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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area
CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020) August 13–26, 2020 | http://sfbaytimes.com
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KAMALOT BEGINS!
2020 Democratic National Convention
Proud to Represent California Congressional District 11 with a Vote for Biden/Harris Photos courtesy of Robert Camacho
This is why I am supporting Joe Biden to be our next president. We are going through a very challenging time. Protecting the constitution under a regime of lawlessness is not a peaceful act, yet it must be done if we believe no one is above the law. As such, we find our nation fractured and divided without a unifying agent to heal us and bring us together. The only path to victory is building upon the coalitions of Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Kamala Harris ... and there’s currently only one candidate who is in the position to do that.
Joe’s strength and his moral center are inspiring. But so are his skills as a leader. He’s the candidate with the wisdom and standing to fix what Trump has broken, to restore our place in the world, and improve the lives of working people here at home. It’s time for respected leadership on the world stage—and dignified leadership at home. It’s time for equal opportunity, equal rights, and equal justice. It’s time for an economy that rewards those who actually do the work. It’s time for a president who will stand up for all of us. It’s essential to recognize that this division, painful and deep though it may feel, is temporary. It’s only one chapter in a book that we are still writing, and we have many more chapters to go, unscripted. This is why I support Kamala Harris for vice president. I have known Kamala going back to 2004 when she first ran for district attorney of San Francisco. I supported Senator Kamala Harris from the day she announced her presidential campaign until she suspended it. I met with Kamala right after she suspended and she said, “I want to be clear with you: I will keep fighting every day for what this campaign has been about. Justice for the people. All the people.” I truly believe Joe will fight and keep Kamala’s message alive “for the people” and will support a lot of her policies important to us. It’s important that we remember the struggle and sacrifices of the activists who spent decades fighting for civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community. Just two presidential elections
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As a senator, Harris has sponsored landmark legislation such as the Do No Harm Act, which would ensure that religion cannot be used to discriminate against LGBTQ+ individuals.
Former vice president Joe Biden is the president our country desperately needs right now. I have great respect for his integrity as well as his ability. And I believe experience is really important at this particular point, where our world is today. Through it all, I’ve seen Joe tested in public service and tested in life itself. I know the measure of a person who never stopped fighting for millions of Americans even as his beloved son was losing a heartbreaking battle with cancer, and I can relate, losing my mother to cancer.
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fornia’s attorney general, she successfully defended a California law banning conversion therapy. Later— when Proposition 8, which only recognized marriages between a man and woman as valid in the State of California, landed on her desk—she refused to defend it, and filed briefs in support of marriage equality. She even pushed the Food and Drug Administration to reconsider its ban on blood donations from gay men.
She is also a co-sponsor of the Equality Act, which would amend the Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
ago, it would have been hard to imagine a candidate who boldly stood up for the LGBTQ+ community. However, before it became a politically expedient thing to do, Kamala was on the frontlines of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. The daughter of an Indian American mother and an African-American father, she understood from a young age that love is something to be celebrated and that no one should have to apologize for whom they love. It’s why she has consistently shown herself to be a true progressive champion when it comes to fighting for LGBTQ+ rights as San Francisco district attorney, as California’s attorney general, and as a United States senator. In 2004, as district attorney, she established an LGBT hate crimes unit, which included a Victim Advocacy Unit, as well as a Sexual Assault Awareness Program. At the time, these were some of the first programs to combat hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community in the country. While progress nationally was lagging, and crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity were not recognized as federal hate crimes, Kamala led the fight to abolish the use of gay and transgender “panic defenses” in criminal trials, which were often used to defend violence against LGBTQ+ people. Furthermore, when most Democrats supported civil unions, Harris demonstrated her commitment to the LGBTQ+ community by officiating some of the first marriages between same-sex couples. Kamala didn’t stop fighting for the LGBTQ+ community with her early efforts in San Francisco. As Cali-
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A member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, she has aggressively questioned appointees and nominees put forward by the Trump administration. She asked Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross about his decision to direct the census to exclude sexual orientation and gender identity, and later introduced the Census Equality Act to ensure that members of the LGBTQ+ community don’t go uncounted in the future. Few, if any, candidates who were in the large 2020 presidential field could match Senator Harris’ deep commitment to the LGBTQ+ community. Time and again, she has demonstrated her strong support of the LGBTQ+ community and her willingness to buck political trends to do the right thing. A Kamala Harris vice presidency gives the LGBTQ+ community a fierce advocate in the White House with an unparalleled commitment to equal rights.
MLIVE.COM
By Robert Camacho
Calendar of Virtual Fundraisers to Help Elect Democrats Thursday, August 13 Biden Action Fund Event: Virtual Affordable Housing Conversation with Stef Feldman, Biden for President (BFP) Policy Director https://bit.ly/31IJdHO Friday, August 14 Virtual Conversation with Governor Gavin Newsom https://secure.joebiden.com/a/0814-conversation?attr=100631801
That is why I am supporting Kamala Harris for vice president. She embodies the kind of energy and spirit we need in the White House to ensure that people in the LGBTQ+ community don’t go unseen, unheard, or uncared about here at home or around the world. We should proudly stand behind a candidate who is committed to dignity, acceptance, and equal rights, and who has the skills to make those ideals a reality for everyone.
Monday, August 17 Virtual Reception with Joe Biden & Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a special performance by Carole King https://secure.joebiden.com/a/0817-reception?attr=100631801
We can change the trajectory of our history. Believe that our better days are ahead of us.
Wednesday, August 19 Pennsylvania Virtual Reception With Joe Biden, Senator Bob Casey, & Governor Tom Wolf https://secure.joebiden.com/a/pennsylvania-reception?attr=100631801
Robert Camacho is a member of the 2020 Delegation to the Democratic National Convention representing California Congressional District 11 for the Biden for President campaign. He serves on the campaign’s National Finance Committee, LGBTQ and Latino Leadership Councils, and has for many years been an active donor and fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee. He lives in the East Bay with his husband, Tim Miller.
Tuesday, August 18 Virtual Conversation on Screenwriting the White House with Eli Attie, Writer, The West Wing, Etan Cohen, Co-Writer, Idiocracy, & David Mandel, Showrunner, Veep moderated by Jen Psaki, former WH communications director https://secure.joebiden.com/a/0818-screenwriting?attr=100631801
Monday, August 24 Arkansas Virtual Reception with Pete Buttigieg https://secure.joebiden.com/a/0824-arkansas?attr=100631801 Monday, August 24 Fireside Chat on the Future of U.S. Transportation and Infrastructure with Ben Harris, former chief economist to Joe Biden https://secure.joebiden.com/a/0824-fireside-chat?attr=100631801 (continued on page 9)
2020 Democratic National Convention
Five Revealing Moments of Kamala Harris’ Bay Area LGBTQ Advocacy
About Our Cover During Harris’ presidential campaign in 2019, #Kamalot went viral on social media. It is a play on Harris’ first name and Camelot, a mythological beautiful place in Arthurian legends that was also the name of a musical associated with the John F. Kennedy presidency. Kennedy’s widow Jacqueline paraphrased lyrics from the show in 1963 when she told Life: “Don’t let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment, that was known as Camelot.”
When the news broke on Tuesday, August 11, that presidential candidate Joe Biden had selected Senator Kamala Harris to be his 2020 running mate, the phones lit up at the San Francisco Bay Times. Those who called could barely contain their excitement, which was palpable and sometimes deafening, while others held back tears of joy and perhaps relief. One thing was clear: for many in the Bay Area’s LGBTQ community, this critical decision felt personal.
That is understandable after considering moments like the following that reveal her deep connection to the Bay Area’s LGBTQ community and its concerns. Valentine’s Day 2004 Harris will always remember Valentine’s Day 2004 in San Francisco. Just two days prior, then mayor Gavin Newsom made history by defying state and national laws to allow same-sex couples to marry. Harris was the city’s district attorney at the time, and happened to be traveling to the airport on that year’s Valentine’s Day. “I remember looking around and everywhere you looked there were families that were just full of joy,” she recalled in a piece for the Las Vegas Spectrum. “You could feel the energy. I walked right up those City Hall steps and I started performing marriages myself.” The L Word Fundraising Event for Lyon-Martin, 2005 When she lived in the Bay Area, Harris often took time out of her busy schedule to attend events for our LGBTQ community. At “Betty’s List,” and later the San Francisco Bay Times, we could count on her support and she attended many events both
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One of our favorites among such events was a fundraiser for LyonMartin Health Services held at the (now closed) Sound Factory Kamala Harris with (left to right) James Hormel, Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin at the Castro Theatre (2003) on Harrison Street in 2005. “Betty’s List” to continue working to secure justice was a sponsor and cofor the vulnerable and the voiceless. producer. Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon held court while L Word series She is a tireless advocate for women stars Sarah Shahi and Lauren Holand girls and for the principle that loman mingled with the numerous everybody, no matter who they love, guests at the standing-room-only is worthy of dignity and equality. I’m event that packed the large venue. proud to call her my friend and to Award-winning author Jewelle wish her a very happy birthday.” Gomez introduced the show’s creator Harris 2020 Campaign Rally in and executive producer Ilene Chaiken. The Showtime star power was Oakland, 2019 matched by Harris, who captivated On January 27, 2019, Harris kicked attendees and demonstrated genuine off her presidential campaign (susaffection for Martin and Lyon and pended later that year) in Oakland, their work. the city where 55 years ago she was Bedazzled at Pride, 2019 born at a Kaiser hospital. It was as much a coming home day for the For nearly two decades, Harris has charismatic leader as it was a rally, been a welcome sight at San Franwith friends and former co-workers, cisco Pride Parades and related celebrations. Last year, she spoke along with thousands of supporters, movingly about social and racial jusmaking up the crowd that swelled tice before the Pride Parade, where to at least 20,000. The event turned she dazzled onlookers with her out to be one of the largest campaign bedazzled rainbow-sequined denim roll-outs for 2020 among Democrats. jacket and electrifying presence. She included LGBTQ concerns Her energy spilled out of her large in her fiery speech, mentioning contingent and into the surrounding homophobia and transphobia as she crowds, where she beamed, danced, spoke about racism, sexism, and antiand basked in the San Francisco Semitism. “They are age-old forms spirit of that memorable summer’s day. Videos such as this captured just of hate with new fuel,” she said. “And we need to speak that truth so we can some of those moments: deal with it.” She has continued to https://bit.ly/3anIm3c do so over these past several months Phyllis Lyon’s 90th and 95th and even now, as Biden’s 2020 runBirthdays, 2014 and 2019 ning mate. One of Harris’ many local mentors was Phyllis Lyon, and the two women remained in touch with each other until Lyon’s passing in April of this year. Harris always took time to honor Lyon on her birthday. Here is what she told us last year, on the occasion of Lyon’s 95th: “Throughout my career in public service, Phyllis Then California Attorney General Kamala Harris and her hushas always encouraged me band Douglas Emhoff at San Francisco Pride (2015)
LGBTQ Activist, Campaign Organizer Karine Jean-Pierre Named Kamala Harris’ Chief of Staff Karine Jean-Pierre, an out and proud lesbian who worked for the campaigns of John Edwards, Barack Obama, and Martin O’Malley, has been named Kamala Harris’ Chief of Staff. JeanPierre is the first Black individual to serve in that role for a vice-presidential candidate.
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Photos proudly shared via social media this week provide further evidence of Harris’ Bay Area ties. One image after another shows local politicians, community leaders, and countless others with Harris at various events over the years. Her Bay Area network—built during her upbringing in Berkeley, her years as 27th District Attorney of San Francisco (2004–2011), 32nd Attorney General of California (2011–2017), and U.S. Senator from California (2017–)—is massive and loyal, with a large number of supporters coming from the LGBT community.
for and within our local gay community. Frequently her support was only known by organizers and attendees, as she acted out of genuine allyship.
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And many Black community members, particularly from the Bay Area, have expressed heartfelt responses to this tweet from Harris’ sister Maya: “That day when a little girl from Oaktown became the first black woman to be a major-party vicepresidential nominee ...”
The shining moment of a Biden/ Harris team in the White House feels tantalizingly close. It is up to us now—the volunteers, fundraisers, voters, and more—to help make it happen.
San Francisco Pride (2019)
Born in Martinique to Haitian immigrant parents, Jean-Pierre was raised in Queens, New York, and went to Columbia University where she later became a member of the faculty in 2014 as a lecturer in international and public affairs. Her stellar campaign experience includes serving as the southeast regional political director for the Obama for America campaign before becoming the national deputy battleground states director for Obama’s re-election campaign. She stepped more into the media spotlight in San Francisco during a 2019 MoveOn forum when Harris was on stage. A protestor speaking about animal rights (Harris months earlier actually introduced legislation that would better prioritize the wellbeing of animals) grabbed Harris’ microphone, hijacking the event. Jean-Pierre rushed toward the man and grabbed the mic out of his clenched right hand. The dramatic moment was caught on video and went viral: https://bit.ly/3ahezJp To learn more about Jean-Pierre and her best-selling book, Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America (Hanover Square Press, 2019), visit: https://bit.ly/3kAhthb PHOTO BY RINK
The emotional reactions reflect Harris’ own passions, which connect with many of us at levels that go far beyond surface level politics. Generations of women, as well as men from matriarchal families, immediately understand the significance of statements like: “There is no title or honor on Earth I’ll treasure more than to say I am Shyamala Gopalan Harris’ daughter. That is the truth I hold dearest of all.”
Also, note the August 27 event that Jean-Pierre is moderating (see page 9 of this issue) and visit her website at: http://www.karinejean-pierre.com/
Congratulations to Kamala from the San Francisco Bay Times! S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES
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The Need for LGBTQ Data During COVID-19
Prior to the pandemic, for instance, researchers found hundreds of thousands in the LGBTQ community have an underlying medical condition, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease. and HIV—which makes them more vulnerable to COVID-19. Complicating matters is that more than 134,000 LGBTQ individuals do not have health insurance, influencing whether or not one seeks care.
Assemblymember Phil Ting Demographic data is important for health equity because it helps identify a community’s vulnerability to disease and deliver more culturally competent care. COVID-19 data shows that infection rates have been disproportionately high among Black and Latino populations compared to other racial groups. Unfortunately, sexual orientation and gender identity statistics have only recently been similarly broken out, so it is difficult to know the true impact the coronavirus has had on the nearly 1.7 million LGBTQ adults living in California. Late last month, the California Department of Public Health ordered providers to begin collecting sexual orientation and gender identity information, but this delay means there is data missing from the past four months. However, a recent study ( https://bit.ly/31iDsA8 ) by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law suggests we can glean some information by looking at health and socio-economic characteristics of the LGBTQ community and draw reasonable conclusions.
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The Williams Institute numbers are equally concerning on the economic front. Roughly 814,000 LGBTQ workers are employed in sectors that suffered from job losses as a result of the stay-at-home order, including the restaurant, retail, and hospitality industries. Nearly onethird of those workers were earning below 200% the poverty line, and poverty has long been associated with poor health outcomes. Based on the picture these statistics paint, we will likely see that the coronavirus has hit the LGBTQ community hard when the actual data is finally tracked. As Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, I saw a critical need to boost government programs for vulnerable communities and pushed for a state spending plan that increased access to services—not cut them, despite facing a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit. Healthcare under Medi-Cal, for instance, was expanded to cover more residents who lost their health insurance when they were laid off. We also created a new program to pay for COVID-19 testing and care for anyone uninsured in California. The state will also extend, starting in 2022, the time families can receive cash aid through CalWorks from four years to five, while strengthening the education and job training components of the program. Enrollment won’t have to be continuous, allowing those who have already timed out of the program to remain eligible. We also simplified access to CalFresh benefits so families can put food on the table, and allocated $50 million to food banks to help them keep up with increased demand. Affordable housing and preventing homelessness are important too. With a quarter of San Francisco’s unsheltered identifying as LGBTQ, the city is among the local jurisdictions receiving $300 million in state funding to continue addressing homelessness. Another
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What HIV/AIDS Teaches Us in The Age of Coronavirus with HIV/AIDS, the public bears the brunt of the mixed messaging about COVID-19, the worst of which comes from the White House. This confusion places our community and our country in danger that is devastating.
Out of the Closet and into City Hall Oakland City Councilmember At-Large, Rebecca Kaplan On July 6, 2020, the City of Oakland began hosting panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to hang on the front of Oakland City Hall. The AIDS Memorial quilt has more than 100,000 names stitched in remembrance of loved ones who have been lost to AIDS. Panels are hung in cities such as San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and now Oakland. As of August 12, approximately 165,000 lives have been lost to COVID-19 in the U.S., and over five million have been stricken with the disease with ever-expanding and serious, yet lasting, after-effects. These two pandemics, HIV/AIDS and COVID-19, have so much to teach us about the value of science, compassion, and community. HIV/ AIDS was ignored by public officials until many lives were lost, and prejudice played a major role in the failure to take the disease seriously. As
As we remember and honor those lost to HIV/AIDS, let us also learn and utilize the lessons of that experience. HIV is not over, and continues to threaten lives and health in our communities. We need to continue to protect our communities and each other, while also doing more to respond to COVID-19. To successfully respond to the coronavirus pandemic, we need to respect science, make sure prejudice doesn’t undermine our response, and take steps to protect and value our entire community. With both COVID-19 and HIV, using protection has been proven to be effective and important. Masks and condoms can work to help prevent the spread of disease. Political discomfort and other refusals to support masks and condoms, and macho posturing, have caused some to hold back on recommending the use of these protections, which costs lives. And the harms of prejudice and discrimination, along with the dangers of mass incarceration, worsen our nation’s response to disease prevention. As the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affects our Black Community, we realize the inequities with the current system that have historically been shown in our fight against AIDS. While 13.4% of the American population is Black, over 38.1% of people who are incarcerated are Black and over 40% of people who are living with HIV in the U.S. are Black. (Data at https://bit.ly/2DUsQ2E ) The correlation between high rates of HIV among Black populations in the U.S. can be partially attrib(continued on page 26)
Exposing Trump’s Lies Using Basic Economic Theory
Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History Louise “Lou” Fischer Donald Trump, our pathological and serial Liar-in-Chief, is the biggest fibber ever to serve as president. According to The Washington Post’s “Fact Checker” that has documented over 20,000 lies or misleading claims since Trump assumed office, he wins by a landslide. His lies about the global pandemic are so reckless and dangerous that even Facebook and Twitter, hardly the paragons of ethics and morality, have recently penalized Trump for posting misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic. This level of dishonesty on a topic that is literally a matter of life and death is unforgivable. That said, I’m no Dr. Fauci, so even though Trump is lying like a rug every time he says, “The pandemic will go away,” or, “We have it under control,” I shrug it off because my knowledge in the field is limited to what I picked up from my father, who has been practicing medicine since 1955 and is still curing cancer via Zoom while in lockdown in Connecticut.
However, when president Ignorant Windbag goes on TV and brags that before the pandemic he created “the greatest economy in the history of the country,” it channels my inner Elvis and I want to shoot the TV. I don’t own a firearm, so the TV is safe, but over the past 1,301 days I’ve probably done permanent damage to my vocal cords by screaming, “You’re an idiot! You don’t even understand basic freshman economics!” every time I hear Trump’s boastful and inaccurate comments about the economy. It defies logic how in holy hell Trump graduated from Wharton, the highly selective business school at the University of Pennsylvania, without retaining even a basic knowledge of macroeconomics. When I was in high school, Wharton was the “impossible dream,” the “stretch goal.” No one in my class of 500+ grade-grubbing, overachieving, middle-class suburban Connecticut bookworms even came close to getting in. Sure, some were accepted into UPenn’s general program, but a Wharton acceptance? Nah, that wasn’t happening. If Trump paid someone to take his SAT test, as noted by his niece Mary Trump, then he probably paid someone to take his economics tests and write his papers because his remarkable ineptitude for even the most basic concepts of macroeconomic theory belies his attendance at such a revered institution. I majored in economics in college and in between fraternity parties and beer runs, I actually took the tests and wrote the papers (even a thesis!). I studied more economics in graduate school, wrote another thesis (but no parties or fun times because I was working full-time). Quick lesson: Macroeconomics is the study of the behavior of the economy as a whole,
the total output of goods and services and the growth of that output, the rates of inflation and unemployment, and monetary and fiscal policies. From an historical perspective, “classical economics” (late 19th century) espoused a free market with little government intervention. Then the 1929 Great Depression wiped out millions, so economist John Maynard Keynes convinced President FDR that the government must intervene when the market fails, and boomchicka-boom, we got Social Security so Grandma didn’t go hungry; and big government projects like the Hoover Dam, LaGuardia Airport, and the Tennessee Valley Association that brought electricity and economic development to the Deep South (too bad they didn’t think to bring racial equality while they were down there). The Keynesian paradigm prevailed from the 1930s to the 1970s, and to no one’s surprise (well, no surprise to econ nerds), this period represented the best economy. Jobs were stable, unions were strong, growth (GDP) was high, unemployment was low, taxes were high for the super-rich, and the country had a vibrant middle class and could finance all kinds of public investment. Unfortunately, the crises of the 1970s—gas shortage of 1973, rampant inflation, and wage stagnation—led to the failure of Keynesianism. Conservative wingnuts latched on to economist Milton Friedman’s theory of less government, lower taxes, and fewer regulations, and determined that they were “free at last.” They no longer had to worry about the problems of income equality because, as long as they had their tax breaks, they didn’t really (continued on page 26)
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Rethinking Your Goals During a Pandemic for isn’t really what you want. It also takes courage to upend your planning and start down a new path. But it’s the best way I know to lead a life that makes you happy, whatever that may be. You need to live your own dream, not someone else’s (including your younger self!) interpretation of what you should do.
Money Matters Brandon Miller Recently I got this call from one of my clients: “You’re going to hate me,” he started off sheepishly. To a financial advisor, this is the equivalent of, “We need to talk.” “You know how we’ve been working so hard to get me into a house?” he asked. Oh dear, I thought. He wouldn’t be the first client to blow their down payment money on ... well, let’s just say any number of things. But instead, what I heard was, “I don’t think I want a house anymore.” “Okay,” I said. “Talk to me.” And in the course of that conversation, he told me how dramatically this pandemic has shifted his thinking. Being confined made him realize that, more than anything, he wanted to travel—when it’s safe to do so, of course. I questioned him a little further to make sure this wasn’t just a whim brought on by cabin fever. Turns out it was a childhood dream he had abandoned long ago for a more conventional existence. Our current, not-so-subtle reminder that life is short had him regretting letting go of his boyhood ambition. Once I was convinced that this was an earnest desire, I assured him that I wasn’t mad. In fact, I was quite proud of him. Over the past 20 years, I’ve worked with enough clients to know that it takes honesty and insight to realize that what you’re working
So, if this pandemic has you rethinking what it is that you want out of life, I have a few suggestions to help you evaluate new goals. First off, how serious are you about this goal? Is it based on the temporary—though that temporary keeps getting extended—circumstances imposed by the pandemic? Is it a long-lost aspiration? Or have you discovered a more fulfilling way to lead your life? If you really are serious about your new goal(s), then you’ll need to think about the implications. What all will you need to change to make this happen? For example, if being forced to spend more time with your kids has made you realize that you actually want to spend more time with them, how can you accomplish that? If it means working less, what will you need to do to get by with less money? Also, think about how what you need to do for the new you will impact other goals that haven’t changed. After all, you likely have multiple goals that are interwoven, so a change in one area can impact many other dreams. Going back to our example, if you’ll be working less and having less money so you can spend more time with your kids, will you also be able to fund their college? Are you okay with the bargain that more together time now may mean a lesser formal education for your children, or will require more outside help and effort? And finally, look at what you’re already doing that you can build on. In the case of my client, he had already become accustomed to setting aside money each month for the down payment on a house, so we simply made that a monthly addition to his travel fund. And because
he won’t need all his savings at once as he would with a down payment, we have more flexibility in how we invest his money. His travel list is already expanding. Truly, you are not alone if you’ve come to realize that some of the things you’ve been working so hard for just aren’t worth it or that now is the time to make some dream happen. History-making moments like we’re living through have a tendency to clarify how short our time here is and make us want to use our remaining days wisely. So, congratulate yourself for your wisdom and bravery, and then start creating a financial plan that works for your new goals. 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.
Commuter Cars on the Cheap
Auto Philip Ruth How are you holding up in this pandemic? Going a little nuts in your home like I am? You probably are, and the somnolence that results from excess solitude seems to ratchet up as the months pass and the economic growth shrivels. The automotive sector has not suffered like so many others have. My mechanic is jammed with clients, and new-car dealers that actually have a decent stock from which to choose—many don’t, as production has slowed—are dealing. Classic cars are also sparse, as general uncertainty has sellers holding onto their assets. But there’s one type of car that’s plentiful in the used-car listings: the economical commuter. With so many newly-minted homebound workers, the supply of hybrids and mid-sized sedans that once fer6
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Toyota Prius
Hyundai Ioniq
ried project managers to Palo Alto is bursting.
which begin in the door panels and swell up around and in front of you. Some drivers like having plenty of plastic structure around them, for an added sense of safety, and the Prius delivers that.
The two hybrids we’re examining today populate that market in large numbers. The Toyota Prius needs no introduction, and it has surprised us all by making its wild styling blend in with the crowd. Even with all of its adventurous squints and angles, the ubiquity of Priuses in the Bay Area means it nearly goes unseen. The Hyundai finds its footing as a more conservative alternative. The Ioniq’s worn-soap-bar look is a relief to behold after absorbing the Prius’ dramatic cutline collisions. It should be said that Toyota has many Prius buyers already locked up, which makes academic most comparisons with the Hyundai. Prius owners are among the happiest and most loyal of all. It’s a car with a golden reputation built over two decades. Its core buyers would consider a Hyundai as soon as never. That’s a shame, because the Ioniq has two notable advantages. First is visibility; the Prius places you low behind the dashboard, the lines of
The Ioniq sits you high behind a lower dashboard, which imparts to the driver a more commanding feeling. This sets you up to exploit the Ioniq’s extra agility that becomes clear the instant you accelerate. The key is the Ioniq’s six-speed, dualclutch transmission, which locks into the torque you’ve requested and shunts it down to the wheels. The Prius has a CVT transmission that evinces a rubbery response. Compared to the Ioniq’s gears, it feels elastic and indirect. The passivity perpetuated in the Prius’ performance is a likely complement to its comfort. Seats are supportive, and they stuff lots of mush under your tush. The Ioniq’s thinner cushions are firmer, which was appreciated as I explored the limits of its stiffer-than-Prius suspension. (continued on page 26)
Message from Leadership
5 Ways to Grow Your Business with the GGBA in 2020
By Krystal Drwencke and Aaron Lander
With any connection, it takes continued attention and care to develop business relations. The GGBA is here to assist you in this process, but just like any relationship, you have to put in time and be present to really feel the impact the GGBA has on our business community. Here are five ways to get the most out of your GGBA membership:
GGBA Member Spotlight Ready State is a San Francisco-based investigative marketing agency that transforms brands from the inside out. The agency works with top notch clients, such as Google and airbnb, and they have major LGBTQ+ cred, given, in part, that their headquarters at 524 Union Street was recognized by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors as having extraordinary value to queer history in the city. The building was San Francisco’s fourth LGBTQ Historic Landmark! “As a gay founder, I’m deeply grateful for the freedoms we enjoy now,” said Ready State Co-Founder Steven Wong. “We wouldn’t be able to be who are today if it weren’t for the efforts of those who went in and out of these same doors before us.” The site was home to one of the earliest lesbian bars, Tom Arbulich’s Paper Doll, from 1944–1961. The bar also had gay male clientele and was famed for its good value meals. Ready State has its own claims to fame and is doing the site proud, as Wong here explains. GGBA: What are the mission and values of Ready State? Steven Wong: Ready State is a creative agency that helps our clients like Google, Lyft, Verizon, and Torani connect with their customers. We describe what we do as Investigative Marketing. Even with digital marketing, most brands take a spray and pray approach to advertising.
1. Get to know the board members. The GGBA has a working volunteer Board of Directors that is here to help. If there is a specific way your business needs to grow or an introduction that you need, the GGBA board members are a great resource and can point you in the right direction. Introduce yourself to a board member and tell them what you do; they might know the perfect person to connect with you! 2. Fill out your online membership profile. Make sure that your member profile is complete in our online directory. Completing your profile helps to boost your online SEO and it allows our community and people looking to for LGBTQIA2+ owned or allied businesses to find you. 3. Attend events (virtual now and in-person hopefully soon). People do business with people whom they like, know, and trust. If you consistently show up and further the mission of the community, it will be difficult not to cultivate meaningful relationships—professional and personal. The GGBA
Ready State creative staff members work together on a client's production.
This means that we have to probe beyond the usual briefs. For Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), our managing editor sits with their research scientists to understand the research and also to grasp what inspires them to invent what they do. Then we turn these into richly visualized stories. This also means that we test and learn through our campaigns. For Verizon we work together to come up with hypotheses about what their customers might be most interested in, and then we use what we call our “bionic workflow” to create a wide range of campaign creatives to learn what is the most effective. GGBA: Why did you decide to join the GGBA, and how long have you been a member?
Sometimes the answer is nothing, and that’s okay. The value is when brands find the customers that need them. We help brands to uncover these opportunities to connect by investigating what makes them tick.
As part of our maturation as a business, we have been developing our stance, policies, and certifications as a diverse business. Our diversity has made our work better. It has made us more resilient. And more creative.
GGBA: Why did you decide to create your business?
That’s is why our team of writers, designers, and strategists has always come from the full spectrum of racial, sexual, and educational backgrounds.
Steven Wong: Silicon Valley circa 2010 was what inspired our formation. At that point, Dropbox and Instagram were still hot startups, and the traditional agency approach to marketing was antithetical to their “move fast and break things” attitude. The startups had a huge appetite for marketing assets, but felt that simply going through the marketing checklist did a disservice to their brands and their customers, so we honed our approach to marketing with them, and carried that approach over to working with large clients too.
5. Do business with members in our directory. While positive change has come to the LGBTQ+ community over the last decade, the work for equality is far from over. By going to our online member directory, you can discover LGBTQ+ and allied organizations to do business (continued on page 26)
Steven Wong
Steven Wong: We joined the GGBA in the fall of 2019. We were delighted but not surprised to discover that the world’s first LGBTQ chamber of commerce was right here in San Francisco, and were eager to take our official first step as a business to support the LGBTQ community.
GGBA: Who are some of your role models, and especially those who helped to influence your agency?
4. Sponsor a networking event or other member programming. One positive outcome of the current climate is that it makes partnering for virtual events easier than ever and has made our events more diverse. If you have an idea for an event or program that helps to educate our membership on business or community, this is a great time to partner with the GGBA.
Steven Wong of Ready State
We think this is a huge missed opportunity, so we use cutting-edge technology to help our clients to listen to their customers and have conversations about what they really need from the brands.
Steven Wong: I and Co-Founder Kabeer Mamnoon had leadership roles in a major advertising agency in 2013 when we decided to split off and found Ready State. We believed that marketing was ripe for a makeover and that the new generation of marketers like Google wanted to work with agencies that could sprint like a startup, so that’s what we created.
hosts monthly networking events (Make Contacts) and a variety of other workshops and events throughout the year. Our signature Power Lunch event (for 2020, held before this year’s shelter-in-place) hosts an expo and business pitch that can help to boost your presence to our corporate partners.
PHOTO COURTESY OF READY STATE
As the world pushes through the middle of 2020, it has become apparent that our relationships and communities are more important than ever. With national leadership nowhere to be found, now Krystal Aaron more than ever, it is our comDrwencke Lander munity strings that will get us through these trying times. The Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA)—the nation’s first LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce—wants to help you build meaningful and long-lasting business during this time and beyond.
GGBA: How has being a member of GGBA helped your business so far? Steven Wong: We attended the GGBA annual luncheon this spring and had the opportunity to pitch on stage to a number of large corporations such as Comcast and Wells Fargo. At the event, we also met other members and have been able to leverage their services to support our business. We were also honored to have been admitted to the first cohort of their CEO High-Performance Accelerator Program, which helped us to put a critical lens to our business processes and growth infrastructure, as well as to our executive presentation skills. This level of advocacy for small businesses is exceptional in any context and inspires us to find ways to pay if forward in the future. GGBA: Do you go to the GGBA monthly Make Contact networking events, which are now virtual?
Jodi Dove, creative director; Steven Wong, cofounder; and Kabeer Mamnoon, co-founder
Have they benefited you and your business, and would you recommend them to others? Steven Wong: The monthly networking events are a friendly and approachable way to learn more about the GGBA, meet their leadership, and network with other business owners. We strongly encourage everyone to attend an event to see if the GGBA could be beneficial for their professional goals. GGBA: What other advice would you give to someone who is thinking of starting their own business? Steven Wong: It’s a bad time to try to launch a new business because of the coronavirus pandemic. However, if you are going to take the plunge, then I would advise that you be obsessive about the following: (continued on page 26)
GGBA CALENDAR Member to Member Power Pitch August 18 5 pm–6 pm on Zoom (link sent 1 hour before the event starts) Refine your pitch and show up ready to present to your fellow GGBA members to grow relationships, find resources, and win business. To pitch make sure to do the following: 1. Register for the event. 2. Practice your pitch for your business before the event. 3. Invite a colleague to do the same! The GGBA will be highlighting member nonprofit TurnOut. Their mission is to maximize the impact of volunteerism to strengthen LGBTQ+ communities. They accomplish this through recruitment, matching, and collaborative events. Register at: https://bit.ly/3fK8WEs Annual Meeting September 8 Check back at the GGBA website for updates on this and other events: https://ggba.com/
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2020 Census: A New Countdown to Be Counted by September 30 and federal levels, ensure fair representation, and bring funding to local communities for essential programs and services. Federal dollars are supported by undocumented immigrants who contribute to our economy and society but receive no benefits.
Cross Currents Andrea Shorter This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for exercising new and traditional civic duties. By now it should be reflexive that when in public spaces we wear a face mask to protect ourselves and each other from the spread of the coronavirus. There is no time or need for debate; just wear a mask. It’s the best and the least we can each do to help abate this crisis. It should also be reflexive that if you are eligible to vote that you are registered to cast your vote in the upcoming elections on November 3, with early voting actually beginning in October. Whether at a safe precinct polling place, or securely by mailin ballot, by reflex, please vote. The opportunity to vote for a president and vice president who actually care about our survival against a pandemic, and protection of our voting rights and secure elections, cannot come soon enough. Responding to the U.S. census should also be a reflexive act of civic duty. As a brief civics lesson, the census is taken every ten years. The U.S. Constitution guarantees every person living in the United States, regardless of status, the right to participate in and be counted in the decennial census. Census results are used to draw voting districts at both the state
Sounds simple enough, right? Of course, true to form in its attempts to disrupt or dismantle other citizen or civic engagements—voting, peaceful protests, adherence to science-based and driven response to a pandemic—this administration has sought to disrupt, confuse, and basically dilute the power and importance of Census 2020. Due to the pandemic, to its credit, the administration reasonably saw fit to extend the count from a springtime deadline to October 31. This extension afforded time to reorganize and adjust how best to safely enumerate populations by door-todoor count in the new normal of social distancing, as well as to ramp up promotion of the count online. Now, with a 63% national response to date, it recently announced that the deadline has been shortened by a month to September 30. Since the start of the census in the late 1700s, there has never been a 100% response rate. Still, by again moving and shortening the deadline, it presents a key challenge to engaging as complete a count as possible for the census. One week prior to the announced timeline change, on July 21, the Trump administration launched the latest in a series of attacks against immigrants. The president issued a memorandum to exclude undocumented immigrants from the apportionment base following the 2020 census. The memo directs the Commerce Secretary to collect data on the number of undocumented
immigrants so that these numbers can be excluded from the base to determine how many seats each state will be allocated in the U.S. House of Representatives. While the memorandum does not impact who can or should complete the census questionnaire, it does impact the way 2020 census results will be used and heightens the fear of participating in the census. The administration’s earlier attempt to add a citizenship question to the census was unsuccessful, but the damage has been done as self-response rates are lower than ever. The new policy is clearly a partisan attempt to further target immigrants, create more divisions among the nation’s people, to disempower states, and to misuse census data. For the 2020 census, I am very honored to have been reappointed as co-chair of the San Francisco 2020 Census Complete Count Committee (SFCCC). I serve with co-chair Anni Chung, another longtime community leader and famous Executive Director of Self-Help for the Elderly. As we did in 2010, we lead a 55 plus member appointed committee of community, civic, and business leaders that advises and guides the City’s outreach and education efforts for the 2020 census. The SFCCC operates under the auspices of the San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs (OECIA). In 2010, our broad-based and diverse SFCCC worked to achieve a recordbreaking response rate of 73% to the census, averaging between 5–7 points higher than other counties, regions, states, and national response rates. This year, working against both an actual pandemic and an administration plagued by open hostilities towards immigrants, our response rate to date is at 62%. It is estimated that each counted person represents approximately $2,000 annually in federal dollars allocated to a jurisdiction until the next census. In total, this amounts to billions of dollars for the State of California. Equally important, it determines our number of congressional seats. By depressing the count to less than 70% by confusion, moving deadlines, and scare tactics in the midst of a pandemic, the Trump administration puts the most diverse state in the union, California, at risk of losing congressional representation and power. On an accelerated timeline, our committee continues to work to reach approximately 400,000 hard to reach San Francisco residents who have yet to respond to the census. Many of them are likely in immigrant households affected by the partisan scare tactics. The initially extended October 31 deadline would have ensured a reach of at least a 70% response rate. Now, with less than 6 weeks for a complete count in San Francisco, we are employing an all-hands-on-deck call to action to make sure that every person is counted. One such initiative is a call to action for each county district supervisor to help intensify getting the word out to constituents about the deadline change, and to reiterate an SFCCC advisory concerning immigrant participation in the census. So, dearest reader, if you haven’t already, please make sure that you respond to the 2020 census. If you know of someone or a household that might not have responded due to concerns about immigrant status, please encourage their participation as well at https://my2020census.gov/ (continued on page 26)
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My Father the Lifelong Activist so much existentialist literature in college. All of that changed a number of years ago in ways I never could have imagined.
6/26 and Beyond Stuart Gaffney My father died last month at age 96. He was a remarkably gifted and talented economics professor, who The New York Times reported “was at the forefront” of a progressive tax-policy movement to create a more equitable society and to protect the environment. To me and my five other siblings, he was also our beloved— and charmingly eccentric—Dad. But being the child of not one, but two, accomplished university professors carried with it pressure to match their successes. Dad, in particular, was not shy about making his expectations known, and whether I was measuring up—or not. Barely concealing his disappointment, Dad asked me on more than one occasion if I would have been more ambitious if I hadn’t read
When I came out to Dad over 35 years ago, it surprised me how much he struggled with it, given what a free thinker he was. In Dad’s own words, he went through “denial, guilt, and remorse” and tried everything, including “lecturing, exhorting, ‘reasoning together,’” and appealing to the need for survival of the species to try to convince me I wasn’t gay. At one point, he even told me he was concerned that homosexuality may have caused the fall of the Roman Empire. Throughout it all, I remained patient, never giving up on our relationship. I always took his calls, and always had time to spare—sometimes hours—for his questions, lectures, and theories. At some point, Dad himself tired of his intellectual mind games and indeed my patience with him. He told me, “Stuart, I think it might be time just to tell me to f--k off.” This was Dad’s way of telling me he finally accepted I was gay. Dad met John 32 years ago, and soon thereafter described John to his colleagues as someone the family had “grown to love dearly.” Dad was thrilled when we got married in 2008, and at the reception not only toasted us but also apologized for letting me down and “not being there” for me when I needed him.
Dad campaigned actively to defeat Proposition 8, sending an email to numerous colleagues, including Mormon ones, with the urgent subject line: “Please VOTE NO on Prop 8! Please forward to everyone you Mason Gaffney (right) at The Mission Inn on his 95th birth- know!” After Prop 8 passed, day with son Stuart
Dad joined a “Repeal H8” rally in Riverside County, where the anti-gay initiative had garnered nearly 65 percent of the vote. The day after the 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre, Dad wrote to us: “More than ever, you have my love and support, and total empathy for what you and your whole community are enduring ... . This cuts close to home ... Special love, Dad.”
Family portrait at Stuart and John's wedding (left to right): Mason Gaffney and Estelle Lau, Stuart Gaffney's parents; Stuart; John Lewis; and Bill Lewis, John's father
And even on a family Zoom call from skilled nursing in June, Dad applauded the U.S. A painting of Mason Gaffney during his Supreme Court’s outlawing time in the military employment discrimination activist in me. He was no against LGBTIQ people nationlonger upset with me for wide and recalled his joy at marchbeing gay; he was proud of ing together as a family in the 2007 me as his gay son fighting San Francisco Pride Parade. an unjust system. I was folDad had come to make our cause lowing in his footsteps. his cause, and considered LGBTIQ Indeed, some people viewed Mason Gaffney sharing hugs with Stuart and John at their rights and marriage equality activwedding held at SF City Hall Dad and his colleagues’ ism to be a family affair. ideas based on the theories Several years ago, I had an epiphof Henry George to be more radical for the cause of justice” because of “his willingness to patiently help any about Dad and most importhan those of Marx. In the 1950s, others to see the light of justice.” tantly about our relationship. Our a fellow graduate student at UC family joined Dad at an economics Berkeley tried (unsuccessfully) to Last month, not only did my sibconference to celebrate his receivbrand him a Communist and have lings and I lose our Dad, but we ing a lifetime achievement award him expelled from the doctoral proalso all lost a fellow activist. Howfrom his peers. To my surprise gram. Dad stood up to developever, as John and I, his colleagues, and delight, Dad in his acceptance ers and co-led two successful voter and our family carry on his legacy, speech not only discussed tax polinitiatives to limit urban sprawl Dad through us will remain very icy, but he also told everyone about and establish a greenbelt in Rivermuch alive. side. In the early 1960s, Dad parour wedding and advocated for ticipated in the Congress of Racial marriage equality. I looked around Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis, Equality’s lunch counter sit-ins the banquet hall and saw it was together for over three decades, and protests to fight segregation in filled with people who were not just were plaintiffs in the California economists but who were also activ- Columbia, Missouri, where he was case for equal marriage rights a professor at the time. And in Misists working to make the world a decided by the California Supreme souri, Dad’s marriage to Mom was better place. Court in 2008. Their leadership in illegal because they were of differthe grassroots organization MarI had always thought of Dad as a ent races. riage Equality USA contributed in somewhat absent-minded econom2015 to making same-sex marriage One of Dad’s close colleagues ics professor. But at that moment, I termed Dad’s death a “terrible blow legal nationwide. realized Dad was a lifelong activist, fighting an entrenched system of unfairness. It dawned on me for the first time that, in this way, Dad had grown to see me as a “chip off the old block.” The activist in him recognized the
Calendar of Virtual Fundraisers to Help Elect Democrats (continued from page 2) Monday, August 24 Virtual Conversation with Senator Amy Klobuchar & Representative David Cicilline https://bit.ly/3ahbYPF Dennis Herrera, Kamala Harris, Wayne Friday, Jim Rivaldo and Bevan Dufty (2016)
Tuesday, August 25 Virtual Meeting with Tony Blinken, BFP Senior Foreign Policy Advisor, & Mayor Eric Garcetti https://bit.ly/3gSeXR0 Tuesday, August 25 Virtual Conversation on Latin American Policy with Amb. Mari Carmen Aponte, Amb. Liliana Ayalde, Amb. Roberta Jacobson, Hon. Maria Otero, & Amb. Julissa Reynoso https://bit.ly/2DFF7rY Wednesday, August 26 Virtual Conversation on the Value of Women Voters and Leaders with Rep. Abby Finkenauer, Rep. Lucy McBath, & Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell Moderated by Debra Messing & Eric McCormack https://bit.ly/2CmPKzd Thursday, August 27 Virtual Conversation with Jill Biden https://bit.ly/33R0mSc
PHOTO BY RINK
Monday, August 24 Virtual Conversation on the Rule of Law with Dana Remus, BFP General Counsel https://bit.ly/3fQBTyN
Thursday, August 27 Virtual Conversation with Tony Blinken, BFP Senior Foreign Policy Advisor, & Neal Wolin, former deputy secretary of the treasury https://bit.ly/2Fg6LvT Thursday, August 27 Virtual Conversation on the Future of Energy in the Built Environment with Bruce Reed, BFP Senior Advisor https://bit.ly/31G0264 Thursday, August 27 Virtual Conversation on Organizing on the Ground, Creating Policy on Capitol Hill, and the Importance of Leadership in the White House with Senator Cory Booker, Filmmaker & Activist Etienne Maurice, Moderated by Karine Jean-Pierre https://bit.ly/33R0Esg Tuesday, September 1 Virtual Discussion on Rebuilding the Global Order and Implications for Asia with former secretary of state Madeleine Albright https://bit.ly/3gSB1e6 S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES
AUGUS T 13, 2020
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A Case for Representation: Why Diversity Initiatives Fail and Representation Matters
Social Philanthropreneur Derek Barnes The recent death of U.S. Representative John Lewis reminds us of his enduring vision and the work that one individual can pursue to attain a legacy that embodies so much sacrifice for change. His voice, kindness, unassuming power, fortitude, compassion, and courage left an indelible mark on so many. Rep. Lewis also left us a blueprint for the work we must continue in our strident march towards full emancipation, participation, and representation. In times that seem to be rife with chaos comes an opportunity for businesses and institutions to step up and bring more people to the table to solve our extensive social defects. Individual leaders, who hold power, influence, or wealth, can also help to steer our nation toward a moral path of shared prosperity. His resounding message as a 60+ year veteran for social justice and equality in America, and as someone who always appeared to be “at the table” and being the voice for so many, is that we must continuously scrutinize and rigorously reform the U.S. economic and legislative structures that fail to protect our nation’s people. If one group cannot participate fully and equally access this country’s vast resources, then none of us can be free. Advancing humankind via meaningful sacrifice and sharing personal power was central to Rep. Lewis’ beliefs. They are vital components of modern philanthropy and must include visible examples of diversity. All are equally crucial today as more social imperatives are driven by our business and philanthropic communities. Let’s examine the business of representation further. What is the problem today? Most statisticians know that the U.S. population is comprised of roughly 50% women, 14% Black, 12% Hispanic/Latinx (non-white), and 5% LGBT people. However, it is hard to find many privately held or publicly traded companies, nonprofits, and foundations with a workforce that aligns with these statistics—including state and federal legislative bodies. The numbers get even worse as you look at senior leadership, executive teams, and boards of directors. No one is surprised that adequate racial and gender representation is lacking in many institutions trying to solve some of the hardest problems we face today without the benefit of wellrounded and diverse perspectives. This is why representation and who is sitting at the table matter. At g-dii Enterprises, we have concluded that many organizations, even large multi-nationals, lack comparative data on demographic groups and representation (e.g., Asian women vs. Black women). The sample sizes can be so small, which makes it harder to capture and discern any objective data relating to Diversity, Inclusion, 10
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U.S. Representative John Lewis (1940–2020)
Belonging, and Equity (DIBE) when it comes to underrepresented groups. To achieve “diversity,” organizations that take a data-driven approach to identify problem areas encounter another issue: they have a great deal of data about the experiences of certain groups, who generally hold a majority, but far less on others. In other words, organizations are limited in assessing targeted demographic intel because they may only have data in a broader group category (e.g., women) or vague generalities about people of color (POC). They miss the intersection of other distinguishing characteristics (race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.) and are forced to revert to broad groupings to develop DIBE programs, which begins the vicious cycle. Nonprofit, philanthropic, and social enterprise organizations may have a slightly better story to tell, but share similar stats in that their workforce, leadership teams, and boards don’t represent U.S. demographic data or the communities for which they provide services and resources. A real-world example can come from a large tech company like Google, with about 90K employees in 2019, but Black women are less than 0.5% of its technical workforce: about 50 people. This number drops precipitously when you look at management, senior leadership, executive, and board roles. This certainly does not reflect the demographic makeup of Google’s end-users and consumers. What else do we know? g-dii discovered that demographic parity and inclusion can begin with racial and gender representation at the highest levels in organizations. Adjustments within senior leadership need not be a zero-sum game for those currently holding power. In fact, they promote better overall organizational performance. Research shows that it helps to bring in new talent, problem-solving skills, and innovation to teams, as well as the ability to objectively interrogate systems and practices that may overtly or covertly exclude. Parity is what is necessary, not arbitrary quotas that are feared or rejected by some. For many leaders and managers, the truth about how well their organizations are advancing representation and DIBE is literally staring right at them. Look around. Observe your teams. Examine your board of directors. No in-depth organizational analysis or intelligence is needed. Additionally, a gap in collecting “the right data” does not mean there should not be accountability or action. This is the “perfection trap” that exists for many teams, and it regularly promotes inaction. (continued on page 28)
Heart of a Woman Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, Co-Founders Randy Alfred, Founding News Editor 1978
I graduated from Wake Forest University in the 1980s and there I met the university’s first Reynolds Professor of American Studies, Dr. Maya Angelou. I read all of her works, and especially her poem “I Rise.” The poem moved me very much. It would be a decade later that I would understand my destiny.
Kim Corsaro Publisher 1981-2011
2261 Market Street, No. 309 San Francisco CA 94114 Phone: 415-601-2113 525 Bellevue Avenue Oakland CA 94610 E-mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com www.sfbaytimes.com
Coming Out Stories
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.
Dr. Betty L. Sullivan Jennifer L. Viegas
I found the real Toni, and I grew and let my heart and spirit lead me to become who I am today. No matter what came my way I repeated the poem “I Rise” to encourage myself. I am happy today and fulfilled and living my truth. In 2011 I wrote my memoir, I Rise –The Transformation of Toni Newman, detailing my 25-year journey.
Co-Publishers & Co-Editors
Beth Greene Michael Delgado Abby Zimberg Design & Production
Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon
In 2016, my partner Alton and British Film Director Keith Holland adapted the memoir into a short film called Heart of a Woman. The goal is to do a full feature film highlighting that anything is possible if you believe and strive towards your goals.
Calendar Editor
Kit Kennedy
Poet-In-Residence
J.H. Herren Technology Director
So, my story continues to be guided by two words: I Rise.
Carla Ramos Web Coordinator Mario Ordonez Distribution
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 Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Jane Higgins Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg, Deborah Svoboda, Kristopher Acevedo, Morgan Shidler, JP Lor ADVERTISING Display Advertising Standard Rate Cards http://sfbaytimes.com/ or 415-503-1375 Custom ad sizes are available. Ads are reviewed by the publishers. National Advertising: Contact Bay Times / San Francisco. Represented by Rivendell Media: 908-232-2021 Circulation is verified by an independent agency Reprints by permission only. CALENDAR Submit events for consideration by e-mail to: calendar@sfbaytimes.com © 2020 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas
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I was living in Raleigh, North Carolina, in the 1990s and working in the North Carolina Community College System as an Instructional Supervisor/Assistant to the Dean. I enjoyed the position, and I enjoyed working with the Dean. There was a promise for me to reach a higher position and grow. But there was a hole in my heart and spirit to be something else. I knew I was unhappy and longing to be someone else, so out of the blue I quit my position and moved to New York City. Here I was in the Big Apple trying to find my way and be my authentic self, a woman. I did not understand how to do this until I met the lovely ladies of 14th Street in the meat-packing district. They schooled and educated me about transitioning and from there I found my true authentic self and genuine happiness within. I was broke with no clear future, but I was content with myself.
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.
CONTRIBUTORS
by Toni Newman
Toni Newman (center) with colleagues (left to right) Brett Andrews, PRC; Chris Verdugo, San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus; Karyn Skultety, Openhouse; Rebecca Rolfe, SF LGBT Center; Roger Doughty, Horizons Foundation; Tomiquia Moss, All Home; and Kevin Fong, Elemental Partners.
Toni Newman is currently the Interim Director of Employment Services for the San Francisco LGBT Center and a Consultant with the Transgender Strategy Center. Her memoir is available for purchase at her website ( http://www.tonidnewman.com ) and you can view the short film about her at http://www.heartofawomanfilm.com
Alzheimer’s Research Update: Highlights from the 2020 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference
Aging in Community Dr. Marcy Adelman At the recent virtual Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in Chicago, several studies reported groundbreaking news of a newly developed, inexpensive, accessible, and highly accurate blood test (p tau217) that can identify people with Alzheimer’s disease from those without it or with other types of dementia. The test identified people with Alzheimer’s with an 89% to 98% accuracy. Experts and researchers were encouraged and quick to praise the diagnostic tool as a potential game changer. Maria Carrillo, the Alzheimer’s Association’s chief science officer, remarked, “We’ve never seen that much precision in previous efforts.” Dr. Eric Reiman—CEO of Banner Research, Executive Director of Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, and a senior author of one of the studies—stated that the diagnostic blood test has “the potential to revolutionize Alzheimer’s research, treatment, and prevention trials and clinical care.” AU GU ST 1 3 , 2 0 2 0
I asked Edie Yau, Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California and Northern Nevada, what impact this blood test will have on people living with Alzheimer’s. She replied, “Blood tests may offer a simple and more accessible approach to improve diagnosis, monitor treatment, and identify appropriate people for clinical trials. Families facing Alzheimer’s now and in the future would benefit greatly from a simple test that allows early detection. For example, it would allow important care and planning steps to take place early in the disease process.”
ticipants between the ages of 65 and 75 reduced Alzheimer’s risk by up to 40% in people without a genetic risk factor.
She continued, “And in terms of health equity, a simple blood test will be far more accessible than a PET scan or measuring amyloids or tau proteins in spinal fluid (CSF) which are expensive and invasive.”
Risk Factors in African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos
The p tau217 blood test will undergo further testing in larger studies with more diverse populations. The test could be available in as little as two to three years. Vaccines Correlate with Lower Risk for Alzheimer’s Separate studies have reported that multiple vaccines for the flu and pneumonia are associated with lower risk for Alzheimer’s. One study examined a large American health record data set of more than 9000 patients over 60 years of age. The study reported that flu vaccination was associated with a 17% reduction in Alzheimer’s, and that more frequent flu vaccinations were associated with another 13% reduction. A study on the impact of receiving a pneumonia vaccine in study par-
It isn’t clear, however, if the people who are vaccinated also take care of their health in other ways such as nutrition, exercise, accessing health care when needed, and that these health behaviors add up to lower risk of Alzheimer’s or if it is the vaccine itself. These studies show promising results in risk reduction, but further studies need to be done to understand causality. In the meantime, the takeaway is, “Get vaccinated.”
Health and health behaviors across the life cycle can have a huge impact on later life brain health and quality of life. Heart health and later life cognition are significantly interconnected. In a study of more than 700 African Americans, researchers found that having diabetes, high blood pressure, or two or more heart health risk factors in adolescence or young adulthood was associated with significantly worse later life cognition. Health disparities begun in early childhood continue to have an impact across the life cycle. Research has shown that African Americans are 2 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than white peo-
ple. Schools need to provide nutritional lunches, recreational classes, and health information. Health care needs to be more accessible and affordable. Hispanic Americans are 1 1/2 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than white people. The Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging is studying why Hispanic/ Latinos are at greater risk for dementia and what to do about it. Study results suggest that modifying risk factors such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease may reduce the risk of cognitive impairment in later life. The intersection of race and Alzheimer’s disease needs to be more fully understood and addressed across the life cycle. Dr. Marcy Adelman, a psychologist and LGBTQ+ longevity advocate and policy adviser, oversees the Aging in Community column. She serves on the California Commission on Aging, the Governor’s Alzheimer’s Prevention and Preparedness Task Force, the Board of the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California, and the San Francisco Dignity Fund Oversight and Advisory Committee. She is the Co-Founder of Openhouse, the only San Francisco nonprofit exclusively focused on the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ older adults.
Alegre Home Care is proud to support Dr. Marcy Adelman’s Aging in Community column in the San Francisco Bay Times.
GLBT Fortnight in Review
A Letter to the Editor from Nan Parks
By Ann Rostow Silver Bells, Silver Bells Should we start with the court fights over GLBT discrimination in adoption and foster services? The gay rights protests in Poland? The impact of the High Court’s Title VII ruling? Or how about the decision out of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which I put in my notes as “10th Cct” but the details of which I have completely forgotten? No! We will begin instead with news that Lifetime will add gay plots to its Christmas movies this year. One of the first examples of this farsighted new policy is a movie based in Milwaukee called The Christmas Set Up. According to Lifetime, the plot centers on a New York corporate lawyer named Hugo who takes his best friend Madelyn back to his home town to spend Christmas with his mother Kate. Kate is in charge of the town’s holiday festivities, and she is also an inveterate matchmaker who knows that Hugo still has a crush on his high school buddy Patrick. As it turns out, Patrick, who is now a successful tech developer in Silicon Valley, is also home for Christmas, so Kate arranges for the two men to meet again, and indeed, the chemistry is still there. But then, Patrick is offered a big promotion to a Londonbased position! What should he do? I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to find out. What’s more important? Lasting love with your soulmate? Or some corporate sinecure in a distant metropolis? And what about Madelyn? Surely Kate has identified an appropriate partner for Patrick’s BFF. Perhaps the widower rancher with the eight-year-old son who is helping out with the lighting for the Christmas Eve carols show. And what about Kate herself? She’s so busy fixing up other people that she hasn’t recognized that her neighbor, the wise doctor who lost his wife three years ago to cancer, sees her as more than a friend. Hey, it’s progress of a sort. I can’t wait for One Million Moms to get their hands on it. Plastic Trolls Are Asking for It Speaking of One Million Moms, I read a story about troll dolls doing something naughty, and although it wasn’t the Moms complaining, I immediately assumed that the trolls were innocuous toys and the conscientious objectors were lunatic purity activists. I looked forward to making fun of them in these pages, and to further my research I watched a video, presented by what seemed to be a sanctimonious young mother up in arms about these threats to innocent children. Oh my God, you guys! It’s true! These trolls have indeed crossed the line. When you press their stomach, they giggle and make other cute noises just like the box says. What the box doesn’t mention is that they also have a little button right between their legs. When you press that button, they make little soft sounds like “oh oh” and other vaguely lewd noises that are qualitatively different from the stomach giggles. Who would engineer this perverse feature on a toy geared towards five-year-old girls? Did Ghislaine Maxwell consult on the project? Hasbro is now taking the lascivious trolls off the market and will offer replacement dolls to disturbed customers. Google: “Trolls World Tour Giggle and Sing Poppy,” for the must-see video. Whither Bostock? Now it’s time for something more serious. It was a great day in June when the Supreme Court handed down a 6–3 ruling that said discrimi-
nation against gays and transgenders was a form of sex discrimination, which, in turn, is outlawed throughout federal law. You don’t need to be a logician to deduce that this means GLBT bias is forbidden in every context that outlaws sex bias. While the Bostock case involved the workplace protections in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, sex discrimination is also banned in the Fair Housing Act, in public schools through Title IX, and many other places. Think also of all the state and local civil rights laws that routinely toss “sex” into the list that includes “race” and “religion.” Now, even though those lawmakers did not include “sexual orientation” or “gender identity,” our community is arguably covered by those statutes. But what if no one pays any attention to the High Court’s ruling? The Department of Justice under Barr and Trump has yet to revise its antiGLBT policies. Since other federal agencies and cabinet departments refer to the Department of Justice on matters of law, this unexplained stalling strategy has led the rest of the administration to also hold off on updating the scope of federal civil rights law. You know the expression: “Don’t make a federal case out of it?” It refers to the fact that a federal case is a lengthy ordeal that is best avoided. But if the government simply ignores the implications of the High Court’s decision, a federal lawsuit becomes the only avenue of redress for victims of GLBT bias. (The easiest solution, of course, is to remove Mr. Barr and Mr. Trump from office on January 20.) On the positive side, thanks to the High Court, we know that a federal case is extremely likely to succeed. On Friday, August 7, a 2–1 panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit ruled in favor of a transgender high school student, Andrew Cody Adams, who was denied access to the bathroom at his Ponte Vedra, Florida, school. The majority, two Obama appointees, relied on Bostock. Bostock, wrote Judge Beverly Martin, “confirmed that workplace discrimination against transgender people is contrary to law ... . Neither should this discrimination be tolerated in schools.” As for the aforementioned Tenth Circuit case, I conveniently forgot the details because they were complicated. The plaintiffs were older female employees of a casino who sued under Title VII and under a separate law that protects against age discrimination. Their lawsuit argued that they were fired not because they were women or over forty, but because of both characteristics operating at once in a way that disadvantaged older women in particular. The Tenth Circuit relied on Justice Gorsuch’s reasoning in Bostock to rule that such intersectional cases could proceed as long as the plaintiff was targeted by the sex-based bias. Tunisian LGBT Soap Operas! By the way, what’s the story with Ellen? I considered writing about her, but I can’t seem to drum up a sufficient level of personal interest. I saw something about Ellen being invited to someone’s birthday party, or maybe not being invited, or maybe asking why she wasn’t invited when, in fact, she was. And some of her staff are cold. And she’s not always so nice, even though she urges everyone else to be kind. Is that all there is? And speaking of not nice people, get a load of Merritt Corrigan, a Trumpy-Trump appointee to a White House liaison post at the U.S. Agency for International
Development. Corrigan has denounced gays and lesbians, condemned same-sex marriage, called for a Christian patriarchy, and suggested that boys and men are superior to girls and women. Appointed to her position in June, she wasted no time in getting into trouble, tweeting that her new agency is anti-Christian and worse. “For too long, I’ve remained silent as the media has attacked me for my Christian beliefs, which are shared by the majority of Americans,” said one tweet. “Let me be clear: Gay marriage isn’t marriage. Men aren’t women. U.S.-funded Tunisian LGBT soap operas aren’t America First.” Under pressure from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Corrigan’s boss at USAID fired Corrigan on August 3, at which point she threatened to call a news conference with far-right conspiracy theorists Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman. According to Politico, White House aides were less than pleased by her response. Wrote Politico: “The news conference announcement raised eyebrows among current and former Trump officials, with one former senior Trump official saying in a text message: ‘Who does she think she is holding a press conference, suddenly forcing the White House to answer questions about a low level staffer with outside the mainstream opinions?’” In a weird twist, Corrigan then claimed that she was manipulated by others and did not send the tweets to begin with. “I would like to apologize,” she wrote in a statement to Politico on August 4. “Especially to the people who have been affected or hurt by the messages sent from my Twitter account, and the claims made in my name on Monday. I did NOT send these messages, and while I vehemently protested about them being sent in my name, my devices were not in my control.” Corrigan said she will be “working hard to right the wrongs that were done in my name, and I pray that in time I can prove myself to be a reliable person despite the attempts to ruin me—the rationale for which I am still unclear.” Say what? Poland Needs Therapy Llama By the way, I’ve stopped italicizing court cases because I can’t quite figure out when to do so and when not to do so. Hey. It saves a few keystrokes. Over in Poland, GLBT activists have been protesting around the country after the arrest of a transgender woman named Margot, who draped statues with rainbow flags to challenge the far-right regime of Andrzej Duda. Four dozen others were arrested, but eventually released, while Margot (Malgorzata Szutowicz) will be held for up to two months pending a range of charges against her. Meanwhile, six towns in the country have deemed themselves GLBT-free zones. In response, the powers that be in the European Union have suspended some funding associated with connecting local communities to all six. According to The New York Times, the finding is minimal, but the symbolism is significant. Speaking of protests, I have recently learned about Ceasar McCool, The No-Drama Llama, who had been attending demonstrations in Portland and elsewhere to spread serenity and comfort the participants. Police and protestors alike have lined up to pet the six-year-old Argentinean champion, who has participated in numerous actions around the northwest,
(Editor’s Note: Nan Parks is back! As Ann Rostow recently wrote, “Do any longtime readers remember my secret alter ego, the inane Bay Times “columnist” Nan Parks from back in the day? Nan particularly liked the fall and winter because her favorite season, summer, always lay ahead. Summer, on the other hand, made her sad, because by the time it arrived, it was soon to be over.” “Nan” was inspired to write after reading the recent marriage announcement in The New York Times for Susie Bright and Jon Bailiff. The article in “Mini-Vows” is entitled “Love, Marriage, Sex (Not Necessarily in That Order)” ( https://nyti.ms/30M6qs8 ). Bright, we hope, is enjoying her honeymoon now and, along with Nan, we send our congratulations.) Hi Miss Sullivan! It’s Nan Parks here from years ago at the Bay Times! Can you mail this note to Susie Bright, the former lesbian who just got married! I don’t know if she is now using her married name, which would be Susie Bailiff, but anyway I don’t have her address but you might be able to find it in your files because she has written for the paper before. I’m enclosing a forever stamp! Thanks! Dear Susie, You probably don’t remember me, but I used to write a “column” for the San Francisco Bay Times and it was about the “straight” side of things because I guess the paper was all about you gay and lesbian folks and I thought it might be fun to show you people how the “other side” lived and anyway I asked one of the new gals at the newspaper to send you this note if she could find a way because she is a lesbian and I remembered that you were quite a big deal in the lesbian “community” and even considered a “sexpert” if I recall correctly and I figured she might know where you lived. So anyway, my sister Carol sent me a copy of the article in The New York Times that said you had gotten married and you could have knocked me over with a feather because back in the olden days when I was writing my column you were a lesbian (or so it seemed!) and now I read that you’ve been dating your fellow for 32 years, which means that you were actually straight way back then! And Carol said that you were “bi,” which means that you were dating a gal and a guy and I guess the gal was “Honey” and then Carol said that if someone is “bi” it doesn’t mean that they automatically date two people at once and I must say the whole discussion gave me a headache because I guess I never quite “got it” with you people and it’s only gotten more complicated as the years have gone by with people changing genders or not having any gender at all and I must say that, back when I was a schoolgirl in Novato, I had a classmate named Jane who called herself “Jon” like “John” without the “h” and she was quite a tomboy and very good at sports and if you didn’t know her you would never know whether or not she was a boy or a girl but that didn’t seem to bother her one bit! (And one time the girls were playing kickball and I was on first base and she ran into me so hard I fell over and twisted my ankle and had to go to the infirmary for an ice pack and she tried to apologize later on and I told her that if she wanted to play like a boy she should join the boys team and stay away from the rest of us and I said it in a mean way and she cried and I sort of felt badly about that.) Well, I just wanted to tell you that I was pleased as punch to learn about your Joyful News even though from what I read it seems to me that you and your man could have tied the knot long ago and I’m not sure what the holdup was considering you both seem so happy. And I know I shouldn’t say it, but I’m kind of tickled to see that you’ve been playing on “my team” all this time and I never knew it! Because even if you’re (continued on page 28) giving emotional support hugs and sharing his calming spirit. “I don’t care how big, how staunch, how intense that somebody is— it could be a big marcher in total riot gear, and he will come up and give Caesar a big hug,” said Larry McCool, 66, who runs the Mystic Llama farm in Oregon. “It’s all I can do to just keep him from snuggling.” Next Up At SCOTUS Finally, New York School of Law professor Art Leonard has analyzed a court case out of New York, where the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has reinstated a lawsuit lodged by an adoption services organization, New Hope Family Services, against the state. New York authorities aim to shut New Hope’s adoption operation down since New Hope will only consider straight married adoptive parents. But the appellate judges ruled that the scope of state law leaves room for a trial court to consider New Hope’s claim of religious discrimination. Although New York’s Office of Children and Family Services has a non-discrim-
ination policy that includes gay parents and singles, the judges felt it was not clear whether or not state law gave the Office the authority to compel obedience in the face of religious objections. The case echoes our next big Supreme Court showdown, between the city of Philadelphia and Catholic Social Services, which has been dropped by Philly’s foster care program due to anti-GLBT discrimination. By contrast, New Hope does not do business with New York, so it does not directly violate any state rules on contractors. It does, obviously, have to work with the Office of Children and Family in order to arrange adoptions. Both cases ask when or whether a religious actor can ignore a neutral law of general applicability, and since the High Court will hear the Philadelphia case this fall, it’s likely that the New Hope case will rise or fall on the justices’ decision. I want my own therapy llama. arostow@aol.com
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Summer 2020 i Photos by Drew Altizer Photography https://drewaltizer.com/
This year’s coronavirus pandemic has brought new experiences to us The San Francisco Bay Times asked photographer Drew Altizer to captu been affected. From face masks and social distancing to shared space moments of this unprecedented period in our lifetimes.
The City’s “Shared Spaces” program is making it easier to use the sid demic. A request via the program calls for the closure to traffic durin including the popular Rainbow Crosswalk intersection and the sidew “Hibernia Beach.” As of this writing, officials and business owners ar and effectively. For updates, visit: https://sf.gov/shared-spaces
In the meantime, if possible, please support your favorite small busine Chinatown in San Francisco have taken a harder hit than most and c stores, restaurants, and more, so you will be glad that you did!
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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area
CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)
all in ways we never could have dreamed of when 2020 began. ure the sights and scenes of the Castro, showing how life here has seating in front of restaurants, the centerfold of this issue captures
dewalks, parking lanes, or entire streets for business during the pang certain hours of 18th Street between Hartford and Collingwood, walk area in front of the Bank of America known historically as re still trying to negotiate how that closure may best be done safely
esses. These establishments in neighborhoods such as the Castro and could really use public support. There are some great deals now at
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Give Me an ‘E’
Photos Courtesy of Tim Seelig
body parts, just parts of your soul! Or all of it. The content in the book is oh so bountiful. I can’t wait to share highlights.
TLC: Tears, Laughs and Conversation Dr. Tim Seelig You just never know when you are going to have to “buy a vowel.” Well, there are some folks out there who seriously want us to do that. Just before SIP (Shelter-in-Place) began, a friend decided to do some spring cleaning. Little did he know that he was going to have the entire spring and summer to SIP. And clean! Regardless, as he was going through his books, he laughingly said, “Look at this one. My parents gave it to me. I’m going to throw this one out for sure.” His parents are dyed in the wool Independent Baptists. I mean fully dyed. He handed me the book. I was immediately fascinated. If you know any of my storied past with organized religion, that will not surprise you at all. But the title was a surprise: Born That Way After All. He kept cleaning. I kept reading. His parents had gifted him with the new
The vowel we are buying is an “E” for Eunuch! Not sure we are going to add it to our already long alphabet: L-G-B-T-I-Q-C-A-PG-N-G-F-N-B-A, aka Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, Curious, Asexual, Pansexual, Gender-non-conforming, Gender-Fluid, Non-binary, and Androgynous. Just can’t think we are going to add an “E.” Ever. Of course, there is great misunderstanding about what co-authors Pastor Nixon and Rozzie Hamm mean by the term “eunuch.” Most people make the leap right to castration, something quite different. Let’s look at that first, put it out of our minds, and get back to our regularly scheduled programming of being born a eunuch. The earliest records for intentional castration of eunuchs date from the 21st century B.C. Over millennia since, castration has performed a wide variety of functions in many different cultures, from warriors to guards to singers! India is the only country where the tradition of eunuchs is prevalent today. There are about 1 million and they are sometimes referred to as India’s 3rd gender. All of this, of course, led me on a little detour to the singing eunuchs, or castrati. If eunuch-ized before puberty, their voices retained a childlike quality and other-worldly flexibility. As women were sometimes forbidden to sing in Church, their place was taken by castrati. Singular: castrato. The last eunuch/ castrato in the Sistine Chapel choir died in 1922. Now, if that piqued your interest in any way, there are two absolute musts for your SIP enlightenment: a book, and a movie.
“Revised, Updated, and Expanded” version. Exciting. I turned the book over and right there at the top of the back cover: “You will learn a biblical truth that is changing lives all over the world. You will learn about men and women who were created different and special—not gay, but unique servants of the Lord.”
Ann Rice’s 1982 Cry to Heaven has to be one of the most enthralling novels I have ever read. She does her homework! Set in eighteenthcentury Italy, Cry to Heaven focuses on two characters, peasant-born Guido Maffeo, who is castrated at the age of six to preserve his soprano voice, and fifteen-yearold Tonio Treschi, the last son of a noble family from Venice. Drama ensues. Who doesn’t want to read that? Seriously. You must.
OK. We all know that many religions love to deny our existence in many creative ways. The Bible affirms the value of celibacy for both lay Christians and church leaders, most notably in Corinthians. Paul speaks of his own unmarried state and commends celibacy as a way to focus on pleasing the Lord. Paul emphasizes the liberty unmarried Christians have in contrast to the obligations married Christians have. I’m thinking Paul just needed to come out. The Mormons have historically done the most damage to our community, even though they have taken baby steps recently. The choices are to be straight or be celibate without any sexual expression, including masturbation. People, seriously? Jesus. The Catholics have been beating this dead horse since the fourth century. And with that began centuries of double speak resulting in this ridiculousness: “The Catholic Church does not forbid marriage. Those who choose celibacy, do so voluntarily. The Church simply elects candidates for the priesthood from among those who voluntarily renounce marriage.” Huh? Here is my Cliff Notes version of the book. The co-author/pastor described himself as “a fundamental, red-blooded, macho, queerhating, heterosexual male.” Then, a nice lady in his church told him her grandson was “gay.” He calls him “Sam.” He begins studying the Bible and praying a lot. That is where he makes his revelatory discovery about eunuchs. Armed with his new revelation from God, Grandmother sets up a “surprise party” for Sam. It was an intervention! Sam had no idea what the party was for. Surrounded by ministers and family, “sometime after midnight, after 4 hours of talking, praying and reading scripture, ‘Sam’ finally accepted the reality that he was not gay, but a eunuch.” In the pastor’s words, “It was thrilling when he realized and confessed his true purpose. Those words still ring in my ears. ‘I’m a eunuch!’” The Lord was praised vociferously. A soul was crushed.
Eunuch Signals These are provided in the book for church leaders to identify eunuchs among their flock:
Born that way. After all. Eunuchs. Give me an “E.”
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Oh, boy, that was a detour. Back to the book. And the eunuchs. It is, in many cases, an even more tragic tale than Guido or Farinelli!
From there, it really just gets better. I’ll give a quick overview of his “Eunuch Signals” and advice on how to come out as “E.”
The author believes his study was “led by the Holy Spirit” and brought him to the conclusion, “the reason why many feel they are gay is that they have never realized they were born as Eunuchs.”
I am going to tell you oh so much more, but the entire book is about how the Lord loves his “special” ones—not the gay ones because in co-author Pastor Nixon’s world, there are no gays. The revelation for me is that fundamentalist religions are bringing back eunuchs! Yes, the word and the concept. Now let me hurry to say they are not suggesting the removal of any parts. Well, not
Riccardo Broschi. This is a movie not to be missed and includes some of the most glorious singing you have ever heard.
• Eunuchs are sensitive individuals. Kind. Affectionate. Farinelli is the 1994 biographical film that centers on the life and career of the 18th-century Italian opera singer Carlo Broschi, known as Farinelli, who was considered to be the greatest castrato singer of all time; as well as his relationship with his brother, composer
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• Eunuchs like flashy colors and things we may equate with femininity. • Eunuchs are touchy feely. Pastor Nixon’s proof: If you watch a men’s professional golf tournament, the men shake hands. If you watch a ladies’ professional golf tournament, they hug. (wow)
• Eunuchs are both courageous and insecure.
“Macho Macho Man” (wondering if he got permission to use that).
• Eunuchs often feel comfortable in the company of women.
In the brilliant research by the authors, they finger one of Jesus’ disciples at being a eunuch. Jesus had three disciples in his inner circle: Peter, James, and John. John had traits of a eunuch. I quote these verbatim from the book. Can’t make it up:
• Eunuchs are very fashion conscious. • Eunuchs are predisposed to being protective and caring for others. So, score yourself! I’m a 7 out of 7. I, like Sam, am a EUNUCH. That felt good. But wait, there’s more. I’ve never actually played golf, but I’m sure I’d be a hugger. So, once the Eunuch is identified and presumably been brought to a “saving knowledge” and accepted his new role, the next chapter helps him with some tips on coming out. It is delicious. “Every eunuch must choose this for themselves.” • Pray diligently. • Do not rush out and tell everyone. Take it slow. Be patient. • Rehearse your explanation. • Consider beginning with an email or letter. • One of the greatest fears is that people will not understand. • Most people in the church are not capable of hearing the details of your past sin (as much as they secretly want all the details). • If you see someone in your church you feel may be struggling with the same issues, introduce yourself and share your testimony. • Most eunuchs are sensitive to signals from others who are in the same situation. Oh my. I found myself humming, “I’m coming out.” Maybe we need a national Eunuch Coming Out Day? A Eunuch Pride Parade? Wait, Pride cometh before a fall. OK, forget that. More chapters include: “Female Eunuchs,” “Lonely Eunuchs,” “The Prodigal Eunuch,” and, wait for it,
• John was not afraid of physical intimacy with Jesus. • John was tender. • John described himself as being the disciple that Jesus loved, not once, but four times in his gospel. • John wrote much on the subject of love and became known as the “apostle of love.” • John possessed a caring nature. • John was the one who penned prolific and glowing words about eunuchs in Revelation 14:4. • John was a little temperamental and emotional. (What? That hurts.) We do not know if John chose to be that way or was born that way. Finally, the road ahead includes: • Your confusion. Identify it. • Your comfort zone. It’s why people born as eunuchs gravitate toward being “gay.” • Your cross. Lay down your wants and desires. • Your crown. “The crown for chastity is wonderful, but it becomes a glorious crown when you add celibacy.” (Who doesn’t love a glorious crown?) • Your Christ. Your sacrifice does not compare to His. Don’t forget it. • Your choice. Repent. • Your confession. As “Sam” proclaimed, “I am not gay ... I am a eunuch.” (continued on page 26)
By Donna Sachet
–Lizzie Brochere
earning to love oneself or at least take proper care of oneself is one of the hardest lessons in life for many of us. Whether because of a childhood where one felt less than valued or simply because of a strong awareness of the many genuine needs around us, we sometimes undervalue our own needs, therefore reducing our quality of life and ultimately our ability to be of service to others. In this age of the pandemic, perhaps this is a lesson to be learned. For those who are feeling cabin fever or becoming stir-crazy, the urge to get out of the house and to return to social activities has lured many into unhealthy gatherings, unsafe exposure, and careless disregard for the sage advice of science. This is not the time to throw caution to the wind, endangering our own health and the health of those around us; it is a time to explore activities and pursuits that will enrich our own lives while keeping within the parameters of social distancing. Never in the history of humanity has communication and access to information been so easy. Nearly everyone has a computer console at their fingertips, thereby enabling them to jump on social media to touch base with others or to explore the world of information. Yes, social media can be a vacuum into which we are too easily sucked, but it can also be a valuable tool to connect with others and restore virtual contact with loved ones. When this “shelter-in-place” order first started, we remember several friends and even casual acquaintances who began to check in regularly to see if we were alright. Those check-ins have become less frequent. Why not do a quick check-in online with people you miss? This simple activity can be both beneficial to the one you contact and to you when you sense the social connection you have been missing. It may be important for you to limit the time you spend online, whether in chat rooms or other locations, so that you don’t look up from your computer screen to a waning sun; if so, set some realistic limits, but use the computer instead of risking more direct and potentially unsafe situations. For those of you, like us, who greatly miss attending performances and artistic exhibits, search the internet. Powerful performances, outstanding showcases, and life-changing entertainment all wait for the tapping of your fingertips to bring them into your home. Spend an evening in casual clothes in your most comfortable spot with a good glass of wine and immerse yourself in artistic expression. No one needs to know that you favor Led Zeppelin over Die Meistersinger or Chopin over The Carpenters. And if it is drag you miss, a quick search on the internet will take you to a variety of shows from local queens and legendary superstars. Go with your personal mood and treat yourself to your favorites. As a voracious reader, we are often shocked at the declining literacy all around us, but with more time than ever on our hands at home, why not rediscover the wonders of literature. Pick up a trashy little piece of fiction by a currently popular writer or delve into one of the timeless classics. We find biographies and autobiographies particularly engaging and highly recommend Becoming by Michelle Obama and The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris. Reading can take you out of your apartment, your home, even your world without any dangers of exposure to any virus. Keep it local and read something written by a neighborhood personality. David Perry’s Upon This Rock (see page 24 of this issue), Tim Seelig’s Tale of Two Tims: Big Ol’ Baptist, Big Ol’ Gay, and Tom Ammiano’s Kiss My Gay Ass: My Trip Down the Yellow Brick Road through Activism, Stand-Up and Politics all offer local talent on the written page.
Calendar
a/la Sachet Monday, August 17 San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Crescendo Virtual Gala @ 7 pm Appearances by Billy Porter, Ariadne Getty, Alex Newell, Shea Diamond, Kristin Chenoweth, Wilson Cruz, Inaya Day, and more. Registration is free! www.sfgmc.org/crescendo Thursday, August 20 OUTWORDS Webinar 6 pm Alex Rivera-DeLeon leads a panel discussion of Music in Queer Healing Free www.theoutwordsarchive.org
We find it amusing how many are taking up cooking or baking. For those of you with a bent towards culinary activities, have at it! Get that sourdough starter kit, pull out that family recipe, or simply locate your kitchen and stir up a cloud of flour! You may find immense satisfaction in the creation of edibles for yourself and perhaps to share. And don’t underestimate the value of the outdoors without risking unhealthy social contact. Walk around your neighborhood. Take MUNI to a nearby park. Make a day of it and seek out a beach or national park. We live in San Francisco, after all, and are surrounded by some of the most scenic views, ideal parks, and pleasant weather anywhere. Simply take caution: don’t repeat the mistake of so many who are gathering in large groups without masks or other protection, thereby extending the length and severity of this pandemic for all of us. Physical exercise and fresh air can do a world of good. Most importantly, never forget that time spent alone doing exactly what you want to do is not time wasted. On the contrary, you know yourself better than anyone and if you benefit from watching an old black and white movie on Netflix in the middle of the day, then do so. If you enjoy a couple of hours playing a favorite video game that others might consider silly, overly violent, or simply tedious, then play that game. And if you feel the urge to draw the curtains, dim the lights, and cuddle with your pet for an afternoon nap, then have sweet dreams. Too many times, we shy away from pursing an activity for which we fear others might judge us lazy or childish. Life is too short to stew in such self-recrimination!
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Donna’s Chronicles
“Each time I have two or three days off, I’m off somewhere in California.”
Donna with Peanut and Gary Virginia in front of the "Honey Bear" mural by artist fnnch on the exterior of the SF LGBT Community Center.
So, relish your personal time at home! Pick up a book, turn on your laptop, warm up that TV, or find your kitchen! You’ll discover that a relaxed day spent pursuing your own personal pastime will refresh you and reenergize you for the days ahead. You’ll be more valuable to others when you have treated yourself right, even if for only a day. That’s why we often say: Stay Home, Stay Safe, and Stay Calm! Donna Sachet is a celebrated performer, fundraiser, activist and philanthropist who has dedicated over two decades to the LGBTQ Community in San Francisco. Contact her at empsachet@gmail.com
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Chef Dominique Crenn: Rebel with a Cause Liam’s LGBTQI List Liam P. Mayclem Chef Dominique Crenn in 2019 was on top of the world: four Michelin stars, (3-star Atelier Crenn, 1-star Bar Crenn), a profile on the hit show Chef’s Table on Netflix, appearances, and celebrity chef dinners worldwide. But then came gut punching news, three words noone ever wants to hear—”You have cancer.” “It was tough news to hear and I knew I was in the battle for my life, but it quickly became an opportunity to help others,” she told me. Her devastating news and cancer journey were shared in a very public way. A most private moment, shaving her head before chemo, she chose to share on Instagram. “This moment was a game changer for me,” she said. “I had to look myself in the face as someone with cancer, but I saw some beauty in it and an opportunity to make a difference.” Her latest book is aptly titled Rebel Chef: In Search of What Matters (Penguin Press, 2020). It’s a memoir that takes us on the journey of one of the most decorated chefs in the world from her beginnings in an orphanage and upbringing by adopted parents in Brittany, France. “There is nothing off the table here,” Crenn said. It All Started with a Tomato We also learn of her early connection to food. “It all started with a tomato,” she explained. “I remember my Mama walking me through the garden at a very early age. The taste of that tomato changed everything for me. That moment stayed with me.” A then unknown cook from France made San Francisco home in 1988, starting her career working for Chef Jeremiah Tower at Stars restaurant. She came with limited professional training, making sandwiches (read the book), but Chef Tower gave her a chance. “She had passion and work ethic,” Tower informed me during a recent conversation. “Jeremiah taught me a lot,” Crenn said. “He was tough but gave me a chance that I will never forget.” Indonesia called on Chef Crenn early in her career, and she broke her first gender barrier there by becoming the first female executive chef
in that country. A two-year stint in the city of angels followed her foreign cooking assignment, but San Francisco beckoned her back in 2008 with head chef duties at Luce. A year later, Chef Crenn earned her first Michelin star and it was maintained at Luce in 2010. “I am a chef, not a female chef, a chef!” Chef Crenn said to me in one of our first interviews during this time when she was at Luce. From that first interview with her, I knew that I was dealing with a determined, fierce, intelligent woman who marches to the beat of her own drum. Michelin-Starred Restaurants Fillmore Street in the Marina is where in 2011 she launched her first restaurant, Atelier Crenn, a poetic, artful, thoughtful dining experience and an homage to her father who had recently passed in 2009. He was a politician and painter, and his artwork hangs in the restaurant. Michelin kept the stars coming, awarding her two in 2014. The third star came in 2018, making Crenn the first female chef in America to attain the coveted three. And Bar Crenn next door was awarded one star.
Chef Dominique Crenn and fiancé Mario Bello
“We did it!” Crenn told me on the day of the announcement. “We did it for my team and for any young girl or boy dreaming of becoming a chef. Anyone. Now, let’s party!” Yes, Chef Crenn likes to have some unbridled fun, too. Humanitarian Efforts In recent times I have encountered a Chef focused on humanitarian efforts and being a champion for others as much as maintaining her successful businesses. In 2017, when wildfires devastated the wine country in Napa, Sonoma, and Lake counties, Chef Crenn was among the first to gather fellow chefs and feed people on the front lines. We partnered on a fundraiser, ChefsGiving, raising more than $750 000 for relief efforts. Much of the money went to restaurant workers through the nonprofit Restaurants Care. “We are a community of hospitality, and even when disaster strikes, we take care of others and that’s the bottom line,” she said that evening to a packed Ferry Building full of foodies and big giving hearts. As cancer tried to take Chef down in 2019, she was speaking up about climate change and launched the “wake up” campaign that inspired thousands around the world to post a “wake up” message on Instagram. Participants included star chefs and pals José Andrés, Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert, Andrew Zimmern, and the list goes on.
Chef Dominique Crenn at the front windows of Petit Crenn
At the start of the coronavirus pandemic as the world came to a halt and Bay Area restaurants instantly shuttered, Chef Crenn was cooking up plans: “We have to think fast,” she said. “We need to take care of my team, family, and community.” Atelier Crenn and Bar Crenn are closed to diners during the pandemic shut down, but exquisite vegetarian Crenn boxes with ingredients sourced from her Bleu Belle farm in Sonoma were made available for pick up. Petit Crenn has recently been transformed into a community kitchen, inspired by great need of the vulnerable and food insecure in San Francisco. In partnership with ReThink Group of New York, she and her team daily serve 300 thoughtful themed meals to those in need at Glide Memorial Church.
Wavy Gravy (seated) at Bottle Rock Napa with Liam, Chef Crenn and Michael Franti (2014)
“I am French but my blood DNA comes from North Africa,” Crenn told the food pick-up guys, “so today’s meal is a Moroccan stew with chickpeas, potatoes, carrots, and spices with a curry sauce. It’s delicious and good for your belly.”
Chef Crenn with Liam at the launch of the Wake Up campaign against cancer Chef Crenn with Liam at Bottle Rock Napa (2016)
old girls in the Bay Area with her former partner Kat.
The hope is that many restaurants across the country will follow her lead.
Her new book is dedicated to Maria, whom she describes as the love of her life:
Finding Love In the midst of her cancer battle, she met the love of her life: actor, producer, and activist Maria Bello. “I am happy,” she told me. “How serendipitous to find love now.” An Instagram post made the news public. I texted Chef Crenn about it that day. She responded, “OUI,” (YES) with a heart next to it. She now divides her time with Maria in Los Angeles and co-parenting her twin six-year-
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/ 20
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To Maria, l’amour de ma vie, Un sourire, a laugh Un regard, your eyes Une pensèe, your heart Un baiser, your lips Un revè, you and I With the grit and determination of an undefeated boxer, Chef Crenn took cancer’s many punches and won. She remains on top, a champion. Learn More Atelier Crenn: https://www.ateliercrenn.com/ Petit Crenn: https://www.petitcrenn.com/ Rebel Chef: https://bit.ly/31DuPjV
This Month at the Castro Farmers’ Market Celebrating the Value and Resiliency of Farmers’ Markets match your funds up to an additional $10 per farmers’ market visit, we are also accepting the current Pandemic EBT Card at the markets. Use it as you would an EBT card for the same matching funds.
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By Debra Morris
Donna’s Tamales
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We need your help to continue these programs. The extent of the need in the Bay Area due to the pandemic is so great that PCFMA’s funding for Market Match may not last until the end of the year. You can help to sustain this essential program with your donation. Every $10 you donate supports a Market Match benefit for a local family in need. Follow us on Facebook at PCFMA to learn more. We have partnered with FoodEd for this fundraising effort. In Season Now
We never imagined that a coronavirus pandemic would upend nearly every aspect of society and the local food supply chain. Thankfully, farmers’ markets were declared essential businesses early on, albeit smaller and with limited access and with extensive safety guidelines and restrictions. More than ever before, National Farmers’ Market Week (August 2–8) provided an opportunity to confirm the value of local farmers’ markets in our communities. When conventional food supply chains failed at the start of the pandemic, farmers’ markets and local food systems clearly displayed the resiliency of short supply chains. Interest in local foods spiked nationwide.
Farmers’ markets continue to be an essential part of our local food system, and while safety guidelines remain in place, we will continue to offer an outlet for farmers, customers, and the community to enjoy fresh local produce. We thank you for supporting your local farmers’ market because you, the community, are an essential part of our local food system. Your support keeps our farmers’ markets running and our farmers farming!
Happy Boy Farms
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Arata Farms nectarines
You’ll find sweet corn from Jacob’s Farm out of Los Banos, fresh eggs from Shelly’s Farm in Brentwood, summer squash from Happy Boy Farms in Watsonville, stone fruit from Ken’s Top Notch in Fresno, and berries from BerryLicious in Gilroy. Watch for sweet grapes and melons to arrive soon!
Allard Farms
Even with these changes, we have continued to provide access to fresh produce for the community. That’s why we’re proud to be part of the California Market Match Consortium dedicated to making locally grown fruits and vegetables more affordable for CalFresh (food stamp) recipients. Along with the Market Match program, where PCFMA-operated farmers’ markets accept EBT cards and
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We have worked diligently to ensure farmers’ markets are truly safe, welcoming, and inclusive spaces for all who wish to participate, including farmers, customers, vendors, and other stakeholders. The impact of COVID-19 necessitated rapid change, adaptation, and innovation in the farmers’ market sector and has equally demonstrated our capacity for flexibility and resilience.
Castro Farmers’ Market on July 22.
Debra Morris is a spokesperson for the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association (PCFMA). Check out the PCFMA website for recipes, information about farmers’ markets throughout the region and for much more: https://www.pcfma.org/
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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2019)
Gay USA Screening and Panel Will Revisit 1977 SF Pride Parade
Film Gary M. Kramer The San Francisco GLBT Historical Society Museum and Archive is hosting a special screening of the late, great, gay filmmaker Arthur J. Bressan, Jr.’s landmark 1977 documentary Gay USA on August 21 at 6 pm. (The event is free with registration; a $5 donation is suggested.) Queer film historian and co-director of the Bresson Project, Jenni Olson, will moderate a discussion and Q&A about the film following the online screening. Don Romesburg, a cofounder of the Jenni Olson GLBT Historical Society Museum, will also speak. The event is being presented as part of the museum’s exhibit Labor of Love: The Birth of San Francisco Pride, 1970–1980. Newly restored, Gay USA chronicles gay pride parades held on June 26, 1977, in San Francisco, New York, San Diego, and Chicago. The film offers a snapshot of attitudes and
experiences of lesbians and gays, straight allies, drag queens, and homophobes through a series of onthe-street interviews conducted by various camera crews. In some cases, the interviewers ask, “Are you gay?” a question that generates a number of interesting responses. Some interviewees recount the empowerment they feel being out, while others describe the harassment they have encountered as a result of being identified as gay. It is a fascinating film and Bressan assembled a crosssection of humanity, featuring men and women, old and young, gay and straight, from various religious and racial backgrounds. The result makes queer lives visible. Olson chatted with me for the San Francisco Bay Times about Gay USA, Bressan, and her upcoming panel. Gary M. Kramer: What can you say about the August 21 event, and what should people expect? Jenni Olson: It’s not a passive panel discussion online. We want it to be participatory, a crowdsourced queer history experience. It’s a community history project, where people who were at those pride parades in 1977 or around at that time can chat and contribute and tell our history. We’ll watch the film together and have people shout out during the screening and say, “Hey, that’s my ex-boyfriend!” In Gay USA, there are a few people in it who are notable—Pat Parker, the African America lesbian poet, and Stuart Loomis, who does an amazing job telling the history of Stonewall and is a key interviewee. But there are tons of other people who are not identified.
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Gary M. Kramer: Can you talk about the response Gay USA had when it was made nearly 50 years ago, or how it has been received since then? Jenni Olson: It’s particularly interesting that it was the first gay made, gay documentary. It was released a couple of months before Word Is Out, which is an incredible film and has had a much higher profile over the years. Gay USA did have a limited theatrical release. It was a grassroots effort, and it played 50 cities and was reviewed in mainstream newspapers in big cities. It got a fantastic response from gay audiences, but the straight reviews felt it was propagandistic. All the more reason for it to be released at that time! Gary M. Kramer: The film is as successful as it is ambitious in capturing same-sex affection, attitudes about sexuality, coming out stories, anecdotes about harassment, and discussions of “dyke” being embraced or offensive. But the best is Pat Parker, who recites her poem “But Gays Shouldn’t Be Blatant.” Can you talk about the power of these scenes then and now? (Editor’s Note: Read the poem at https://bit.ly/3gOsh8N )
campaign. There was intense, blatant, and vicious homophobia on a national level. Arthur—and the whole community—sensed being under attack, so he mobilized filming in different cities. He wanted to show us speaking out, being ourselves on screen, discussing the issues on our minds, from oppression to the celebration of sexuality, and the politics of gender identity and sexuality. It’s fascinating to look at. This film documents gay people talking to other gay people, which is incredibly powerful.
Jenni Olson: Loomis says we have people in the community who have no choice about being out. They are out, and visibly different. He talks about how courageous these people are. He says, “Today we join them, and hold hands,” acknowledging how important those folks are. He’s saying we need to be radical. These people are on the front lines and we owe them.
Jenni Olson: Arthur was a very political filmmaker, and gay liberation was what he was all about. He had an incredible sense of urgency in all his filmmaking. Gay USA was made in the aftermath of the gay bashing of Robert Hillsborough and right as Anita Bryant was ascending with her “Save Our Children”
Gary M. Kramer: I like that the film showcases the diversity of the LGBT community. Do you have thoughts on this as the film has lesbians and gay men recounting coming out and moving to San Francisco from places like Kansas because they felt it was a safe space?
© 2020 Gary M. Kramer
Ellen DeGeneres has been in the news a lot lately, with her wife Portia de Rossi saying, “I stand by Ellen,” in response to “toxic workplace” allegations leveled against The Ellen DeGeneres Show. On a happier note, Ellen and Portia married in which of the following years: A) 2006 B) 2007 C) 2008 D) 2009 ANSWER ON PAGE 28
For more information, visit: https://bit.ly/3fOyP67 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
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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Gay Thriller Upon This Rock Tackles Vatican Sex Scandals, International Terrorism, and Refugee Crisis “Upon This Rock” is a tangledweb crime mystery set in Italy and Vatican City, with Catholic corruption, hidden homos, suicide, international terrorism, and the refugee crisis in the mix. Despite those heavy themes, it’s a fun distraction from current reality. The novel is David Eugene Perry’s first. To be published September 1, it has already earned glowing praise. “Perry has written an elegant, twisty thriller in which a gay couple investigates a mysterious suicide in a scenic Italian hill town,” writes Tales of the City author Armistead Maupin. Perry is well-known in San Francisco for, among other accomplishments, co-founding the Rainbow Honor Walk—plaques honoring LGBTQ heroes inset in Castro District sidewalks—and his high-profile public relations firm. Upon This Rock is at once an easy and complex read. Perry’s humor and wit shine throughout, interspersed with meticulous historical detail in plotlines that span decades, even centuries. It opens with the apparent suicide of a young deacon who hurls himself off the cliffs of Orvieto after The Vatican denied his priest ordination due to rumors that he was gay. Perry was driven to write the novel after learning of the actual suicide of a deacon in nearly identical circumstances four years before Perry and husband Alfredo Casuso first arrived in the small Umbrian city. For Perry, who seriously considered the priesthood early in life, the deacon’s suicide hit home. “I became obsessed. Everyone in Orvieto clearly loved this young man, and I thought, his life needs to be made artful,” Perry said in a recent Out in the Bay radio interview. ( www.OutintheBay.org ) Lines between fact and fiction seem purposefully blurred. Protagonist Lee, like Perry, is a San Francisco PR pro originally from Virginia, and husband Adriano, like Casuso, is a designer of Spanish descent. Perry and Casuso had flown to Orvieto for respite after the deaths of four dear friends in a very short time: Tom Dross, Felipe Sanchez Paris and his husband Otis Charles—the first openly gay bishop of any Christian faith—and the Rev. Anthony Turney of Grace Cathedral. The couple cared for Charles and Turney in their final months and were with them when they died. “There’s more than a little of all those men in the character of Brian Swathmore,” says Perry. Similarly, Lee and Adriano fled to Orvieto for a break after the recent death of cleric Swathmore, the best friend they had cared for until his final breath and whose ashes they brought with them. Perry incorporates real-life characters too, including 16th century Pope Clement VII, Clement’s cousin and predecessor Leo X (“the gayest Pope in history” says Perry), and current Pope Francis, and brings in World War II events. Fact and fiction interact to challenge assumptions about how the world works. What seems fantastic in the novel may be actually quite pos24
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David Perry See David Perry's video introducing the book on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2DL5cps
sible—a chilling commentary on humanity. “I’m a history nut, so the book is impeccably researched,” said Perry. “Everything from 2013 on, when the book is set, is fiction.” And while “dialogue is theorized,” all before then—World War II events, Swiss Guard sex scandals at The Vatican, Clement VII living in exile in Orvieto and enjoying an extravagant Passover feast hosted by a Jewish banker who has cached ancient Etruscan sculptures—is based on meticulous research. Perry said, “Nothing would make me happier than seeing someone touring Orvieto with my book in hand, seeing places and wondering, ‘Did that really happen here?’ and I can tell you, it absolutely did.” Refugees figure prominently. Dawud and sister Maryam have managed— barely—to escape from war-torn Libya. Their importance emerges as the book unfolds. And while Upon This Rock has Catholic Church struggles with sexuality at its center, Perry says that, in many ways, it is more about refugees: “Adriano is a refugee from his very religious Catholic family; Lee is a refugee from the racism of the South; Pope Clement is a refugee—he had to flee for his life from Rome dressed as a beggar. Everyone in the book, in a sense, is a refugee.” With that in mind, I see how even Grigori, the super-hunky bisexual former Swiss Guard-turned escort, is a refugee from being treated for years as a sex object. (Perry hopes that if the book becomes a film, he’ll get to cast Grigori. “He’ll be fun to cast,” said Perry with a chuckle. “It will take a special actor indeed to fill that role!”) Orvieto itself is a character in Upon This Rock, which reads like a love letter to Orvieto much as Tales of the City is a love letter to San Francisco. Perry hopes COVID will subside enough that he can give a reading in Orvieto this fall. That should be a treat for Orvietans, as Perry reads his work with feeling and flair many authors don’t muster. Hear him read passages and share more about his inspiration for Upon This Rock in our Out in the Bay conversation. It’s the July 21 podcast post at www.OutInTheBay.org For more information about Perry and Upon This Rock (Pace Press, September 2020): https://bit.ly/30MniQs Longtime journalist Eric Jansen is the founding producer and lead host of “Out in the Bay - Queer Radio from San Francisco,” which aired on KALW for 11 years, and now airs on KSFP - 102.5 FM in SF and is podcast on Stitcher, Apple, and other podcast platforms. He also announces for NPR affiliate KQED-FM, has written for many print and online publications, and performs narration and voiceovers.
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By Eric Jansen
Gotta Dance!
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Jan Wahl When dialogue fails, dancing begins. Dancing takes us beyond conversation. It moves along the plot, settles conflicts, romances characters, expresses joy. From Singin’ in the Rain to Dirty Dancing, there are too many great dancing moments in film history. Let’s enter stage left with a few favorites. 2016’s La La Land’s opening number, “Another Day of Sun,” is a living celebration of film dance history. The frustration of being stuck in a Los Angeles freeway traffic jam turns into bliss as dancers spin, stomp, swing. This is the number I often listen to in my own car, always uplifting with the dance memories to go with it. They were the miracle in tap shoes: Fayard and Harold Nicholas hoofed it from The Cotton Club to Hollywood, astounding everyone fortunate to see The Nicholas Brothers. For an experience yourself, see the “Jumpin Jive” number from 1943’s Stormy Weather. Their daring leapfrogging, graceful taps, and gliding moves made them the favorites of both Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. They did “Jumpin Jive” in one take, as they often performed their numbers. Anytime you can watch The Nicholas Brothers, give yourself a gift of, “How’d they do that?” Nobody has done it since. Eleanor Powell has been called the screen’s greatest tap dancer. Tapping queen Ann Miller told me she thought so, too! In the perfect dancing duet with Fred Astaire, the “Begin the Beguine” in The Broadway Melody of 1940 is a synchronized spin of turns, taps, and spiraling, with exact yet giddy ease. Powell shows her solo skills in many films, including 1942’s Ship Ahoy in the “I’ll Take Tallulah” number. Working with Tommy Dorsey’s Orchestra and the great Buddy Rich on drums, Powell cartwheels, swan-dives, wings, and spins. As the daughter of a drum lover, this is a number I watch constantly. YouTube has it all.
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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2020)
ence a flight attendant heading for Broadway. It has all the Fosse trademarks: tight small steps, tension, and control, snapping, hats. This is sizzle and sexuality set to dancing. Not for kids.
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Michael Kidd’s choreography and dancing by Russ Tamblyn (seven years before West Side Story), ballet’s Jacque d’Amboise and studly others gives us the classic “Barn Dance” in 1954’s Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Athletic yet graceful, from a picnic table to rolling beams of wood, this is one that is always talked about in dance circles. Adding macho competition to the amazing balancing bodies makes this one for the ages. The exuberant “America” number in West Side Story (1961) takes on a gender war combined with a layering of Latin motifs. The final ballet in An American in Paris (1951) uses lush Technicolor as gorgeous paintings come to life with moonlit flowers and fountains. Fred Astaire miraculously dances on a ceiling in 1951’s Royal Wedding. From Dirty Dancing to Singin’ in the Rain, Fred and Ginger to Saturday Night Fever and the wonderful composites of That’s Entertainment (includes That’s Dancing!), get on Google or YouTube and start your own dance party. Emmy Award-winner Jan Wahl is a renowned entertainment reporter, producer, and teacher. A member of the prestigious Directors Guild of America, she is regularly featured on KPIX television (every Monday morning starting at 6:15 am) and on KCBS AM & FM and other media outlets. To read and listen to her reviews for KCBS, go to: https://bit.ly/343yt9N
It’s time to go very sexy with Bob Fosse’s brilliant semi-autobiographical movie All That Jazz (1979). In a memorable number, we experi-
Spotlight Film for SF Pride 50: Tab Hunter: Confidential (2015) By Jan Wahl Tab Hunter: Confidential (2015) is just as good as the book it was inspired by. I’m trying to separate my affection for Tab when I was fortunate enough to interview him a number of times. But this one stands on its own as a complicated life is explored. From stable boy to matinee idol, it was a long journey for a closeted golden boy of the movies. Social and sexual context is provided by John Waters, George Takei, Debbie Reynolds, and others as we feel Tab’s pain and root for him to find a way out of the lies. See the movie; read the book. He was a kind, talented man who finally found his way to freedom.
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$300 million was allocated to programs that prevent people from losing the roofs over their head, providing mortgage relief and legal services for tenants who face eviction.
care about anyone, especially minorities and the working poor. Granted, our buddies Bill Clinton (balanced budgets with record-high surpluses and record-low poverty rates) and Barack Obama (economic stimulus to end the Recession, extension of unemployment benefits and funding of public works projects) enacted some progressive economic policies, but they could not undo the Friedman paradigm.
Surviving the pandemic can also be tough for small businesses to navigate. It would be heartbreaking to see more LGBTQ-owned enterprises like The Stud close. To stop more of such closures from happening, $100 million went to the California Infrastructure Economic Development Bank, known as iBank, to beef up a loan guarantee program to help keep our neighborhood treasures alive. These budgetary enhancements are aimed at helping all Californians, and surely, the LGBTQ community will see benefits. But we really can’t address its specific needs during the pandemic until we have sexual orientation and gender identity data. That’s why I support and will vote for SB 932 by State Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), which would mandate COVID-19 tracking systems to include such information. This bill is still necessary, despite the new California Department of Public Health order to begin collecting LGBTQ data, because the effort can stop at any time without a mandate. With improved reporting, the state will be able to better direct resources and work toward more equitable policies. Phil Ting represents the 19th Assembly District, which includes the Westside of San Francisco along with the communities of Broadmoor, Colma, and Daly City. KAPLAN (continued from page 4) uted to mass incarceration due to the high number of Black Americans who are imprisoned and the lack of access to prevention programs and treatment in these spaces. And anti-gay discrimination, prejudice, and silencing vastly exacerbated the spread of HIV, and the hesitation of national leaders to respond timely to AIDS. Let us not take these as signs to give up, but rather, let us learn the lessons as we honor those we lost. As a community we can fight back and support sanity, science, and healthier community response. For more information regarding the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt: https://bit.ly/2X3u1n3 Councilmember At-Large Rebecca Kaplan was elected in 2008 to serve as Oakland’s citywide Councilmember; she was re-elected in 2016. She also serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC). Follow Councilmember Kaplan on Twitter @Kaplan4Oakland ( https://twitter.com/Kaplan4Oakland ) and Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/Kaplan4Oakland/ ).
Getting back to the economics lecture that Trump definitely skipped in college, the unemployment rate and the stock market are not valid measures of the economy; every time he conflates “the best economy in the world” with those two metrics, I seriously want to throw the TV out the window (but it’s too heavy and the window is too small). These indicators, while components of the economy, are not valid measures of economic growth, and besides, he doesn’t deserve the credit for these improvements. Unemployment was trending downward from the peak of 10% in October 2009 and had already dropped to 4.7%, thanks to Obama’s policies. As for the stock market, Trump clings to it as his approval meter, but the stock market is not “the economy” but rather a market where stocks (a type of investment in a company) are traded. This message appeals to his fat-cat zillionaire base because, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the wealthiest 10% of the population own 84% of all stocks and the rest of us (90%) only own 16%. The correct answer is that the economy is measured by gross domes-
tic product (GDP), which is the total value of everything produced within a country’s borders. When economists talk about the “size” of the economy, they are referring to GDP. On that metric, Trump’s pre-pandemic record is mediocre and the recent announcement of last quarter’s 32.9% annualized drop in GDP is the worst ever in the history of the country. In fact, it is four times worse than the 8.4% drop at the height of the financial crisis in 2008. In comparison to previous presidents, how did Trump really do for the first 3 years of his term? Unlike Trump, numbers cannot lie. He never once had the “best economy.” He inherited much of the growth from Obama, and overall, his economic record is pretty middling at best. His average GDP is 2.5% (not including the unprecedented pandemic figure of last quarter’s 32.9%). According to The Washington Post’s calculations, “[T]he economy under Trump did not do as well as it did under Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson or Bill Clinton. The gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in 2019, slipping from 2.9 percent in 2018 and 2.4 percent in 2017. But in 1997, 1998, and 1999, GDP grew 4.5 percent, 4.5 percent, and 4.7 percent, respectively. Yet even that period paled in comparison against the 1950s and 1960s. Growth between 1962 and 1966 ranged from 4.4 percent to 6.6 percent. In postwar 1950 and 1951, it was 8.7 percent and 8 percent, respectively.” Since pictures are worth a thousand words, please refer to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 shows a president’s best
year, which is why these numbers are higher. Trump’s best year was 2.9%, but the presidents between Truman and Reagan had some whopper years with GDP as high as 6%–8% in some cases. The more realistic picture is Figure 2, which shows the average growth across each president’s full period in office from 1946 (Truman) to 2016 (Obama). Overall, the average across all presidents’ GDP growth is shown in Figure 2 as 2.9%, which is higher than Trump’s pre-pandemic average of 2.5%. Yikes! Not only does he not have the “best economy ever,” but he also is below the mean of everyone from Truman to Obama! So, the next time you hear the president blather on about how he created Darcy the “strongest economy inDrollinger the history of our nation,” don’t shoot the TV, but know that he is basically a lying sack of you-know-what and he can’t fool you anymore because you just passed the San Francisco Bay Times course on “Exposing Trump’s Lies Using Basic Economic Theory.” Louise (Lou) Fischer is a former co-chair of the Board of Directors for the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club and has served as an appointed and elected delegate for the State Democratic Party. She is a proud graduate of the Emerge California Women’s Democratic Leadership program, was a San Francisco commissioner, and has served in leadership positions in multiple nonprofit and communitybased organizations.
GGBA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT (continued from page 7)
RUTH (continued from page 6)
GGBA LEADERSHIP MESSAGE (continued from page 7)
Product-Market fit; Business model; Being lean.
I was surprised by how natural it was to drive the Ioniq with enthusiasm, like it was a hybrid muscle car, just as I was happy to tootle along in the middle lane in the Prius’ cave-like environs. Both hybrids deserve a look—both at the dealer and from former commuters.
with. Supporting those that are driving for socioeconomic change helps to elevate LGBTQ+ presence in the business community and also drives the relationships that will get us through to the other side of 2020.
Check that you are building something that someone needs, and not just what you want to build. Then check again, and keep checking regularly to ensure that you have a real product, not just a hobby. Make sure it’s a viable business. Make sure that your customers will pay for your business to be profitable, and keep testing their pricing sensitivity to make your business as profitable as you want it to be. And don’t get ahead of yourself; don’t spend future profits that you may never earn. Many people think they need that nice office, the designed swags, a team of employees. Sure, but don’t forget that every dollar that’s not going towards getting you more business is a dollar out of your pocket. When you are a big success, don’t leave your community behind. Bring them along and find ways to give back. For more information: https://readystate.com/
Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant with an automotive staging service. Contact: ultimatecarpr@gmail.com
Growing your business during COVID-19 can be tough and the GGBA is here to help. We look forward to seeing the LGBTQ+ and allied business community snap back from this setback and build a more sustainable and just future. The GGBA is a leading advocate for LGBTQ+ businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1974. Our mission is to champion opportunity, development, and advocacy for our LGBTQ & allied business community. Want to learn more? Visit us online ( https://ggba.com/ ) or reach out to vp@ggba.com Krystal Drwencke (Vice President) and Aaron Lander are GGBA Board Members. SHORTER (continued from page 8) Thank you to the many SFCCC community partners, including the San Francisco Bay Times, which continue to educate and promote the importance of the census for us all—LGBTQ, immigrants, and people of color. The San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission, SFCCC, and the Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs urge all residents to participate in the census, stand up to intimidation, and affirm their right to be counted and fairly represented. Every person matters and counts. 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. SEELIG (continued from page 18) I’m not sure how to even begin to wrap this up. It is so unbelievably ludicrous. It might be amusing if these people weren’t serious. They have an entire ministry and are sharing this with churches everywhere. If you google it, they are actually around the world. They wrote an entire book about it. The heartbreaking part of all of this is that families are being convinced that this is biblical, and that their young ones can be saved from the homosexual lifestyle by simply declaring they are eunuchs. This is no different than the ex-gay movement that has been thoroughly debunked and defamed, thank goodness. We’re still fighting reparative therapy, of course. All the young victims of eunuch-ism have to do from that point on is to
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deny who they are. Lie. Subjugate allnatural desires to be with another human. Live with the heartbreak of being alone, misunderstood, and ostracized. And, not masturbate. That’s crazy! Hard as my coming out was, I am grateful no one tried to convince me I was a eunuch! Let’s don’t buy that “E.” For more information, you may reach out to co-authors Pastor Nixon and Pastor Hamm at www.bornthatway.org Or, if you need immediate help, at gethelp@bornthatway.org Dr. Tim Seelig is the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.
Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun
By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Tyrannical Trump ignited a firestorm when he suggested that voting by mail is ‘inaccurate and fraudulent’ (it’s not) and suggested we ‘delay the election’ (we won’t, and he can’t). That would be a blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution!” Hosted by the hilarious Fortune Feimster and Gina Yashere, with a special performance by Chloe x Halle, the online 31st annual GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS on July 30 honored media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues. Visibility of LGBTQ people has always mattered, and this year it was more important than ever. LGBTQ people—especially youth—are now forced to isolate in homes and spaces that might not be affirming. As a result, LGBTQ media images are even more of a lifeline for LGBTQ people. I was bursting with pride (and tears) viewing this virtual awards program. Fortune and Gina opened with such a searing standup sendup of such current topics as mask deniers, “Karens,” and cancel culture, as well as a celebration of triumphs in the LGBTQ community. GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis was an inspiration in addressing issues of activism and equality. “Be loud, proud, and visible,” she emphasized. “Stay safe, stay strong, and stay together!” So many folx received well deserved awards. But I am especially thrilled that my fave Netflix comedy, Schitt’s Creek, won and was accepted by proud gay actor, Daniel Levy. Also, I’m so happy that MSNBC news anchor (proudly lesbian) Rachel Maddow accepted her award. I was truly joyful watching Billy Porter accepting for POSE, glorifying New York City’s African-American and Latino LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming performers in ‘80s Ballroom culture. https://bit.ly/33We7ii In response to a history of entrenched racism, transphobia, and other bigotries in the queer communityat-large, the Bay Area Queer Nightlife Coalition (BAQNC), a newly formed collective of Black, Trans, and Queer individuals, launched an anonymous QUEER NIGHTLIFE SURVEY assessing standards of safety and inclusion in popular queer performance and gathering spaces in the Bay Area from the perspective of their patrons and artistic collaborators. The survey data had gathered responses from 327 individuals of diverse identities, and after collecting and organizing that data, the BAQNC reached out to the venues in focus to share this information and to hopefully create an actionable plan for anti-racist policies, anti-transphobic policies, and other policies of active safety and inclusion for the Bay Area Queer nightlife scene to uphold. Their first virtual event was on July 30, streamed on Twitch as a Town Hall in the spirit of learning and listening to Black and Brown voices involving noted establishments in the queer community. They used this town hall forum to directly work with venue owners, producers, and management to create spaces that are inclusive for all. This eye-opening, lengthy four-hour-long event, despite many technical problems,
BTW BADLANDS has sadly announced it is closing permanently after 45 years in the Castro. Later this fall a new bar, under new ownership, will open in the Badlands location. The name of the new bar and other details will be announced later. Sister Dana sez, “These days this journalist worries that the Secret Grammar Police will suddenly gas me, kidnap me, and throw me into an unmarked van!” BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS took its signature sensational striptease online for the first time with BROADWAY BARES: ZOOM IN, a celebratory virtual edition that streamed sizzling striptease featuring NYC’s hottest dancers on August 1. Though the stream was free, donations were welcome. Every dollar donated helped those across the country affected by HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, and other critical illnesses to receive healthy meals, lifesaving medication, emergency financial assistance, housing, counseling, and more. The donations also supported and championed organizations focused on social justice and anti-racism. Full disclosure: I was a stripper back in the ‘80s. Never mind that. There was no full nudity. The show was stupendously costumed and choreographed. Featured actors included Jane Krakowski, Judith Light, and Nathan Lane. There was plenty of backstage dish. There was even a debate of snaps vs. Velcro for quick undressing. I have four standouts. 'Battleship' featured naughty nautical naval men; 'Feminist Studies' had protesting and political women in burlesque; 'African Mask' gave a jazzy jungle ambiance; and 'In-Flight Entertainment' was a disco-riffic dance with sexy air attendants flying high in the sky. Check all this out at: https://bit.ly/31NMrd8 And you can still donate at: https://bit.ly/3kA8JaJ Sister Dana sez, “I was so pleased to see the hearse carrying the late civil rights legend Rep. John Lewis stopping by Atlanta’s rainbow crosswalks in remembrance of his embrace of LGBTQ equality.” The House has adopted by voice vote an amendment to the fiscal 2021 Defense appropriations bill that would effectively bring an end to the Trump administration’s severe restrictions on transgender people serving openly in the U.S. military. Introduced by California Democrat Jackie Speier, chairwoman of the HOUSE ARMED SERVICES MILITARY PERSONNEL SUBCOMMITTEE, the amendment would block the use of funds to implement policy issued in April 2019 that would bar transgender people from joining the military and even keep some transgender people who are already serving from staying in. The GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY has unveiled an online version of its successful exhibition “ANGELA DAVIS: OUTSPOKEN,” which was on display at the Museum from February to September 2018. The exhibition draws on rare posters and ephemera from a private collection to highlight the journey of Black lesbian activist Angela Davis: from radical scholar, to political prisoner, to revolutionary icon, to public intellectual. https://bit.ly/33OLrrD Sister Dana sez, “I am deeply troubled that my boyhood idol, Madonna, is agreeing with quack doctor Immanuel’s conspir-
PHOTO COURTESY OF SISTER ROMA
was a learning opportunity and a step in the process of anti-racism and queer inclusion. Management from SF gay bars were invited representing Badlands and Toad Hall, The Stud Collective, Jolene’s, The Eagle, and The Edge. https://bit.ly/31CvHoW
Flashback! Sister Dana (right) and Sister Roma welcomed Lily Tomlin to the Castro neighborhood when she visited (year unknown). Roma says Lily remembered them when she returned years later.
acy theories against masks, for Hydroxychloroquine, and that demons in dreams cause sickness. Oh Madonna, how could you?!” Now in its 5th year, OURTOWNSF LGBTQ NONPROFIT EXPO 2020 will once again be the world’s largest LGBTQ resource fair! This virtual event takes place online August 15, 12:30 pm–4:30 pm. It is free to attend and offers Bay Area groups serving the LGBTQ community the opportunity to attract new clients, volunteers, board members, and donors. And it’s fun! https://bit.ly/3f VCW0x For excellent entertainment, set your DVRs for KQED PBS-TV's GREAT PERFORMANCES for music, dance, and such classic shows as Kevin Kline in Noel Coward’s delightful Present Laughter! https://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/ SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS presents CRESCENDO: VOICES RISING, a virtual take on their annual gala on August 17, 7 pm. This year, SFGMC is thrilled to recognize Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winning actor, producer, and advocate Billy Porter and philanthropist and human rights activist Ariadne Getty. The evening will also feature performances and appearances from special guests Alex Newell, Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, SFGMC, the Getty Family, Ken McNeely, Wilson Cruz, and more, as well as an announcement of SFGMC’s Season 43 programming. Registration is free at www.sfgmc.org/crescendo After a comprehensive and competitive search, the LEATHER & LGBTQ CULTURAL DISTRICT Board of Directors is pleased to announce that my friend Cal Callahan has been selected as the new District Manager. https://www.sflcd.org/ GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY offers this informative The Evolution of Black LGBTQ Leadership discussion: https://bit.ly/3ahFTXU Don Grundmann, a Christian white nationalist who heads The National Straight Pride Coalition, says the group will return to Modesto, California, to stage a “straight pride event.” The first “Stanislaus County Straight Pride Event” drew approximately 20 attendees and 200 counter-protestors. Sister Dana sez, “When Trump continually uses the phrase ‘many people say,’ he is obviously referring to the many voices in his head!” You can join Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and his staff, along with a weekly rotating special guest, every Friday for an online ZOOMSIDE CHAT where constituents can get the latest updates and ask important questions. To join, visit his Facebook page or email erin.mundy@sfgov.org DRAG OUT THE VOTE is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works with drag performers to promote participation in democ-
racy. They educate and register voters at drag events online and offline, by organizing local and national voter activations. Led by fierce drag kings and queens across the nation, they advocate for increased voter access and engagement in 2020 and beyond. DOTV alarmingly says, “One in five LGBTQ people are not registered to vote.” https://bit.ly/2PK2KC8
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. Deadline is September 30. https://bit.ly/2DVOEdW Sister Dana sez, “I just saw the perfect pun as a political slogan: ‘BIDEN: ByeDon 2020’ and really hope that comes true! Bye bye!”
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BARNES (continued from page 10) To counteract the lack of data, a manager can ask a few simple questions without a lot of in-depth data gathering or analysis: Who is sitting across from me as a peer when I’m consistently engaged in critical decisions about the organization or business? Do they most identify with my race, gender, and ethnicity, and, if so, how did this occur? Where are the “other” people with whom I have little contact, and how are we perpetuating a homogenous condition that shapes my personal experience? What can we do? In the wave of protests in 2020, people from all walks of life have seized this moment and their power. They are demanding more from their government, and from organizations and their leaders, where they have an affiliation—internal and external. In coalition, this brand of advocacy and activism is necessary to engage “good trouble” as Rep. Lewis often encouraged. Organizations must take immediate steps to improve visible representation within senior management, the executive suite, and their board of directors. At a minimum, representation at these levels should more closely align with U.S. demographic statistics mentioned previously. All leaders can start here to pursue their DIBE goals and seek out others for guidance who have successfully done the work; always remembering to act first, and then to share results publicly. People will be more impressed by demonstrating explicit action and achieving outcomes than grand statements and promises that go unfulfilled. Everyone in an organization can push out and up when making demands to address underrepresentation. This shared accountability begins to dis-
mantle unspoken systems of exclusion. With the help from external resources like g-dii, organizations can more authentically engage in advancing DIBE, social justice, and racial equality within their culture. Representation also means fully participating in our democracy, so all voices are heard. We have to remind people in our families and networks of the importance of being counted by completing the 2020 census, registering to vote (or checking to see if you are registered), and actually voting in November—up and down-ballot. Eject leaders who continue to support the status quo and elevate leaders who can engage bold ideas, fresh workable solutions, and a big vision to move us forward. Finally, channel the late John Lewis and demand that the businesses and organizations you are affiliated with do more to increase the representation of minorities (especially Black and Brown people) and women at leadership levels and on boards. It’s 2020, and there is a great deal of change needed in the world that requires new decision-makers, alternative perspectives, and a wider distribution of power. Look at the organizations you are affiliated with. If their leadership and board do not fully represent or reflect the broader U.S. demography, consumer population, or communities being served, it’s time to demand that they do better. Derek Barnes is the Chief Operating Officer at g-dii Enterprises ( www.gdii.com ) and a Senior Consultant at Ignition Point Consulting. He currently serves on the boards of Horizons Foundation and Homebridge CA. Follow him on Twitter @DerekBarnesSF or on Instagram at DerekBarnes.SF.
NAN PARKS (continued from page 15) “bi,” if someone gets married that kind of “fixes” them on one side or the other and I remember when my friend Lois got “married” to another gal I was a little depressed about that but that only lasted a couple of years, which didn’t surprise me because anyone could tell that her “wife” Carla was not an honest person and whenever we saw her she was always putting on a show for everyone and even Carol agreed even though it was Carol who introduced Lois and Carla to begin with although she (Carol) claimed she never liked Carla but by the time those two got together it was too late for any of us to tell Lois she was dating a very unpleasant individual because Lois was head over heels! So anyway, a big “Good Luck” to you and your new husband, and I was wondering if you are going to change your name now because “Susie Bright” is really a lovely name and it reminds me of a shining star but at the same time it’s nice to share a name after you get married and I remember I used to write “Nan Parks” and “Mrs. Doug Parks” on my notebooks when I was dating Doug and I just loved the feeling of becoming a real family. And speaking of names, I don’t know if you remember I used to write about Carol’s fun friend Ghislaine from France but she still lives in the Bay Area and Carol tells me she’s annoyed as heck that this other Ghislaine is all over the papers for helping that creepo Jeffrey Epstein seduce all those young girls because she feels as if her name is dragged through the mud and I have to admit I’ve been pleased by the fact that I’m the only one in my circle who knows how to pronounce “Ghislaine” because I’ve known my Ghislaine for so long but I haven’t told her that because I think she’d think I was twisting everything around to make it all about me, which is sort of true. But still! (It’s pronounced “Ghee” as in the Indian butter, which is really a healthy alternative to regular oils, and “Len” like in the man’s name.) Anyway! All the best! Nan Parks
KIT’N KITTY’S
QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on pg 23) C) 2008
When Ellen and Portia wed in 2008, their union was groundbreaking. They were one of the most prominent couples to tie the knot after the Supreme Court of California legalized same-sex marriage. They were together for about 4 years before their marriage. Ellen announced their nuptials on her television show and jokingly said, “Thank you. I’ll tell you who the lucky guy is soon.”
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Naturalist Kim Powell Leads ‘Betty’s List’ Trek to Davenport Landing Tidepools Photos courtesy of Blue Water Ventures
For almost two decades, naturalist Kim Powell of Blue Water Ventures has served as our intrepid guide hosting San Francisco Bay Times and “Betty’s List” outdoor adventures. By all accounts, our group enjoyed a memorable outing on Saturday, August 8, when they traveled to Davenport Landing, which is located just north of Santa Cruz on Highway 101. This adventure was particularly welcome as it gave participants a safe opportunity to get out in nature during this pandemic time. A highlight of the day was the chance to hold and admire a healthy Gumboot chiton, which is a multi-toothed, shoe-shaped mollusk with 8 armored plates! As Powell shared, the encounter with this distinctive Pacific Ocean denizen is “always a crowd pleaser” that few will forget. In addition to the dramatic panoramic views from the bluffs above Davenport Landing, participants enjoyed finding rock crabs, ochre sea stars, and other species of flora and fauna. If you would like to join the fun at our next outing with Blue Water Ventures, email bluewaterventuressc@gmail.com or visit http://www.bluewaterventures.org
Dykes, Camera, Action! A History of Lesbian Cinema Photos by Paul Margolis
A virtual screening and discussion of Caroline Berler’s 2018 documentary Dykes, Camera, Action! took place at the GLBT History Museum on Thursday, July 31. Leigh Pfeffer, Museum Operations Manager, served as moderator. The film examines how queer women’s cinema from the mid-twentieth century to the present has been used by lesbian filmmakers to build visibility and to transform the social imagination of queerness. The documentary features filmmakers Barbara Hammer, Su Friedrich, Rose Troche, Cheryl Dunye, Yoruba Richen, Desiree Akhavan, Vicky Du and Jenni Olson (see Gary Kramer’s interview with Olson in this issue). They share moving stories and discuss how they have expressed queer identify through film. Following the screening, a prerecorded panel discussion, led by Olson, was presented. The event can be viewed on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2UyGVbG
Jenni Olsen
Vicky Du
Su Friedrich
Janet Baus
B. Ruby Rich
Sarah Schulman
Rose Troche
Yvonne Welbon
Caroline Berler
Cheryl Dunye
Yoruba Richen
Leigh Pfeffer S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES
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Round About - Shared Spaces Chinatown
Photos by Rink
LionDanceME performers were a highlight during a show on Grant Avenue in Chinatown on August 2.
Two men and their dog walked up Grant Avenue where three blocks are closed to vehicle traffic to provide outdoor space for restaurants and other businesses.
A couple enjoyed the outdoor table area in front of the Magical Ice Cream shop on Grant Avenue.
Diners enjoyed the outdoor seating service on Grant Street in Chinatown at the Bow Hon Seafood restaurant.
A vendor offered products for sale on the outdoor table in front of the Eastern Bakery, open since 1922, on Grant Avenue in Chinatown.
Youngsters gathered for a photo op in front of the large Bruce Lee mural on Grant Street in Chinatown. 30
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Outdoor tables under canopy tents were fully occupied in front of the Far East CafĂŠ on Grant Avenue on August 2.
A coffee cake for sale at Eastern Bakery on Grant Avenue.
Round About - Shared Spaces The Mission
Photos by Rink
CASTRO STREETCAM presented by
A team of Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence members, gathered near the intersection of 17th and Valencia, assisted in a Mission clean-up project on July 26.
Sister Scola and a friend gathered trash in the Mission on July 26.
http://sfbaytimes.com/
Limon Rotisserie served customers in their street and sidewalk space on Valencia Street in the Mission on July 26.
A musician entertained guests on July 26 in the outdoor service area on Mission Street in front of Limon Rotisserie restaurant.
Outdoor service at RAW Sugar Factory restaurant on Valencia Street in the Mission
A mural located in Clarion Alley in the Mission
A line of customers waited to enter the Community Thrift Store on Valencia Street on July 26.
A Black Lives Matter poster in a street side window on Valencia Street on July 26
With its refreshing drinks and delicious light bites, Stonemill Matcha on Valencia Street in the Mission has a loyal following.
A sidewalk mural at the entrance of Clarion Alley in the Mission
A romantic rainbow mural on Clarion Alley in the Mission
As Heard on the Street . . . What was your favorite concert and why? compiled by Rink
Dee Spencer
Jason Brock
Veronika Fimbres
Ron Williams
William Coghill
“Outside Lands in 2018. Janelle Monáe and Lizzo were incredible.”
“Diane Schuur at the Rrazz Room. A fabulous voice and she really can play that piano.”
“My first concert with Dionne Warwick, at the University of Detroit”
“Janis Joplin at Winterland during the Summer of Love”
“When I met my idol, Pat Benatar, for my 50th in Reno”
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