San Francisco Bay Times - June 8, 2023

The Sisters, The Bay Times, and The Catholic Scare

San Francisco Bay Times Implicated in Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence/ Dodgers Pride Controversy

Some purported adversaries seem as old as time, such as the Hatfields and the McCoys, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants, and now, it seems, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and conservative Catholics. History has a way of repeating itself in these instances. Consider the recent controversy concerning the Sisters and the Dodgers.

On May 17, 2023, the Dodgers announced that they were disinviting the Sisters to their Pride Night on June 16, when the LGBTQ+ advocacy group was to have received the Community Hero award. Via a tweet, the Dodgers explained that the decision was made “given the strong feelings of people who have been offended by the sisters’ inclusion in our evening ... We are deciding to remove them from this year’s group of honorees.”

This sat well with certain Republicans like Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who wrote to Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert Manfred to mention, in part, that the Sisters organization “features men dressed like Catholic nuns who mock the faith with the motto ‘Go forth and sin some more!’” California State Senator Scott Wiener, in turn, tweeted: “Really sad to see the Dodgers cave to pressure & kick drag queens out of a Pride celebration. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence do amazing, life-saving work in the community. We expect more from our sports teams—even the Dodgers.”

Just five days after rescinding the invitation to the Sisters, the Dodgers posted this apology via Instagram, with the text appearing over a rainbow flag:

“After much thoughtful feedback from our diverse communities, honest conversations with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and generous discussions with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the Los Angeles Dodgers would like to offer our sincerest apologies to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, members of the LGBTQ+ community and their friends and families.

We have asked the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to take their place on the field at our 10th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night on June 16th. We are pleased to share that they have agreed to receive the gratitude of our collective communities for the lifesaving work that they have done tirelessly for decades.

In the weeks ahead, we will continue to work with our LGBTQ+ partners to better educate ourselves, find ways to strengthen the ties that bind and use our platform to support all of our fans who make up the diversity of the Dodgers family.”

Catholic League Implicates the Bay Times

During the back-and-forth, Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League, published a piece entitled the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (A timeline of anti-Catholic actions committed by these bigots).” In it, he mentions San Francisco Bay Times columnist Sister Dana Van Iquity for the year 1992:

“On Parade, a publication of the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Day Parade and Celebration Committee, published an article by ‘Sister Dana Van Iquity’ which said the motto of the Sisters is ‘Encroach not on my crotch!’ and ‘Leave my loins alone.’ He described the day’s events, including ‘Dykes on Bikes’ and ‘Dykes with Tikes on Trikes.’”

Donohue then goes on to mention the San Francisco Bay Times :

“On the cover of the April 1, 1999 edition of the San Francisco Bay Times there was a full-page picture of a Sister superimposed on a cross-like photo with his hands stretched out, imitating Jesus on the Cross.”

To read Donohue’s complete timeline, go to:

https://tinyurl.com/4zn6vpk4

It suggests that the Catholic League has for decades kept a file and/or list on such matters, comparable to the tactics of Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy (1908–1957) during the era of McCarthyism and the Red Scare. The Bay Times cover, until now, was not digitized or prominently mentioned on the internet, and Sister Dana did not even remember the 1992 piece—now 31 years old. A lot of work therefore must have gone into the years-long creation of the timeline, and likely involving others beyond Donohue.

History Repeats Itself

Delving into the history of the Bay Times cover image reveals that it was a poster from the Sisters advertising the 20th Anniversary of their popular Easter in the Park event that was initially held at Collingwood Park in Eureka Valley. The poster shows Grand Mother Vish-Knew, who founded the Sisters in 1979, wearing one of the original authentic nun’s habits that led to the organization’s creation.

Vish-Knew explains: “I brought the Sisters first five Catholic nun’s habits to San Francisco from my drag troupe in Iowa (‘The Sugar Plum Fairies’). We acquired the habits from the local Catholic convent. We said we were doing a performance of The Sound of Music, but really used them for a drag show. One bored Easter weekend in 1979 my roommate and I donned the habits to have some fun, and it turned into a worldwide spiritual, community service, activist, performance and artist organization of Sisters.”

For the 1999 event, the Sisters asked the city to close down Castro Street, between 17th and 18th Streets, on April 4 of that year from 8 am–8 pm. Openly gay Tom Ammiano and Mark Leno, who were then members of the SF Board of Supervisors, helped lead the public hearing and to pass the resolution authorizing the closure.

The Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, and other conservative Catholic groups vehemently opposed the event, using the platform to criticize the Sisters in ways that echo Donohue’s recent words. The Catholic League said that its opposition “centers on their obscene assaults on the Eucharist, the very nucleus of Catholicism. That is why we are outraged.” Rightgrrl Co-Founder Carolyn Gargano that year summarized some of the views in opposition to the Sisters ( https://tinyurl.com/4adr9pem ).

So, were these opponents successful in shutting down the Sisters’ 1999 Easter event? As for the recent effort to prevent the group from being honored at the Dodgers Pride Night, they were not. The controversy, per the latest one, made both local and national headlines—and then the Sisters and event attendees enjoyed a peaceful, well-attended celebration in the Castro.

Author and UC Berkeley lecturer Kaya Oakes, in a recent article published in Sojourners, discusses the reemergence of opposition to “drag nuns” in the context of gender-bending iconography, including the 17th century carving of St. Wilgefortis at the Museum of the Diocese Graz-Seckau in Graz, Austria. https://tinyurl.com/mw9b7fj7

Timeline of campaign against the Dodgers: https://www.catholicleague.org/timeline-of-campaign.../

Tickets for the Dodgers Pride Night featuring the Sisters, and a drone show at the end, are going very fast. Some are still available, though, as of this writing. For tickets offered through the MLB, go to: https://tinyurl.com/yc79uasa

Grand Mother Vish-Knew (1980) JP CARHAIX

Front Page, San Francisco Bay Times, April 1, 1999

At the Cable Car Awards 1982, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence members, including Sister Boom Boom (far left), Sister Chanel (Gilbert Baker in the foreground); and Sisters Missionary Position and Salvation Army (far right) were honored for their community service and philanthropy.

The Sisters, The Bay Times, and The Catholic Scare

The Sisters Hit a Grand Slam

Imagine my surprise when two of my greatest loves, baseball and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, made worldwide headlines together recently.

Much has been written about the boneheaded move by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had promised to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence with a community service award at their annual Pride Night—only to rescind the honor and disinvite the Sisters after receiving pushback from right-wing extremists from outside California. Their decision to cave to the haters was shockingly rude and disrespectful toward the Sisters and to all LGBTQ+ people, and it turned out to be a major public relations nightmare for the Dodgers.

The backlash against their decision was swift, fierce, and monumental. The Dodgers heard from the com-

munity—wow, did they ever. And a few days later (on Harvey Milk’s birthday, no less) they issued a very humble public apology to the Sisters, the LGBTQ+ community, and their friends and family. They re-invited the Sisters to be on the field for their 10th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night on June 16 (playing the San Francisco Giants), and will be honoring them with an award for their decades of outstanding work in the community. Their public statement went on to promise “we will continue to work with our LGBTQ+ partners to better educate ourselves, find ways to strengthen the ties that bind and use our platform to support all of our fans who make up the diversity of the Dodgers family.”

It would be so easy to blow off their apology as meaningless damage control; it is always tempting to be dismissive or cynical about such a move. But this is where the story gets really interesting. The Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence rose above these temptations, and showed that they are professionals at playing ball themselves. After meeting with the Dodgers’ leadership, local LGBTQ+ community leaders, and government officials, they issued their own public statement, graciously accepting the Dodgers’ apology and offering to work with them going forward. They wisely negotiated a key strategic point with the Dodgers: “In the future, if similar pressures from out-

side our community arise, our two organizations will consult and assist each other in responding, alongside our colleagues at the Los Angeles LGBT Center and others from the LGBTQIA2S community ... .”

The grace and forgiveness the Sisters offered to the Dodgers organization is emblematic of their commitment to expiating guilt and promulgating joy. Instead of fighting back with hate, they saw an opportunity to educate the Dodgers and the community, and to turn a tense situation into a positive experience. They chose to set an example of how to work together to bridge differences, advocate for marginalized communities, and understand each other better. As ever, they chose to lead with love.

https://lp.catholicvote.org/dodgers-petition/

Sadly, extreme conservative Catholic organizations didn’t take the hint, and have responded with vicious attacks on the Sisters. One fringe group, CatholicVote, announced they were launching a $1 million campaign to boycott the Dodgers and buy billboards and ad space for a smear campaign. They call the Sisters “detestable, vile, and perverse,” and claim their whole purpose is to mock Catholic sisters.

Clearly, they neither understand nor care to understand the real work the Sisters do, but they seem to be calling for an all-out, scorched-earth war against them.

I have been a fan of the Sisters since they were founded, and have had the great honor and joy to work closely

with them throughout the years. I have witnessed the extraordinary work they do in the community, and have personally experienced the blessings and comfort of their true ministry on many occasions. The work they do in the community— day after day, year after year—is important, worthwhile, and lifesaving. They deserve our respect and support. They need us to stand up for them.

How they handled this difficult situation in our deeply divided country is a lesson for us all. Defy and defuse hate by spreading joy and love.

Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.

Joanie Juster

The Sisters, The Bay Times, and The Catholic Scare

About Our Cover

Acclaimed artist Max Koo created the image highlighting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence that is featured on the cover of the latest issue of the San Francisco Bay Times. His art often cleverly draws inspiration from iconic past images—in this case, the cover of the Beatles’ 1967 album

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. As for that album, a guide reveals who is depicted in the image. Here is the corresponding list from Koo, who shares that the missing #13 is intentional.

1. Sr. Loganberry Frost

2. Sr. Tilly ComesAgain

3. Sr. Vish-Knew

4. Sr. Roma

5. my doppelgänger

6. Sr. Roma

7. Sr. Loganberry Frost

8. Sr. Tilly ComesAgain

9. Sr. Vish-Knew

10. Sr. Loosy Lust Bea Lady

11. Noah Haydon

12. Richard Thompson

14. Sr. Angelina Holi

15. Sr. Maddie Bout You

16. Sr. Lilith of the Valley

17. Sr. Bella De Ball

18. Sr. Selma Soul

19. MuthaChucka

20. Sr. Missionary Position

21. Sr. Zsa Zsa

22. Sr. MaeJoy B. Withu

23. Sir Kippy Marks

24. Ellen Shirley

25. Gooch

26. Jimmy Strano aka Saint Xtrave A. Ganza

Pride and Joy

icon Heklina. When tickets for the planned memorial inside the Castro Theatre sold out almost instantaneously, organizers made sure that everyone in San Francisco and around the world could take part in the epic event. In an interview with SFGate, Joshua Grannell declared, “Her impact was so far-reaching, and we owe it to her to make this event as big as it should be. She’s the queen of San Francisco. And when the queen dies, you shut things down.”

In Case You Missed It

There is much to be proud of as we head into the marathon known as Pride Month: accomplishments, milestones, and victories deserve to be celebrated, even—or maybe especially—as we face unprecedented challenges. Keep your strength up; it’s going to be quite a month. But then, so was May.

Drag Royalty

As the culture wars have reached fever pitch around the country, with LGBTQ+ people—and drag performers and transgender youth in particular—being banned, attacked, and legislated against, I am proud and grateful to live in a city that embraces diversity and creativity, and proudly stands up to the haters by showing love and respect for groups that are being demeaned, demonized, and disenfranchised elsewhere.

One very public example of these San Francisco values was on glorious display at the public memorial to Heklina.

Castro Street was the place to be on May 25, as the city gathered to remember and honor drag

And so, they did. Castro Street was closed off, a live drag show was presented onstage outside the theatre prior to the indoor event, two big screens were mounted outside the Castro Theatre, and, for those watching at home, a livestream of the event was available on the Oasis channel. Despite the cold, windy weather, Castro Street was packed for the live show, and to watch the monitors after the indoor show began.

The show, officially subtitled “She Would Have Hated This,” was fabulously and appropriately over the top, alternating between loving tributes, bawdy performances, hilarious reminiscences, and plenty of performance footage that showcased Heklina as a raucously creative, in-yourface, groundbreaking artist. Drag stars, politicians, friends, and family took turns sharing their stories that made clear why Heklina was known and admired everywhere. Tom Temprano, Heklina’s producing partner for the long-running drag show at El Rio, Daytime Realness, summed it up by proclaiming the event “a f--ing state funeral for drag royalty!”

A huge thank you to Heklina’s close friends and collaborators Nancy French, Peaches Christ, D’Arcy Drollinger, and Sister Roma, who

produced this memorable event, and to all who worked so hard to make it possible. If you missed it, you can still watch the Heklina Memorial on the Oasis channel: https://tinyurl.com/HekMem

Drag Royalty, Part II

Another very public example of San Francisco values was the naming of D’Arcy Drollinger as the inaugural Drag Laureate for the city of San Francisco. Again, San Francisco is leading the way in respecting, honoring, and working with drag performers instead of trying to erase them from the public eye. Drollinger brings to the job a remarkable track record as a drag artist, producer, business owner, employer, community leader, and creative powerhouse. Among their many other accomplishments, what they did during the height of the COVID lockdown to

not only keep drag performers and Oasis staff employed, but also to keep joy sparkling throughout the city, was monumental. I can’t wait to see what lies ahead during their historic term as Drag Laureate. Congratulations, D’Arcy!

Mpox Vaccine Popup Returns to SOMA Second Saturdays

When the first cases of mpox showed up in the U.S. in 2022, the CDC and federal government were disturbingly slow to respond, raising flashbacks to the early days of HIV/AIDS. In San Francisco, however, local agencies and activists jumped right on it, sounding the alarm, starting public health awareness campaigns, fighting for access to vaccines, and making sure vaccines were available to all who were at risk. Thousands of people received the first shot, and many also completed the treatment by receiving a second shot. But that was many months ago, and a recent clus -

LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District is again partnering with the San Francisco Department of Public Health to get ahead of the curve before Pride, Up Your Alley, and other summer gatherings. Many people last year received their first dose but not the second. Our mpox popup will provide both.”

This event will take place Saturday, June 10, from noon to 5 pm on 12th Street between Folsom and Harrison Streets. Vaccines are free, but please register (and learn more about SOMA Second Saturdays) at https://tinyurl.com/S2SMPX

Action = Life: Rally & Day of Action

In the darkest days of the 1980s, AIDS activists embraced the slogan “Silence = Death.” It was clear then that nothing would change, no funding would come through, no lives would be saved, unless we spoke out, loudly and consistently. The same is still true today, as those who survived those terrible years are now termed “long-term survivors,” and are facing a whole new set of challenges as they age.

ter of outbreaks in Chicago, just prior to the annual Memorial Day weekend International Mr. Leather contest, raised concerns about the need for enhanced protection.

The San Francisco Department of Public Health held a vaccination event on May 13, with another one scheduled for June 10 at the LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District’s popular monthly event, SOMA Second Saturdays. District Manager Cal Callahan explained why making these vaccines available is necessary: “After outbreaks in Chicago, there are concerns about a resurgence of mpox, and the

Monday, June 5, was National HIV Long-Term Survivors Day. San Francisco AIDS Foundation’s HIV Advocacy Network (HAN) hosted a day of action called Action = Life to advocate for housing and healthcare for queer and HIV communities in the San Francisco city budget. The day began with advocacy training, then a march to City Hall, and a rally on the steps. Participants then met with members of the Board of Supervisors to share their stories, and ask representatives to prioritize making these investments in the community.

(continued on page 22)

Joanie Juster

PHOTO BY JUAN R. DAVILA

Castro Street was closed between Market and 18th, and large screens were set up in front of the Castro Theatre making it possible to view the commemoration of Heklina’s life held on May 25.

Queer Transgender Asian Pacific Islander Week: May 28–June 3

Out of the Closet and into City Hall Oakland City Councilmember

At-Large, Rebecca Kaplan

On May 30, 2023, I, along with my colleagues on the Oakland City Council, had the honor of passing the 2nd Annual Resolution proclaiming May 28–June 3, 2023, as Queer and Transgender Asian and Pacific Islander (QTAPI) Week in the City of Oakland and commending the Bay Area QTAPI Coalition for organizing, mobilizing, and inspiring our QTAPI community and for uplifting the numerous contributions made by the QTAPI community locally, nationally, and globally.

The QTAPI Coalition was formed to build community, facilitate intergenerational transfer of knowledge, recognize the QTAPI community’s historical context and interdependence, and celebrate their unique cultural heritage and identity. As QTAPI people continue to experi-

ence discrimination and violence and have been disproportionately harmed by unjust systems, the City of Oakland continues to lift up this community and support it.

The Coalition includes organizations and community groups such as Lavender Phoenix (formerly known as API Equality Northern California (APIENC), Asian Pacific Islander Queer Women & Transgender Community (APIQWTC), GLBTQ+ Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA), Parivar Bay Area, Prism Foundation, Red Envelope Giving Circle, API Transmasculine Anthology, GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco Community Health Center, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Essence of Mana, North County Outreach, QT Nightlife, and members of the Rice Rockettes.

During QTAPI Week, the Coalition hosts networking activities, capacitybuilding events, and supportive facilitated conversations that further the work of the QTAPI movement in Oakland, San Francisco, and the greater Bay Area to demonstrate the strength and resilience of the Asian American community in the face of continued violence, as well as pride in identity as part of the LGBTQ+ community. The Coalition continues to grow and respond to the issues facing the QTAPI community.

As Oakland’s first openly lesbian elected official, it was my honor to be the main author of the resolution declaring May 28 through June 3 as Queer and Transgender Asian Pacific Islander Week.

Happy Pride!

Councilmember At-Large and Council President Rebecca Kaplan, who is the Vice Mayor of Oakland, was elected in 2008 to serve as Oakland’s citywide Councilmember; she was re-elected in 2016 and 2020. She also serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC). Follow Councilmember Kaplan on Twitter @Kaplan4Oakland ( https://twitter.com/Kaplan4Oakland ) and Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/Kaplan4Oakland/ ).

Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan (right) and Oakland City Council colleagues, on May 30, passed the second annual resolution proclaiming Queer and Transgender Asian & Pacific Islander Week in Oakland.

Join Me at San Francisco Pride 2023

venting drag performers from reading to children or placing limitations on people who identify as transgender, the naysayers are forcing their will on us.

Even in our own progressive state, the Los Angeles Dodgers caved to pressure from religious organizations, disinviting our beloved Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence from being honored during Pride Night. The nonprofit has helped many communities, touching countless lives. The honor is well-deserved. While the baseball team eventually changed their mind and apologized, the incident does highlight the fact that the fight for greater inclusiveness isn’t over.

Happy Pride Month! There’s much to celebrate, as we achieve greater equality and inclusiveness.

It’s hard to be believe six years have passed since my landmark California law, AB 1732, went into effect. Single-occupancy restrooms in most locations are now gender neutral, increasing safety, fairness, and convenience for everyone. Transgender and non-binary individuals have especially benefited from this policy. But there’s still more work to do on this issue.

Because of compliance lapses throughout the state, I am carrying legislation this year to strengthen the Equal Restroom Access law. Under AB 783, cities would be required to provide written notice to anyone applying for a business license that all single-user washrooms must be designated as all gender. I’m disappointed that we need this new bill, and enforcement is one way to get entities to follow the law.

Unfortunately, we’ve seen other efforts across the country trying to thwart the progress made on LGBTQ+ rights. Whether it’s pre-

One way to elevate our message is to join me at this year’s San Francisco Pride Parade. Marching together is a way to openly stand with members of our community and celebrate our diversity. Under this year’s theme, “Looking Back and Moving Forward,” we can be proud of what we’ve done, while also uniting with hope that we will accomplish more.

The parade will be held on Sunday, June 25, 2023. The route begins south of Market Street (close to the Embarcadero MUNI/BART station) and runs to the San Francisco Civic Center. My group will be meeting at 10 am in the Financial District. Once Pride Parade organizers notify me of our precise meeting location, I will send the information to those who RSVP. Anyone marching with us will receive a commemorative T-shirt and make great memories.

If you’d like to join in the fun, please RSVP on my website ( https://a19.asmdc.org/events ) by June 15 to attend the parade with us. Invite your friends and family to join us! Lunch will be served at an outdoor reception, co-hosted by your San Francisco delegation: me, Senator Scott Wiener, and Assemblymember Matt Haney. The location will be provided to marchers at the end of the parade.

I look forward to seeing you all on June 25!

Phil Ting represents the 19th Assembly District, which includes the Westside of San Francisco and portions of South San Francisco along with the communities of Broadmoor, Colma, and Daly City.

Assemblymember Phil Ting

GLBT Fortnight in Review

Trump Judge Tells Tennessee Where to Stuff Its Drag Ban

For the first time in many weeks, I have something positive to report at the top of my column. In Tennessee, a federal judge appointed by Donald Trump struck down the state’s vaguely worded ban on drag shows in a definitive 70-page ruling.

Released on Friday, June 2, the decision by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Parker said in no uncertain terms that the Adult Entertainment Act (AEA) violated the free speech rights of drag performers, and could not meet the high bar of strict scrutiny applied to the law.

Judge Parker wrote that the AEA “reeks with constitutional maladies of vagueness and overbreadth fatal to statutes that regulate First Amendment rights. The virulence of the AEA’s overbreadth chills a large amount of speech, and calls for this strong medicine.”

The Tennessee version of this ban was the first in the country, signed in March by Governor Bill Lee, but barred from taking effect while Judge Parker considered its status. Now, the law has been permanently enjoined pending an expected appeal by the powers that be in the Volunteer State. According to The Washington Post, some 26 state legislatures have targeted drag shows this year, although it’s not clear if they are all as compromised as the Tennessee example.

For one thing, the Tennessee law criminalized performers themselves, who could have faced six years behind bars if convicted. Although lawmakers never used the term “drag” in the AEA language, the discussions leading up to passage made

clear that the law targeted this specific type of performance; the same dance routine presented by the Tennessee Titan Cheerleaders, for example, could have been a criminal violation if presented by drag artists. Nor did the law make space for drag to continue in venues that were restricted to adults through ID checks or other methods. Just the notion that a 17-year-old could possibly witness such a show could trigger the penalties regardless of how the “minor” gained entry.

Indeed, in theory, a group of parents doing a drag show for the kids at home would have been liable.

When Tennessee claimed their objective was to protect children from sexualized images, Judge Parker waved the excuse aside. “This District Court does not find that the Tennessee General Assembly’s predominate concerns were ‘increase in sexual exploitation.’ Rather, the Court finds that their predominate concerns involved the suppression of unpopular views of those who wish to impersonate a gender that is different from the one with which they were born.”

This is impermissible viewpoint discrimination, and even in the eyes of a presumably conservative judge, “it cannot be enforced consistently with the supreme law of the land: the United States Constitution.”

Will this single ruling be enough to stall other anti-drag efforts around the country? It’s not clear, although I assume other states will try to clean up their language to avoid the pitfalls of Tennessee’s bill. Still, it’s encouraging, particularly coming from a Trump judge. Clearly, a judge like our buddy in Northern Texas,

By Ann Rostow

Matthew Kacsmaryk of abortion pill fame, would be happy to green light the most extreme anti-GLBT measures, and there are others of his ilk lurking about in federal courts. But Judge Parker was adamant in his rejection of the blatant discrimination found in Tennessee. And there are others of his ilk around as well, both in the federal courts and the appellate bench.

Let’s

Not Target Our Buds

I think I’ve finally gotten to the bottom of the Target story, a mishmash of confusing details and one which, in my view, unfairly gave Target a bad rep. The overview that’s been hitting the press is the idea that Target was selling some pride gear, but caved under rightwing pressure. In fact, Target continued to sell the vast majority of its pride inventory, but removed some things that were designed by the same guy who also designed some Satanic products, which, in fact, were never sold at Target. I guess Target thought they could defuse the rightwing attacks by dropping the Satan-adjacent items, but instead, they got rung up by our side for not standing up to the far right.

As far as I’m concerned, Target continued to sell a boatload of rainbow shirts, cups, and whathaveyou, even in the face of our enemy’s boycotts, and I’m on their side. I don’t care about the Satan guy, even if he’s harmless, which I’m sure he is.

I’m also a fan of Bud Light, not that I actually like their beer, but I do like the fact that they’ve supported the GLBT community for decades, even when it was far more controversial than it may be these days. Ditto for the Dodgers, whom I oppose when

it comes to rooting for the team, but who made the right decision in the end by re-inviting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to Pride Day. Our friends aren’t always perfect, but they deserve our loyalty.

Exceptional Cases

We are definitely keeping an eye on a case that was just argued before what sounds like a conservative threejudge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Two Trump judges and a senior judge nominated to the court by Reagan reviewed whether or not a lesbian guidance counselor at a Catholic school in Indianapolis should be considered a “minister” for the purposes of law. Religious schools and churches, as you probably recall, are allowed to discriminate when dealing with religious staff under the so-called “ministerial exception.” But while we presumably agree that Catholics don’t have to hire Jewish rabbis to lead Sunday School, should this mean that a janitor, a cafeteria worker, or a secular teacher can be fired at will for, let’s say, being gay?

Michelle Fitzgerald served as a guidance counselor at Roncalli High School, and if the name “Roncalli” sounds familiar, it’s because this is the same school that fired its lesbian music teacher for the same offense for which Fitzgerald is accused: marrying another woman. The music teacher, Lynn Starkey, lost her appeal before the Seventh Circuit last year. But the record suggests that Fitzgerald had even less contact with the religious side of Roncalli than did Starkey, who, for example, had to teach liturgical music and who went to the school mass, shall we say, religiously.

By contrast, Fitzgerald seems to have filled a totally secular role. Nonetheless, in 2018 she signed a boilerplate contract that included religious language and was fired three months later after 14 years of stellar personnel reviews. The lower court looked no further than this document, even though it acknowledged that the faith element of Fitzgerald’s duties was in doubt. As Americans United for Separation of Church and State wrote in a brief to the court: “An employer could drop ministerial contracts in every employee’s mailbox on any given day (as Roncalli did to its entire teaching staff) ... and in one fell swoop strip them of their fundamental civil rights. And it would not matter whether the employer actually entrusted the employees with those duties, communicated any expectations to them, or evaluated them on performance of ministerial functions ... .”

“This gamesmanship,” the brief went on, “could leave millions of workers without basic legal protections at work.” The ministerial exception “protects religious institutions against governmental intrusion into their internal decisions about who will serve as the ‘chief instrument’ to fulfill their religious purpose ... . It does not allow employers to opt out of anti-discrimination laws by merely declaring anyone and everyone a minister.”

Or does it? Unfortunately, the panel that nailed Lynn Starkey included two of the judges we now see on the Fitzgerald panel, and news reports suggest that the appellate group was leaning in Roncalli’s favor. If

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HIV/AIDS Services at AGUILAS May End Due to Lack of City Funding

Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, Co-Founders

Randy Alfred, Founding News Editor

1978

Kim Corsaro, Publisher 1981-2011

2261 Market Street, No. 309

SaN FraNciSco ca 94114

PhoNe: 415-601-2113

525 Bellevue aveNue oaklaNd ca 94610

e-Mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com www.sfbaytimes.com

The Bay Times was the first newspaper in California, and among the first in the world, to be jointly and equally produced by lesbians and gay men. We honor our history and the paper’s ability to build and strengthen unity in our community.

The Bay Times is proud to be the first and only LGBTQ newspaper in San Francisco to be named a Legacy Business, recognizing that it is a longstanding, community-serving business that is a valuable cultural asset to the city.

dr. Betty l. SullivaN

JeNNiFer l viegaS co-PuBliSherS & co-editorS

Beth greeNe, Michael delgado, JohN SigNer aBBy ZiMBerg deSigN & ProductioN

kate lawS

BuSiNeSS MaNager

Blake dilloN caleNdar editor

kit keNNedy Poet-iN-reSideNce

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carla raMoS weB coordiNator

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JuaN r davila voluNteer coordiNator

CONTRIBUTORS

WRITeRS

Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Carolyn Wysinger, Leslie Sbrocco, Heather Freyer, Kate Kendell, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Joanie Juster, Julie Peri, Jennifer Kroot, Robert Holgate, Eduardo Morales, Dennis McMillan, Tim Seelig, John Chen, Rafael Mandelman, Tabitha Parent, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Bill Lipsky, Elisa Quinzi, Liam Mayclem, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Derek Barnes, Marcy Adelman, Jan Wahl, Holly Near, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron, Michele Karlsberg, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Lou Fischer, Brett Andrews, David Landis

PhOTOgRaPheRS

Rink, Phyllis Costa, Sparks, Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Karina Patel, Abby Zimberg, Joanie Juster

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AGUILAS’ HIV/AIDS grants from the CA Office of AIDS and the AIDS Office of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) are scheduled to end on June 30, 2023. The AIDS Office of the SFDPH decided to fund only one agency for up to 1.5 million dollars per year for HIV/AIDS prevention services to Latinx LGBTQ+ individuals. Meanwhile, the CA Office of AIDS has not announced continued funding of its Empowerment Initiative that targets Latinx and African American LGBTQ+ people who are most impacted and overrepresented in the number of HIV/ AIDS cases.

The end of HIV/AIDS services at AGUILAS appears to be inevitable even though AGUILAS has provided HIV/AIDS prevention services for over 29 years since 1994 with excellent satisfaction ratings from participants. The organization has not only met but also exceeded its contractual obligations throughout the past 29 years. Additionally, AGUILAS is the only agency in the city and county of San Francisco to provide all of

its services in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Founded by Latinx LGBTQ+ individuals in San Francisco in 1991, and funded by SFDPH since April of 1994, AGUILAS as a grassroots organization is very active and engaged in the LGBTQ+ and Latinx communities. AGUILAS has been an independent 501c-c organization since August 5, 1999. It has a very dedicated and highly skilled staff and has helped thousands of Latinx LGBTQ+ individuals for nearly three decades with its HIV/AIDS prevention services.

About 40% of current AGUILAS participants are HIV positive. Those who speak Portuguese are Brazilian and are being served by the organization. Additionally, AGUILAS assists those who are seeking political asylum by providing documentation of their program participation. 100% of these individuals have successfully obtained their political asylum cases with their personal representative attorneys. If the grants end as scheduled and are not renewed, all of the HIV/AIDS individual and group interventions and social events that are part of the funded prevention efforts will end on June 30, 2023.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is having a public comment session about the city’s proposed budget at SF City Hall at 10 am on Monday, June 26, 2023. At that time, the public will have a chance to comment—a maximum of two minutes per person—about the budget. The Board of Supervisors through an “add back” process can change the proposed budget of the city and county and decide to fund areas where there are gaps and

needs. Once finalized, the budget will be approved by the Board of Supervisors and the new fiscal year will start on July 1. It is hoped that members of the public will express their concerns, comment on the contributions of AGUILAS, and advocate that AGUILAS be included in its new proposed budget.

Historically, AGUILAS is the only and oldest independent Latinx LGBTQ+ organization in Northern California. Its efforts include organizing the candlelight march for the killing of transgender Gwen Araujo in 2002, and raising over $30,000 to build and construct the new SF LGBT Center. When the San Francisco Board of Supervisors set aside funding to create a Pulse Memorial, AGUILAS was the only agency that voluntarily stepped up to take the lead. For over five years it oversaw all aspects of the process, from design to construction to identification of the site for the memorial’s installation. Now San Francisco has its Pulse Memorial located on the second floor of the SF LGBT Center.

AGUILAS was also instrumental in the formation of the cannabis club Purple Star located at 2520 Mission Street. Purple Star has provided AGUILAS, the SF LGBT Center, Shanti Project, and the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund with shared profits from its operations since its formation in 2013. For every dollar the SFDPH provided AGUILAS during the past three years, AGUILAS was able to match it dollar for dollar by acquiring funding from other external sources.

AGUILAS will continue its leadership trainings called La Academia funded by ViiV Foundation for one more year. This does not include donations made by various organizations and individuals. Although AGUILAS will continue to seek other sources of funding, the turnaround time will mean that the organization must plan to end its HIV/ AIDS services unless the city’s Board of Supervisors approves the “add back” funding for continuation of the much-needed assistance. Given the increasing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation implemented throughout the U.S. and the immigration border issues faced by people seeking asylum, AGUILAS remains a critical resource for the Latinx LGBTQ+ community.

Eduardo Morales, Ph.D. is a Professor Emeritus, retired Distinguished Professor, and current adjunct professor at Alliant International University. He is also a licensed psychologist and a founder and current Executive Director of AGUILAS, an awardwinning program for Latinx LGBTQ+. Of Puerto Rican decent, he has received numerous distinguished awards and citations, including being named a Fellow of 12 divisions of the American Psychological Association.

Nuestra Voz

Eduardo Morales, Ph.D.

Community Treasures from the GLBT Historical Society Archives

Raising the Rainbow

The rainbow flag has become a globally recognized icon, but before it was a symbol, it was a physical object—or more accurately two objects— created by a group of artists in 1978, right here in San Francisco.

The San Francisco of the late 1970s was a city full of possibilities. It was a city where artists and activists could envision entirely new ways of being, where queer people who never felt at home anywhere else could finally find a place to belong, where a long-haired camera store operator could become California’s first openly gay elected official. This was the context in which the very first rainbow pride flags were created and raised by Gilbert Baker and Lynne Segerblom (co-chairs of the Decorations Committee for that year’s Gay Freedom Day celebration) and a group of dedicated volunteers.

The rainbow flag is imbued with this inherent hope and optimism, carrying San Francisco values of openness, experimentation, and forward progress all around the world. As we see the rainbow flag displayed on everything from protest banners to corporate logos this month, it’s important to reflect on the ideals sewn into the original design.

For more than 40 years, the original rainbow flags were believed to have been lost, until a large fragment of one flag was recovered and brought home to San Francisco in 2021. Today that remnant is part of the permanent gallery at the GLBT Historical Society Museum in the Castro, and one of our most prized possessions.

This Pride month we invite you to visit our museum and experience our vast queer past for yourself. To book your visit, or to make a contribution to support our work, visit https://www.glbthistory.org/

These are the two original eight-color rainbow flags that flew at United Nations Plaza during San Francisco Gay Freedom Day 1978. A segment of the flag in the foreground, with the pink stripe at the top, was donated to the GLBT Historical Society in April 2021.

The segment of one of the original rainbow flags created for San Francisco Gay Freedom Day 1978 rests in its case at the GLBT Historical Society Museum.

PHOTO BY ANDREW SHAFFER PHOTO

DIVAS & DRINKS @ The Academy

Divas & Drinks @ The Academy

May 25, 2023: Dr. Marcy Adelman and the Stonewall Generation

Special thanks to Abby Zimberg and Patrick Carney

On Thursday, May 25, 2023, Divas & Drinks @ The Academy emcee Donna Sachet welcomed to The Academy SF in the Castro contributors and supporters of the “Aging in Community” special editions published by the San Francisco Bay Times in the May 4 and May 18 issues.

Through a series of presentations that included both personal anecdotes as well as heartfelt words of appreciation, the leadership and years of service of Openhouse Founder and longtime LGBTQ+ senior advocate Dr. Marcy Adelman, who curated the sections, was celebrated.

Speakers included Kelly Dearman, Executive Director of the San Francisco Department of Disability & Aging Services; Jessica Rothhaar, Senior Public Policy Manager of the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California and Northern Nevada; Suzanne Ford, San Francisco Pride Executive Director; Elisa Yeung representing State Senator Scott Wiener; and Former State Senator Mark Leno, who presented to Dr. Adelman a certificate of appreciation from Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.

Assisted by DJ Rockaway presented by Olivia Travel, Donna Sachet sang the Nancy LaMott song “We Can Be Kind,” which was followed by a surprise appearance by members of the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band, led by Artistic Director Mike Wong. After marching in, the Band performed “California, Here I Come.” Wong then addressed attendees and sang a rousing version of “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” followed by leading the Band for “San Francisco.”

Special thanks go to event sponsors The Academy SF, Olivia Travel, Extreme Pizza, Bacardí, the San Francisco Federal Credit Union, La Méditerranée Noe, and volunteer coordinator Juan R. Davila.

For their contributions to the celebration of Dr. Adelman, we also thank the San Francisco Giants, NAPA Cellars Wines, SF Pride, Noe Valley Bakery, and Rainbow Democratic Club Chair Brendalynn Goodall.

Advertisers and supporters of the “Aging in Community” special sections included Alegre Home Care, Assisted Living Locators, Family Caregiver Alliance, Frank Residences, On Lok, Openhouse, Project Open Hand, Rhoda Goldman Plaza, and SF Towers.

Congratulations to Team Dykes on Bikes® on winning the Name That Tune contest, defeating the repeat champions from Team San Francisco Gay Softball League. Team Dykes on Bikes will be back to try to defend their title in a match-up with challengers

Team SF Pride at the next Divas & Drinks @ The Academy, which will be on Thursday, June 22. This will be the series’ third annual Pride Party with program details to be announced soon.

https://www.academy-sf.com/

PHOTO BY ABBY ZIMBERG

PHOTO BY ABBY ZIMBERG

PHOTO BY ABBY ZIMBERG

PHOTO BY ABBY ZIMBERG

PHOTO BY ABBY ZIMBERG

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

SAN FRANCISCO BAY TIMES

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2023)

Our 47th Year Leading Off a San Francisco Pride Parade

By Kate Brown, Ph.D.

Dykes on Bikes®

Tales From Two Wheels

Here we go—it is June and it is Pride Month! Happy Pride, everyone! Pride is a month for joyfully celebrating our LGBTQIA+ existence, for uplifting all our voices, and for acknowledging the hard battles we have fought and are continuing to fight for equality and liberation.

This past weekend the many participants of the AIDS/LifeCycle departed San Francisco towards Los Angeles for the organization’s 29th year of fundraising to fund the work of San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. I find it stirring that since 1994, participants have raised more than $300 million for HIV/AIDSrelated services.

Over many years, we’ve had San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® (SFDOB) patch-holders participate as cyclists on bicycles, as road captains on motorcycles, and nonriders who have fundraised from home. It has been inspiring to see the dedication individuals within SFDOB have had with AIDS/LifeCycle, an organization that has been committed to supporting our community for nearly 30 years. We wish all of the riders, participants, and volunteers with the AIDS/LifeCycle a safe journey this week.

Speaking of long-standing relationships and traditions, it will be our 47th year leading off a Pride Parade, and we are excited to be a part of the 53rd annual San Francisco Pride Parade on June 25. We welcome both participants and volunteers to come ride with us! To register to ride with us please go to www.sfpride.org/dykesonbikes

And we are always grateful to our incredible team of volunteers of riders and non-riders alike. More information, including how to volunteer with us, can be found at www.sfdykesonbikes.org

Lastly, we want to warmly welcome everyone to attend our annual Pride Saturday Fundraiser on Saturday, June 24, from 12:30 pm–3:30 pm. This year our event will be held at, and generously hosted by, the LGBTQIA+ social club The Academy SF. The Academy SF has been so welcoming of the entire LGBTQIA+ community, and, of course, it is the location for the fabulous Divas & Drinks party every month. Come join us at The Academy SF (2166 Market Street) for dancing (music from DJ Rockaway), auction prizes, and more! You can also register to ride with us at the Parade and pick up our limited-edition T-shirts and Dykes on Bikes® merch. Our mid-day event puts you right in the heart of the Castro and allows for plenty of time to experience all the activities on Pride Saturday.

Kate Brown, Ph.D., is the President of San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® Women’s Motorcycle Contingent. https://www.dykesonbikes.org/

Dykes on Bikes Pride Saturday fundraiser.

Motorcycle Safety lining up for the AIDS/LifeCycle.

PHOTO BY RINK

Passenger Elisabeth Warren waves at the crowd riding behind Dykes on Bikes President Kate Brown in the San Francisco Pride Parade (2017)

PHOTO BY RINK

The Dykes on Bikes contingent prepared for the start of the Gay Freedom Parade (1978)

By Donna Sachet

As we raced through May towards Pride Month, here are some highlights of recent events, limited by space constraints. On Saturday, May 20, the SF Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band conducted by Artistic Director Pete Nowlen presented Spotlight on the ‘70s, a night of music from that era at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. We joined the very talented Phaedra Tillery-Boughton as special guest singers for this fun-filled night of musical memories, including a live auction of travel and experiences, silent auction of band contributions, beautiful exhibit of band historical items, and the world premiere of Roger Zare’s specially commissioned Awakening

The following day, we presided over a ceremony at Harvey’s in the Castro where a pane of glass etched with the symbol of the original bar, Elephant Walk, was donated to the GLBT Historical Society. Moxie Penn produced the event, attended by Executive Director of the society Roberto Ordenana and others, some of whom had personal stories of the 1979 White Night Riots to share.

Heklina, A Memorial (She Would Have Hated This) at the Castro Theatre needs its own article to cover all that came together for this wonderful and perfectly appropriate celebration of the life of this San Francisco beloved icon. From the outdoor video screens and live entertainment on a remarkably closed off Castro Street to every element of the program inside, including scores of Heklina’s friends on stage, in the audience, and on video monitors, this evening will never be forgotten, nor will Heklina.

May’s Bay Times Divas & Drinks at The Academy honored Dr. Marcy Adelman, a tireless advocate for the needs of the aging LGBTQ+ population, especially evident in the creation of Openhouse, and her many friends and supporters showed up in numbers,

including Kelly Dearman, Executive Director, SF Department of Disability & Aging Services; Jessica Rothhaar, Senior Public Policy Manager, Alzheimer’s Association; Mark Leno, beloved San Francisco political icon and community activist; and even the SF Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band, marching in under the baton of Mike Wong. Marcy’s humble remarks and challenge to continue efforts resonated throughout. Name That Tune pitted returning champion Team SF Gay Softball League against former champions Team Dykes on Bikes; those feisty dykes took the trophy. DJ Rockaway played crowd-pleasing music into the night.

On the final day of the month, we joined Julian Marshburn at Oasis to hear SF Chronicle’s Tony Bravo interview on stage the legendary film star and activist Jane Fonda. To be in the presence of one of our all-time personal heroes was nearly indescribable. She shared personal memories of a lifetime of films, human rights struggles, marriages, and quirky interpersonal encounters, all the while looking gorgeous, but determined and inspiring.

And, just in case you didn’t know what time of year it is, we attended two rainbow flag-raising events! First, we joined Mayor London Breed, many other elected officials, SF Pride representatives, community leaders, visiting dignitaries, Reigning Emperor Michael Anthony Chua & Reigning Empress Cameron Stiehl-Munro, and San Francisco’s own Drag Laureate D’Arcy Drollinger for the official raising of the rainbow flag over City Hall. Then, we headed to the Castro, as the Castro Merchants Association, led by new President

Interviewer: “Now, when you were starting out as a writer, you were Black, impoverished, homosexual ... . You must have thought, ‘Gee, how disadvantaged could I get?’”

“No, I thought I had hit the jackpot! It was so outrageous, you had to find a way to use it.” (View this exchange at YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/sbvvth62 )

—James Baldwin

Thursday, June 8: The Business of Pride

Honoring LGBTQ+ business leaders & businesses Hilton Hotel, 333 O’Farrell Street 5:30–8:30 pm $300 https://tinyurl.com/yuw9v2sk

Saturday, June 10 SF Giants Pride Day

Giants Pride jerseys for first 20,000 Oracle Park 4:35 pm

Also, pre-game celebration of 50 years of Gay Softball and VIP Heklina Experience www.mlb.com

Wednesday, June 14

Opening Night of Frameline47 Film Festival

6:30 pm - Sofia Coppola’s Fairyland, Castro Theatre

9 pm - Opening Night Gala, Terra Gallery, 511 Harrison Sold Out www.frameline.org

Saturday, June 17 Pink Triangle Dedication

Produced by Patrick Carney Annual ceremony with dignitaries Twin Peaks 11 am https://www.thepinktriangle.com/

Sunday, June 18

Father’s Day

Honor those who have guided you

Tuesday, June 20 EQCA Pride Happy Hour Drinks, food, and entertainment El Rio, 3158 Mission Street 6–9 pm $20–30 www.eqca.org

Thursday, June 22 Divas & Drinks Bay Times party at The Academy

DJ Rockaway, Bacardí cocktails, Extreme Pizza Pride Party & celebration

Terry Asten, raised a sparkling new rainbow flag in Harvey Milk Plaza, aided by an assortment of Castro neighbors, heads of various organizations, and once again, the Reigning Emperor & Empress. Let there be no mistake; San Francisco Pride has begun!

Some months ago, when a friend from the International Court System (Emperor Tom Hinton) contacted us about participating in an event in Redding, California, we appreciated the invitation, but needed much more information before committing. Where is Redding? What kind of event?

What sort of venue? Who is the audience? Last Saturday night, all our questions were answered and then some.

Name That Tune ongoing competition The Academy, 2166 Market Street $20 https://tinyurl.com/yyzsmtrn

Saturday, June 24 Gary Virginia & Donna Sachet’s 25th Pride Brunch

Annual benefit for PRC, honoring SF Pride Parade Grand Marshals

3-course brunch, drinks, program, entertainment Westin St. Francis Hotel, 335 Powell Street 11 am–2 pm $150 & up www.prc-sf.org

Sunday, June 25 SF Pride Parade and Festival Market Street & Civic Center www.sfpride.org

A small group of like-minded individuals committed to the Northern California LGBTQ+ Community formed NorCal OUTreach Project, led by Board President Phillip Moller. They devised The Show Must Go On, a gala benefit drag show in the historic Cascade Theatre, an Art Deco architectural marvel. The skilled production staff handled every detail with patience and professionalism. We co-emceed with Empress Misha Rockafeller of Sacramento a lively show featuring Sacramento’s DoMe Moore and Tilly

(continued on page 22)

PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

PHOTO BY MICHAEL CHUA/FACEBOOK

(Left to Right: Jenn Meyer, Castro Merchants Association Vice President; Donna Sachet, First Lady of the Castro; Empress Cameron Still; Terry Asten Bennett, Castro Merchants Association President; and Emperor Michael Chua) The Castro Merchants Association held a ceremony in Harvey Milk Plaza on Friday, June 2, where a new rainbow flag was installed just in time for Pride in San Francisco.

Thursday, June 22

6–10pm @ The Academy

San Francisco Bay Times & The Academy Invite You!

DIVAS & DRINKS @ The Academy

3rd Annual

Pride Celebration 2023

JUSTER (continued from pg 8)

This is a tough budget year, and hard choices will have to be made. If you care about an issue that receives funding from the city or state budget, speak up now.

Celebrating 50 Years of Pacific Center

The Pacific Center for Human Growth celebrated a major milestone on June 3. Founded in 1973, it is the oldest LGBTQIA+ center in the Bay Area, and the third oldest in the country. It is still the only nonprofit in Alameda County with the sole mission of providing affordable mental health support services for the LGBTQIA and BIPOC individuals and their families. Their clinical training and peer-to-peer support programs incorporate social justice and trauma-informed frameworks that contribute to equitable mental health service delivery.

The Center’s anniversary celebration included presenting a Lifetime Achievement Award to one of the Bay Area’s most respected leaders and activists, Leslie Ewing. Leslie served as Executive Director of Pacific Center for ten years prior to her retirement, capping a long career of service including The NAMES Project, the 1987 & 1993 Marches on Washington, the ACTUp affinity group Queer and Present Danger, AIDS Emergency Fund, Under One Roof, Lyon-Martin Health Services, and the National AIDS Memorial.

Reflecting upon her storied career, Leslie said, “When younger activists ask me how I’ve been able to be involved with so many great efforts over the years I simply say to them what I have said to myself many times: ‘Just say yes until you have a reason to say no.’ That little mantra has given me a lot of joy, tears, and adventure.”

Another Legend

Apropos of the above item, Pride Month received an inspiring kickoff at the Castro Theatre on June 1, as Manny’s presented an evening with legendary activist and actor Jane Fonda. Now 85, and working nonstop to fight climate change, she devoted most of her talk to her passion for activism. When asked how to sustain an activist movement, and encourage young people when it seems we keep fighting the same battles over and over, she said, “It isn’t a sprint or a marathon. It’s a relay race.” Each generation keeps the movement going forward, then passes the baton along to the next generation. Happy Pride, everyone! Have fun, stay safe, keep up the good fight, and spread joy!

Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.

ROSTOW (continued from pg 15)

Fitzgerald loses this case, we wonder if, unlike Starkey, she will appeal to the full Seventh Circuit, or to the U.S. Supreme Court. And, if so, what will happen then? Are churches and religious schools simply above the law? These days, who the hell knows.

When Did We Stop Beating Our Wives?

What else is new? I guess Nikki Haley told a CNN town hall that “the idea that we have biological boys playing in girls sports” is (wait for it) “the women’s issue of our time.”

“How are we supposed to get our girls used to the fact that biological boys are in their locker rooms,” she mused bizarrely. “And then we wonder why a third of our teenage girls seriously contemplated suicide last year. We should be growing strong girls, confident girls.”

I have granddaughters, and I too have been worried about the rise in insecurity and depression among teen girls that we’ve seen in the news. Haven’t you? You don’t need to have a daughter or a granddaughter to be concerned. But now I know! Thanks, Nikki. This seems as if it’s a problem we can solve. Get those naughty boys out of the locker room and our girls will be just fine—particularly those scamps who are just pretending to be transgender girls so that they can sneak a peek at the frilly underthings the young gals are wearing these days.

Seriously, everyone. Nikki Haley has joined the nut brigade, not that she was challenging the MAGA crowd to begin with. When will someone on that side of the aisle stand up for political sanity? Sure, some of those guys try to ignore or finesse these issues, but they all allow them to fester and infect public debate—which forces us to join them in a no-win conversation that ignores major national problems and critical differences in policy. I say “nowin,” because we can defend trans rights till the sky falls and we’ll just be accused of “grooming” or trying to destroy humanity. No one is discussing gay rights or trans rights or civil rights in general. It’s all devolved into pointless name calling and conspiracy theories and craziness that can’t be countered by reason.

2166 Market Street (between Sanchez & Church)

Divas & Drinks begins a 3rd Year with our annual Pride Party!

Join the women of SF Pride, Olivia Travel, Dykes on Bikes®, “Betty’s List,” and more for a special Pride edition of this monthly event for women, their friends, and allies.

Emcee for the evening will be Pride Brunch co-host and Pride Parade television reporter Donna Sachet, with music by DJ Rockaway presented by Olivia. The Bacardí team will be in the house handcrafting specialty cocktails.

Featured guests will include SF Pride Executive Director Suzanne Ford, SF Pride Past President Carolyn Wysinger. Additional guests and entertainers will be announced very soon!

Special thanks to Comcast, Pride Party Presenting Sponsor

Sponsored by: The Academy, Barcardi, Extreme Pizza, Olivia Travel and San Francisco Federal Credit Union

I just deleted several more ranting paragraphs, because enough is enough.

Vive La France

As usual for this time of year, I’ve been watching the French Open and nostalgically recalling the many years I lived in Paris and the lovely afternoons I spent wandering the grounds of Roland Garros, drinking Kronenbourgs in back of Court 11, and sitting in the bleachers of Courts 6 and 7 watching matches with no tiebreaks that could go on for hours. Every now and then a famous star would pass us by, or if we were lucky, we’d catch Martina or Chris playing mixed doubles on a back court.

We’d line up for tickets the second Monday in May at 6 or 7 am, and wait until the box office opened at 10. We always bought grounds passes for every day except for the women’s semi-finals on the last Thursday, when we bought arena tickets. We parked in a secret back alley in the Bois de Boulogne and walked over a little bridge to a small entrance.

This is just to tell you that Wednesday, June 7, was “Pride Day” at the tournament to celebrate the 10th anniversary of marriage equality in France. The grounds were festooned in pride colors and the courts were lit with rainbow lights. Visitors were able to get temporary pride tattoos. Good for the French Tennis Federation, and it’s nice to see that there are parts of the world, excluding Florida and Uganda, where being GLBT is cause for celebration.

And since I find myself on Memory Lane with only sixty words left in my column, I may as well note that, as I write, we are in the week of D-Day, a date that will live in the opposite of infamy, when thousands of Allied forces gave their lives on the beaches of Normandy to combat the same ideological scourge that we now see flooding a significant sector of our country. I won’t use the N-word, but I don’t have to. It’s hatred of others, jingoism, a cult of personality, and a disdain for the rule of law and democracy. It’s un-American and it spits on the graves of the 9,000-plus U.S. soldiers now lying under the ground of Colleville-Sur-Mer overlooking Omaha Beach.

arostow@aol.com

SACHET (continued from pg 21)

Creams and local talents Kitty Mikaelson and Stacia to a sold-out audience of nearly 1000 people.

Rarely have we played to such an appreciative and enthusiastic crowd! Redding was ready to be entertained and they love drag! Ticket sales and silent auction bids, plus generous individual and corporate sponsorships, combined to raise $30,000 to support NorCal OUTreach Project’s goals of LGBTQ+ visibility, acceptance, and appreciation. What a fabulous demonstration of the power of drag, the possibilities within smaller communities, and the far-reaching impact of Pride! And elsewhere in California, an acknowledged bubble of progressive politics and enlightened acceptance, knee-jerk reactions to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence have revealed the continued misunderstanding and intolerance of others towards our proud community. We send out love and support to Sister Roma and State Senator Scott Wiener as they face discrimination and reproach in Sacramento.

With San Francisco Pride right around the corner, look back proudly at the amazing progress we’ve made due to the tireless work of so many, feel the incredible power our LGBTQ+ Community as our Parade, Celebration, and countless independent events envelope the city, and find your place among the myriad organizations continuing to do the important job of defending our rights, protecting our most challenged citizens, and celebrating the beautiful diversity that makes San Francisco the city it is.

Donna Sachet is a celebrated performer, fundraiser, activist, and philanthropist who has dedicated over two decades to the LGBTQ Community in San Francisco. Contact her at empsachet@gmail.com

DJ Rockaway Donna Sachet

Suzanne Ford Carolyn Wysinger

Home

Finding Your Place of Love, Hope, and Dreams

Laura Martell

5354 Broadway, Oakland

3 bedrooms/3 baths Craftsman home in Rockridge near College & Piedmont Aves. ADU bonus space below. Natural light and view of Mt. Tam. Breakfast nook, backyard garden, laundry room, builtins, gumwood trim finish

1,898 Sq Ft

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Laura Martell (415)948-1282 laura@danielwinklerinc.com

Danielle Clements (510)734-1287 danielleclements9@gmail.com

Jeffrey Plocher

787 Monterey Boulevard, Unit A San Francisco

Condo with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, private roof deck, washer/dryer, high ceilings, large windows, north facing, easy access to I-280 and 101.

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Jeffrey Plocher DRE #01248348 jeff@vanguardsf.com 415-272-5333 Vanguard Properties

The "Laura & Danielle Sell Homes" Team: Julia Tinloy, Danielle Clements, Jeffrey Vu, Laura Martell

Fresher Than Ever: 22nd Annual FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL of Trans and Queer Performance Expands to New Format

Lovers of dance, music and theater rejoice: the FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL is baaaaack! Not that it ever went away, but COVID sent the festival into cyberspace for three long years. This June 14–18, the festival will return to Z Space Theater in San Francisco’s Mission district.

For 2013, the beloved festival will expand to six performances featuring 3 different programs—and the festival itself will take advantage of Z Space’s 13,000 square feet, with artists performing all around the building. This “site-specific” format means that tickets will be limited, to allow for smaller audiences to enjoy this up-close and personal, intimate site-specific format. In other words: buy those tickets now, because these shows will sell out quickly. And don’t forget to come early to enjoy the popular FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL photo booth!

Founded in 2002, the annual festival is a raucous, joyful celebration of trans and queer performance—featuring innovative, edgy, exquisite, and moving performances. Festival audiences come from across the bay, across the country, and around the world to attend this cherished event.

Fresh Meat’s Director of Operations

Shawna Virago says, “Despite the almost 500 anti-trans bills introduced in legislatures across the country, the artistry at the FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL is at least 500 times stronger in impact and power; what the haters don’t understand, and what this festival proves, is that Queers are the future!”

The 2023 FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL features 18 artists and ensembles, most performing world premieres.

Artists from the Bay Area, Seattle, Austin, New York, Portland, and more will perform everything from bomba dance and music, to vogue performance, hip-hop, Afro-Latin dance, aerial dance, stand-up comedy, live music, and much more.

Artistic Director Sean Dorsey enthuses, “We’re especially excited about the world premieres we commissioned

especially for the festival, by our 6 FRESH WORKS! commissioned artists: Andrea Horne, Charles Peoples III, Elena Rose, KING LOTUS BOY, NEVE, and transcriptions01 (aka Peekaboo).”

Communications Director Sarah Taborga adds that this year’s new format will have artists performing in unexpected locations throughout the theater: “I’m looking forward to this incredible lineup of trans and queer artists performing on balconies,

in the lobby, in quirky nooks and crannies, and on the main stage at this iconic festival!”

FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL artists are truly at the leading edge of performance, with exquisite craft; these

artists and this festival are not just creating but transforming culture.

Note: To protect the health of each other and performers, KN95 masks will be provided and required for audiences. Z Space is wheelchair accessible and has all-gender bathrooms. ASL interpretation will be provided at three performances. For more information, see the following program details or visit:

superstar Churro Nomi, and will feature several world premieres, including new works commissioned especially for the festival by longtime community activist/elder Andrea Horne and pioneering performance artist KING LOTUS BOY. The program will also include contemporary dance by JanpiStar, aerial dance by Myles Hochman, music by hip-hop artist LBXX, and Afro-Latin dance by Angie & Audrey (Austin).

Program B

(7:30 pm Friday–Saturday, June 16–17; ASL June 16)

This weekend program will also brim with world premieres, including the debut of new pieces commissioned for the festival by leading vogue innovator Sir JoQ, sound healer/musician Charles Peoples III (New York), and poet/wordsmith Elena Rose (Portland). The lineup will continue with Bay Area favorite Sean Dorsey Dance, bomba music and dance ensemble Batey Tambó, and a breathtaking aerial dance by BANDALOOP/Becca Dean

These shows will be hosted by the delightful Churro Nomi

Program C

(2 pm Saturday–Sunday, June 17–18; ASL June 17)

The festival’s Closing Program will close the festival out with a bang! Gracing the stages of Z Space will be world premieres commissioned for the festival by groundbreaking movement/performance artist NEVE (Seattle), acclaimed poet/wordsmith Elena Rose (Portland), experimental cellist/composer/multi-instrumentalist transcriptions01 (aka Peekboo), the First Lady of folk-punk Shawna Virago, queen of comedy Natasha Muse, and gravity-defying aerial dance by BANDALOOP/Becca

Dean. The brilliant KING LOTUS BOY will host.

https://tinyurl.com/yc6s5xjn

Program A

(7:30 pm Wednesday–Thursday, June 14–15; ASL June 15)

The festival’s grand Opening Program will be hosted by local drag

San Francisco Choreographer Sean Dorsey Wins Emmy Award

In a win for transgender visibility and transgender excellence, San Francisco choreographer Sean Dorsey was awarded an Emmy Award for his work on the short film, Sean Dorsey Dance: Dreaming Trans and Queer Futures

Produced by KQED and directed by Lindsay Gauthier, this 10-minute short is a moving, visually-stunning profile of Dorsey and his two decades of Bay Area trans and queer artistry and activism. Part dance film and part documentary, the piece follows Dorsey and his company (Sean Dorsey Dance) as they dance in outdoor locations all over San Francisco.

While the film is a gorgeous testament to Dorsey’s trailblazing work as a transgender choreographer, it’s also a love letter to San Francisco as an important site of trans history, resistance, and community. Archival footage of early trans and queer activists provides a window onto the legacy on which Dorsey is building.

The team who was nominated and awarded includes Lindsay Gauthier (Director), Kelly Whelan and Masha Pershay (Producers), Elie M. Khadra (Director of Photography), and Sean Dorsey (Choreographer).

Sean Dorsey Dance: Dreaming Trans and Queer Futures was created for KQED’s series If Cities Could Dance. The piece won the Emmy for the “Arts/Entertainment-News” at the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences 52nd Annual Northern California Area Emmy Awards and Gala, held June 3 at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square.

Director Lindsay Gauthier shares, “When I first saw Sean’s work in 2012, it was transformative. It solidified in my mind the power of story to create empathy and compassion in the world. I knew then that I wanted to someday make a film with Sean. So, when KQED asked me, it was an immediate yes. I was so honored to tell Sean’s story. I hope that it is a beacon of light to whoever needs it right now,

and that it plants seeds of compassion and empathy in every person it touches, just as Sean’s work has always done for me.”

“This is something I never ever dreamed of!” says Dorsey, “Being awarded an Emmy is an incredible affirmation of my work, and a victory for trans visibility at this time of so many attacks on our community. I am so grateful to the entire team for their brilliant and loving work on this project.”

Sean Dorsey Dance: Dreaming Trans and Queer Futures is currently traveling the globe as it screens at international film festivals; Bay Area audiences can watch for it Friday, June 23, at the Castro Theater (11 am), as part of this year’s Frameline Film Festival ( https://tinyurl.com/4j6zvdtd ). Other screenings include festivals in India, Spain, Italy, France, and Australia.

Senior Producer Kelly Whelan enthuses, “This was one of the most cinematic and beautifully

2023 FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL of Trans and Queer Performance

June 14–18 (various times)

Z Space (450 Florida Street @ 17th Street, San Francisco)

For artist lineup, access info, and tickets: https://tinyurl.com/58sb3dcd

crafted pieces in the five seasons of this series I’ve senior produced. I remember being on pre-production calls and how Sean’s creativity and expansive thinking was so infectious. So, we pulled out all the stops. Drone cinematography, ambitious and epic locations new to even San Franciscans, wardrobe. We all put a lot of time, care, and trust into the process, and I couldn’t be more proud.”

Sean Dorsey Dance: Dreaming Trans and Queer Futures is also viewable on KQED’s website, and features closed-captions and audiodescription ( https://tinyurl.com/3mk3d3cx )

PHOTO BY KEGAN MARLING

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLES PEOPLES III

PHOTO BY LINDSAY GAUTHEIR

PHOTO COURTESY OF LOTUS BOY

PHOTO: SHAWNA VIRAGO

PHOTO BY DAVID DE SILVA

KING LOTUS BOY

Shawna Virago

Director Lindsay Gauthier (left) and Choreographer Sean Dorsey (right) celebrate their Emmy win.

Charles Peoples III

JanpiStar

Sean Dorsey Dance

Highlights From Frameline47

of Medellin, a city haunted by ghosts, made visible in this poetic film.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is trans writer/director Aitch Alberto’s superb adaptation of the award-winning YA novel by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. The title characters are two Mexican American teenagers in 1987 El Paso—cue ‘80s music needle drops—who first meet at a swimming pool. Introverted Aristotle aka Ari (magnetic newcomer Max Pelayo) learns to swim with the assistance of the outgoing Dante (Reese Gonzales).

The 47th Frameline Film Festival opens June 14 with a screening of the Bay Area-set Fairyland and ends June 24 with the drag comedy God Save the Queens. In between, there are opportunities to get a sneak peek of upcoming releases including Kokomo City, a fabulous documentary about Black trans sex workers (made all the more powerful as one subject was killed earlier this year), and the silly mockumentary Theater Camp, as well as films that may not play in the Bay Area ever again. Here is a rundown (in alphabetical order) of some of this

The two teens develop a close friendship that becomes a kind of bromance. However, the art and poetry loving Dante drops a bombshell when his family moves to Chicago for a year—and then another, when he comes out as gay. Will the teens’ relationship be the same when Dante returns? Alberto’s sensitivity is in every frame as the film traces the emotional ups and downs of these teens in ways that are poignant without being cloying. As this wonder-

year’s festival selections.

All the Colours of the World are Between Black and White is a remarkable drama about Bambino (Tope Tedela), who strikes up a close friendship with the charismatic photographer Bawa (Riyo David). They convey their unspoken desires through glances, and a lovely, affectionate moment has Bambino wiping food from Bawa’s mouth. But when Bawa touches Bambino’s arm in public, it causes tension; Bambino is full of fear and self-loathing about being gay in Lagos, Nigeria, where homosexuality is criminalized. All the Colours of the World features gorgeously framed scenes that build to a brilliant final moment. Not to be missed.

Anhell69 is a lyrical, meditative documentary on queer youth in Medellin, Colombia. Writer/director Theo Montoya interviews various friends about their lives and dreams, while also featuring scenes from his own B-movie. The subjects discuss their studies (or dropping out of school), drug use, and HIV status, as well as their inability to see a real future for themselves. As Montoya’s voiceover indicates, “I’ve been to more wakes than birthdays,” since several of his friends have died via suicide, overdose, or other means.

Anhell69, named after one of his subjects, shows the beauty and brutality

ful film delivers all the feels in its conclusion, it is hard not to cry happy tears.

A fascinating time capsule, Ask Any Buddy is a dazzling compendium of clips from more than 125 adult films made between 1968 and 1986. This documentary, directed by Elizabeth Purchell, is almost like spying through a glory hole as it features an assemblage of images of nude men, often in sexual scenarios. Films by auteurs including Wakefield Poole, Joe Gage, and Arch Brown, among many others, range from amusing to erotic as scenes depict trysts at the piers and in bathrooms, bath houses, and porno theaters, to cruising on the streets and subways, as well as Pride parades. The images kind of wash over viewers; there is no narrative nor are there credits (until the end) that identify the scenes that portray gay life as it was recorded at the time—from men kissing and being affectionate in public, to having moments of real ecstasy.

Before I Change My Mind, set in 1987 Canada, has Robin (Vaughan

Murrae) reluctantly befriending Carter (Dominic Lippa), a school bully. They bond during a school trip, but things get complicated when they meet Izzy (Lacey Oake) at an ersatz theatrical production of Jesus Christ Superstar (the show is the film’s lowest point). Carter is attracted to Izzy, Robin is attracted to Carter, and Izzy is attracted to Robin. The queer angle here is that Robin’s gender is ambiguous. That makes for a possibly interesting examination of identity, but director/cowriter Trevor Anderson fails to explore these themes in any depth, which is one of many drawbacks for this well-meaning but flawed film best suited for younger viewers.

Casa Susanna is a poignant, affectionate documentary about a Catskills house for heterosexual cross-dressing men and trans folks in the 1950s and ‘60s, when dressing as not one’s gender was illegal. Out gay director Sébastian Lifshitz uses fabulous photographs, archival footage, and interviews as the trans subjects recount anecdotes of “how I needed to be.”

The interviewees also describe the courage of these men to reveal their “secret” lives to their wives—who were largely accepting—as well as the risks of the men being discovered or blackmailed. This is a talky but compelling documentary about a largely hidden queer history.

Chestnut is an intimate romantic drama about Annie (Natalia Dyer), who is preparing to leave Philadelphia for Los Angeles. However, one night, in a bar, she meets Tyler (Rachel Keller) and Danny (Danny Ramirez) and

becomes infatuated with both. Spending nights together drinking, dancing, and hanging out, Annie can’t resist the magnetic Tyler— Keller’s slinky performance is the film’s highlight—but perhaps she should. Moreover, when Annie and Danny cozy up and get affectionate one evening, things get emotionally sticky. Chestnut’s easygoing approach to its bisexual love triangle and the attractive leads will carry viewers through this low-key, mumblecore-ish drama.

Queer writer/director Stephen Winter’s radical 1996 debut feature, Chocolate Babies, concerns a

with his boyfriend Jonas (Gustav Schmidt), only to be dumped shortly after arriving. Finding himself adrift, he makes connections, sexual and otherwise, with various people he encounters, including Noah (Cino Djavid), Stefan (Oscar Hoppe), and Kasi (Catalin Jugravu). Immersing himself in clubs and drugs, participating in sex work, shaving his head, and getting tattoos, Moritz comes of age. This episodic film feels as restless and as unfocused as Moritz, but little of it is compelling because Moritz is mostly passive. Hochhuth gives a suitably empty performance as a guy whom everyone desires—he is repeatedly told how beautiful he is—but who does not know what he, himself, desires. Director/cowriter Hannes Hirsch presents Moritz’s experiences with a detached eye, but this moody character study, however fascinating, is mostly frustrating.

“queer terrorist group” comprised of a handful of Black and Asian HIV+ activists. Fighting for respect and justice in New York City, they assault Congressman Freeman (Bryan Webster) who may have the AIDS acquisitions files, a nefarious list of HIV+ people in the city. Sam (Jon Kit Lee), one of the group members, works in Freeman’s office—the Congressman is secretly having an affair with him—but Sam really loves Max (Claude E. Sloan). The film also features storylines about Max’s HIV+ sister, Jamela (Suzanne Gregg Ferguson), and group members Larva (Dudley Findlay Jr.), and Lady Marmalade (Michael Lynch).

Chocolate Babies is a bit crudely made, but Winter’s film thoughtfully addresses several critical topics ranging from parent/child conflicts and issues of faith, to homophobic news reports and politicking.

Drifter has Moritz (Lorenz Hochhuth) moving to Berlin to be

Golden Delicious has high schooler Jake Wong (Cardi Wong) discovering what he wants and who he is after the openly gay Aleks (Chris Carson) moves into his neighborhood. While Jake is pressured by his father to play basketball, he is inspired when Aleks helps him with his game. And while Jake’s girlfriend Valerie (Parmiss Sehat) is pressuring Jake to have sex, he cannot resist kissing Aleks when the two are alone together. Golden Delicious earnestly depicts Jake’s coming of age, which includes additional family stresses as his parents George (Ryan Mah) and Andrea (Leeah Wong) are both struggling in their lives and careers. This sensitive drama is a bit amateur at times, but its heart is in the right place.

Jess Plus One has the messy title character (Abby Miller) sabotaging others when she is not sabotaging herself. Despondent over her breakup with her girlfriend Sam (Scout Durwood), eight months ago, Jess is in a relationship with Cliff that is far less satisfying than the one she has with her vibrator. When her best friend Mel (Marielle Scott) is getting married to Greg (Scott Speiser), Jess forces herself to go to the wedding— she is Mel’s maid of honor—even

(continued on page 5)

Gary M. Kramer

Before I Change My Mind

Anhell69

Casa Susanna

Golden Delicious

Jewelle: A Just Vision

though Sam will be there. As Jess makes inappropriate comments and acts selfishly, she makes everything worse, irritating her gay friend Peter (Rory O’Malley) by insulting his partner Vince (Craig Thomas), and infuriating Mel with negative remarks about her fiancé, Greg. Miller’s broad and grating performance rarely makes Jess Plus One funny despite running jokes about her needing a shower (which doubles as a metaphor), or Jess getting caught masturbating while thinking of Sam. There are a few decent speeches by various characters trying to repair damaged friendships and relationships that are heartfelt, but most of this strained situation comedy is tired and uninspired.

Jewelle: A Just Vision is a laudatory, hour-long documentary about Bay Area-based author, poet, and playwright Jewelle Gomez. Director Madeleine Lim features interviews and clips of Gomez reading her celebrated work, The Gilda Stories, as well as snippets from her plays Waiting for Giovanni, about James Baldwin, and Leaving the Blues, about Alberta Hunter. The film showcases the speculative fiction writer’s place in queer

drama that culminates with an exquisite, romantic letter.

The Lost Boys immerses viewers in a Belgian juvenile detention center where Joe (Khalil Gharbia) meets William (Julien De Saint Jean). The two youths steal kisses where they can and communicate at night through the bedroom wall they share. A beautiful scene has William giving Joe a tattoo. The teens find comfort in each other given the harsh world inside the center, and on the outside, where freedom comes with responsibilities. However, when Joe is up for release, the dynamic of their relationship changes. The Lost Boys is a quietly powerful and economically told love story that smolders.

The Mattachine Family is a feelgood comedy-drama about gay photographer Thomas (Nico Tortorella) choosing the family he wants. It goes beyond marrying his husband Oscar (Juan Pablo Di Pace), or having supportive friends—Leah (Emily Hampshire), her partner Sonia (Cloie Wyatt Taylor), and Jamie (Jake Choi); it’s

difficult and unpopular decisions that may impact his job, as well as his relationships with both his mother and Ivar. Norwegian Dream deftly captures the rawness of Robert’s situation with intimate closeups as he tries to work out his problems as pressures mount from all sides. Milkowski delivers an intense, internal performance in this absorbing drama.

and popular culture, but Gomez’s activism as a Black, feminist, lesbian is also at the heart of her story. A fabulous raconteur, Gomez tells moving tales about her mixed-race family history, and trauma. In addition, her anecdote about attending her first Pride parade is as inspiring as her efforts to campaign for same-sex marriage with her partner, Diane. This is a marvelous portrait of a writer who, as the film indicates, deserves more attention than she has received.

Lie With Me is a tender French drama that toggles back and forth in time as Stéphane (Guillaume de Tonquédec), a writer, returns to his hometown after 35 years away. As a teenager, Stéphane had a secret relationship—“only you and me know”— with Thomas (Julien De Saint Jean).

In present day, Stéphane meets Lucas (Victor Belmondo), Thomas’ adult son, and both men hunger to know more about the Thomas they don’t know. The lies that are told and the truths that are kept hidden form the emotional core of this involving

about having a child. After his foster child, Arthur, is returned to his birth mother, Thomas is wary about being a dad again, but he wants to fill the void Arthur’s absence created. The film’s bittersweet nature—Thomas’ poignant voiceovers and photographs consider what family and friends mean—will melt the hearts of sentimental viewers. Cynics should steer clear of this sweet film about love and family that features an ensemble cast of out LGBTQ talent.

Norwegian Dream has Robert (Hubert Milkowski), a young, closeted Polish guy, taking a job at a salmon factory in Norway. He meets Ivar (Karl Bekele Steinland), the Black, queer, adopted son of Bjørn (Øyvind Brantzaeg), the factory manager. Robert’s unspoken attraction prompts both young men to connect, but Robert wants to keep their relationship secret. Meanwhile, Robert’s mother arrives seeking work to pay off a huge debt, and the factory’s immigrant workers seek to unionize to protect themselves. These circumstances prompt Robert to make some

Opponent is an outstanding character study of Iman (Payman Maadi, from The Separation), an Iranian refugee living in Northern Sweden with his pregnant wife, Maryam (Marall Nasiri) and their two young daughters. Iman was a wrestler back home, and this beefy, tightly coiled guy is burdened by the situation that drove him to leave Iran and makes it dangerous to return home. While appealing his asylum case in Sweden, he joins the wrestling team and befriends Thomas (Björn Elgerd). The sexual tension between the two men—a clue to why Iman left Iran—is palpable whenever the guys are together.

Opponent is an intense film with Iman fighting himself and others as he tries to eke out a life for himself and his family. Maryam’s frustrations and despair, however, boil over—especially when she sees Iman and Thomas wrestling together. This is a taut, engrossing drama that puts a human face on the refugee crisis and on a man who cannot live freely. Maadi is phenomenal in the lead role, giving an aching, internal performance, and Nasiri is excellent as Maryam.

Out gay filmmaker Sebastián Silva directed, co-wrote, and plays himself in the spiky black comedy Rotting in the Sun Feeling hopeless—his reading The Trouble With Being Born doesn’t

help—Sebastián has been struggling artistically and even contemplating suicide. After his latest painting is ruined by his housekeeper, Vero (Catalina Saavedra from Silva’s The Maid), he goes off to Zicatela to decompress. However, while out for a swim at the beach—there are copious nude men, many having sex—he meets Instagrammer Jordan Firstman (Jordan Firstman). Jordan insists on collaborating on a project together, but Silva is hesitant until a pitch meeting with HBO encourages this partnership. Seeing this as an opportunity to get out of his creative funk, Sebastián invites Jordan to come to his studio in Mexico City. However, when Jordan arrives, Sebastián isn’t there. As Vero claims to know nothing about Sebastián’s whereabouts, Jordan becomes suspicious and insists something is wrong, and sets out to solve the mystery. Rotting in the Sun is quite clever in its plotting, and the performers all lean into their abrasive characters; the tensions between

Andrade), her queer classmate and occasional webcam partner; and Lucia (Lorena Comparato), who has concerns about Simone’s increasingly harmful behavior. This engaging film is sometimes disturbing, but it wisely does not judge Simone. Miranda gives an intense, ingratiating performance as a young woman in control but also capable of losing control.

The Danish import The Venus Effect has Liv (Johanne Milland) meeting cute with Andrea (out lesbian Josephine Park), when the latter’s car runs out of gas. Liv is enchanted by this manic pixie dream girl, and soon bonds with Andrea over cider and photographs and accompanies Andrea to her ex-girlfriend’s wedding. But Liv is still dating Sebastian (Clint Ruben), and what is meant to be a romantic date with Liv turns into a breakup when Sebastian unexpectedly arrives. Liv’s messy life is further complicated by her parents’ (Sofie Gråbøl and Lars Mikkelsen) deciding to divorce. At least her gay brother, Jonas (Morten Hee Andersen), is in what appears to be a stable relationship. The Venus Effect artfully shows how Liv grapples with her feelings about love. Milland conveys all of Liv’s conflicting emotions well, and Park is a delight as the catalyst for getting Liv to realize her best self.

Vero and Jordan are especially strong, as are Vero’s fears about losing her job. Silva is shrewdly commenting on how folks present themselves—in life and on social media—and the decay that causes. His film is nasty, cringey, sexy, and very funny.

Rule 34 is director Julia Murat’s intriguing investigation of racial, class, gender, and sexual power dynamics in Brazil. Simone (Sol Miranda) participates in sex cam work while also attending law school to become a public defender. Her classroom discussions address various forms of oppression and her work helping physically and psychologically abused women soon takes an emotional toll on her. This may be why she starts exploring her sexual desires and getting involved in BDSM for her followers. Rule 34 also depicts Simone’s relationships with her girlfriend, Natalia (Isabela Mariotta); Joaquim, aka Coyote (Lucas

Out gay writer/director Christophe Honoré’s most autobiographical film to date, Winter Boy, is a warm character study about Lucas (Paul Kircher), a gay teen in France. His life changes when his father (played by Honoré) dies in a car accident. He, along with his mother, Isabelle (Juliette Binoche, excellent), and brother, Quentin (Vincent Lacoste), cope in different ways with the tragedy. Lucas goes to stay in Paris with Quentin and has a series of experiences—a conversation in a church, hooking up with a stranger (or two), and crushing on Quentin’s roommate Lilio (Erwan Kepoa Falé)—as he searches for truth and vows to live life on his own terms. However, he becomes emotionally overwhelmed and has episodes of acting out. Kircher gives a remarkably unselfconscious performance, which captures his fragility, despair, sullenness, hope, and courage. Honoré’s deeply moving film is unbearably sad but it is also quite life affirming.

For tickets, showtimes, and more information, visit https://www.frameline.org/

© 2023 Gary M. Kramer

Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

The Venus Effect

The Mattachine Family

The Lost Boys

Winter Boy

The Reluctant Activist: Rock Hudson

Off the Wahl

Jan Wahl

One of my favorite Frameline offerings is a fabulous documentary, Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed. Beautifully directed by Stephen Kijak (Sid and Judy), it not only guides us through the life and sexuality of the movie icon, but also dives deep into the closeted world of a man forced out of the closet by a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS. It will be shown on June 22, 6–7:44 pm, at the Castro Theatre with expected guests Kijak and Carolyne Jurrianns (producer) in attendance.

I have long been fascinated by Rock’s story. As a good friend in the last years of producer Ross Hunter’s life, I was told much about Rock from Ross and his lifelong love, Jacques Mapes. The one thing they would never disclose is something everyone in the business knew: Rock was gay.

Like Clifton Webb, Raymond Burr, Vincent Price, and later Richard Chamberlain and Tab Hunter (to name a few), Ross and Jacques stayed closeted. So many of these men came from a time where they truly believed it was the love that dare not speak its name. Flamboyant Ross (I wish he worked in today’s Hollywood; we need more glitter!) and sweet, shy Jacques always used beards when they went out; even on cruises they would be extremely discreet. It was always sad for me to see in romantic places like Capri or even in view of a beautiful Beverly Hills sunset they could not join hands and just enjoy the physicality of their relationship.

In interviews and even when hanging out, Ross always denied that his good friend and colleague Rock was gay. At Rock’s end, both men told me he was anorexic or sick with an exotic disease. If Rock had come out sooner, he could have helped millions more with awareness. If Rock had come out in his later years, perhaps during the McMillan & Wife television times, the show could have been about McMillan as a gay detective. It could have moved the conversation forward. But Rock was far from ready. All of the could haves and should haves don’t matter. We are all human and have to go at our own pace and beliefs. This fine documentary shows us the Rock many

of us loved. Aside from his hunky good looks, he had a sweetness and gentleness. Director Kijak told me Rock could be dashing and commanding. He was also unusually mailable and very trusting of his director. He put his faith in his directors, writers, costars, and crew. He was always known to be extremely popular on set. He was loved off the set too, as is shared in interviews and books about him. He could reflect desires—a cipher for women at the time. In the 1955 film All That Heaven Allows he played with subtext. He was lurid, smooth, and sexy, but also a reflection of our shared need to be understood.

Rock got his actor’s training in the studio, becoming a fine actor. I’m quite mad for Giant and would tell folks to watch that one. As the documentary makes clear, his most bizarre yet interesting movie is 1966’s Seconds, which was almost a cosmic coincidence for this restless, unhappy closeted man. It was sad to see Rock’s condition towards the end of his life in shows such as Dynasty and Doris Day’s Best Friends (about animal advocacy). Maybe he was in denial and wanted to stay relevant.

Mark Griffin has a superb biography of Rock titled All That Heaven Allows And thinking again of the documentary, which will air on HBO on June 28, look for Tales of the City series author Armistead Maupin in it. Rock might have been reluctant, but he ended up doing his best.

In other Pride entertainment news, I hope to see you on Saturday, June 17, at the iconic San Francisco Fairmont Hotel for a fabulous drag brunch. There will be amazing food, fun Pride, incredible performers like Sister Roma and Juanita MORE!, music ... absolutely divine. For tickets and more information, call 1-800-441-1414 or visit https://tinyurl.com/3w7ar8jb

Jan Wahl is a Hollywood historian, film critic on various broadcast outlets, and has her own YouTube channel series, “Jan Wahl Showbiz.” She has two Emmys and many awards for her longtime work on behalf of film buffs and the LGBTQ community. Contact her at www.janwahl.com

Everyone loves anniversaries. As the LGBTQ+ community matures, we are beginning to observe more of them in decades rather than years. A recent article was on the 50th anniversary of a book that has changed lives for half a century, The Best Little Boy in the World. Now, we have another milestone to celebrate: the 40th anniversary of the iconic gay anthem, “Everything Possible.” The celebration coincides with the release of a book by the same name. The composer and author, Fred Small, will be here during San Francisco Pride for a book release and signing. More on that in a minute.

Now, crank up your musical memory bank. Is there an important song in your life that you remember where and when you heard it for the first time? “Thriller” comes to mind. If you’ve been a part of the LGBTQ+ community for the last 40 years, it could very well be “Everything Possible.”

I remember hearing it for the first time. I purchased the cassette in Provincetown at a little gift shop. It had a cute cover in black, white, and hot pink with five handsome men. I had just started conducting a gay men’s chorus, so it was research. The group was The Flirtations. I fell in love with them and the song. I first heard it sung live in 1993 at the march on Washington.

An Iconic Gay Athem

When I mentioned the song to Betty Sullivan of our very own Bay Times, she also remembered the first and second times she heard it. Her first was at Las Vegas Pride in the early 1990s and again in a mashup by Bill McKinley with “Children Will Listen” at the national PFLAG conference in Indianapolis in 1995.

So, who is this Fred Small?

I went to the source and had the pleasure of speaking with him a few weeks ago to get the whole story. It was delightful and an honor to speak with someone whose life has been so filled with life and world-changing work. And he’s a lot of fun. He is a singer/songwriter, of course. But he is oh so much more. He is a social justice, environmental, racial, and climate change pioneer and activist.

He has quite a varied background. I’ll try to be brief (I heard your eyes roll). He received a bachelor’s degree at Yale, master’s, and J.D. degree at the University of Michigan, and ultimately another master’s degree from Harvard Divinity School. He was one of the first to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience and has been arrested five times in his efforts to bring issues of climate change to the public eye. He has received many notable accolades for his singing. Pete Seeger called him “one of America’s best songwriters.” He’s released 7 albums. He is now Minister for Climate Justice at the Arlington Street Church in Boston. I’ll stop there. It is truly only the tip of the Fred accomplishment iceberg.

How did this simple lullaby, now in the music library of almost every LGBTQ+ chorus, find its way to stand beside iconic gay power ballads such as “I Am What I Am?” or “I’m Coming Out”?

In March 1993, as a young folk performer, Fred was on tour in the Pacific Northwest. He visited the home of a friend, Janet Peterson, who was a lesbian and a mom. Janet shared

As I mentioned, LGBTQ+ choruses have adopted this over the decades. I asked Fred for some

how her 9-year-old son was struggling with peer pressure to conform to masculine stereotypes. She asked if Fred would write a song, letting her boy know he didn’t have to fit into that mold; that he could choose his own path. The next day, Fred wrote “Everything Possible,” with its key phrase, “You can be anybody you want to be.”

In the early 1980s, there weren’t many gay-affirming songs being sung on the folk circuit. It became one of Fred’s standards on tour. Because it was so unusual in that time, many of his listeners assumed he was gay. He is not. But he is the ideal straight ally who has given his life to affirming the dignity and humanity of LGBTQ+ people. The song’s popularity took off when the Flirtations recorded it in 1990. Shortly thereafter, gay choruses around the world began to sing it, and to this day it is a universally beloved anthem for acceptance. When I asked him about his other activist songs, his response was immediate and awe-inspiring. Some of those he highlighted were “Larry the Polar Bear,” “The Heart of Appaloosa,” and “Not in Our Town.” They all have activism at their center.

Since discovering “Everything Possible” in 1990, I have carried it close by ever since. It was important in my own post-coming out process. I played it for my children over and over so they would hear the unconditional love I did not experience growing up. “I will sing you a song no one sang to me. May it keep you in good company.” I have sung, conducted, and recorded the song every chance I had. I even chose to sing it on my final concert with SFGMC.

Most recently, I sang it myself as the final two minutes of my TEDx talk ( https://tinyurl.com/d6s5s92n ).

Fred shares, “The narrator of the song is a parent whose sexuality is not disclosed, because it doesn’t matter. Parents often have very fixed agendas for children, but in our heart of hearts, we want children to be themselves. So many people have told me, ‘We sang your song to our child.’ It is a song for every parent.”

of the most meaningful performances of his song. He said that “to this day, whenever a singer passes the audition for the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, they sing ‘Everything Possible’ to welcome new members into the family. It’s not a performance; it’s a private message of inclusion and welcome. As a minister, to have created a sacrament for a community not my own is so deeply moving.”

I’ll close with a reflection from Fred about leaving a legacy. He says, “Early on as a folk singer, I took every mode of transportation getting from concert to concert. On a small prop plane, you ponder your mortality. When turbulence hit, I would think of the possibility of a crash, and in making my peace I would think to myself, ‘Well, I wrote ‘Everything Possible.’ If this is it, I left that.’” Indeed, you have. And we are all grateful.

In addition to marking the anniversary, Fred will be in town in June for the release of his brand-new children’s book based on the song. See him at Book Passage at the SF Ferry Plaza on June 24 at 3 pm. For more information: https://tinyurl.com/2ffe2a8d

In the meantime, I will leave you with the lyrics to “Everything Possible”: We have cleared off the table, the leftovers saved, Washed the dishes and put them away

I have told you a story and tucked you in tight At the end of your knockabout day As the moon sets its sails to carry you to sleep Over the midnight sea

I will sing you a song no one sang to me

May it keep you good company. You can be anybody you want to be, You can love whomever you will You can travel any country where your heart leads

And know I will love you still

You can live by yourself, you can gather friends around,

You can choose one special one

And the only measure of your words and your deeds

Will be the love you leave behind when you’re done.

There are girls who grow up strong and bold

There are boys quiet and kind

Some race on ahead, some follow behind

Some go in their own way and time

Some women love women, some men love men

Some raise children, some never do You can dream all the day never reaching the end Of everything possible for you.

Don’t be rattled by names, by taunts, by games

But seek out spirits true

If you give your friends the best part of yourself

They will give the same back to you.

You can be anybody you want to be, You can love whomever you will You can travel any country where your heart leads

And know I will love you still

You can live by yourself, you can gather friends around,

You can choose one special one

And the only measure of your words and your deeds

Will be the love you leave behind when you’re done.

Dr. Tim Seelig is the Conductor Laureate of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. http://www.timseelig.com/

TLC: Tears, Laughs and Conversation

Dr. Tim Seelig

Fred Small

Jewelle Gomez

If She Can See It

Leave Signs

In 1991 my friend and noted film critic, B. Ruby Rich, returned from a film festival and cornered me to say she’d seen an extraordinary film and urged me to see it as soon as it opened. I went immediately to see Thelma and Louise. Watching it was like lighting a fuse under my social conscience that had lain dormant too long.

Recently I watched a documentary about Geena Davis (the aforementioned “Thelma”) at the Institute on Gender in Media ( https://seejane.org ) and its report on the inequity that continues in hiring in all aspects of Hollywood as well as the woeful imbalance in palatable female images for kids. The Institute’s motto, “If she can see it, she can be it,” puts the important Bechdel Test (identified by Lesbian cartoonist, Alison Bechdel) to good use, reminding women and girls

that film and television images remain a tragic distortion of who we are in the real world.

After the documentary I re-watched Thelma and Louise to see if it was still as poignant and explosive both politically and personally. More than thirty years later it is! In the guise of a road/buddy movie it celebrates the friendship between women, which usually gets subsumed under female yearning for romance. It also allows for the kind of emotional release that women rarely get. When Louise pulls a gun on a would-be rapist, she’s standing in for every woman who’s been raped; every woman who’s been humiliated by harassment on the street, on public transportation or at work; every woman who’s been beaten by a boyfriend or husband; every woman who’s been ignored in staff meetings. And that’s a lot of women!

Callie Khouri’s funny, emotionally resonant script is amplified by the direction of Ridley Scott, who helped define an earlier feminist hero: Sigourney Weaver as Ridley in Alien (1979). When the ineffable Susan Sarandon and genius (literally) Geena Davis kiss each other as they reach the end of their road, every lesbian and non-lesbian feels the joy of unbreakable friendship swelling inside ourselves, thrilled to have it recognized on screen. The same exhilaration swept through me in this century as it did last century: seeing ourselves makes being ourselves more easily possible.

There’s another film, a vampire classic, that has always excited me in a similar way, Sweden’s Let the Right One In (2008). The thrilling story makes visible ideals that are too often maligned by the larger culture. The stage

(continued on page 16)

The Bob & Marcus Mystery Series

Words

Michele Karlsberg

Michele Karlsberg: June is Rainbow Book Month, a perfect time to check out H.N. Hirsch’s Fault Line, a suspenseful murder mystery set in the political world of Southern California. It is a sequel to Shade, Hirsch’s first in the series and set in the Ivy League. (The author formerly taught at Harvard and other well-known universities and colleges.)

In Fault Line, the character Bob has completed law school and landed a job as an assistant district attorney in San Diego, and Marcus has accepted a new position at UC San Diego. As they settle at their new home, they’re thrust into the investigation and its political ramifications, and they find that a gay subculture roils much of Southern California’s placidly straight surface. This series compliments Hirsch’s other literary works Office

Hours: One Academic Life, The Enigma of Felix Frankfurter, and The Future of Gay Rights in America. All of his works are memorable and compelling. I recently spoke with him for the San Francisco Bay Times about his new book and what lies ahead for the series.

Top of your stack

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOOK PASSAGE

Big Gay Wedding (fictionhardbound) by Byron Lane

Two grooms. One mother of a problem. This is an unashamedly proud, loud, and hilarious novel about a small town that’s forever changed by a big gay wedding. Barnett Durang has a secret. No, not that secret. His widowed mother has long known he’s gay. The secret is Barnett is getting married. At his mother’s farm. In their small Louisiana town. She just doesn’t know it yet. This is perfect for fans of Red, White & Royal Blue and The Guncl e.

The Late Americans (fiction - hardbound) by Brandon Taylor

In the shared and private spaces of Iowa City, a loose circle of lovers and friends encounter, confront, and provoke one another in a volatile year of self-discovery. A novel of intimacy and precocity, friendship, and chosen family, The Late Americans is Brandon Taylor’s richest and most involving work of fiction to date, confirming his position as one of our most perceptive chroniclers of contemporary life.

The Neapolitan Sisters (nonfiction/memoir - paperback) by Margo Candela

Growing up with a kind but alcoholic father and a suspicious, passive aggressive mother, the Bernal sisters each developed their own way of coping: Dulcina had her art and drugs and alco -

hol, Claudia plunged into her studies and fled to Princeton, and Maritza watched one Disney movie after another in between devouring romance novels. Now all grown up, the sisters are reunited at last for Maritza’s dream wedding. Told in alternating points of view, The Neapolitan Sisters is a humorous yet moving look at what it means to be a sister, daughter, and ultimately, your own self, despite the pressures that come with being part of a family.

Upcoming Events

Sunday, June 11 @ 2 pm (free - SF Ferry Building) Megan Carle, author of Walk Away to Win Ranging from general conflict to psychological violence, workplace bullying has become an epidemic at many offices. The Workplace Bullying Institute reports that workplace bullying affects 80 million+ workers. And with the Great Resignation, we’re seeing that a toxic culture or manager is one of the top reasons employees leave a company. If you or a coworker is experiencing bullying, Walk Away to Win belongs in your anti-bullying arsenal.

Wednesday, June 21 @ 5:30 pm (free - SF Ferry Building store) Pride Panel 2023 Event

In honor of Pride Week 2023, Book Passage is proud to uplift LGBTQ voices, stories, and issues with a special panel discussion at our Ferry Building location. The event will feature exciting new and established authors on the literary landscape discussing their writings, the importance of Queer books and their take on political and social issues within the community. The panelists include the following authors/artists: Laura Gao is a Chinese-American comics artist; Baruch Porras-Hernandez is a writer, performer, organizer and is currently the lead artist in a multidisciplinary project that will create new Queer Latino Superheroes with MACLA in San Jose; MariNaomi is the award-winning author and illustrator of Kiss & Tell: A Romantic Resume, Dragon’s Breath and Other True Stories, Turning Japanese, I Thought YOU Hated ME followed up by her latest, I Thought You Loved Me, and many more.

https://www.bookpassage.com/

Michele Karlsberg: What made you decide to write mysteries after being a college professor for so long?

H.N. Hirsch: Well, I have always been a fan of mystery series, [such as those by the authors] Tony Hillerman, Stuart Woods, Dorothy Sayers, Amanda Cross. I tend to binge on authors I like.

Amanda Cross was in reality Carolyn Heilbrun, a very distinguished professor of literature at Columbia in New York. When I read her novels, which feature a detective who is also professor, I thought, “Hmm. It could be fun to write something like this, with gay characters and a professor-detective.”

And then there was the accident of timing—I retired from teaching just as COVID hit and I was on lockdown, like everyone else. So, not being able to travel at all, or do much of anything, I thought, “Well, it’s now or never.”

Michele Karlsberg: Tell us about the setting of each.

H.N. Hirsch: Shade is set at Harvard, and I make some fun at its pretentiousness. Marcus George, the amateur detective, is an assistant professor there, just as I was. The murder victim is his former student, who is murdered in a resort town in Maine. Marcus is asked by the student’s wealthy family to look into the crime. As he does that, he meets Bob, who becomes his romantic interest.

Fault Line is set in San Diego. Bob has graduated from law school and is an assistant district attorney there. He takes the lead in this murder—the murder of the mayor’s husband—along with the police. Marcus now teaches at the University of California campus

(continued on page 16)

Lit Snax

Pageboy: A Memoir by Elliot Page

Pageboy presents a raw and honest account of what it’s like to grow up and exist as a queer/trans person, navigating fame, relationships, and one’s own sense of self. It is poignant, important, and timeless.

Salvation Army by Abdellah Taïa

An out Moroccan author, Taïa writes about his childhood and coming of age in short, sharp, intimate prose.

Gay and Lesbian San Francisco by Dr. William Lipsky, foreword by Tom Ammiano Don’t miss this pithy history by San Francisco Bay Times columnist Dr. Bill Lipsky concerning the queerest city on Earth with lots and lots and lots of amazing illustrations and photographs from days gone by.

https://www.fabulosabooks.com/

Jewelle Gomez

This Month at the Castro Farmers’ Market

Stone Fruit Has Arrived at Your Farmers’ Market

By Debra Morris

There’s no better reminder that summer is here than to see juicy California stone fruit like peaches, nectarines, plums, and apricots appear at the farmers’ market.

California is the largest producer of stone fruit in the U.S. In fact, California produces over 90 percent of the nectarines and plums grown in the U.S. and provides approximately 60 percent of all the peaches. Stone fruit gets its name from the large seed or “stone” inside and includes peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, pluots, and apriums. They’re available from May to October.

Peaches and Nectarines:

‘Freestone’ vs. ‘Clingstone’

Freestone peaches and nectarines have flesh that slips easily away from the pit; clingstone fruits do not. Most peach varieties are freestone and are available April through October. Some nectarines are freestone and some are clingstone. Freestone nectarines are available in June and July. Most plum varieties are clingstone.

Plums

There are two types of plums— European and Japanese. Most plums produced in California are Japanese plums, with a distinctive round shape and dark color. European plums are more elongated in shape

PEACH SALSA

2 pounds peaches, pitted and diced

1 large tomato, diced

½ medium red onion, diced

1 sweet pepper, diced

and have a mottled appearance with purple and green skin tones.

Pluots and Apriums

First introduced in 1989, pluots and apriums are unique crosses of plums and apricots. Pluots are smooth skinned, like plums, while apriums are slightly fuzzy, like apricots, but they have unique flavors and higher sugar levels than the standard varieties. The new fruits are complex hybrids of plums and apricots that are created by making several generations of crosses and selecting desirable traits such as high sugar content.

Apricots

The apricot, a native of China, has been cultivated for over 4,000 years. The first recorded commercial production of apricots in America was in 1792, south of San Francisco. A relative of the peach, the apricot is smaller and has a smooth, oval pit that falls out easily when the fruit is halved.

Selecting and Storing Stone

Fruit

Look for fruit that is soft, gives to gentle palm pressure and has a sweet aroma. The best indicator of high-quality fruit is color. Ripen firm peaches, plums, or nectar-

2–3 sprigs cilantro, finely chopped

1 lime, quartered pinch of salt

Wash all your produce and your hands! Remove pits and dice the peaches. Dice sweet pepper. Using a serrated knife, dice the tomatoes. Put ingredients into a bowl. Add the juice of ¼ lime, salt, 1–2 tablespoons red onion, and 1–2 teaspoons cilantro, and stir, tasting as you go. Adjust flavor by adding more lime and salt, and add more onion or cilantro, if desired. Like it spicy? Use a jalapeño instead of sweet pepper in whatever quantity you enjoy.

ines in a paper bag, folding the top over loosely, and keeping it at room temperature for 1–3 days. Check the fruit daily.

Tip: Never place firm, or unripe, fruit in the refrigerator as it may inhibit the ripening process and can cause the fruit to become dry and mealy, and lose flavor.

You’ll find fabulous stone fruit in varieties that can’t be found at

your local grocery store from farmers like Allard Farms in Westley and Ken’s Top Notch out of Fresno.

Debra Morris is a spokesperson for the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association (PCFMA). Check out the PCFMA website for recipes, information about farmers’ markets throughout the region and for much more: https://www.pcfma.org/

The Gay Gourmet

David Landis

Romantic. Unpretentious. Cozy. Affordable. Magical morsels. Oh, and by the way, a Michelin star in its first year. Those words describe Marlena, the inviting bistro at the corner of Precita and Folsom in Bernal Heights. The Gay Gourmet has been going to this location since it was Cozzolino (a neighborhood Italian spot), as well as the shortlived Hillside Supper Club. But now, it’s blossomed into one of our city’s finest culinary destinations. Run by the effervescent husbandand-wife team of David Fisher (savory chef) and Serena Chow Fisher (pastry chef), Marlena is a welcome addition to the southern part of the city. It’s innovative and fresh, but at $75, the four-course tasting menu is a bargain to boot. The Gay Gourmet caught up with this talented duo and here’s what they had to say:

Gay Gourmet: So, how did you two meet? You were working together in New York at the time, right?

Serena Chow Fisher: Yes. We worked at Pearl & Ash (in Manhattan) and we were cooks there. David ignored me in the beginning! I would text him when I’m off work and he would say he’s already in Brooklyn.

David Fisher: I did that on purpose to make her want me more.

Gay Gourmet: What’s it like to be married and run a business together?

Michelin Magic at Marlena

Serena Chow Fisher: It works out for us. This is our 10th year together. In those 10 years, we’ve only worked in separate restaurants for 8 months. It’s what we know. It’s helpful that we’re in 2 different departments.

David Fisher: If she was the savory cook, it wouldn’t work, but because we can control each department and 2 different styles, it works.

Serena Chow Fisher: We balance each other out. You have the other person who gives you perspective. I know his food and style so well it’s easy.

Gay Gourmet: Why is your restaurant called “Marlena”?

David Fisher: It’s named after my mom, who passed away when I was 25. Her name was Marlene, but we twisted it up to Marlena to give it a better ring. It’s named after what she meant to me. A connection to her.

Serena Chow Fisher: David’s family owns the Fisher’s family restaurant in his hometown (back East). He grew up in restaurants, and his family was supportive. It’s a nice way to be a part of it.

Gay Gourmet: I used to go to your restaurant when it was “Café Cozzolino” and “Hillside Supper Club.” What made you decide to open in Bernal Heights?

David Fisher: Funny story. When we got our Michelin star at Sorrel (where I worked before), we had a Michelin party at Precita Park. I was scanning the area, thinking about a nice potential space. That building stood out to me. I thought it would be a good space. People said it’s a tough neighborhood. COVID hits, everything shut down, Hillside Supper Club had to shut down. I saw a job posting for a turnkey restaurant—I threw my résumé out there. I went, and as I pulled up, it happened to be that restaurant. I thought, “This is too coincidental for me to pass up.” I felt strongly about the neighborhood—there’s not so

much fine dining there, and this could be a key restaurant moving forward. I felt it was a good opportunity and wanted to go after it.

Serena Chow Fisher: I love the bay windows, and the Edwardian architecture. It’s quintessential San Francisco.

Gay Gourmet: What are your favorite menu items right now? And how often do you change the menu?

David Fisher: The menu changes often. We try to normally change half the menu within one month if not the entire menu. It’s what’s in season—and boredom!

Serena Chow Fisher: This time of year is so exciting because so many things are popping up. In the winter, you have to be creative with root vegetables. Now, new things pop up quickly. We try to change pretty frequently. The structure of the 4-course menu—if you keep it too long, it gets robotic. We like to change as fast as the market allows.

David Fisher: It keeps the staff and our minds fresh. It doesn’t create stagnancy.

Gay Gourmet: I like that both your tasting menu and your wine list are affordable.

Serena Chow Fisher: The idea of the $75 four-course menu came about because we understood we were opening in a neighborhood. It’s an area with people who have been in apartments for 40 years, as well as new starter family homes. Our idea is to have accessibility. We’re near a bus line, public parking, and are

ADA accessible. We try to bridge the gap in terms of accessibility. It’s important to have a price point where people don’t have to save for a month just to eat here. If you’re celebrating on a budget, you can spend $75, but if you have the flexibility, you can add supplements and build a higher price point and add on more luxury products to your dinner.

David Fisher: I select ingredients that might be a little less expensive— a lot of produce is involved. You can build around that to keep the costs lower. We can control how we shape the menu if there’s a greens first course, pasta, then a heavier course, and a lighter dessert. If you do enough numbers at the end of the day, you’ll come out on top.

Serena Chow Fisher: The whole idea of being farm-to-table works out for us. Those products are in the best price range. We’ll use different proteins, for instance, like sturgeon instead of black cod, using proteins that are seasonal and competitive.

David Fisher: The wine program goes hand in hand with the food itself. We buy things by the case. I understand that alcohol is where you make money, but if you believe in accessibility, we’ll make an effort to make it work. Our wine program has had multiple people to help us but now we have a wine program director: Jason Durham; he’s a transplant from Texas, new to the market. It’s a new mentality to what we had previously going on. We

try to accommodate customer tastes. If we hear the same criticism about food, we’ll reassess. Same thing with the wine program; if it doesn’t move for too long, we can adapt.

Gay Gourmet: OK, so you both decided to open a restaurant right before the pandemic? Then, you took on a renovation? I guess you both are up for a challenge.

Serena Chow Fisher: We always wanted to renovate, but we didn’t know what was going on. We thought, “Let’s slap some paint on the walls; let’s see how it rolls.” We had high hopes of renovating. It got decided for us because the building was slotted for seismic retrofitting. So, we decided to go all in. When they broke ground, we found out the building had no foundation. 6 weeks turned into 5 months. So, we pivoted, and we opened at the Hotel Zeppelin—mostly as a way to retain our staff. We started as a pop-up to see if it would work and we learned a lot.

Gay Gourmet: Also, you did those fabulous picnic baskets during the pandemic. So well done and how innovative!

David Fisher: We did it just for the pandemic. We thought, “What are we going to do?” We were shut

Serena Chow Fisher and David Fisher

Photos by Tara Rudolph Monkfish

Bay Times Dines

down. We didn’t have parklets. Someone said, “How about a picnic basket? There’s a park right across the street.”

Gay Gourmet: So, you tried to make it easy for a family to have a ready-made picnic?

Serena Chow Fisher: Yes. We thought, “When you have two dogs and kids, the hardest part is getting out the door.” [At Marlena], we have this location and people are outside because of the pandemic. [With our picnic basket], you can have it all—the blanket, the silverware, the food; come pick it up, and drop it off. It made sense. David loves making charcuteries, so the pâtés made sense. We said, “How can we put together an experience people will enjoy?” Convenience was key.

Gay Gourmet: Will you continue your parklet outdoor dining? Are you still dogfriendly?

Serena Chow Fisher: First of all, we love dogs. We always like to keep the parklets. It’s challenging now, because the regulations changed. We’ll definitely keep the one on Precita. We’re trying to figure out Folsom Street. From a service perspective, it’s a full minute walk from the kitchen. Bernal is all about the dogs. Now we have the luxury of time to plan it—we got our permits approved and we’re mapping it out.

Gay Gourmet: What was it like to get such Michelin recognition so early for Marlena?

Fisher: That was amazing. It made all this hard work, the pain, the blood, sweat and tears—it paid off in that moment. I don’t think we saw it coming. When we first opened the restaurant, a Michelin star was a goal. It’s something you hope for but don’t know if it’s going to come to fruition. It was a great experience and terrific that it happened during COVID.

Serena Chow Fisher: Dave (was so happy), he just jumped onto the sofa!

David Fisher: I had sciatica at the time and it went right away.

Gay Gourmet: David and Serena: when you’re not dining at Marlena, where do you like to eat in San Francisco?

Serena Chow Fisher and David Fisher (jointly): Progress, Californios, and Benu. We just ate at Nopa for the first time. We had a great time at Anchovy Bar around the corner, too. Liholiho was a standout. [We]

like food with a lot of crunch. We also like the Harbor House Inn in Mendocino.

Gay Gourmet: San Francisco has so many great chefs and restaurants, yet the James Beard folks only gave our city 3 finalists. Why do you think that was?

Serena Chow Fisher: I do feel like San Francisco was overlooked. There’s so much talent. Some of the names that keep popping up, there’s a lot of young talent that maybe isn’t meeting the qualifications of being there for a while. But I’m glad that one of my friends was nominated.

Genie Kwon in Chicago was nominated; she was on the line with me at Eleven Madison.

David Fisher: I feel that San Francisco has been talked about a lot in the past and they’re trying to make it a little more equal, giving more opportunities to the rest of the nation.

Gay Gourmet: So, what are the standouts food-wise at Marlena?

Based on our recent visit, I’d recommend the following: the cured wild hiramasa with green tomato vinaigrette (a fish crudo); the poached corvina (another fresh fish, cooked beautifully) with a scallop mousseline and artichoke barigoule; the house-made Marlena milk bread with cultured butter; and the star of the show, the rhubarb + cream with what is described as “rhubarb funfetti and brown butter milk solids.”

Marlena: a great meal, at a great price.

Marlena: https://tinyurl.com/bdd4xhb8

David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a retired PR maven. Follow him on Instagram @ GayGourmetSF or email him at: davidlandissf@gmail.com Or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com

Wild Cured Hiramasa

Milk Bread

Hokkaido Scallop

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

By Sister Dana Van Iquity

Sister Dana sez, “HAPPY FATHER’S DAY to all you fathers, gay Dads, leather daddies, and drag king fathers! You have raised some very fine folx!”

FATHER’S DAY is June 18 this year. This is a holiday honoring one’s father, or relevant father figure, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. We were invited to attend the FRAMELINE47 FESTIVAL LAUNCH PARTY, kicking off the 2023 SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL LGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL on May 17 at the Oasis nightclub. There they announced the full program and our first look at this year’s exciting films. https://www.frameline.org/

Pets Are Wonderful Support

(PAWS), a program of SHANTI PROJECT, keeps people and their companion animals together. PAWS believes that no one should have to make the difficult choice of caring for themselves or caring for their beloved pets. They provide free comprehensive support services for pets of older adults and individuals living with disability or illness. PAWS presented their annual fundraiser, PETCHITECTURE, at the

Fairmont San Francisco on May 18, welcoming canine guests and their humans. I was a bit disappointed because, in the past, on display were various forms of architecture for pets. Thus, the titled fundraiser. Alas, no habitats. The event was emceed by magician and circus performer Calvin Kai Ku Dede Wilsey presented the “Dede Wilsey Champion of the Human-Animal Bond” award to Sherri Franklin, longtime animal advocate and shelter volunteer.

Mayor London N. Breed joined Senator Scott Wiener, elected city leaders, community members, LGBTQ advocates and allies on May 18 at the SF LGBT CENTER to announce D’Arcy Drollinger as first ever San Francisco’s DRAG LAUREATE. D’Arcy will serve as spokesperson for San Francisco’s LGBTQ community, as well as produce and participate in events and programs that celebrate the city’s rich drag history and diversity. Sister Dana sez, “Congratulations and conDRAGulations to D’Arcy, who is an excellent representative of our SF drag community!”

RAINBOW WORLD FUND (RWF) was honored to be the beneficiary of a special KREWE DE KINQUE (KDK) event and beer bust on May 20 at the Midnight Sun. Our new Royals, Krewe de Kinque King XX Mez & Queen XX Moxie, hosted their first benefit at KDK’s home bar. King & Queen XIX Mark & Tawdry presented a BIG CHECK from our Bal Masque XX to the RWF LGBTQ+ Ukraine Emergency Fund. KDK Queen VII Sister Dana was happy to hand out blue and yellow bracelets honoring Ukraine.

It was “HEKLINA: A MEMORIAL (She Would Have Hated This)” on May 23 in the closed off streets of the 400 Castro block and inside the Castro Theatre. The outdoor stage began with emotional words by Nancy French (executor, best friend). We held a “Moment of Silence,” followed by a “Community Cackle in Honor of Heklina,” mimicking Heklina’s well known laughter. It was a lengthy but fabulous show from 6–8 pm on the outdoor stage hosted by LOL McFiercen and Dulce De Leche. A continual slide show by Saint Gooch gave a thorough history of the drag icon that was Heklina. Then from 8–11:20 pm, the Indoor Memorial was simultaneously live-streamed in front of the theatre. Peaches Christ, Drag Laureate D’Arcy Drollinger, and Sister Roma were emcees. The celebs performing and/or speaking included Katya Smirnoff-Skyy, Grace Towers, Cricket Bardot, Deena Davenport, Juanita MORE!, Pippi Lovestocking, Glamamore, Fauxnique, Suppositori Spelling, Raya Light, Jackie Beat, Sherry Vine, Cindy Wilson (of the B-52s); BenDeLaCreme (who faked rimming a guy onstage—which as we all know was Heklina’s specialty); Alaska (singing live “The Rose” while a giant b-hole was screened above, which Heklina would adore); Jinkx Monsoon; Heklina’s ex-boyfriend, the Icelandic pop star Páll Óskar, singing a cover of “Hyperballad” by Bjork; Trixxie Carr; Manuel Caneri; and The Lady Bunny (on a Ouija board, hysterically trying to contact the spirit of Heklina). Politicos giving inspiring speeches included Mark Leno, Senator Scott Wiener,

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, Jose Cisneros, Honey Mahogany, and Tom Temprano of EQUALITY CALIFORNIA. The night came to an end with a grand finale by Putanesca and her talented troupe with “The Last Beat of My Heart.” Heklina, my dear friend, you were deservedly, honorably, greatly celebrated!

As reported by TMZ, wanna-be president Trump has been hit with a ceaseand-desist order after video surfaced of him dancing to a Village

People tribute band at his Florida Mar-a-Lago resort. The real band did not like the implication that they were Trump supporters. Trump’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, issued a statement to TMZ saying that they will only deal with the attorney of the Village People, if they have one, not the wife of one of the members. Sister Dana sez, “It’s NOT FUN to stay at the YMCA if it’s at the MAGALoco resort!”

Trump was actually urging GOP Congress members to let the U.S.

(continued on page 16)

Sister Dana with designer Bridget McCrakin at the Sisters’ Project Nunway 2023 at the St. Joseph Society on May 26.

PHOTO BY CHRIS MICHAELSON

SISTER DANA (continued from pg 14)

default on its debt—which would have removed the safety net for veterans, seniors, and for the poor to middle class citizens. Sister Dana sez, “Well, what do we expect of a man who very seldom pays HIS debts!”

Members of GAYS AGAINST BLIGHT (GAB) held a news conference on May 26 in front of the Q Bar, located in the heart of the gayborhood at 456 Castro Street. The bar has been closed for over three years, is an eyesore, and is surrounded on either side by the equally blighted former Body retail store (above which Sister Dana lives) and Osaka sushi restaurant. GAB complained about blight in the Castro and shabby rainbow flags. The Castro is the emerald of the Emerald City. We need to address the blight now, for a fabulous PRIDE MONTH we all can be proud of,” said Harry Breaux, a longtime civic volunteer. “Together we can enhance the Castro to be a special place in the lives of LGBTQI people.”

Riding the success of our monumental “Easter in the Park” and “Hunky Jesus” contest, we SF Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence held PROJECT NUNWAY 11: SANCTUARY at St. Joseph’s Art Society on May 26. This year’s fashion extravaganza showcased the theme, “Sanctuary,” inviting designers to explore the concept of safety, refuge, and healing through their runway looks. Each designer got paired up with a Sister, who walked the runway wearing their fabulous creations. We combined the worlds of fashion and philanthropy, featuring unique runway looks created from recycled and repurposed materials. All proceeds from the event benefited the valuable work of us nuns, which includes giving grants to underfunded organizations providing vital resources and support to marginalized communities. Sister Dana “werked” the runway in a magnificent lit-up outfit with a giant cross—all designed by Bridget McCracken of TRASH MASH-UP. Eight other Sisters walked, and the winner was Sister Guard N. O’Pansies designed by Andy Meckes and Linda SimitzMeckes.

Reacting to Target’s and other big

stores’ caving to anti-LGBTQ extremists demanding LGBTQ-positive wares be removed, Governor Gavin Newsom said, “There is a systematic attack on the gay community across the country. Wake up, America! This doesn’t stop here. You’re Black?

You’re Asian? You’re Jewish? You’re a woman?” Sister Dana sez, “You’re a drag queen?”

According to recent research from the AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION (ACLU), 482 bills, and counting, have been introduced by politicians that seek to restrict LGBTQ rights, especially around issues of freedom of expression, access to healthcare, and nondiscrimination laws.

Mayor London N. Breed joined California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, State Controller Malia Cohen, Treasurer Jose Cisneros, State Senator Scott Wiener, Supervisors Rafael Mandelman and Matt Dorsey, Drag Laureate D’Arcy Drollinger, and LGTBQ leaders and community to kick off San Francisco’s 53RD ANNUAL PRIDE MONTH. They celebrated at the Mayor’s City Hall balcony on June 2 with the annual RAINBOW FLAG RAISING

HEELS FOR HOPE was a Variety Show Fundraiser for MAITRI on June 3 at Marines’ Memorial Theatre. Proceeds benefited Maitri Compassionate Care and their services for low-income people living with HIV/AIDS or recovering from gender-affirming surgeries. The incredible talent included Co-hosts Michael Tate & Mahle Balenciaga, hilarious comedian and lesbian icon Sydney Stigerts; the most up-and-coming funk & soul vocalist in the Bay Area, Tory Teasley; OutMusic Award winner and Billboard Recording Artist Brian Kent; and high camp drag from FOU FOU HA!

CIRCUS BELLA is excited to announce their jubilant return to the Bay Area Parks from June 8 to July 16 with 17 special performances. Its 14th annual, all new, open air, outdoor show BANANAS! offers a Modern Twist on One-Ring Circus to delight and amaze Children of All Ages. This

free show features a diverse talented troupe of acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, and clowns from the Bay Area and beyond. https://www.circusbella.org/

Please help install the huge 28th annual PINK TRIANGLE of Twin Peaks in S.F. It’s a highly-visible yet mute reminder of inhumanity and recalls one the darkest chapters in human history. It is nearly an acre in size that can be seen for 20 miles, and is a giant in-your-face educational tool. June 10–July 1. http://www.thepinktriangle.com/

SHE LOVES ME, an enchanting musical, is coming to 42nd Street Moon! Get ready to be swept away by the heartwarming story of two feuding perfumery shop clerks in the 1930s who find love through secret pen pals. Opens June 10 to June 25, Gateway Theatre, 215 Jackson Street. https://42ndstmoon.org/

June 19th or “JUNETEENTH” is the oldest nationally celebrated recognition of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill declaring Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Also known as “Emancipation” or “Freedom Day,” Juneteenth cleverly references the date of the holiday, combining “June” and “nineteenth.” There will be a JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION at OPENHOUSE, 75 Laguna, 1–3 pm. https://www.openhousesf.org/

Lockdown Comedy on Zoom, Thursday, June 15, will feature Ying Vigilan (Seattle, via China), Víctor Pacheco (LA), Smita Venkat (SF), and “The Geduldig Sisters”—producer/comic Lisa Geduldig and her 92-years-young mother, Arline Geduldig (Florida).

https://www.koshercomedy.com/

The Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were recently awarded a “Community Hero Award” by the Los Angeles Dodgers for their 27 years of service to the LGBTQ Community. Bad news, because soon the Dodgers chose to rescind their award, succumbing to pressure from extremists outside California. Good news, because after a meeting with Dodgers staff, L.A. Sisters, and LGBTQ members, the Dodgers apologized and the Award was given back to the nuns! Hallelujah!

Juanita MORE! and Sister Roma are excited to welcome you to the annual FAIRMONT DRAG BRUNCH and Pride celebration, 950 Mason Street on June 17, noon to 3 pm. https://tinyurl.com/cywfm2yd

EQUALITY CALIFORNIA

(EQCA) will be celebrating Pride in San Francisco on June 20 at El Rio, 3158 Mission Street from 6–9 pm. This year their Pride theme is REVOLUTION OF LOVE, celebrating the LGBTQ community and supporting the work Equality California is doing every day to advance LGBTQ civil rights and social justice. Each ticket includes drinks, food, and great entertainment.

https://www.eqca.org/

Trump stomped all over our Constitution, incited an insurrection, and made our country the laughing stock of the world. He should not have a state park named after him! Sister Dana sez, “I think that ‘Donald J. Trump State Park’ in New York should be renamed ‘Representative Liz Cheney State Park.’ It would honor Liz Cheney’s dedication to our democracy—and make Trump FURIOUS!”

JEWELLE GOMEZ (continued from pg 10)

version at Berkeley Repertory Theatre is no less compelling ( https://tinyurl.com/yvumzv3u ).

The script and staging portray unremitting friendship and love regardless of gender presentation, values that are today constantly threatened by U.S. governmental representatives and far-right activists.

The primary characters are the young Oskar (played on stage by Diego Lucano) who is bullied at school and the seemingly young Eli (played by Noah Lamanna) who is also seemingly a girl, at least to Oskar. Of course, as the story unfolds it’s clear Eli is neither young nor necessarily a girl. The challenge for each of them is to see into the heart of the other and not allow what they see and feel to be limited by society’s strictures on who they are and whom they love.

There are many amazing things to focus on in this production, but the set is emblematic of so much. It’s a grove of white birch trees, on which

WORDS (continued from pg 10)

there, which is where I taught after my stint at Harvard.

Michele Karlsberg: So, two very different settings.

H.N. Hirsch: Yes, extremely different. When I moved from Harvard/Boston to San Diego and the University of California in real life, it felt like moving from Earth to Mars. Shade’s setting is really academia, and the world of the Boston elite. Fault Line is set in the political world. And California really is a different country.

Michele Karlsberg: Is there another novel in the works?

H.N. Hirsch: Yes. Shade takes place in 1985, Fault Line in 1989. One of my goals in those was to document what it was like to be gay in that era—the era of Ronald Reagan

characters may climb and perch; immediately it’s clear how the world, like a forest, needs disparate individuals in order to make up a cohesive whole. At the center of this forest sits a battered, metal trunk that magically contains everything one might need. During scene shifts the trunk lowers below stage, leaving its rectangular footprint to remind us of what is missing and what is to come. Ultimately, Eli and Oskar (just like us) must rely on each other to survive. Thelma and Louise begins with a road trip; Let the Right One In ends with a road trip. In each case, it is always in pursuit of seeing and being an authentic self.

Jewelle Gomez is a lesbian/feminist activist, novelist, poet, and playwright. She’s written for “The Advocate,” “Ms. Magazine,” “Black Scholar,” “The San Francisco Chronicle,” “The New York Times,” and “The Village Voice.” Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @ VampyreVamp

and the first President Bush, and, of course, the AIDS crisis. The next novel, the third, is set in 1994, and it’s now the Clinton era. I’ll be having some fun with that.

Michele Karlsberg: A nd are Bob and Marcus still together?

H.N. Hirsch: Yes, but they’ve hit some bumps in the road, which will make it interesting.

For more information on H.N. Hirsh and his work: https://tinyurl.com/3py29djk

Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBTQ+ community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates 34 years of successful marketing campaigns. For more information: https://www.michelekarlsberg.com

Astrology

Elisa

Quinzi

ARIES (March 21–April 19)

Speaking to Your Soul

In a given moment we have access to an onslaught of stimuli competing for our attention. Sensory overload results in a splintering of self. Frayed, we are less able to notice the voice of our creative genius, let alone mobilize toward devoting ourselves to it. With a propensity for proliferation in the atmosphere, it behooves us to ask ourselves, “What images are we posting to our collective vision board?” As we feed what we see with our attention, what we are looking for stands out in the field of our awareness.

Elisa Quinzi is a certified professional astrologer who brings a strong spiritual perspective, as well as over 20 years of experience, to her work with clients. Contact her at futureselfnow@gmail.com or at 818-530-3366 with your exact birth time to schedule or to ask questions. For more information: www.elisaquinzi.com

You are encouraged to consider your why for every act, rather than continuing to be dragged by your impulses. In the pause you’re able to remember your connection to the source of your power, and why you were sent here.

TAURUS (April 20–May 20)

You have a special capacity to communicate what culture is ripe to receive. Tune in to the unified field, and the world tunes in with you. Don’t let your preference for the quiet life keep your gifts from reaching a larger audience. Your voice brings harmony to the gathering of souls.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Let go of tense striving. Though you are quite capable of living multiple lives at once, doing so could find you avoiding the depths where real treasures are waiting. Open your heart to balance your head so that magic will find you available right where you are.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

The vastness of the unconscious presses upon your psyche. Shape of it what you can as with clay or words. Around the fire, the stories you have to tell are deeply ancestral ones, of earth realms, and beyond. You carry the torch of love from the beginning of time into the eternal now.

LEO (July 23–August 22)

If you’re not in joy, you’re probably blocking your own flair. Your greatest creation is the moment you’re living right now. As you trust the purity of your heart, a golden path unfolds for you.

VIRGO (August 23–September 22)

Consider a collaboration. You could use sparks of fresh perspectives. Stay curious for infinite ways the One can manifest through you. Embrace everything.

LIBRA (September 23–October 22)

Your philosophy widens as you see how everything in your life is connected and purposeful. Astrologer Caroline Casey said, “Everything is mirrored to everything.” She goes on to quote Paracelsus as saying, “Everything is written everywhere, if we but had the eyes to see and the ears to listen.”

SCORPIO (October 23–November 21)

Get everything in writing. Take time before committing. A muse inspires you. Stay loose.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22–December 21)

Initiate metaphysical conversations. Opportunities abound for new discoveries. Be curious, be listening. Follow the breadcrumbs.

CAPRICORN (December 22–January 19)

No one doubts Capricorn’s abilities. And Cosmic assistance comes by way of humility and willingness to grow. Pay attention to the details, and the small ways you can improve.

AQUARIUS (January 20–February 18)

Focus on what you love. You have permission to feel good. Inspired ideas and artistic expression are knocking at your inside door.

PISCES (February 19–March 20)

Start where you are, right at home. Shine light into all corners. Make your soul and your space lemony-fresh. Think clearly; bright-eyed.

Two Extroverted Cars With Style

Bridge. I’d dropped the hammer on the LC 500’s 471-horsepower V8 engine, and within a blink, traffic was a good distance back—except for one SUV, the driver of which saw my acceleration as a provocation. When he finally caught up to my speed-limit canter, he screamed and gestured and cut off other cars in a dead-bent mission to get ahead of me.

Still rattled from that, I turned into my friend’s Oakland neighborhood, and a man exiting his Buick Park Avenue stopped and called out, “Sir, that is a nice car,” and we did the bro nod.

“Hey! Sir! HEY!” I had just turned onto Potrero Avenue in the Lexus LC 500 press car when the well-used minivan that had been in my rearview mirror for a while pulled up in the lane beside.

I powered down the passenger window, and the van driver matched my pace as he asked about the car. What year is it? (2023.) What color is that? (Cadmium Orange.) How much does it cost? ($106,885.)

He slowed down with me through Potrero’s long series of lights. What was I doing here from Texas? (Plates are keyed to Toyota’s headquarters in Plano.) And then—can you give me a job? Can I give you my number?

The Potrero Center on 16th finally appeared, and I slipped off to the left while wishing him well.

Then there was the road rage incident when approaching the Bay

Celebrate or resent it, this LC 500 reminded me how exciting cars can be. A friend and a client wanted their pictures taken with it. It suddenly defined the draw of spending to show out. It was mostly fun.

Through it all, the LC 500’s virtues of blistering performance and cozy cruising were undimmed. And despite debuting in 2017, it still looks and feels fresh—though it lacks some up-to-the-minute features, like wireless phone charging.

Prior to the LC 500, I drove the reimagined Toyota Prius Limited. It was also an attention-getter, though the responses were more fact-finding than impassioned.

The first thing you notice about this new Prius is its lowness, which is accented by the body’s oblique detailing. It’s like the future somehow time-warped this slippery thing into the slot occupied by the prudish

Prius. The lowness is felt most in the rear seat, which would have been comfortable if I’d somehow detached my head and stored it in the spacious 20.3-cubic-foot trunk. Up front is ample enough, and the glassy surroundings give open views of other drivers slowing down to determine just exactly what kind of car you’re driving.

There’s a welcome spike in net system horsepower, up to 194 horses from its somnolent predecessor’s 121. So, you’re no longer flooring it to keep up, but the ECVT transmission still blows up the revs when climbing San Francisco’s hills. Legacy Prius drivers will feel at home.

And you will feel at home in either of these extroverts if you like attention, as it can come.

Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant with an automotive staging service.

Auto Philip Ruth

Toyota Prius Limited

Lexus LC 500

45th Annual Carnaval San Francisco

With the theme “45 Years of Music & Movement,” the 2023 Carnaval San Francisco was held on Memorial Day weekend, May 27 and 28. San Francisco Bay Times lead photographer Rink captured images of the Carnaval Parade contingents representing music, dance, arts, low-riders, cuisine, and more. The festival was held in the Mission on Alabama, Harrison, and Folsom Streets between 16th and 24th.

At the Carnaval LGBTQ Stage, San Francisco Bay Times volunteer coordinator Juan Davila was invited to dance with emcee Per Sia, who was a vision in pink wearing a colorful gown. Davila wore wings featuring an array of international flags with the prominent colors of red, green, and white representing the Mexican flag in addition to the U.S.A.’s red, white, and blue.

Davila reported that he was proud to gain his American citizenship after immigrating from Mexico in 2007. He was joined for photos by EMT first responders from the San Francisco Fire Department, representatives of the Potrero Neighborhood Collective who wore T-shirts celebrating the life of beloved longtime Mission community member Miguel Angel Martinez-Perez (1955–2023), and others. Special thanks to volunteer Leticia Lopezz. http://www.carnavalsanfrancisco.org

Photos by Rink and Leticia Lopezz

Round About - All Over Town

AIDS LifeCycle - Day 2

Photos courtesy of Terry Asten Bennett

“Today is all about safety. Be safe, follow the rules of the road, and take care of yourself and others,” reported Roadie Captain Terry Asten Bennett of Cliff’s Variety, showing off her outfit on Orange Safety Day from the Day 2 support tent. Donate to help Terry’s fundraising: https://tinyurl.com/bdev3he2

Talavera Dolores Pot

The 12” Talavera Dolores Pot is made of a special clay that is glazed and fired twice for durability. It is authentically made in Mexico and 100% hand-painted using lead-free mineral pigments that will not fade. We have a variety of colors to choose from. The pot is perfect for a little lemon tree on your deck or for a fancy way to feature your favorite aeonium! $104–119.

‘Life’s a Drag Without Queens’ Mug

We would be lost without our Queens. New from Citizen Ruth is this 11-ounce white mug with original artwork. Made in the U.S.A. and dishwasher and microwave safe.

$18.99

Happy Pride Month 2023 from all of us at Cliff’s Variety!

https://cliffsvariety.com/

Since our founding in 1936, Cliff’s Variety has been constantly growing and evolving in response to the needs of our customers. Our buyers strive to keep our selection fresh, on-trend, and competitive. We carry the best of everything from hardware & tools to cookware, garden supplies, toys, crafts, and gifts.

We also offer re-keying and lock repair, knife sharpening, glass, acrylic & wood cutting. Light fabrication, pipe threading, and cable crimping are among the many other services we offer at Cliff’s Variety. If your project has gone a little beyond your abilities, we’re here to help.

Madeleine Lim

“The Queer Women of Color Film Festival, June 9-11. Come hang out with us at the Presidio!”

Brandi Collins “Transtastic Soccer on June 24 at James Lang Field 9 am to 1 pm”

Tony Rojas

“It will be my one year anniversary with James Woolley, and at Frameline.”

Jean Franco “The José Sarria film on June 11 at the Mission Cultural Center and Transvisible on June 10”

Pablo “Ushering for the San Francisco Playhouse Theater, the Sidney Goldstein Theater, and Frameline.”

Photos by Rink

Castro business owners, neighbors, and friends joined in the installation ceremony raising a new rainbow flag and folding away the retired one at Harvey Milk Plaza on June 2.

Bay to Breakers runners, including Enrique Landers and Franz Alto, enjoyed time spent in the Castro following their participation in the 2023 Bay to Breakers run on May 21.

A birthday cake was enjoyed by guests at the joint birthday party of Ray Tilton and Barry Miles held at 440 Bar on Castro Street and hosted by Gary Virginia.

Servers at Donuts & Things at 1549 Polk Street displayed the colorful pastries for sale on National Donut Day, June 2.