San Francisco Bay Times - November 5, 2020 by San Francisco Bay Times

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020) November 5–18, 2020 http://sfbaytimes.com

HISTORIC LGBTQ WINS

in Election 2020

RITCHIE TORRES

SARAH MCBRIDE

MONDAIRE JONES

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ELECTION 2020

2020 Election Results (so far) in charge of obstructing anything proposed by a lawmaker with a “D” after their name rather than doing good work for the country. There are 2 types of people who run for office: those who want to “be” something and those who want to “do” something—yeah, we all know who is who. The Supreme Court cannot give in and undermine the electoral process by ending the vote counting and hopefully Biden/Harris will win fair and square and banish this miasma of swamp gas and his sycophantic sidekicks to the stinkhole of history where they belong. Political scientists, aka people way smarter than me, have concluded that if Biden wins (G-d willing!), the first 2 years will be light on policy and dedicated to fixing the last 4 years of destruction.

Local Results (information available at press time) Despite getting an extra four days, and clinging to the hope that Joe Biden would win decisively, at the time of the final “drop dead” deadline for this column, we still don’t have a clear-cut presidential winner or a full accounting of the Senate race. Here’s what we did learn: this election was a referendum on the state of our country. Somehow approximately half of the voters in this country watched almost 4 years of this crazy freak show and wanted 4 more years of a president abusing his power, inciting violence, and promoting racism and xenophobia. Trump created a cult of disinformation through which rational and factual information cannot penetrate and if he is able to lie, cheat, and steal another election, we will have 4 more years of subservience to dictators and continued severing of long-held alliances with formerly friendly countries. Trump is the worst president in the nation’s history and yet millions of voters support him because I guess racism and white supremacy are a selling point to a large proportion of the population. Even with all the drama, outrage, and unprecedented behavior of this president (and the party that follows and enables him), it appears that partisan allegiance takes precedence over the character of the candidate. Democrats need to look at why Trump appeals to certain demographics, for example, capturing so much of the Latino vote, known as culturally conservative, churchgoing, small business owners who may not like seeing kids put in cages, but revere patriotism and do not support illegal immigration. Trump can declare he won and try to get his Supreme “kangaroo” Court to stop vote counting, but we don’t live in a dictatorship (yet) and hopefully this country is not ready to subvert the foundation of democracy that calls for fair elections. We need to count all the votes and follow the rules. This country has survived on the norm that democracy is defined as deciding close elections fairly and having the losing side accept the results—but as we learned over the last 4 years, norms and rules don’t apply to this president and only “suckers and losers” follow the rules. On the rest of the national stage, it wasn’t a good night for Democrats. While the House majority looks safe, Dems lost some of the gains from 2 years ago and flipping the Senate, which seemed like such a fait accompli, didn’t materialize because, for some candidates, holding on to Trump turned out to be a winning strategy after all.

Voter turnout was high in San Francisco, (67% as of press time), probably aided by Governor Newsom’s bill to send a vote-by-mail ballot to every registered voter in CA. The following results are subject to change; any ballot postmarked by Election Day and received within 17 days is eligible to be counted, representing a two-week extension from the prior cutoff. U.S Congress Nancy Pelosi (CA-12) beat out a Democratic man who was accused of questionable behavior towards women and Jackie Speier (CA-14) beat a Republican. However, unless a miracle happens, the House may be stuck in a Sisyphean nightmare of pushing the same rock uphill against a Senate majority for at least 2 more years. State Senate Scott Wiener prevailed against a young (25-year-old) “progressive alternative”; he holds a comfortable lead of approximately 60% to 40%. State Assembly David Chiu in AD 17 and Phil Ting in AD 19 ran virtually unopposed, so no drama there Bart Board, Districts 7 and 9 Lateefah Simon beat out her opponent in District 7 and Bevan Dufty beat a couple of tomato cans. Board of Supervisors District 1: Marjan Phlhour Ranked choice voting is Marjan’s new best friend. After 6 rounds, she beat Connie Chan by 43 votes out of 27,000 or so—let that be a lesson that every vote counts. Congrats, Marjan. I was proud to profile you in this column two months ago.

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

About Our Cover As the San Francisco Bay Times goes to press, the presidential race remains undecided, but there are numerous undisputed victories for LGBTQ candidates nationwide. We highlight three on our cover: Sarah McBride, Mondaire Jones, and Ritchie Torres. All three made history on November 3, 2020. McBride easily won her Delaware state Senate race, such that she is set to become the first and only openly transgender state senator in the nation. Her influence and U.S. presence have been prominent since at least 2012, when McBride made headlines for coming out as transgender in an article for American University’s school newspaper— a bold and brave act that led to her stepping down as the university’s student body president. She became a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, and in that role had speaking engagements nationwide, including here in the Bay Area. Mondaire Jones and Ritchie Torres won their races as well. They are poised to become the first openly gay Black members of Congress. Both are from New York, and will represent the 17th and 15th districts respectively. On November 4, Jones wrote via social media: “Growing up, I never imagined someone like me could run for Congress, let alone get elected. To grow up poor, Black, and gay is to not see yourself anywhere. Now, I am humbled by the trust voters in Westchester and Rockland have placed in me, and grateful for the opportunity to serve the community that raised me in the United States Congress.” Torres previously made political history by becoming the first openly gay elected official from the Bronx when he was elected to the New York City Council in 2013. Since he also has Latin heritage, he is additionally the first openly gay Afro Latinx member of Congress. Because there are currently nine openly LGBTQ members of Congress, the election wins of Jones and Torres will mean that, for the first time, over 10 members of Congress will be LGBTQ. The San Francisco Bay Times congratulates McBride, Jones, and Torres, and will present further election results and related analysis in our next issue.

District 3: Aaron Peskin No surprise here. It’s hard to unseat an incumbent and 3-termer. District 5: Vallie Brown ran a valiant race, but it appears that incumbent Dean Preston is holding on to his seat. District 7: Ranked choice voting giveth and taketh away. Joel Engardio was ahead for 5 rounds, but in the final round, Myrna Melgar vacuumed up enough of Vilaska Nguyen’s votes for the win. District 9: Hillary Ronen literally ran unopposed. I live in District 9; I sure hope her office has some good policy planned. District 11: Ahsha Safai beat back John Avalos’ “supervisor recycling program” and will be serving for 4 more years; congrats, Ahsha!

San Francisco's Voting Center at Civic Center on Election Day, November 3

In the Community College race, the two LGBTQ incumbents, Tom Temprano and current Board President Shanell Williams, sailed to victory. Currently in 3rd and 4th places are my gal, Aliya Chisty, whom I profiled in this column last month, (woo-hoo! you go, girl!) and Alan Wong. Depending on the final tally, this could hold or not. The Board of Education race was another rollicking freefor-all. Out of the 10 candidates for 4 available seats, incumbents Jenny Lam and Mark Sanchez came in first and second respectively, with newcomers Kevine Boggess and Matt Alexander holding on to third and fourth place. One of my picks, Alida Fisher, is in striking distance of fourth place, so here’s hoping there are enough remaining ballots to move her into the winners’ circle. Pundits are telling us to be patient and Joe Biden says to, “Keep the faith, man,” but half of us have to wonder what the other half of the country is voting for. This is not 2016 where whimsical Hillary-hating voters mused, “How bad could this be?” The evidence is in—we know how bad it is. What kind of country do we live in where lying, corruption, incompetence, and more than 230,000 dead seem okay to half the voters? No matter who wins, the hatred and division run deep.

If Republicans are in the Senate majority, we’ll have at least 2 more years of Congressional gridlock with Mitch “the grim reaper” McConnell

Louise (Lou) Fischer is a Former Co-chair of the Board of Directors of the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club and has served as an appointed and elected Delegate for the State Democratic Party. She is a proud graduate of the Emerge California Women’s Democratic Leadership program, was a San Francisco Commissioner, and has served in leadership positions in multiple nonprofit and community-based organizations.

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Louise “Lou” Fischer

I guess the “Build Back Better” slogan is a shortened version of: “Build back first, which will take 2 years, and then we can start on the better”—but that wouldn’t fit on a campaign sign, let alone a bumper sticker or button. So, for now, patience is a virtue, both for the time it will take to sort out all the votes, and, if we prevail, the time needed to undo the damage of the current administration. I’d rather be patient with Biden/Harris in office than face 4 more years of “Superspreader Cheeto-in-Chief.”

WWW.WELCOMETOMANNYS.COM

Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History

Governor Gavin Newsom and other State and City elected officials joined Manny Yekutiel at Manny’s restaurant on Tuesday morning, November 3, where they staffed the outdoor phone banking booths named in honor of women trailblazers including Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Madeleine Albright, Princess Diana, Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and activist Greta Thunberg.

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ELECTION 2020

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

Hank Plante: A Veteran Reporter’s Eye on Election 2020 Photos courtesy of Liam P. Mayclem

Liam’s LGBTQI List Liam P. Mayclem “I came out of the sixties generation that wanted to change the world,” says multiple Emmy Award winner Hank Plante, who kicked off his storied career at The Washington Post and went on to observe and report on the people who changed the world. From Presidents Nixon to Obama, Hank was there asking the rough questions in an impressive 40-plus year career. He is still reporting in retirement, writing for newspapers and magazines and broadcasting for NBC-Palm Springs. For 25 years, Hank worked as an anchor and political reporter at KPIX-TV Bay Area. He was one of the first openly gay TV reporters in America. We worked together on a few occasions at KPIX, and most notably and joyfully on the live broadcast of the 2018 SF Pride Parade. Hank spoke with me for the San Francisco Bay Times a few days before the November 3 elections, and again briefly on the night of November 3, from his Palm Springs home where he lives with his husband, or

“hubby” as Hank refers to him, acclaimed artist Roger Groth. Liam Mayclem: What are your thoughts on this Election Day 2020 evening, as the results come in? Hank Plante: Like a lot of people, I’m surprised that this isn’t the slam dunk for Biden that many expected. However, most of the early voting ballots have not been counted, and those are thought to be Biden votes. Liam Mayclem: What would another four years of the Trump administration be like? Hank Plante: I think if Trump is reelected it would be the end of America—not just for LGBTQ people, but also for all of us, because the message it would send is that we are okay with chaos. And we’re okay with not legitimately electing a president with the popular vote. Gay people would suffer along with everyone else. And I think that we would see rollbacks at the level of the Supreme Court on gay rights, on abortion rights, and any other personal freedoms. Liam Mayclem: If Biden becomes the new occupier of the White House, what do the next four years look like? Hank Plante: Biden and Harris know that we need struc-

Hank Plante: "I've given Gavin Newsom lots of grief in interviews over the years, but he turned out to be a good sport with a great sense of humor, as witnessed by how he's mimicking my photo in the CBS 5 building."

Hank Plante: "Barack Obama is the kindest person I've ever known in politics. My photographer knew I took Obama seriously because I actually volunteered to carry his tripod for this interview."

tural changes in our government. Our government is not working. We’ve now had two illegitimate presidents pick six of the current Supreme Court Justices. We cannot have leadership that’s determined by the minority. Right now, the minority in this country is making all the decisions. There are more Democratic votes in America always when you total it up. They have to get rid of the Electoral College. We’ve now had two presidents since Al Gore who were not chosen by the voters. Biden-Harris know that they have to make structural changes. If they take the Senate, they can begin that process. The Democrats should have done this 20 years ago, instantly after the Al Gore loss. I believe Al Gore was elected president of the United States and then that was stolen from him. Trump is another case. He certainly lost the popular vote (in 2016), but I think that the electoral votes were legitimate in Trump’s case. With Gore, I think it was a steal because the Supreme Court stopped the vote count in Florida. Liam Mayclem: Please share some thoughts about Harris, in particular, given her Bay Area roots.

Hank Plante: "I've spent lots of time with Joe Biden over the past three decades. I think he's a decent man who would do a great job healing us from the last four years."

Hank Plante: We call her one of our own as she is from the Bay Area. What a tremendous source of pride to have the possible VP of the United States and the speaker of the House from here. You look at the political power in Northern California and you have to ask yourself, why are there so many successful politicians from Northern California? We’ve got the governor, the

lieutenant governor from Northern California, both the United States senators, the Speaker of the House, and now possibly the next vice president. It’s incredible. And I think there are very specific reasons for that. I think it’s because of the social engagement and Journalists Hank Plante, Kristen Ayers and Liam Mayclem because of how smart peo- broadcasting from the CBS Bay Area anchor desk on ple are in the Bay Area and Market Street during the SF Pride Parade (2018) because people vote. Liam Mayclem: The 2020 election is a nailbiting experience for one and all and we may continue to be on tenterhooks as votes are counted and possibly litigated. What gives you hope at this time? Hank Plante: I’m an optimist, certainly when it comes to LGBTQ people. We have won the war. The best example of Hank Plante: "I had a 'out of body' experience when I that is during the gay mar- spontaneously grabbed Richard Nixon as he was leaving riage case for the U. S. the Fairmont Hotel. My brain kept leaving the scene, saySupreme Court, there were ing to me, 'Good Lord, Richard Nixon has actually stopped and is talking to you!'" 350 Fortune 500 companies that filed amicus briefs on our side. That tells me ors from LGBT rights advothe people who really run this cacy organizations and trade country, the people with money, groups. In addition, Plante was have decided we’re the winning featured in the documentary side. We’re the future of their prod- "5b", which was honored at the ucts. We are their future custom2019 Cannes Film Festival. The ers. When you’ve won Wall Street film is about the nation’s first over, you’ve won. You know, all the AIDS ward, which he covered battles for civil rights are so much extensively as a reporter. about economics. You can’t legEmmy Award-winning radio islate people into liking minorities. But you can legislate and make and television personality Liam Mayclem is regularly featured on sure that minorities are treated KPIX as well as KCBS, where he with fairness, with equality, and is the popular Foodie Chap. Born that comes to employment and in London, Mayclem is now at housing and marriage. We have home in the Bay Area, where he won some of the important legal lives with his husband, photogbattles. So, I’m an optimist, no rapher Rick Camargo. For more matter who’s in the White House. information: Hank Plante is a multi-Emmy https://www.bookliam.com/ Award-winning reporter and is the recipient of various hon-

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ELECTION 2020

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

Post-Trumpmatic Stress Syndrome Survivors’ Guide from being swallowed by the fear, hatred, animus, grievance, racism, and corruption stoked daily by a hellbent, incumbent autocrat.

Cross Currents Andrea Shorter Every vote counts. In this 2020 presidential election, more than ever, every vote represents a fighting chance either to stay or change the course of America’s destiny. We either remain governed by an impeached, COVID-19-affected president who wills to bend, break, and corrupt everything and everyone within his reach to his own selfish benefit, including, as he has been telegraphing for months, prematurely and falsely declaring an election night victory and threatening legal challenges to the continuing vote counts across the country not tumbling into his electoral college favor; or, we elect a mature adult, experienced pro-democracy leader who is literally on a mission to save America’s tattered, yet resilient, soul

With the least democratic president in history ridiculously and dangerously staging his own coup, every one of the recorded breaking estimates of 160 million plus votes cast must be counted. Every vote must be counted towards a resounding mandate for change, a clarion call for democracy over demise. As the battle wages on in the count as of this writing, anxieties over the results and the consequences of this election remain high. No matter the outcome, America must find a way towards healing. Let the healing begin. Post-Trumpmatic Stress Syndrome certainly feels real, a phenomenon that will take a great deal of collective and individual work to get through, past, and eventually beyond four years of emotional turmoil, assaults to the psyche, and wounds to the soul. Deep wounds. There are not enough pharmaceutical products, cannabis strains, or deep tissue massage therapy to soon soothe away the high anxieties, pain, and strains inflicted by 2016–2020 bloody reign of #45. While it will be a long process towards personal and societal recov-

ery, there are a few things that need to happen right away to start restoring our common sense of humanity that has been so carelessly and brutally battered and bruised by serial trauma. For the love of God, let science be our co-pilot. Let science guide the way to combat and control the spread of coronavirus. Leaders who do not believe that science should guide policy and best lifesaving practices in response to this deadly virus should not be allowed to do, well, pretty much anything. Perhaps not travel by airplane, train, or automobile. Put down the Viagra. Toss out those smart-phones, because, newsflash gasp, the wonders of science make each of these daily modern conveniences work. Neither was designed by, or works by, miracle, prayer, psycho cybernetics, elves, or sorcery. It’s all science. The politically inconvenient truth and necessity of objective sciencebased response does not make the pandemic crisis and its impacts less true, nor less necessary. With nearly 10 million cases of COVID-19 among Americans and 1,000 people dying daily adding to the death toll of nearly a quarter of 1 million dead within 9 months, please let science take the wheel. Get households and small businesses the continued financial aid and relief

they need now. The breaking point into 2021 is the point of no return for far too many already hanging on by a thread. Reunite with their parents the 540 plus Mexican and Latin American children detained at the U.S. border. We must address sanctioned terror to literally rip children from the arms of their parents at the border as planned deterrent against migration of Brown people into U.S. territory. The damage done to these children and their parents is unspeakable, unbearable. This policy is not who we are nor should aspire to be. It is cruel, fascist, and, therefore, unconscionable. We will never be anywhere near close to any idea of being made nearly whole until we reunify these families. Accept that there is no going back to “normal.” In fact, as the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 have further exposed and heightened longtime racial and economic disparities, let’s not look to recover backwards, to the normalities of inequities as status quo. Instead, let’s embrace the challenge of imagining what a recovery forward might mean and look like if we resist accepting as status quo the disparities, inequities, and discord that neither constructively nor productively serve anyone particularly well. Yes, the causes and systems that cre-

ate and perpetuate inequities are complicated, run deep, and appear to some as seemingly insurmountable. Addressing the numerous social, economic, gender, racial, justice, and other inequities highlighted over this year alone will obviously require and demand a different political will than recently experienced. The recordbreaking tens of millions of early voters is a strong signal that perhaps we are more prepared than ever to fight for a new, better vision of what we can be as we work to recover forward. Voting for our lives at the failed leadership response to this pandemic was also voting for a better way forward, not back to normal. Hold on to that thought. We’re going to need it as an antidote to Post-Trumpmatic Stress Syndrome. Andrea Shorter is a Commissioner and the former President of the historic San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women. She is a longtime advocate for criminal and juvenile justice reform, voter rights and marriage equality. A Co-Founder of the Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition, she was a 2009 David Bohnett LGBT Leadership Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

On the Biden-Harris Campaign Trail

Photos courtesy of Biden-Harris Campaign

Jill Biden

Former President Barack Obama campaigning for the Biden-Harris Campaign

Senator Kamala Harris with Alicia Keys

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GLBT Fortnight in Review

ened Democratic slate? We may have to do this all over again. Bartender!

Join me won’t you, dear Readers, on a trip back into the past. Here we are in our ninth grade English class reviewing Ozymandius. Why on Earth do we have to waste our time on stupid poems and useless math concepts? We’re never going to use any of this stuff. Will we have time to sneak a cigarette in the woods before next period? What has Cindy Willis done with her hair? It looks weird. Should I do that? What do Jean and Emre think?

I just looked up the subject, and ironically, Ozymandius was the Greek name for Ramses the Second, who remains very famous to this day— two thousand years later. I wish I hadn’t done so, because the poem is more powerful if you assume, as I had, that Ozymandius was a two-bit ruler that had, indeed, quickly faded out of history.

I was happy to see Joe Biden win the Democratic nomination, because I thought he would have the best chance of bringing the country together and defeating Trump. I was hardly alone in that calculus, and God willing it will yet prove correct.

Look, now is not the time to fret about 2024. Now is the time to nail down 2020, and grimly celebrate the defeat of the most odious man to ever sit in the Oval Office. And I hear what you’re saying. “Ann! What if Trump pulls out his reelection?” To that I say, I cannot deal with that possibility. As such, the only scenario I can write about is a Biden victory. If Trump wins, I’ll just finish up this case of Champagne, order another one, curl up in bed, and watch Below Deck reruns for a month or two. Then we’ll see.

“Nothing beside remains. Round the decay of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare, the lone and level sands stretch far away.” Yadda, yadda, yadda. What? “Ann, what do you think Shelley is trying to say?” “Uh. Ozymandius thought he would be famous, but it sounds like he

Is This Really Happening? I still have confidence that, within a few days, the world’s preeminent democracy will have withstood the most sustained threat it has faced since 1864, an election year where the union itself hung in the balance. But even if we win by a nose, the reaction of American voters towards Trump is profoundly disturbing. If

By Ann Rostow we fail, I can’t imagine what our country will look like in four years.

And yet, this election, which is not over yet as I write, has been a disaster. Even if we squeak this out, as I still hope we will, we have witnessed a massive repudiation, not of Trump, but of American norms. But if he wins another four years, my only consolation is the certainty that eventually his legacy will vanish in the lone and level sands.

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

wasn’t. I mean, I’ve never heard of him.”

“I met a traveler from an antique land, who said: ‘Two vast and trunkless legs of stone stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown, and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, tell that its sculptor well those passions read which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, the hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed; And on the pedestal, these words appear: My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!’”

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

Look on My Works, ye Mighty, And Despair

But still, you can see why I’ve been haunted by the verse as I thought I was about to witness the collapse of Trump’s interior view of the world; a view that places him at the pinnacle of American greatness, and imagines the many monuments that would soon be erected in his honor.

But still, I confess I worried about Biden throughout the campaign. As my parents warned me, getting old is not for the faint of heart. Our man looks a little frail, a little shaky. And while I’m not worried about his ability to handle the day-to-day job of president, I’m worried about how long he can sustain his energy. He will be 82 in 2024, when some younger post-Trump Republican will try to take back the White House. Will Biden still be fit enough to claim four more years? If not, will Harris be ready to lead the party forward? What role will she play in the Biden administration? I hope she’ll be a president-in-waiting, in charge of major policy advances and visibly running many diplomatic sessions. I hope by the time 2024 rolls around, she’ll be a powerful figure in American politics and an avatar for American leadership around the world. But what if the country muddles through the pandemic, the economy continues to suffer, the legislature stagnates, and the path is open for another divisive contest between Trump-like Republicans and a weak-

But assuming I’m not wrong, we’ll be operating with a narrow mandate and a GOP Senate. There goes our ambitious legislative agenda, but we will still be able to reverse a vast amount of the damage Trump has done to our reputation abroad, our environmental policies, and the country’s position on civil rights. Gone will be the ban on transgender service members. Gone will be the cabinet agency’s rollbacks on Obama-era GLBT anti-discrimination rules. Gone will be the craziness, the tweets, the nods to white supremacy and QAnon. Gone will be the sight of Trump saluting the Marine guard while getting into his presidential helicopter. With any luck, we’ll see the prosecutors line up to bring charges against the former president and his family. Tax evasion, money laundering, fraud, the list will go on. And who will step up to refinance

that $400 million in loans coming due next year? Deutsche Bank? Saudi Arabia? We’ll be watching. I hope. Bottoms Up I spent Monday glued to cable news, as usual, listening to Trump complain about fake polling and how the media is censoring the many Hunter Biden scandals. After weeks of struggling, I somehow managed to navigate the choppy waters of existential dread and drifted into a calm pool of (short-lived) confidence. To celebrate this achievement, I began my planned 48-hour non-stop consumption of champagne, a drink that can serve many emotional ups and downs. It’s not just for celebration. It has a transcendent effect that can console and reassure. It’s also one of my favorite things, which I feel I deserve at this moment in history. This meant that my election observations would be, let’s say, more bubbly than usual for which I apologize. Not to mention my tipsy analysis of Fulton v City of Philadelphia, the huge gay rights case was argued before the Supreme Court on November 4. Here we go! (Cue: deep breath, serious face.) At issue is whether or not Philadelphia has the right to exclude the antigay Catholic Social Services from the city’s foster care program based on the agency’s refusal to abide by Philadelphia’s rules against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Basically, the case asks whether

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Why Time in the Market Is Your Best Ally

Money Matters Brandon Miller There was an Anne Fizzard cartoon in The New Yorker the other week that showed a man suspended in a pod while his wife tells a friend that after voting early, he wanted to be “cryogenically frozen until Inauguration Day.” Lots of us can relate to that wish. What a fantasy to be able to go into suspended animation and wake up when this pandemic and all the chaos it has caused go away. Many people have a similar type of feeling when it comes to the stock market. I’ve had clients ask if it wouldn’t be better to get out for now, park their money in something safe like a money market account, and then return to stocks when things aren’t so volatile. In a word, no. And I have the numbers to back up that very strong opinion. J.P. Morgan Asset Management looked at rate of return (ROR) for the S&P 500 for the past two decades, from January 3, 2000, to December 31, 2019.* People who stayed in the market that whole time got a ROR of 6.06%. Not spectacular, but it does turn a $10,000 investment into over $32,000. Now imagine that you were invested for all but the 10 best market days during that same period. Missing just that small amount of time drops your return down to 2.44%. So

that same $10k is now worth half as much, just a little over $16k. Sit out a whole month of the best days and your ROR is now in negative territory, shrinking a $10k investment to just $6,749.

Keep adding to your investment and it will grow even faster thanks again to compounding. But withdrawing money lessens the amount earning interest and some of your compounding advantage.

Need even more evidence? The worst trading day of 2015 and the best one happened on August 24 and 26—just two days apart. So no, getting out of the market even for a little bit probably isn’t your best move.

3) Taxes

You may not think of a temporary exit as market timing, but that’s exactly what it is. And as you may have heard, leaving when things are bad and coming back when the market is on fire again is the exact opposite of what the big guys like Warren Buffet do. What’s more, we have no idea how much longer or in what new ways COVID and its aftereffects are going to upend our routines and fuel market volatility.

4) Asset Allocation

This ongoing uncertainty is worrisome on so many levels, especially when we’re talking about your hardearned money. So, it might relieve some of your anxiety to look at five factors that have the most influence on building wealth, in order of importance. 1) Time in the Market As an investor, you’ll find no better friend. That’s because of the magic of compounding. Simple math makes every $1 you invest today potentially worth double, triple, or more in years to come. Here’s how it works: At the end of each compounding period, you get paid interest on your principal. The next compounding period, you earn interest on both your original principal and the interest you earned in the previous period (assuming you don’t withdraw anything; see factor 2). And so it goes earning interest on interest such that your money grows exponentially. The longer it has to grow, the greater the amplification of your original investment amount. 2) Money In/Money Out

A high tax burden can eat into your earnings, and thus, your wealth. But there are tax-advantaged investments and strategies that you can use to help even things out. Surprised this is so far down the list? It’s still important, but we believe how you shift around the pieces of the pie contributes to your wealth less than the previous factors. 5) Individual Investments And, finally, we get down to whether this stock or that one, this fund or that bond is best for you. Viewed this way, you may feel less anxious about getting in on the next great thing and more invested (literally and figuratively) in putting away as much money now as you possibly can. It sure seems like a better option than relying on suspended animation to wake up to a brighter future. * Source: J.P. Morgan Asset Management analysis using data from Bloomberg. The hypothetical performance calculations reflect the reinvestment of all dividends and are shown for illustrative purposes only and are not meant to be representative of actual results while investing over the time periods shown. Rate of Return (ROR) is the net gain or loss of an investment over a specified time period, expressed as a percentage of the investment’s initial cost. The S&P 500 or Standard & Poor›s 500 Index is a marketcapitalization-weighted index of the 500 largest U.S. publicly traded companies. The index is widely regarded as the best gauge of large-cap U.S. equities. An index (continued on page 30)

Two Sedans to Personalize Cadillac’s sticker swelled in sight of $60,000, after adding almost $18,000 in options. This points to the personalization that’s available as prices climb.

Auto Philip Ruth “Okay, let’s be clear about what you really want here.” That’s a sentence I say to my clients ad infinitum, as we parse out the ad hype and their own biases to select a vehicle that really resonates with them. It’s not an easy task, because brands carry lots of baggage. BMW and Cadillac are prime examples: BMW drivers have developed a folklore on being aggressive, and Cadillac’s uphill battle to appeal to younger buyers remains an existential threat to this storied GM division.

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Noteworthy on the BMW was the $4,000 M Sport package, with tweaks inside and out for a sportier look and feel. The Cadillac’s $8,330 Platinum package includes massaging lumbar supports for both driver and front passenger. Both give lots of opportunities to spend handsomely on making them your own. So, then it comes down to which choices will expand the appeal inherent in each car—the elegant and businesslike BMW, versus the extroverted and glitzy Cadillac. These are old descriptors for the two brands, but here in 2020 they still ring true. Both have pleasing exhaust notes, with a low baritone on the BMW complemented by a tinge of snarl with the Cadillac. Both tested cars had all-wheel drive, and at about 3,800 pounds, the Cadillac has close to 300 pounds extra.

Only after some driving can you get a sense of whether a vehicle truly suits you. That became ever clearer after a back-to-back sampling of the BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe and Cadillac CT5 Premium Luxury— each of them has their own particular appeal.

You’d think that would actually add up to more, because again true to its reputation, the Cadillac has an uncommonly long measurement— the wheelbase, in this case, which stretches to 116 inches. That’s the distance between the wheels of a late-’70s Caprice Classic. One result is that rear legroom is a palatial 37.9 inches, like the Caprice’s. The BMW’s 34.4 inches is in line with other compacts.

They’d better at these prices: the compact BMW was a hair under $49,000, and the mid-sized

Both are memorably engaging to drive. The BMW’s 228-horsepower, twin-turbocharged four-cyl-

Cadillac CT5 Premium Luxury

BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe

inder smoothly scrolls out its power, and handling is poised and ready for more. The Cadillac’s 335-horsepower V6, also a twin-turbo and a $3,500 option, is more of a hungry beast, with constant reminders that more thrust is at the ready. Inside, the BMW accents the instrument panel with choices of trim, and the “Mocha” leather trim lent a relaxing ambience. The Cadillac’s “Sedona Sauvage” leather had a similar effect, and its feature-filled dash could be seen from space. Extra kudos to the center screen’s instant response to the remote controller. So, would you really want either of them? Since they have their own distinct approaches, it probably wouldn’t take long for you to know. Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant with an automotive staging service.

Message from Leadership

Strength Through Ambiguity

By Michael Gunther 2020 is certainly on the list of “craziest” years on record for business owners. We are striving to get through the pandemic, an uncertain economic fallout, and a rambunctious election year—all tied together with fires burning throughout the state. Not to mention the everchanging dynamics of our office working conditions or outright readjusting how we are delivering our product or service—whew! What a year.

The first thing we need to do as leaders is to choose strength over stress during these times. It is through these adverse times that we grow and become stronger—so choose strength. I realize it isn’t always easy to do, but our LGBTQ community has dealt with many challenges over the years and has always chosen strength to deal with all the social, economic, and political challenges thrown our way. In fact, we are in a position to prove we are resilient during tough times. We have a track record. So, now is the time for us to lift up our LGBTQ business community and nonprofit community. What can we do to ensure their survivability over this coming year? How can we volunteer or give to our nonprofits to ensure their sustainability in providing much needed services to our fellow community members?

One challenging aspect of all of this is that the ambiguity and stress of these changes aren’t going to dissipate any time soon. The pandemic will continue to unfold with predictions of a “dark winter,” and the election results and outcomes are going to test us with ongoing policy and market shifts. Plus, we’re facing the impending economic adjustments because of all the elements of 2020 coming to a head. Oh, and don’t forget that the social distancing protocols and travel restrictions are going to last well into 2021.

GGBA Member Spotlight

As business leaders, we are being called on to stretch and drive ourselves to a new level of performance. It won’t be easy, but we must lead the way. We need to be agile in our strategies while adjusting quickly as the marketplace shifts.

Focus on creativity and innovation in connecting with our customers and employees in a “connectionless” world to ensure solid engagement. We will bring our emotional fortitude and make the tough decisions early, maintaining our own mental health and acknowledging that this ambiguity is not going away soon. I think we have a responsibility as LGBTQ business owners and leaders to show our resilience and perseverance during these uncertain, stressful periods on our life’s and community’s journey. Let us lead our businesses to long-term sustainability so that we can continue to support our community. Let’s strive to be an example of a community that comes out of the other side of these times as stronger. We have shown it before; we certainly need to step up and show it again— strength can come from adversity and ambiguity. Michael Gunther is the President of GGBA. He is also the founder of Collaboration Business Consulting: https://tinyurl.com/y6eaqbne

Dan Bodner of QuickHaven Transitional Shelters Photos courtesy of Dan Bodner

Since 2001, Dan Bodner has been the founder and CEO of Fido Systems LLC ( https://fidosystems.com/ ), an outsourced IT firm. His daily commute from Oakland to downtown San Francisco passes sidewalk tent encampments, street wanderers, and finally homeless individuals sleeping on the floors of the Embarcadero BART station.

plex things like rockets and cars, all while having absolutely no background in either, helped me stay motivated to build a manufacturing company, for which I too have no previous experience.

It is a daily scene of hopelessness. Bodner is a lifelong problem solver and tinkerer, however, so he began to wonder what could help these people in their situation. (Previously he designed FidoHand, a 3D-printed prosthetic hand to help children with hand deformities.) The brainstorming sprung the seed for QuickHaven, Inc.—originally called “Habitat.” Here, Bodner shares more about the innovative company. GGBA: Please describe QuickHaven, including its mission and values. Dan Bodner: QuickHaven, Inc., is a California Benefit Corporation that manufactures code compliant emergency shelters. Our shelter is purpose-built to deploy quickly as a temporary or transitional measure to house those in need due to homelessness or a disaster. GGBA: When did you decide to create QuickHaven? Dan Bodner: I began working on the QuickHaven concept in 2017, inspired to act by the growth of tent encampments along my commute. The daily scene of hopelessness motivated me to begin researching materials, sketching designs, and experimenting with connectors and metals, slowly forming the QuickHaven concept and culminating in a 3/4 scale corner section mockup that I completed in the summer of 2019. The mockup convinced me that the concept was viable, and I then began recruiting the team and building the company. GGBA: Who are some of your role models, and especially those who helped to inf luence your business? Dan Bodner: It sounds strange even to my ears to say, but Elon Musk was perhaps the most influential person that I thought about while persisting in creating QuickHaven. The notion that Elon has built several companies that build amazingly com-

Dan Bodner

GGBA: Why did you decide to join the GGBA, and how long have you been a member?

Dan Bodner: I’ve been a member for more than 2 years, at the suggestion of my partner Anna Colibri, who is also a member and is on the board. Accompanying her to GGBA events introduced me to a community of warm, accepting, and supportive people who won me over. GGBA: How has being a member of GGBA helped your business so far? Dan Bodner: I have made some great contacts and friends through GGBA and have found many resources that have helped me in my business. From making promotional items to acquiring business insurance to gaining valuable leadership coaching, it has all happened through GGBA. GGBA: Do you go to the GGBA monthly Make Contact networking events (now virtual)? Have they benefited you and your business, and would you recommend them to others? Dan Bodner: I do try to make the Make Contacts. My company even hosted one of them last year. It’s one of the best ways to consistently stay in touch with other members, meet new people, and get or stay connected to the community. GGBA: What other advice would you give to someone who is thinking of starting their own business? Dan Bodner: Persistence and perspective, those are the two most important ingredients to success, in my view. Keeping motivated and focused on one’s business is obviously necessary to start a new venture. Perspective may be less obvious. When starting out, most people have a big vision for what they want. But very quickly the day to day details can lead to tunnel vision, losing sight of that larger vision and purpose. Whenever I feel I am getting mired down, I try to take a breath and step back from what I am doing. I imagine myself 6

weeks into the future and giving myself advice on a way over the hump. For an even better big-picture view of the present, I sometimes imagine myself on my death bed looking back on this moment, also to give my current self some sage advice and to resize my problems. For more information: https://quickhaven.com/

GGBA CALENDAR November Make Contact Thankful for LGBT Business Unity November 10, 5:30 pm–6:30 pm Part I: Giving Season Participants will have the opportunity to hear from three of GGBA’s member nonprofits concerning how to get more involved and the financials of giving. Part II: Breakout Room Discussions Effect of the election on business; PPP forgiveness; Ways to boost business during the holidays. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/y5vwm428

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per contracts with the city’s Department of Human Services (DHS). These services include, among other things, recruiting and certifying foster parents for children. For years, CSS and the other organizations have entered into contracts with DHS, agreeing as a condition of receiving taxpayer money to abide by the city’s nondiscrimination laws.

6/26 and Beyond John Lewis & Stuart Gaffney “Don’t Kill Innocent People in the Name of Religion.” So read a wall mural in Kolkata, India, which we happened upon when we were backpacking in South Asia years ago. The artist’s plea stayed with us and came to mind again recently as the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a case that could potentially have devastating consequences for LGBTIQ people—all in the name of religion. In Fulton, Catholic Social Services (CSS) under the guise of “religious freedom” is asking the Supreme Court to force the city of Philadelphia to contract with it to provide foster care placement services even though CSS refuses to place children with loving, committed same-sex couples in flagrant violation of the city’s anti-discrimination laws. As background, CSS, along with over 20 other private organizations, has provided foster care services for years for the city of Philadelphia

But in 2018, CSS made clear to DHS that it would not certify samesex couples as foster parents in blatant violation of its contract with DHS and city law, claiming that doing so contravened their religious views. Accordingly, DHS suspended new placements through CSS, while maintaining contracts with CSS for all the other foster care services it provided. CSS stands alone among Philadelphia foster service providers, both religious and not, in their refusal to certify same-sex couples and wants the Supreme Court to compel DHS to enter into discriminatory arrangements with it. Back in 2018, then Philadelphia Human Services Commissioner Cynthia Figueroa invited CSS leaders to meet with her in an attempt “to find a mutually agreeable resolution.” Both then and now, DHS wants Catholic Social Services to be able to continue providing foster care placement services for Philadelphia. In that meeting, Figueroa, herself a Catholic, appealed to CSS that “it would be great if we followed the teachings of Pope Francis.” She was likely thinking of Francis’ opining five years before: “If someone is gay and is

searching for the Lord and has a good will, then who am I to judge him?” Figueroa’s words proved prescient when, just two weeks ago, the documentary Francesco, made with Vatican approval, revealed that Pope Francis himself supported civil unions for same-sex couples. The film shows the Pope saying that gay people “have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out of the family or made miserable over this. What we have to create is a civil union law, for they have the right to be legally covered.” The New Yorker describes how the documentary explores the lives of people personally affected by Pope Francis, including “Andrea Rubera, a gay man who lives in Rome with his partner and their three adopted children.” After Rubera attended Mass at the papal residence, he gave the Pope a letter explaining that he and his partner wanted “to raise the children as Catholics.” Francis then called Rubera and “offered encouragement,” while cautioning him that not everyone in his parish “will share your choice of having a family like that.” We are, of course, disappointed that Pope Francis has not called for full marriage equality and has not fully embraced LGBTIQ people in the Catholic Church. But CSS should follow the lead of the Pope and heed his words supporting gay parents, family, and legal rights for same-sex couples. Moreover, the U.S. Supreme Court should rule in accord with Francis’ reasoning, not because he is the

Pope, but because it expresses the meaning and importance of the separation of religion and state embodied by the First Amendment. Regardless of what private Catholic religious doctrine may be, Francis recognizes secular legal protections for samesex couples as separate. If the Supreme Court follows its own precedent, it will affirm the separation of religion and state. In Masterpiece Cakeshop, the Court opinion joined by conservative Justices Roberts, Alito, and Gorsuch, explicitly cautioned against service providers “who object to gay marriages for moral and religious reasons” effectively being “allowed to put up signs saying ‘no goods or services will be sold if they will be used for gay marriages.’” The Court warned such actions “would impose a serious stigma on gay persons.” That is exactly what would happen if the Court forces the city of Philadelphia to use taxpayer money to contract with Catholic Social Services as it openly discriminates against same-sex couples. Not only are LGBTIQ parents demeaned by not being able to become foster parents through CSS, but also LGBTIQ kids in foster care, desperately in need of caring parents, lose out and are treated as second-class children. All LGBTIQ Philadelphians face the indignity of

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN LEWIS & STUART GAFFNEY

Don’t Harm People in the Name of Religion

their tax dollars going to an organization that openly discriminates against them. The Court’s decision in Fulton may reveal for the first time how its new five-person conservative Catholic majority responds to what should be a straightforward application of the separation of religion and state. If the majority adopts an unwise ideological point of view, the implications for LGBTIQ people, other minorities, and women could be far-reaching, not just in foster care but also in such critical matters as health care, public accommodation, education, and public services. Our lives and well-being could be on the line. We urge the Supreme Court: Don’t Harm People in the Name of Religion. Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis, together for over three decades, were plaintiffs in the California case for equal marriage rights decided by the California Supreme Court in 2008. Their leadership in the grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA contributed in 2015 to making same-sex marriage legal nationwide.

BAY TIMES S

HONEY BEARS

Photos by Mark Rhoades

In June 2020, LGBT community leader and PR strategist Mark Rhoades contacted popular artist fnnch and suggested that he paint rainbow honey bears all over the Castro. Fnnch loved the idea, and added that he would like to honor Pride by painting one specific wall, with one dynamic focus: the SF LGBT Center. Rebecca Rolfe and Roberto Ordeñana of the Center approved the mural, which is dedicated to fnnch’s late gay uncle. Now Rhoades is taking photos of LGBT leaders, well-known artists, and others in order to support the Center. In this column the San Francisco Bay Times is featuring highlights from the colorful collection of images that will be exhibited at the Center for SF Pride 2021. For More Information Mark Rhoades PR https://www.markrhoadespr.com/ fnnch https://fnnch.com/ SF LGBT Center https://www.sfcenter.org/

David Fujimoto & Catie Arbona, Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club Co-Chairs

Carole Migden, Former member San Franicsco Board of Supervisors and former California State Senator & Assemblywoman Kaylah Williams & Kevin Bard - Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club Co-Chairs SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

SF LGBT Center Honey Bear Mural

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Supporting Small Businesses in the Castro & Beyond

BAY TIMES S

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

Photos by Juan R. Davila

17th & Noe Market 10am-9pm daily 3900 17th Street 415-863-6337 Contact: Sam Salfiti salfiti@gmail.com There is never a visit to 17th & Noe Market without a fun surprise, from refreshing drinks to gourmet entrées. The store’s owner/operator Sam Salfiti has a reputation for his creative and ever-changing selection of food items, including frozen foods, fresh fruit and vegetables, and so much more. There is also an amazing selection of liquors, wines, beer, and other beverages. San Francisco Bay Times team members tell us they are looking forward to the post-pandemic return of Ida’s famous deviled eggs that have been missing since COVID-19 came to town. Customers, as well as staff and vendors, are limited to 5 people inside at any one time, and all must wear masks and observe social distancing. Care is taken to make sure the store is well-stocked with essentials.

The Salfiti family, who have owned the market for several decades, are known throughout the neighborhood for their welcoming smiles, good humor, and friendly customer service. Be sure to ask Sam about when he delivered groceries to literary celeb Anne Rice when she lived nearby. If you stop in just a couple of times, you’ll be part of the family before you know it, and you won’t be able to resist going back again and again just to see what’s there. 17th & Noe Market is easy to find if you look for the pink neon liquor sign on the corner, and be sure to tell Sam that we said, “Hi!”

Rossi’s Deli 8am-9pm daily 426 Castro Street 415-863-4355 Contact: Sam Dughman rossideli@yahoo.com Serious film enthusiasts tell us the best thing to do when you go to the Castro Theatre during a film festival or for a double header is to stop by Rossi’s Deli first for one of their fabulous sandwiches and other goodies you might need. It’s true that you cannot beat the custom-made sandwiches this little deli offers. Rossi’s has a longstanding and well-deserved reputation for holiday season pastries, representing many cultures and cuisines, and they have the best pricing in town on panettone, which is often available here year-round. In addition to their famous sandwiches, Rossi’s Deli offers deli meats, cheeses, imported chocolates, fifty kinds of coffee beans, and catering. This popular shop has been open for 44 years! Pandemic adjustments include social distancing, counter covers, sanitizer available, masks required, and a limit of three customers at a time.

Olive This Olive That Tuesday–Friday 11 am–6 pm; Saturday 10 am–6 pm; Sunday 11 am–5 pm 304 Vicksburg Street 415-251-7521 Contact: Janell Pekkain info@oliviethisoliviethat.com http://www.olivethisolivethat.com To say that store owner Janell Pekkain is an olive oil enthusiast is an understatement. Her dedication to advocacy for olive oils and simple, clean food is clearly evident in the excellence of this gourmet shop. “We believe that, like fine wine or high-end coffee, olive oils and balsamics should be smelled, sipped, and savored—they should be experienced, not just swallowed,” Pekkain said via the store’s website. The shop’s mission is to curate the most delicious extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars, eduJanell Pekkain (right) and her partner, Mary cate you about the ones that are best for you, and help you create delicious dishes using locally sourced ingredients. Offering essential food items, the shop has remained open with no pandemic-related closures. Phone and online ordering for pick up and shipping are encouraged. Tastings are on hold for now. Additional COVID adjustments include installation of a protective barrier; the addition of a fridge where fresh pastas, salsas, and sauces are available; and new partnerships with LGBTQ-owned small businesses such as Michael’s Chocolates, Pass The Sauced, The Heated, and others. A 20% discount is offered on in store purchases for San Francisco Bay Times readers through November 30!

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Coming Out Stories

Photos courtesy of Okan Sengun, Esq.

Coming Out in the U.S. After Feeling Like the Only Homosexual in Turkey By Okan Sengun, Esq.

I’m a methodical person: I like lists, I like organization, I like starting at Point A and discovering the fastest route to Point B. Ask anyone who works with me and they’ll attest to my bullet point laden emails. I’ve always been this way and it’s helped me immensely in getting the education I wanted, but, as I discovered, coming out doesn’t work like that.

I was nervous, I had no idea why he was coming all that way to see me. Was he going to disown me? He never seemed like that type of person, so I kept an open mind. When he arrived, I checked him into his hotel in Union Square. We barely spoke, conversation was awkward at best. I didn’t want to spend the next 5 days like this.

The next morning, I arranged it so that he and my husband would just happen to be in the same place at the same time. He was taken aback at how masculine my husband was. He actually expected one of us to be “the woman.” I snapped a quick photo of us together and then I took my father to a brunch that lasted hours but was a lifetime in the making. I explained everything about sexuality and gender. He didn’t realize gay and transgender were two different things because sex education is so cenIt was here that I realized I could sored in Turkey. I even explained live as an openly gay man. Oh, how two men have sex!! Yes, we Okan voting as a naturalized American and I did! I was in my twenties and citizen were blushing! After four hours, living single in West Hollywood. and maybe some wine, he totally There were parties and nightclubs and a lifetime got it. For the first time in my life, he understood of repression coming undone. I ended up in San and accepted the real me. We checked him out Francisco to continue my legal studies and volof his hotel and he stayed with us for the rest of unteered at various LGBTQI nonprofits. I would his trip. Since then, he has been one of my closest meet potential suitors, but the first thing I would friends. tell them was that I’m not looking for a boyfriend. I didn’t plan on being gay. I came to my sexual awakening in Okan and his father in San Francisco Ankara, Turkey, absolutely certain I was the only homosexual to EVER set foot in the entire country of Turkey. Growing up Turkish, there are no gay icons to look up to, no gay leaders to admire, and no gay relatives in which to confide. It’s very dangerous to be gay in Turkey, so I convinced my parents I wanted to study abroad and I came to the United States.

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Applications and information can be found on DAHLIASan Francisco Housing Portal at housing.sfgov.org. Applications are due by 5pm on 12/1/2020. Please call our information line at 415-692-0317 for more information. Units available through the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development and are subject to monitoring and other restrictions. Visit www.sfmohcd.org for program information.

And then, I met the love of my life.

He was handsome, successful, out, proud, and extremely persistent. I insisted I didn’t want to go on a date; he was undeterred. I insisted I didn’t need a man in my life, yet here he was, day after day. One day I was sick with the flu, and he showed up with homemade chicken soup. My walls came crashing down. Suddenly I had a boyfriend and soon, I had a fiancé. My parents had always been supportive of me throughout most aspects of my life, but discovering my homosexuality was very hard for them. It was foreign to them; they had a difficult time understanding it. I would’ve loved to have them at our wedding, but I didn’t know how they would react. I decided not to invite them to our wedding. It was a painful decision, but the best one for me at the time.

That inspired me to call my mother and we had a tearful, hour-long, heart to heart. A lot of times, I think parents just want to know that their children will be safe and happy. In a place like Turkey, or even the Midwest, parents can’t fathom that happiness being available to their gay children. They imagine a life of pain and despair. Once my mother realized how happy I am, she became very supportive. Though she still hasn’t met my husband in person because of the distance, they have “met” on FaceTime. Every time my mother or father uses the word “gay” or “your husband,” it brings tears of joy to my eyes. I am so proud of them for accepting my sexuality and all the openly activist LGBTQI work that I do, despite the fact that they live in such an oppressive society. I truly believe that coming out is a process that will happen when you are ready and when the timing is right. It can’t be rushed and it doesn’t follow a schedule!

However, my husband was a very public person in San Francisco. Our wedding was a huge affair with over 450 guests and was actually broadcast online around the world. I could not have imagined a more perfect wedding. My closest friends from Turkey flew in for my special day, which meant the world to me. But Turkey can be like a small town when people start talking. My father saw mentions of our wedding on social media and immediately jumped on a plane to come to San Francisco! Okan and his husband on their wedding day and (right) on their honeymoon From Turkey!!

Okan Sengun, Esq., is the founding immigration attorney at Okan Immigration Law Group ( https://www.okanlaw.com/ ). He is also the Executive Director and Co-Founder of The LGBT Asylum Project: https://www.lgbtasylumproject.org/ S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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COVID, Community, and Living with Dementia More than 80% of the care recipients Adriana works with are living with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, or some other form of dementia. I asked her what changes she has seen in the people she serves since COVID in March of this year.

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 only newspaper for the LGBT community in San Francisco that is 100% owned and operated by LGBT individuals. Dr. Betty L. Sullivan Jennifer L. Viegas Co-Publishers & Co-Editors

Beth Greene Michael Delgado Abby Zimberg Design & Production

Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon Calendar Editor

Kit Kennedy Poet-In-Residence J.H. Herren Technology Director Carla Ramos Web Coordinator Mario Ordonez Distribution

CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Kate Kendell, Alex Randolph, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Tim Seelig, Cinder Ernst, John Chen Rafael Mandelman, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Kin Folkz, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Peter Gallotta, Bill Lipsky, Elisa Quinzi, Liam Mayclem, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Derek Barnes, Marcy Adelman, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron Michele Karlsberg Lyndsey Schlax, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Lou Fischer, Karin Jaffie, Brett Andrews, Karen E. Bardsley, David Landis, Jan Wahl

Aging in Community Dr. Marcy Adelman Adriana Sanchez, Care Consultant for Family Caregivers Alliance (FCA), recently shared the following with me for the San Francisco Bay Times: “Peter, a gay man in his 80s, lives alone. He long ago lost contact with his family, and his friends have either died or moved away. Ben, a younger gay man in his 60s who lives nearby, has taken it upon himself to look in on his neighbor Peter. During COVID, Ben noticed something was going on with Peter when he seemed frequently confused and having memory problems. Ben called FCA for help. Peter needed more help than Ben could provide. I did an assessment over the phone. Peter needed help with house cleaning, cooking, food shopping, organizing doctors’ appointments, and help with his finances. FCA was able to help Ben make these arrangements for Peter.” (The names were changed to protect the individuals’ privacy.) FCA is a nonprofit online service for low-income seniors that provides support and resources for caregivers of adults with dementia and other chronic health problems. The nonprofit specializes in working with older adults with cognitive conditions.

Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Jane Higgins Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg, Deborah Svoboda, Kristopher Acevedo, Morgan Shidler, JP Lor ADVERTISING Display Advertising Standard Rate Cards http://sfbaytimes.com/ or 415-503-1375 Custom ad sizes are available. Ads are reviewed by the publishers. National Advertising: Contact Bay Times / San Francisco. Represented by Rivendell Media: 908-232-2021 Circulation is verified by an independent agency Reprints by permission only. CALENDAR Submit events for consideration by e-mail to: calendar@sfbaytimes.com © 2020 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas

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Adriana replied, “Most people are doing their best to cope. They are able to maintain their physical and mental health. Too many others, however, are having a harder time. In COVID we have seen an increase in caregivers feeling lonely and depressed. Many care recipients are struggling and declining. By that I mean, many care recipients with cognitive impairment are experiencing sudden declines in their ability to walk and/or to speak. Especially those who live alone.” She added, “Most of the gay men we serve have limited friendship networks and don’t have any family connections. Most live alone. They do not have a group of friends to provide them with the ongoing emotional support and help they need. Isolation has emerged as the number one issue.” In March, FCA went from in-person services to virtual services. All of FCA’s support groups stopped meeting in person, including their LGBTQ caregivers support group, family caregivers support group, and Spanish-speaking support groups for caregivers of adults with chronic health problems. Other services care recipients may have been receiving, such as physical therapy and speech therapy, also went virtual. Adriana offered that “the increased difficulties with speaking we are seeing with care recipients with cognitive conditions may have to do with decreased opportunities for social interactions and the possibility that

speech therapy on Zoom or phone are not an adequate replacement for in-person experiences. I am hoping at some point in the not too distant future that there will be enough COVID tests available that speech therapists and physical therapists can return safely to in-person home visits. With tests and proper safety procedures, we don’t have to wait for a vaccine.” I asked Adriana if non-LGBTQ caregivers and care recipients had similar issues as LGBTQ people. She replied, “I am Mexican and bilingual. For the Latinx people I work with who are not LGBTQ, the number one issue is food insecurity. Many older Latinx care recipients also express feelings of loneliness to me. They usually are living with adult children who are working. A big pattern I see is that the parents don’t want to burden their children or friends with their concerns. We encourage and help them to share their feelings and concerns with their children. We can help with both these issues.” Shanti, an LGBTQ+ senior serving nonprofit, has a smaller percentage of program participants living with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s than FCA. Joanne Kipnis, Program Director of Shanti’s LGBTQ+ Aging and Abilities Support Network, describes her program as providing care navigation, client advocacy, emotional support, practical assistance, and social programming to LGBTQ+ older adults and LGBTQ+ adults living with disabil-

ities. I asked her if she had seen any changes during the time of COVID in the few program participants with cognitive impairment in Shanti’s program. She replied, “We have noticed increased confusion and memory issues on our phone calls. Most of our interactions are now over the phone. Because of COVID, our volunteers and Care Navigators are not meeting with people in person. We have seen a shift in people’s abilities. Clients who are sheltering in place have limited connection with people. The lack of connection is isolating. There is an increase in emotional stress. We are seeing an increase in isolation, depression, and loneliness. That’s understandable. Their lives have been completely upended.” “Our program provides practical support, such as transportation to doctors’ appointments, food shopping, help paying bills, and light housekeeping,” Kipnis continued. “Our Care Navigators provide advocacy and referral. Our trained volunteers are matched with program participants. They meet weekly for emotional support, conversation and connection. Many of our program participants can’t join our virtual programming because they don’t have the essential devices, such as a computer, or they are unable to connect to the internet or find navigating Zoom too challenging.” It is hard not to be impacted by the stress of COVID, the social isolation (continued on page 28)

Alegre Home Care is proud to support Dr. Marcy Adelman’s Aging in Community column in the San Francisco Bay Times.

Mega Philanthropy: Demanding More (Part 2)

Social Philanthropreneur Derek Barnes Last month, I began describing ways we could all demand more philanthropic leadership from the wealthiest individuals and corporations by adopting “the 5% challenge”— donating, annually, at least 5% of individual wealth and corporate gross profits to philanthropic causes. This challenge positions titans of industry, corporate philanthropy, and mega-donors to be vital equalizers to rampant forms of capitalism. Let’s explore more evidence of funding gaps in critical areas and other ways to inspire individual altruism and good corporate citizenship, as well as holding people and companies accountable to commitments that advance our communities. If industry and corporate-friendly tax structures contribute to our degrading societal conditions and widening

the socio-economic gap, what greater responsibility do large companies and the wealthiest among us have to do more, and why should they? It’s good that mega-philanthropy is on the rise. However, it hasn’t neutralized an imbalance in our tax structure. It doesn’t offset the decline in individual giving we’ve seen over the last decade and can’t address a more equitable distribution of funding to a broader portfolio of community need. There’s also a growing trend of corporations, billionaires, and multimillionaires who are rushing to set up their own foundations and charities to engage their specific philanthropic interests. But like most things in life, it’s critical to follow the money to understand what’s behind the curtain that is truly driving the motivation for specific types of giving. Without transparency and accountability, bias in philanthropy and charitable giving can also creep in. Bias can advance exclusionary practices, may create unintended consequences, and even drive perverse incentives or outcomes. Where a person or company directs philanthropic resources really depends on areas of charitable interest, brand influence, reputational threats, and overall core values. Even with mega-philanthropy on the rise, there is still dire need that

mostly goes unmet in many communities. One reason is that the distribution of large donations is directed by smaller, more powerful, and wellresourced entities who will narrowly focus or restrict their overall giving. The result is that many organizations won’t be included in the distribution of donations or grants. They will need to find other sources of funding or cease to operate. This is adding to an already stressful scenario with the current pandemic and economic challenges. Alternatively, and if properly guided, the mega-philanthropist can direct massive amounts of funding to a focused set of causes and help drive enormous impact and superior outcomes—life-altering for many people and communities. Let’s dig into a few other facts. Over $4B is awarded annually by community foundations, but only $5M is distributed to fund LGBTQ+ issues. 25 community foundations have consistently underfunded Black-Brown communities, according to a recent study by the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP). About 1% of all grantmaking goes to these communities where the representative population can be as high as 15% or more. These disparities throttle service innovation and can severely restrict nonprofit organizations that deliver critical life-saving and trans-

formative services, especially in times of great need. Even if the NCRP stats under-report, it’s safe to say that more can be done to close these gaps, raise more money, and more effectively distribute funding where there is the greatest need. Additionally, nothing has exposed these gaps more than COVID and the lingering social inequity that fuels current protests. It’s also important to evaluate an individual and organization’s diversity and inclusion track record, and to analyze several areas that may influence how funds are directed. Then, challenge leadership to make changes by demanding the following: • Diverse demographic representation of staff (if applicable), leadership, and board of directors; • Dollars and percent of grants distributed to grantee organizations led by women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people; • Dollars and percent of grants distributed to grantee organizations based on their client demography and who they serve. Getting this data is necessary for transparency and accountability. It should be a challenge to anyone engaged in mega-philanthropy. It’s a huge hurdle, and many people aren’t exactly eager to “to pull back the curtain” because the data paints a

pretty grim picture. However, pushing philanthropist to focus on these challenges ensures success in more fairly distributing resources where the need is greatest, and underinvestment has historically occurred. By the time this column is published, 2020 voting will have ended, and we will undoubtedly test the durability of this democracy and our humanity. The next president’s administration will have their hands full, and our government can’t solve all these problems alone. We’ll need to address all the demands of an anemic economy, a pandemic that is still raging, and the deteriorating economic conditions for millions of people in this country. Like never before, there will be a call to action by everyone to create needed stability for so many fellow citizens—whether their votes were aligned with our individual values or not. We activate our humanity in times of crisis, and philanthropic leadership, at all levels, can help us weather this impending storm. Derek Barnes is CEO of East Bay Rental Housing Association ( www. EBRHA.com ) and a Co-Founder at g-dii Enterprises ( https://www.g-dii.com/ ). He currently serves on the boards of Horizons Foundation and Homebridge CA. Follow him on Twitter @DerekBarnesSF or on Instagram at DerekBarnes.SF

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BAY TIMES S

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

In Memoriam: Tom Taylor: 9/8/1943–10/20/2020

With only a Richmond High School degree, his career started in hairdressing, where his flare and wit made him quickly sought after by prominent members of San Francisco society. From coiffing hair and chatting with movers and shakers in the City, Tom began to apply his natural creativity and love of beauty to various projects, including entertainment, costuming, prop construction, retail, décor, and ambiance, never asking for credit, but always ready to help. As Dr. Jerome Goldstein’s partner, property management soon became part of his portfolio, utilizing self-taught skills in electricity, plumbing, and construction. In the 1970s, they moved together into the little 1920s era cottage on 21st Street and began its magical transformation into the sprawling location for so many celebrations, memorials, tributes, fundraisers, and other parties. Countless nonprofit organizations benefited from events hosted in their home, complete with hot and cold food, drink, and incomparable hospitality. This became a tangible representation of the couple’s extraordinary philanthropy, supporting both small, growing agencies and larger, established groups, across a wide spectrum of LGBTQ and other causes. From his sister-in-law’s graduation and niece’s wedding to a host of other family gatherings, Tom had a knack for making it look effortless, but feel absolutely grand. Indeed, if Tom was in charge, you knew the mothership had landed and Elvis was in the house. The unmistakable landmark of the property became the Norfolk Island pine, originally a 3-foot house plant that grew to a 65-foot towering tree, elaborately decorated each December to the delight of the neighborhood and the City. The San Francisco Bay Times called it “a beacon of holiday joy and a symbol of the very best about this season.” Tom was particularly proud when Richard Gutierrez’s documentary Making Christmas: The View from the Tom & Jerry Christmas Tree was included in the 2011 Frameline Film Festival and when ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight invited their participation in 2018. The couple’s wedding ceremony in 2013 took place on the steep street in front of their home with hundreds of guests seated on the asphalt in folding chairs, a rather defiant statement of their proud position in the City and their love of each other. Dr. Robert Akeley and Gilbert Baker officiated. Tom’s friendship with Gilbert Baker, the creator of the iconic Rainbow Flag for the LGBTQ Community, led to a lifetime commitment, carefully watching over the flag in Harvey Milk Plaza through the

Longtime friend Russell Kassman wrote of Tom Taylor and Jerome Goldstein: “As a young 25-year-old, these two were successful, out gay men, and were everything I hoped to become, and to achieve some day. They taught me what it meant to be out and proud, and the responsibility to community one has when one is successful.”

PHOTO BY JO-LYNN OTTO

Born on September 8, 1943, in Richmond, California, to Cecil Martin and Erma Cora Jesse Taylor (who preceded him in death), Thomas Jesse Taylor demonstrated crafty talent and creative ingenuity early on. He was an outstanding Boy Scout, Eagle Scout, and Cub Scout Jr. Leader.

Diversity Foundation and enthusiastically decorating events far and wide with swaths of rainbow fabric. The book Rainbow Warrior: My Life in Color reveals how important his role was in developing and spreading this unifying international symbol of hope. Tom was instrumental in the completion of the incredible milelong rainbow flag unveiled in New York for the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in 1994. Tom spent his adult life as a proud gay man and encouraged others to do the same, especially in the height of the AIDS epidemic. He defied his 1983 AIDS diagnosis and later fought prostate cancer for 17 years, a true survivor, not one to complain of constant treatments, but determined to enjoy life.

PHOTO BY RINK

The world has lost a gentle giant. Tom Taylor passed away on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, at 7:37 am at the side of his devoted husband of 48 years, Dr. Jerome Goldstein, in their fabulous home atop the hill in the Castro where they generously hosted so many memorable gatherings. The family thanks all those who have shared kind words and love during this difficult time and ask for your patience as private and public services are being considered. Jerry’s recovery from a recent surgery and current pandemic restrictions make immediate plans difficult.

Photos courtesy of Jerry Goldstein

Patrick Carney, the man behind the Pink Triangle Project, wrote: “Tom Taylor was everywhere in service to every one of us. Rarely will any of us meet the likes of such generosity, humbleness, communitydevotion, as well as extravagance again.” Tall, blond, and handsome, Tom was a loving husband, brother, uncle, cousin, friend, colleague, and LGBTQ advocate. He is survived by his husband Dr. Jerome Goldstein and a family who considered him the glue that kept them together, including brother Dwight Taylor and his wife Lola, nephews Leonard and Robert and wife Natasha, grandnieces Caitlyn and Sophia, grandnephew Aaron, great grandniece Olivia, brother Martin Taylor and his wife the late Suzie, niece Angie and husband Doug, grandnephew Thomas, sister Lee Ann Taylor Lester and husband David, nephew Aaron, grandniece Isabella, sister Barbara Taylor Andreozzi and husband Bob, niece Brittney Souza and husband Rodney, grandniece Abrianna, grandnephews Anthony and Vincent, niece Belinda De Verniero and husband John, grandniece Natasha Given and husband Dalton, grandnieces Victoria and Serafina, grandnephew Luciano, the Papendorf and Layn families, and a host of friends whom he considered family-bychoice. The many events Tom & Jerry hosted and projects they produced were made possible by a loyal team, including Paul Valente, Jose and Alex Lazo, Benji Fujita, Toby Pak, Mario Chacon, Hunter Padilla, Manny Salazar, Manuel Contreras, and Jon Orque. All those listed and so many others will never forget the many kindnesses, wild inventiveness, quiet modesty, and contagious laughter of Tom Taylor.

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PHOTO BY ABBY ZIMBERG

PHOTO BY JUAN R. DAVILA

On Saturday morning, October 31, Donna Sachet welcomed civic leaders, family, and guests to a memorial gathering for Tom Taylor held at Harvey Milk Plaza. During the ceremony, a new rainbow flag was installed in Tom Taylor's honor.

Donna’s Chronicles

By Donna Sachet

“The truth is our election system is flawed. But it will only be improved if we trust it enough to elect people committed to fixing it.” –Pete Buttigieg

ne of the unique frustrations about writing a column with a firm deadline is the fact that events may occur between deadline and publication that cannot be reflected in that column. Such is the case as we write these words, full of hopeful optimism about the results of Election Day, but unable to predict with any certainty. Perhaps that is one thing that COVID-19 has taught us, that no predictions are sufficient when so much is uncertain. We just hope our readers have exercised their civic responsibility, not just by voting, but also by doing your own research and educating yourselves on candidates and propositions, so that yours is an intelligent vote. By the time you read this towards the end of the week, surely we will know definitively what direction the nation, the State, and the City will take in 2021 and beyond! Although the current pandemic and all the restrictions related to it may force us to question the future, no one can question the formidable role San Francisco has played in the movement for LGBTQ civil rights. From blockbuster films like Gus Van Sant’s Milk and ABC’s When We Rise by Dustin Lance Black to locally produced and award-winning documentaries like David Lassman’s 50 Years of Fabulous and Susan Stryker’s book and Donna Persona’s play about the Compton Cafeteria Riots, many of the stories from the early days of protest in San Francisco have recently seen national exposure. Add to those the HBO-Max mini-series Equal. This brand-new series combines rare vintage footage and press reports with dramatic characterizations and reenactments, bringing famous and lesser known events and participants to light. The unmistakable voice of Billy Porter guides us through four episodes and they are chock full of San Francisco references, events, and personalities. From the very first episode, we hear the recorded voice of José Sarria, local icon, first openly Gay person to run for political office in the country, and founder of the Imperial Court, saying, “United we stand; divided they catch us one by one.” In a later episode, we hear much more about his life and contributions with Emmy Award-winning Jai Rodriguez playing the part of José, having carefully studied his voice and mannerisms. Indeed, many of the actors featured throughout are members of our LGBTQ Community, including Samira Wiley, Cheyenne Jackson, Sara Gilbert, Isis King, and Gale Harold. The decades-long story of legendary Phyllis Lyon & Del Martin is brought into focus with archival materials and actress portrayals, as are Harvey Milk, Harry Hay, Lorraine Hansberry, and Bayard Rustin, all of whom have San Francisco connections and several of whom are recognized with bronze plaques from the Rainbow Honor Walk in the sidewalks of the Castro. As we watched all four episodes back-to-back, we found ourselves jumping out of our seat as we recognized featured and incidental characters and remembered seminal moments from the past. With laughter, tears, and everything in between, we felt fully engulfed in a modern civil rights movement that had many of its roots right here. And we count ourselves very lucky to have known many of those participating by virtue of living right here!

Calendar

a/la Sachet Saturday, November 7 MIGHTY REAL: PRC’s annual gala Online event with special guest THE Patti LaBelle Absinthe Brasserie & Bar delivered food & wine 6 pm www.prcsf.org Sunday, November 8 ‘S Wonderfully De-Lovely with Vanessa Bousay Feed your drag appetite with a talented singer & personality Featuring the music of George Gershwin and Cole Porter 6 pm Free! https://bit.ly/3oPQ j7P Tuesday, November 10 Queer Nightlife Talks: How Do You Live Without the Party? Panel discussion with Angelique Burke and Ralph Bruneau SF Bay Area Queer Nightlife Fund sponsored 7–9 pm Free! https://zoom.queernightlifefund.org/

Take it from us! This is a series well worth watching or even bingewatching! You too will be caught up in the excitement of watching events transpire on screen and realizing that many of those very events happened outside our doors. 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 Long stemmed white roses were placed at Harvey Milk Plaza during the ceremony in honor of Tom Taylor on Saturday, October 31.

PHOTO BY RINK

Donna Sachet, with Terry Asten Bennett and the staff of Cliff's, created a tribute to Tom Taylor in one of the famous front windows at Cliff's Variety. (Photo of Tom Taylor by Rink)

PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

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NOVEM BER 5, 2020

Willem Arondeus: ‘Homosexuals Are Not Cowards’

Faces from Our LGBT Past Dr. Bill Lipsky On the night of March 27, 1943, the Amsterdam Fire Department received a telephone call from the Gestapo. The Municipal Public Records Office was on fire. Led by someone wearing a police captain’s uniform, 15 men, an investigation showed later, had arrived at the building and asked the Nazi guards stationed there to open it for a special inspection. Once inside, they disabled the guards with drugs, then set the building on fire. All 15 men were members of the Dutch Resistance. One was a historian by profession, one was an architect. Several were medical students. Others were civil servants or office clerks. None was a trained saboteur. They had no background in special operations or surgical strikes. What they brought to their task was their deep dedication, their opposition to tyranny, and their humanity.

The Amsterdam Public Records Office after the fire.

after, essentially ending all contact with his family. He became a professional artist. Occasionally he won commissions for important works, including a mural for the Rotterdam town hall, but mostly he struggled for the next 20 years. His great joy of life, however, was Jan Tijssen, the son of a greengrocer. They met in 1933 in Apeldoorn, moved to Amsterdam, and lived openly together as a couple until the beginning of the war, when Arondeus sent him back to Apeldoorn for his safety.

mostly unreadable. They also upended filing cabinets and scattered contents, making surviving documents unusable for weeks. Unfortunately, they had not incinerated the entire archive of some 5,000,000 records. Frieda Belinfante, left, and Henriëtte Bosmans The men were quickly captured, betrayed by an anonymous source. 12 received the death penalty on June 18, 1943. Two weeks later, on July 1, they were taken to a site on the Overveense dunes. Handcuffed and without blindfolds, they faced a firing squad using submachine guns. Two others were deported to the Dachau concentration camp near Munich, which they survived. Van der Veen avoided capture until the next year, when he too was arrested and shot.

During his time with Tijssen, Arondeus turned from art to literature. He published two novels; a biography of the Dutch Pre-Raphaelite painter Leading the group that night was Matthijs Maris, who Willem Arondeus (1894–1943), an Frieda Belinfante Among those executed was Sjoerd fought to defend the radiopenly gay Dutch artist and author, Bakker (1915–1943), a tailor, cutter, cal Paris Commune in 1871; who fiercely resisted the Nazi occuand a history, Figures and Problems of and fashion designer. Like Arondeus, a close pation of the Netherlands from its Monumental Painting in the Netherlands. friend, he was openly homosexual. It was he earliest days. One of six children, By the time it appeared 1941, he was who fabricated the police uniforms used on he was 17 when he told his parents deeply involved with the Dutch resisMarch 27. Just before his execution, the Nazis about his homosexuality. Although tance movement against the Nazis. allowed him to make a single request. He same-sex intimacy had been legal asked to wear his favorite pink shirt, which At first he produced and distribin the Netherlands since 1811, they became his shroud. After the war, it helped uted several underground pubwere not pleased. He left home soon to identify him and his colleagues in their lications, urging all unmarked mass grave. citizens to resist the fascist occupation of the Also deeply involved in planning the Public Netherlands and callRecords Office offensive was Dutch musiing for a mass movement cian Frieda Belinfante (1904–1995), who to defy it. When he realcould not be there: there were no women on ized that appeals were the Amsterdam police force. A well-known not enough, he joined the and highly respected cellist and a pioneersculptor Gerrit van der ing female conductor, she made no secret of Sjoerd Bakker Veen to form the Raad her loving women. When she was 18, she met van Verzet (Resistance Henriëtte Bosmans, an upcoming pianist. Council), forging idenTheir relationship lasted for 6 years. tity cards to protect Amsterdam’s Jewish After the exploits of March 27, Belinfante community from deporfirst hid out in Amsterdam, disguised as a tation to concentration man. “I really looked pretty good,” she later camps. said. The Dutch Resistance then smuggled her out of the country to Belgium and Arondeus and his colinto France, where the French Underground leagues soon discovered helped her to reach Switzerland, which at there was a serious problem with their forgerfirst refused her asylum. Only after a Swiss ies: they could easily be friend confirmed that she was, in fact, a proved false when comDutch citizen was she allowed to stay. pared to the information The Swiss repatriated Belinfante to the files in the Municipal Netherlands soon after the war ended in Public Records Office. Remembrance stone for the participants in the attack on the popula1945. She moved to the United States two Finding more and more tion register in Amsterdam years later, teaching music at UCLA, giving counterfeit documents, private lessons, and playing for Hollywood the Nazis were doing studio soundtracks. In 1954 she became the exactly that, making the founding artistic director and conductor of bureau’s existence a serithe Orange County Philharmonic, making ous obstacle to rescuing the persecuted. The soluher the first woman to be the permanent contion: destroy the records ductor of a resident professional orchestra. in the building by blowNone of these defenders of humanity was ing it up. defeated by fascism’s brutality. They had Their plan, as daring as defied oppression and shown others how to it was dangerous, was fight it. For Arondeus especially, the effort only partially successhad been worth the sacrifice. “Death has ful. Although they badly no horror of any of us,” he wrote to a friend. damaged the building, “I go with a grateful heart.” To the end he it was not completely remained true both to his principles and to destroyed. The group himself. managed to destroy 800,000 identity cards; Bill Lipsky, Ph.D., author of “Gay and thousands more, smoke Lesbian San Francisco” (2006), is a member damaged and water of the Rainbow Honor Walk board of direcWillem Arondeus - A Moment of Puzzled Watch Willem Arondeus damaged, now were tors. 18

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Three Men and a Ragdoll

Photos courtesy of John Chen

Sports John Chen Just like that it’s Fall 2020 and we haven’t made a meaningful dent in the fight against COVID-19. But I can’t complain. During this time, I have taken several road trips, both long and short, played lots of outdoor individual sports, supported local businesses, learned to make a mean meatloaf, and started to go to the gym since the re-opening. What’s left to do? We got a kitten! It’s been years since our three boys Midnight, Max, and Trevor passed away. We adopted them as adult cats from our local animal shelter and they enriched our lives greatly during their eightyear stint with us. It wasn’t easy letting them go and we decided that we weren’t ready to emotionally invest in more pets.

Take Me Home with You! “Need a new buddy while you’re at home? Meet Nalah, a 1-yearold, Husky gal! She’s a lively girl who loves to play and be active. She’s very smart and is potty trained in her current home. She likes to learn and will do great with an experienced owner who can continue teaching her everything she needs to know. Nalah likes meeting new people and gets along well with other dogs. What’s not to love?? Her subtle head tilt is just begging to ask, ‘Have I convinced you I’m a good girl yet?’”

We decided on a kitten because we wanted a little energetic fuzz ball and to be a part of his growth. Although we’ve had many cats over the years,

For more information: https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions

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Drum roll, please! We got a rare mitted, mink ragdoll kitten whom we named Andy after the ragdoll Raggedy Andy. After much research, we realized a ragdoll is the best choice for our lifestyle and personalities. Ragdolls are super chill, peopleoriented, and are general love bugs. They are also the klutz of the cat world. This was our first foray into raising a purebred, so we’ve taken every precaution. We’ve completely kitten-proofed our house, purchased only the highest-rated kitten food and toys, and diligently swept and dusted every corner to ensure cleanliness. We were ready to spoil our little boy! We were nervous the first couple of days with Andy in his new environment. I stayed up until 3 am playing and cuddling with him until he finally fell asleep. Andy was a little trooper, despite the six-hour car drive and being plucked out of his

familiar surroundings, he made our home his forever home in no time. He is energetic, playful, clumsy, and a general riot! Andy follows us around and loves attention, and demands to sleep in our arms. In fact, he is playing in my arms and pressing all types of keys as I write this article. I am just glad he didn’t “accidentally” press delete. I am not sure why cats are fascinated with laptops and computer keyboards, but nowadays, as soon as I sit down and open my laptop, Andy is on it like “white on rice.” In his new home, Andy has three cat dads—me, my husband, and my “little bro” buddy—looking out for him, catering to his needs and loving him. We call ourselves “three men and a ragdoll” and even started an Instagram profile for our little boy by the same name. In a short, few weeks, Andy has provided us with hours of entertainment and filled our hearts with a sense of purpose during this pandemic. We are very lucky to have him posturing, nibbling, racing, cuddling, purring, and pawing at all hours of the day! John Chen, a UCLA alumnus and an avid sports fan, has competed as well as coached tennis, volleyball, softball and football teams.

Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Photos by Juan R. Davila

Led by organizer Roberto Hernández, volunteers at the Mission Food Hub observed Día de Los Muertos on Monday, November 2. Original displays were created inside the Hub’s building and along the sidewalk at Mission Street between 22nd and 24th Streets.

Nalah is presented to San Francisco Bay Times readers by Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, the SF SPCA’s Co-President. Our thanks also go to Krista Maloney and Kelsie Yahata for helping to get the word out about lovable pets like Nalah. To apply to meet Nalah, visit https://bit.ly/2GvVQiQ

That was nearly 10 years ago. 10 years without responsibility and unconditional love. We missed it. The emotional and health benefits of owning a pet, especially a cat, have been well documented. Seeing many of our friends happily adopting pets on Facebook was the final straw. Let’s face it, we’re not getting any younger and a kitten would do wonders for our sanity during this long, extended pandemic.

they all came to us as adults. A kitten requires special care and attention as well as extra responsibilities. We spent many late nights watching kitten instructional YouTube videos and Googled animal shelters and cat societies, as well as cat breeds and breeders. We wanted to make sure we got the right kitten for us and that we could provide the best environment for our little addition.

Loved ones lost recently during the COVID-19 pandemic were acknowledged with crest altars. Each altar included symbolic elements, such as fire, paper, flowers, incense, water, salt, banquet, skulls, and the white cross, with specific meanings. Marigolds, for example, hold meaning in this context due to their short bloom season, fragrance, bold colors, and more. Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup

Origins of this annual celebration of life and death reflect a fusion of traditions found in Europe and Mesoamerica, particularly the ancient Aztec empire. Mission Food Hub on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1169152970117653/

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“Betty’s List” & Blue Water Ventures Outdoor Adventure for Women Photos courtesy of Kim Powell, Deanne, Nikki, and Jade Naturalists Kim Powell and Nikki Doyle of Blue Water Ventures led an outing for women, co-hosted by “Betty’s List,” on Saturday, August 8. An enthusiastic group enjoyed kayaking on the Bay near Pillar Point and a tidepooling experience near Mavericks Beach that yielded unusual and unexpected successes. Guide Kim Powell shared, “For us, getting out on the water has created balance in our lives during these most challenging times. We hope that (the event) helped to restore the spirit of all who joined us. I loved the rhythm of change during our time together. The contrast of paddling through the fog, the beauty the Bay revealed, then more fog. A special creature feature for me was the predatory Lewis’ moon snail that Nikki found, and did I hear her squeal? Loved it!” Plans are underway for a special Holiday Outing for Women on Sunday, December 27. Included in this “moon rise” event will be a kayak paddle with festively decorated boats, time for a group lunch, tidepooling at Mavericks Beach, and an optional holiday-themed dinner. For more details, including a description of COVID-19 safety measures, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/y24zaqcx

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NOVEM BER 5, 2020

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

Sister Dana sez, "Representative Hakeem Jeffries said it best: Trump has �a Masters in Manipulation and a PhD in Deception’!" “It’s such an honor to be able to be here and speak truthfully, honestly from my heart, what I know my father believes in,” said Tiffany Totally Trump in her speech at a sparsely attended “Trump PRIDE” rally. “Prior to politics, he supported gays, lesbians, LGBQIA+ [sic] community. OK?” Sister Dana sez, "No, not OK! You excluded Transgenders, just like your father. How dare you use the term �PRIDE’ when T-rump is nothing but shame!" We travelled back in time on October 22 to MARIE’S CRISIS, the greatest sing-along, show tunes bar in history, and the mystery surrounding its name and Thomas Paine. This was one of the 32nd one-man corona shows via Zoom written by and performed by my good friend, John Fisher, director of THEATRE RHINOCEROS. Theatre Rhinoceros was established over 40 years ago with the vision that queer people, as a population marginalized or ostracized by society, need space in which their artists can create and produce. Likewise, queer audiences deserve to see their lives represented on stage. History reveals an evolution in our consciousness to include BIPOC artists and audiences in this mission. So, please allow me to take you with me on John’s sensational show. Skip the first hour to start the show. https://tinyurl.com/yyp8shcd Sister Dana sez, "After that second DEBATE, I can only visualize DarnOld Trump as an orange orangutan out of control, raging, screaming, and throwing feces! And what a joy it will be when that monster’s mic is muted forever!” I and so many of his fabulous queer family mourn the loss of an icon of our community, Tom Taylor, who brought so much joy to us with his and his partner Dr. Jerry Goldstein’s TOM & JERRY CHRISTMAS TREE HOUSE. This dynamic duo sponsored the RAINBOW FLAG that flies flawlessly in the Castro (continuing Flag creator Gilbert Baker’s legacy), and makes sure the Flag flies freely along Market Street every Pride Month in EssEff. Please take a look back at this remarkable life and his achievements in this issue.

Sister Dana sez, “Typhoid Trumpy has claimed, ‘We are rounding the corner about Covid.’ If so, we’re heading directly toward an oncoming speeding freight train! All aboard Choo-choo Covid, everyone!” You probably know Sarah Cooper for her hysterical, spot-on lip-syncs of Trump’s stupid words. But now you get to know her genius in a Netflix special, “EVERYTHING’S FINE,” with a long list of Hollywood co-stars ranging from Whoopi Goldberg to John Hamm to Maya Rudolph on the fakest of fake news satire for these tempestuous times. I guarantee you will bust a gut laughing! Sister Dana sez, "I just found out that Democratic Senator Cory Booker and vote-getter RuPaul are cousins. Sing along with me: �It’s a drag world after all!’" To the delight of us leather/feather/ fetish SM/BD folx and fans, GRASS ROOTS GAY RIGHTS FOUNDATION held a VIRTUAL CHECK CELEBRATION to distribute $20,000 each to two deserving beneficiaries on October 29. The evening included special performances by DQ extraordinaire Grace Towers, bearded and beautiful, who occasionally lip-synced through an electronic light-up mask (so safe, and yet so easy to “sing” through), but then showed her superior talents mask-less with those GORGEOUS lips! Keith Lawrence preceded his song urging, “Let’s get this Cheeto outta here!” and gave us an original angry, mournful song calling out the Orange Ogre for his endless lies. SFGMC Associate Director Mitch Galli noted that the Chorus is all about music AND activism, giving us the not terribly happy news that Season 43 would be strictly online. He introduced members of the San Francisco Gay Men›s Chorus, who made us cry for their extremely emotional “Seasons of Love” from RENT. GRGRF Executive Director Dave Hendrickson welcomed us. He introduced one of the two beneficiaries of the REAL BAD annual fundraiser, AIDS LEGAL REFERRAL PANEL (ALRP), E.D. Bill Hirsch, who spoke of the current concern of people with AIDS being evicted from their homes and how volunteer lawyers can help. APIENC was the second beneficiary. Sammie explained that API Equality - Northern California builds transgender, non-binary, and queer API (Asian and Pacific Islander) power. E.D. Jonathan Cook told us of the current COVID-19 struggle of SOLANO PRIDE CENTER.

CONCERT FROM HOME was the October 24 Community Concert by SAN FRANCISCO LESBIAN/ GAY FREEDOM BAND. The concert included many exciting pieces cel(continued on page 26) ebrating our community’s strength, resiliency, and hope for the future: La Réjouissance (the Joy) from "Music for the Royal Fireworks” (George Frideric Handel); A Quiet Journey Home (Ayatey Shabazz); Alegre (Tania León); Hands Across the Sea—along with Portland’s ROSE CITY PRIDE BAND with flag twirlers—introduced by Mayor London Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Dana) with friends 22

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USED BY PERMISSION

By Sister Dana Van Iquity

Breed; the inspirational This Is Me from THE GREATEST SHOWMAN; Dancing Queen encouraging us to disco away with my fave solo singer Leanne Borghesi; and, of course, I Left My Heart in San Francisco (also soloed by Leanne). The pre-show music was from SFL/GFB›s A SAN FRANCISCO AFFAIR. There was a special Tribute in memory of Tom Taylor, a huge supporter of the Band. https://bit.ly/2Tn2QRN

BAY TIMES S

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2019)

San Francisco Transgender Film Festival

The popular film festival is back—online—for 2020 If you were worried about missing the San Francisco Transgender Film Festival (SFTFF) this year, well, have no fear! The world’s first and longest running transgender film festival is online November 12–15. All programs are closedcaptioned—and all tickets are pay-what-you-can!

Satan’s Tears

The 20th SFTFF moves online and into your home—and they’ve expanded to offer more films during shelter-in-place, with a rich offering of 7 new programs. All films will be Closed Captioned for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing audiences. All genders welcome! The festival is co-presented by SFTFF’s longtime home The Roxie Theater. Founded in 1997 as the world’s first transgender film festival, SFTFF continues to lead the pack when it comes to innovation, risk-taking, and imagination. The festival couldn’t come too soon this year—it’s been a difficult time for trans communities, from the effects of COVID19, especially its economic impact on transgender people of color, to the multiple attacks from the Trump administration eliminating federal protections against discrimination in health care for transgender people along with barring trans people from the military. “We want to make our film programs accessible to all our communities this year, because of the isolation of shelter-in place and the impact of COVID-19—so we made all programs pay-what-you-can,” says SFTFF Artistic Director Shawna Virago. “We hope these films will provide a needed respite from these times ... and demonstrate trans communities’ fighting spirit.”

Ponyboi

Viewers will see trans and gender-non-conforming communities’ resilience, strength, talents, street smarts, sass, resilience, sexuality, friendship, and courage in these films. From falling in love to building a movement for justice, from animation to hard-hitting documentaries, the 2020 SFTFF has something for everyone. This year’s festival features 7 different programs that illustrate the festival’s curatorial vision, which tends toward the intersectional, experimental, the non-linear, and stories that mainstream media platforms aren’t interested in telling. As Virago says, “We embrace under-represented voices, DIYaesthetics, and are proud to present truly brave filmmaking, super-queer quirkiness, and lots of innovation.” SFTFF 2020 Highlights Program 1 Tell-by Date Ryan gives himself a deadline to tell his son that he’s not his biological father, but it’s easier set than done! With Brian Michael Smith (star of Queen Sugar). Directed by Sarah Ball. Program 2 Lou: A San Francisco Fantasy Loosely based on the experiences of Lou Sullivan, gay trans pioneer, the film is an erotically charged snapshot into mid70s SF cruising, using new and archival footage. Shot on location in the Castro with a trans cast and crew. Directed by Mya Byrne. Program 3 Out of The Shadows Joselyn, a Mexican transgender immigrant woman, crosses the Mexico/U.S. border to flee increasingly dangerous conditions in her hometown. She attempts to adjust to her new home in Queens, New York, but finds similar oppressive conditions in the U.S. After the murder of her best friend she falls into a deep depression. Joselyn finds a community of transgender women and together they fight to lift themselves out of poverty by attempting to open the first trans-owned cooperative salon in the United States. Directed by Rafael Samanez. Program 4 62–84, I Didn’t Copy That HQ (from Turkey) The film shows lives that get united and threatened in a night: a woman who is running away because she was subjected to domestic violence by her husband, a trans person trying to

KIT’N KITTY’S

QUEER POP QUIZ

Float Bitch

hold on to life by cooking, and an illegal immigrant who is at the edge of suicide. Directed by Timuçin İpekusta. Program 5 Reclaiming Intersex (from South Africa) Nthabiseng Mokoena was born intersex in a rural village in South Africa, and their mother is forced to make radical choices if she is to protect her infant from being taken away to the apartheid hospital where Black people often inexplicably die. This film traces the history of intersex people in South Africa and how the intersection of race, class, culture, and religion affects the intersex community in a world that says they do not, cannot, and must not exist. Reclaiming Intersex is a revolutionary act. Directed by Gabrielle Le Roux and Nthabiseng Mokoena. Winner of the Audience Award at TranScreen Festival 2019, Amsterdam. Program 6 - Must Be 18+ to Watch Ponyboi Ponyboi is an intersex runaway. He works at a laundromat and hustles as a sex-worker. But after a mysterious encounter with a man from his dreams, he learns that perhaps he is worthy of leaving his seedy life in New Jersey behind. Directed by River Gallo and Sadé Clacken-Joseph. Program 7 Love You Forever Stuck within the time loop of ritualistic trauma, Love You Forever is an experimental horror film that takes place within the spectral plain of “Trans Girl Ether,” amplifying the palpitations of loss, grief, abandonment, and trauma. This story follows two sisters navigating defeatism and nihilism, conquering their fears of one another to learn the unending power of their bond. Directed by Sepand Mashiahof, Sepehr Mashiahof, and Hana Harada.

What: 2020 San Francisco Transgender Film Festival (SFTFF) When: November 12–15, 2020 All 7 Programs are available for viewing November 12–15, 2020 (Please note that Program 6 is an 18+ program) Where: Online (All films will be Closed Captioned for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing audiences) Tickets: Pay-what-you-can at: www.SFTFF.org Info: www.SFTFF.org

MUSIC FIT FOR A FIT FORMER PRESIDENT Former president Barack Obama posted via social media that this LGBT singer performed one of his favorite songs of 2019: A) Taylor Swift

B) Billie Eilish C) Billy Ray Cyrus

D) Frank Ocean

ANSWER ON PAGE 28

Karin Jaffie, aka Kit/Kitty Tapata, won the title of Mr. Gay San Francisco in 2011 and has earned many other honors since. Connect with Jaffie via Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pg/ktapata

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

NOVEM BER 5, 2020

Ammonite Presents a Vigorous Lesbian Romance who cottons to Charlotte one evening. But the strength of Ammonite, a romance novel in Masterpiece Theater guise, is Winslet’s gritty performance as the proud, stubborn Mary, and Ronan’s delicate turn as the sexually awakened Charlotte.

Film Gary M. Kramer Ammonite is the sophomore feature by out gay writer/director Francis Lee (God’s Own Country). This romantic drama is set in the 1840s in the British coastal town of Lyme Regis, where Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) collects and sells fossils. She prefers them to people, it seems. When the wealthy Roderick Murchison ( James McArdle) and his melancholic wife Charlotte (Saoirse Ronan) arrive in town, he pays Mary to study alongside her. He also asks Mary to care for Charlotte when he travels. She reluctantly agrees. Charlotte soon falls quite ill, prompting Mary to nurse her back to health. As the women spend more time together, even sharing a bed, they develop feelings for one another— an impulsive kiss leads to some rather explicit passions, and the vigorous sex scenes enliven this romantic drama. The film features lovely costumes, and there is a nice thorny exchange between Mary and her ex, Elizabeth (out actress Fiona Shaw),

In a recent interview, Lee spoke with me for the San Francisco Bay Times about his handsomely mounted period romance, which opens November 13. Gary Kramer: How did you learn about Mary Anning and decide to make a film about her? Francis Lee: I knew I never wanted to do a biography of her—that’s limiting. The nuts and bolts of her story are real. She lived in Lyme Regis and fossiled on the beaches. Charlotte is real, though she was slightly older [than Saoirse]. But Roderick did leave Charlotte in Lyme Regis. Elizabeth is real. There’s virtually nothing written about Mary by her contemporaries. I put that down to her being a working-class woman in a patriarchal, class-ridden society. There was no evidence whatsoever that she had relationships with men, but she had friendships with women like Elizabeth and Charlotte. I wanted to give her a relationship that was worthy of her and lifted her up. I did

not feel that could be with a man, so I wanted her to have a relationship that would be more equal. I did research on women same-sex relationships in the 1800s. Gary Kramer: Ammonite addresses issues of class and gender. Can you talk about how women had to operate in this very rigid society and how your film portrays feminist agency? Francis Lee: Mary wasn’t a suffragette; she didn’t work outside the society or try to change society in a political way. She operated within it and within the patriarchy, but was very self-possessed within that. In a sense, she was accepting some of society’s rules but still operating how you want to live and be. What I found fascinating about class for Mary, who came from a working-class background, was her aim for finding fossils was to earn money and put food on the table whereas Elizabeth was doing it as a hobby. Mary’s interest in science was her passion. Gary Kramer: What can you say about the symbolism in the film? When fossiling, Charlotte’s husband Roderick (continued on page 30)

Creativity During Chaos

Words Michele Karlsberg Michele Karlsberg: Best-selling author Karin Kallmaker is featured in this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times. During this time of chaos, Karin writes about real life crises and creative setbacks. Please enjoy her piece “Giving Up the Privilege of Disbelief to Find Creativity Again.” Some people thrive on chaos. For me, the chaos of pandemic and the daily news has been a creativity killer. My specialty is world-building happy places where two women become the heroes of their own lives. But the world under my feet is unstable, and too many of the people in it are making it worse. On top of that, as author Lara Hayes wrote recently, when trying to lift up voices of resistance and protest, it’s hard to get into the head 24

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space of creating our stories, let alone promoting them. Cue the chorus of inner doubt and imposter syndrome. Their lyrics are the usual—”You have nothing new to say; give it up; there are more important things to do; nobody will read it”— call and answer fugue, all through a pandemic megaphone. One of the obvious responses to the voices, and the uncertainty, is to look for what hasn’t changed that I can rely on. The goodness of people, which I see in every mask. The leaders who might be flawed but genuinely want to help people survive and thrive. The selflessness of medical professionals. This approach works on days when the news isn’t dire. This is not that day, week, or year. After five months of almost never leaving the house, and seeing over and over the failures of things I took for granted (a competent disaster response, for example), I’ve had to conquer my own disbelief that any of this could happen here, in the country I love. Disbelief was a privilege I had to discard if I wanted to rediscover my creative voice and energy. Though my own rights as a queer person were systemically withheld,

and freedoms hard won by the spectrum of resistance—from riots to courtrooms—I still believed justice won in the end, though it sometimes took far too long. Now I accept that justice isn’t merely slow, it’s nonexistent for too many people. I believed science would save us from most of our folly—and I still do. But I now know there are people who don’t want it to, because their personal economy profits from disaster and death. Some people actively consider others disposable to their cause of making money. I still believe with all my heart that love is the universal story, and love can make miracles. That’s the story I write. Now more than ever, I know that love is not enough. Where does this leave me in the creative sense? I have given up (continued on page 28)

BAY TIMES S

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

Relevant TV, Internet, and Movie Characters

Off the Wahl Jan Wahl Television on YouTube is a place to easily access characters torn right from the front pages. Who could be more modern than Larry David? This standup comic and creator of Seinfeld causes us both to cringe and laugh. The show is Curb Your Enthusiasm and there are ten seasons to find or re-watch on HBO Max or wherever you find it. Follow the life of David, a wealthy, bossy, judgmental Angelino, as he alienates everyone he meets. Some would say he is too outrageous; I would disagree since I worked for a man exactly like this. He is about to start his 11th season, but there are a few episodes that warrant viewing again. My favorites include “The Survivor” (season 4, episode 9) and “The Car Pool Lane” (season 4, episode 6.) There is much swearing and inappropriate sexual comedy, so be forewarned. Are you one of the lucky ones who has discovered Olive and Mabel? Based on the bestselling Olive, Mabel and Me: Life and Adventures with Two Good Dogs by Andrew Cotter, this is one of the funniest and simplest shows you will ever see. Enchanting is also a word for these short clips of two labs who are moderated by a former sports commentator who loves them very much. It is perfect for the attention deficit, since we have exciting conflicts like breakfast eating, bone snatching, internet dating, and household help. Ryan Reynolds is a fan and has helped their popularity, although I have a feeling these two canines could’ve made it with no help at all. Olive, Mabel, and their ever-so-serious owner Andrew remind us to chill out during these tense times. There are two characters in the terrific 2006 series 30 Rock that are respectively too smart and too dim, but both are reminders of those around us. Tina Fey portrays Liz Lemon, the producer of a network television show. She’s highly educated, articulate, streetwise, has terrible taste in men, and lacks certain social skills. Her smart, yet insecure, dialogue is perfect for those out

there who wonder how such bright people can get into such trouble. Jack McBrayer’s Kenneth is cheerful and obedient as the lowly NBC page, but since he lives for television, he is a happy camper. He is completely naïve about people and their motives, especially the sharks that swim in showbiz waters, but is sweet and endearing. Let’s go to the movies with one of my favorite characters in an underappreciated film. 2010’s The Way is about an ophthalmologist who travels to France to walk the famed Camino de Santiago. He is hoping to heal his pain of the past. Rather than shutting the door on his sorrow at losing his estranged son on this sacred path, he hikes it himself. Martin Sheen was brilliant in this one, available on various channels. The Way provides a reminder of all of us trying to make peace with our memories, and to find a way to soothe ourselves. We have faced self-centered and immoral politicians in a way we never thought possible. Let’s add some needed laughs to that kind of egomaniacal character with Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Mayer in Veep. This 2012 HBO series stays fresh in its depiction of the inner workings of the government, led by a terrible politician and her minions who keep winning. We eavesdrop on their thinking and conversations, horrified at their immorality and complete disregard for the truth as long as it gets them re-elected. Believe it or not, it’s funny! Sometimes there are movie and TV characters who are open to surprises and happy endings. Even if it is just

Hollywood fantasy, we need to look at the possibilities of positives! Big Eden (2000) gives us an entire Montana town full of incredibly supportive townsfolk, hoping to help a displaced New Yorker find love. Alice Wu’s wonderful comedy Saving Face has two women in love trying to survive the visit of a traditional mother. The visit helps them come to a place of conflict resolution and joyful acceptance. A man learns to be a better father through his son’s unconditional love in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. There are relevant, bright characters in these three films, the kind of people we need to look for and know.

The Way

From the quirky cast in Northern Exposure to the complicated love of Brokeback Mountain to our fragile Marilyn Monroe, reel characters are everywhere! Emmy Award-winner Jan Wahl is a renowned entertainment reporter, producer, and teacher. A member of the prestigious Directors Guild of America, she is regularly featured on KPIX television (every Monday morning starting at 6:15 am) and on KCBS AM & FM and other media outlets. To read and listen to her reviews for KCBS, go to: https://kcbsradio.radio.com/authors/jan-wahl For more info about her remarkable life and career: http://www.janwahl.com/ Check out her entertaining and informative videos at http://sfbaytimes.com/ S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

NOVEM BER 5, 2020

Speaking to Your Soul

Astrology Elisa Quinzi

We are being called to respond, rather than react, to the mounting tensions in the atmosphere. This requires us to withdraw our projections from onto the world, and to deeply examine our personal triggers and terrors. Thankfully our task is supported by an influx of encouraging energy, which if used rightly allows us to see the spiritual opportunities in the challenges before us.

ARIES (March 21–April 19) Your need for freedom is essential for your continuous evolution. However, it is imperative that your actions be driven by insights and self-awareness. Both you and the world win when you align your strong will with a greater source of your power than your ego.

LIBRA (September 23–October 22) You are more capable than you realize. Within you are assets you probably haven’t fully utilized, regardless of your current level of success. A greater sense of security will follow as you claim these powers, and take actions that will prove to you your resourcefulness in these otherwise uncertain times.

TAURUS (April 20–May 20) Every person in your life is a perfect reflection of what you believe about yourself. You have opportunities to begin fresh in your relationships, and to transcend power struggles. Loosen your grip on the controls by consciously aligning with the highest good for everyone involved.

SCORPIO (October 23–November 21) Happy Rebirth-day, Scorpio! By now you have a deeper realization of who and what you are. Life has been carving your character into sharply-defined distinction. Through feelings of isolation and separation you have the opportunity to triumph over life’s challenges by saying no to inertia and defeat.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You stand at the gateway of a new cycle, and humility is the key. Purify the waters of self by confronting your mistakes and making self-improvements. Use your suffering to evolve into a new identity.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22–December 21) This month closes a cycle for you. To the extent that you willingly sever ties to ghosts of your past, and release circumstances and structures that hold you captive, you gain significant freedom from worry. Focus on the value of all that you’ve been through this year, and bring that forward into the next cycle.

CANCER ( June 21–July 22) To Cancer’s cautious nature, pleasure can seem frivolous. And in the current climate, you’re probably more concerned with stashing savings and supplies. But joy is your medicine now; the antidote to a deeper ailment. Just be sure to discern between unhealthy addictions, and positive experiences that satisfy your soul.

CAPRICORN (December 22–January 19) A traditionalist by nature, you are currently called to make space for your inner revolutionary. Status and security are always yours for the taking, but for your highest creative potential to be realized, you must break out of enclosed models of success and use your position and influence to lead people to freedom.

LEO ( July 23–August 22) Stillness and privacy are necessary to reach further into the depths of your spiritual core. A purging may be necessary of any inherited family beliefs that don’t belong to you. You seek peace that begins and ends right where you are. VIRGO (August 23–September 22) What thought patterns have crystalized into stories that limit your perspective? It’s time to hit the refresh button on your mind so you can see with better clarity. Play the journalist for a while, without needing to be right.

AQUARIUS ( January 20–February 18) Know thyself. You, Aquarius, are charged with the responsibility of helping usher civilization into a brand-new era. The purity of your mission, should you accept it, will match the purity of your selfknowledge. PISCES (February 19–March 20) In the myth of King Arthur, the land has withered and Arthur sends his knights to search for the holy grail, which can restore the land and the kingdom. Arthur tells Percival to look for the signs and portends to show him the way. Percival finds and returns the grail to Arthur, restoring vitality to both Arthur and the land. A modernday Percival, you, Pisces, are to follow the signs and synchronicities, and bring what you find back to the people to restore the land.

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.

As Heard on the Street . . . If you were elected president, what’s the first thing you would do? compiled by Rink

Paul Schmitt

Deana Dawn

Lizzi Dierken

Steven Lloyd Mann

Alexander Upchurch

“Disinfect the White House”

“Free the children at the border”

“Bring people together to deal with systemic racism”

“Supreme Court justice, the economy, and global warming”

“Redecorate the Oval Office”

SISTER DANA (continued from page 22) Awards were given: Rookie of the Year was Chris Hanner; Events Leader was Philip Grasso; Man of the Year was events coordinator Miguel Jiminez (who returns next year in that position); he presented the Founders Award to Dave Hendrickson, who steps down this year. Board Secretary Scott Shouse is also stepping down. Various folx lauded the annual fundraiser REAL BAD for their unforgettable dance nights and margarita parties! Oh, how I miss those leatheriffic times! I was thrilled to catch the virtual STUD IN EXILE presenting HALLOWEEN DRAG ALIVE ONLINE on October 31. Hosts were Jillian Gnarling & Hollywood Texas with DJ Juanita MORE! spinning the spookiest of tunes such as “Monster Mash,” “Bewitched,” and “Addams Family.” Superb performances were by Nicki Jizz, Dvvsk, Hollow 26

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Eve, Boy Young, Mary Vice, God’s Lil Princess, Vanilla Meringue, and Zojob & Evian. The delightful show made up for my major disappointment of not being part of the big, bold, creative costumed folx partying in my Castro hood. We all followed orders and kept the population small and masked. I wore a black tee shirt with large orange neon lettering: “PROMOTE HOMOSEXUALITY” and a nametag saying: “Gay Recruiter.” Mayor London N. Breed and Treasurer José Cisneros have announced that San Francisco will provide $2.5 million in support for entertainment and nightlife venues in the form of additional fee and tax waivers. These businesses have been in large part unable to open due to COVID-19 and need assistance now. Waiving license and business registration fees and taxes for these businesses is part NOVE MB E R 5 , 2 0 2 0

of Mayor Breed’s efforts to support San Francisco’s economic recovery, as is aligned with the policy recommendations from the Economic Recovery Task Force. “We want to make sure these businesses are still around to bring music, performances, and excitement, as well as to provide jobs for so many,” said Mayor Breed. “Entertainment and nightlife are such an important part of why people live and visit our city, and we hope these additional fee waivers reduce some of the financial stress they’re experiencing.” Patti LaBelle, Grammy Awardwinning music legend and recipient of this year’s SYLVESTER COMMUNITY PILLAR AWARD, will join PRC for an intimate evening of song and celebration on November 7, 6 pm, with special guests Whoopi Goldberg, Cyndi Lauper, Andre Leon Talley, Mayor London Breed, and more. It will be a live-

streamed concert. All proceeds go to support PRC’s lifesaving, integrated social, legal, and health services to help the City’s most vulnerable populations. https://prcsf.org/ Just one week after the election, as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, and as calls for racial justice ring louder than ever, where are we headed in the LGBTQ movement? Join movement leaders in this important virtual discussion, hosted annually by HORIZONS FOUNDATION, on Thursday, November 12, 5 pm. Panelists are Kris Hayashi of Transgender Law Center, Kierra Johnson of The National LGBTQ Task Force, Isa Noyola of Mijente, and Imani Rupert-Gordon of National Center for Lesbian Rights. https://tinyurl.com/y4smxxa8 THE SAN FRANCISCO TRANSGENDER FILM

FEST (SFTFF) will take place online November 12–15. Founded in 1997 as North America’s first transgender film festival, they exhibit groundbreaking, provocative, outrageous, courageous, moving, and innovative works that show the complexity of lives lived on the transgender spectrum. http://sftff.org/ The final EUREKA VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION meeting of the year will be on Zoom on Thursday, November 19, 7 pm. The theme is “Holding Our Elected Officials Accountable.” Assemblymember David Chiu is attending, as well as many other guests. https://evna.org/ Sister Dana sez, "Let’s light up the neon Castro Theatre sign! In these dark times, we need to let the neon glow at night and proudly proclaim our gayborhood!"

ROSTOW (continued from page 5) or not an individual or an entity has the right to ignore gay rights’ ordinances based on faith. It’s pointless now, with Barrett replacing Ginsburg on the Court, to hope for a ruling in our favor. That said, it remains to be seen if the Court will take this opportunity to overrule a key 30-year-old precedent, Employment Division v Smith, which said religion cannot be used as an excuse to avoid generally applicable laws that are not targeting faith. Think about that for a second. Can you claim a constitutional right to shoot off fireworks in the city for your religious ritual? To take peyote for your religious ceremony? To issue credit to men but not women? To serve whites but not Blacks based on some obscure passage in the Old Testament? Obviously, the answer’s no. And, in fact, Employment Division v Smith was written by none other than Antonin Scalia, Barrett’s mentor, who observed that “every man would be a law unto himself” if faith became a carte blanche to write your own regulations. Now, Amy Barrett will have the opportunity to reverse one of Scalia’s most significant precedents, and she will likely vote to do so. She is one of seven Catholics on the High Court, of which at least five seem fairly insane about religion and one (Roberts) leans toward it as well.

The notion that the Constitution protects all Americans with a wall to separate church and state has always been in tension with a basic sense that people of faith deserved special attention and respect. We have long been able to negotiate this imbalance through shared assumptions of justice and equality. If it’s not unreasonable or disruptive, then let the Jewish staff leave the office before sundown on Friday. Let the Muslim prisoners wear a short beard. Let someone say a prayer before the city council sessions, but don’t require specifically Christian prayers at every meeting. Make room in the public square for those who don’t have any religion at all. Setting aside the gay and lesbian issue in this case, we are now heading into a period at the High Court where these accommodations may give way to a flat priority for religious actors. Returning to the GLBT side of things, this tilt toward faith will hit our community hardest of all. Most people don’t see racism or sexism as something that religion should protect. But the idea that devout business owners should have the right to reject GLBT customers is commonly accepted. This too may give way in time, but it’s a battle we never expected to fight uphill. What Else Is New? Who Cares?! What else is going on in the GLBT community, you ask? That’s like

asking what’s on Britbox during a Category 4 hurricane. I don’t know what’s going on! I’ve been glued to the election, for heaven’s sake. Lambda won a couple of cases where married binational gay couples sought American citizenship for their kids, which was initially denied by Pompeo’s State Department based on the biological connection with the non-American parent. Bi-national straight couples don’t have this problem, so good for you, Lambda! And, for a brief moment, my cousin and I were excited about a headline reading: “Trump administration removes gay wolf from endangered species list,” but we had missed the “r” in grey. Still, the mental images continue to resonate. I see the wolf pack lumbering quietly through the wilderness. They will soon have to feed, but prey is scarce. Suddenly, the Alpha halts, his senses alert. A pair of gazelles graze in the clearing. The Alpha signals his pack leaders. “Gazelles!” “I thought you were going vegan,” hisses the second in command. “For your skin tone, remember?” “Oh, right.” “Look,” the lesbian wolf mother interjects. “At this rate, we’ll all be extinct. Let the sisters take them down.”

At that, the female wolves streak towards the unsuspecting gazelles, quickly ripping them to shreds. In the shadows, the Trump administration policy aides take notes. It looks as if the gay wolves might be okay after all! I’m Tired Now I’ve saved a little space here for my final thoughts. I think Trump has taken our country to a dangerous place, and I think I underestimated how simple it would be to pull it back to safety. This vote reflects the spread of a cult of personality. It shows us an electorate with a widespread attraction to a classic strong man. I won’t compare him to a popular European leader of the 1930s, but you know whom I’m talking about. I suppose the pundits will dissect the Democratic Party and critique our election strategy, much as everyone pounced on Hillary Clinton (worst candidate ever!) in the days and months after 2016. But the Democrats deliberately went to the

middle and campaigned on decency and unity. The campaign was disciplined. Should we have targeted uneducated white men living in rural counties? Of course not. Win or lose, the unexpected outcome reflects something deeper than demographics or strategy. It reveals an insecurity at the core of America, a sense that the American Dream no longer holds and that life has turned into a hard slog with no progress in sight for many of our fellow citizens. For many of them, Trump seems to symbolize a promise, and even though he totally ignores their interests, he personifies their hope for a better future. I’m afraid that our salvation will lie in a generational shift that may take a few decades. But I have no doubt our country will survive and emerge stronger. Meanwhile, I just want to win this election, no matter how narrow the vote. arostow@aol.com

ADELMAN (continued from page 14) of sheltering in place, and the dark and bizarre political chaos we are living through. It is understandable that people are having difficulty with isolation and mental distress under these conditions. Still, people are showing great resiliency and heart in these challenging times. The way community has stepped up to help those who are most vulnerable is inspiring. What is not understandable is the lack of testing, the lack of consistent safety guidelines, and the unmet needs of essential resources to keep people fed, safe, and connected to each other. What was needed and is still needed is a comprehensive federal plan. For More Information Family Caregiver Alliance https://www.caregiver.org/ 800-445-8106 Shanti Project LGBTQ+ Aging and Abilities Support Network https://tinyurl.com/y5p9l246 415-674-4700 Dr. Marcy Adelman, a psychologist and LGBTQ+ longevity advocate and policy adviser, oversees the Aging in Community column. She serves on the California Commission on Aging, the Governor’s Alzheimer’s Prevention and Preparedness Task Force, the Board of the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California, and the San Francisco Dignity Fund Oversight and Advisory Committee. She is the Co-Founder of Openhouse, the only San Francisco nonprofit exclusively focused on the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ older adults.

KARLSBERG (continued from page 24) disbelief—I accept that uncertainty and chaos are not “ just for a while and then it’ll be normal again.” That was a paralyzing mantra. I’m discarding it in favor of believing my own eyes and accepting that there is a long haul ahead of all of us toward a new, unknown normal. With that choice, which seems so simple in retrospect, I’m finding creativity again. Which breeds joy, leads to words, and creates a book that I hope will find the reader who needs it. Karin Kallmaker (she/her) lives in the East Bay and has been writing award-winning romance for women who love women since 1980–mumble. She has a coffee problem and she’s not working on it. https://kallmaker.com Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBTQ+ community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates 32 years of successful book campaigns. For more information: https://www.michelekarlsberg.com

KIT’N KITTY’S

QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on pg 23) D) Frank Ocean

Frank Ocean’s “In My Room” made former president Barack Obama’s Favorite Music of 2019 list. Choice C was included, since Lil Nas’ “Old Town Road (Remix)” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus was also on the former president’s list. Lil Nas is out and proud, while Cyrus is straight. To see the full list of Obama music faves from last year, go to: https://tinyurl.com/y3ubyps6

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This Month at the Castro Farmers’ Market

Thanksgiving

By Debra Morris

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, you’ll be thinking of picking up some fresh produce from the farmers’ market. It will be a different kind of holiday this year with fewer and smaller gatherings, but the meaning is still there. We are thankful for fresh California produce still being harvested from the local farmers who grow it. You’ll find sweet potatoes, winter squash, apples, grapes, Brussels sprouts, persimmons, pomegranates, onions, greens, and even baked goods and fall flowers for your feast.

KABOCHA SQUASH PIE Your favorite pie crust recipe 1 small to medium kabocha squash 4 large eggs 3/4 cup heavy cream 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk 1/4 cup each light brown sugar and maple syrup 1/4 cup bourbon, optional 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves For the squash: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put the squash on a sheet tray, rub with olive oil, and bake in the oven. Roast the squash until a fork slides in and out easily, about 45 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and let cool. Remove the skin and seeds, then purée until smooth. Place 3 cups squash purée in a large mixing bowl. Reserve the rest for another purpose.

The market will be closing for the season on November 18, but you’ll still be able to gather up some great produce for Thanksgiving. Visit Fifth Crow Farm from Pescadero for winter squash, greens, cranberry beans, and root vegetables; Feel Good Bakery in Alameda for artisan breads and other baked goods; Arata Fruit from Byron for persimmons and pomegranates; Rainbow Orchards of Camino for apples; and Ken’s Top Notch out of Fresno for delicious grapes. Help your farmers while helping others. As with all of us, farmers have had a rough year finding outlets to sell their wonderful fresh produce. Please keep farmers farming and purchase your Thanksgiving produce at your local farmers’ market. Your farmers will appreciate it and you won’t find better produce anywhere.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs until they are smooth. Beat in the cream. Add the cream/egg mixture to the squash purée and beat to combine. Beat in the condensed milk, brown sugar, maple syrup bourbon, and vanilla. Beat until the mixture is well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Pour the squash mixture into a pie shell. Place on the sheet tray and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Rotate the pie and bake until the mixture barely jiggles when shaken, another 20 to 25 minutes. Recipe: Marisa Ades, PCFMA.

Please purchase extra produce when shopping the farmers’ market and then find your local food bank and donate generously to those in need to give them a wonderful Thanksgiving. Remember that not everyone can sit down to a table laden with all the Thanksgiving fixings. Hunger is prevalent in every community in the nation at all seasons of

the year—especially this year. The hungry are often hardworking adults, children, and seniors who simply cannot make ends meet and are forced to go without food for several meals, or even days. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving! ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Castro Farmers’ Market is here through November 18, Wednesdays, 2:30 pm to 7 pm, at Noe and Market. Parking is available on the street. 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/

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Round About - All Over Town Halloween 2020

Photo courtesy of Juan R. Davila

Photos by Rink

KRAMER (continued from page 24)

MILLER (continued from page 8)

finds zilch. Charlotte is unable to peel a carrot and stumbles in coal. Mary’s mother Molly (Gemma Jones) collects figurines. Elizabeth has an incredible garden. This film has an almost literary quality to it. Can you talk about that aspect?

is unmanaged and not available for direct investment, and does not reflect advisory fees, any of the costs associated with buying and selling individual securities, or any other fees, expenses, or charges. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Francis Lee: The reason I like cinema and storytelling is because it’s a visual medium. I’m drawn to telling stories with pictures, not necessarily words. When I write the script, I think people are surprised that I strip out dialogue to say things with pictures, so imagery in the film is telling you things about the characters, their world, and it moves the story along. Gary Kramer: The lead actresses are both outstanding and Fiona Shaw and Alec Secareanu lend fine support. What guidance did you give the cast, or what about the performers made them right for the roles in your mind? Francis Lee: I love transformative actors and ones who play very different from themselves emotionally and physically. All the core players I knew sensed the ability and relish to do that. I work with actors early on—five months before shooting—and we start developing characters and we investigate every detail. This is only my second film. Kate and Saoirse are more experienced than I am, but it was wonderful they worked in the way I wanted to work. They were open and free to strip themselves of what they had done before and start afresh with a process and a character. We worked very collaboratively, building these characters. They took me on board shaping them, polishing bits and bringing bits down. It’s hard for an actor, who is so established, to be asked to do something different than what they are used to doing. It was wonderful to orchestrate the performances in that way. © 2020 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 30

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The opinions expressed in this article are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security. Brio does not provide tax or legal advice, and nothing contained in these materials should be taken as such. To determine which investments may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. As always please remember investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital; please seek advice from a licensed professional. Brio Financial Group is a registered investment adviser. SEC Registration does not constitute an endorsement of Brio by the SEC nor does it indicate that Brio has attained a particular level of skill or ability. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Brio Financial Group and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advice may be rendered by Brio Financial Group unless a client service agreement is in place. Brandon Miller, CFP®, is a financial consultant at Brio Financial Group in San Francisco, specializing in helping LGBT individuals and families plan and achieve their financial goals.

CASTRO STREETCAM presented by

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