San Francisco Bay Times - July 16, 2020 by San Francisco Bay Times

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020) July 16–29, 2020 | http://sfbaytimes.com

PHOTO BY MARK RHOADES

SWEET INSPIRATION

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SWEET INSPIRATION

Liam P. Mayclem Hello friends, I am hoping one and all are healthy and mustering as best you can during this COVID-19 pandemic. Many are struggling during this period with lack of work, lack of income, depleted savings accounts— the list goes on, but there are always others who have it worse. So, in times of crisis, I always want to seek out the helpers, the doers, and the community leaders, for they are the ones who remind us that to serve others is the greatest gift of all and not only to those on the receiving end. I have had the joy of serving as a volunteer in soup kitchens or for food delivery programs, but have also performed as an auctioneer or emcee at hundreds of LGBTQ nonprofit events. It’s indeed an honor always to serve and give back to the community that has given me and my partner Rick so much. That said, there are a few nonprofits that are near and dear to me that need an extra hug of love by way of donations or volunteers at this challenging time. Marsha P. Johnson Institute The institute is run by Elle Hearns and its aim is to create a social justice initiative as well as policy and programming for Black trans women. Elle made history when she led the design of the first ever Black Lives Convening in Cleveland, Ohio, and co-founded the Black Lives Matter Global Network. This work is crucial right now. We have lost too many trans women of color. They will not be forgotten and instead will be remembered for the bright, brilliant, beautiful lights they were and are. Please donate. Please remember the many lives tragically cut short. #blacktranslivesmatter #blacklivesmatter https://marshap.org/ _________________________ Project Open Hand Project Open Hand’s mission is to improve health outcomes and quality of life by providing nutritious meals to the sick and vulnerable, caring for and educating our community.

Twenty years ago, Tom Nolan introduced me to Project Open Hand. I would show up for many years on Thanksgiving or Christmas morning for a live-shoot for KRON 4 and then would hang around and prep potatoes or bag up meals for delivery. I also worked as an emcee for their annual gala. They serve the most vulnerable in Oakland and San Francisco and do so with love and compassion. https://www.openhand.org/ _________________________

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San Francisco AIDS Foundation San Francisco AIDS Foundation promotes health, wellness, and social justice for communities most impacted by HIV, through sexual health and substance use services, advocacy, and community partnerships. The AIDS Walk is virtual this year! (See page 6 for more information.) A financial gift will go the distance by way of support to all manner of HIV/AIDS services in our Bay Area community. https://www.sfaf.org/ _________________________ SF LGBT Center San Francisco’s LGBT Center connects people to community and to resources. The center has experienced significant financial losses related to COVID-19 while community need—LGBTQ+ people of all ages seeking emergency access to food, shelter, employment support, and more—has increased. Your donations help to fund these lifeline services. The annual soirée was postponed. It’s one of my favorite community galas and my reason for saying yes to auctioneer duties each year is that I get to share the stage with the unstoppable Juanita MORE! and with big, giving hearts in the room we get to raise critical funds for community. Please make a donation and whatever you give will indeed be appreciated. Plus, take a photo with the new mural by artist fnnch to mark the 50th Anniversary of SF Pride. https://www.sfcenter.org _________________________ Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are a leading-edge order of queer and trans nuns. They believe all people have a right to express their unique joy and beauty. There are a lot of sisters sitting at home right now as their opportunities to fundraise out in the community are limited during the pandemic. However, many of our Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence continue their good work of giving and philanthropy for community virtually. The world’s most photographed nun, Sister Roma, recently took me on a virtual tour of the Castro. See it here as part of SF Pride coverage on KPIX. And thanks, Roma! https://www.sfpride.org/broadcast/

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Photos courtesy of Liam Mayclem

The Sisters are never doing it for themselves; instead, they are always for others. So, please do support them in whatever way your purse strings might allow. http://www.thesisters.org _________________________ The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation (REAF) Two amazing men, Ken Henderson and Joe Seiler, co-founded the nonprofit REAF with two moms—Peggy Ermet and Barbara Richmond—after the two women lost their sons to HIV/AIDS. In 25 years, REAF has distributed over four million dollars for local HIV/AIDS, hunger, and youth services. I have conducted many auctions at REAF galas and shows. Large, giving hearts always come through big!

Liam at SF Pride 2016 with Lance Black, Mark Leno and Cleve Jones

Please support by attending the virtual gala this Saturday, July 18, as a ticketholder at $25 or sponsor at $250. “We could not do it without community support,” Ken told me. https://www.reaf-sf.org/ _________________________

Liam auctioneering at ALS Bay Area

LYRIC LYRIC’s mission is to build community and inspire positive social change through education enhancement, career trainings, health promotion, and leadership development with LGBTQQ youth, their families, and allies of all races, classes, genders, and abilities. I was a foster kid growing up in Ireland and England who managed to beat the system. I had a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) to help me navigate my way from school to college to my first job. I am beyond blessed at having had that kind of steadfast support during the most challenging of years. Our LGBTQI youth are among the most vulnerable in our community and at this time need our support more than ever. By supporting LYRIC, you are funding the future—our youngsters who will run the world tomorrow. That’s what a young person needs, for someone to let them know they are loved and that they matter at a time when they think they don’t. You are loved and you matter! https://lyric.org/ _________________________ The Transgender Gender-Variant & Intersex Justice Project The TGI Justice Project provides legal services for transgender and gender-variant/nonconforming people in California prisons, jails, and detention centers. They also help to connect those who have recently re-entered society with housing and health services. You can support through financial donation or volunteering legal services. http://www.tgijp.org/ _________________________ The Trevor Project Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award-winning short film Trevor, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ young people under 25.

Emmy Award-winning radio and television personality Liam Mayclem is regularly featured on KPIX as well as KCBS, where he is the popular Foodie Chap. Born in London, Mayclem is now at home in the Bay Area, where he lives with his husband, photographer Rick Camargo. For more information: https://www.bookliam.com/

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

Nonprofits That Need an Extra Hug of Love by Way of Donations or Volunteers Liam’s LGBTQI List

Liam at Drag Queen Cook-Off with (left to right) Chef Melissa King, Juanita MORE! and Sister Roma

This cause is closer to home than most. I lost my Mum to suicide twenty-two years ago this month, taken too young and too soon. Not a day passes when I do not think about my Mummy Maureen. I have lost too many Liam's brother Rory and mom friends along the Maureen way as well—two this past year—who were taken by the ravages of depression that led to suicide. I wish those two friends had made the call to The Trevor Project. The Trevor Lifeline is there 24/7 with counseling and support. Check in with friends who are having a challenging time. A simple text saying, “I love you,” could be the one thing someone needs to hear in their darkest hour. Send that text, make that call, or send that email or handwritten note that makes the difference. Donating to The Trevor Project could help to save a life. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ _________________________ Thanks, friends, for taking time to read this article. It means much that you did. I will feature more nonprofits in another feature down the road. Please do share your favorites with me: liamsf@aol.com Be well, hug the ones you’re with a little tighter these days, and make those calls to friends and family. The time is now and there is only now. With affection & gratitude,

Liam

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SWEET INSPIRATION

As a volunteer, he is now on the board of directors for both the Horizons Foundation and Homebridge, Inc. Previously, he was on the board of the San Francisco LGBT Center, Sunflower Wellness, Under One Roof, and much more. His schedule is always packed, so we were thrilled and honored when he accepted our invitation to write for the Bay Times. Philanthropy is forever important and needed, but never more so than at this difficult time. As great as the need is, even greater is the possibility for you to make a positive difference as Barnes has done, and continues to do.) If you asked friends to explain philanthropy, chances are they’d describe an affluent person of a certain age, probably white, who could write a big check to the arts, an endowment, a community initiative, or even a capital campaign. The truth is that philanthropy comes in many forms, is engaged by all types of people, and supports various communities in different ways. As someone who grew up in a middle-class neighborhood, I’m proof that philanthropy can start at any age, with

The latest cover of the San Francisco Bay Times features new columnist Derek Barnes (far right), his partner Ted Hiscox (far left), and Christopher Meza. Hiscox is a renowned chef, who is now with 44 Normandie, LLC. Meza is a luxury property broker for Coldwell Banker and has served on numerous boards, including the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. All three men have worked hard to achieve tremendous success in their respective fields. They are also all dedicated to giving back to the community, fighting for social justice, and re-envisioning philanthropy for this new era.

The pandemic and the rapid strengthening of the Black Lives Matter movement have, over a period of just a few months, jolted us into this new period of time. For better and worse, life will likely never be the same as it was before.

As a child, I was riveted watching Jerry Lewis’ MDA Labor Day Telethon each year. He made helping people very cool, so I began raising money for UNICEF in the third grade. As a teenager, I volunteered several summers at a camp for kids with special needs and disabilities at AHRC in Brookville, New York. My brother was mentally disabled, and my mother wanted to instill the value in being of service and having empathy for others in need. As a young adult in Washington, D.C., I became a regular donor and an event volunteer for Human Rights Campaign, Whitman-Walker Clinic, and PETA. My experience taught me that philanthropy doesn’t always mean writing a check to support a big cause. It doesn’t have to be intimidating or inaccessible. It can be fun, and one of the most human activities that all of us can initiate without much sacrifice. It can be small acts of kindness and generosity that help a few people in a community or transformational projects that change millions of lives around the world. Perhaps like you, at no other time in my life have I been so confronted by the confluence of extraordinary social challenges— healthcare disparities fueled by a growing pandemic, widening income inequality, economies in recession, the fragility of a shrinking working middle class, a nation divided politically, and generations of unresolved racial and social injustices. It’s easy to be paralyzed by fear and to feel powerless to make substantial changes with so much need. And if you are Black or Brown and LGBT, it probably feels like an overwhelming assault and offense from every conceivable direction. I know it does for me. Over the last six weeks, we’ve seen momentous protests as many people have been called into action as a result of police killing more unarmed citizens, systemic racial inequality, and social injustice. In addition to protesting and community organizing, other civic engagement practices and new philanthropic models must sustain these movements to effect change. A new set of philanthropic tools to get us there is emerging. They will usher in a more durable social agenda, offering many more opportunities to help (historical research, policy development, legislative advocacy, political representation, corporate giving, workforce activism, public/private foundations, individual giving and donor-advised funding, volunteering, and watchdog advocacy).

The Honey Bear mural by fnnch at the San Francisco LGBT Center has become a popular backdrop for selfies.

PHOTO BY MARK RHODES

FNNCH/FACEBOOK

His career includes serving as Vice President of Technical Services & Operations for Here Media, Inc., cofounding Ignition Point Ventures, working as a Senior Consultant and Operations Leader for Ignition Point Consulting, and serving as COO and CTO for minority-owned and operated g-dii Enterprises, which has offices on Wall Street in New York and in San Francisco.

anyone, for any cause. And today, we need philanthropists of every age and from all walks of life more than ever.

Outraged over the murders, many friends have recently asked me, “How can I help?” or, “What can I do?” While I’m honored to be thought of as a resource, it made me contemplate what was really being asked. Do you want my help to understand a different perspective? Do you want absolution or forgiveness? Is there an expectation that I know how to solve these problems? It sometimes feels like I’m their only Black friend who can provide a fast and easy answer to “check the box” and move on without doing much work. It’s important to begin our personal journey with more education and engagement to improve genuine empathy and compassion. There are infinite ways to help if people are open to more understanding and willing to devote the time. It’s time to think about philanthropy in a new way by reexamining who decides what issues (continued on page 28)

The coronavirus and resulting business closures have strained nearly all of us. People of color and those already struggling with health and/or financial issues have been especially hard hit. The need now is collectively greater than ever and will require innovative, effective approaches to problems that often feel overwhelming.

FNNCH/FACEBOOK

(Editor’s Note: The San Francisco Bay Times is proud to launch a new column by business solutions architect Derek Barnes, whose work and volunteer achievements are many and are far too numerous to fully mention here.

About Our Cover

Popular street artist fnnch sold Honey Bear Hunt Kits that quickly sold out. The colorful Bears were placed in different parts of the city by both fnnch and those who bought the kits.

PHOTO BY MARK RHODES

Derek Barnes

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

Modern Philanthropy – Beyond Checking the Box

Social Philanthropreneur

Barnes, Hiscox, and Meza are among the business leaders who are using their skills to rethink giving at this unprecedented time—not just charity, which tends to be short-term and emotionally driven—but philanthropy, which seeks long-term, strategic solutions. See Barnes’ piece in this issue for more on this immense effort. This issue’s cover also highlights the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, where Barnes served as Chair of the Finance and Operations Committee during the Center’s capital campaign and construction. As the photo shows, the Center is sporting a colorful mural of three honey bears by popular street artist fnnch. The bears are among the signature images of fnnch (ladybugs, flamingos, seashells, and turtles are also often depicted), but have gained new importance during the pandemic. They are “a universal symbol of happiness,” fnnch has said, and represent “care, positivity, inclusiveness, and community.” It is fitting to see three proponents of those goals in front of the iconic artwork.

Philanthropy Has Critical Roles to Play at This Moment By Roger Doughty July 2020 finds our nation, the world, the Bay Area, and our LGBTQ community confronting some of the greatest challenges in living memory: the COVID-19 pandemic; a national reckoning on systemic racism, Black lives, and white supremacy; and a profound economic downturn that has put tens of millions—in the U.S. alone—at grave risk. We know from recent data and the LGBTQ movement’s own history that these are turning the lives of tens of thousands of LGBTQ people upside down right here in the Bay Area. At Horizons Foundation, we believe that philanthropy has critical roles to play at this moment, both in terms of individual giving and in terms of grantmaking by foundations. Nothing can rival the sheer size of government programs, yet philanthropy can fill critical holes that public funding cannot. Sometimes people talk about saving for “a rainy day,” or not giving as much as they might so that they can respond in times of greatest need. That rainy day is here. It is now and it is all around us. Horizons hopes that those of us fortunate enough to be in a position to give are doing all we can to maximize our contributions. It’s also important to include in our personal giving where the needs are most acute—especially in communities grossly disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including communities of color and transgender people. Finally, we should remember that LGBTQ nonprofits depend on us, since LGBTQ people make up the great majority of those organizations’ donors—and to support them with the pride that comes from strengthening our own community. Foundations—sometimes called “organized philanthropy”—have vital roles to play as well. Many are increasing their grantmaking in the face of these multiple crises (though some are regrettably cutting back). We are also seeing more and more foundations adopting practices that we have used at Horizons for years, such as making more grants general operating funds, tying fewer strings to grants, easing applications and reporting requirements—all to ensure that the grantee nonprofits can focus on their work in the community and not on jumping through hoops. Horizons itself has increased its grantmaking to our community dramatically, including through the Emergency LGBTQ COVID-19 Fund we announced in March. To date, the fund has made $650,000 in grants, with an additional (continued on page 28) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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From Bronx to the Bay Area, This Year’s AIDS Walk Will Make History United by a common cause and undaunted by the COVID-19 pandemic, AIDS Walk San Francisco and AIDS Walk New York have announced their first-ever collaboration: AIDS Walk: Live at Home, a 90-minute, livestreamed virtual event set for Sunday, July 19. It will raise money to benefit San Francisco’s PRC and New York’s GMHC, two nonprofit organizations that provide vital services for people affected by HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 and other challenges. Those looking to participate may register for free and raise funds or donate directly at https://www.aidswalk.net/ AIDS Walk: Live at Home will feature performances and appearances by a broad list of talent, including: award-winning icon, Bette Midler; Grammy-winning global superstar, Gloria Estefan; Golden Globe winner, Matt Bomer; entertainment icon, Vanessa Williams; Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner, Laura Linney; Tony Award winner, Alan Cumming; Skylar Astin (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist); Tan France (Queer Eye); Bobby Berk (Queer Eye); Karamo Brown (Queer Eye); Peter Gallagher (Grace and Frankie, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist); Ross Mathews (RuPaul’s Drag Race); Alex Newell (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist); Elvis Duran (iHeartMedia on-air personality); Mae Whitman (Good Girls); and other stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race, including Nina West, Jackie Cox, Latrice Royale, Willam, Chi Chi DeVayne, Alexis Michelle, The Vixen, and Ginger Minj. In addition to being livestreamed on the websites for AIDS Walk, PRC, and GHMC, AIDS Walk: Live at

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Home will also be broadcast on ABC7/KGO-TV. Presented in partnership with iHeartMedia, the event will be streamed live on iHeartRadio’s YouTube channel. Additionally, iHeart’s Z100 in New York and KIOI, KMEL, and KYLD here in San Francisco will support the event with multiple radio promotions leading up to July 19. Featuring voices from both cities, AIDS Walk: Live at Home will harness the strength and individual character of two landmark events and the communities that embrace them year after year. “From the Bronx to the Bay Area, this creative joint effort will unite our distinct yet like-minded communities of supporters from across multiple regions. At the same time, supporters from other locations across the country—particularly with cities that do not have their own AIDS Walks— will be able to join in on the fun,” said Brett Andrews, CEO of PRC; Kelsey Louie, CEO of GMHC; and Craig Dan Ashley and his band performing on R. Miller, founder of both events; in a stage at a previous year's AIDS Walk joint statement. New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo issued this statement of support: “GMHC’s staff and volunteers are doing heroic work in the midst of the pandemic—delivering life-saving services to thousands of people threatened by both HIV and COVID-19. This critical organization needs our support and I encourage all New Yorkers to participate in this year’s virtual AIDS Walk.” “Stemming from the uncertainty surrounding the current healthcare crisis, we collectively decided to bring teams together virtually to create a new vision for the Bay Area’s largest, single-day AIDS-related fundraiser,” said Andrews. “Now marking our 33rd year, we’re really excited about AIDS Walk: Live at Home which will raise awareness and funds that support HIV care and prevention services, as well as mental health, substance use, housing, and other important social programs.” “When the COVID-19 pandemic struck New York City, we moved quickly to adapt our services to meet head on the new environment and its challenges for people living with HIV,” said Louie. “With people sheltering at home, we are bringing GMHC’s services directly to the doorsteps of thousands. We’ve delivered more than 30,000 meals thus far. We are meeting the skyrocketing need for mental health ser(continued on page 20)

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ABC7 News Anchor Dan Ashley Will Emcee AIDS Walk for the 26th Time Dan Ashley, the recipient of numerous Emmy Awards and other honors over his distinguished career as a journalist and news anchor for ABC7, will emcee in San Francisco the 2020 AIDS Walk: Live at Home. The virtual event will mark his 26th year serving as emcee. We recently caught up with Ashley to discuss his quarter century plus (!) of support for the AIDS Walk and its beneficiaries. San Francisco Bay Times: Your history with the AIDS Walk is extraordinary, given that you have supported it for so many years. What are your thoughts ahead of this year’s unprecedented virtual event? Dan Ashley: I am so proud that this is my 26th year as emcee. Of course, given the pandemic, it will be different this year. But a “virtual” event will not dampen our spirits nor our enthusiasm for this very important and still very necessary cause. San Francisco Bay Times: ABC7 is also a longtime sponsor of AIDS Walk SF. Will other members of your team be participating this year? Dan Ashley: ABC7 has been a proud sponsor of this event for more than thirty years and everyone at the station is so thrilled to continue this great relationship. Many of my colleagues are active participants in the Walk and that will be the case once again this year. One of the most gratifying things any of us do individually and collectively as a station is to be deeply involved in the community we care so much about. AIDS Walk is a highlight for all of us every year. San Francisco Bay Times: We know that you have worked nonstop through this pandemic time. Aside from the AIDS Walk, what other projects are you working on now? Dan Ashley: I have always been so grateful for the unique place in the community I am able to have simply because of my job. It’s a role I take seriously and am humbled and honored to have. During this very challenging time, I am proud to help support The Commonwealth Club as a longtime board member, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) as a longtime board member, Friends of Camp Concord, and the Oakland Symphony as well in that capacity. All of those organizations are working hard to get through the impact of the pandemic in creative ways and I am enjoying the challenge of trying to help them navigate those waters. My own foundation, Rock the CASA, to support underserved children in need, is facing the same challenges and I am working through those as well. But these are good problems to have in some respects—the opportunity to be creative and to find solutions to problems in order to make a difference in people's lives. For more information about Dan Ashley’s Rock the CASA: https://rockthecasa.org/

Cross Currents Andrea Shorter To our beloved and late Gilbert Baker, thank you. Thank you, brother, for creating what now stands as the most powerful, most enduring, and timeless monument to freedom, equality, justice, inclusion, and diversity known to man: the rainbow flag. In this racial deconstruction period inspiring the literal tearing down with bear hands, dismantling the cursed and wretched looming presence of the myriad of towering iron monuments to men and bygone eras that fought and stood for the perpetual enslavement, oppression, destruction, and decimation of whole races of people in the name of white supremacy—if we did not thank you and praise you plentifully in this earthly life, thank you, dearest Gilbert, for gifting us and empowering the progressive social justice movement with the rainbow flag. In November 1997, one of my greatest honors was to have been among the first—along with Gilbert, then Mayor Willie Brown, Jr., Leslie Katz, and others—to lay our hands to hoist that initial big, bright, and beauti-

ful rainbow flag that flies above the Harvey Milk Plaza at Market and Castro. The rainbow flag commemorated the 20th anniversary of the election of Harvey Milk to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. At the base of the flag is a plaque commemorating the elections and appointments up until that time of LGBT people since Milk’s election and assassination. I am proudly and humbly amongst those named, as a then member of the Board of Trustees of the San Francisco Community College District. Years before that historic moment in time, the rainbow flag came to mean the world to me, as it did for many queer kids. It meant as much if not more to me than the national flag of stars and stripes. Any sighting of that brilliant rainbow in the form of a flag, button, bumper sticker, belt buckle, a t-shirt decal ... no matter how it was presented to me, I knew that I was likely in the company of someone either queer like me, or accepting of someone queer like me. That display of rainbow colors gave me comfort, confidence, and hope. To be among the pairs of hands to display the flag on that day with Gilbert was heart-pounding happiness, sheer joy, reverence, and overwhelming humility. The original eight striped colors of the flag corresponded with sex, life, healing, sunlight, nature, magic/ art, serenity, and spirit. Since its first designs in the 1970s, it is a flag that welcomes variations and additions to it that continue to evolve towards greater inclusion of the LGBT diaspora around the world expressing bisexual, transgender, pansexual, asexual, people of color, Bears, leather, and on and on.

The rainbow flag was born of gay liberation, revolution, and movement, yet it transcends nations, territories, and boundaries of pride; it belongs to everyone allegiant to the ideas and practices of inclusion, acceptance, dignity, respect, and equality. It remains one of the few, if only, internationally recognized flags created by an American who has come to intentionally symbolize, embrace, and activate inclusivity, equality, justice, and peace. It is no wonder that it is ever present, waved, displayed, and carried along front and center at protests and uprisings for justice, equity, and humanity the world over. In 2020, the state of Texas still celebrates a Confederate Heroes Day. It is among twelve southern states that celebrate an official cultural Confederate Memorial Day since the Civil War. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there are thousands of public symbols of the Confederacy erected and strewn by majority throughout the southern states, with trickled representations into the northern and western states as well. I grew up in Indiana, an official state of the Union. It boasts the most multiple generations of war monuments in the nation. Still, one could see their fair share of Confederate-tinged monuments here and there, especially slipping into the southernmost areas of the state. Not as oppressive a presence by sheer volume as experienced by our kinfolks to the actual south, such memorials still had a shared meaning: the glorification and signification of a past and future white supremacist nation. These are symbols of terror. These symbols are vestiges, glorifications, and celebrations of parts

PHOTOS BY PAUL MARGOLIS

The World’s True Monument to Freedom, Inclusion, and Equality

Gilbert Baker

Rainbow flag designer Gilbert Baker was remembered in remarks given by Donna Sachet, who led the Flag Raising Ceremony at Harvey Milk Plaza on Saturday morning, June 27. For many years Tom Taylor and Jerome Goldstein, MD, who are famous for their “Tom & Jerry House” holiday tradition, have provided a new rainbow flag just in time for Pride Weekend.

thought, moral compass, and aspiration. No amount nor size of statues praising “great” men can fully erase the histories of Gilbert Baker marched on Duval Street under a 1 1/4 mile-long the slaughters of the rainbow flag during the 2003 Key West Pride Parade. indigenous peoples of histories. No statue, no inscripof their pillaged and tion can tell the whole story of any stolen lands; wars of the American Revolution, and Civil War over the one person’s life, one state’s strugsocial, economic, and moral consegles, or one nation’s invention. All quences of building an empire on the histories are far more dimensional, backs of slave labor, internments, and angular, jagged, and course than canons of cruelty and ruin visited what is reduced to the artistic grace upon non-white peoples in the name of a shiny white marbled statue. of their freedom and liberty. Monuments are erected to commemStill, for all of the iron, brass, stone, orate the ideal valiance of a man, or marbled monuments in praise of or people, in a finite period in time, famous acts and fetes of racism that I especially that of wars won, and wars have seen over the years, the symbol lost. To memorialize is to make timethat strikes the most sense of terror less, to help imbed the best of the ide- and disgust is the Confederate flag. als through symbol into institutions of culture, governance, commerce, (continued on page 28)

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JULY 16, 2020

Distancing Yourself from the Fear and Greed That Drive the Market about that lessens the fear. Which, of course, opens the door for greed to come in. Now you may be thinking, where does this seemingly upside-down movement of the market leave me?

Money Matters Brandon Miller If you have money in the stock market—either through individual investments or your retirement account—congratulations. Your investments are probably doing relatively fine compared with the Category 5 turmoil we’re experiencing right now. How can that be, you ask? Don’t markets reflect what’s happening in the world? Well, yes and no. It’s been said that the market only has two real drivers: fear and greed. Typically, when investors are afraid of losing money, they sell. When they are making money, they want more. Uncertainty can cause fear, which can lead to sell-offs and market downturns. That’s what we witnessed earlier this year when the pandemic hit our shores and investors hit the panic button. The market tanked because everyone was afraid of losing money. But then that second driver kicked in. Some investors realized that certain companies are thriving in this new world and other solid stocks were undervalued. The indices started ticking up when lots of people realized that they could make lots of money even during this chaos. We still have moments of uncertainty that can cause a temporary tailspin for stocks, such as when states delay or reverse their re-openings. But we now have the advantage of knowing that COVID-19 exists and that it will have far-reaching consequences in all corners of the globe. Being clear-eyed

If you are the Oracle of Omaha, better known as Warren Buffett, you try to be “fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when they are fearful.” That’s a brave approach, probably made easier by being megarich. But ordinary investors are more likely to get swept up in a herd mentality that buys when prices are rising and sells when they’re falling. And that’s because, we can’t help being human. Money is not simply a green piece of paper or numbers on an account statement. Money is a very emotional thing, representing our hopes and dreams. When our balances plummet, we see a delayed retirement, our fantasy of being self-employed evaporate, or lesser education for our kids. When the numbers are artificially high, we’re sure we can afford that party lodge in Palm Springs. It’s hard to be cold-blooded about something so core to who you are. But investing based on your emotions—be that fear or greed—isn’t exactly a winning strategy for most of us. So, here are two ways to inject a little more rationality into your investment decisions. The first suggestion is to write down your investment plan and put it into action, of course. Just writing down goals makes you 42% more likely to achieve them (according to a study conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews at the Dominican University of California). What’s more, a plan gives you a guide for how to act, so you’re not left to react when life throws you a curve. It can even help you to be proactive. For example, setting a target price for a stock ahead of time makes you more likely to sell when that price is reached vs. having no price in mind and possibly missing a lucrative opportunity. If creating a plan yourself doesn’t sound all that appealing, you may want to consider suggestion two, which is to have a professional help

you make investment decisions. Research by Dalbar shows that investment return consistently beats investor return, something they call the behavior gap. An outside advisor can close that gap by helping you to stay balanced and on track. Hey, even financial planners hire financial planners because we know how easy it is to have blind spots about ourselves. And a professional offers added benefits, such as helping you to consider new approaches or investments for meeting your goals or pointing out what’s wrong with that foolproof get-rich-quick scheme of yours. Whether through a written plan or a financial professional, putting a little distance between you and your money can help you to make investment decisions based on your goals, and not an endless cycle of fear and greed. The opinions expressed in this article are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security. Brio does not provide tax or legal advice, and nothing contained in these materials should be taken as such. To determine which investments may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. As always please remember investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital; please seek advice from a licensed professional. Brio Financial Group is a registered investment adviser. SEC Registration does not constitute an endorsement of Brio by the SEC nor does it indicate that Brio has attained a particular level of skill or ability. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Brio Financial Group and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advice may be rendered by Brio Financial Group unless a client service agreement is in place. Brandon Miller, CFP®, is a financial consultant at Brio Financial Group in San Francisco, specializing in helping LGBT individuals and families plan and achieve their financial goals.

Two Different Auto Design Approaches

Auto Philip Ruth “We’re trying to find a way to live in a burning building.” That’s MSNBC’s Chris Hayes on coping with the surging of COVID-19 across the United States. It requires making a lot of little decisions that lead to a markedly different lifestyle from the one experienced just a few months ago, now under a cloud of risk and worry.

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Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Lexus GX 460

antiquated (an 80s Mercedes SL) to something in line with today’s trends (an Infiniti crossover SUV) reminded me of the progression of SUV design, and how two recent pressers—the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Lexus GX 460—exemplified the evolution.

based midsize crossover market is neatly covered by the Highlander and its Lexus sibling, the RX. The Highlander’s 2020 redesign brings it closer to the cutting edges of crossover design, which is also sighted by the Kia Telluride and Mazda CX-9. It’s as competitive as market segments get, partly because there’s real profit to be made from the long options lists.

The Lexus truly is a truck. Though it just about matches the overall length of a 3,300-pound Toyota Camry midsize sedan, the GX 460 whumps onto the scale with more than 5,100 pounds under its belt. That’s about 500 pounds more than the Highlander Hybrid, even with the extra mass of the hybrid system.

It’s a bummer, man. I miss the gym, the library, and dropping in to stores and chatting with friends behind counters. Each metered out a daily chunk of community. Learning to live without that in each of its forms has been its own sad exercise.

The GX 460 shares its platform with the Toyota 4Runner, which dates back to the 80s. As it was updated, the 4Runner stayed in the past, fixed as a truck, while competitors like the Chevrolet Blazer and Ford Explorer switched to car platforms.

But people still need cars, and a recent client going from something

The 4Runner and GX 460 can continue as trucks because the car-

This was reflected in the $51,000 sticker on the tested Highlander Hybrid. The fuel-efficient powertrain adds $1,400 to the bottom line and seems worth it, as it keeps calculated mileage in the high-20 mpg range, even under a heavy foot. A heavy foot is encouraged. The 2020 Highlander is another spawn of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), and as Martha Stewart would say, that’s a good thing. TNGA’s main gift is its lower center (continued on page 20)

Lyon-Martin’s Virtual Rainbow Celebration Photos by Paul Margolis

On Thursday, June 25, Lyon-Martin Health Services hosted “A Virtual Rainbow Celebration” to honor the recent passing and remarkable life of national icon Phyllis Lyon (1924–2020), and to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Lyon-Martin Health Services. The Clinic has long been a national model for the diversity of culturally sensitive, community-based health services for lesbians, bisexual women, and trans people of all orientations. Hosted by Health 360 Executive Director Vitka Eisen, the program included speakers who are part of the tapestry of Lyon-Martin’s history since the founding in 1980. Speakers appearing included San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman; Lyon-Martin Founder Patty Robertson, MD; former Executive Director Marg Plumb; Kendra Mon, daughter of Del Martin (1921–2008); and transgender advocate Cecilia Chung. You can watch the entire show: https://bit.ly/2B1uLRS

Vitka Eisen

Lyon-Martin Women’s Health Clinic was founded in 1979 by Patty Robertson, MD; Sherron Mills, and Alana Schilling.

Marg Plumb

Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin in the San Francisco Pride Parade

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman

Mayor London Breed

Kendra Mon

Commissioner Cecilia Chung

Patty Robertson, MD S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JULY 16, 2020

Harry Britt Will Always Sing in Our Hearts along with 12 other hopefuls, faced a formidable challenge in the quick special election against an experienced Democratic Party official who was largely unknown to the general public: Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi entered the race with a double-digit lead in the polls and far outpaced her rivals in terms of establishment support and fundraising.

6/26 and Beyond John Lewis & Stuart Gaffney

REGISTER ONLINE: http://www.ggba.com Protests are important for galvanizing people around equity and anti-racism, but what happens when protests end? How can we keep the conversation and action going? Join us for an engaging conversation to learn: WHY NOW? • Understand the historical and current national conversations/ demonstrations on race and why there is such movement.  WHY SHOULD I KEEP FOCUSED ON ANTI-RACISM? • Learn how anti-racism supports everybody’s civil and human rights and fulfills GGBA’s mission.  WHAT CAN I DO? • Learn six easy-to-implement inclusion techniques that GGBA can immediately implement and guide their company colleagues to creating more inclusive, anti-racist, and trusting work and professional spaces.  FACILITATOR: Dr. Jennifer Stollman of Flexibility LLC

VENUE ZOOM

Link sent 1 hour before event starts

STARTS: 12pm - 1:30pm

On June 24, the LGBTIQ movement lost one of its greatest unsung heroes, Harry Britt. As not nearly enough people know today, Harry Britt took up the mantle of LGBTIQ leadership on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in January 1979, succeeding Harvey Milk after Milk and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone were murdered by former Supervisor Dan White. Indeed, Milk had specifically named Britt as one of the people he wished to succeed him if he were assassinated in office. When Britt assumed Milk’s seat in the wake of the horrific tragedy, he himself became one of the very first openly gay public officials in the nation. Britt went on to win election to the Board four times. In 1988, he made history by becoming the Board’s first openly gay President when he won the most votes of any Supervisorial candidate at a time when elections were citywide. Britt’s victory marked a watershed in LGBTIQ electoral politics and inspired numerous other queer candidates to pursue and win elected office. The year before in 1987, Britt had sought to do something even more monumental: become the first member of Congress to run as an openly gay man with the specific intention of giving LGBTIQ people “our own voice” in Congress, as he put it in his campaign literature. In spring 1987, San Francisco had an open seat in Congress because of the untimely death of Representative Sala Burton. Britt,

But something remarkable occurred. An extraordinary grassroots campaign arose to support Britt. In a 1987 Mother Jones piece, Britt described how his campaign “became a magnet for progressive causes.” He won the endorsement of the Sierra Club and the support of numerous other environmental, labor, and left-leaning organizations. Britt recognized that “[c] entral to [his] campaign was an unprecedented effort by lesbians and gay men,” although Pelosi herself garnered significant lesbian and gay support, too. On the evening of March 17, Ben Schatz, then an attorney with National Gay Rights Advocates and now of Kinsey Sicks fame, held a house party for Britt, which ended up changing our lives forever. We, in fact, met at that party, when Ben introduced us and we shook hands right over the fruit bowl, a seemingly perfect place for two 20-something politically minded, idealistic gay men to meet. We ended up being the last guests to leave that evening and have been together ever since. At the party, former State Senator Carole Migden, then Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, told those gathered that we had a rare opportunity with Britt to elect a truly progressive, openly gay man to Congress. With the election taking place at the height of the HIV/ AIDS epidemic in San Francisco, Britt’s campaign emphasized his years of experience in the face of relentless adversity as one of the most effective leaders in the battle against what Britt termed a “terrifying disease.” Britt had also been a visionary on same-sex partner recognition, introducing and then winning passage

of domestic partner legislation way back in 1982. The law would have been the first in the nation had then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein not vetoed it. Britt later wrote San Francisco’s domestic partnership law that was passed by initiative in 1990. Shortly before election day, the San Francisco Sentinel reported that “Britt had pulled even” in the polls. But in the end, Pelosi narrowly defeated Britt by 3.5 percentage points. With Britt’s campaign gaining momentum as the campaign went on, political experts speculated at the time that Britt might have won the race if the election had been held just a week later. Perhaps Britt’s boldest statement of his career was his powerful pronouncement of gay resolve the morning after the so-called “White Night Riots” that erupted after a jury convicted Dan White merely of manslaughter for the coldblooded assassination of both Milk and Moscone. Britt proclaimed: “Harvey Milk’s people do not have anything to apologize for. Now the society is going to have to deal with us not as nice little fairies who have hairdressing salons, but as people capable of violence. We’re not going to put up with Dan Whites anymore.” Although we do not condone violence, the fearless commitment of LGBTIQ people to our freedom, dignity, and equality that Britt articulated 41 years ago undergirds all that came after it and all that will come in the future. Harry Britt will always sing in our hearts. 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.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALICE B. TOKLAS DEMOCRATIC CLUB

Photos by Rink

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In Memoriam

Remembering Progressive Icon and Longtime Democratic Party Activist Jane Morrison (1920–2020) Tributes continue to pour in for longtime Democratic Party activist and legendary San Francisco progressive Jane Morrison, who died earlier this month. As the last post on her Facebook page reads: “Farewell, Jane Morrison. Declaring your independence from our troubled planet on the Fourth of July.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALICE B. TOKLAS DEMOCRATIC CLUB

Photos by Rink

She had reached a personal goal just a few months prior, when on April 17, she turned 100 years old. The City declared it to be Jack and Jane Morrison Day, given that both Jane and her late husband—a former San Francisco Supervisor—helped to define San Francisco civic and political life for the past seven decades. Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who spearheaded the resolution for Jane (who often called Mandelman her “favorite”), wrote that she was his favorite. He shared that she began her career in journalism in the 1950s, but that most of us came to know her as the consummate Democratic Party activist. Consider that she was: •

a volunteer for Adlai Stevenson’s campaign for president in 1952; a delegate to the 1960 and 1964 Democratic National Conventions; the women’s chair of the California Democratic Party; chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party from 2002 to 2004; and, as Mandelman wrote, she served on and led “a toolengthy-to-recite list of other political, governmental, and nonprofit boards and commissions.”

State University, the University of San Francisco, and City College of San Francisco; and as the manager of public affairs programming at KNBR-NBC radio.

She was a fierce advocate, disciplined organizer, and prodigious fundraiser for hundreds—maybe more than hundreds!—of progressive candidates and causes, he added. This is not even getting into her prior successful work as a newspaper editor for the Associated Press; instructor of broadcasting at San Francisco

Upon learning of her passing, Mandelman wrote: “You wanted to make it to 100, and so you did, plus a bit more. Rest in Power, you dear dear badass of a woman.”

• • • •

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JULY 16, 2020

BAY TIMES S

PRIDE TURNS 50 - WRAP-UP

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

2020’s Pride Brunch: Cocktails, Grand Marshals, and José Sarria’s Quiche Photos by Paul Margolis

This year’s virtual Pride Brunch was a delight from start to finish, thanks to charismatic and talented co-hosts Gary Virginia and Donna Sachet, who brought out everything but the kitchen sink. Actually, their sinks were in this too, as they both competed in a cookoff that had Gary whipping up a decadent French toast, while Donna set off a smoke alarm before presenting a recipe for quiche from the late, great José Julio Sarria. Viewers were also treated to special remarks from the 2020 Grand Marshals & Honorees, elected officials, & surprise cameos. They also enjoyed unique tributes to SF Pride’s 50th Anniversary & CHEER SF’s 40th Anniversary. There was additionally a preview of the spectacular illumination of the Pink Triangle atop Twin Peaks for its 25th anniversary. (See pages 16 and 17.) With Korbel & Tito’s Handmade Vodka cocktails in hand, Gary and Donna encouraged fundraising that netted a record amount for PRC. Even the goodie bags were terrific! Thanks to all who made this virtual event such a success.

ount for PRC m A rd o c e R d IVE! Raise Pride Brunch L na Sachet nia and Don

nd noring the Gra ide Br unch ho agPr l im ua re nn he A T s! nd huge succes a many, the 22 as of t w for or 20 ds pp 20 ee su e oc e in net pr cisco Pr id Thank s to th es of San Fran cord $55,00 0+ de re a ar w d A ise d ra an — s Marshal ch L IV E! ent—Pr ide Br un ined virtua l ev , w ith event last year PRC! llroom for this n Ba he nd W ra e. G id el Pr ont Hot y of SF histor ic Fa ir m 50th anniversar ent team at PRC kicked e th ng ri du 0 We booked the a record $50,00 , the Developm inute a dream to ra ise ted us from meeting in person l benefit that featured a 90 -m ng en ua ai rt ev rt ion, ente ni st- ever, vi COV ID -19 pr Chef competit t us w ith our fir p sis To liv as e de at to gs on ar -d ba ge and gift into high fun text-to gs, and br unch line auct ion, a in on aw an dr , e m iz s! ea pr tr es door lives ed succ d graphics, free as an unqual ifi video content an es. A ga inst many odds, it w ucing the hom the curtain prod nd hi be ered to guests’ d eciate ar iz w el l, the fit. We so appr C’s Jaron Caldw ing parts of this year’s bene udPR cl to in , ks rs so an th on l Specia group of sp e many mov t th ea g gr in r ag ou e an to ad m u Handm livestream and ccess. Thank yo y T imes, Tito’s played in this su San Francisco Ba e ea ker Nancy th Sp S, se T ou A the part many H rE . People, U.S Ver izon, U be e o, th rg to Fa er ls ow el Fl W ing radura, l, Tequila Her Vod ka, Korbe t Kent Roger. en id es e, C A—to the Pr C PR R ancho M irag to ia rg Pelosi, and past luneo G rs—from liver y team vo the many dono to our loya l de to t ul ou t ef at ou gr sh g so bi We’re al e extend a ft bags. A nd w nd led so wel l. auct ion and gi ing the task ha e Top tt ge d an ks as m s, or voted in th ng ri teers, wea on auct ion item as a 3:1 matchd bi t, ke tic 00 ar w or $1 rchased a $50 e each or t. New this ye W hether you pu we are grateful for your supp Vod ka that mad e ad dm an H ’s n, ito io T tit d pe an m s co Chef director e PRC board of pact ful. ing gift from th much more im m ea tr ed by H IV/ es liv e th ng ri g people af fect du in n lp he e s, donatio de ca a for de by prov id ing th ing the Bay A re s to real ize their best selves rm an sfo an fin tr y nc en ge be ue PRC has clude emer l health iss in ta es en ic m rv or Se e, . e us es m e liv sic inco A IDS, substanc es they need to reclaim their for access to ba rv ic representation l d employ ment ga an le ; g, ty in ri us suppor t and se cu or t-ter m se suppor tive ho sh t, r fo en e tm nc ea ta tr l sis cial as sidentia benefits; and re and healthcare -term social rehabi litat ion. the ongoing er nt inue during co ill w ly training for long al nu rosit y and supcl ients an that your gene rv ices to 5,70 0 ow se d kn an se s u—in ea m Pl ra u. ks to yo These prog ard to seeing yo omic cr isis than . We look forw on us ec d to an ld or ic w em e epid eant th rts this year m port of our ef fo ! 21 20 ch ide Br unch for un ide Br the Annual Pr of rs it de person— at Pr un Fo , you can view e the Coonna Sachet ar 90 -minute livestream benefit D d an ia in rg Gar y Vi issed the te that if you m PRC. T hey no te, “G rab CV /2DBDw , so as they wri 20 20 r fo ds at ht tps://bit.ly ee proc to add to their tion to donate T he re is an op joy the ride!!!” a dr ink and en

By Gar y Virgi

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Donna’s Chronicles

By Donna Sachet

“Don’t lose hope. When the sun goes down, the stars come out.” –Unknown

hat began as a rumor and quickly grew to a worldwide pandemic shows no immediate signs of ending. People keep talking about a return to normal and some are rushing into what they consider the new normal without proper regard for the seriousness of the situation. Despite weak and confusing federal guidelines, maybe it is time we came to terms with the far-reaching effects of COVID-19 on everyday life.

Bars, both small and large, that have been so essential to the LGBTQ Community were slower to find ways to reopen their doors before Governor Newsom on July 13 ordered their closure in California. Many of us have chipped in to online fundraisers to help favorite bartenders and bars get through this difficult time. But given the continued threat of this virus and the new records being set daily in states and cities around the country, how anxious should we be to return to the close quarters, frequent body contact, and high potential for infection of bars? We appreciate creative approaches within safe guidelines, but once bars do re-open, we advise caution with your personal health. The experience of wonderful entertainment has become intrinsically connected to the group dynamic. Watching a comic film, one joins in the laughter of Gary and Donna sported "illuminated" pink triangle face masks while carrying the Pink those around you. Thrilling to a moving dance perforTriangle torch. mance, one hears the gasps of breath around you and joins the throng in applauding at the end of each masterful moment. Symphony, opera, cabaret, and even drag shows thrive on the energy of the audience. When the curtain opens on an incredibly beautiful set, when the performer hits a particularly splendid musical note, or when a dazzling costume fact-based decisions, and careful actions. As an steals the stage, isn’t sharing that moment with those around us part of the enjoyextroverted entertainer, we have faced a myrment? For years, performing arts organizations have worked so hard to fill every iad of confusing, conflicting, and unresolved seat, diversify their audiences, and attract new eyes and ears, but now how will emotions over the past few months, but facthey deal with limited seating, spaced out attendees, and/or conversion to online ing the possibilities that a rush to return to noror virtual formats? As they struggle with their survival, we can’t be in too much mal bring, we continue to shelter in place. We of a hurry to return to our seats in their venues. are avidly seeking creative solutions and we applaud those who have had success. There And, although sports have never been a big part of our time, attending a footare drag queens performing online, organizaball, baseball, basketball, or other game has become an American pastime, tions converting to virtual events, alternative drenched in tradition. Stadiums that have increased in size to accommodate fundraising projects, and other attempts, some ever larger crowds will now be limited in capacity and won’t that inevitably more successful than others. Seek them out dilute the experience? Even for smaller local sports events and even Gay softuntil things return to something close to norball leagues, bleachers will no longer be crowded and celebrating successes mal. And be as generous as you possibly can will not involve the same physical hand or body contact. within your means to help those most directly What does a return to normal mean for the faith communities? Don’t impacted financially. we attach great meaning to the group experience of a worship serAll this is to say, we don’t pretend to have all vice? When offered only video services, how many simply opt out or the answers, but we do know that taking care change the channel? How do changes in the experience affect tithes now is the right thing to do. We keep hearing and offerings and therefore the financial health of churches? about herd immunity and an imminent vacAnd speaking of financial health, this COVID-19 pandemic cine, but until they are a reality, the numbers of has radically challenged long established fundraising techCOVID-19 cases and the suffering and deaths niques for every charitable organization. Without large bigthey have caused should be enough to keep us ticket galas, will some groups face extinction? Once the at home. There will be glorious meals at festive novelty has worn off, how long will the public continue restaurants, enjoyable nights of crowd-pleasing to contribute online to agencies and even individuals entertainment, and socializing that will again who seek financial support? Smaller local organizabring us together in a more familiar way. But tions that provide essential services have long touted not yet. Realistically, that may be next year or their ability to raise money one dollar at a time, even further out. In the meantime, stay home, but without the small community-led events that stay safe, and stay calm. were their bread and butter, how will they surDonna Sachet is a celebrated performer, funvive? draiser, activist and philanthropist who has Granted, this is not the most uplifting coldedicated over two decades to the LGBTQ umn we have ever submitted, but these Community in San Francisco. Contact her times seem to call for blunt assessments, at empsachet@gmail.com

PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

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

JULY 16, 2020

PHOTO COURTESY OF GARY VIRGINIA

PHOTO BY GARETH GOOCH

The much talked about return to dining at restaurants does not mean a return to anything close to what we experienced before this virus. Eating establishments large and small have been literally out of business for months and are now statewide prohibited from having indoor dining. Before the virus, we had all read how difficult it was for restaurants to make a profit and stay in business with high rents, increasing City taxes, labor expenses, etc. How do we think they can build a business model with 50% occupancy, a handful of outdoor tables, or delivery and pick-up service only? The sign of a popular and successful restaurant has always been a long waiting list and a packed dining room. Now, in a rush to a return to normal, we see small groups huddled in the San Francisco cold and fog at scattered outdoor tables on already crowded sidewalks, removing their masks to eat and drink Donna and Gary carried the Pink Triangle Torch on Market Street and handed it off to Markku Hooli and Andy Pettit. The Torch completed its journey atop Twin Peaks during the lighting ceremony on with friends. Is it worth it? Saturday, July 27. Long-shuttered restaurants are understandably anxious to return to business, as are their employees, so they probably welcome those few who dine with them in these conditions, but is this the long-awaited return to restaurant dining?

PRIDE TURNS 50 - WRAP-UP

The People’s March: Unite to Fight – Sunday, June 28

Photos by Rink and Joanie Juster

Organized by community leaders Juanita MORE! and Alex U. Inn, The People’s March was held on the route of the first Pride March in 1970. From the starting point at Polk and Washington Streets, the spirited crowd of several hundred proceeded to the Civic Center. Following the rally held there, some participants marched to Castro Street, where they were joined by many from another protest, Pride is a Riot.

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PHOTO BY RINK PHOTO FROM THE CASTRO STREET CAM

PHOTO BY RINK PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK PHOTO BY JOANIE JUSTER PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY JOANIE JUSTER

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY JOANIE JUSTER

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY JOANIE JUSTER

Organizers have shared their optimism that similar protest marches will be held next year in lieu of the official Pride Parade, which for 2020 was a virtual event due to COVID-19 precautions.

PHOTO BY JOANIE JUSTER

PHOTO BY RINK

Castro Street between Market and 18th was closed as demonstrators gathered to hear speakers and to join in dancing, chants, and expressions of protest. Damage to local businesses was reported, including smashed windows and graffiti, but overall the large gatherings were peaceful.

BAY TIMES S

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

San Francisco Pride Online Celebration, Sunday, June 28

Photos by Paul Margolis

San Francisco Pride partnered with KPIX5 News to produce Pride 50: Generations of Hope, a three-hour special on June 28 on KPIX and sister TV station KBCW/Cable 12, as well as livestreamed at the SF Pride website. Hosting the show were Honey Mahogany, Per Sia, Sister Roma, and Yves Saint Croissant. Concurrent livestreams presented an array of entertainment on community programmed stages including the Club Papi Latin Stage, the Soul of Pride Stage, and the Women’s Stage. Additional special features included a discussion entitled “Decades of Drag” featuring local drag personalities, a spotlight on Openhouse, and NCLR Executive Director Imani Rupert-Gordon discussing Black Lives Justice. For a full summary of the rich programming included, visit http://www.sfpride.org

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JULY 16, 2020

25th Pink Triangle June 27 - July 11, 2020 Pink Triangle - 25th Anniversary Founded in 1996, the annual Pink Triangle installation atop Twin Peaks continues its important role as both a celebration of pride and a memorial to man’s inhumanity to man. 2020’s Pink Triangle was no exception. For the 25th Anniversary, under the leadership of founder Patrick Carney, the Pink Triangle Project collaborated with Ben Davis of Illuminate to make this year’s extra special. From the Opening Ceremony with Mayor London Breed on Saturday evening, June 27, until the morning of Saturday, July 11, the Pink Triangle with its 2,700 pink LED lights was visible for more than 20 miles and could be seen from Cam 2 of the Castro Street Cam. The lights changed patterns, making the display all the more dazzling. Leading up to the ceremony, a Pink Torch Procession starting in Oakland was held with a series of torchbearers—many of whom were LGBTQ community leaders and noted allies. They carried the pink LED torch, which was made by Burning Man artists, over the Bay Bridge and up Market Street to Twin Peaks. The torchbearers outfitted with pink face masks and gloves were escorted by Dykes on Bikes. Following this year’s dramatic display, the Pink Triangle friends and volunteers, including Carney’s partner Hossein and members of his family, joined in taking it down and packing it up (the pink canvas portion) for safe keeping until next year.

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLUMINATE THE PINK TRIANGLE

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PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO BY GARETH GOOCH

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO BY JAMIE BOTELLO

PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO BY GARETH GOOCH

PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLUMINATE THE PINK TRIANGLE

Contribute and learn more: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/thepinktriangle View the lighting ceremony: https://bit.ly/30a2ReG Read the history of the Pink Triangle: http://www.thepinktriangle.com

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLUMINATE THE PINK TRIANGLE

PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN DAVIS

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC7

PHOTO BY BEN DAVIS

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO BY DEBRA WALKER

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO BY DEBRA WALKER

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLUMINATE THE PINK TRIANGLE

Photos provided courtesy of The Pink Triangle, Illuminate, Patrick Carney, Gareth Gooch, Gary Virginia and Debra Walker. S

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

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

JULY 16, 2020

A Rehearsed Speech That Wasn’t Needed

Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, Co-Founders Randy Alfred, Founding News Editor 1978

by Dr. Dee Spencer

Kim Corsaro Publisher 1981-2011

525 Bellevue Avenue Oakland CA 94610 E-mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com www.sfbaytimes.com

Coming Out Stories

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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.

Dee Spencer performing at a Project Open Hand benefit in 2011 at Picán restaurant in Oakland.

The Bay Times is proud to be the only newspaper for the LGBT community in San Francisco that is 100% owned and operated by LGBT individuals.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEE SPENCER

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Kit Kennedy

Poet-In-Residence

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Dee Spencer's sister Deb with Maddie and Sophie

Dee Spencer performed at Jane Warner Plaza in the Castro CBD's Castro Live! series.

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Dr. Dee Spencer is a Professor of Jazz and Musical Theatre in the School of Theatre & Dance at San Francisco State University (SFSU). She founded the Jazz Studies degree program in the School of Music at SFSU and served as director for five years. She is a member of the San Francisco Gay/Lesbian Freedom Band and has served on numerous local, national, and international boards. For more information: https://deespencer.com/

Dee Spencer co-performer Jason Brock at the PRC Mighty Real Gala in 2018.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on July 21 will vote on whether or not to ease restrictions that are currently in place for communal bathhouses. District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman introduced the proposal, which he said will “make the operation of adult sex venues more feasible and will encourage the opening of new businesses that will aid in our economic recovery.” A vote on the proposal previously was set for March of this year, but Supervisor Mandelman postponed it due to the coronavirus pandemic. Gay bathhouses became increasingly popular in the 1970s, and were a frequent news topic in the San Francisco Bay Times for decades. As San Francisco struggled with the spiraling toll of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, public debate over the then approximately 30 bathhouses in the city was intense. Journalists Michael Helquist and Rick Osmon wrote two lengthy articles for the Bay Times that were later published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Homosexuality: “Gay Bathhouses and Public Health Policy” (Volume 44, Numbers 3/4).

We are, of course, now in another epidemic (plus pandemic), but many have changed their views about gay bathhouses and related public establishments. Mandelman said that, if passed, the ordinance would SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

The conversation began something like, “Deb, I’ve got something I want to tell you ... .” She replied without missing a beat, “I know, you’re gay. I know. The whole family knows. Let’s order food. I’m starving.”

Restrictions on Gay Bathhouses May Ease, Depending on July 21 Vote

The last gay bathhouse from that era, the 21st Street Baths, closed in May 1987. At the time, Dr. George Rutherford, who was medical director for the San Francisco AIDS office, said, “I think the closing of the last gay bathhouse is symbolic to everyone just how serious the city considers the AIDS epidemic.”

I decided I needed to come out to Deb and chose a lunch meeting at Sparky’s Diner to deliver the big news. Of course, I rehearsed the speech all morning long to get it just right. We met before a gig at Mecca and sat down at a table. I was nervous then and the memory still makes me jittery.

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WIKIPEDIA

Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Jane Higgins Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg, Deborah Svoboda, Kristopher Acevedo, Morgan Shidler, JP Lor

My sister Deb and I have always been very close. At the time she was a psyche nurse at SF General. Although she’s retired now, Deb always helps me to figure out “puzzling stuff” in my life. Our parents passed away when I was young and whenever a “life question” needs answering, Deb is there for me.

To this very day, I have questions like: Who knew? For how long? Why didn’t anyone tell me? I guess I need to add these to my “life questions” list.

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

I consider myself a “late bloomer” and came out as an adult living in San Francisco in the 1990s. Trying to establish myself as a musician, I “hung out” quite a bit and usually ended up enjoying SF nightlife in the Castro. I landed a gig as a piano player at an amazing place called “Mecca” and my social life exploded in a great way.

Bathers at San Niccolo-Domenico Cresti, 1600

require the city’s Department of Public Health “to update their minimum health and safety standards for commercial adult sex venues and remove current regulations that require the monitoring of patrons’ sexual activities and prohibit private booths and locked doors.” He clarified that the ordinance would not impose an opening date for adult sex venues, in light of COVID-19. The new standards as it stands, however, would have to be updated by January 1, 2021.

GLBT Fortnight in Review By Ann Rostow Food for Thought I’m trying to avoid a lengthy commentary on the High Court’s religious freedom rulings. After all, I spent my entire column last time on the (worthy) topic of our astonishing Title VII victory, and I feel that I gave short shrift to random musings of little relevance to the fate of our valiant community. In an effort to rectify this imbalance, I have delved into an email on the topic: “8 Gross Animals You Can Eat in a Survival Situation.” I was led to a listicle, where I learned that hungry desperados can forage for worms, grubs, snails, cicadas, and crickets. Under extreme circumstances, we can also eat possums, rodents, and seagulls. I’m so easily irritated these days and now, the authors of this exposé have annoyed me further by seemingly picking insects and animals at random. Why seagulls? If we’re trying to survive near the coast, can’t we have some eels, barnacles, or some other unsightly sea creature? And if we can eat seagulls, why not doves, partridges, grouse, wild turkeys, or just any old bird? Why not put “birds” on the list instead of “seagulls?” I know the headline refers to “gross” animals, but seagulls are no grosser than any other avian species. Likewise, if we can eat opossum and rodents, why not other mammals like rabbits? Perhaps again, rabbits aren’t considered gross. But they showed an adorable mouse under the “rodent” section, so I’m just saying. And isn’t a possum a rodent?

the Atlantic and climbing the highest mountain. We didn’t go to the moon because, like Everest, it was there. We did it to expand our reach as scientists, engineers, explorers, and human beings. Rant over! What’s Up, Doc? I’m thinking I could write this whole column without mentioning any GLBT news. Every time I review my most recent GLBT topics, I feel a wave of ennui. Conversely, I am strongly drawn to inconsequential tangents and feel a powerful urge to share them with you. For example, here’s an article off the front page of The New York Times science section that describes a microbiologist named Peter Timms. Timms, the Times reports, “has spent the last decade developing a chlamydia vaccine for koalas,” which has got to be one of the most arcane professional descriptions I’ve ever encountered. Can you imagine being at a cocktail party with Dr. Timms and asking (because we are rude Americans), “What do you do for a living?” Where do you go from there? I can see myself, balancing my gin and tonic along with a wet piece of shrimp on a napkin. “Really! Um, I didn’t know koalas could catch chlamydia.” “Oh, indeed yes, Ann,” he nods seriously. “Chlamydia can be carried by many, many species. You might say chlamydia connects us all.”

As for insects, they’re all gross, so would-be survivors should be urged to eat any insects they might find. What’s so special about a cicada, for God’s sake? Indeed, the day after I read the listicle, I stumbled upon another one with ten insects we can eat, including bees, ants, and pill bugs. Basically, we can eat all insects, period. So, the idea of selecting a handful of them for approval is nonsensical. It displeases me.

That last observation came straight from the Times article. There’s something profound about it, n’est-ce pas? Oh, and I’ve decided to sprinkle little French phrases throughout this column because I’m writing on Bastille Day. Mel just put the French flag up on our house. We had the rainbow flag up for June, the stars and stripes for early July (because it’s our country too), and now, the tricouleur. Before that, we had a banner that said, “It’s Party Time,” but sadly, the irony was too painful.

Hard Things

There Oughta Be a Commission!

Moving on down some other side streets, there’s an ad for a podcast on MSNBC that features John F. Kennedy’s 1962 remarks in Houston: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

Let me pause to address those readers who have had enough of this silliness and crave gay and trans news. This is, after all, a GLBTQ newspaper, they huff.

This quote has always bugged me, because it doesn’t make any sense. Of course, we don’t make goals “because they are easy,” so that’s a straw man. But second, “because they are hard” is not a motive for action in itself, nor is it inherently admirable to attempt hard things. I wouldn’t choose to make Julia Child’s bouillabaisse because it was hard. I’d choose to make it, despite the difficulty, because I wanted fish stew. Additionally, the reference to doing “the other things” is Trumpian in its imprecision. I retrieved the speech so I learned that “the other things” referred back to examples of ambitious projects such as: “fly the Atlantic” and “climb the highest mountain.” But still. Kennedy should repeat them in the sentence, not ask his audience to fill in the blanks by recalling his earlier words. I’ve long wished to share this little bete noir with you, dear reader, but it seems so petty considering the incredible achievement that the moon landing represents. Also, it has nothing to do with our focus on GLBT news and views. And finally, we know what Kennedy was trying to say. There is indeed inspiration in taking on a seemingly impossible challenge. But to start and end with this speaks more to testosterone than anything else. Ditto flying

Okay guys, do you care that Thailand might someday recognize same-sex unions, that Poland reelected its antigay president, or that the writer of the 2002 ScoobyDoo movie intended the character “Velma” to be a lesbian? Perhaps you want to hear about Mike Pompeo’s upcoming speech that will lay out America’s new human rights policy? Hint: it’s not pretty. And, as I mentioned, we could always analyze the High Court’s religious freedom opinions from last week, when they ruled that church employers could ignore civil rights laws and that businesses could block birth control insurance on a whim. How about the Russian bureaucrat who worried that a rainbow branded ice cream could undermine morality in the country where “promoting” homosexuality is illegal? According to Reuters and the RIA news agency, Ekaterina Lakhova, the head of the Women’s Union of Russia, told Putin that she was concerned about the impact of the ice cream with the brand name “Rainbow,” along with the message that was sent by the American embassy where a rainbow flag was raised for Pride. “Even indirectly, such things make our children accustomed to that ... flag, the one that was hung up by the embassy,” she said. “It would be very good to have a commission (continued on page 29) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JULY 16, 2020

Playing Sports Safely During a Pandemic

Sports John Chen For the last four months we’ve been sheltering in place, social distancing, and wearing masks that cover our mouths and noses. We’ve also done our best to adapt to a world with no gyms and no sports. I am one of the lucky ones because I have a workout and sports buddy who lives with me. Together, we’ve challenged ourselves by conquering online exercise programs (although I cheated a bit), playing one on one sports away from people, and discovering the beauty of our local parks, shorelines, hills and neighborhoods.

Photo courtesy of John Chen

shoot hoops and play H-O-R-S-E on an outdoor basketball court. Play catch with a football. Pitch, hit, and catch with a baseball and softball. Defend against the goal in soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse. You can be creative and make up non-contact and socially distant games with your friends. Again, and I repeat because this is important, sanitize your hands and equipment and avoid contact with your mouth and nose, unless you get hit there by accident. If that’s the case, swallow your pride and gather what is left of your dignity and sanitize your equipment and hands immediately.

I have a few suggestions. First, choose an individual sport where social distancing naturally occurs, such as tennis, badminton, and ping pong. Remember to always sanitize your equipment and hands intermittently as you play and avoid any contact with your mouth and nose.

Finally, some non-physical contact team sports may be played safely and others may be played with fewer teammates. The best examples are volleyball and softball. Softball or baseball is a naturally social distancing team sport where each player on defense is situated in a large zone. Make a few modifications to the rules, such as the catcher must be at least six feet behind the home plate and each baseman must be at least six feet away from a runner on that base. No tagging is allowed and teams must socially distance and wear a mask while in the dugout. And, of course, no high fives, fist bumps, hugs, or physical contact with any body parts. This is the hard part.

Second, you may gather a few friends and play a non-contact version of any sport. For examples, you can

Recently, I gathered a small group of close friends, six in total, to play outdoor doubles and triples grass

Now that some Bay Area counties have slowly allowed outdoor exercises and activities, many sports fanatics like me are itching to get back on the field with our friends and teammates. We crave the bond, the human interaction, and that sense of community from team sports. But how do we play sports safely during a pandemic?

volleyball. The reduced number was to ensure proper social distancing, although volleyball is one of those sports that can be played with a reduced number of teammates. Upon arrival, we set our own rest space at least six feet apart from one another. We brought our own snacks and drinks as well as masks. No sharing. We instituted no blocking and must hit behind the 10-foot line rules to avoid potential physical contact. We also sanitized our hands and all of the equipment intermittently during play. At the end of the day, we had a blast while being as safe as possible. Whatever sport you choose to play, there are always ways to play it safely and responsibly. If there’s natural contact, you can always choose to play a non-contact version. The keys are proper social distancing, no screaming or loud cheers when somewhat close to others to reduce airborne transmission unless you wear a mask, sanitize and repeat, and most importantly, use common sense during this pandemic. Once you are out on the field, say hello to your friends and teammates from a safe distance and enjoy the game you love! John Chen, a UCLA alumnus and an avid sports fan, has competed as well as coached tennis, volleyball, softball and football teams.

Take Me Home with You! “My name is Flurrie. I might be a little shy at first, but once I get to know you, I’ll nuzzle right up for some love! Full body pets are my favorite and will quickly turn me into a purr machine. I’m 13 years old, and I’m looking for a quiet home where I can enjoy my golden years. In my past home, I quickly made friends with the other cats, but I was not a fan of the dogs. If you’re ready for some feline companionship in your life, I’d love to meet you.” Flurrie

Flurrie is presented to San Francisco Bay Times readers by Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, the SF SPCA’s Co-President. Our thanks also go to Krista Maloney for helping to get the word out about lovable pets like Flurrie. Anyone interested in adopting Flurrie can email: adoptions@sfspca.org For more information: https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions

AIDS WALK (continued from page 6)

RUTH (continued from page 8)

vices and legal services, substance use counseling, and HIV home testing. Videoconferencing and other technologies have been harnessed to provide help with supportive housing, financial management, and so much more, so that our clients’ vital resources continue uninterrupted.”

of gravity, and the Highlander digs into curves with cool-headed confidence.

“For those of us who were part of the early years of the AIDS epidemic, the plight of our country right now is at once unprecedented and strangely familiar,” said Miller. “Over the past 34 years, we have always stood, walked, and marched with all who oppose police brutality and the racist, sexist, homophobic, and transphobic disparities that persist in the criminal justice and healthcare systems of America. Protecting people who have been singled out, harassed, scapegoated, and underserved is what we do. It is our legacy and it remains our commitment.” AIDS Walk: Live at Home Sunday, July 19 10 am ET at https://ny.aidswalk.net/ and https://www.gmhc.org/ 10 am PT at https://sf.aidswalk.net/ and https://prcsf.org/ And on ABC7/KGO-TV 20

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Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup

The GX 460 is at the other extreme, with body-on-frame construction that makes it as tall as it is wide; the Highlander has six more inches across than up and down. That can make it feel tippy when three-point-turning, say, on Noe leading up to 21st Street, but the truck frame down below is a delight on rutted pavement, where all that weight smushes down the impacts. Even though these two are about the same length, they are dramatically different. Kind of like life right now. Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant with an automotive staging service.

W. Graham Robertson: The Aesthetic Ideal

Faces from Our LGBT Past Dr. Bill Lipsky W. (for Walford) Graham Robertson, painter, playwright, and set designer, knew simply everybody. Among the elegant and fashionable of London and Paris, he was dear friends with each and all from Sarah Bernhardt to Henry James to James McNeill Whistler. Extremely attractive, according to contemporaries, “a gentleman from sole to crown, clean favored, and imperially slim,” he was one of those pale “fin de siècle” aesthetes whom Oscar Wilde called ‘’exquisite Aeolian harps that play in the breeze of my matchless talk.’’ He was his generation’s ultimate twink.

John Singer Sargent self portrait 1892

John Singer Sargent apparently thought Robertson was aesthetic youth personified, too. In 1894, when all of society wanted to schedule a sitting, the painter invited Robertson specifically to pose for him. “Why a very thin boy in a very tight coat should have struck him as a subject worthy of treatment I never discovered,” he reminisced later,” but he “evidently had the finished picture in his mind from the first.” Once, Sargent asked Robertson why he had never done a self-portrait. ‘’Because,’’ he replied, ‘’I am not my style.’’

At least Wilde thought so. The two men met in 1887. Their love affair did not last long, Their sessions but they remained took place durdevoted companing the summer and ions. When Wilde Robertson “feebly came to write The rebelled” against wearPicture of Dorian Gray ing the thick overcoat the three years later, artist had him pose in. his description of the Walford Graham Robertson “But the coat is the pictitle character seemed based upon Robertson’s National Portrait Gallery, London ture,” Sargent insisted. 1890-1893 “You must wear it.” appearance and appeal: After Robertson told “Yes, he was certainly him, “Then I can’t wear anything wonderfully handsome, with his else,” he began to “sacrifice most of finely curved scarlet lips, his frank my wardrobe.” Robertson became blue eyes, his crisp gold hair ... . All “thinner and thinner, much to the the candor of youth was there, as satisfaction of the artist, who used to well as all youth’s passionate purity.” pull and drag the unfortunate coat Wilde included Robertson in the more and more closely round me circle of kindred spirits he asked to until it might have been draping a wear a green carnation to the openlamp-post.” ing night of Lady Windermere’s Fan Neither man shared whether Sargent on February 20, 1892. “I want a was annoyed or enjoyed the slow good many men to wear them,” he strip tease. In addition to the coat, said. When Robertson asked him, however, the artist also requested “What does it mean?” he replied, that Robertson bring Mouton, his “Nothing whatever, but that is just French poodle, to be included in the what nobody will guess.” Of course, portrait. Mouton “claimed rather Oscar, with his classical educaunusual privileges and was always tion, knew better. Carnations were allowed one bite by Sargent,” not the a traditional symbol of the anus usual artist-model relationship. “‘He and green had been associated with has bitten me now,’ Sargent would homosexuality for centuries. remark mildly, ‘so we can go ahead.’” The painting, famous even before it was finished, easily could have been done to illustrate Dorian Gray.

W. G. R. with his First Friend, Walter Hiley, and Mouton

Both Robertson and Sargent attended the first performance of Guy Domville, the only play Henry James ever wrote, on January 5, 1895. During his curtain call the author was driven off the stage. “I have never heard any sound more devastating than the crescendo of booing that ensued,” Robertson remembered. Eventually he and James drifted apart, but James and Sargent, two lifelong bachelors, remained “real friends” whose “points of view were in many ways identical.” Robertson did

Walford Graham Robertson with his dog Richard. National Portrait Gallery 1926

not elaborate about what and how they saw eye to eye. Robertson was born to wealth on July 8, 1866. Although he claimed his family’s London home was “pictureless, save for the inevitable Landseer engravings, without the aid of which a respectable Bayswater family could hardly have been expected to eat its dinner,” he decided at an early John Singer Sargent, Graham Robertson age on a career as a gentleman artist. He painted portraits of noted individuals, wrote and illustrated children’s books, designed sets for Ellen Terry and a golden robe for Bernhardt’s starring role in Wilde’s drama Salome.

Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth by John Sargent

He also became an art collector. When he was 16 or 17 years old—he himself could not remember—he became fascinated by the work of William Blake, the artist then out of fashion and little appreciated. “Despite severe qualms of conscience at the vast outlay,” he bought a Blake oil painting, The Ghost of a Flea, for £12, about $1600 today, a great bargain in any age. Eventually he had a substantial collection of Blake’s monoprints, large color prints, drawings, and paintings.

Ellen Terry by Walford Graham Robertson Oil on canvas, 1923. NPG

Robertson never married. He lived with his mother at their elegant townhouse at 23 Rutland Gate S.W., Knightsbridge, until her death in 1907. The era of elegant suppers, afternoon musicales, brittle conversation, gloves of grey suede, and walking sticks with jade handles was passing. With no desire to involve himself in ‘’an age to which I do not belong,’’ in 1914 he moved to a rural cottage in Surrey he had purchased in 1888. The house lacked electricity, central heating and hot water, but he never modernized it. Claiming to be retired, he still “painted nearly every day” and kept up an enormous correspondence. His memoir, Time Was, appeared in 1931. Eight years later, at the beginning of World War II, he donated 21 Blakes to the Tate Gallery and also gave originals to the British Museum and other cultural institutions. Whatever his own successes, his gifts to the world of another man’s art may be his greatest and longest-lasting legacy. He died on September 4, 1948. Bill Lipsky, Ph.D., author of “Gay and Lesbian San Francisco” (2006), is a member of the Rainbow Honor Walk board of directors.

Photograph of Walford Graham Robertson, taken probably in the 1880s

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JULY 16, 2020

BAY TIMES S

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

Take in a Game

Off the Wahl Jan Wahl Summer and sports ... they work together when it’s a great movie, documentary, or series. From humor to heartbreak, we can escape and enjoy these stories of spirited personalities and exciting competition. There are terrific tales concerning every sport, but let’s grab some hot dogs and crackerjack (it’s still out there) and begin with baseball. How was Jean Stapleton, the actress who was Edith Bunker in All in the Family, discovered? She was in one of the best baseball movies ever: Damn Yankees (1958). This is campy fun, with often hilarious songs and a true anthem for our times, “You’ve Gotta Have Heart.” An aging Washington Senators fan sells his soul to the devil to beat the Yankees and become a powerful young player. Tab Hunter, who wrote one of the best autobiographies about Hollywood, is convincing as the star player who is seduced by the devil’s disciple Lola (Gwen Verdon.) But it is the devil himself (Ray Walston), who brings laughs to the Faustian story, along with music that will leave you as joyful as a home run. It’s on DVD and YouTube. Eight Men Out (1988) is a trip back to 1919 and to the raw game and its tough, tough players. Brilliant director/writer John Sayles uses rich period detail and perfectly cast actors to give us baseball’s first national scandal. Did the underpaid players accept bribes to deliberately lose the World Series? John Cusack, David Strathairn, and Charlie Sheen lead the strong cast, with great character actors showing up as gangsters, thugs, and politicians. After this, check out Sayles’ other films; he is a director who tells social issue stories in powerful ways. The film is available on Amazon Prime. One of my favorite documentaries ever made concerns a baseball player who knocked it out of the park as a humanist, fighter, and gutsy Jewish guy. The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg (2000) is about the extraordinary player who transcended religious prejudice to become an American icon. Hammerin’ Hank’s

A League of Their Own accomplishments rivaled those of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig during the Golden Age of Baseball. Written, produced, and directed by Aviva Kempner, this film reveals a man of tremendous courage and talent. Follow this with a 2010 documentary narrated by Dustin Hoffman, Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story. Both are available on YouTube. There is just no way to discuss great baseball movies and not include 1989’s Field of Dreams. People tell me they still have not seen this remarkable movie, which was based on W.P. Kinsella’s novel Shoeless Joe. An Iowa farmer hears ghostly voices asking him to build a baseball diamond in his cornfield. James Earl Jones, Kevin Costner, Burt Lancaster, Amy Madigan, and Ray Liotta speak the words of one of the most beautiful scripts ever put on film (writer/director Phil Alden Robinson.) This uplifting mythic fantasy is about chasing the dream, reconciling the child with the adult, and finding redemption. Oh yes, baseball shows up, too! It’s available on Netflix. There are others that fit in perfectly here: A League of Their Own, The Natural, The Bingo Long Traveling All Stars and Motor Kings, Bull Durham ... the list goes on. See you in the stands! Emmy Award-winner Jan Wahl is a renowned entertainment reporter, producer, and teacher. A member of the prestigious Directors Guild of America, she is regularly featured on KPIX television (every Monday morning starting at 6:15 am) and on KCBS AM & FM and other media outlets. To read By Jan Wahl and listen to her reviews for KCBS, go to: Mariel Hemingway costars with real life track star Patrice Donnelly https://kcbsradio.radio.com/authors/jan-wahl in this exciting, yet tender, story of two women finding each other durFor more info about her remarkable life ing intense competition. A young track and field athlete goes for the and career: Olympic trials, meeting a far more experienced runner and becoming http://www.janwahl.com/ friends and lovers along the way. Check out her entertaining and At the time of release, film critics Siskel and Ebert named this movie informative videos at one of the five best films of the year. Ebert wrote that it was “one of the http://sfbaytimes.com/ healthiest, sweatiest celebrations of physical exertion I have ever seen.” Robert Towne’s movie has remained a classic, though it was considered radical at the time. The risks, cares, and rewards in this film give us the joy and challenges of a relationship built on a dream.

KIT’N KITTY’S

QUEER POP QUIZ

Spotlight Film for SF Pride 50: Personal Best (1982)

ANSWER ON PAGE 28

LESBIAN SEAGLA’S SEAGLA began meeting in 1980 in this northern U.S. mecca and offered a safe space to same-sex couples, with events that included dance parties, solstice celebrations, and potlucks. A) Juneau, Alaska B) Seattle, Washington C) Portland, Oregon D) Missoula, Montana

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

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JULY 16, 2020

Gay Filmmaker Recounts Survival Story From 1926

Film Gary M. Kramer Gay filmmaker Richard Bell’s handsomely-mounted period piece, Brotherhood, tells the true story of an ill-fated camping trip at Balsam Lake in Canada on July 20, 1926. This modest drama, now available on iTunes and other streaming services, features an all-male cast—a few women appear briefly in flashbacks—and imparts life lessons about leadership, respect, teamwork, and survival. Robert Butcher (Brendan Fehr) is leading a group of fatherless boys—all members of St. Andrew’s Anglican church—to Long Point Camp. He is met along the way by Arthur Lambden (Brendan Fletcher), who will act as Butcher’s second-incommand. Another teen, George Waller ( Jake Manley), arrives separately. The youths are initially defined more by their traits than their names. As such, Leonard (Matthew Isen) sneezes, Will (Sam Ashe Arnold) is the annoying younger brother of Jack (Gage Munroe), and Mark (Mike Taylor) has a glow-in-the-dark watch, etc. The teens’ camaraderie, however, is palpable, especially when they sing together, but also in scenes of them exercising and playing tug-of-war, sitting around a campfire, or goofing around in their tent. One of the more dramatic moments on land happens during a lacrosse game where Waller loses his temper. Lambden takes the teen for a walk in the woods and insists that Waller chop down a tree. The message the youth learns—both in this scene and in a later episode on the lake—is how to be part of a brotherhood and

inspire rather than confront or control. It may be somewhat didactic, but it serves the story well. Likewise, exchanges between Jack and Will nicely emphasize Will’s anxiety— both good and bad—about growing up. Bell juxtaposes these camping scenes with episodes from the tragedy that befalls the characters: their canoe capsizes during an unexpected storm, stranding the boys and adult men in the moonlit water. Brotherhood cuts back and forth between the camping scenes and the survival-atsea drama, and this approach dilutes the film of some of its force. Viewers are still learning about the characters as they struggle in the water. Moreover, the actual moment of capsizing is withheld until late in the storytelling, and when it happens, it feels unnecessary. Nevertheless, the scenes in the lake are artfully filmed, and Bell creates a sense in the open water that alternates between claustrophobia and momentum. Cinematographer Adam Swica shoots the nighttime scenes elegantly, capturing the tactility of the clothes clinging to the bodies, as the boys and men cling to the overturned canoe. (The costumes, designed by Ginger Martini, however, appear too perfect; these boys dressed for camping in what appears to be their Sunday finest. It might be authentic, but perhaps it would have been more appropriate for the kids to look a little less polished.) The action in the water does form the backbone of Brotherhood, and it is to Bell’s credit that viewers will care about their survival, even if some of the characters are thinly drawn. The director does take pains to flesh out the youth and men with the aforementioned flashbacks depicting the

teens and their families, and Arthur and his wife. But these scenes play as filler. The memories could have been related more effectively in dialogue as evidenced by Fletcher’s soulful performance. When Lambden, haunted by survivor’s guilt, recounts losing his wife to the Spanish Flu, it provides an emotional moment. Brotherhood could have used a few more scenes like this one. Brendan Fehr is respectable as Robert Butcher, a man whose knee injury is the source of greater pain, but he is a bit enigmatic. His discussions with Lambden are compelling— most notably when they talk about building character with risks versus challenges. In support, Jake Manley is the most prominent of the teens, in part, because his character is defined by his inchoate anger. Manley overdoes his swagger and attitude at first. But once Lambden calms Waller down, the actor nicely adjusts his performance. It may be that Brotherhood, which recounts a tragedy that is littleknown in the United States, is best appreciated by younger viewers who can absorb the messages of heroism, bravery, and sacrifice that are raised as characters start dying. (The film telegraphs some of the deaths, but that is not a flaw.) Likewise, the (continued on page 29)

Writing About Plus-Sized Characters

Words Michele Karlsberg Michele Karlsberg: Author Cindy Rizzo is featured in this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times. I recently attended the Golden Crown Literary Society (GCLS) Virtual Conference, where Cindy was a panelist. I asked her to share her thoughts on writing about plus-sized characters. Her panel discussed addressing the needs of our diverse community, and participants explored the necessity for more books that feature plus-size women protagonists. Though authors are making progress, the market segment is still vastly underserved, as it is for other marginalized communities. Cindy Rizzo: In the early days of the internet, many of us flocked to fan fiction sites and riffed off the then popular Xena: Warrior Princess tv 24

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show, adding our own stories of love and adventure between Xena and Gabrielle. Soon, some of those writers became authors of book-length novels, and others started their own publishing companies. All of this accelerated with the advent of ebooks, where anyone could become both author and publisher.

Cindy Rizzo

Most of these books, dubbed lesfic, were concentrated in a few genres, with romance becoming the most popular. Readers wanted to see women pairing off together and having their happily ever afters. So, the books proliferated and the choices were many. Except when it came to diversity.

In the same way it takes a long time for an ocean liner to change direction, the books are slowly changing. Many of us, both authors and readers, are speaking up; and those of us who write are beginning to include characters, especially main characters, whose weight does not conform to what insurance company charts tell us we have to weigh.

Maybe it was because the origin story of these romances, namely Xena, involved two beautiful, feminine women, one blonde and one brunette, both white. The books tended to keep to that path, allowing only small variations from it.

Change can take time, but it can happen. When I contacted indie author Harper Bliss after reading her romance Everything Between Us, which features a plus-size main character, I asked her how the book was being received, and was thrilled to hear that it was her best seller. This prompted me to write my short story, “Big Girl McG Goes to the Con,” about a big lesbian teen attending her first literary conference and finding

Up until recently, almost all of the books featured white, beautiful (usually feminine), able-bodied women in their 20s or 30s, most of whom had idealized figures: tall, thin, and (my personal pet peeve) “toned.”

(continued on page 29)

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun A new “2020–40” storytelling initiative shares a series of personal stories every week from 40 years of the pandemic – the lives, the heroes, the survivors. https://aidsmemorial.org/

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Now that PRIDE MONTH is over, are we supposed to stop celebrating Pride? Of course not! Pride is 24/7, 365—as is BLM. So, let’s keep up the good fight for everyone’s civil rights! We will all rise together!” What I am not proud of are the vandals who attacked my Castro 'hood on Pride Sunday with spraypainted graffiti on all the buildings and sidewalks with ugly statements like “Kill KKK kops!” “Be gay do crimes!” and “Queers H8 KKK kops, even gay kops!” What I am proud of is the CASTRO BUSINESS DISTRICT headed by Executive Director Andrea Aiello that were out at the crack of dawn the next day to clean up the mess. Juanita MORE! said it best, thanking everyone who came out on Pride Sunday and helped to organize, volunteer, and support the PEOPLE’S MARCH. “We did what our queer brothers and sisters did after the riots at Compton’s Cafeteria and Stonewall—we got out in the streets and marched. We took the same route down Polk Street where the first march happened 50 years ago—when everyone came out refusing to be ignored, abused, or forgotten any longer.” She emphasized, “The killing and treatment, the racism, the police brutality, the scapegoating of Black Americans must stop!” The Board of Directors of SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE noted that more than 50,000 viewers tuned in for the official Pride 50 online celebration on June 27–28. Celebrating PRIDE, my gay-fabulous church, THE VINE, held the 4TH ANNUAL SISTER ACT SING-ALONG PRIDE MASS— usually in Grace Cathedral but during the pandemic only virtually on Facebook. We sang the numbers from both Sister Act movies, including “I Will Follow Him,” “Oh Happy Day,” and “My Guy.” Sister Dana (in rainbow habit) got to do a reading from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet, as seen in the movie by Whoopi Goldberg inspiring a young woman. So very contemporary with the theme of “struggle” that we are in today! Come visit our inclusive church online: https://bit.ly/32edrEl With over 600 virtual sessions and events, AIDS 2020: VIRTUAL, held July 6–10, enabled delegates to access and engage with the latest HIV science, advocacy, and knowledge traditionally presented at the conference, while offering a range of new features made possible by the new virtual format. Senator Scott Wiener remarked, “The INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE serves as an important reminder of how far we’ve come and how far we need to go.” https://www.aids2020.org/ THE NATIONAL AIDS MEMORIAL helped to kick off the 23rd International AIDS Conference Virtual, with the launch of a new web platform featuring all 48,000 panels of the iconic AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT online.

For us diehard activists, we can enjoy the sensational Billy Porter remaking FOR A lot is unknown about this historic photo in which Sister Dana WHAT IT’S WORTH— appears on the right. Perhaps you can fill us in with any originally by Buffalo memories the image may evoke. Springfield in 1966 dur- Send your thoughts to editor@sfbaytimes.com ing the protest song genre Jaret Winokor, and many other of the 60s. “Everybody look what’s surprises. going down!” It is still timely during Tickets: https://bit.ly/32g9KxN these turbulent times. https://bit.ly/3fA43Pm This November, Californians will have a chance to fight systemic racSister Dana sez, “Did we have a nice Fourth of July Independence ism at the ballot box. The fight Day? Unfortunately, some incon- to reinstate Affirmative Action in California is officially on the 2020 siderate people started celebratballot as Yes on Proposition 16! ing way back in March with loud firecrackers going off at all The U.S. SUPREME COURT, hours of the night—torturing in a 5–4 ruling, has struck down dogs and disturbing the sleep a draconian restriction on access of selfless healthcare workers. to abortion enacted by the state of This has got to stop!” Louisiana. NCLR, the only LGBTQ Lisa Geduldig’s new monthly comedy series LOCKDOWN COMEDY happens on Zoom every third Thursday of the month beginning July 16, 6 pm. The July 16 show’s theme is “Across the Pond Comedy” with London’s Shazia Mirza, Tanyalee Davis, Mark Maier, Lisa Geduldig, and special guest: Lisa’s mom Arline. https://bit.ly/38UPp2s 2019 Guggenheim Fellow and New York Times bestselling author Ibram X. Kendi will discuss his renowned book, How to Be an Antiracist, virtually on Monday, July 20, 7 pm with Dr. Charlene M. Dukes, president of Prince George’s Community College. Dr. Dukes is the first African-American woman to serve as president of the College and has 30 years of progressive leadership experience and administrative responsibility in higher education. https://bit.ly/31vh5JI Sister Dana sez, “The T-rump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the entirety of the Affordable Care Act—with no replacement. This is incredibly stupid and dangerous. Not only do 23 million Americans get their healthcare coverage through ACA, but also nearly half a million Americans have enrolled in Obamacare after losing their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Absolute cruelty!” What do you get when you combine Sylvester with Madonna in a marvelous mash-up, You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) Vs Vogue? You get a hot dance session by Xavier Toscano. Vogue, baby, vogue! https://bit.ly/3gXSul5 Do you wanna “put on a happy face” during this pandemic? Do you have a message for the Denier-in-Chief? Then check out the latest Randy Rainbow parody, “Cover Your Freakin’ Face.” https://bit.ly/3gXSAcr While RICHMOND-ERMET AID FOUNDATION (REAF) is not able to produce its usual inperson GALA this year, Ken and Joe invite you to a virtual summer gala concert. Relive the excitement of past events through clips cultivated from 25 years of outstanding performances with stars of stage and screen including: Susan Anton, Carol Channing, Petula Clark, Carole Cook, Tyne Daly, Loretta Devine, Jill Eikenberry & Michael Tucker, Sam Harris, Florence Henderson, Jersey Boys, Kimberley Locke, Alex Newell, Bruce Vilanch, Lisa Vroman, Paula West, Marissa

legal group with a staff member dedicated to reproductive justice, celebrates another Supreme Court victory. “This decision is a relief to thousands in Louisiana and millions of people across this country whose fundamental right to reproductive autonomy remains secure for now,” said Imani RupertGordon, NCLR Executive Director. “But the very fact that this case had to reach the Supreme Court is a sobering reminder of the relentless attacks on reproductive freedom and the need to elect officials who will safeguard that critical freedom.”

A Brazilian man was treated with the medication nicotinamide, a form of the vitamin B3, and it has been a year since he’s tested positive for HIV. This breakthrough could lead to a cure for the virus. https://www.lgbtqnation.com/health/ BTW, Brazilian president Bolsonaro told his staff that “wearing masks is a faggot thing” right before he caught coronavirus. Sister Dana sez, “Election Day should be a National Holiday. This would boost Voter Turnout and help Democrats win! Also, we need to nationalize ballots by mail!” As of June 1, more than 50 vicious, physical attacks—bruised and bloodied by riot police against clearly identified reporters covering BLM protests—have been documented on video. This is what happens when T-rump calls the press “the enemy of the people.” First Amendment rights be damned. AIDS WALK SAN FRANCISCO and AIDS Walk New York are combining forces virtually to create AIDS WALK: LIVE AT HOME, a 90-minute, live-streamed event on Sunday, July 19, 10 am. (See page 6 for more info.) This will benefit PRC and other Bay Area HIV/AIDS service organizations. Scheduled performances and appearances by: Bette Midler, Gloria Estefan, Vanessa Williams, Laura Linney, Matt Bomer, Alex Newell, Skylar Astin, Alan Cumming, stars from Queer Eye, and more. Register: https://bit.ly/2Wkacav GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY presents an online forum, THE EVOLUTION OF BLACK LGBTQ LEADERSHIP, Wednesday, July 22, 6–7:30 pm. https://bit.ly/3j5Jlsq Are you tired of hearing people ranting against wearing a mask? Then you will delight in the two sides of the (continued on page 28) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JULY 16, 2020

Meals on Heels: Where Dinner Is a Drag

The Gay Gourmet David Landis Leave it to the delightful Darcy Drollinger to make dinner a drag. The peripatetic owner of San Francisco’s premiere drag club, Oasis SF, can’t sit still during a pandemic. It’s not enough that she is streaming past drag shows of Golden Girls: Live and Star Trek: Live; doing her own weekly comic drag send-up of the news, aptly-titled Hot Trash; and creating one of the foremost drag channels on the net, Oasis TV. Nope, she had to go one step further and offer up Meals on Heels: delectable dinners delivered to your doorstep by a drag queen—who also, incidentally, creates a sociallydistanced lip sync performance just for you. How did she dream up the idea? “Necessity is the mother of invention,” quips Drollinger. “When everything shut down, the only way there was clarity on moving forward was to go online—lucky for us, we had all of this content. So, we rolled it out. Then, we thought what else can we do—and how can we make money? The bigger goal is to create a whole network. The Oasis is great for people who can come to the room, but what if we can create an Oasis brand that can reach the world and use that as a calling card for San Francisco?” “It was one of those things where they said we could offer drinks to go if we partnered with a caterer,” Drollinger added. “That seemed like a great thing to do. But as a drag bar, there’s a component that was missing. We thought, why not have a drag queen deliver the food? And if they’re delivering it, why don’t they do a socially distanced performance? The response was so great—people are starved for connection. You find online drag all over the place but in person, it is so special. And it’s a personal lip sync! It might be the first in the country.” “I’m grateful to have a really solid skeleton crew that I trust to make this happen. It comes from the same place—we all want to keep the Oasis alive. The Oasis has a level of quality; it’s challenging to take it out in the world. We partnered with Martha Avenue Home Cooked Meals, who did a great job catering our New Year’s party. We taste everything. And then you need to trust people who will do the deliveries—both the queens and the drivers. I’m lucky to have competent people that care.” With Meals on Heels, you can either order the food to be picked up at the Oasis or have it delivered by a drag queen to your door. Food delivery can certainly present a myriad of problems. But the Gay Gourmet can personally attest: the quality of the food is an A+. Martha Avenue Home Cooked Meals (owner Cindy Goldfield, partnering with chef Willi Nordby) truly delivers (and you can even order from them on non-Meals on Heels nights). On the night we ordered, our din26

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BAY TIMES S

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)

Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken, with New Potatoes, Garlicky Greens and Sherry Wine Reduction (right) Dark Chocolate Torte with Sea Salt and Chantilly Creme

ner for two (still warm!) included: a moist roast chicken with chimichurri sauce, braised butter beans and charred green onions (the entrée was big enough to split); a fresh out of the oven stone fruit cobbler (peaches, plums, apricots, and pluots, with a cornmeal dough); and a homemade salted rye brownie (not that kind, Blanche!) that could satisfy any chocaholic. And, there was not one, but two bottles of a crisp, white Line 39 Sauvignon Blanc from California. With delivery and a tip, it was around $150 (for two, including the booze and the show). “We want to keep it priced at a point where it’s available to everybody, but I don’t want to price out the quality,” says Drollinger. Not to bury the lead, but how’s the show? In a word, phenomenal. Our drag performer was the slutty Poly Poptart (yes, only one “l”), who arrived at our Victorian home dressed head to toe in rainbow colors with flowing green hair. She

Darcy Drollinger

performed on the sidewalk while we watched from the upstairs landing. Poly took one look at my husband and me and decided—correctly— that we were Broadway queens. So, she regaled us with “Popular” and “Defying Gravity” from Wicked. But this was no ordinary lip sync performance. A competitive gymnast turned stand-up comedian in drag, Poly did a double turn followed by a backwards flip—in heels—on a hill. Then, spur of the moment, when she got to the lyric “Nothing’s going to bring me down,” she hopped up and slid down on our bannister backwards! You have to see the video: https://bit.ly/3h0q7To Poly says, “Every performance is different. Sometimes we’re in a nice front yard, sometimes we’re performing on a hill in heels. I (continued on page 29)

Absinthe Group Introduces ‘Arbor’ in Hayes Valley The restaurant group behind Absinthe Brasserie & Bar has just announced the official opening of its newest concept: Arbor, a community restaurant in the heart of Hayes Valley. With a variety of fast and wholesome dishes that focus on plant-based, organic, and local ingredients, Arbor is a welcoming neighborhood destination to keep neighbors fed and offer convenient options for everyone. For the health and wellbeing of staff and guests, Arbor will be offering takeout and delivery until the indoor seating and outdoor patio can safely reopen. “The Absinthe Group has been part of Hayes Valley for more than 20 years,” said Bill Russell-Shapiro, Proprietor of The Absinthe Group. “We’re happy to introduce our new fast-casual place—Arbor—to the community.” A collaboration between The Absinthe Group Executive Chef Ryan McIlwraith and former Barcino Executive Chef Kaili Hill, Arbor’s menu features small plates including seasoned curly fries and grilled broccoli, an array of customizable salads, and hearty entrees including a double cheeseburger with grass-fed beef, fried chicken sandwich on a house-made brioche bun, and vegan burger piled high with fresh toppings. The dessert menu promotes healthier alternatives without compromising on flavor, including an almond chia seed pudding, plant-based soft serve from Eclipse, and fresh DoughXX vegan cookies. With beer, cider, wine, and kombucha on tap, Arbor also benefits from neighboring Arlequin Wine Merchant and the shop’s extensive collection of wines from around the globe available by the bottle. Located in the former Arlequin Café space at 384 Hayes Street, Arbor was jointly designed by Absinthe Group Director of Development Jonny Raglin and Hayes Valley-based Piechota Architecture—the same firm behind the design of The Absinthe Group’s SoMa restaurant, Bellota. With a retro flair and bright color palette, Arbor captures the joy and ease of neighborhood living in a small café with seating for 30. The interior has been transformed with arches of woven cane panels and ribbed wainscoting from Omar Zaouk, the tables and bar tops are local Madrone made by Devin Thamer of Thamer Design, and chairs and stools from Italian designer Pedrali were outfitted with customized cushions. Original collage pieces printed on fabric adorn the walls, along with two framed works by Marissa Boz Raglin. Arbor will be open for lunch and dinner takeout and delivery Wednesdays through Sundays from 12 pm to 8 pm. Arbor online: https://www.arborsf.com/ Arlequin Wine Merchant: www.arlequinwinemerchant.com

This Month at the Castro Farmers’ Market

Adjusting to the New Normal at Farmers’ Markets By Debra Morris

“The market seems to be a little less crowded. I wish people would come back and shop here instead of the grocery store,” says another shopper. “It’s so much better.” Farmers are especially thankful for this direct-to-consumer approach and appreciate the support they are finding from the local community. They are also seeing a slow and steady increase in customers who favor local produce, with many repeat customers each week. It has been a difficult adjustment for farmers in the last few months. Not being able to sell at farmers’ markets was hard on their bottom line, but with more markets opening, the outlook is improving. “It’s good to see customers coming each week to pick up their produce. More are coming back each week and that’s important to my family,” says a farmer at the Castro Farmers’ Market. With safety protocols in place, such as no sampling or touching of produce, mask requirements, rearrangement of booths, and social distancing, the market manager has also had to adjust to new protocols. It has been a

PHOTO BY RINK

Castro Farmers’ Market manager Mia Simmons says, “I think customers are happy to have the market open— when we closed one week as a result of the citywide curfew, many people complained. Business is definitely up from last year, and I’ve heard many folks say that they feel safer shopping in the open air, rather than inside a store. I think vendors appreciate the fact that the market is open and busier than ever, and many customers voice their gratitude.” The first hour of the Castro market, from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm, is still reserved for seniors and those at risk, so keep this in mind when you shop. The market also closes at 7 pm at this time. Thank you for supporting your local farmers’ market during a time when we need to invest in local farms so they will be here for us in the future. The stronger local farmers are, the better off the local food supply chain will be. Now in season: Stone fruit (peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, pluots, apriums) from Allard Farms in Westley and Ken’s Top Notch in Fresno; tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers from Happy Boy Farms from Watsonville; berries from BerryLicious in Gilroy; sweet corn from G&S Farms in Brentwood; green beans, summer squash, and eggplant from Valley Bee Farms in Fresno.

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

SA PEACH SAL ed, pitted, diced 6 peaches, peel es, diced 1 pound tomato onion, diced ½ medium red ntro, chopped ¼ cup fresh cila es Juice of 2 to 3 lim ding peppers, depen 1 to 3 jalapeño , seeds removed on heat you like, finely diced Salt to taste salt a bowl and add in ts n ie ed gr in Toss ice you ount of lime ju am e h T . e st ta the to determined by e b to d ee n ill use w aches. matoes and pe to e th f o y it id or ac hill for an hour C . go u yo as Taste ure. room temperat two, or enjoy at

Bolani (left) and Rodin Farms

Allard Farms

Arata Farms

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PHOTO BY RINK

Ken’s Top Notch

PHOTO BY RINK

One Castro customer said, “It’s good to get out of the house and get some shopping done outside, rather than at a grocery store. I don’t feel so closed in. And everything looks so good!”

Since the Shelter in Place order began, the market manager has had to rearrange the booth setup, cajole, encourage, and restrict both farmers and customers, while also keeping up with the ever-changing state and county safety requirements.

PHOTO BY RINK

Currently, farmers’ markets have evolved, albeit temporarily, to become more of a service rather than an event, where customers can purchase produce and other local products and leave quickly. Customers’ reactions to the current way of shopping at a farmers’ market vary in degree of enthusiasm, though they love to get their produce from local farms.

somewhat complicated transition from the way markets were operated previously to the way the safety guidelines require they operate currently.

PHOTO BY RINK

Summer is here, the corn and tomatoes are being harvested, the planting of fall crops has begun, and your local farmers’ markets continue to supply good wholesome fruits and vegetables, even in the midst of a pandemic. We are looking for the light at the end of the tunnel as safety guidelines ease, but we remain vigilant in protecting customer and farmer safety.

JULY 16, 2020

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SHORTER (continued from page 7)

become a priority, where resources should be sourced, and how dollars and value are actually distributed. It’s clear that transformative social change is needed and requires an individual call to action. For that, philanthropy is key. By definition, philanthropy is a Greek term for “love of mankind.” It can be an idea, event, or action that is engaged to improve humanity, but requires some meaningful sacrifice with no profit motive. I love this pure translation because everyone can be involved in efforts to advance humanity within areas that leverage their passion and superpowers—a unique lane to help. It doesn’t require a person to have great power, success, time, or fortune. My business skills and network are my philanthropic superpowers, and I use them to help underserved and underrepresented communities solve big problems—by developing new strategies, planning growth, and procuring resources. Timing is important. I joined various boards during critical periods when my expertise was needed—supporting leadership change at the Victory Fund, building and opening of the SF LGBT Center, repositioning Under One Roof, and expanding nationally at Sunflower Wellness. Maybe your superpower is organizing people or producing events. Perhaps your passion is voting rights, art education, or ending homelessness. You don’t have to join a board or write big checks to be a philanthropist who gives back. Explore ways to connect your superpower and passion to a need that advances humanity—socially, economically, environmentally, or politically. If you’re not sure, it’s okay to try a few things first to see what delivers personal joy. Philanthropy should never be a moment to “check the box,” nor should it be a way for someone to apologize and atone for all the wrongs that may have been committed to disenfranchise, marginalize, or compartmentalize the more vulnerable among us. Ideally, it should represent a lifelong passion that a person(s) or organization is committed to supporting.

I see philanthropy as a bellwether for gauging our shared values and humanity. It’s the great equalizer to unbridled capitalism, ensuring that an eternal harmony and universal balance are maintained of those who have and those who have not. The social problems and human conditions today, in my view, are a direct result of imbalance and humanity that is out-of-sync with nature. We see escalating political instability, economic crashes, and global disruptions because our prevailing systems are not sustainable. To correct the imbalance, we need a prodigious shift from value extraction to a broader distribution of shared value. We are at the dawn of a new wave of civic and social responsibility that demands our participation to protect and support the most vulnerable among us. A new social contract and an updated definition of what it truly means to be a modern-day philanthropist are desperately needed in these unprecedented times. What values will we uphold, and who gets to decide how to commandeer and distribute resources to effect transformative social change? Philanthropy is a tool that can restore balance if engaged by more people, along with advocacy and activism. It is time to do more than just “check the box.” What would our communities look like if every person and company gave at least five percent of their income, and everyone volunteered just five hours a month to a philanthropic venture? If the mission is to eliminate poverty, support the BLM movement, or protect LGBTQ rights, we’d do well if more of us educated ourselves to understand current issues (to develop empathy), and then tapped into our passions and superpowers to find meaningful ways to get involved (to show compassion). If we all do a little, then no one person has to do a lot. Derek Barnes is the Chief Operating Officer at g-dii Enterprises and a Senior Advisor at Ignition Point Consulting. He currently serves on the boards of Horizons Foundation and Homebridge. Follow him on Twitter @DerekBarnesSF or on Instagram at DerekBarnes.SF.

KIT’N KITTY’S

QUEER POP QUIZ

One can hardly physically drag around 2,000 pounds of iron statues of explorers, conquerors, colonialists, Andrew Jackson, this Confederate general or another, but like any other flag, the Confederate flag’s mobility makes it all at once present, insidious, unabashed, and undeniable. Aside from a KKK robe or hood, it by far remains the chief universally recognized, pedestrian symbol of racism. No matter how bearers of it want to defend it as a passive emblem of “southern heritage and pride” (in what exactly?), it is a potent emblem of racism and terror. Whether on a baseball cap, a bumper sticker, or at NASCAR, there is little that can nullify what it signifies except its absence. Decades before the slaughter of nine African American churchgoers at the historic (Mother) Emanuel AME Church by a young white supremacist, it was already well past time before that July 2015 when the Confederate flag that had flown over the capitol of South Carolina was finally put out of commission. Other public or official commissions of the Confederate flag—all signifying the heralded “the South shall rise again” after Civil Wartime states of the Confederacy fell to the Union—have since expired throughout the American South. In June 2020, the last stalwart stronghold finally gave up the ghost in Mississippi, the birthplace of my father, his father, and his father. Whether one agrees or not with the manners by which only a fraction of a wholesale lot of public statues, buildings, and erected structures in homage to predominantly “great” men who forged America’s predominate narrative of Anglo-dominion are being taken down, it is well past time that these forged symbols of explicit racism, hatred, and racial supremacy be retired and laid to rest once and for all. Gone with the wind, as it were. It has not gone without note that in the recent bold displays of “Black Lives Matter” onto major streets, including in front of the White House, how quickly white discomfort seeks to demolish, erase, paint over, and destroy these temporary monuments to freedom, inclusion, and equality. Wow, what it must be to live with the “tyranny” of a “Black Lives Matter” stenciled banner on a street for all of two weeks. That is nothing compared to living under the banner of Confederate symbols for 150 plus years. Of course, gestures of retiring symbols and monuments of hate do not make for actual revolution towards building systems for a more just society. All the same, for what it is worth, perhaps the absence or suppression of their oppressive, looming presence in public spaces means we can breathe a little freer as we work for meaningful progress. In the meantime, there is plenty of room under the rainbow flag to inspire and elevate those seeking a humane way forward towards justice, inclusion, and equality. Andrea Shorter is a Commissioner and the former President of the historic San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women. She is a longtime advocate for criminal and juvenile justice reform, voter rights and marriage equality. A Co-Founder of the Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition, she was a 2009 David Bohnett LGBT Leadership Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. DOUGHTY (continued from page 3) $250,000 to be made next month. All of these grants have been in the form of general operating funds and have supported more than 60 LGBTQ organizations in every county of the Bay Area. What is especially exciting about Horizons’ COVID Fund is that the funds raised for the grants (Horizons has taken zero fee) have come from hundreds of individual donors, as well as foundation and corporate partners. The Fund is still open for contributions, with 100% of donations going to our community ( just go to https://www.horizonsfoundation.org/covid19/ ).

ANSWER (Question on pg 23) A) Juneau, Alaska Juneau is home to the Southeast Alaska LGBTQ+ Alliance (SEAGLA). In 2014, SEAGLA planned Juneau’s first pride event, and the organization has continued to meet and advocate for the LGBTQ community since its inception. https://www.seagla.org/

Our community has weathered countless crises. Today’s are historic and daunting, and are an opportunity for us to show up for one another, again and again and again, until every one of us makes it—together—to the other side. Roger Doughty is the Executive Director and President of Horizons Foundation: https://www.horizonsfoundation.org/ SISTER DANA (continued from page 25) argument hysterically sung as a parody of the Broadway hit, HAMILTON, in this “mask-up.” https://youtu.be/m_HZectGDlo Mayor London N. Breed has launched a new mobile COVID-19 testing site at the Latino Task Force (LTF) Resource Hub in the Mission. The testing site will operate on Thursdays from 10 am–3 pm in coordination with services provided for Mission residents at the Hub. https://bit.ly/3j2TpTm SF GENERAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION is now accepting artist submissions for the annual HEARTS IN SAN FRANCISCO public art project, which will be celebrating its 17th year. For the 2021 series, the Foundation welcomes design submissions by both up-and-coming and established local San Francisco Bay Area artists. Design renderings for the heart sculptures must be submitted by August 31. https://sfghf.org/events/create-a-heart/ For the first time ever, the 31st Annual GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS will be held as a virtual ceremony, on July 30, 5 pm. Co-hosts are Fortune Feimster and Gina Yashere, with special performance by Chloe x Halle. Among the more than 16 celebs are Dan Levy, Rachel Maddow, and Dolly Parton. https://www.glaad.org/about Among SFGMC’s gorgeous virtual performances, LOLLIPOP GUILD has a lovely “Seasons of Love” from the Broadway hit, RENT. https://www.sfgmc.org/in-concert Sister Dana sez, “Oh how I miss gazing out my window nightly to watch utterly enchanted by the spectacular Illuminated Pink Triangle! I wish it could glow all year long. Hopefully it will return next Pride Weekend!”

San Francisco Bay Times says, "Wear Your Mask!" We want you to "Stay Safe!" 28

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ROSTOW (continued from page 19) to make sure that those values that we enshrined in our constitution are upheld.” I should add here that Russian voters just passed a series of constitutional amendments that not only let Putin remain president for years and years, but also define marriage as a union of one man and one woman. What else? Let’s see. J.K. Rowling has made another controversial comment about transgender boys and girls. I’ve been avoiding this neverending subject because I would have to put some effort into figuring out exactly what she has been saying and exactly what context she’s been saying it in. This seems like a lot of work for a story that centers around one, albeit prolific, author. Oh, and the guys have been partying up a storm on Fire Island, where the idea of social distancing during a gay beach weekend is not exactly catching on. They are no worse than the other imbeciles that have driven our infection levels sky high and forced us all to relive the quarantine days of March and April. Quarantine Redux Mel and I stayed home in May and June, even though we had the pos-

sibility of going out for a few oysters and some wine on the patio of our local seafood spot. We mused about the prospect almost daily, but in the interests of caution, we decided to postpone our degustations until it was truly safe. Now we’re stuck again. We also had to cancel our incredibly cheap tickets to Scotland for the second time this year. Two of our adorable grandchildren live there. The other three live in Connecticut, which like Europe, has banned us from visiting. Meanwhile, I just saw a discouraging article about how alcohol is not that good for you after all, but, like Trump voters who pick and choose which news items to believe and which to belittle, I have rejected the conclusion of this latest scientific effort. It’s not as if we’re drinking more these days, but we are drinking differently. I have found, for example, that almost anything can spur creativity in the age of the coronavirus cocktail. The other day I made Bloody Marys out of something in the refrigerator that I later learned was a tomato soup. Yesterday, Mel made a fig and strawberry jam and

I managed to convert its dregs into a tequila surprise. Part of the problem is that given the fact that we are trying to limit our shopping, when we hit the liquor store, we don’t just get some wine or gin. We pick up anything and everything that looks good, including things from the close-out shelf. Just to give you an idea, the closeout shelf was the source of a repellent bottle of cinnamon alcohol that has sat in the cupboard for well over five years. The shelf invariably contains some very poor choices, such as the 150-proof rum I bought recently that is simply imbuvable. I haven’t given up on it quite yet. I’m thinking I might mix it with the fig jam syrup. One Hundred Ninety Days Like many of you, Mel and I ridiculed Trump’s boastful claim that he aced his dementia test, a routine diagnostic including “what year is it?” that normal people should not even be taking to begin with. He was particularly pleased at having remembered five words, an accomplishment that drew me up short. Could I remember five words? I’m not so sure considering I can’t remember why I went into the

kitchen just now or how you spell chlamydia even though I just used the word several times. (Thank you, spellcheck.) But Ladies and Gentlemen, the word “moron” does not begin to describe the blithering idiot grinning behind the wheel of what is now an out-ofcontrol American tractor-trailer, barreling down a steep grade past disaster and towards oblivion. His pathologies cannot be itemized; they are too numerous and have entwined themselves into unnamable patterns unique to his disordered mind. At this point, I am focused like a laser on January 20, when the man leaves office. (No, I’m not being complacent. I simply cannot and will not concede that Trump might win a second term.) All those executive orders,

all those anti-GLBT policies, whatever the unctuous Mike Pompeo is up to, the transgender service ban, the transgender health care loopholes, all of this will finally be over. Yes, we’ll still face massive economic problems, and the virus will no doubt still lurk. But the fog will lift and the horizon will appear. And most importantly, he will be off the stage along with his insufferable family and his sycophantic aides. My wife has informed me that she would vote for Biden even if he shot someone on Fifth Avenue. In fact, she added, she would vote for Biden if Biden shot her on Fifth Avenue, assuming it was not a fatal incident, of course. I agree. arostow@aol.com

KARLSBERG (continued from page 24) herself the object of affection of her adorable roommate. That story was published in the anthology Conference Call (Bella Books). Recently, I participated on a panel called Size Matters that was part of the virtual conference being held by the Golden Crown Literary Society, the membership organization that promotes and educates about lesbian and queer women’s literature. The authors on the panel talked about our efforts to increase diversity in our books, especially with regard to body size. We lifted up indigenous and African American cultures, where plus-

sized women are revered and celebrated, underscoring the connections between marginalized identities. Over 100 people attended this virtual panel, and in the chat area, attendees had their own lively discussion about the topics, sharing lists of books with curvy or plus-sized characters who are healthy, happy, and loved, and who are not focused on losing weight. I take great reassurance from discussions like these, along with the hope that in addition to Xena and Gabrielle look-a-likes, our books might soon include a wide range of characters who are more like Lizzo,

Beanie Feldstein, Melissa McCarthy, and Queen Latifah. Cindy Rizzo is an award-winning NYC-based writer of three novels who has also published short stories and essays. Her upcoming book, “The Papercutter,” is a young adult speculative fiction novel set in a future where the USA has split into two countries. Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBTQ+ community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates 32 years of successful book campaigns. For more information: https://www.michelekarlsberg.com

KRAMER (continued from page 24) mentions of religion, the war, and trauma in the film provide some context for the period and the characters without feeling forced. That said, the repeated fact that Leonard’s father drowned—thereby making him afraid of the water—does feel heavy-handed. The stylized production and appropriately somber music help to convey Bell’s melancholic tone. Brotherhood is unabashedly earnest, but it captures the spirit of its characters, who are resilient in the face of an ordeal. © 2020 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

LANDIS (continued from page 26) bring several lip sync options with me—usually 4—and based on who answers the door, I pick one. Everything is in the moment.” Poly is no slouch. You may know her from the “365 Days of Drag Names Project” last summer, which attracted a huge Instagram following and propelled her career as a stand-up comedian. Besides performing at the Oasis, Poly has headlined at the Oakland Comedy Fest, done shows with Peaches Christ & Sister Roma, and co-hosted a show with RuPaul’s Drag Race fave Honey Mahogany. Comedy Central and Family Guy’s Kabir Singh booked Poly for the San Jose Improv (unfortunately, cancelled due to COVID-19). Poly is also doing an online political spoof called “Foxy News” and hopes that one day she makes it to Saturday Night Live. Where is Meals on Heels headed? For now, Drollinger is scheduling it every Friday night in July, but possibly longer. “I’m building on the future and generating stronger community—those are important,” explains Drollinger. “This all happened right when I bought the club. The responsibility to my investors, my community, and the performers became the center of my focus. Getting the response from people being so happy has been deeply motivating. I really want to keep our community intact and I want to be there for everyone when we come back. I’m determined.” Most of all, Drollinger summarizes poetically, “We need to laugh.” Meals on Heels (from Oasis SF): Website: https://sfoasis.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFX1qGPFvK-hfo1A-1iJYVA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoasissf/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sfoasis/ Poly Poptart: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kaprosen Instagram: www.instagram.com/polypoptart Website: www.polypoptart.com Martha Avenue Home Cooked Meals: https://www.marthaavenuefood.com/ (You can also order from Martha on non Meals on Heels nights) David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a PR executive. Follow him on Instagram @GayGourmetSF, on Twitter @david_landis, email him at: david@landispr.com or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JULY 16, 2020

Round About - All Over Town - Art During the Pandemic Photos by Rink

BAY TIMES S

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

A Black Lives Matters stencil painted on the sidewalk on Nob Hill

Deana Dawn, Micky Mann and Tilly presented face masks in dozens of fabric patterns at the new Mask Shop located beneath the Poesia location on 18th Street. Sales of the masks benefit the Rainbow World Fund.

Server Rickey at Orphan Andy’s front door displayed a takeout order, the popular chicken sandwich with specially requested cole slaw. Privacy barriers have been installed inside awaiting the return of indoor dining.

Art by Jeremy Novy at Marcello’s Pizza on Castro Street

Rainbow-hued portraits of legendary community leaders, on Market Street in the Castro

Artwork covers the barriers in front of Nizario’s Pizza and Dashing Sole. Nizario’s recently announced that their Castro location will not reopen.

This outdoor street sign, in front of Taco Boys restaurant on Market near the Market and Noe intersection, presented a Pride 2020 message.

Artwork covers the front windows at Zuni restaurant where rainbow flags were displayed on July 4.

Sponsored by the Kering Company, a kiosk sign, located at Market and Van Ness, presents a tribute message honoring healthcare workers.

As Heard on the Street . . . What is your favorite summer road trip destination? compiled by Rink

Gary Virginia

Mia Simmans

Joanie Juster

Alexis Miranda

Leandro Gonzalez

“The R3 Hotel in Guernville for Main Street browsing, bar and pool times”

“The Stanislaus Wilderness is a favorite”

“Touring Alaska on my way to work at the Alaska State Fair”

“South Beach in Miami”

“Guerneville, a quick getaway and away from city living”

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Round About - All Over Town

Photos by Rink

CASTRO STREETCAM presented by

http://sfbaytimes.com/

The Cinch Saloon, the only gay bar on Polk Street, although currently closed, was decorated for Pride Weekend.

A Fourth of July display filled the front window of Russian Hill Upholstery & Decor on Polk Street.

Double Rainbow Ice Cream’s return to the Castro is planned for 415 Castro Street near The Castro Theatre.

The new Hot Cookie location on Polk Street, officially opened on July 6, has the Philadelphia rainbow Pride flag in its front window.

The Bi Rite Market on Divisadero Street is requiring masks and social distancing.

To comply with requirements for bars, The Midnight Sun has teamed up with Oz Pizza to offer street service behind the barricades installed out front.

The Terasol gift shop, relocated recently from Polk Street to 1526 California Street during an earthquake retrofit project, presented a Pride display in its front window.

The E6 Gallery on Market Street near Zuni restaurant has a “Love Humanity” message in its front window.

A sign proudly proclaiming The Relove clothing store on Polk Street, offer- “Black Owned” is displayed in ing vintage, contemporary and designer clothing the front window of the new Relove clothing store. items, held its Grand Opening on July 6.

The Pride display in the window at Rolo clothing store on Market Street in the Castro

Ti Piacera restaurant on Polk Street, popular for its Italian cuisine, has opened for sidewalk service and takeout. S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JULY 16, 2020

The Census is about representation

LGBTQ COUNTS

COUNTING LGBTQ COMMUNITIES IN THE CENSUS The census is a count the federal government does of every person living in the United States. It happens once every 10 years and is required by the US Constitution. You can do the census online, by phone, or by mail. Most people received a letter from the Census Bureau with instructions.

Why do we do the Census?

Governments and businesses use census data to decide: • How much money each state gets for schools, hospitals, roads, and social services • Locations for new roads, transportation lines, and businesses • How many Congressional Representatives each state, including California, receives • How local and state district lines get drawn, based on population

Why is Census important for LGBTQ communities?

Census data helps determine political representation and funding for social services. Many LGBTQ people rely on these services like health care, housing, and CalFresh. When everyone does the census, LGBT communities get our fair share. This means funding for local services and the political representation we deserve. In the past, the census has undercounted LGBTQ people, immigrants, and people of color. If we do not get an accurate census count in 2020, California could lose a seat in the House of Representatives. Doing the census is an important act of claiming visibility and power. Without representation, the values, needs and interests of LGBTQ Californians will go unheard.

Do the census today.

What questions are on the Census?

The census asks 9 simple questions about you and the people living in your household. The census will ask you how many people live with you and if you own or rent your house, and your relationship to those people. It will also ask you for your name, sex, age, birthday, ethnicity and race. The census does not have a specific question about sexual orientation. But, for the first time in history, you can say if you live with a same-sex partner or spouse. The census does not provide an option for single people to identify as LGBTQ, though. The census asks your sex according to a binary. You can only select “male” or “female”. LGBTQ people should still do the census, though. When you answer according to how you best identify, you help us work toward a future with better representation for all.

Visit my2020census.gov or call 844-330-2020. To learn more, go to sf.gov/lgbtqcensus SF Counts is a campaign of the City & County of San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs