Beach history. In 1914, the Long Beach Police Dept. hired two actors to entrap “social vagrants” (read: homosexuals) in public restrooms, beach dressing rooms and private parties. Actors Noah Wagner and Christian Jordan Skinner play the rolls of the actors Warren and Brown (who jump between characters based on real people from history).Through the course of the play, the audience learns that 31 men were arrested in a sting operation (under California Penal Code 647(a): Engaging in or Soliciting Lewd Conduct in Public). All but two were coerced into pleading guilty. One committed suicide from the shame. Only two sued and won. It becomes apparent that the actors are actually characters-within-characters too, a true nesting doll-esque production. This is a direct commentary on being closeted, never quite fitting one's natural born role of themselves. Director Reed Flores says in the program that the play reflects the fact that society has a way to go until "we create an environment where we no longer have to improvise and create a new 'us.'" The two actors explore sexual identity, institutional corruption, self-deception and the mysteries of the craft of the theatre. Set over 100 years in the past, the themes and messages
in “The Twentieth Century Way” still seem to strike a familiar cord. "The events in this play are shocking – and yet not shocking," Artistic Director Sean Gray said in a press release. "There are still those who endorse this kind of prejudice and punishment of LGBT people." “The Twentieth Century Way” is running now through Aug. 18 in the Studio Theatre at the Long Beach Playhouse on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and on Sundays at 2 p.m. Warning: This Production contains Strong Adult Content and Full Nudity.
Photos: Courtesy Michael Hardy Photography.
TOP: Noah Wagner (WARREN), BOTTOM: Christian Jordan Skinner (BROWN)
08.10 – 08.23.2018
CULTURE THEATRE
` ⚫ BY AMY PATTON
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LOS ANGELES
⚫ 17
THESPIAN LESBIAN
Breaking Down Gender Barriers
Being placed in a box can feel very constricting when you are, in fact, human-shaped rather than box-shaped. The Garage’s “The All-American Genderf*ck Cabaret,” by Mariah MacCarthy, celebrates breaking out of the constricting box of stereotypes we are often placed in as members of the LGBTQ+ community. The play – narrated by “engaging gender-bender, Taylor,” the Garage website describe them – revolves around the adventures and hurdles of eight characters navigating through their everyday lives. The audience follows the characters as they intersect with each other, facing “typecasts of how they perceive they should act, and how they truly choose to behave,” the website states. The play dives right into the world of genderbending and questioning one’s identity when host/narrator Taylor suggests that, by the end of the day, everyone in the audience has broken gender presentation expectations in some shape or another. Taylor goes on to explain how simply existing in their own body is a gender identity challenge for oth-
ers. Queer women look at Taylor, wondering if it makes them straight. Straight men look at Taylor, wondering if it makes them gay to have a crush on them. It is at this point Taylor points out audience members, making them squirm in their identity, much like the discomfort Taylor feels daily. “Genderf*ck” tackles stereotypes without becoming one itself. The play points out the expectations and societal roles each character has, yet does not manipulate them into characatures of themselves. The sporty girl can feel soft and vulnerable, the straight man who everyone presumes gay can comfortably jam to Beyonce during his breakup because … well, Beyonce. Even the proverbial and literal Dick (that’s his name, I swear) has a sweet side, buying his little nephew a Pomeranian dog because, despite the weird genderization of pets, Dick wants to make his nephew happy. The cast and characters are so diverse that it is easy for everyone to relate to some aspect of the play. Whether it be the strong, man-hating – yet questioning and growing –
lesbian, or the man’s man, reads-the-signals-allwrong, guilt-ridden antagonist, the characters and relationships they build with each other reflect similar values and interactions often encountered in the real world. The play marries the real and the fantastical in a seamless effort that allows the audience to slip away from the struggles of real life for an evening. Not to give away all of the magic, but the play incorporates whimsical shadow puppetry, highlighting the diversity of the cast and crew’s artistic ability while provoking comic relief, or etherial trances. “Genderf*ck” also has an incredible bright and vibrant dance number that is reminiscent of Rocky Horror Picture Show’s “Time Warp,” pointing out the absurdity in life and relationships. In the end, everyone just wants to be wanted and accepted. The Garage’s “The All-American Genderf*ck Cabaret” is running now through Aug. 25 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.thegaragetheatre.org/ on-stage-now-1.
Photo: The Garage Theatre.
Gwen (Yazmin Praslin) and Benji (Will Ardelean) kiss during a colorful musical number..
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LOS ANGELES
08.10 – 08.23.2018
08.10 – 08.23.2018
LOS ANGELES
WHAT’S HAPPENING? Mental Health Services Open House When: Sat., August 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where: The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach What: Have you been thinking about therapy but haven't taken the first step? This informational session will provide info on how the Center’s counseling team can support. Why: Mental Health is important, too. LifeWorks Mentoring When: Sat., August 11 from noon to 4 p.m. Where: Los Angeles LGBT Center What: Designed for LGBTQ+ youth under the age of 24, this event will include games, a talent show, food, and more! Why: First of all, it is FREE!
Secondly, a great way for young folks to meet fellow LGBTQ+ individuals. Lez Do Brunch! When: Sat., August 11 from noon to 5 p.m. Where: 8800 W. Sunset Blvd., WeHo What: Brunch with local lesbians Why: BRUNCH with local LESBIANS Frida Kahlo Under the Stars When: Sat., August 11 at 8 p.m. Where: LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes What: An evening al fresco enjoying our girl, Frida Why: A great date night idea
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The best goings-on around and about L.A., period.
from 5-7 p.m. Where: Blackbook, 315 E. Arenas Rd., Palm Springs, CA What: A panel discussion on the stigmas of PrEP Why: Get all your questions answered Healthcare Advocacy Workshop When: Saturday, Aug. 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Where: The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach (2017 E. 4th St.) What: Learn how to navigate your insurance coverage Why: There are no excuses for taking care of your health
What: A celebration for all women in support of the LGBTQ Center of Long Beach Why: Drinks, DJs, Dancing and Tacos! Need we say more? WATCH: “The Twentieth Century Way” When: Fri., Sat., and Sundays now through Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. (Sun. at 2 p.m.) Where: Long Beach Playhouse (5021 E. Anaheim St.) What: A drama that examines the dark past in Long Beach LGBT+ history Why: Besides supporting local theatre, attending this play will cover a scarcely discussed incident
WeHo (8288 Santa Monica Blvd.) What: Playing Bingo with drag queens Why: Proceeds go to Ruff Patches
WATCH: “The AllAmerican Genderf*ck Cabaret” When: Thur., Fri., and Saturdays, now through Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. Where: The Garage Theatre (251 E. 7th St., Long Beach) What: A production exploring the everyday lives of eight men and women working through gender stereotypes that society places on them, and that they place on each other. Why: Besides being wildly entertaining, this play addresses Drag Queen Bingo When: Sun., August 19 from social constructs and ideologies that just might need to be 6-8 p.m. Innovative Lending Professionals examined. Where: Hamburger Mary’s
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PrEP – Behind the Stigma When: Thur., August 16
Summer Womcn*s Party! When: Saturday, Aug. 18 form 3-7 p.m. Where: Secret Location! (Address to be provided upon RSVP)
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⚫ 20
08.10 – 08.23.2018
LOS ANGELES
TAKE THE LEAD
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