San Francisco Bay Times - January 26, 2023

As a lifelong Californian, I’m used to long periods of drought, punctuated by wildly dramatic periods of torrential rains that burst the banks of rivers and send trees and hillsides sliding downward. But even I have to admit that December and January’s relentless series of atmospheric rivers, Pineapple Expresses, bomb cyclones, and hail reached impressively biblical proportions. The sun is now out, and promises to stay so for a while— which, though lovely—always makes me worry that it will never rain again.

But while all that rain was pounding our beautiful state, plenty else was going on. Here are few things that kept me up at night while watching the rain:

Bans on Books, Drag Performances, and ... Peter Pan?

The banning of books from schools and libraries has ramped up considerably in the past few years, in a desperate attempt to control the minds of young people, and keep them from actually learning about

the world they live in. But it turns out young folks aren’t the only ones who are being denied their freedom to read. One of the reasons I remain on Twitter, despite the hot mess it has become under Elon Musk’s misguided “leadership,” is to learn about news like this: As reported by the Florida Freedom to Read Project, “Over 20,000 titles have been banned from Florida prison libraries. This number is unlike anything seen in any other state. It’s almost as if the DeSantis Administration wants to discourage rehabili tation.” 20,000. Let that num ber sink in.

Meanwhile, the Bartlesville, Oklahoma, city council voted 4–1 to draft a new ordinance banning “adult entertainment” in public parks following an outcry over a September Pride event that featured drag performers. And Arkansas, Arizona, and oh so many others are twisting themselves into pretzels trying to tweak language to classify drag performances as unfit for young eyes.

There are so many of these bills attacking intellectual freedom that it’s clear they are being orchestrated on a national level. And given the intellectual level shown by cer-

tain elected officials (Molly Jong Fast of Vanity Fair referred to certain Republican representatives as “congressional Kardashians”), it is clear that there are powerful puppet masters pulling their strings.

Eternal vigilance may be the price of freedom. It is certainly clear that eternal vigilance is also the price for being able to read, think, and watch performances of your choice.

Calling All SF Drag Queens: You Have Extra Time for Applying Sequins

At a time when communities around the country are attacking drag performers—and the very art of drag—by enacting anti-drag laws, picketing or banning performances, spreading vicious and dangerous lies, and even threatening violence, San Francisco is stepping up boldly to affirm the art form and honor the work these artists do in the community by creating the position of Drag Laureate. The fact that this new position is being created by the City of San Francisco itself is a testament to how much this city understands the value that these performers bring to our city, and to our society.

I suspect that anyone interested in applying for the position of Drag Laureate is already on top of this news, but just in case you missed it: The deadline for applying, originally set for January 16, has been extended to February 16. Applicants must reside in San Francisco, and be 21 or over. The

position comes with a $55,000 stipend to help cover the cost of the drag ambassador’s duties. Given the abundance of outstanding drag talent in this town, the roster of applicants should be fabulous.

For more information and to apply: https://tinyurl.com/mryhsp4a Stepping Up for El Rio Have you ever danced the night away at El Rio? Sambaed on their back patio while raising money for a good cause? Missed your favorite song while waiting and waiting and waiting in line for the bathroom? Well, here’s your chance to help provide relief to one of San Francisco’s favorite community gathering spots, a haven for the LGBTQ+ and Latinx communities, and site of countless fundraisers for good causes.

Here’s the thing: El Rio really, really, really needs more bathrooms. And anyone who has ever had a good time there (and probably waited nervously in line for the toilet) should

kick in and help them meet their financial goal so they can install two new bathrooms (one accessible, one with two stalls). Let’s all do the right thing and help them meet their goal, which is being matched by a generous donor. Here’s the link: https://tinyurl.com/ElRioFund

Save the Date: The Saints Go Marching In!

Last August it was reported that the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence had suffered a significant loss of funds due to misappropriation of funds by one of their own members. While the investigation and legal proceedings related to this incident are ongoing, the need remains for the Sisters to raise funds to fulfill their charitable obligations in the community—and most urgently, to produce their biggest annual community event, Easter in the Park

In case you didn’t know, it takes years of hard work to become a fully professed Sister. But the Sisters also periodically bestow the honorary title of Saint upon volunteers who elevate our communities with their words and deeds. It is the Order’s highest and only civilian honor, and the Saints always willingly help the Sisters when needed.

That’s why the Saints are organizing a fundraiser for the Sisters to help close their funding gap. The Saints Go Marching In is scheduled for Sunday, March 19, from 4–7 pm at The Edge. Save the date, and stay tuned for more details.

Abrupt Closure of Harvey’s Draws Attention to Historic Importance of 500 Castro Street

Like the sudden and unexpected death of a loved one, the abrupt closure of restaurant, bar, and community venue Harvey’s on January 22, 2023, left many in the Castro saddened and in shock. Aside from a message on a dry-erase board placed in front of the site earlier that morning, there had been no prior public notice of closure, no final announced event, and no proper chance to say goodbye and absorb the loss with fellow patrons. On Instagram that day, the Harvey’s team simply shared, with an image of the board, “The writing is now on the wall. We will always love you!”

The Cove on Castro posted in response: “No words ... “

Leather activist, author, and sex educator Race Bannon also commented on the closure: “For those reading this who aren’t familiar with the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco, Harvey’s is what I would consider a neighborhood anchor business. Been there for years. It’s right on the most highly trafficked corner. It has a long queer community history. It was a living legacy business honoring Harvey Milk. Its closing is a big deal for us.”

Jimmy Strano of the Castro Country Club wrote, “The SF Historical Society should seek to preserve the space and we should come together as a community and restore it to (The) Elephant Walk, have the community pitch in to take it, and we can run it with inclusivity and generosity, giving back to the organizations that work so hard to further our rights and showcase universal love.”

The Elephant Walk

Before Harvey’s opened in 1996, 500 Castro Street in the early 1970s was occupied by Anderson’s Pharmacy. On November 27, 1974, Fred Rogers and David Manducca took over the space and created The Elephant Walk bar and restaurant. They named it after the 1954 movie starring Elizabeth Taylor and Peter Finch. The film was set in British Ceylon, now known as the South Asian island country of Sri Lanka, which inspired the venue’s iconic etched glass elephant image and other décor.

During the earliest days of his political career and after he was elected Supervisor of then District 5, Milk (1930–1978) frequented The Elephant Walk and called it “a place where the gay community could meet and feel safe and secure.” Milk friend Rink, who is the San Francisco Bay Times’ lead photographer, took a now famous photo of him at The Elephant Walk in October 1977, showing him at a birthday celebration for activist Cleve Jones. Joining them were Doug Perry and Eric Garber—all clearly having an enjoyable, relaxed time.

Milk took office on January 8, 1978, but was not even able to serve a full year within his term. On November 27, 1978, both he and Mayor George Moscone were shot and killed in their City Hall offices by Supervisor Dan White. As the Harvey’s website recounts, “On May 21, 1979, White was convicted of the crime but only charged with manslaughter. Outraged by the verdict, the community numbering in the thousands

marched to City Hall in protest. During the march some isolated groups smashed windows, set trash cans ablaze, hurled bottles and rocks through windows and set fire to several police cars. In response to the riots the San Francisco police started one of their own. They targeted The Elephant Walk and began breaking the windows, damaging the property and beating the patrons inside the bar in rebuttal to the downtown riots. While the district mourned the loss of their ‘heart’ they drew on strength from one another to cope with the blow to the community.”

Then Bay Times publisher, Kim Corsaro, who passed last year, was among those injured during what were later called the White Night riots.

Reopened as Harvey’s

The Elephant Walk remained in business for another decade before a fire led to its closure. After several years of restoration and other work, the building’s present owner, Paul Langley, reopened the restaurant and bar in 1996 as Harvey’s in honor of Milk and the site’s importance to the LGBTQ community—both because of Milk’s own fondness for it and also because of the White Night riots significance. Located at the corner of 18th and Castro, the site is and was at the heart of the Castro neighborhood.

For all of these reasons, Harvey’s has been a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. As a visitor from Provincetown, MA, recently wrote at Yelp: “Go for the history and stay for the food and drinks.”

The menu, with such offerings as the Sylvester Burger (Angus beef with American cheese, bacon, and BBQ sauce) and Big Bloody Marys named after other celebrities, was fun and approachable. The brunch fare, served until 3 pm daily, and dinner entrées were comforting and hearty.

Many of us at the Bay Times fondly recall community and political events held at Harvey’s over the years. State Senator Scott Wiener used to hold campaign events at the venue. Community leader Gary Virginia regularly hosted fundraisers there. Bay Times publisher Dr. Betty Sullivan back in the day would cap off group visits to see the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus at the Castro Theatre on Christmas Eve with a visit to Harvey’s. These are just a handful of the numerous events with LGBTQ community importance that took place at 500 Castro

Then there were the beloved drag shows, such as the trivia nights hosted by talented BeBe Sweetbriar, and the recently premiered Harvey’s Harvettes that included impersonator Christina Ashton, Ducal Court Reigning Empress Kelly Rose, stylist Kipper Snacks, and Olivia Heart. The venue not long ago invested in a new sound system, and seemed to be ramping up for more events to come. We feel for these artists and the hardworking Harvey’s staff, given their losses of both valued work friendships and income.

Abrupt Closure

As of this writing, the management and owner have not provided detailed reasons for Harvey’s sudden shuttering. Manager David Facer, however, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the closure was “a sign of the times.” He added, “Covid kicked us in the butt. We see it all across the Bay Area.”

There were also personnel problems in recent months. In terms of finances, Hoodline reported that Harvey’s received two Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program loans: $140,000 in March 2021 and $100,000 in May 2021.

Owner Langley, who has other real estate holdings, does not live in the Bay Area and has suffered from chronic health issues in recent years. It may then be that a combination of factors led to the sudden decision to close Harvey’s. It is certainly not the only closure to impact the neighborhood.

Nearby Mexican restaurant El Capitan, the Levi’s Store, Sunglass Hut, and garden center Hortica have all closed in the Castro in recent months. There are also vacancies at the former Puff ‘n Stuff, Dogo Love, Hamburger Mary’s, and Under One Roof locations.

Again With The Bathrooms

Remember that big Title IX transgender ruling out of the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit? Oh, come on people! Don’t you even read this column? No?

Well, to hell with all of you, nonreading cohort. As for the rest of you (the good people) we discussed this case last issue. To refresh your memories, it was a 7–4 conservative ruling that gave a Jacksonville, Florida, school district the right to prevent a transgender boy from using the boys’ bathroom in seeming violation of Title IX’s ban on sex discrimination in public schools. I say “seeming” because it didn’t seem like a violation to the seven GOP-nominated judges on the Eleventh Circuit, and I’m guessing it won’t seem so to the six rightwing justices of the High Court.

Writing in the January 23 New York Times, court watcher Adam Liptak speculated that the Supreme Court may be positioned to take on the whole trans students bathroom dispute, now that the appellate courts have ruled in both directions. Both the Seventh Circuit and the Fourth Circuit have ruled in favor of transgender boys in earlier cases, but neither victory was accepted for High Court review. Keep in mind that Lambda Legal has not announced plans for an appeal to the Supremes, and who knows where their strategy will lead them.

One fallout from the decision is that a federal judge has now reopened a case that challenges Florida’s new ban on female transgender athletes. That case, brought against the state by a transgender athlete, was shelved pending the outcome of the bathroom case. Since Florida is bound by the precedents of the Eleventh

Circuit, it seems likely that the socalled “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” will survive under this appellate court’s interpretation of Title IX.

Did We Mention the Bathroom Issue?

As Liptak pointed out in his piece, it appeared that the High Court had paved the way for gays and transpeople to seek protection under all the federal non-discrimination laws after they ruled in 2020 that GLBT bias was a subset of “sex discrimination.” The gist of that decision, issued in a case about workplace discrimination under Title VII, would seem to extend to any and all laws that outlaw sex discrimination, particularly Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 that was enacted solely for that purpose.

Justice Gorsuch, who wrote for the 6–3 Court, made clear that the ruling didn’t “purport to address bathrooms, locker rooms, or anything else of the kind.” It’s true that sexspecific bathrooms are not considered “discriminatory,” and to some extent, neither are sex-based dress codes. But does that mean transgender bias in bathroom designations cannot be considered a form of illegal sex discrimination? And what about athletes? How can the Court square its views on sex bias under Title VII with topsy turvy thinking under Title IX? You may as well toss in the language against sex discrimination in Obamacare and ask how laws against administering transgender health services can exist under the 2020 precedent.

Making matters worse, I’ve been seeing a headline popping up about some transgender woman with a dick in a San Diego YMCA locker room,

which I was barely been able to bring myself to read. It’s like those stories during our fight for marriage equality where a reporter would dig up a gay couple who opposed marriage rights and thought the GLBT civil rights movement was assimilationist, and write a full-length feature article on this couple’s random opinions. You can always find some contrarian view or exceptional case, but to highlight it is to skew the truth of the matter. Transgender men and girls have no desire to expose themselves to others, period, yet the specter of ladies’ bathrooms full of scary men with their pants around their ankles seems to dominate what passes for political discussion on this subject.

Sure enough, the story described a distressed teenager who hid in the shower until the trans woman was gone and promptly went on the Tucker Carlson show to cry about it. But guess what? The “man” in the locker room was a 60-something woman in one of the swimming classes who had transitioned years ago complete with surgery.

(That’s right. No dick.) Christynne Lili Wrene Wood never even noticed the 17-year-old freaked out kid who reported her to the YMCA staff after presumably seeing her naked rear end, if that. She was alerted to the story by sympathetic swim buddies and was astonished at the outcry.

“I did my water aerobics workout as I always do. I went in with the rest of my aqua sisters. We showered, I dried off, I dressed, I hugged my instructor. I hugged other women and said to all of you: I love you so much. See you next year, and I took off for Palm Springs to visit a friend. That’s it.”

“I don’t know what’s in the mind of that child.”

This Is Why We Can’t Have Fun Things

I guess Tucker Carlson and his pals over at Fox News have been complaining about M&M “spokescandies,” who have diversified to include a full-figured candy and a lesbian candy. I vaguely recall writing about this not too long ago, but I am now learning that the green M&M used to wear high heels but was recently given more sensible shoes. I can’t remember why, because to be honest, I did not devote my full mental attention to this story as I was reading. However, in view of all the controversy, the company has decided to retire all its spokescandies for the time being.

Now I can’t find the article I just read! I was going to supply a quote from the Mars Wrigley company, but I can’t be bothered. Ah. Got it!

Headline: “M&Ms Pulls Its Mascots After Uproar.” Uproar! Yes, you read it here first (unless you read Tuesday’s Times business section).

Actress and SNL star Maya Rudolph will be the new commercial face of M&Ms, and the company is “confident Ms. Rudolph will champion the power of fun to create a world where everyone feels they belong.” I guess Carlson bemoaned the shoe substitution that took place a whole year ago. (Why are we only hearing about it now!?)

“M&Ms will not be satisfied until every last cartoon character is deeply unappealing and totally androgynous,” he insisted. “Until the moment when you wouldn’t want to have a drink with any one of them.”

There’s much more, but I think we’ve

had enough. And who would want to have a drink with a cartoon character, appealing or not?

Sea Cow County Book Bans

There are several articles posted about school libraries in Manatee County, Florida, where librarians and teachers have been warned to limit available books to those that have been approved by “certified education media specialists” under a new law. I’m confused as to why Manatee County is getting all the press, since this law applies statewide, but here’s the kicker: teachers who assign an un-certified book could be facing a third-degree felony. That’s a criminal charge for teaching with reading material that the rightwing in Florida doesn’t like.

Are you kidding me?

Books must be free of pornography, and age appropriate. But teachers are also being told to “err on the side of caution,” which seems to mean dumping anything gay or ambiguous. One teacher has dropped Dragons Love Tacos, an absolutely innocuous picture book, as well as Sneezy the Snowman. It’s not clear why, but I’m assuming these were not on the lists of pre-approved books.

Keep in mind that this library law is not the same as the “Parental Rights” law that bans discussion of sexual orientation and requires teachers to inform parents if a student is gay or trans. It is also not part of the other headline-grabbing “Stop WOKE” law that bans teaching that anyone is “privileged or oppressed” or “inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive” by virtue of “their race, color, sex, or national origin.”

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San Francisco is known for its high cost of living and real estate is no exception. The city has some of the highest home prices in the country, and the trend shows no sign of slowing down. At the end of 2022, the median home price in San Francisco County was $1.26M, which was down 13.4% over the previous year.

The demand for housing in San Francisco continues to be high due to the city's strong job market, beautiful surroundings, mild climate, and popularity as a tourist destination. This demand, combined with a limited supply of housing or space to build new housing, has ensured San Francisco continues to be a competitive market even as prices have adjusted due to increased mortgage interest rates over the past year.

The high cost of housing in San Francisco has had several impacts on the city. One of the most noticeable is the gentrification of neighborhoods as lower-income residents are priced out of the market and replaced by wealthier ones. This has led to a loss of diversity in some neighborhoods and a tension between long-time residents and newcomers.

Despite the challenges, the San Francisco real estate market remains strong. The city's technology industry continues to thrive, and this has attracted a large number of highly-paid workers who are willing to pay top dollar for housing. Additionally, the city's status as a cultural and tourist hub has made it a desirable location for both domestic and international buyers.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community are fortunate to find that all of San Francisco is welcoming to new homeowners. Areas like the Noe Valley, Potrero Hill, the Mission, Bernal Heights, and, of course, the Castro continue to be some of their favorites in which to live.

There are signs that the market will continue to cool off in 2023. Prices continue to fall, retreating on price gains made over the past two years. But as the inventory of homes for sale also dropped by over 30% during the last year, competition will remain high for the most desirable properties as the classic battle between supply and demand continues.

When you look at specific market segments, for example, single family homes vs. condos, there is a clear divergence in the market. Throughout the pandemic, people wanting more space as they worked from home drove up the prices of single family homes.

Money Matters

San Francisco’s Central Subway has opened to the public. Finally. The project was plagued with design controversies, cost overruns, years of delay—and a literal plague. But when the memory of all that subsides, what will stand is a new line that connects underserved communities, diminishes traffic congestion in densely populated neighborhoods, and makes getting around the city more convenient for residents and tourists.

That’s the way it goes with major undertakings. They rarely follow the path predicted because real life intervenes and requires unexpected detours. But in the end, the effort is worthwhile.

Reality’s potholes may have you starting off 2023 lamenting the resolutions you didn’t accomplish in 2022. Didn’t buy a house, start a family, get certified in a new field, save for retirement, or fill-in-theblank like you planned? Yeah, that happens.

Instead of berating yourself, maybe accept that you’re human and map out how to move forward. Whether your goals are financial or personal, I suggest these steps: make sure you still want what you thought you wanted, figure out which of your many goals is most important, make a realistic plan, and hold yourself accountable. Here are some tips for each one.

Reassess. What got in the way of accomplishing your goal? Something like an illness or job loss that was beyond your control? Or did you drag your feet because you’re really not sure that you want to go through with the goal? Perhaps you didn’t marry your partner not because inflation made your ideal wedding too expensive right now but because you’re not sure that they are the one.

The distance between the goals you set early last year and now may help make it clear that you do or don’t want to continue pursuing something. If you’re having trouble determining whether to keep or chuck a goal, prioritization (see next tip) might help. It’s also useful for the things that make your list of resolutions every year—I’m looking at you, Eating Better.

Prioritize. You can find all kinds of tips online for how to prioritize life goals that compete for your time and money. But I find the best starting point is to define what you value most in life and base your priorities on those beliefs. If you favor living the high life today over future financial security—not something I recommend, by the way—then funding a retirement account probably isn’t going to get top priority. If learning a new skill is genuinely important to you, it’s easier to reclaim the time

for a study session that you would have spent binge-watching The White Lotus

Competing goals with equal priority—whether yours alone or yours and a partner or family—present two options. You can either tackle them one by one, or concentrate on them all at once. For example, would you feel better putting money aside for a six-month financial cushion before paying down debt? Or do you need to feel you’re making progress on both?

Remember also that some goals can have multiple benefits. Say you reduced your five-bottle-a-week wine habit to three. That could improve your health, as well as save money.

Break it down. Shrinking big goals into manageable bits can make the challenges before you less intimidating. Vowing to put away $500 a month for a down payment on a house helps you focus on what you’re saving instead of the discouragingly large amount you need. Likewise, losing one or two pounds every month seems easier than losing 20 pounds this year.

Track. Another advantage of breaking your goals into achievable tasks is that it’s easier to measure your success and stay on track. For an extra nudge, you can find apps that monitor your achievements or enlist a friend to keep you accountable or even join you.

If you figure out what’s important to you and pursue goals that align with those values, you’ll likely figure out a way to make them happen— no matter how long it may take. All the work you put into accomplishing

The Importance of Having a Living Trust

in your name and declare who gets what, a Will does have limitations. First, a Will does not work until you die, and there are no instructions or guidelines provided if something happens to you during life such as becoming disabled. Second, a Will goes through a public legal process called Probate that can be costly and will take longer than a Trust Administration. Third, your Will can be challenged and if it is interpreted by the court, you are not in full control.

Trust Essentials

Although skydiving and traveling the world are both exciting endeavors to include on your bucket list, knowing what happens to your assets, to your money, and to those you love should be a higher priority on that important list.

Discover how you can protect your loved ones and everything that you have worked hard for.

The Bucket

A Living Trust and a bucket are similar in that they both allow you to put things inside and keep them safe until you need them.

When you create a trust, you are creating a legal “bucket” to put your assets into just as you have put your assets in your savings, houses, land, and timeshares. When you create a trust, you also can appoint someone whom you trust to manage your assets according to your wishes.

The only way for your wishes to be known and carried out is to have them legally declared in an estate plan.

Will vs. Living Trust

While a Last Will allows you to provide instructions for things you own

I recently read an article where a son challenged his mother’s Will and lost, but the presiding probate judge felt there was reasonable intent and decided to award the attorney representing the son his fee of $45,000. When this mom created her Will, I am sure that she did not anticipate that the family would lose $45,000 in legal fees that were intended as a gift to her descendants.

A Living Trust keeps you in control, avoids court interference in your plan, and can protect and manage your assets while you are still alive. It also ensures that your instructions in the trust agreement are followed.

Trusts and Their Benefits

The first thing you should do is meet with a qualified attorney who can counsel you through the options and choices you have when creating a Trust. Not all Trusts are the same, and they do not all offer the same protections and instructions. You need to understand not only what you want to go into the bucket, but also how you want to arrange what you put into that bucket. Some people who have actually created their Trust and have it in place may ultimately fail to put their assets in their trust. A key benefit of creating a Trust with proper counsel is that you remain in control until someone

you trust takes over that responsibility. Some Trusts provide the following benefits:

• asset protection for your spouse after your death;

• special needs planning for disabled beneficiaries; asset protection for your beneficiaries from their predators and creditors;

• protection of assets from a spouse’s remarriage after your death;

• privacy that is not provided in Probate;

• minimize taxes;

• protection of your assets from predators, creditors, and long-term care costs;

• clear instructions on how to manage your money or assets.

Trustee

When choosing a Trustee, you are selecting the person whom you trust to manage your plan and all the items you have placed into your bucket or Trust. As a Trustee, that person has a “Fiduciary Duty,” or the highest duty required by law to carry out your wishes to the best of their ability. This means that they must put your interests and intentions before their own.

Planning Goals

People have many different reasons for setting up a Trust. The important thing is that they understand how to include the proper instructions to make sure their plan works the way they want it to with the bucket including all important items. Some people make sure this is on their bucket list to protect their assets or to leave a legacy. Others include instructions to reduce the stress and expenses for their family. And others make this a priority to provide for and protect those they love. There

Message from Leadership

The GGBA is excited to serve alongside our newest ICON partner, JP Morgan Chase Bank. Fellow volunteer board member Aaron Lander and I had lunch with JP Morgan Chase at their beautiful San Francisco Headquarters this past December. I walked away from that meeting feeling vibrant and honored to work with such a fantastic group of people.

They shared that JP Morgan Chase has launched a formal division within their corporation, The Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs. With this division, they have established national partnerships with both the National Gay Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) as well as the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance. San Francisco and its surrounding communities are lucky to have local chapters of both national organizations to drive home the local impact of such a valuable partnership. For more information, please visit https://ggba.com/ and https://realestatealliance.org/

A Promising Partnership for 2023 and the Launch of a New Series for LGBTQ+ Businesses

To start, JP Morgan Chase and the GGBA are partnering to present a 4-part series: the LGBTQ+ Business Certification & Readiness Series. These events will take place once per quarter starting next month, February 2023. This series will deliver four curated business readiness courses to help LGBTQ+ businesses grow and scale. These will be presented at different locations around the Bay Area. Register for one or for all of them at https://ggba.com/ We are excited to see what’s in store for our members and us for 2023. From my point of view, January has seen record-breaking rain for us, but that only means amazing rainbows for our fabulous LGBTQ+ Community and our allies!

Tony Archuleta-Perkins is the volunteer President of the Board of Directors for the GGBA, as well as the Founder/Broker of Ide8 Real Estate. He also volunteers as the Treasurer for the SF Chapter of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance. He is a second-generation California Real Estate Broker and has worked in finance for 25 years, ten specifically as a fractional CFO. He has two Master’s Degrees: an MBA and a Master’s of Science in Real Estate. Ide8 Real Estate has been proudly LGBTBE Certified by the National Gay Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. https://linktr.ee/tonyarchuletaperkins

GGBA Member Spotlight

Hector Luevano of Abbey Carpet & Floor

Quality, beautiful flooring and carpeting can transform rooms, serve as an important investment adding value to the property, and even provide safety, as those of us who have tripped on old carpeting or an uneven floorboard can attest. Abbey Carpet & Floor is one of San Francisco’s oldest and highest rated businesses specializing in both flooring and window fashions. It is a destination for everything from a modest-sized area rug to elaborate tile and stone options. Manager Hector Luevano explains more.

GGBA: Please tell us about Abbey Carpet & Floor, which looks to have opened way back in 1958?

Hector Luevano: We are the oldest flooring showroom in San Francisco, locally owned and operated for 60 years. Abbey Carpet is a full-service showroom with experienced sales staff and installa-

tion teams that cater to the general public, realtors, property management, contractors, stagers, and designers. There is a large assortment of wool carpets, machine and handmade area rugs, hardwood floors, luxury vinyl, and waterproof flooring. We are proud to have a great reputation with designers, contractors, and homeowners because of our experience and knowledge of premium products and our commitment to serving our customers and professional white glove installations and that are the core of our business mission and values.

GGBA: Do you know what led to the founding of the business?

Hector Luevano: Abbey Carpet was

founded by its original owner, TC McMechen, and he was one of the original franchisees. He owned Abbey Carpet of San Francisco up until 2020 when ownership changed hands. Floortex Design took ownership of Abbey SF right before the Covid-19 pandemic. With that said, we are back fully functioning and primarily our goal is to continue the legacy with the same vigor and tenacity while giving our clients the best experience possible.

GGBA: Who are some of your role models, and especially those who helped to influence your business?

Hector Luevano: When I first got into the flooring industry, my Sales Manager Liz Hyma from Coles Fine Flooring in San Diego was a great role model for a newbie in the industry. The way she shared her knowledge made it easy for me to absorb and apply her knowledge and experiences to my sales approach and helped to cultivate the sales professional I am today.

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

Hector Luevano: I’m a new member and we joined to try to make connections with the San Francisco business community.

GGBA: How has being a member of GGBA helped your business so far?

Hector Luevano: Being new to GGBA, I hope to meet fellow business professionals and build a network that would be beneficial to all involved.

GGBA: Do you go to the GGBA monthly Make Contact networking events? Have they benefited you and your business, and would you recommend them to others?

Hector Luevano: I’ve gone to a few networking events and I try to fit others into my calendar. I’ve made a few connections already and am currently working on building those relationships.

GGBA: What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of start-

JP Morgan Chase Presents: LGBTQ+ Business Certification & Readiness Series

Join JPMorgan Chase in partnership with the Golden Gate Business Association for the free LGBTQ+ Business Certification and Readiness Series.

There will be four curated business readiness courses, quarterly, to help LGBTQ+ businesses grow and scale. They will be presented at different locations around the Bay Area. Register for one or two or all of them!

They will be hybrid events. Register for the remote option of the session(s) you want to attend. You will be emailed the remote access link prior to the day of the course.

Thursday, February 23 9–11 am

Oakland and remote (address to be provided after registration and prior to event date)

Focus: Windows of Opportunity: What to Know When Considering Supplier Diversity Programs This course provides an introduction to corporate and government supplier diversity programs, and how to take advantage of them. Course topics include LGBTBE certification.

Thursday, May 18 9–11 am

San Francisco and remote (address to be provided after registration and prior to event date)

Focus: The Power of Capital

Thursday, August 24 9–11 am

Palo Alto and remote (address to be provided after registration and prior to event date)

Focus: Navigating Your Cashflow

Thursday, November 9 9–11 am

Oakland and remote (address to be provided after registration and prior to event date)

Focus: Cyber Security

https://tinyurl.com/5752ashx

ing such a business or otherwise working in your field?

Hector Luevano: Do your research and make sure you know the industry along with the current trends of design and home fashions. Visit other businesses in the area and try to schedule meetings for Q&As.

GGBA: Is there anything else that you would like to share?

Hector Luevano: Come visit us at Abbey Carpet of San Francisco!

https://www.abbeycarpet.com/

Castro Walk with Supervisor Rafael Mandelman

Mandelman stopped to talk with business owners and their staff members and to hear their thoughts about issues affecting small businesses and their residential neighbors. Among the concerns addressed were street cleanliness; vacant storefronts; individuals experiencing homelessness sleeping on the street; crime including broken windows, shoplifting, and petty theft; and up and down swings in daily sales.

Kim

Publisher 1981-2011

2261 Market Street, No. 309

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

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

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

dr. Betty l. SullivaN

JeNNiFer l viegaS co-PuBliSherS & co-editorS

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

kate lawS BuSiNeSS MaNager

Blake dilloN caleNdar editor

kit keNNedy Poet-iN-reSideNce J.h herreN techNology director

carla raMoS weB coordiNator Mario ordoNeZ diStriButioN

JuaN r davila voluNteer coordiNator taBitha PareNt SPecial aSSigNMeNt 2022

CONTRIBUTORS

WRITeRS

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

Renato M. Talhadas and His Importance to the LGBTQ+ Community

of Arts and Sciences in Oakland.

He received his advanced graduate degrees and training at Western University with specialties in marriage family therapy (MFT), addictions, and clinical counseling.

An important contributor to the LGBTQ+ movement is Renato M. Talhadas, MFT, APCC, MADC. He was born and raised in Brazil and spent some of his formative years in Florida. Being trilingual with fluency in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, he has integrated LGBTQ+ issues throughout his career.

Talhadas worked with New Hope Ministries and has traveled throughout the world. He was an educator for Teach America, a Head Start program in Marin County, and was a teaching project coordinator at Envision Academy of Technology

He graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science and Arts, cum laude, in sociology with minors in education, interdisciplinary studies, gender studies, human resources, and obtained marketing and coaching certifications. He is currently the Program Director at AGUILAS in San Francisco where he oversees and administrates the day-today operations of various programs that include leadership development, HIV/AIDS prevention, recruitment and training, and data collection. Additionally, he provides individual and group intervention services in English, Spanish, and Portuguese at AGUILAS as an Associate MFT in California. Throughout his career he has worked in various settings that include academic institutions, businesses, and high-tech organizations, and has extensive administrative experience.

He has been a strong advocate for services for LGBTQ+ Brazilians, who comprise a large community

throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. His experience includes legal issues related to immigrants, assisting individuals who are seeking political asylum in the U.S. He is certified in LexisNexis and Westlaw.

As the 2021 Conference Chair of the National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA), he ensured LGBTQ+ issues were incorporated in the national conference program while maintaining the external communications to the various media outlets. For his contribu-

tions as the NLPA conference chair, he was given a presidential citation. In recent years he was instrumental in working with a team to have the San Francisco Pulse Memorial executed and installed at the SF LGBT Center, with the project funded by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He continuously advocates for LGBTQ+ issues in a variety of settings as well as for the continued funding of HIV/AIDS organizations in San Francisco.

Martin Luther King Day at the Museum of African Diaspora

Rink observed long lines of visitors awaiting entrance on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 16, at the Museum of African Diaspora (MOAD). The Museum is located at 685 Mission Street within the Williams Building. It was declared a Free Family Day with special programming that included performances by young dancers from the Dimensions Dance Company. A crowd of visitors was also on hand visiting the Martin Luther King Memorial at nearby Yerba Buena Center.

“Take or use only what you need” was a profound insight on my walking safari in South Africa. It was a brilliant reminder presented all around us for six days in Kruger National Park, where nature provided the best examples of this philosophy on our daily walks.

As written in my last column, Africa has an immense abundance. You feel it in many ways. It induces a euphoric feeling and it’s not easy for people to resist the temptation to overindulge or feel superior. I discovered that the simplest activities and routines required a self-imposed reality check our first few days on safari. For example, every evening, members of our group took turns being on watch and keeping our camp’s fire lit throughout the night. This seemingly simple duty helped surface some valuable lessons.

I led the watch rotation the first night after everyone went to sleep. Being slightly competitive, my goal was to create the largest fire possi-

ble with as much natural brush and deadwood around us. People would be awakened by a spectacular bonfire because more fire, more light, and more protection. More is more. When there’s a perceived abundance of resources around, in this case, lots of trees and deadwood, it was so tempting to burn a lot of deadwood. It’s very seductive.

The second night, the watch rotation began again. This time, one of the guides demonstrated his technique for sustaining the fire throughout the night. It was simple. First, select the right deadwood—harder wood, slower burn. Instead of piling the wood fuel directly onto the heart or core of the fire, slowly advance the branches around the fire into the blaze’s perimeter. This method ensures a steady and lasting burn that uses far less fuel. The more deadwood you pile onto the heart of a fire, the faster the wood burns, not to mention all the added emissions from burning more wood.

It wasn’t until the final night we learned the true purpose of the fire we all coveted so fiercely the first four nights. We never stopped to ask why we all needed to keep the fire lit during our scheduled rotations. We assumed it was for light, some warmth, and protection. But on the fifth night, our guides challenged us even more. This time, there would be no fire to cultivate. We were all taken aback. What?! We thought no fire, no light, and no protection in the middle of Bush Country, with all the dangerous animals out at night, was nuts. Our guides assured us we didn’t need fire for protection or

light. We all assumed our evening watch rotations, and we all woke up the next morning safe and sound. We shared our evening watch experiences, which were all extraordinarily profound.

Of course, this parable has multiple lessons for many of us, including my original supposition—take or use only what you need. My experiences while on safari also connected me to a greater awareness of personal power, intention, and accountability as a steward on Earth. Many problems we see in the world today, directly and indirectly, correlate to human intervention and our choices—cause and effect. Clearly, there’s more we can learn when examining our relationship with and perceptions of Africa.

The continent of Africa remains vital and rich, even after being plundered and mined of its resources—land, metals, stones, minerals, wildlife, people, knowledge, and history. Africa, the cradle of civilization, has given up its precious commodities without equitable exchange, which needs to change.

Rampant capitalism and the extraction of resources for centuries haven’t been adequately offset by sustained investments or philanthropy to ensure a future for its people and our planet. The never-ending extraction of value is an interminable problem that humanity faces today that needs immediate correction in Africa and globally. It depletes native and natural resources and disrupts economies, governments, and the environment where local inhabitants and indigenous people are left to resolve these

issues. Scarcity generates fear, desperation, migration, and hopelessness.

The antidote to these long-standing challenges can be philanthropy. However, sometimes the best intentions can create more significant harm, as evidenced by Clean Water, White Buses, and Dry-brick programs in South Africa. Western and European-centric cultures have a strong desire to jump in to “fix” problems and correct imbalances without truly understanding the problem. The attempt to create increased stability, by throwing lots of money at a problem too quickly, may also lead to unintended consequences—producing the opposite effects of our greatest intentions.

Why do we need this fire? What is its purpose? Who will benefit from it? Those were the questions we should have asked initially while on safari. Having the proper context and asking the right questions can clear a path to greater empathy, collaborative ideation, and more durable solutions. The results can better align with nature’s grand design while minimizing exploitation.

Today, South African philanthropy is focused on providing essential services such as health care, education, and housing due to the country’s high levels of poverty and inequality. The South African government needs more economic resources to adequately provide these services, making philanthropy and sustainable business practices essential for prosperity.

As I toured Cape Town and Johannesburg townships, I discovered small but incredibly effective programs from organizations like Uthando. Through their tourism program, Uthando delivers money and other resources to an array of community nonprofits that support people and families via advocacy, agriculture, technology, education, micro-lending, and the arts. It is a testament to what is possible with few resources—delivering transformative outcomes. Like fuel for fire, methodically advancing support in this way will ensure a slow but steady use of resources that will invariably have long-term impact.

According to the Africa Philanthropy Network and Giving Compass, the total philanthropic fundraising yearly in the U.S. is approximately $428 billion. The total amount raised annually in South Africa is roughly $3.3 billion. After the end of Apartheid in 1994, philanthropic interest, capacity, and scope have steadily increased. Over time, South Africa will continue developing programs that create long-term solutions and generate investments that will address systemic issues and produce more significant economic opportunities for many more people in the country.

Derek Barnes is the CEO of the East Bay Rental Housing Association ( www.EBRHA.com ). He currently serves on the boards of Horizons Foundation and Homebridge CA. Follow him on Twitter @ DerekBarnesSF or on Instagram at DerekBarnes.SF

Rockway

by Olivia, will be spinning tunes. Team Bacardí will also be in the house!

Un-Save the Date

In our last issue we told you about Project Nunway, which was scheduled for February 11. That date is now being changed; stay tuned for updated information, coming soon.

As the weather turns nicer (at least for now), go outside and breathe some fresh air. We all need to clear the mental cobwebs after a very wet couple of months.

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

HARVEY’S

(continued from pg 3)

Businesses Eager to Open at 500 Castro

The future of 500 Castro is now unclear, but Supervisor Rafael Mandelman sheds some light on what could be possible.

He told Hoodline that “it is certainly disappointing to see another vacant storefront, particularly in the central location like Harvey’s.” He then, however, quickly added, “I have had several people reach out to me in the last year looking for spaces where they might consider opening bars or restaurants in the Castro.”

“There is actually a shortage of spaces with landlords who are motivated to lease their space,” Mandelman continued. “If this owner is interested in renting out that space and is willing to charge a reasonable rent, there are operators interested in opening restaurants and bars in the Castro. It should be relatively easy to fill it, but it has a lot to do with how motivated the property owner is.”

Mandelman plans to contact Langley soon to see if he can help facilitate this possible plan that could open a new chapter for the historic site.

MILLER (continued from pg 6)

your goals will be worth it when you finally succeed. And if you need a reminder of the benefits of perseverance, just hop on the Central Subway the next time you have a hankering for dim sum.

Brio does not provide tax or legal advice, and nothing contained in these materials should be taken as such. 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. It is only intended to provide education about the financial industry. To determine which investments may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. Any past performance discussed during this program is no guarantee of future results. Any indices referenced for comparison are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. 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.

GREENE (continued from pg 6)

are many different goals when it comes to Estate Planning and an important one is making sure your wishes are carried out rather than a plan that the government will make for you. When you do nothing, you have the intestacy plan, which is the government is in control.

Greene Estate, Probate, & Elder Law Firm helps clients understand how to accomplish their goals using estate planning tools. These tools include Trusts, Power of Attorney, Asset Protection Planning, and Probate. A Trust is one of the best tools available to carry out your wishes and also to plan for incapacity or death. The Greene Law Firm is ready to help you review or discuss your goals and cross off estate planning on your bucket list.

Statements In Compliance with California Rules of Professional Conduct: The materials in this article have been prepared by Attorney Jay Greene for educational purposes only and are not legal advice. This information does not create an attorney-client relationship. Individuals should consult with an estate planning and elder law attorney for up-to-date information for their individual plans.

Jay Greene, Attorney, CPA, is the founder of Greene Estate, Probate, & Elder Law Firm based in San Francisco, and is focused on helping LGBT individuals, couples, and families plan for their future, protect their assets, and preserve their wealth. For more information and to schedule an assessment, visit: https://assetprotectionbayarea.com/

ROSTOW (continued from pg 4)

These and other vaguely written restrictions are poised to snuff out independent thinking and teaching throughout the state’s public school system over coming years. What in God’s name will Florida look like after a decade or so of government censorship?

For the record, only half the students in Manatee County are currently reading at grade level or better. So, good luck parents.

Wither Moldova?

On January 17, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Council of Europe member states must recognize same-sex marriages in a ruling that is being hailed as “landmark.” The case involves three Russian couples, but will likely be ignored by Russia, which has been ejected from the Council of Europe and does not consider itself bound by High Court rulings. The Court said marriage discrimination is a violation of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the founding civil rights framework of the 47-member Council of Europe.

I have long been confused by the various organizations, councils, and courts hard at work in Strasbourg or The Hague. In the past, I’ve heralded what sounded like important rulings and votes, only to see them reappear or be nullified months later. This sounds important, but I also see that there are 16 Council members that do not recognize same-sex marriages, namely: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Republic of Moldova, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Are they all going to institute marriage equality laws? Marriage recognition laws? If not, why not? If so, when?

Meanwhile, speaking of book bans, this same court has also just ruled that Lithuania’s restrictions on Amber Heart, a gay-friendly collection of fairy tales, violates the abovementioned Convention. The court ordered Lithuania to pay a fine of roughly $18,000 to the late author’s daughter as punishment for slapping a warning label on the book.

Finally, U.K. Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has blocked a newly passed Scottish law that makes it easier to transition, lowering the age limit from 18 to 16 and no longer requiring a formal diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

MORALES

(continued from page 10)

Talhadas was asked, “What motivates you to be an advocate for LGBTQ+ issues?” I am honored that he acknowledged me in his response: “Leadership and my faith. I feel very blessed to have Dr. Morales as a mentor and role model for me, especially being a Latino. Seeing influential people in media and politics who advocate and represent us is powerful. As a person who seeks a higher power, my relationship with God has helped see love in people and seek the pursuit thereof in them.”

When asked, “What issues are important to you for LGBTQ+ people?” he stated, “Healthcare for me is probably the most important issue surrounding the LGBTQ+ community. While I consider myself to be very active in political issues and find it essential for human rights in general, in the end it comes down to basic rights of healthcare for HIV/AIDS and specifically in mental health. I believe mental health care is essential for the everyday human living at a time such as this, especially coming from the history the LGBTQ+ community has faced.”

His graduate training includes a minor in theological studies, resulting in knowledge that he incorporates into his work at AGUILAS. As one might guess, religious issues are important to many of those coming out and he is able to address the conflicting information that is a source of much stress and anxiety among LGBTQ+ people. Most clinicians are not well versed in theology and are unable to adequately address such issues in counseling or therapy. Talhadas has the unique capability to do this in his services to the community and to address individual concerns.

I believe we will see many more contributions made by Talhadas as he moves forward in his career plans and services to the community. He is a strong, emerging leader with skills that are very useful for the LGBTQ+ community. I foresee that, in future, his contributions will make an even greater significant and beneficial impact.

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

The U.K. claimed that allowing two different sets of regulations could lead to, um, some kind of dysfunctional chaos? It’s not clear.

Scotland’s Prime Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has pledged to challenge the U.K. move in court. As you know, while Scotland is governed independently, it is still part of the United Kingdom, having survived a secession vote in 2014, when 55 percent of citizens voted to remain in the U.K. That said, Scotland was very much opposed to Brexit, and it’s possible that a secession vote would come out differently if held today. Such a vote needs approval from London, however, which is not going to happen.

Good News, Bad News

Finally, I should tell you about a couple more court cases. I know! Fun! First, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has let stand a three-judge decision upholding Washington’s ban on conversion therapy. Our adversaries wanted the full court to revisit the unanimous ruling, but the court said no.

Second, a judge in Oregon has dismissed a suit filed by GLBT students against the Department of Education, challenging religious exemptions to Title IX. The students claimed that religious schools that accept federal money should be bound by non-discrimination rules that arguably include gay and trans bias. A group of these schools intervened in the case as well.

U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken, appointed by Bill Clinton, analyzed what felt like a dozen separate constitutional and statutory challenges, which, of course, I studied in detail in order to present you with a full and cogent account of her thinking. Unfortunately, it seems I have run out of space in my column and won’t be able to do justice, so to speak, to this important piece of jurisprudence. If we’re lucky, the news over the next two weeks will be minimal, and I’ll be able to return to this case and give it a really lengthy review. That said, it’s often true that the currents of time sweep these subjects downstream, we become fixated on the here and now, and we allow ourselves to forget. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen to Judge Aiken’s complicated opinion, given that we invested so much time and energy in digesting her words. arostow@aol.com

HENDRY

(continued from page 5)

Those prices peaked in April 2022 at a median price point of $2.05M and ended the year at $1.57M.

The condo market, on the other hand, has remained flat for the past few years and the median sales price ended 2022 at $977k, lower than the start of 2018. This has forced some sellers to part with their condos purchased prior to the pandemic at a loss. At the same time, this has been a great opportunity for buyers entering the condo market. Even with higher interest rates in 2022, they are no longer facing multiple offers or overbid situations when trying to purchase their first home.

Despite the challenges, San Francisco remains a popular and desirable location. With many homeowners having significant equity in their homes, it seems unlikely that the real estate market will see a repeat of the 2008 housing market meltdown. As with all investments, you have to look at the long-term picture and not short-term changes in the market. Real estate will always continue to be one of the best ways to grow net worth.

If you have been thinking of buying or selling real estate, the best place to start is to reach out to a local realtor to discuss your specific goals. They can be a tremendous resource connecting you to great mortgage lenders, to review specific neighborhood trends, and to help educate you on each step of the process. An experienced real estate consultant will act as your guide and ensure your best interests are always represented.

Data Source: San Francisco Association of Realtors https://sfar.stats.10kresearch.com/infoserv/s-v1/1Pnf-pUk https://sfar.stats.10kresearch.com/infoserv/s-v1/1PnC-sO4 https://sfar.stats.10kresearch.com/infoserv/s-v1/1PcZ-L0a

Matt Hendry Realtor®

Homes by Matt Keller Williams - SF 415-425-7897 matthendry@kw.com homesbymatt.com CA DRE: #02072315

Add another fabulous birthday party to the bevy of recent celebrations, as D’Arcy Drollinger celebrated at Oasis in style last Friday! First, VIP guests were welcomed to D’Arcy’s Champagne Lounge, the smaller back room, for cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres and the hobnobbing was delightful. After a warm welcome from the guest of honor, the double doors opened to the main room where the extremely talented Roger Glenn jazz trio set the show off to a wonderful start. A series of live performers, carefully curated by Snaxx & Zelda and emceed by Michael Phillis, then serenaded D’Arcy, as the audience cheered wildly. Notable guests included Sister Roma, Michael Youens, Demetri Hayes, Cammy Blackstone, Marc Smolowitz & Yves Averous, Linda Lee, Erin-Kate Whitcomb, and artist Jason Mecier, who unveiled a new portrait of D’Arcy responsibly created from refuse. Oasis has become such a welcoming location for so much of the creative energy that makes San Francisco the city we love and this birthday tribute to its proprietor was fittingly incredible! Rarely has a Castro bar so fully embraced the Chinese New Year theme as did Midnight Sun last Saturday for Krewe de Kinque’s monthly benefit ... but this was a Gary Virginia production! Red was everywhere, from the welcoming carpet, hanging lanterns, and tea lights, to traditional red envelopes containing lottery cards. For the first time in our memory, VIP seating was made available, enhanced by satin cushions and special lighting in the front window booth and designated high tops along the central wall, with each guest receiving popcorn, fortune cookies, and other goodies. King & Queen of the Krewe Mark Hankins & Tawdry Hepburnn had a wild show lined up, and since this will be the Year of the Rabbit, sexy boys in rabbit costumes sold Jell-O shots and assisted with raffle prizes. Kung Hei Fat Choy, indeed!

Immediately afterwards, we joined Emperors Leandro Gonzales and William Bulkley for the Imperial Crown Prince & Princess Ball, Multiverse, at the beautifully remodeled DecoDance Bar on Polk Street. ICPs Todd Hotty & Virginia Please gave entertaining performances, joined by several other Imperials and other friends, as Reigning Emperor Brent Daddy Munro & Reigning Empress Ehra Amaya looked on with approval. The variety of entertainment was refreshing and engaging. Performer tips and a brisk auction benefited Parivar Bay Area, a local transgender-led and centered South Asian organization. Needless to say, attendees from both events wound up back in the Castro at 440, Twin Peaks, and various other spots to celebrate a successful evening.

As you’ll see from the adjacent calendar of events, Imperial Coronation is right around the corner and that means a host of events throughout February. Impacted by years of the pandemic, the Imperial Court of San Francisco has done its share of rebooting, recreating, and rethinking, and it remains one of the oldest continuous nonprofit charitable organizations in the country, now staging its 58th Imperial Coronation.

It is truly hard to believe that for that many years we have elected new Monarchs each year to rally the LGBTQ+ Community behind important causes, to raise important funds for worthy groups, to produce fun-filled creative events, and to develop qualified leaders of tomorrow. Make this the year you become more involved by getting to know the Emperor & Empress candidates, by voting on February 18, and by joining this dedicated band of people who keep the dream of Our Beloved Founder José Sarria alive and vital.

There is no better way to get a taste of what we are all about than by watching the film documentary 50 Years of Fabulous, available for streaming online. There you will see and hear from many of the Imperial Court’s members as they share their enjoyments and disappointments, their private thoughts and public statements, their memories and dreams for the future. No organization lasts this long without ups and downs, but the amazing longevity of the Imperial Court is testament to its enduring viability and relevance across the decades. As the proud Absolute 30th Empress of San Francisco, we invite you to join our history!

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

Sunday, January 29

Raise Your Voice

Empress Candidate

Cameron Stiehl-Munro’s fundraiser

Evening of live performances benefiting the Imperial Council Martuni’s, 4 Valencia Street 4–7 pm

Sunday, January 29

Rich Armstrong’s Life Pageant

Celebration of Life with cast of musicians

Presented by Jazz Mafia & Tom Chavez

SF Jazz Center, 201 Franklin Street 6 pm $15–25 www.jazzmafia.com/richarmstrong

Friday, February 3 Sweet Talk

Empress Candidate Cameron Stiehl-Munro’s fundraiser Show & fundraiser for The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation

The Lookout, 3600 16th Street 6–8 pm

Saturday, February 4

Fundraiser & Mixer

Emperor Candidate Michael Anthony Chua’s fundraiser

Benefits The LGBT Asylum Project

The Lookout, 3600 16th Street 4:30–7:30 pm

Wednesday, February 8

Fundraiser & Mixer Emperor Candidate Michael Anthony Chua’s fundraiser Benefits The Imperial Council of SF The Academy, 2166 Market Street 6:30–9:30 pm

Saturday, February 18

Imperial Voting Day

Public vote for Emperor & Empress

Open to San Francisco, Marin & San Mateo residents

The Cinch, 1723 Polk Street, 11 am–4 pm The Powerhouse, 1347 Folsom Street, 1–5 pm Castro Muni, Castro & Market Streets, Noon–6 pm Free!

Saturday, February 25

Imperial Coronation 58: Rise of the Golden Gods

Hyatt Regency SF Downtown SOMA, 50 Third Street Doors at 5 pm $70 www.sfimperialcouncil.org

“San Francisco is a mad city, inhabited for the most part by perfectly insane people.”

–Rudyard Kipling

San Francisco 49ers Advance to NFC Championship Game

The San Francisco 49ers on January 22, 2023, defeated the Dallas Cowboys in a nailbiter game that had both teams tied until the Niners reigned supreme with a 19–12 victory. Now the impressive men in red and gold will compete against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, January 29, starting at noon, for the NFC Championship title. The Niners’ winning streak is currently at 12 games. Hopefully that will extend to a record-breaking 14, given that a Super Bowl victory is within reach.

The 49ers, along with all other NFL teams, clearly have a much longer road ahead in terms of achieving LGBTQ equality within their ranks. The team has taken some steps, such as hosting a PRIDE Watch Party in 2022 and a Panel on LGBTQ Activism in Sports. There are also some related digital wallpapers available for fans at: https://www.49ers.com/fans/pride

Here we present some thoughts about the intersection of our community and pro football from former SF Pride President and Krewe de Kinque Founder Gary Virginia and San Francisco Bay Times sports columnist John Chen. Let’s go, Niners!

49ers Super Bowl Bound?

at least three to four National Football League (NFL) games being streamed on various Apple and Android devices on the sidelines, especially when the Niners are playing. There’s no shortage of enthusiasm when it comes to football for the millions of LGBTQ+ fans. We are just as rabid, passionate, and homer as anyone else!

If the San Francisco 49ers don’t beat the Philadelphia Eagles and win Super Bowl LVII, I will never see the East Coast again!

There’s a lot to like and be optimistic about this San Francisco 49ers team not just making but bringing the Super Bowl LVII title to the Bay Area. With elite playmakers on both sides of the ball, the 49ers have no glaring weakness, other than a young inexperienced signal caller who has thus far outperformed expectations and proven to be a winner. It’s no wonder San Francisco fans are currently buzzing with great anticipation and the team is the talk of the town. Afterall, football is America’s game and us fans often live or die with the success and failures of our beloved team.

This past fall, many of the 49er games were scheduled during our San Francisco Gay Flag Football League (SFGFFL) season. And with so many diehard LGBTQ+ pro football fans playing in the league, there are always

Sumo Dancers

My good friend Darrel Bayani, a former SFGFFL Commissioner and a National Gay Flag Football League (NGFFL) Hall of Fame Inductee, is one of the biggest 49er fans I’ve ever met. Darrel is scarily well versed in every Niner player and team statistical category, every draft choice, every trade, and every victory as well as loss. He also knows the names of every player, including the ones on the practice team! During SFGFFL games, I always find Darrel engaged with our many other pro football diehards in intense and no-nonsense discussions regarding the ins and outs of our 49er team.

“This season, the 49ers are in the best position to make a serious Super Bowl run for several factors,” Darrel excitedly repeated to me in between downs at a flag football tournament in Las Vegas just a few weeks ago. “First, [the 49ers] have the best defense in all of football! Ranked #1 in virtually every meaningful statistical category. Our pass rush, led by a beast, Nick Bosa, is relentless and incredibly difficult to block even for the best offensive lines, which makes it much easier for the linebackers and defensive backs to cover receivers downfield.”

Darrel continued, “Second, we are loaded with talented key skill position players such as Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, and Kyle Juszczyk. Our offense operates behind a stout line led by the best left tackle in Trent Williams. The icing on the cake is the Cinderella story of ‘Mr. Irrelevant,’ our 3rd string quarterback, Brock Purdy.”

Sometimes they find their bodies locked together, faces cheek to cheek, in a forceful and concentrated embrace, as they mightily struggle to gain an advantage. Other times, one wrestler may try to wrap their arm around the other’s lower back to grab the other’s mawashi (sumo waist belt holding up the loin cloth) and flip them to the ground.

The clash of these powerful warriors is a spectacular display of primal energy incarnate. They seek to call forth the strength of a tsunami to overwhelm their opponent.

The powerful Japanese giants, weighing as much as 350 pounds and clad only in their mawashi (loin cloths), dig their heals into the compressed clay surface of the dohyo (the sumo wrestling ring). These rishiki (literally strong warriors) crouch in fearless and commanding postures, synchronize their breaths as one, and when they both have touched their hands to the ground, lunge forward to engage each other with all the physical strength, as well as mental acumen, they possess. The sumo match has begun.

The titanic rishiki push, tug, slap, and grab at each other’s flesh.

But the actual match itself is often very short. It ends as soon as one wrestler forces the other out of the dohyo or when any part of one wrestler’s body other than the soles of their feet touches the ground. That can occur in less than a minute, even mere seconds, depending on how successful one of the wrestlers is at outsmarting their opponent or physically dominating them.

One reason the match itself is designed to be short is that it does not, in fact, stand on its own by itself. It exists only as one component of a much greater rit-

Darrel concluded, “And finally, Head Coach Kyle Shanahan has made excellent offensive play calls off well prepared schemes putting our offensive weapons in space and let them do their thing. Let’s not forget our Defensive Coordinator, DeMeco Ryans, who leads and commands a shutdown defense. And there you have it. With all that’s going for the Niners, how can anyone bet against us not winning the Super Bowl?”

I can tell you firsthand, talking football with Darrel, especially when it comes to the San Francisco 49ers, is like talking to a panel of ESPN experts.

Interestingly enough, my in-laws were all born and raised in Eastern Pennsylvania and have been brainwashed to be the biggest Philadelphia Eagle homers, similar to Darrel with the Niners. The most logical and analytical is my brother in-law, Steve. Why did I bring up my in-laws? Because, in the 49ers path to Super Bowl LVII, is the NFL team with the best overall record, the Philadelphia Eagles.

Steve corrected me immediately and annoyingly when I said the 49ers are the best team and have the best chance of winning the Super Bowl. “Now that [the Eagles] got a healthy Jalen Hurts back, our offense is on another level. Hurts is a special quarterback who can hurt even the best defense with both his arm and legs. In fact, the coaching staff has successfully implemented

ual, whose meaning dates back millennia. The match is the highlight of an elaborate Shintobased ceremony that entails many forms and practices and in which all participants play indispensable roles. It’s also one of many matches held on a given day of sumo wrestling. Indeed, on the day of matches that I attended at the Tokyo Nihon Sumo Kyokai (Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament) recently, almost 70 matches were held.

Each series of upper division matches begins with the pageantry of the dohyo-iri in which all the rishiki enter the stage and form a ceremonial circle around the outside of the ring. They are clad in their keshō-mawashi (embroidered full-length aprons extending from their waists), and they raise their arms in an ancient purification act. They then exit the stage as a group to reenter when it’s time for their match.

Yobidashi (attendants) carefully prepare and maintain the dohyo before, during, and after the match. They meticulously sweep the thin layer of sand spread on top of the clay surface of the ring

quarterback

Steve added, “Our defensive line is a major strength, and our team can get to the quarterback and force him to either hurry his throws or sack him without blitzing. Our line can seriously pressure an experienced quarterback into mistakes, let alone a rookie with little playoff experience. Plus, we are the #1 seed. We get to rest our players an extra game and we get home field advantage throughout the playoffs. I like our chances of getting to the Super Bowl and winning it all!”

Notice Steve’s analysis is pretty much directed and targeted at the San Francisco 49ers and my homer remarks about us having the best team.

FYI, I cut and pasted Darrel’s Niners assessment and texted to Steve for his consumption to which I received an eye-roll emoji as his response. Which also led to a friendly in-law bet. Should the 49ers beat the Eagles and go on to win the Super Bowl, Steve must skinny dip in our icecold Pacific Ocean the next time he visits. Should hell freeze over and the 49ers lose to the Eagles, I would have to take an au naturelle dip in the Atlantic.

For my sake, Darrel better be dead on correct about our 49ers or I am never visiting Pennsylvania ever again in my lifetime. Or even worse for Darrel, Steve, and I, some other team like the Kansas City Chiefs and their all-world quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, will win Super Bowl LVII.

John Chen, a UCLA alumnus and an avid sports fan, has competed as well as coached tennis, volleyball, softball, and football teams.

to ensure an even surface. They create beautiful patterns through the graceful movements of their brooms, bringing the same care and attention to their work that Zen monks might give to sweeping the paths in a temple garden. The yobidashi, who is the ring announcer, and is always dressed in colorful traditional clothing, sings the wrestlers' names to call

them to the ring in a uniquely stylized manner akin to that of a Kabuki performer. His powerful voice needs no microphone to be heard.

The rishiki themselves engage in elaborate rituals such as raising a leg and then stomping it to the ground to scare off evil spirits. They throw

Anatomy of an LGBTQ Sports Fan

September 11 with high hopes as the new starting quarterback Trey Lance took the field. He was drafted third overall in the 2021 NFL draft. After his season-ending broken ankle minutes into his second game on September 18, former Niners starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo led the team for the next 10 games.

Anyone who knew me as a kid or teen growing up in Pittsburgh, PA—tall, lanky, buck teeth with braces, big ears, and non-athletic—would never think I’d end up being a huge sports fan. What most people outside of that blue collar city may not know is that everyone from Pittsburgh is a sports fan. Newborns’ first photos often have infants sporting yellow and black knit hats with the logo of the Steelers, Pirates, or Penguins professional sports teams on them. It’s in our blood.

In the late 70s and 80s I was lucky to be in college and living downtown during the heyday of Pittsburgh championship teams in baseball and football. After I moved to San Francisco in 1987, I still rooted for my hometown teams but quickly got familiar with the Bay Area teams, their players, and coaches.

Lucky the fan who cheers for Bay Area teams who have won numerous championships with the Golden State Warriors, San Francisco Giants, and San Francisco 49ers. To have a winning season is one thing (more wins than losses); to make it to any playoff games is what we live for as fans. And if your team wins a national championship, well, let’s just say the bragging rights for a year are priceless.

As I write this article, I’m coming off a high after watching the 49ers beat the Dallas Cowboys 19–12 in the NFC Divisional playoff game, and now our team moves on to our second, consecutive NFC championship game in Philadelphia at noon on January 29. (I apologize to any neighbors who may have heard me yelling at my TV during this close game.)

It’s been a dramatic yet dream year for Niners fans. The season started

salt into the ring for cleansing every time they enter the ring, and they raise their arms ceremonially when they initially face their opponent to show that they have no hidden weapons. As soon as the match ends, the rishiki assume positions on either side of the dohyo and bow to each other, just before the referee acknowledges the match’s winner. And even as they are still exiting the ring, the yobidashi is calling the next competitors to come forward.

Everything is in perpetual motion. Sumo is believed to have begun in prehistoric times as a devotional dance of hope for a good harvest. It has evolved through numerous eras of Japanese history to its present form that remains vital today.

I like that sumo appears to have begun not as a fight, but as a dance, and that despite the brutality and competitiveness of the match itself, it is part of a ceremonial practice in which all the participants, including the rishiki, exist only as part of a greater whole. Our world needs more dancing together in all the different forms it may take.

John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, 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.

Backed by arguably the best defense in the NFL, Garoppolo got the team to a 7–4 record until he injured his foot on December 4. Cue the third quarterback, Brock Purdy, who was the Niners’ last player secured in the 2022 draft among 262 contenders, a pick annually nicknamed “Mr. Irrelevant.” Against all odds, the 23-year-old rookie is the talk of the NFL having led the Niners to eight consecutive wins and poised to make it to the Super Bowl if the stars align and the Niners beat the Eagles in Philly.

There’s a stereotype that LGBTQ+ people aren’t into sports. Perhaps that misperception is due to lack of visibility. It wasn’t safe to be “out” as kids, teens, or in college, so others didn’t notice us on teams, or involved with the band, cheerleading, drill teams, pep clubs, etc. The same is true to this day where an LGBTQ+ athlete has to navigate what’s best for their goals, safety, scholarships, careers, and more in the homophobic sports arena.

I find it odd when friends question my love of sports when they view my prolific Facebook posts, whether it’s professional sports, the Olympics, college games, or personal success stories. I enjoy the concepts of healthy competition, personal bests, team spirit, good sportsmanship and sportswomanship. And who doesn’t love being a voyeur of the conditioned physiques in revealing uniforms no matter what sport or which “team” you’re on with your sexual preference?

Sports can grow on you as well at any age. I was never much into basketball until the local Golden State Warriors started winning with their style of play, much like the Harlem Globetrotters. Only diehard fans stick through the losing seasons, but it was easy to become addicted to the winning ways of the Warriors with four NBA Championships in the last eight years. And sometimes you’re really lucky to have a future Hall of Fame player in your backyard who breaks record after record, like Warriors’ forward Stephen Curry.

Newer in the modern era of professional sports is the growing relationship between the LGBTQ community and teams. In 2019, the 49ers unveiled the creation of 49ers PRIDE, believed to be the first-ever fan community started by an NFL franchise to directly engage and support LGBTQ+ fans and allies. Anyone can sign-up to join fellow members for watch parties and other unique opportunities like marching with the team’s front office in the San Francisco Pride parade.

(Join at https://www.49ers.com/fans/pride )

At the time, 49ers President Al Guido stated, “The 49ers organization is proud to welcome 49ers PRIDE—the official community of 49ers fans who identify as LGBTQ+ and their allies—to our network of fan groups that connect members of the Faithful with our brand and create unique engagement opportunities. We want every fan to feel like a part of the 49ers family and we look forward to furthering our presence in the LGBTQ+ community through this initiative.”

The team hosts town hall meetings and forums specific to the LGBTQ+ community and often features prominent out athletes. The Niners were also the first professional sports team to create unisex, team-branded fan merchandise in 2021.

49ers PRIDE is an extension of the franchise’s long-standing support of the LGBTQ+ community and allies, including donations since 2005 to local nonprofits such as GLAAD and the San Francisco LGBTQ Center. In 2015 the organization hosted a special screening of Out to Win, a documentary chronicling the lives of LGBTQ athletes, in partnership with the LGBT Film Festival in conjunction with Super Bowl 50. The team also has sponsored and hosted the GLAAD Awards at Levi’s Stadium.

If you’re not an extravert who enjoys watching sports at the games or in large crowds, there are a number of LGBTQ bars that show games regularly including Hi Tops, the Mix, Pilsner Inn, and The Detour SF. Some show the games with the volume on, especially during big playoff or championship games.

There are also a number of LGBTQ+ fan pages on Facebook for professional sports teams. The banter can be fun during a game, and the groups often help one learn more about sports, and share news of unused tickets for free or sale.

During the first two years of the pandemic, it was a godsend to have my most knowledgeable sports friend, Colby Michaels, text back and forth with me during Giants, Warriors, and Niners games while we sat alone in our homes. As an unofficial ambassador for the Niners, he recruited me to join him as one of several diverse LGBTQ fans modeling for the groundbreaking unisex apparel campaign. What fun, and we got to keep all the cool merchandise!

Colby shared with me recently, “Being a gay male 49ers fan since the 80s, I watched Head Coach Bill Walsh introduce the NFL to what is now referred to as the ‘West Coast Offense,’ and saw ‘The Catch’ and several Super Bowl wins. It thrills me immensely that the 49ers organization has taken the lead in becoming the first-ever NFL team to have a dedicated club offering events, merchandise, and other benefits to their LGBTQ fans and allies!” The great thing about being a fan is that it’s open to everyone and doesn’t require a lot of money. I can still remember my grandfather passing time in his rocking chair, listening to Pittsburgh Pirates baseball games on his clunky radio. And he’d struggle wrapping aluminum foil on the rabbit ear antenna atop his black and white TV to watch the Steelers.

Another great benefit of fandom is that you don’t have to be athletic. My late mother played softball with her siblings and cousins as a teenager and was so good that she batted fourth—the home run hitter—in the lineup! Sadly, her athleticism didn’t trickle down the gene pool to me. But the love of sports surrounding me in my youth is something I’ll always appreciate.

Gay or straight, or somewhere in between, sexual orientation is something to be celebrated in all areas of life, and shouldn’t prevent anyone from participating on the field or arena at all levels of competition ... or cheering from the stands. May the best team win and I hope it’s mine!

Community leader Gary Virginia, a former President of SF Pride, is the Founder of Krewe de Kinque, which is a social/charitable club that raises awareness and funds in the spirit of Mardi Gras. He is also on the Advisory Board for the nonprofit PRC. Winner of the Mr. Leather title in 1996, Virginia could probably take home that or a similar honor yet again given his continued dedication to fitness and the LGBTQ community.

Film

There were some terrific LGBTQ films screening at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Select films are still available for online viewing ( https:// festival.sundance.org/ ) through January 30, except where noted. Here are a handful of films to catch or keep an eye out for.

Fairyland (not available online) is a shaggy, engrossing, and ultimately moving drama—bring tissues—about Alysia (Nessa Dougherty as a 6-yearold), who is taken by her father Steve (Scoot McNairy) to San Francisco in the 1970s after her mother dies. Steve, a poet and writer, is gay and he starts dating various guys while Alysia is left alone to develop her independence. (Some call Steve’s parenting “neglectful” or “irresponsible.”)

Recommended LGBTQ Films From the 2023 Sundance Film Festival

he impacted her life; she becomes the keeper of the history and the legacy. Fairyland is a bit clunky at times, though, as Durham uses radio and news reports as well archival footage to set a scene, and it is odd that Steve never kisses any men, despite numerous romantic encounters, including an undefined relationship with Charlie (Adam Lambert). But the emotions conveyed by Jones and McNairy ring true, and a series of tender and powerful scenes in the last half hour tug hard at the heartstrings.

In Pakistani director/cowriter Saim Sadiq’s extraordinary feature debut, Joyland—it won the Queer Palm and Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at Cannes—Haider (Ali Junejo) meets the transgender exotic dancer, Biba (Alina Khan), when he takes a job as one of her backup dancers. He also helps her out with a poster she needs

characters, flout gender roles as they experience both empowerment and setbacks.

The film also showcases trans life without condescension. Watching the main characters buck social conventions, or knuckle under them, is affecting because they reveal themselves in their most vulnerable moments.

Joyland features crisp cinematography and artful framing—the film is gorgeous—but it is the trio of strong performances that are most illuminating and incandescent.

Child

As Jax gets information on her sister from her girlfriend Saphhire (Crystle

documentary about the legendary musician who insists he was the “architect and emancipator” of rock and roll—and he is not wrong.

Director Lisa Cortés’ film shows the pioneering Little Richard’s influence as it traces the performer’s career from his childhood in Macon, GA, to his breakout success with “Tutti Frutti,” to his renouncing his homosexuality to focus on God.

His extremes are fascinating, and Cortés features scholars, musicians (Mick Jagger among them) and fans, like John Waters, who comment on Little Richard’s life and accomplishments as well as his race and sexuality. But it is Little Richard himself—seen in fantastic archival clips and interview footage—who best advocates for himself. Emphasizing the lack of appreciation he received by the music industry—he was denied money he earned and was never nominated for

Written and directed by Andrew Durham, and based on Alysia’s memoir about her father, Fairyland focuses on her coming-of-age. As a teen (played by Emilia Jones of CODA) she grapples with her own sense of self while the AIDS crisis starts taking a serious toll on the community. The film shows how Alysia processes her relationship with her father and how

and comes to her rescue when she is shamed on the subway. Haider wants to spend time with Biba because he is attracted to her. A scene of them in her apartment brims with sexual tension and it is dazzlingly shot with lights dancing on their faces.

However, Haider is married to Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq), and while he does care for his wife, he struggles with his desires. Joyland shows how Haider, Biba, and Mumtaz, as well as several other

Trans writer/director Vuk LungulovKlotz’s sensitive, moody drama, Mutt depicts an emotional 24 hours in the life of Feña (Lîo Mehiel), a Latinx transman in New York City. (Feña is a gender-neutral name in Chile.) While in a bar with friends, Feña spots his ex, John (Cole Doman). Their meeting is awkward at first, however, as they spend more time together, things get more complicated, not less, as they consider recoupling. Feña’s life is further complicated when his estranged sister, Zoe (MiMi Ryder), wants to spend the day with him; she’s run away from school. Feña is also preparing to pick up his father, Pablo (Alejandro Goic), who is arriving from Chile, for what is sure to be an intense reunion. Much of the drama comes from Feña and John determining the future of their relationship, and the scenes between Mehiel and Doman crackle with energy. Lungulov-Klotz makes an auspicious feature debut with his compelling film.

Fancy Dance, by director/cowriter Erica Tremblay, is an involving drama about Jax (Lily Gladstone), a lesbian on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation, who is caring for her teenage niece, Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson). Roki’s mother has been missing for a few weeks, and Jax has taken the search into her own hands given the FBI’s unhurried investigation. However,

Lightning) or Boo (Blayne Allen), whom she runs drugs for, Jax takes Roki on a road trip to follow the clues, getting deeper into trouble. Roki, meanwhile, is determined to attend a powwow where she and her mother perform annually. Fancy Dance can be didactic at times with characters overexplaining things, and the plotting is frequently contrived—Roki effortlessly steals what she needs, and an identity check by an officer fails to build the suspense it should—but Gladstone is marvelous and flinty, and the film ends on a truly graceful note.

Little Richard:

a competitive Grammy—Richard never lets anyone forget his importance. Cortés’ documentary provides an appropriate, affectionate showcase for Little Richard’s legacy.

© 2023 Gary M. Kramer

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

I Am Everything is a glorious

Sister Dana sez, “On January 27, the German federal parliament will place the Nazis’ LGBTQ victims at the center of its commemoration ceremony marking INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY. It’s the first time that the legislative body will officially commemorate the hundreds of thousands of queer Germans targeted, terrorized, and killed by the Nazis and their supporters.”

“If we are to truly honor all of the Nazis’ LGBTQ victims, we must not only continue to bear witness to their suffering but also commit to combating the ideologies, policies, and laws that continue to rob queer people of their humanity today,” says queerstorian Dr. Jake Newsome “International Holocaust Remembrance Day is a call to remember and also to act.”

The 448 Post of LGBTQ Veterans are gathering at the PINK TRIANGLE PARK at Market and 17th Streets on INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY, January 27, 10:30 am. They will invoke the spirit of our community and ask a blessing. They will say prayers in Hebrew and make statements. Join them if you wish to.

Sister Dana sez, “Representative George Santos, compulsive liar, has admitted he is not gay. Okay, that is a lie—but wouldn’t that be fabulous?!”

Fellow New Yorker and fellow gay Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY) has been a huge critic of out Rep. George Santos (R-NY) ever since he was caught lying about his entire life history. Therefore, Torres has announced he is introducing the SANTOS Act, a bill he said “punishes candidates who lie to voters about their qualifications.” SANTOS, he added, stands for Stop Another Non Truthful Office Seeker.

Congratulations to the new Executive Director of the TRANSGENDER LAW CENTER, Shelby Chestnut! He will be the first Native trans executive director of TLC and one of the first Native trans leaders to head a national LGBTQ organization. For the past five years he was TLC’s Director of Policy and Programs. Chestnut is a proven leader with the knowledge, experience, and vision to meet this current moment of the overlapping crises our communities are facing.

Also, congratulations to Chuan Teng becoming the permanent Chief Executive Officer of PRC! Since September, Teng has served in this role on an interim basis and chartered a path to organizational sustainability by strengthening the agency’s health through creative problem-solving, keeping PRC’s mission and values at the core of all decision-making, and leveraging their partnerships in meaningful ways.

One of the Republicans’ very first acts of Congress was to open a new “Investigate the Investigators” committee. It’s all about validating their “deep state” conspiracy theories and their dangerous nonsense. Sister Dana sez, “Well, I guess it’s time

to form a committee to investigate the investigators investigating the investigators. Whew! I don’t know about you, but I’m utterly dizzy!”

On MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.’s DAY of COMMEMORATION, January 16, President Joe Biden spoke these inspirational words: “Will we choose democracy over autocracy, or community over chaos? Love over hate?” He added, “These are the questions of our time that I ran for president to try to help answer ... . Dr. King’s life and legacy—in my view— shows the way forward.” Meanwhile, the fight for voting rights goes on as we try to honor the legacy of Dr. King. And “The Big Lie” of Trumpism (and its accompanying chaos and hate) tries to destroy the will of the people.

Sister Dana sez, “Congress can use the 14th Amendment to BAN Trump from running FOR OFFICE ever again. Invoking the 14th Amendment only requires a SIMPLE majority in the House and Senate. So, is this nun asking for a miracle? Lord knows!

But on a positive note, I quote SF Mayor London N. Breed, “We honor the life and powerful legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and recommit ourselves to his fight for equality and change. We must continue working together to move this country forward and uphold the values of justice, equal rights, and service that he embodied!”

Sister Dana sez, “Oddly enough, the right to ‘bare’ arms is being challenged by Missouri State House Republicans. Oh, I’m not speaking about guns here, but rather a dress code that would force women House members to cover their arms while in session. Bang!”

Believe it or not, North Dakota Republicans are trying to ban even more books. House Majority Leader Mike Lefor introduced “HB 1205” seeking to ban books with “sexually explicit” content from all public libraries in the state, and not just keep them out of young adult sections or from school libraries, but ban them from public libraries, period. “Sexually explicit” includes depictions of gender identity and sexual orientation. The measure proposes up to 30 days imprisonment for librarians who don’t remove such books from libraries if the bill becomes law. Sister Dana sez, “Wow! Talk about ‘Fahrenheit 451’! Let’s burn dem bad books, baby!”

I always enjoy LOCKDOWN COMEDY on Zoom. Producer Lisa Geduldig gave us lotsa laughs with Keith Lowell Jensen (Sacramento), Eve Meyer (SF), Brett Jennings (Marin), Arline Geduldig (Mom) and Lisa (stuck in Flawrida with Mom). “Lockdown Comedy” has been running every 3rd Thursday of the month on Zoom since July 2020. Catch the next one on February 16. https://www.koshercomedy.com/ Sister Dana sez, “Be prepared to cringe ‘bigly’ because Trump is considering three possible running mates: loud and proud insurrectionist Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Trump apologist and New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, and possible Russian asset as well as former presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard. I’m gagging, and THEY need to be gagged!”

We attended a press preview screening of SHOTGUN WEDDING on January 19 at the Century 9. Welcome to the soggiest screwball comedy ever! Every true wedding island destination action rom-com should include fireworks, pirates, and hand grenades. And who wouldn’t want to walk down the wedding aisle waist-deep in water? Don’t forget the shotguns! This hilarious romp stars two of my favorite Jennifers, Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Coolidge. Add to the cast the stellar actors (gorgeous) Josh Duhamel, Sonia Braga, Cheech Marin, D’Arcy Carden, and Lenny Kravitz, to namedrop just a few. Shotgun Wedding will begin streaming on Prime Video on January 27. Be sure to RSVP!

On January 21 at the SF Eagle bar, CASTRO COMMUNITY ON PATROL (CCOP) and COMMUNITY PATROL SERVICES (CPS) presented their second free ACTIVE SHOOTER WORKSHOP for the owners and managers of queer nightclubs, bars, and related businesses, as well as event organizers, to help them be prepared in case of an active shooter attack. This is the second workshop of its kind; the first was presented on December 21, 2022, with about two dozen attendees present.

CCOP and CPS are coordinating with local agencies including the San Francisco Police Department, San Francisco Fire Department, Department of Emergency Services, and the District Attorney’s office to ensure the material will be current and accurate. Federal agencies are also involved with these trainings,

Highlights From the Upcoming Mostly British Film Festival 2023

costarring the late great Barbara Stanwyck. Stein promises dish!

For example, Stanwyck, for the first time in her long and illustrious career, forgot her lines during a scene with Chamberlain in The Thorn Birds. In the scene she walked in on him after he was caught in the rain and was nude. She just stared, finally saying, “Excuse me, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a naked man.”

These days, when many of us think about the U.K., royals like Harry and Meghan come to mind. I, by the way, am firmly on Team Harry. How can we knock someone trying to make his family safe? But let us move over to the U.K.’s fine films, actors and actresses, TV programs, and series.

From shows like Gentleman Jack and Absolutely Fabulous to some of our best films including The Imitation Game, Albert Nobbs, The Danish Girl, Billy Elliot, and Wilde, there are countless quality productions coming from a constitutional monarchy that is just 2.48% the size of the U.S.

To showcase such treasures, my friend and colleague Ruthe Stein

I recommend Chamberlain’s autobiography, Shattered Love: A Memoir, to understand this gifted actor and painter. I interviewed him for this book, and he was one my favorites. The book is sad. For a better time about a Hollywood heartthrob coming out, read Tab Hunter’s Tab Hunter Confidential, and see the documentary that goes with it. But I digress.

idea of freeing people through her concepts and designs. From miniskirts to slickers to lip gloss, the film puts Quant in the middle of social, sexual, business, and industrial revolutions. She’s had a life well led, and is still with us and working!

Philomena, The Theory of Everything, The King’s Speech, Colette, Carrington, and Belfast are just a few examples of the way British films masterfully reveal the world of one individual to us. The opening night of the festival will feature a movie based on Emily Bronte, the author of Wuthering Heights. Another film will be The Lost King. Some of you might have been following this remarkable story of an amateur archeologist who found King Richard III’s bones under a British parking lot. Sally Hawkins stars in this Stephen Frears film. There will also be a deep dive into the early films of Judi Dench and Helen Mirren.

Four British movies on my current Top Ten so far are Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris; Living; Good Luck to You, Leo Grande; and Empire of Light Season five of The Crown was excellent, with Dominic

eight years ago put together the Mostly British Film Festival in San Francisco. Every year, at least 25 new films, documentaries, tributes, and short subjects unspool in February (this year from February 9–16) at the Vogue Theatre. Stein told me about the festival’s origins and what inspired her: “Nobody was doing it! We had every kind of film festival. So, I thought like a journalist to look for something fresh and new. Also, I love the British New Wave and so many English-speaking films from overseas. That’s why this festival is always about not only British films, but also (those from) Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and India.”

This year, aside from movies, Stein has curated an amazing evening with Richard Chamberlain, Bryan Brown, and Rachel Ward about the making of The Thorn Birds via a Zoom interview where each will remember this radical television movie, full of lust and sex, religious guilt, and

I will so be in my seat at the Vogue for the film Blue Jean. It concerns a closeted lesbian, teaching during the homophobic Thatcher years, who reaches out to one of her students and shares her own younger fears and current insecurity. Directed by Georgia Oakley, it stars an actress, Rosy McEwen, from one of the great unsung British TV series, The Alienist. Stein told me that this movie is now so hot in the U.K. that she had to fight for it for her festival.

I had an opportunity to view in advance one of the documentaries playing at this year’s festival. Quant is the true story of Mary Quant, a designer who changed fashion, licensing, and marketing forever. Not only was Quant a remarkable artist and thinker, but she also developed a look and feel for clothing, haircuts, shoes, British working-class neighborhoods, and makeup, all with the

West portraying Charles (what Charles probably wishes he looked like) and Elizabeth Debicki as Diana. I do long for a more assertive Diana, the woman who walked through landmines and fought for AIDS. Perhaps in the future.

Thinking of other great, recent films not limited to the U.K., do not miss Women Talking, She Said, 13 Lives, and The Fabelmans

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

Cris Williamson: The Grand Reunion

Back-to-back concerts on January 6–7, 2023, billed as A Celebration of 50 Years of Women’s Music, were presented at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley. The concerts highlighted songs from the repertoire of the legendary singer/songwriter Cris Williamson. Joining Williamson on stage were invited artists including Barbara Higbie, Mary Watkins, Katie Cash, Julie Wolf, the duo Mouths of Babes (Ty Greenstein and Ingrid Elizabeth), members of the collaborative group Skip the Needle (Vicki Randle, Shelley Doty, Kofy Brown), and additional featured guests.

Top of your stack

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOOK PASSAGE

In this groundbreaking book spanning decades of artistic risk-taking, the inventor of “industrial music,” founder of Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV, and world-renowned fine artist with COUM Transmissions Genesis P-Orridge (1950–2020) takes us on a journey searching for identity and their true self. Recently released in paperback, this captivating memoir is even more affordable and accessible.

Diary of a Misfit: A Memoir and a Mystery (nonfiction/memoir - hardbound) by Casey Parks

When Casey Parks came out as a lesbian in college back in 2002, she assumed her life in the South was over. But then Parks’ grandmother pulled her aside and revealed a startling secret: “I grew up across the street from a woman who lived as a man,” and then implored Casey to find out what happened to him. Diary of a Misfit is the story of Parks’ life-changing journey to unravel the mystery of Roy Hudgins.

The House in the Pines (fiction/mystery - paperback) by Ana Reyes

This is a shocking debut thriller about the subtlety of memory and manipulation, in which a young woman must find her way back to a New England cabin, armed with only hazy, haunting memories, to finally uncover the truth that could save her.

Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, mysteriously dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man. To save herself, she must understand a story written before she was born, but time keeps running out, and soon, all roads are leading back to Frank’s cabin.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, January 28 @ 4 pm (free - Corte Madera) Darwin Bodgraham & Ali Winston, authors of The Riders Come Out at Night: Brutality, Corruption, and Cover Up in Oakland From the Polk Award–winning investigative duo comes a critical look at the systematic corruption and brutality within the Oakland Police Department, and the more than two-decadeslong saga of attempted reforms and explosive scandals. The authors trace the history of Oakland since its inception through the lens of the city’s police department, through the Palmer Raids, McCarthyism, the Civil Rights struggle, the Black Panthers and crack eras, to Oakland’s present-day revival.

Saturday, February 4 @ Noon (free - SF Ferry Building) Kristina Cho author of Mooncakes & Milk Bread

Audiences at the sold-out shows enjoyed recent compositions by Williamson as well as all of the songs featured on her chart-topping, memorable 1975 album The Changer and the Changed The shows, which commemorated the founding of the company Olivia Records, also included appearances by author and historian Bonnie Morris, Grammy Awardwinning producer Leslie Ann Jones, and Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival founder Lisa Vogel. (continued on page 28)

Patricia

Diaries and Notebooks:

The New York Years 1941–1950 edited by Anna Von Planta

Highsmith is the author of the classic lesbian novel, The Price of Salt, as well as the pulp-y noir “Ripley” series.

This collection of her private writings (discovered posthumously hidden behind her linens!) reveals her strong ambitions and aching loneliness while also serving up dishy stories.

The Secret History of Wonder

Woman

by Jill Lepore

This book of important feminist cultural history has a secret identity as a wildly entertaining biography of the slightly bonkers fellow who dreamed up America’s favorite female superhero.

Smahtguy:

The Life and Times of Barney Frank by Eric Orner

Frank was an epic character, one of first openly gay members of congress and a crusader for civil rights, who richly deserves this stunning graphic novel.

Orner, author of the beloved comic series

The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Greenw, will be appearing at Fabulosa on Sunday, January 29, at 4 pm.

https://www.fabulosabooks.com/

Greyson Chance with Opener Dynamyte at The Independent SF on January 12, 2023

Greyson Chance brought his Palladium Tour to The Independent in San Francisco on January 12 and played to a house of devoted all-ages fans. On this final show of his 30-city tour, he kicked the 18-song set off with “Mercury Year” while sitting at the piano, which he went back and forth to throughout the night, moving easily between quiet seated emotion and full energetic stage dancing alongside his two bandmates on guitar and drums. Chance has already had a prolific career at age 25 after getting started at 12 singing Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” to viral fanfare on The Ellen Show. He has seven albums under his belt, and Palladium is the 2022 release he’s been touring, with dates that began in Boise in September 2022 and ended here in San Francisco. With the album name’s historical influence (Palladium is Grecian-themed, not atomic number 46 or element "Pd"-based) it’s full of ballads and bangers, with the title track starting off a quiet love song and morphing into a dancer, and the cut “Athena” a driving singalong about surrendering to love.

With his voice on point and his stage presence captivating, Chance worked through a set filled with not only new Palladium tracks but also older favorites like “Shut Up,” “Yours,” and “Good as Gold.” Chance sometimes sings in a Jimmy Sommerville-like falsetto, which he uses to great effect, with range and emotion that make songs like “Black Mascara” and “My Dying Spirit” extra profound. He talked openly to the crowd about wanting to connect with them, and took time to make genuine contact with his fans in the first rows against the stage. He sang with emotion to a female fan in the front and then said into the mic with a smile, “I don’t even like girls!”

Songs were intercut throughout the set with personal stories and heartfelt pleadings for San Francisco fans to live in the moment, to stay true to themselves, and to promise to keep moving forward and thriving, and in return he promised to do the same. Chance has been quoted as saying that music is his therapy and his sanctuary, and that he’s blessed to be able to share it with his fans, and his sharing delighted one fan in particular, whom Chance brought up on stage towards the end of the night and gifted him the white silky-satin shirt he’d been wearing throughout the tour. The evening ended with a cheering audience and the smiling band taking a bow, and if Chance’s talent is any indication, his fans have a lot more to look forward to in coming years.

Opener Dynamyte played a crowd-pleasing set that included “Headspace” and the Beatles cover “Can’t Buy Me Love,” all while holding a fluffy white Bichon Frisé named Cutie in her arms. When it was time for her to play the drums for several songs, she handed Cutie to her excellent and seasoned keyboardist, who played with Cutie in his lap.

Dynamyte toured with Chance in support of her singles and TikTok fanbase.

Jennie Book is a Northern Californiabased photographer, illustrator, vector artist, and videographer.

The Islands Are Calling: A Hawaiian Update

salad had enough crunch and the marinade gave a zingy offset to brighten the taste of the mixture. For our main, we split the kimchi fried rice with chicken—why hasn’t anyone ever thought of this before? We know that chicken is big in Korea, but adding the touch of kimchi and fried rice gave it a delightful spark.

As a side, we sampled paniolo beans (black and kidney beans with local spices), which reminded me of a yummy Hawaiian version of baked beans. To top things off, we split the fresh coconut cream pie—light and airy, with fresh Hawaiian coconut.

With all the recent rainstorms and cold, blustery winds in the Bay Area, there’s no doubt that winter has arrived. It makes one yearn for the sun and warmth of summertime repasts—and what better way to escape the wintry blues than a trip to the islands—Hawaii, of course. Luckily for you readers, The Gay Gourmet visited Maui and Honolulu in November and I’ve got some of the latest scoop to plan your winter getaway.

Maui

Truth be told, Maui has never been on my list of favorite Hawaiian islands to visit. I’m more of a Honolulu and Kauai kind of guy. That said, this trip has changed my opinion. Knowing where to go makes all the difference in the world. Here are some of my favorites:

The Westin Maui

First off, staying in the right hotel can be the difference between a lovely vacation and one where you can’t wait to get home. Located conveniently in Kaanapali (walking distance to numerous bars, restaurants, and shopping), The Westin Maui is a luxurious respite from the hubbub that can be Maui. As you enter the lush landscaped grounds, you’re greeted by a welcoming waterfall that serves as the backdrop as you check-in. Insider’s tip: book a room at the newly-renovated Hokupa’a Tower (gorgeous ocean views and contemporary furnishings), which has its own private restaurant/club called The Lanai. Also, be sure and book a massage at the spa, which is one of the loveliest on the island.

Another reason to patronize the Westin is the newish Waicoco restaurant. Situated with a birds-eye view of the ocean from the lanai (outdoor deck), Waicoco is a partnership between chef Chris Kajioka (the owner) and Mourad Lahlou from San Francisco’s Mourad Their successful cooperation shows, as the food is anything but typical. We dined at Waicoco at sunset (which is always right around 6 pm in Hawaii) and I’d recommend an early dinner for just that reason. For starters, they know how to make a true Mai Tai—inspired by the Trader Vic’s original but with a little added orange. Hawaiian bread with butter and Hawaiian red sea salt followed—light and fluffy, the way it’s meant to be.

For our first course, we had the local Pohole fern salad (kind of like green beans), with cherry tomatoes, onion, tamari mirin marinade, basil oil, sesame seeds, and crispy alliums. It was a portent of surprising and delicious things to come. The

The restaurant’s service is first class: manager Gabriel used to work at Pesce in San Francisco, offering tips along the way, and server Carly is delightfully charming. All in all, Waicoco offers some of the best meals in Maui.

Another place to dine, especially for lunch, is Honu Oceanside in Lahaina, which we heard about through our local friends Keri and Neil. Perched right on the beach, Honu means “turtle” in Hawaiian, and there’s a reason the restaurant is called that. From its deck, you can watch turtles surfing and playing just beyond your table as you dine on some of the best casual fare in Maui.

I’m told that Honu has recently gone through a renovation: the result is a contemporary, inviting, and airy space where all the focus is towards the magnificent view. Some recommendations: the famous ahi tuna bruschetta appetizer with local tomatoes (yup, they were tasty!) and homemade bread; the grilled fresh mahi mahi with broccolini, salsa, and rice; the ahi fish and chips (also fresh); and the grilled mahi mahi sandwich. For dessert, we split the lilikoi (passion fruit) tart, with a crust that melts in your mouth.

Finally, for the best Mai Tai on the island, look no further than Monkeypod (in Kaanapali and also in Wailea). Their version isn’t the original recipe, but it’s topped with lilikoi foam on top and makes for a scrumptious cocktail! Insider tip: don’t worry about waiting for a table; sit at the bar.

Honolulu

As readers of this column know, I’ve been visiting Honolulu since 1960 (don’t do the math!) and it’s one of my favorite places on the islands. It’s a big city with the amazing Waikiki beach, but it also features the culture, music, and cuisines of Hawaii to boot. We returned to our favorite hotel there, the sumptuous Halekulani Hotel. If possible, it’s better than ever. The House

Without A Key outdoor Hawaiian lounge has been completely remodeled with an open viewing kitchen, a new “Earl’s Bar,” (in honor of the author of The House Without A Key, Earl Derr Biggers), and an expanded menu. Thankfully, the House still features the iconic ocean and Diamond Head view and traditional Hawaiian music, musicians, and hula dancers. For the first time in a while, we were able to visit Lewer’s Lounge, which is a Hawaiian version of Bemelman’s Bar at the Carlyle Hotel in New York. Great drinks! With Maggie Herron on vocals and Dean Taba on the piano, it’s a perfect place for a nightcap. But what I’d really like to talk about is the Cattleya Wine Bar (inside Orchids). What a find! It’s casual (you sit at a long table with others,

perfect for mingling), but the wine and tapas selections are out of this world. We sampled a completely fresh from the sea hamachi crudo, a charcuterie plate (with some of the most tender prosciutto ever), an imported cheese board, Kona lobster and Kahuku shrimp gyoza (a nice Hawaiian twist), and a Puglia stracciatella. The wines are no ordinary selection: most hail from Italy, with a few from Spain and even Turkey, but since they’re anything but typical, you’ll want to ask the sommelier for guidance. Also, just re-opened across the street is the Halekulani Bakery, which features delectable artisan breads, a contemporary coffee bar with specialty coffees, pastry pairings, savory bites, and the famous Halekulani coconut cake.

Also on the culinary radar is the new-ish Hau Tree at the hipster Kaimana Beach Hotel, just south of Waikiki. The deck has one of the most outstanding beach views in Honolulu and the menu is innovative and modern. Mixologist Jen Ackrill creates some of the most unique cocktail concoctions on the island. The dinner menu includes such unusual choices as harissa Kauai

scale replica of the 950-year-old Byodo-in Temple, a United Nations World Heritage Site, in Uji, Japan.

Bits and Bites

A top Gay Gourmet recommendation, the popular LGBTQ+ social

will be used for events and expanded programming for the club.” The club anticipates a first quarter 2023 opening for the revamped space. Since it’s wintertime, it’s also soup time. The Gay Gourmet just tried a

shrimp, deep sea crab tagliatelle (they charge extra for Parmesan cheese), ginger scallion seared walu, and fresh from the garden salads and home-grown veggies.

Of course, don’t forget all the good times to be had at Honolulu’s oldest (48 years!) LGBTQ+ bar, Hula’s Bar and Lei Stand. There are great views of the park and the beach from their deck, potent cocktails (and good food) and venerable drag shows, DJs, and dancing. It is a must-do in Honolulu.

For things to do while in Honolulu (besides beachgoing), I’d recommend Doris Duke’s Shangri La Museum. It’s part of the Honolulu Museum of Art and features one of the most comprehensive collections of Islamic art anywhere. Plus, its ideal location right at the foot of Diamond Head overlooking the ocean is a showstopper. Also fun is the Lyon Arboretum, part of the University of Hawaii and a short 20-minute drive from Waikiki. Lush indigenous flowers, plants, and trees adorn the grounds and there’s even a doable hike up to a waterfall. And don’t forget the gorgeous Byodo-In Buddhist Temple near Kaneohe. Established in 1968, the temple commemorates the 100-year anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. It’s a smaller-

club The Academy at 2166 Market Street in the Castro, just celebrated 5 years in business and is expanding again, next door at the former site of the Revamp Salon. According to Hoodline, co-founder Nate Bourg says, “This is an exciting game change for our growing club, giving us a large open indoor space, additional storage, and other features that we don’t have in our existing building.” Hoodline continues, “The ground floor retail space includes over 3,000 square feet, including the main floor and basement level, that

great line of soups called Zoup. I sampled their garden vegetable soup, brimming with vegetables that actually taste like vegetables in an intensely flavorful broth. There’s a bit of a sweet aftertaste that lingers lovingly on the tongue. Another plus? It is all natural with no additives. The seasoning is well-balanced, but I’d suggest a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese on top to add some zip. Packaged in tall glass bottles, Zoup has a number of flavors, including: tomato bisque, spicy chicken ‘chilada, butternut squash,

The heartwarming documentary film Blind Ambition—playing at the Mostly British Film Festival on February 13 at the Vogue—follows four young Zimbabwe men who escape to South Africa where they discover a shared brilliant talent for identifying wine. They wind up competing at the World Wine Tasting Championship in Burgundy.

Bits and Bites for Valentine’s Day

It’s almost Valentine’s Day and here are some ideas if you haven’t yet booked or if you need a lastminute gift idea:

Cassava in North Beach is offering a 5-course menu for $175/person including dishes like crudo, osso bucco, and leche flan.

Queer and Filipina-owned Kokak Chocolates in the Castro has four

in a little surf n’ turf. For one night only, Trestle will be highlighting seasonal ingredients with dishes like the Dungeness crab risotto, blood orange Kampachi crudo, and braised beef short rib.

At Lucia in Carmel Valley, Executive Chef Christian Ojeda will take a spin on all things aphrodisiac, from fragrant figs to passionlaced pomegranate, backed with a splash of new craft cocktails.

Certain to sway the senses, the fourcourse menu will be featured weekends, February 3–26, 2023.

Down in Palo Alto, Bruno Chemel’s Bistronomie by Baumé will be offering a gourmet Valentine’s Day $198 per person six-course prix fixe menu served in the dining room and also available for pick up. The menu includes: Osëtra caviar with cauliflower and citrus, artichoke soup, Ora king salmon mousse with polenta, seared Pacifico striped bass with celery, warm goat cheese with honey and beets, and raspberry chocolate parfait.

heart-shaped truffle collections with nostalgic flavors guaranteed to stroke your inner child’s heartstrings. New this Valentine’s, they are teaming up with femaleowned Boonville Barn for a sixpiece “Eternal Flame Truffle Collection ” This offering combines two truffle flavors with the rarest cacao variety (Nacional) and prized chiles from the only farm that cultivates rare Comapeño chiles in the U.S.

This Valentine’s Day, Marlena will offer a fivecourse tasting menu that includes oysters, sea urchin pasta, truffles, milk bread with cultured butter, and half a dryaged chicken for two to share. The menu will be priced at $110 per person with luxury supplements available.

You can celebrate Valentine’s early on February 11 when Broadway performer Bobby Conte (whom I reviewed for the San Francisco Bay Times in December) returns to The Strand. And Villon at the San Francisco Proper Hotel is a perfect pre-theatre dinner choice within walking distance from the theatre.

Afterwards, Charmaine’s rooftop bar at the hotel will be calling your name for a nightcap with a view. Or else, if you want to celebrate on the 14th, Villon is offering a 5-course tasting menu for $195/person.

There’s always a deal at Trestle and for Valentine’s Day, guests can celebrate love with a $90 fourcourse prix fixe menu and indulge

And, my pal Sophie Gayot has compiled Gayot’s Guide to Valentine’s Day in San Francisco: https://tinyurl.com/4x3ft65d Here’s to love!

Westin Maui/Waicoco: https://tinyurl.com/4ewpfxak

Honu Oceanside: https://tinyurl.com/39vkv3r7

Monkeypod: https://tinyurl.com/ym49akax

Halekulani Hotel: https://tinyurl.com/2p8y23f2

Hau Tree: https://tinyurl.com/bdzrzphy

Hula’s Bar and Lei Stand: https://tinyurl.com/8fzxcs8r Shangri-La Museum: https://tinyurl.com/28tped33

Lyon Arboretum: https://tinyurl.com/cu8tnp9c

Byodo-In Temple: https://tinyurl.com/4st7cx27

Cassava: https://tinyurl.com/ndf6my5b

Kokak Chocolates: https://tinyurl.com/2n2xuyz2

Bobby Conte at The Strand: https://tinyurl.com/yc2hzwdx

Villon: https://tinyurl.com/5y34dxhu

Charmaine’s: https://tinyurl.com/42th8skh

The Academy: https://tinyurl.com/mtuuu8zu

Zoup: https://tinyurl.com/4t2cpj7t

Marlena: https://tinyurl.com/bdd4xhb8

Lucia at the Bernardus Lodge: https://tinyurl.com/w42525bz

Bistronomie by Baume: https://tinyurl.com/4u52h9ke

Trestle: https://tinyurl.com/3a2beybd

Mostly British Film Festival: https://tinyurl.com/bn89a7kp

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

This Month at the Castro Farmers’ Market

The Big Boys of Citrus - Pomelo vs. Grapefruit

The season for citrus is here, and in California, that means a chorus of quintessential, show-stopping fruit, from itty-bitty kumquats, tangy lemons, and red-fleshed blood oranges, to easy-peel mandarins, tart grapefruit, and giant pomelos. We grow it all!

This month the spotlight is on the differences between grapefruit and pomelos. These are the understudies of the citrus culinary playbill. Ever since the 1950s, grapefruit has been available on restaurant menus and family tables, but pomelos have not been mentioned very often.

The funny thing is, is that the non-hybrid pomelo is an oldie but goodie! It’s what’s called an “ancestor fruit.” A pomelo is a whole separate species from grapefruit. Mandarins and lemons are also ancestor fruits. Crosses between these three citrus varieties are the foundation of almost all citrus seen today. For example, pomelos crossed with mandarins give us oranges. Pomelos crossed with oranges give us grapefruit. The old pomelo has been on stage for hundreds of years.

The most obvious difference between pomelos and grapefruits is the scene-stealing size. The pomelo is larger at first, but once peeled, the fruit itself is about the same size as a grapefruit. Pomelos can have almost a 1/2 - to 3/4- inch thick rind and pith! Pomelos taste similar to grapefruit, but are slightly sweeter. The membrane between the segments is thicker and tends to be bitter. The Oro Blanco, Chandler, and Tahitian are some of the more common pomelo varieties you’ll find at the farmers’ market.

Grapefruit is a hybrid formed by a long-ago accidental cross between a sweet orange and a pomelo. It is called grapefruit because of its tendency to grow in groups or bunches. They hold more moisture and are denser than a pomelo. Audience-pleasing grapefruit varieties include Ruby Red, Marsh, and Valentine.

Another citrus showstopper is the grapefruit-pomelo hybrid, for an interesting plot twist. The Melogold hybrid was developed here in 1958 at the University of California Riverside’s Citrus Breeding Program. It is seedless with a delicious, sweet-tart flavor and is a bigger and heavier fruit with thinner skin than a pomelo.

There are striking similarities and dubious differences between these two citrus giants. However, they do have one thing in common – they’re both delicious! Buying citrus from your farmers’ market is a special treat because of the fruit’s freshness and the abundance of variety. You can also converse with the farmer who wrote the script on his fruit.

This winter, pick up some of the stars of the citrus world and enjoy their tart and sweet flavor. 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/

Column

The 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th Royal Houses

1985–1986

The 13th Royal House of The Fire Crystal and The Ebony Star

Former Grand Duke: Tony Travizo (deceased)

Former Grand Duchess: Deena Jones

Coronation Theme: “A Russian Fairy Tale”

In 1986 this Court was exiled for actions not befitting of a Duke and Duchess. Fast forward to 2022. After many years of debate and reconciliation, the Board of Directors voted to re-instate the 13th Royal House with all rights and privileges.

1986–1987

When a candidate campaigns to become a Grand Duke or Grand Duchess, there is always a representation of colors that allows voters to know whom they are voting for. In most cases, candidates will also have a “catchphrase” and a coronation theme for their step-down. Here is a look back at what those were from 1985–1989:

The 14th Royal House of The Snow Owl and the Silver Peacock

Grand Duke XIII Mike D’Dyke (deceased)

Colors: Blue and Silver Symbol: Snow Owl

Always saying: “What’s going on?”

Grand Duchess XIV Lola Lust (deceased)

Colors: Silver and Aqua Favorite quote: “To be pretty, it must hurt.”

Coronation Theme: “The Russian Family in Search of Heirs-SpainChina-Russia”

While Lola was the first Latinx monarch, Mike D’Dyke was the first ciswoman Grand Duke. Mike D’Dyke would then be followed in years to come by Grand Duke 23 Gail Woods and Grand Duchess 44 Madd Dogg 20/20. There would not be a ciswoman Grand Duchess until reign 44 Migette Nielson followed by reign 45 Miss Shugana. Grand Duchess Joie De Vivre privately began her transitioning during her reign in 2013 but Grand Duchess Katherine Rose was the first elected openly trans monarch.

1987–1988

The 15th Royal House of The Golden Eagles and The Eternal Flame

Grand Duke XIV Tom Roller (deceased)

Colors: Blue and White

Symbol: Golden Eagle

Favorite quote: “Flame resigned.”

Former Grand Duchess Flame Colors: Red, Gold, and Black Symbol: Eternal Flame Favorite quote: “I resign!”

Coronation Theme: “Empires of the Old World”

This particular reign would be significant. Here’s the scoop: Two weeks before step-down, Flame became the first Monarch ever to resign. You see, Flame was a Former Empress of the Imperial Court and it was rumored that she would be stripped of her former title as Empress if she did not abdicate.

1988–1989

The 16th Royal House of The Golden Bear and The Jade Dragon

Grand Duke XV Jim Johner Colors: unknown Symbol: Golden Bear

Grand Duchess XVI Suzie Wong

Colors: unknown

Symbol: Jade Dragon

Coronation Theme: “A Winter Odyssey to Mother Russia”

On September 22, 2023, the Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco will celebrate 50 years of Camp and Fundraising. The celebration will take place at the Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Please consider becoming a sponsor. Inquiries: 50thanniversary@sfducal.org

Tickets ($80) will go on sale from March 1, 2023–August 25, 2023, with a hard stop on that final date. Save the dates then both for your ticket purchases and for this once-in-a-lifetime historic event!

https://www.sfducal.org/

Kippy Marks is Grand Duke XL of The Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco. He is the first ever elected African-American Grand Duke.

Faces from Our LGBT Past

During those years of divine decadence before the Great War began in 1918, many of Europe’s rich and powerful artists, writers, businessmen, politicians, and members of the nobility were caught up in a series of delicious scandals and denounced for “depraved, vile, villainous” and often criminal intimacies. For men such as Baron Jacques d’Adelswärd-Fersen, their connections allowed them to avoid severe punishment for their behavior, but often led to years of self-imposed, although luxurious, exile.

Tall, darkly handsome, imperially slim, and fabulously wealthy, d’Adelswärd personified the fading Romanticism of the 19th century, which rejected traditional social values to embrace emotion, individualism, paganism, pleasure, and a glorification of the past. Born in Paris in 1880 to a family of

L’affaire d’Adelswärd and Other Divinely Decadent Scandals

The parties quickly became “Orgies and Saturnalia” in the press reports.

According to Gil Bas, the activities of the “two young Parisian gentlemen who hungered for novelty” soon “attracted the attention of the police [because] they were introducing the students of our lycées to the sort of homework that had only a distant relation to the kind the Education Ministry is recommending.”

D’Adelswärd now was characterized as “un nouvel Oscar Wilde.”

Arrested on suspicion of indecent behavior and offending public decency, d’Adelswärd spent several months in prison, undergoing psychiatric examination before his trial finally began on November 28; the press and public were not allowed to attend. Five days later the court found him guilty only of the first offense. Given credit for time served, he was immediately set free, although he also paid a fine of 50 francs (about $10 then) and lost all his civil rights for the next five years.

Both French justice and Parisian high society were now done with him. No

not only was homosexual, but also had been sexually involved with numerous young men on Capri, including one Adolfo Schiano, an 18-year-old barber and amateur musician. Having returned to Germany, Krupps died a week after the allegations appeared in print. He was 48 years old.

Capri became a destination for many notable European homosexuals, including the writer and memoirist Faith Compton (Lady) Mackenzie (1878–1960), who lived there with her husband from 1913 to 1920, during which time she had an affair with the Italian pianist Renata Borgatti (1894–1964); Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) and two of his lovers, Robbie Ross (1869–1918) and Lord Alfred Douglas (1870–1945); and the English novelist Somerset Maugham (1874–1965), among others.

D’Adelswärd named his new home the Villa Lysis after one of Plato’s dialogues. While it was under construction, he took a trip around the world. On way back to the Capri, he met Antonio (Nino) Cesarini, a

steelmakers, he added Fersen to his name as an adult in homage to Axel von Fersen, a Swedish count and distant relative who allegedly had a love affair with Marie Antoinette.

After a privileged education and a brief term of military service, d’Adelswärd considered going into politics, but decided to become a writer instead. No starving intellectual struggling in an unheated garret, he lived elegantly, driven around Paris by a liveried chauffeur in a royal blue Darracq automobile when only the wealthy could afford a car of any kind. He spent his days writing lavish hothouse poetry and slender lavender novels about beautiful young men and his afternoons and evenings perusing them.

In January 1903, d’Adelswärd leased an apartment on the Avenue Friedland in one of the most affluent neighborhoods of Paris; his mother lived just two doors away. Six months later, the French daily newspapers reported that he and his friend Albert François de Warren had been hosting parties featuring students “from excellent families” appearing in louche tableaux vivants, poses plastiques and a series of so-called représentations païennes (pagan representations). They called it “A Parisian Scandal.”

longer welcome at its salons and soirées, he considered joining the Foreign Legion, but finally was unable to “persuade himself to accept living together with people of a bad reputation as proposed companions.”

He decided instead to relocate to Capri, a popular resort for those who enjoyed same-sex intimacies at least since the days of Titus, the 1st century Roman emperor.

Among d’Adelswärd’s contemporaries, the German painter Paul Hoecker (1854–1910), took refuge there after a scandal in 1897, when he was accused of using a male sex worker, with whom he was having a close personal relationship, as a model for the Madonna in his painting Ave Maria, now in the collection of the Neue Pinakothek in Munich. While on the island, he did a portrait of Nino Cesarini, the Baron’s lover, which hung in the Oparium, his favorite room.

The German industrialist and arms manufacturer Frederich Alfred Krupp also had a villa on the island. A close friend of Kaiser Wilhelm II, he spent his summers there, the last mired in a same-sex scandal. In November 1902, the German magazine Vorwärts published an article claiming Krupp

young construction worker then selling newspapers in Italy’s capitol. Later described by the Baron as “more beautiful than the light of Rome,” he became the great love of his life and his secretary as well, an appointment that frequently accompanied a passionate entanglement then.

In 1905 d’Adelswärd published Lord Lyllian, perhaps his most famous and important work, which satirized contemporary attitudes toward his decadent life. With a barbed epigram by Oscar Wilde on the title page— “Love for me has two enemies: prejudice and my caretaker”—it tells the story of a Scottish lord and his “wild odyssey of sexual debauchery” across Europe. After numerous, scandalous affairs, including one with a character apparently based upon Wilde himself, he dies a tragic death, of course.

When the villa was finally completed in July 1905, Nino placed the inscription stone, which proclaimed that it was “dedicated to the youth of love.” The two men remained together until d’Adelswärd died in 1923 after drinking a glass of champagne entangled with cocaine. His death was followed by a final scandal. Because he had left Nino a considerable inheritance, his sister accused Nino of poisoning her brother. Eventually, Nino returned to Rome, where he died in 1943.

Bill Lipsky, Ph.D., author of “Gay and Lesbian San Francisco” (2006), is a member of the Rainbow Honor Walk board of directors.

Bi-Coastal

Right now, as I write this column, my screen is split between my Google doc, where I’ve managed to write one singular introductory sentence over the course of three hours, and Handshake—the college student-oriented platform designed to help students find jobs and internships and the reason why I’ve been putting off writing this column.

We’re weeks into January, yet here I am, trying to compile a skeleton of

what my summer will look like, a whopping four months in advance. But don’t let that fool you. I had been scouting internships since the middle of November last year. For most students, the biggest hurdle isn’t being vastly unqualified for a position you’ve been accepted for (fact: we all lie on our résumés) or sorting through piles of Urban Outfitters going out tops to find something suitable to wear in the office. No, the real trouble is acquiring the internship itself.

I can hardly walk through the dining hall or student center on campus without hearing a conversation about whether or not The New York Times is taking first-year students this summer (they never do) or if it’s worth it to send a résumé over to Mark Zuckerberg himself (at this point, might as well try). Students are so relieved when they finally do secure that elusive internship that they hardly care where they’re working, let alone whom they’re working with. If Miranda Priestly of The Devil Wears Prada were my summer internship

Take Me Home with You!

“My name is Messi! I am a three-year-old, male, German Shepherd Mix looking for my forever family! Although I can be wary of the spotlight, I strut my stuff for my small circle of friends. I prefer to be in a quiet, low dog traffic area, as I am still adjusting to the volume of some of San Francisco’s busier streets. (SF SPCA volunteer Lotta said, “Messi loves his toys, and especially his favorite balls, and wants to be chased. He loves fetch too and gives a sit before each throw, if asked to do so.”) If you think we might be a match, come say hello!”

Check out Messi in action as he recently had fun during an SF SPCA “Speed Dating” session: https://tinyurl.com/2paakhcr

If you wish to meet Messi, you can do so virtually before choosing to adopt. For more information, please email adoptions@sfspca.org

Messi is presented to San Francisco Bay Times readers by Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, the SF SPCA’s CEO. Our thanks also go to Paradise Osorio for helping to get the word out about lovable pets like Messi.

To meet Messi in person, visit the SF SPCA Mission Campus @ 201 Alabama Street. It is open for appointments from 10 am–6 pm (Monday–Wednesday, Friday–Sunday) and 1 pm–6 pm on Thursdays.

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

DANA (continued from pg 18)

including the Department of Homeland Security CISA and the Department of Justice. The FBI had representatives present at the December class, and will be working with CCOP and CPS on longer-term planning and training. The Department of Homeland Security lists LGBTQ gatherings as possible targets for attacks in their current warnings. There will be offered a basic self-defense workshop for the public in the coming months.

FABULOSA BOOKS at 489 Castro Street will present an author reading (with free wine) of SMAHTGUY, a dazzling, irreverent biography of the iconic and iconoclastic Barney Frank, one of the first gay and out U.S. congressmen and a frontline defender of civil rights. The author, Eric Orner, is a former Congressional aide to Frank and the acclaimed composer of The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green, one of the country’s most popular

boss, I’d wear some waterproof mascara to hide my tears and thank the Handshake gods that I had any internship at all to go to. Like lions guarding a fresh kill on the savannah, students cling to internships as if their lives depend on them. Hakuna Matata means nothing when you’re looking for an internship.

Anything for the résumé bullet point, am I right?

But while some students are firing off summer internship applications willynilly, other students have to be much more intentional about just which company’s office cubicle they end up in this summer. Not caring about the workplace environment is a luxury that LGBTQ+-identifying students don’t have.

According to a survey by The Trevor Project, more than one in three (33%) employed LGBTQ+ youth experienced some form of workplace discrimination. Among those who experienced workplace discrimination, 81% reported experiencing it from

coworkers, 50% from supervisors, and 39% reported experiencing it during the hiring process. But, experiencing discrimination is not just a matter of feeling distressed during the moment of harassment. The ramifications are life-changing. According to the survey, workplace discrimination was associated with at least twice the odds of a suicide attempt within the same year.

As students my age prepare to enter the workforce, it is crucial to remember that not everyone can afford to be careless with the companies and organizations they choose to work for. The day is coming when school will no longer be our whole lives (shocker, I know). Those internships that we spent every summer chasing will become regular nine-to-fives. The companies and organizations we choose to align with will reflect on us for years to come. According to the survey by The Trevor Project, the majority of LGBTQ+ youth (58%) said that either companies or brands that voiced support for LGBTQ+ people helped them feel better about

identifying as LGBTQ+.

When searching for an internship in these cutthroat few months before summer, I’d encourage my peers to slow down, to think about those around them and what message that the firms and workplaces that they are pursuing sends to others. You won’t cease to exist if McKinsey or The Washington Post turns you down. It’s far more important to align yourself with companies that promote acceptance and inclusion than to flaunt a wellknown name as a line-item on your résumé

Tabitha Parent was born and raised in San Francisco and is currently a sophomore at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Having spent time in three major international cities recently, Parent has observed how different regions of the country welcome LGBTQ+ individuals. In her free time, Parent spends time looking out over Lake Michigan (the view rivals that of the Bay).

and longest-running gay comic strips. Orner has also published comic strips and illustrations in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, and The New Republic.

There’s a new Monthly Show at Martuni’s, San Francisco’s Piano Bar, on the Last Sunday each Month. Join Carly Ozard and special guest performers from the drag, comedy, theatre, and nightlife communities featuring musical theatre, rock, pop, and original music with Barry Lloyd on piano. First show is January 29, 7 pm, 4 Valencia.

https://www.carlyozard.com/shows

Sister Dana sez, “Here’s a

KREWE DE KINQUE held a big benefit at the Midnight Sun on January 21 with the only CHINESE

NEW YEAR PARTY in the Castro! We celebrated the YEAR of the RABBIT with truly appropriate props including antique Chinese drums, wooden bucket for tips, red and gold garlands, red tea lights on all tables, fortune cookies, and more. KdK King Gary Virginia worked his bunny-tail off to do this. Reigning Krewe de Kinque King Mark Hankin (who is also 2023 Mr. SF Eagle Leather) was our hunky emcee. Performers included sensational chanteuse Carly Ozard, Reigning KdK Queen Tawdry Hepburnn, King John Weber, Queen Kelly Rose, Queen Christina Ashton, and Candi Mint. KdK Queen VII Sister Dana wore a dragon habit, and properly hopped all over the joint in joy! Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Sister Dana sez,“Oscar nominations have been revealed. Let’s hope we can really ‘Gay it up’ at the Ceremony on March 12!”

In Mooncakes & Milk Bread, food blogger Kristina Cho ( https://eatchofood.com/ ) introduces readers to Chinese bakery cooking with fresh, uncomplicated interpretations of classic recipes for the modern bakery. Inside, you’ll find sweet and savory baked buns, steamed buns, Chinese breads, unique cookies, whimsical cakes, juicy dumplings, Chinese breakfast dishes, and drinks.

This is the first book to exclusively focus on Chinese bakeries and cafés, but it isn’t just for those nostalgic for Chinese bakeshop foods—it’s for all home bakers who want exciting new recipes to add to their repertoires.

Saturday, Feb. 11 @ 3 pm (freeCalvary Presbyterian Church, SF) Lisa Sharon Harper author of Fortune: How Race Broke My Family and the World and How to Repair It

Harper has spent three decades researching ten generations of her family history through DNA research, oral histories, interviews, and genealogy. Fortune, the name of Harper’s first nonindigenous ancestor born on American soil, bore the brunt of the nation’s first race, gender, and citizenship laws. Fortune helps readers understand how America was built upon systems and structures that blessed some and cursed others, allowing Americans of European descent to benefit from the colonization, genocide, enslavement, rape, and exploitation of people of color.

cheer for Congress: ‘Raise the debt ceiling! Raise the roof! No negotiations! Whoop whoop whoop’!”

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins Swearing-In Ceremony

A standing room only crowd filled the Herbst Theatre on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, to witness as U.S. Senator Alex Padilla administered the oath of office for District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. Jenkins had been appointed to the role by Mayor London Breed on July 7, 2022, and later won the election held on November 8 of the same year to retain the position beyond the interim appointment.

During the event, Jenkins said, “A year ago, I could not have imagined standing before you as the San Francisco District Attorney. It was a confluence of events that led not just me, but us, to this point. Unfortunately, the severe downward spiral of public safety in San Francisco and where it collided with ideology led our city to call for change.”

Life With a Hydrogen Vehicle

would life be like with an FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle)?

First is the reality that an FCEV as your only car would be an absorbing challenge for many drivers. So, in this column, I’m imagining a two-car garage, with one slot for the hydrogen-powered Hyundai Nexo, with a Toyota Sienna minivan as a support vehicle.

car’s instant torque off the line, albeit with a bit of whooshiness from the hydrogen powertrain. The Nexo feels light on its feet and nimble in the turns—and the Sienna XSE does too, despite its lumbering profile. Neither are particularly enthusiastic or engaging—you’d be forgiven for adding an old Miata on the side—but the Nexo and Sienna won’t make you look bad when the going gets curvy.

What about hydrogen cars?

I know, it’s probably not likely this question has bolted you out of your sleep in the dead of night. Hydrogen is absolutely not on the tip of a car buyer’s tongue, as BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) steal the spotlight when internal-combustion alternatives are considered.

OK, but here you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, which leads the U.S. in growing out the hydrogen refueling infrastructure. So, what

We’ll need more than $100,000 for this scenario, as the tested Sienna XSE lists at $47,049, and the Nexo Fuel Cell Limited leveled up at $64,130. The XSE is an aggressivelooking Sienna, with the extroverted lines and curves fleshed out on the tester by the $425 Ruby Flare Pearl finish. More than a minivan, this Sienna XSE is a statement that’s big and bold.

Meanwhile, the technologically exotic Nexo has sedate styling that blends in with other compact crossovers on the streets, even with its Shimmering Silver paint. The Nexo’s distinctions are within.

In terms of driving, both the Nexo and Sienna are fine examples of their formats. The Nexo has an electric

In many ways, the Nexo acts like a normal crossover BEV. Hyundai has made efforts to normalize FCEV ownership as much as possible. There are tax credits, a $13,000 fuel credit over three years of ownership, and the deal includes seven days per year for rental cars, so you can still feel free to roam beyond the Nexo’s advertised 380-mile range.

Plus—and this is no small consideration here in the traffic-choked Bay Area—you can sail along by yourself in the HOV lanes, any time of the day, smiling and parade-waving to the stopped throngs that you pass.

All sounds good, right? Yes, except there is only one hydrogen refueling station in all of San Francisco, and like the others, it isn’t always online,

which can be checked on an app.

Outside California, the station count is just about nil. The Nexo ends up as a mainstream-feeling vehicle with a specific mission and location.

I’d want something that’s actually mainstream in the other garage slot,

and

XSE would do nicely, as long as there’s still room for that old Miata.

Active Shooter Workshop in the Castro Held Just Hours Before Mass Shooting in Monterey Park, CA

Castro Community on Patrol (CCOP), in conjunction with Community Patrol Services (CPS), hosted the second Active Shooter Workshop at

The Eagle Tavern on Saturday, January 21. The event took place just hours before a mass shooting occurred in Monterey Park, CA, at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio during a Lunar New Year celebration. The tragedy marked the deadliest mass shooting in the history of Los Angeles County.

Participants at the workshop in San Francisco included owners and managers of queer nightclubs, bars, and related businesses.

The training included introductory safety and security concepts and recommended preparation steps as part of normal day to day operations or events. Among the recommendations offered were to maintain a visible security team, to check each customer for weapons before they enter, to watch for out-of-the-ordinary behavior or circumstances, and to have a detailed response plan.

During the Monterey Park incident, 26-year-old computer coder and employee Brandon Tsay at the Lai Lai Ballroom and Studio fended off the gunman who had left the Star Ballroom site and entered this second business a short distance away in the city of Alhambra. CCOP and CPS encourage all local businesses to have plans in place should such an incident take place yet again. Additional safety awareness classes, this time geared for the general public and concerning what to do in case of an active shooter/terrorist threat, are to be held soon. For updates: https://www.castropatrol.org/

“Friday is good for me since I can work from home and I am not in the office. It helps that I can get things done at home, also.”

“A relaxing day with friends”

“Friday is a good day for me.”

“I have a day off serving at the Cove on Castro restaurant on Fridays when I can create sculptures of dinosaurs.”

“I am retired so I can go around the city and find outstanding buildings to draw for the Bay Times.”

A large crowd joined elected officials along with civic and nonprofit leaders for the unveiling ceremony of the U.S. Postal Service’s Lunar New Year of the Rabbit forever stamp. The event was held on January 12 at the Asian Art Museum. The rabbit is the fourth of the 12 zodiac animal signs associated with the Chinese lunar calendar. Those born during the Year of the Rabbit are said to be elegant, gracious, and kind.

The APA Heritage Foundation’s president, Claudine Cheng, who conceived of the stamp’s design more than 30 years ago, hosted the unveiling. Speakers included Mayor London Breed, the U.S. Postal Service’s Derek Kan, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, Asian Art Museum director Jay Xu, and others. During the ceremony, the LionDanceMe troupe performed a lion dance, and the Lily Cai Chinese Dance Company performed a ribbon dance.

Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays for Asian communities around the world and is celebrated by people of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tibetan, Mongolian, Malaysian, and Filipino heritage.

Other key Lunar New Year events to be held in the coming weeks in San Francisco are listed at: https://tinyurl.com/5x7zhpmb

Rink Remembers

Acclaimed actress, singer, and Broadway legend Carole Cook died of heart failure on January 11, 2023, just three days before her 99th birthday. Cook was well known to many in the Bay Area LGBTQ community, not only for her work in popular shows such as Follies and Steel Magnolias, but also for her generosity and frequent participation in local queer fundraisers.

For example, Cook was a regular guest performer at events produced by The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation (REAF) that helps in the fight against HIV/AIDS and provides support to hunger and youth services. REAF leaders Ken Henderson and Joe Seiler wrote on January 11:

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of REAF’s Grand Diva, the amazing Carole Cook, who passed early this afternoon. She was at home surrounded by family and passed peacefully. She was just shy of her 99th birthday this month. Carole loved performing in so many of our Help Is on the Way concerts and adored her fans. We will miss her greatly.” Cook also performed at many other LGBTQ-supporting fundraisers nationwide, and was particularly active in work helping those with HIV/AIDS, doing so for over four decades or over the course of nearly half of her life.

Nebo Emergency Kit Light + Power Solar-charged 10,000mAh power bank, 2000lumen flashlight, collapsible 1000lumen lantern with power bank, and a headlamp/cap-light in a convenient carry case. $139.99

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