August 26–September 8, 2021 http://sfbaytimes.com
San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® Women’s Motorcycle Contingent Celebrates 45 Years at the Front By Kate Brown, Ph.D., Editing by Elisabeth Warren, Sheila Malone, and Brooke Oliver Revving engines, loud pipes, and cheering passengers of the San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® Women’s Motorcycle Contingent (WMC) greet the crowds on Market Street, a tradition entrenched in San Francisco’s annual LGBTQ+ Pride celebration. It’s no wonder that the iconic images of rebellious, independent women riding powerful motorcycles are repeated in Pride Parades the world over, creating a global thunderous cacophony of noise and a rallying cry for queer motorcyclists. The movement that started with queer and lesbian San Francisco motorcyclists in the 1970s endures to this day; recognized as being officially established in 1976, the San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® WMC celebrates its 45th anniversary this year. The San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® WMC is the nonprofit mother chapter for Dykes on Bikes® at a national and international level, with chapters in the United States as well as Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Iceland, Australia, and New Zealand, each operating with a unified mission of supporting philanthropic endeavors in the LGBTQ+ and women’s motorcycle communities and to reach out to empower a community of diverse women through rides, charity events, Pride events, and education. Landmark Freedom of Expression Case
Under the legal leadership of Brooke Oliver (then of 50 Balmy Law, P.C., now at Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP) and with support of the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and Townsend and Townsend, San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® aggressively challenged this argument, presenting declarations in 2005 from more than two dozen expert witnesses, including scholars, lexicologists, activists, artists, and historians, that “dyke” is not disparaging to lesbians, but rather the LGBTQ+ community views “Dykes on Bikes” as a symbol of pride and empowerment.
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While widely known for its commanding presence in the Pride Parade, San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® also played a critical role in helping overturn an unconstitutional law, part of the Lanham Act, in what is hailed as one of the most important Freedom of Expression legal cases in years. In 2003, more than 20 years after a group of 20 to 25 women motorcyclists took their position at the start of San Francisco’s then-named Gay Freedom Day March, the Board of Directors of the small nonprofit organization decided to register “Dykes on Bikes” with the United States Patent Trademark Office (USPTO) in order to ensure the term was preserved for nonprofit use in the LGBTQ+ community. What should have been a straightforward process became a thirteen-year legal journey that eventually took the group to the United Dykes on Bikes® President States Supreme Court after the USPTO rejected “Dykes on Bikes” on the Kate Brown (left) and Vice grounds that “dyke” is a disparaging term and derogatory to lesbians. President Pam Quan (right)
lead the DOB® contingent on Market Street at the start of the 2019 San Francisco Pride Parade.
The Dykes on Bikes® San Francisco contingent, led by biker “Roberta” (right) prepares to lead the Lesbian/Gay Freedom Parade. (1984)
In the brief, the Dykes on Bikes® argued that it has heightened protection for political speech under the First Amendment, including the reclaimed and self-referential term “dyke,” as well as the importance of trademark protection to nonprofits like Dykes on Bikes® for preventing infringement. In a 2017 unanimous decision, the Supreme Court found it unconstitutional to prohibit trademark registration of a mark by the United States Patent Trademark Office based on what a trademark examiner may consider disparaging language. The decision struck down part of the Lanham Act, is considered one of the most important Freedom of Expression cases in years, and marks a major victory for the LGBTQ+ community. San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® has continued to pursue intellectual property and trademarks to ensure that the wordmark Dykes on Bikes, logo, and other intellectual property are protected from commercialization and reserved for nonprofit use within the LGBTQ+ community, having secured registrations in the European Union and England and pending approval in Canada of “Dykes on Bikes” for use in nonprofit education, parades, and certain material goods. Global Reach and Pride
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What started in the late ‘70s as an unorganized group of defiant lesbian motorcycle enthusiasts has evolved into a worldwide network of riders. Patch-holders from chapters as far away as London, England; and Melbourne, Australia; have traveled to join the San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® and the hundreds of motorcycles that lead the San Francisco Pride Parade. Likewise, members of the European and Australian chapters often participate in Pride Parades with neighboring local chapters. In the early to mid2000s, as many as 450 motorcyclists would participate in the Parade. While hundreds of riders participate in the Parade on Pride Sunday, it is a small group of active patch-holders that ride together throughout the year and constitute the organization that is the San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® Women’s Motorcycle Contingent. It is this group that prepares in the months leading up Dykes on Bikes® member Mindie Dodson with passenger Brooke Oliver in the San Francisco Pride Parade 2
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Dykes on Bikes® was finally registered with the USPTO in 2007; however, when the group later went to register a trademark for its logo, which contains the same words, it was again denied by the USPTO on the grounds the word “dyke” is disparaging to lesbians. In 2016, with a pro-bono legal team again led by Brooke Oliver and including Shannon Minter from NCLR, renowned constitutional law practitioners Tobias Barrington Wolff, Michael Feldman, and Mark Lemley, the San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® filed an Amicus Brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case of Matal vs. Tam.
About Our Cover Internationally recognized painter and printmaker Debra Walker created the cover for this commemorative edition of the San Francisco Bay Times honoring the 45th Anniversary of Dykes on Bikes®. Walker is a Commissioner on the San Francisco Arts Commission and serves on the Advisory Panel for Grants for the Arts. A past President of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, Walker has long lived the mission of Dykes on Bikes® in terms of supporting philanthropic endeavors in the LGBT and women’s communities, and reaching out to empower women. She is also an avid cyclist. (The Dykes on Bikes® extended contingent during the San Francisco Pride Parade includes both motorcycle enthusiasts and cyclists.) Walker has designed other special covers for the San Francisco Bay Times over the years, and we are proud to again feature her work. Walker, like San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® President Kate Brown, has mentored many women and serves as an important role model here in the Bay Area. Regarding Brown, most of us picture her astride her blazing red Honda Magna, leading the way at various events. By day she is also a leader, serving as the Scientific Director of Research and Development at Generate Life Sciences. The Bay Times thanks both of these accomplished women for their continued service to the LGBTQ community and beyond. For More Information Debra Walker: http://www.debrawalker.com/ San Francisco Dykes on Bikes®: https://www.dykesonbikes.org/
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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area
CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2021)
U.K., Germany, Australia, and Portland Dykes on Bikes® Honor the 45th Anniversary of the Organization and San Francisco Chapter 2021 marks not only the 45th Anniversary of the San Francisco Dykes on Bikes®, but also of the organization as a whole since San Francisco is home to the mother chapter. Dykes on Bikes® chapters during the past four decades have been established throughout the U.S. and the world, all of which support empowering a community of diverse women riders. They include chapters in Akureyri, Iceland; Houston, Texas; London, England; Melbourne, Australia; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Monterey, California; Portland, Oregon; Queensland, Australia; Rhein-Weser, Germany; Sussex, England; Winnipeg, Canada; and others. For this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times, leaders from four of these chapters comment on the significance of Dykes on Bikes® and this anniversary year. Dykes on Bikes® London Pádraigín Ní Rághillíg (Pogs), Secretary Dykes on Bikes® is 45 this year, an anniversary to be celebrated and elevated, not only as a historical landmark, but also as a sign of the tenacity and endurance of a group of Lesbians Chapter leaders from Dykes on Bikes® London sent greetings from their position in who confront of the entrance to King Henry VIII’s tinue to Hampton Court castle. (2021) be visible through many years of oppression and attempted eradication. Indeed, the importance of the Dykes on Bikes® 45th Anniversary this year cannot be underestimated. Dykes on Bikes® is an international institution that maintains an iconic and enduring position as the centerpiece of Dyke visibility and historical continuance. In an era where Lesbian visibility is decreasing alarmingly with the erasure of social and political spaces in which Lesbians can assert our presence, we continue to represent and provide positive role models to young and/or closeted Lesbians. Dykes on Bikes® around the world may be the only collective iconic positive image of Dykes still seen in both LGBTQI and indeed, to some extent, mainstream media. By leading Pride events and marches around the world, we maintain an enduring image of Dyke Pride and visibility. Dykes on Bikes® London started in 2018 when two members of the only Dykes on Bikes® chapter in the U.K. at that time felt that the capital of the U.K. needed to have its own Chapter to lobby Pride in London to establish the tradition of leading off the premier Pride event in the U.K. Sylvie aka Petit Chou and Pádraigín aka Pogs set up a meeting in central London for Lesbian bikers to come together and discuss the possibility of applying to become an official chapter. From that time we have continued to represent Dykes in the U.K. through leading London Pride and our own event, the annual Dyke Pride Ride, where we get together during London Pride week to be Out, Loud, and Proud riding through some of the outlying areas where the Pride route does not go, to ensure our visibility is given a much wider audience. Sadly, due to Covid, we have not had a London Pride march since 2019, but in 2020, Dykes on Bikes® London made a point of riding through central London on Pride day to maintain Lesbian visibility in a shrinking environment. We were also immensely proud to be the subject of a feature article in the internationally renowned DIVA magazine in the August 2019 issue. As well as organizing monthly formal ride outs where we invite non-member Lesbian bikers to join with us and engage in interesting and sometimes challenging rides around England, we also, both as a club and individually, represent outside of the U.K. when our members undertake tours and rides abroad. We wear our patches with pride and ensure we are visible and accessible to all those who would wish to know more about our club. Dykes on Bikes® is a sista-hood; we are a family, whether we be in San Francisco; Portland; Atlanta; Winnepeg, Canada; Akureyri, Iceland; London, U.K.; Rhine-Weser, Germany; Melbourne, Australia; etc. with one collective passion: motorcycling. We are here for each other and offer support to one another whether that be motorcycle-related or not. Finally, Dykes on Bikes® is primarily an awareness and fundraising entity, and as such, we annually select an LGBTQI charity to be the recipient of our fundraising activities. In 2018 we were delighted to raise funds for the Outside Project, a charity for homeless people. In 2019 we raised funds for Broken
Rainbow, a charity for disabled people, and this year we are focusing on women asylum seekers with funds going to the Lesbian Immigration Support Group, a U.K.-wide organization based in Manchester. https://dykesonbikeslondon.uk/ Dykes on Bikes® Rhein-Weser Dori G., President My name is Dori G. and I‘m the President of Dykes on Bikes® RheinWeser since 2019. For the 45th Anniversary of Dykes on Bikes®, I would like to Members of Dykes on Bikes® Rheinintroduce our Weser chapter in Germany with chapter and tell you about how it Cologne Cathedral in the backdrop. came about. Dykes on Bikes® Rhein-Weser, Germany, has been an officially listed chapter of San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® since May 2021. The idea to apply as a chapter arose in June 2019. The process to get an official chapter was long, and meant that we had to have a lot of patience and perseverance until we finally made it. Before I became President of Dykes on Bikes® Rhein-Weser, I was Vice-President of a lesbian motorcycle club in Hamburg for the previous 8 years, but there was never an interest in applying as an official chapter of DOB San Francisco. I´ve always been fascinated by this large DOB family, especially since I‘ve been in contact with DOB chapters like Queensland, Melbourne, Portland, and especially London and Sussex over the years. It was more than impressive to us how much each individual chapter was committed to LGBTIQ+ and that as a large family. It makes me especially proud that I was very lucky to have had a short email conversation with Soni Wolf a few years ago. I still have the email history today. Soni Wolf also inspired us for our design of our small front patch. It serves as a reminder and expresses our respect for Soni Wolf. (The patch features a wolf.) In June 2019, I went to London to support the DOB London Chapter with their Pride. After long conversations with the President and Secretary of DOB London, Sylvie Campus and Pádraigín Ní Rághillíg, the idea to found a chapter in Germany arose. This is how the work began. I met some friends and talked with them about my idea and so I was able to find the current 8 founding members. On October 19, 2019, we met for our official founding meeting and sent our application documents to San Francisco. At this point, we’ve been building up our network of LGBTIQ+ organizations in Germany, and have also attended a number of Pride events. Due to the pandemic that has been circulating since 2020, we could not do as much as we actually wanted. Prides have been canceled again and again due to COVID-19 and the lockdowns. In 2021, we could finally ride at the Pride in the city of Osnabrück and the Dyke March in Cologne, and we will ride at Cologne Pride at the end of this month. Our plan was also to support London Pride 2021, but unfortunately it was canceled due to the pandemic. Now we hope that, in 2022, COVID-19 will finally take off and we can attend as many Prides as possible—not just the big ones but also the little ones.
Dykes on Bikes® Queensland Julz Raven, President Dykes on Bikes® Queensland was formed in 1999 in Brisbane by a few women who had been to San Francisco and watched the original women riding in a parade. I have been President in Queensland for over 10 years now and during that time Members of the Dykes we have donated on Bikes® Queensland over $20,000 to var- chapter gathered for ious charities, suptheir annual Pride celebration. ported local smaller provinces with their LGBTQI event days, and encouraged and supported over 500 lesbian riders over those years as members. Today, myself and my Vice President Petrea support 50 members throughout this enormous land mass called Queensland, which covers the world-famous Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast right up to Cairns where it is hot all year around and crocodiles control the waterways! I traveled to San Francisco several times during those 10 years and met with Soni over a few cold ones and on many occasions discussed how and why DOB ® exists. I now run the Dykes on Bikes® International Facebook page to ensure the international chapters have a hub for conversation and open contact; many of those members seek to catch up during travels around the world, which is fantastic! World Pride is happening in Sydney in 2023 and Dykes on Bikes® will be represented there with many of our global members making the journey to join us. We would not exist if it wasn’t for the strong women of San Francisco getting on their bikes 45 years ago—the legacy of this club will have already far surpassed anything those few women could have imagined all those years ago and will outlive every one of us along the way. In 2018, I organized the first ever DOB ® international trip and took 20 members from all over the world back to San Francisco to ride in the 2018 Pride Parade, which sadly was the year Soni passed. I am sure she and her original group of women would have been proud to see us make the journey and respectfully enjoy the club they created. Kate has now been busy in the background cementing the process for international chapters to be able to seamlessly connect and set up officially, which will again take this club into another strong future. Dykes on Bikes® is a dominant force when together on these loud machines and all of our chapters are recognized worldwide as both protectors of our communities—when we ride in front of all the parades—and as genuine humans who openly chat and allow kids and strangers to get up close and personal with the biker culture that many people have never been allowed to even glimpse in. Without women like Soni Wolf and the others who fired up the bikes and led by example all those years ago, we would not be here today. I know I speak for everyone who earns our Queensland Dykes on Bikes® patch when I say that we ride with pride and we will never forget where we came from! http://www.dykesonbikesqld.org/qld_chapter/ Dykes on Bikes® Portland Cassie Moore, President of the “Dirty Dozen” and Laura Mangano, patched Board member
Finally, I would like to mention all of the important people and at the same time the founding members of Dykes on Bikes® Rhein-Weser. Every single person has done an incredible amount of work so that we managed to become the first official DOB chapter in Germany and in Germanspeaking countries. They are legends: Wetti (Vice President), Steego (Secretary), Peddel (Treasurer), Kääpt’n (Member), Rämix (Member), Woody (Member), and Sunny (Member). Our special thanks go to: Sylvie Campus (President of DOB ® London); Pádraigín Ní Rághillíg (Secretary of DOB ® London; she had to endure a lot because we bombed her with many questions); Julz Raven (President of DOB ® Queensland; she also had to endure a lot because we bombed her with questions too); and Kate Brown (President of DOB ® San Francisco; she had to endure a lot because we bombed her with e-mails for almost a year and a half. They always supported and helped us on our way to become an official chapter. We are all incredibly proud to belong to this legendary Dykes on Bikes® family and ride loud and proud in Germany and all over the world. Our biggest dream would be to ride at San Francisco Pride with all of the Dykes on Bikes® chapters. https://www.dykesonbikes-rhein-weser.de/
Members and friends of Dykes on Bikes® Portland, gathered for the annual Pride Ride, and waved rainbow flags in front of Oak Grove Methodist Church, Oak Grove, Oregon. (2021)
Being the first all-inclusive chapter of DOB ®, Dykes on Bikes® Portland chapter is excited to see and support all womyn to be part of a motorcycle club (continued on page 14) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES
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Carrying Soni Wolf’s Memory Forward in the Fight for LGBTQ+ Equality By Kate Brown, Ph.D. Moving to San Francisco in 2000 was a defining moment in my life. I had just finished college at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and was starting a job at a cutting-edge biotech company in South San Francisco. I easily settled into San Francisco life. I remember going to giant monthly parties for women, getting drinks at the Lexington, dancing with friends and strangers at the Café, and finding new things to read at A Different Light in the Castro. San Francisco had everything I wanted.
Coming Out Stories
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Passenger Elisabeth Warren waves at the crowd riding behind Dykes on Bikes® President Kate Brown in the San Francisco Pride Parade.
But it was the San Francisco LGBTQ Pride Parade that really grabbed me. Specifically, seeing the San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® as they started the parade. The first time I experienced it, it was as though the palpable sound of the engines were a part of me as they started in near unison, their thunder reverberating down Market Street. By the hundreds they passed by me, and I wanted nothing more than to be a part of the Kate Brown and Soni Wolf, San Francisco Pride Parade (2011) noise, of the energy, of the sheer freedom they represented. Parade. However, the best part of being part of Dykes on I first got to be a part of Bikes® is the people whom I have met through the the Pride Parade energy organization. with the Dykes on Bikes® I had the honor of being friends with Soni Wolf, in the mid-2000s while Secretary Emeritus of Dykes on Bikes®. Soni I was a graduate stustarted riding with Dykes on Bikes® in the late dent at the University of ‘70s and was Secretary for as long as anyone California, Berkeley. It could remember. As a patch-holder in my midwas even more thrilling to be a rider. It was also clear 20s, I saw in Soni not just a friend but a model of that the San Francisco Dykes LGBTQ+ courage, dignity, and Pride. It is the unique on Bikes® was a powerful commukind of Pride our LGBTQ+ elders hold that is forged from nity. I would ride my Honda Rebel 450 across decades of service to our community, and from the victories and losses the Bay Bridge every week to go to the meetings, which endured as part of the relentless pursuit of LGBTQ+ visibility and equalat that point were held in the dark, back bar of the leg- ity. endary SF Eagle Tavern. I was committed to becomIt’s an honor to have known Soni and to be a small part of what she helped ing part of the community, and after I had attended build. While great strides have been made, we as a community have so enough meetings, participated in volunteer events, much more that we need to accomplish for LGBTQ+ equality. I strive to helped with fundraising, and joined in group rides, I nurture and build community as she did in her own unique way and will became an official, patch-holding member. continue to carry her memory forward in the fight. Fast forward 17 years. I continue to love our group Kate Brown, Ph.D., is the President of the San Francisco Dykes on rides throughout the year (yes, I have a bigger motorBikes® Women’s Motorcycle Contingent. cycle) and, of course, being part of the kickoff of the
Dykes on Bikes® and Amelia’s
SF Pride 2021 Movie Night at Oracle Park
LGBTQ community leader Rikki Streicher (1922– 1994) opened Amelia’s bar and dance club in 1978 at 647 Valencia Street in the Mission District. Streicher named it after the legendary aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. The Mission District, and particularly Valencia Street, became a gathering place for lesbians from the 1970s through the early 1990s, and was home to several organizations and businesses that catered to women. The Women’s Building is still there, but it was also home to the Old Wives Tales bookstore, the woman-only bathhouse Osento, and a lesbian club known as the Artemis Society.
Dykes on Bikes® San Francisco officers led the contingent into Oracle Stadium for the SF Pride Movie Night event held in conjunction with Frameline and SF Giants Productions.
The WMC evolved out of a brave group of women motorcyclists who gathered at the head of the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade (now Pride Parade) in 1976. One of these women coined the phrase “Dykes on Bikes®” and the San Francisco Chronicle picked it up and ran with it. For the next several years, riders just showed up and rode in the Parade as part of no formal organization or registration.
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It was additionally a home for the fledgling Dykes on Bikes®, then called the Women’s Motorcycle Contingent (WMC), who had their early meetings at Amelia’s.
Mary Sager, with Rainbow Honor Walk President Donna Sachet, at the dedication on November 11, 2017, of the sidewalk plaque honoring SF Gay Softball League leader and bar owner Rikki Streicher (1922–1994).
That began to change when LB Gunn, Kalin Elliot-Arns, Christine Elliot, Sabine Balden, and Mel started the WMC. At first, they met at a private home, but then meetings were moved to an upstairs room at Amelia’s. When Amelia’s closed in 1991, the meetings were moved to The Eagle Tavern, at 12th and Harrison Streets, where Dykes on Bikes® meetings continue to be held. Given the Dykes on Bikes® connection to Amelia’s, it seemed fitting to feature Amelia’s on the latest in a series of commemorative shot glasses honoring historic lesbian bars of San Francisco. The Amelia’s shot glass will be handed out at the Dykes on Bikes 45th Anniversary celebration at Divas & Drinks @ The Academy in the Castro on August 27, 6–10 pm. The San Francisco Bay Times is proud to partner with The Academy on the event. Thanks to Audry deLucia and Fran Herman of ellaprint for creating this and the other shot glasses in the series. Special thanks to Mary Sager and Michelle Jester for supporting the project. https://www.ellaprint.com/ 4
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Members of Dykes on Bikes® San Francisco, from their position outside Oracle Park, prepared to ride into the stadium for the start of SF Pride Movie Night held in conjunction with Frameline, June 11, 2021.
Dykes on Bikes® San Francisco motorcyclists paraded in formation around the outside of the baseball field inside Oracle Park.
Perseverance Paying Off in Chile
6/26 and Beyond Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis It’s nearly 10,000 miles from Utqiagvik, Alaska, the northernmost community in the United States to Cape Horn at the southernmost tip of Chile. But very soon, same-sex couples may have the freedom to marry in these two poles of the Americas, spanning nearly the entirety of the Western Hemisphere. It’s all because of the perseverance of Chile’s LGBTIQ community and its allies. Nearly ten years ago in 2012, Chilean LGBTIQ rights advocates filed a lawsuit for marriage equality with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. After four years of delay, the Chilean government led by thenPresident Michelle Bachelet, a marriage equality supporter, agreed in 2016 to settle the case and promote marriage equality legislation in the national legislature. In August 2017, Bachelet finally introduced that legislation. But in November 2017, Chile held its presidential and national legislative elections, and the pro-equal-
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There was still time left, though. Piñera and the new legislature would not take office until March 2018. If Bachelet and the sitting legislature that favored marriage equality—as did 60 percent of the population according to public opinion polls—scrambled, they could still pass the legislation. Adding to the drama, the InterAmerican Court of Human Rights in a sweeping landmark decision ruled in favor of marriage equality (as well as transgender rights) in January 2018 in a case arising out of Costa Rica. The Court decision is binding in Chile and 22 other Latin American and Caribbean countries, which are active parties to the American Convention on Human Rights. But the Court unfortunately lacks an enforcement mechanism to ensure that signatory countries implement so-called advisory rulings, like the marriage equality decision. Member countries must still change their laws through their own legislatures or courts. And time ran out in Chile. Despite the ruling, the Bachelet government failed to pass the legislation before marriage equality opponent Piñera and the new legislature took office. Far from giving up, the Chilean LGBTIQ community remained steadfast and vocal in its advocacy for full equality. Couples continued filing lawsuits both in
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Chilean courts and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights seeking equality. In October 2020, Chileans voted overwhelming to hold a Constitutional Convention to rewrite the nation’s constitution. In May 2021, an unprecedented eight openly LGBTIQ people won election to the 155-member Convention that will draft the new document. The Convention also has gender parity Pride Parade in front of La Moneda Palace in Santiago, Chile (2009) and never-beforeseen representation of Chamber of Deputies, the lower indigenous people and other diverhouse of Congress, to approve the sity. LGBTIQ candidates addilegislation. tionally won election in local and Once again, time is of the essence. regional elections held at the same Chile will hold its presidential and time. national legislative elections in Then in June, President Piñera November 2021. stunned the nation when he did an As we watched the events in Chile about face and endorsed marriage equality in his annual address to the unfold, we are reminded of the countless times LGBTIQ people Chilean Congress. Piñera, who had have had to fight with great urgency been facing increasing opposition to convince courts, legislatures, and to his government overall, perhaps voters that justice delayed is justice took note of the results of the May denied. elections and ever-growing support for LGBTIQ equality. He requested Back in February 2004, we and that Congress act with “urgency,” thousands of same-sex couples from a procedure authorizing expedited across the country and round the passage of legislation. world dashed to San Francisco City Hall thinking we might miss a onceA few weeks later, the Chilean in-a-lifetime chance to get married. Senate approved the marriage We remember our disappointment equality bill by a 2–1 margin. All that remains is for the Chilean when one of the California Supreme
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ity candidate whom Bachelet hoped would succeed her lost to current Chilean President Sebastián Piñera, who had introduced Chile’s civil union bill but staunchly opposed marriage equality.
Court Justices at oral argument on the validity of the marriages naively asked Therese Stewart, counsel for the City of San Francisco, what the rush was. As we wrote in this column over three and a half years ago: “The time for full marriage and LGBTIQ equality is now.” Thanks to the perseverance of Chilean LGBTIQ people, now might come very soon. Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis, together for over three decades, were plaintiffs in the California case for equal marriage rights decided by the California Supreme Court in 2008. Their leadership in the grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA contributed in 2015 to making same-sex marriage legal nationwide.
The Need to Diversify Juries jurors to $100 a day. The goal is to see if it will improve jury demographics, as well as result in fairer verdicts.
Let’s Set Speed Limits to Enhance Public Safety experts today widely reject the notion that the 85th percentile speed is the safest speed.
Studies have shown diverse juries spend more time in deliberations and are less likely to presume guilt. This could help improve the legitimacy of the criminal justice system.
Assemblymember Phil Ting It is our civic duty to serve on a jury. But many Americans are unable to participate in our democracy because they cannot afford to take unpaid time off from work. A missed paycheck would cause economic hardship. This smaller pool of potential jurors often results in juries that are wealthier and less diverse—not at all reflective of the communities they serve. In order for justice to be delivered fairly, it is essential our juries are inclusive of all races, genders, and income levels. That’s what a “ jury of peers” means: a jury of equals. But we often don’t achieve it. In San Francisco, one of the problems is compensation, which is currently only $15 per day of service. It’s no wonder juries aren’t more diverse. That rate is less than the city’s hourly minimum wage, and it barely covers transportation or parking and lunch. Given these circumstances, I have introduced AB 1452, a bill authorizing the San Francisco Superior Court to implement the Be The Jury Pilot Program, which would increase the pay of low- to moderate-income
Jurors would be eligible for this program if their household income is less than 80% of the Area Median Income, which is $71,700 for a single person or $102,500 for a household of four. They must also meet one of the following criteria: • their employer does not compensate for jury service; • their employer does not compensate for the estimated duration of their service; • they are self-employed; • or they are unemployed. Be The Jury would be paid for by philanthropic funds raised by the San Francisco Financial Justice Project. They already have the money to proceed; all they need to start the implementation of higher pay is the passage of AB 1452, which I will strive to do by the September 10th legislative deadline. The Governor then has a month to sign it into law. Once the Be The Jury project is completed, stakeholders will evaluate whether the program was effective in reducing racial and economic disparities in juries and leading to more equitable outcomes. I have spent my time in the Assembly working to improve the criminal justice system. I successfully authored a bill allowing for the resentencing of criminal cases, if the local district attorney considers the original punishment was too harsh. I have also passed legislation, giving judges the discretion to order misdemeanor diversion programs in lieu of prosecution. Furthermore, criminal records will be automatically expunged for lower-level offenses, as a result of my efforts, to make finding a job and housing easier. AB 1452 is another opportunity for California to enact more reforms. The criminal justice system cannot operate fairly if juries do not reflect the communities they serve. All (continued on page 14)
AB43 would require traffic surveyors to take into account the presence of vulnerable groups, including children, seniors, the unhoused, and persons with disabilities when setting speed limits. The bill permits cities to lower speed limits beyond the 85th percentile on streets with high injuries and fatalities, and ensures they will never again have to raise a speed limit on any road if there have been no design changes. It also limits the need for updated traffic surveys on certain streets. AB43 would also provide for greater flexibility in setting school speed limits to protect children.
Out of the Closet and into City Hall Oakland City Councilmember At-Large, Rebecca Kaplan On June 15, 2021, the Oakland City Council unanimously passed my resolution in support of Assembly Bill 43 (Friedman), which will provide more tools to local governments in our efforts to reduce speeding on our streets and roads. AB43 successfully passed through the Transportation Committee and now is up for consideration by the entire Assembly. The method to set speed limits doesn’t promote public safety. California has based its speed limits using a decades-old process known as the 85th percentile. Traffic surveyors would measure the speed drivers were driving at and set the speed limit to reflect what 85% of drivers were driving at. At the time this was believed to be the safest speed. Current speed limits are not set based on safety, but rather on the speed at which driver’s feel comfortable driving, and transportation
Years of national research, the laws of physics, and common sense all point to an established fact about street safety: the faster people drive, the more dangerous and deadly our roads become. However, California state law, reflecting the so-called 85th percentile methodology, limits cities’ ability to set safe vehicle speed limits on their most dangerous streets. This law requires that, if as few as one in six drivers speed on a given street, then a city must raise the speed limit on that street. This law effectively sets speed limits based on drivers breaking the law, and it forces speed limits to match observed driver behavior, instead of bringing driver behavior in line with safety goals and the law. Raising speed limits to match the 85th percentile speed results in unintended consequences, such as higher operating speeds and more serious and fatal traffic crashes. AB 43 would implement several modest changes providing cities some additional flexibility under the 85th percentile statutes, in line with the recent recommendations of the California State Transportation Agency’s Zero Traffic Fatalities Task Force. These improvements to the 85th percentile method include granting local agencies additional flexibility to establish lower speed limits in areas and on defined types of streets where the most vulnerable road users are the most active, and where the most crashes occur. In Oakland, speeding is the primary collision factor in approximately 25% of traffic deaths, and a contributing
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Joan Zimmerman (1936–2021)
In Memorium
Photos courtesy of Matile Rothschild
President of Hadassah, Co-Owner of The Lavender Pages, ‘The Ambassador’ of Fountaingrove Lodge Joan “Joanie” Zimmerman was born on July 25, 1936, and died on her birthday this year. A resident of Fountaingrove Lodge— the nation’s first LGBTQ retirement community—Zimmerman and her partner Matile Rothschild were well-known members of the larger Northern California gay community. As the San Francisco Chronicle reported in 2014, “Rothschild and Zimmerman are among the first generation of men and women who are entering old age after spending most, if not all, of their adult lives without hiding their sexual orientation.” Zimmerman grew up in San Jose and was an active member of Temple Emanu-El, where she was for some years president of Hadassah (The Women’s Zionist Organization of America). She moved to San Francisco in 1990 and loved living in the Castro, where she became very active in the LGBTQI+ community and was an owner of The Lavender Pages. Friendly to all and a fabulous networker, Zimmerman was loved by many. She and Rothschild moved to Fountaingrove Lodge in Santa Rosa in 2013. There she was called “The Ambassador” because of her outgoing and considerate nature. She is survived by her children Loren Zimmerman, Perry Zimmerman, and their wives ( Julie and Elise); her daughter Leslie Zimmerman; her grandson Christian; and Rothschild, her partner of 20 years.
Michael Morgan (1957-2021)
Conductor and Music Director of the Oakland Symphony On August 20, Michael Morgan, Music Director and Conductor of Oakland Symphony since 1991, died at Oakland Kaiser, where he had been admitted the week prior for an infection. He was 63. According to the Oakland Symphony, in May of this year, Morgan underwent successful kidney transplant surgery at UCSF. He resumed conducting last month for the San Francisco Symphony and Bear Valley Music Festival. Born in Washington, D.C., Morgan attended public schools and began conducting at the age of 12. While a student at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, he spent a summer at the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood, studying with Gunther Schuller and Seiji Ozawa. He first worked with Leonard Bernstein during that same summer. His operatic debut was in 1982 at the Vienna State Opera, conducting Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio. In 1986, Sir Georg Solti chose him to become the Assistant Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a position he held for seven years under both Solti and Daniel Barenboim. In 1986, he was invited by Bernstein to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic. As guest conductor, Morgan appeared with most of America’s major orchestras, as well as the New York City Opera, St. Louis Opera Theater, and Washington National Opera.
OAKLANDSYMPHONY.ORG
In addition to his duties with the Oakland Symphony, Maestro Morgan served as Artistic Director of Oakland Symphony Youth Orchestra, Music Director at Bear Valley Music Festival, and Music Director of Gateways Music Festival. He was Music Director Emeritus of the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera and was on the boards of Oaktown Jazz Workshops and the Purple Silk Music Education Foundation. In 2020, he began an association with the San Francisco Symphony as the first curator of their Currents online series, and he recently led the Orchestra on July 23 at Davies Symphony Hall. His programming engaged new audiences and many returned for subsequent concerts. “Our entire organization is grieving a profound loss,” Jim Hasler, the Symphony’s Board Chair, said. “Michael’s impact on our community and the national orchestra field cannot be overstated—and he has left us too soon. We have been blessed over the past 30 years, as Michael built the foundations of an Oakland Symphony dedicated to diversity, education, artistic collaboration, and a celebration of music
across genres and cultures. His vision of orchestras as service organizations was a beacon locally and nationally. This vision is his legacy, and the Oakland Symphony, Chorus, and Youth Orchestra will renew his commitment for years to come.” “This is a terribly sad moment for everyone in the Oakland Symphony family. We have lost our guiding father,” said Executive Director Mieko Hatano. “Michael’s plans and ambitions were set for several seasons to come. He made his Orchestra socially authentic, demanded equality, and he made his Orchestra our orchestra. He fashioned a unique, informed artistic profile that attracted one of the most diverse audiences in the nation. His music reflected his beliefs: reverence for the past, attuned to the future, rooted in his adopted home of Oakland. His spirit will always guide the enduring future of the Oakland Symphony.” Morgan is survived by his mother Mabel and sister Jacquelyn Morgan. A memorial service will be announced in the near future. If you would like to give in support of Morgan and his legacy, please visit https://tinyurl.com/6r9cj43y
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James Catherwood Hormel (1933–2021) Philanthropist, LGBTQ Activist, and Diplomat
In our community and country, Jim was recognized as a significant champion of the arts and education. His love of his family and loyalty to his friends made him a beloved figure in our community. It is fitting that Jim’s name is etched in history as the first openly gay U.S. Ambassador, but his extraordinary greatness is forever etched in the hearts of all who know him. Paul and I are heartbroken at the loss of our friend. I was honored to officiate at the wedding of Jim and his dear husband Michael. May it be a comfort to Michael, and to Jim’s children Alison, Anne, Elizabeth, James Jr., and Sarah, that so many mourn their loss and pray for them at this sad time.
His life story and numerous achievements are reflected in the following statements, issued shortly after the news of his passing.
Jim’s extraordinary life will always serve as a beacon of hope and promise for LGBTQ children across our country and around the world.
SF Pride
GLBT Historical Society
The Board and staff of San Francisco Pride are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of James Hormel, the first openly LGBTQ+ United States ambassador (to Luxembourg, 1999–2001), a 2005 SF Pride Community Grand Marshal, and a 2010 San Francisco Pride Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
We are saddened to learn of the news that James C. Hormel, the first openly LGBTQ person to serve as an ambassador for the United States, passed away this morning at the age of 88. Appointed by President Clinton to the position, Hormel served as ambassador to Luxembourg from 1999 to 2001. His nomination, first proposed in 1997, was opposed by Senate Republicans and conservative Christians, delaying his appointment. Hormel was known for his steadfast philanthropic support of LGBTQ and social justice organizations. He was among the founders of the Human Rights Campaign Fund (later the Human Rights Campaign), and the James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center of San Francisco Public Library.
A philanthropist, a co-founder of the Human Rights Campaign, and a onetime dean of the University of Chicago Law School, the native Minnesotan came out relatively late in life. He faced sustained attacks from the foes of LGBTQ+ liberation throughout his public career, enough to derail a nomination to become Ambassador to Fiji. Footage of Hormel enjoying a performance by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at the 1996 SF Pride Parade tarred him as anti-Catholic in the minds of some conservative senators, but in the end his bid for a top diplomatic post prevailed. Hormel, who was 88 years old and living in San Francisco, will be remembered as a kindhearted and generous man, with a long list of achievements. PFLAG National Today we mourn the loss of a giant: Amb. James Hormel, a passionate advocate for equality and trailblazer who served as the first openly gay U.S. Ambassador. Our hearts are with his husband Michael and his family. PFLAGers everywhere will strive to follow his extraordinary lead. Speaker Nancy Pelosi It is with the deepest sadness and the greatest appreciation for his unsurpassed contributions to our country and society that I learned of the passing of Ambassador Hormel. We will dearly miss him in San Francisco, in our nation, and around the world.
“Ambassador James Hormel was a true gentleman and a courageous visionary who paved the way for legions of LGBTQ people in national service,” said GLBT Historical Society Executive Director Terry Beswick. “Throughout my years of activism, I have seen countless worthy causes and individuals lifted up by his unmatched giving, which set a standard for LGBTQ philanthropists everywhere. He will be sorely missed, and I send my heartfelt condolences to his husband Michael P. N. Araque Hormel, his longtime aide Ray Mulliner, and all his family and friends.” San Francisco Symphony We are deeply saddened by the passing of beloved SF Symphony Life Governor James C. Hormel. A lifetime champion for human rights and the first openly gay United States Ambassador, Jim was a lover of the arts and education and above all a warm and gracious friend to everyone who knew him. Senator Dianne Feinstein
Jim Hormel made history as the first openly gay U.S. Ambassador, paving the way for a new generation of leaders and elevating the voices of LGBTQ voices in our foreign policy. With his gentle yet powerful voice and undaunted determination, Jim made it his mission to fight for dignity and equality for all. As the first openly gay Ambassador, he had the courage to be a pioneer and had the patriotism to accept the challenge.
San Francisco lost a great friend today. A philanthropist, civil rights pioneer and loving spouse and father, James Hormel lived an extraordinary life and will be deeply missed by many.
When the AIDS epidemic descended upon San Francisco, he called on our conscience and rallied the city to help our neighbors suf-
Tapped to be the ambassador to Luxembourg by President Clinton in 1997, he was the first openly gay person to serve as an ambassador.
I had the pleasure of working closely with him on several issues, most notably on the 1984 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco. I was grateful for his help and expertise as a member of the host committee.
While his nomination was controversial at the time, his service was distinguished and helped advance LGBTQ rights both at home and abroad. In addition to his trailblazing public service, he helped found several LGBTQ institutions, including the Human Rights Campaign and the James C. Hormel Gay & Lesbian Center at the San Francisco Public Library.
PHOTO BY MARIO TAMA/AFP
As Equality California said, Hormel was a “true titan” in the LGBTQ community. An heir to the Hormel meatpacking fortune, he was the nation’s first openly LGBTQ ambassador and used much of his resources to further human rights causes and to empower the fight against HIV/AIDS. His extraordinary legacy includes the AIDS Memorial Grove and the James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center at the San Francisco Public Library, where the archives of the San Francisco Bay Times will be housed.
fering from the ferocious disease. His work served as a model for national policy to defeat HIV/AIDS and improve the lives of all affected.
Jim Hormel at the U.S. State Department where he was sworn in as Ambassador to Luxembourg by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in June, 1999.
I will miss his kind heart and generous spirit. It’s those qualities that made him such an inspirational figure and beloved part of our city.
Jim Hormel depicted in the mural “Into the Light” by Mark Evans and Charley Brown at the San We mourn the pass- Francisco Public Library’s James ing of one of the C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center
SF LGBT Center
SF LGBT Center’s founders and a trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community, James C. Hormel. For decades, Jim tirelessly advocated for LGBTQ+ equality, ending the HIV/ AIDS epidemic, and stepped bravely into the role of being the U.S.’ first openly gay U.S. Ambassador in 1999, amid a barrage of national scrutiny and homophobia. His leadership paved the way for a new generation of LGBTQ+ leaders. He was also a leading philanthropist and actively supported many LGBTQ+ and human rights institutions in the Bay Area, including the Center. Without his generosity and leadership, our movement would not be where it is today. Today, the SF LGBT Center celebrates Jim’s immeasurable legacy, and our hearts are with his husband Michael and loved ones. Thank you, Jim, for being a shining beacon for the community. Your contributions will be forever woven into the fabric of LGBTQ+ history in San Francisco and across the country and will be felt for decades to come. Project Open Hand Ambassador Hormel was one of Project Open Hand’s staunchest advocates and supporters and served as an inspiration for the LGBTQ community by serving as the United States’ first openly gay ambassador from 1999 to 2001. He was an incredible philanthropist to multiple Bay Area organizations and causes, Project Open Hand among them, where we were fortunate enough to call Ambassador Hormel a supporter and friend since 1987. Mayor London Breed James Hormel was a trailblazer whose impacts will be felt in San Francisco for generations. All across the city, we can see the impacts of his life, whether it’s in important institutions he supported like the AIDS Memorial Grove or our public library, or in the young people walking down our streets who live in the wake of his courage and activism. John Cunningham Chief Executive Officer, National AIDS Memorial On Friday, upon learning that Ambassador Jim Hormel had passed away, the (AIDS Memorial) Grove is where I needed to be— among its beauty, its soft power to bring heal-
SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY
James Catherwood Hormel, the nation’s first openly gay ambassador and a philanthropist who funded numerous organizations, died on August 13 at the California Pacific Medical Center with his husband Michael Peter Nguyen Araque at his side and listening to his favorite Beethoven concerto. He was 88.
Jim Hormel cuts a ribbon at the Founding Donors’ Celebration and Dedication of the Hormel Center on March 23, 1996.
ing—a quiet space where I could process my feelings and reflect on the life of this beloved man. Jim was a pillar of our community and our nation, a person of great courage, empathy, and generosity—a hero to so many. While profoundly saddened, I wanted to set that aside to consider and celebrate the extraordinary difference Jim made in countless lives, and the powerful legacy he leaves behind. I wanted to honor the love and compassion he shared with us throughout his life. Surrounded by the beauty and peace that only the Grove can provide, I couldn’t help but wonder whether this sacred sanctuary, now our nation’s dedicated memorial to AIDS, would be here today had it not been for Jim. Jim was there at the very beginning when an AIDS memorial was just an idea. He stood up, leaned in, and lent his passionate and influential voice to help raise the funds needed to create the Grove. That was Jim. He set his own pain and loss aside to help others, always opening his heart and helping to open doors so that others, particularly young people, could walk through them without the barriers that he, and those before him, once faced. James C. Hormel’s biography at the San Francisco Public Library website: https://tinyurl.com/mp7pfwnu Hormel’s memoir: https://tinyurl.com/jub94krw
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Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, Co-Founders Randy Alfred, Founding News Editor 1978 Kim Corsaro, Publisher 1981-2011
Spotlight on the Ma’at Program: An Afrocentric LGBTQ Mental Health Revolution is Black. San Francisco has been home to thousands of Black/ African American people residing in well-known neighborhoods and safe spaces for the Black community.
2261 Market Street, No. 309 San Francisco CA 94114 Phone: 415-601-2113 525 Bellevue Avenue Oakland CA 94610 E-mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com www.sfbaytimes.com The Bay Times was the first newspaper in California, and among the first in the world, to be jointly and equally produced by lesbians and gay men. We honor our history and the paper’s ability to build and strengthen unity in our community. The Bay Times is proud to be the first and only LGBTQ newspaper in San Francisco to be named a Legacy Business, recognizing that it is a longstanding, community-serving business that is a valuable cultural asset to the city. Dr. Betty L. Sullivan Jennifer L. Viegas Co-Publishers & Co-Editors
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Cross Currents Andrea Shorter Mental health awareness is important every day. While there are mental health services in San Francisco for those living in the margins, there is a clear lack of support and resources for assisting the Black community from within the community. Dr. April Silas, Executive Director of the Homeless Children’s Network (HCN), saw this need and developed the Ma’at Program in June of 2018. As she describes, “We don’t begin our work from any established system of thought that’s consistent with white supremacy or all of the institutionally established ways of viewing families in the Black community as less than. We start from an interpersonal love and authentic relationship. We start as part of the community.” The Ma’at Program highlights Black therapists providing Afrocentric mental health services to the Black community throughout San Francisco. Not only does it aim to improve behavioral health outcomes for Black/African American individuals and families in San Francisco, but it also addresses the historical legacy of intergenerational racism, inequity, and trauma within the community. The goal is to support individuals and families of African descent to passionately and unconditionally affirm Blackness, in addition to helping them improve mental health and functioning, increase coping skills, improve relationships with family members, and to facilitate connections with educational programs, peers, and community. There is no other program like it in San Francisco. San Francisco’s dwindling Black population is in crisis. Almost half of homeless adults with children are Black/African American, though only 5.5% of the city’s population
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Throughout the history of medical practice, there has been little work to establish the best level of care for Black/African American communities living in the U.S. What is well established is that there are various reasons for the lack of enthusiasm to pursue mental health treatment on the part of Black/African American people in the U.S. There is a well warranted mistrust in the Black community of the Eurocentric medical model of mental health service provision, which focuses on the individual; the established models are prone to pathologize Black/African American experiences, and they have a history of abuse. Help from within the community is therefore important for safety and culturally-competent response. As a country, the stigma surrounding mental health is significant and fear-provoking, further preventing those who could benefit from seeking support. Additionally, treatments and ongoing services are deemed financially prohibitive and not a good investment. Perhaps one of the most misunderstood theories is that Black communities simply do not believe in mental health, and as a result, will not seriously consider seeing a therapist or attending a counseling session because it is not necessary. These reasons point to the dire need for mental health models that are centered in African/African American principles and world views, such as the Ma’at Program, which is holistic and communal. And that is truly revolutionary. Black LGBTQ+ Mental Health Services
Homeless Children’s Network (HCN) has been providing mental health services to members of the LGBTQ+ community for the past two decades through partnerships with San Francisco-based LGBTQ+ organizations. HCN’s Ma’at Program in partnership with Soul of Pride focuses on three areas: (1) mental health services, (2) outreach and community engagement, and (3) cultural events. Dream Keeper funds enabled LGBTQ+ Black clinical staff to provide mental health services for 43 of the city’s Black/African American LGBTQ+ community members. Clients included children and youth, caregivers and other adults, as well as community partners needing support in addressing the mental health needs of Black/LGBTQ+ individuals. For more than 20 years, Soul of Pride has celebrated Black Pride and works to unite and represent the LGBTQ+ community of the African Diaspora in the Bay Area and beyond. Soul of Pride organizes the African Diaspora Stage and Village at the annual San Francisco Pride Celebration and Parade and is a critical part of influencing change and growth in areas such as artistry, economic independence, youth advocacy, and political opportunities. Throughout the year, Soul of Pride organizes events and resources for the Black LGBTQ community in the San Francisco Bay Area. Program staff also engaged in community work to continue to develop and expand the Afrocentric behavioral health model to ensure inclusivity of all members of the Black/ African American LGBTQ+ community throughout San Francisco. They participated in 163 outreach calls, meetings, and other communications to potential advisors, community partners, educational programs, referral sources, and others, as well as in community conversations emphasizing the needs of the city’s
Black/African American LGBTQ+ community. Program staff also took part in strategic planning and infrastructure design to elicit feedback from the Black/African American LGBTQ+ community, and in outreach to engage and introduce services within communities throughout San Francisco, as well as to generate referrals. Additionally, staff engaged with the San Francisco Dream Keeper Initiative and other Blackled and Black-serving San Francisco agencies to increase the efficacy of cross-referrals and community learnings. HCN in partnership with Soul of Pride hosted cultural events that affirm and celebrate Black queer communities in San Francisco. At the city’s Juneteenth celebration in mid-June and two Pride celebrations at the end of that month, HCN further promoted access to Afrocentric mental health resources. Over 400 San Francisco community members showed up on June 26 to march for Black LGBTQ+ visibility and equity as well as to celebrate Black LGBTQ+ contributions to society. On June 27, over 1,000 San Francisco community members participated in celebrating Black LGBTQ+ culture. To learn more about HCN and the Ma’at Program go to https://www.hcnkids.org/ma-at-program
Andrea Shorter is a longtime Commissioner for the City and County of San Francisco, now serving on the Juvenile Probation Commission after 21 years as a Commissioner on the Status of Women. She is a longtime advocate for gender and LGBTQ equity, voter rights, and criminal and juvenile justice reform. She is a co-founder of the Bayard Rustin LGBTQ Coalition, and was a David Bohnett LGBT Leaders Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Rev. Megan Rohrer to Become First Openly Transgender Bishop of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America The Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer (they/them) will become the first openly transgender bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) when they are installed to the Sierra Pacific Synod at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco at 2 pm on Saturday, September 11. Joining Bishop Rohrer for this historic day will be Elizabeth Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, along with nearly all 65 bishops of the different ELCA synods across the United States. The rite of installation service will celebrate voices of people at the intersections of physical, racial, ethnic, linguistic, gender, and sexual diversity. “I step into this role, because a diverse community of Lutherans in Northern California and Nevada prayerfully and thoughtfully voted to do a historic thing,” said Bishop
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However, over the past 15 years these communities and neighborhoods have seen a steady and rapid decline. As individuals and families are increasingly displaced by gentrification, and regional workforce trends, poverty-related stressors often trigger multiple health issues. This trauma creates the potential for long-term mental and physical health consequences such as persistent anxiety, intense feelings of guilt and shame, difficulty regulating emotions, and emotional numbing.
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Rohrer. “My installation will celebrate all that is possible when we trust God to shepherd us forward.” The service will also feature the installation of the Sierra Pacific Synod staff who will serve alongside Bishop Rohrer. They include the Rev. Manda Truchinski, assistant to the bishop; the Rev. Hazel SalazarDavidson, assistant to the bishop; the Rev. Tita Valeriano, director of evangelical mission and assistant to the bishop; Catherine Slabaugh, communications and connections coordinator; Diana Barrios, director of finance; Steve Wright, candidacy director; and the Rev. Bill Wong, call process assistant. The weekend of September 10–11 will be filled with events celebrating this historic moment. On September 10 at 4 pm, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in San Francisco will host a listening session led by the
Rev. Nicole Garcia, the first Latinx transgender pastor in the Lutheran church. Transgender Lutheran clergy and leaders from around the country will explain what it is like to be transgender and serving members of the church. Later that day, from 5–6:30 pm, Bishop Rohrer will be at the Church of 8 Wheels roller-skating rink, raising funds for Mt. Cross Ministries summer camp and roller-skating with synod youth. On September 11 at 8 am, the Sierra Pacific Synod will partner with the San Francisco Interfaith Council and the San Francisco police and fire departments to host an interfaith
Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer
memorial observing the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks. The installation service will take place at 2 pm at Grace Cathedral with light refreshments following.
“The diverse events surrounding my installation point to a God who joins us in worship, on the streets, at our jobs, and when we rollerskate,” said Bishop Rohrer. “During all the difficulties we have encountered through the pandemic, it is more important than ever to celebrate joy, hope, and love everywhere that we find it.” https://www.spselca.net/
GLBT Fortnight in Review Gay Clients Only at Ann’s Flowers I’ve just spent crucial deadline time exploring the question of when, why, and how an individual can claim an exemption to mandatory vaccine policies based on religious freedom. Why? Because, as a rule, mainstream Christianity has nothing to say on the subject of vaccines now, does it? True, there are those offbeat religions that forbid you to go to a doctor or give blood or what have you. So fine, have it out with your employer if your special sect says you can’t get a shot. But can you really just announce that you don’t believe in vaccines as a matter of faith if you’re a regular old Baptist or Methodist? Can you explain that to, let’s say, the U.S. Army? You know, one of the most irritating aspects of the whole insistence on “religious freedom” is that, legally, an individual’s personal belief is considered sacrosanct and is not evaluated by the court. So yes, an employee could argue that his or her religion means he or she cannot get a vaccine, even if said religion is silent on the matter. All that counts is the employee’s honest belief. On the other hand, the High Court has said that you can’t use your religion as an excuse to avoid generally applicable secular laws, so we have at least one ace in our hand to protect us from those who would play the faith card against a public authority. Now, we must hope that the High Court, which just upheld that precedent (Employment Division v Smith) in the recent case between Philadelphia and a Catholic foster care agency, continues to allow it to operate as intended. Last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled that Colorado’s GLBT-inclusive civil rights law was generally applicable and cannot be sidestepped by a Christian web designer who seeks to discriminate against same-sex wedding clients based on faith. That decision has been appealed to the Supreme Court, where we know at least three justices are hungry for just such a challenge. It takes four justices to accept review, so it was interesting to see the Court reject an antigay religious freedom petition the other day when it turned its back on the Arlene’s Florist wedding case out of Washington. Oh, and finally, while we’re on the subject, I did something to make the internet think that I am personally a wedding florist. I am now receiving almost daily emails informing me that some bride (it’s always a woman) is looking for a florist for her upcoming nuptials. It’s like an Angie’s List thing, but it’s something different. Maybe I should respond to one of these and explain that I don’t serve heterosexual clients. That’s a true statement after all. Sounds Like Some Sea Snakes May Be Lesbians Before we continue, I was glancing at a gay penguin story out of Melbourne, trying to decide whether or not to cover it, when I noticed a sidebar link about sex-crazed sea snakes. Now, we may have had our fill of gay penguins, but we’ve yet to skim the surface of sex-crazed sea snakes. On y va! According to an article in Scientific Reports, experts evaluated some thirty-year-old data from 158 encounters between humans and “Olive” sea snakes, which I gather are highly venomous. According to the analysis, the male snakes were looking to mate, while the female snakes were rushing past the humans
in order to hide from the male snakes. As far as I’m concerned, this gives the story a GLBT aspect. If the female snakes are so straight, then why are they trying to escape? As an article in The Hill explained: “Researchers believe that the male snakes are mistaking divers as rivals or potential mates, whereas the female snakes are using the divers as a way to flee and hide from males pursuing them.” Scientific Reports advises divers to sit back and enjoy the experience if a poisonous male snake attacks. “By staying still and allowing a sea snake to investigate them with its tongue, a diver is unlikely to escalate the encounter and be bitten,” the article says. I have a few questions. Why is The Hill covering sea snake news? And why are researchers examining data from 1995? Can’t they find something more recent to analyze? While we’re at it, who cares about a handful of snake encounters from back in the day? Who turned this into a fancy report to begin with? And how can any creature mistake a large human scuba diver for a “rival sea snake”? I just checked out Scientific Reports. The service began in 2011 “with an inclusive ethos, and a mission to publish high-quality research without selecting papers based on perceived impact or significance.” Ah, that explains a great deal. Freedom to Marry? As is often the case, I have my cousin to thank for a story out of North Carolina, where I had no idea people were still allowed to marry at age 14. According to The Guardian, some 13 states allow children under the age of 16 to get married under certain circumstances, nine of which have no minimum age. In the Tar Heel State, 14-year-olds could marry with the consent of a judge if they were pregnant. What the ... ? I know that the concept of childhood has greatly evolved in the last hundred years. And doesn’t every family have a sweet story about Grandma Mabel and PeePaw Pete who ran away together in their teens and stayed married for seventy years? But there is no legitimate reason for a 14 or 15-year-old girl (or boy) to make a lifetime commitment to someone else in this day and age, period. As for pregnant 14-year-olds, does anyone think a shotgun wedding in front of the local traffic judge is a good way to set the girl straight, so to speak? Now the state legislature has changed the law to prohibit marriage for those under 16, and to require the 16 and 17-year-olds to get parental permission and keep an age gap of four years maximum. Governor Roy Cooper is about to sign this bill, but it makes you wonder why the lawmakers couldn’t just make age 18 the rule and leave it at that. You can’t vote or drink at 17, but you can still get married? Why?
By Ann Rostow of Moab, Utah. I was struck by this because it was headlined as “missing couple” found dead, with no reference to sexual orientation. Believe me, ten or twenty years ago this story would have been blasted as a “lesbian” murder, or at the very least “two women killed” at campground. The notion that “couple” is no longer automatically a heterosexual term is significant, I find. That said, the details were not very pleasant. Seems as if these women, Crystal, 38, and her wife Kyle, 24, led a bohemian life, wandering around in a van, nomadland-style, with no fixed address. Recently, they texted their friends that they had encountered some weird guy, and after that, crickets. They were found dead with multiple gunshot wounds. One of their friends told People magazine that the bad guys “might have taken their lives physically, but they are not going to put their love light out.” Call me a cynic but, I’m sorry, whoever shot them did, in fact, “put their love light out.” They were killed and their “love light” was extinguished. Let’s not try to sugarcoat the situation. Was there a hate crime element? Stay tuned. And speaking of lesbian couples, I was reading about the Montgomery, Alabama, city council’s 5–4 decision to reject an inclusive civil rights bill (and I was wondering, do we really have the mental space for this mean little slap in the face?) when I noticed a headline about former Miss America, and former Miss Alabama, Deirdre Downs. I know I’ve written about Downs before, but this time I can tell you that she and her wife Abbott are expecting a baby.
reportedly hesitant Black community is still at 85 percent when it comes to LGBTQs, while those with just a high school degree were also up there at 87 percent. Why are we so wonderful? We are more likely to be urban, liberal, educated, and more amenable to medical interventions. And hey. Maybe we just don’t want to die right now. The survey extends to 76 pages, so I just breezed through it, but I did notice that only 23 percent of us have kids of any age, and most of these are women or transgender. This reminds me that I was intrigued by Pete Buttigieg and husband Chasten’s mysterious announcement that they have become parents. “For some time,” tweeted the Transportation Secretary, “Chasten and I have wanted to grow our family. We’re overjoyed to share that we’ve become parents! The process isn’t done yet and we’re thankful for the love, support, and respect for our privacy that has been offered to us. We can’t wait to share more soon.” Could the new fathers be waiting for formal adoption papers? Are they fostering? It sounds as if the little one, or ones, has been born. If so, I can see why they might hold back a bit, but surely, we could have a gender reveal. Guys? Finally, I found it interesting that the number one health concern for men and women under 55, both transgender and cisgender, was depression or other mental health concerns. Yet only about half the baby boomers listed depression or mental health as a main concern. Instead, the guys
strokes while the women were (still) fretting over their weight. Gonzo Gender Dysphoria I conclude this week with an apology for overlooking a message from our friends at One Million Moms, who alerted us to a disturbing episode of Muppet Babies, which aired on July 23. In the show, the character “Gonzo” wanted to wear a gown to the ball rather than go as a knight, which was the male option. With the help of a magic rat, Gonzo arrived in a beautiful dress and the other characters apologized for trying to impose gender rules. “It wasn’t very nice of us to tell you what to wear to our ball,” said Miss Piggy, while another character told Gonzo: “You’re our friend, and we love you any way you are.” In the end, all the characters were back at the ball where some of the females were wearing the knight outfits. “This is outrageous that Disney Junior is normalizing gender dysphoria to young children,” exclaimed Monica Cole with grammatical imprecision. “With such a liberal push in children’s entertainment, it is obvious where Disney Junior stands ... . This program makes it clear that Disney Junior has an LGBTQ agenda that it is forcing on extremely young audiences.” It’s outrageous! Huff with me! arostow@aol.com
Dr. Downs, who came out of the closet during med school and who has an 11-year-old son with her former husband, is pregnant after IVF and is expecting a girl in early September. She was crowned Miss America in 2005. Oh, and Mobile, Alabama, is home to one of the last lesbian bars in the country. I know this because I am on a Google news page under the query “Montgomery Alabama gay,” where I have learned next to nothing about the Montgomery civil rights vote but lots about other Alabama things. It’s called “Herz.” The bar. Don’t Worry, Be Happy Check out the 15th LGBTQ Community Survey (from CMI Media, the Human Rights Campaign, and Wells Fargo) for a sense of what over 15,000 members of our favorite, fabulous community had to say for themselves, but take particular note of the fact that some 92 percent of us have had at least one vaccine shot. Even the
were worried about heart attacks or
The irritating thing is that these are (many of) the same people who wanted gay men and lesbians to be banned from marriage completely and forever. No marriage for us, while little Suzy Smith with the Girl Scout cookies is free to tie the knot with that stringy guy who sometimes works for Dave at the gas station because, well, those crazy kids say they’re in love and it looks like they’re starting a little family to boot. Well, good luck to ‘em is all I’ll say. Reminds me of Grandma Mabel and PeePaw. Remember the story? Sweet Home Alabama So, here’s a tragic story about a lesbian couple murdered in some remote camping grounds outside S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES
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Milk + Alice LGBTQ Dems Happy Hour
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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2021)
The annual joint summer Happy Hour for the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club and the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club took place this year on Monday, August 16, at the Twin Peaks Tavern in the heart of the Castro. The two clubs wanted to show solidarity on certain key issue positions— such as being against recalling Governor Gavin Newsom—in addition to networking and enjoying the festive mixer. Over the years, there has been some overlap between the two clubs. Zahra Hajee who attended the mixer, for example, serves on the Executive Board of the Milk Club (At-Large, Seat #5) and is also in the Communications Committee of the Alice Club. District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who also attended, has supported both clubs and was even formerly president of the Milk Club. In one image, Miriam Zouzounis from the South West Asian North African (SWANA) SF Democratic Club is with Matt Dorsey, Director of Strategic Communications for the San Francisco Police Department; Joseph Sweiss of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission; and Alice Club Co-Chair Gary McCoy. Gary’s husband, Kory Powell-McCoy of Vanguard Properties, also came to the well-attended event where guests wore face masks due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club: https://www.alicebtoklas.org/ Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club: https://www.milkclub.org/
Mayor Breed Declares August as Transgender History Month in San Francisco On August 24, during the 55th anniversary year of the Compton’s Cafeteria Riots, Mayor Breed declared August to be Transgender History Month in San Francisco. Developed in partnership with the Transgender District and Office of Transgender Initiatives, the proclamation signing at City Hall launched a month of celebrating the history and cultural milestones of transgender people in San Francisco. Sister Roma emceed the event that included community speakers and honorees Tamara Ching, Camille Moran, Cecilia Chung, and more. Also giving remarks was Honey Mahogany, trans activist and chair of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee. The event concluded with the raising of the transgender pride flag over City Hall.
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As shown in this photo, attendees included Milk Club President Michael “Rick” Pacurar (left). Pacurar founded the Harvey Milk AIDS Education Fund and devoted much of his life to state and local politics and to AIDS activism. Sadly, he died of meningitis and complications of HIV/AIDS at age 47. To his right is Stonewall Club President Wayne Moore and Alice Club President Sal Rosselli, who is now President of the National Union of Healthcare Workers. Next to Rosselli is labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez (1927–1993), whose many achievements include co-founding the National Farm Workers Association, which later merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to become the United Farm Workers labor union. At the far right is Pat Norman, acclaimed for her activism on behalf of women as well as the Black and LGBTQ communities. With Del Martin she co-founded the Lesbian Mothers Union (later known as Lesbian Mothers and Friends) and was the first openly gay employee of the San Francisco Health Department and the first openly lesbian Black individual on the San Francisco Police Commission. In the docuseries When We Rise, based on Cleve Jones’ memoir, Norman was portrayed by Whoopi Goldberg.
https://www.transgenderdistrictsf.com/events
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The Riot Party The Tenderloin is home to The Transgender District, created in 2018 as Compton’s Transgender Cultural District, the nation’s first legally recognized district dedicated to the transgender, nonbinary, and intersex community. On August 29, the District will be hosting a neighborhood block party, “The Riot Party,” featuring food, live music, performances, and more. The event will also honor community members who have advanced trans rights in San Francisco and beyond.
Mayor London Breed signed the proclamation declaring August to be Transgender Month in San Franicsco on August 25. Photo credit: sfmayor.org
Rink Photo Throwback an Francisco Bay Times lead photographer Rink has attended mixers for the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club and the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club for decades. A particularly memorable one took place in 1985 at the then Luisa’s Cafe Continental at 544 Castro Street.
SFMAYOR.ORG
Mayor Breed announced several critical trans and LGBTQ community investments that were included in her recently signed citywide budget, including: • a first of its kind Guaranteed Income Project for the Trans Community, prioritizing San Francisco residents most impacted by the pandemic and those disconnected from other benefits;
• an LGBTQ Senior Tele-mental health program and expanded digital access services; • support for small businesses and arts and cultural programs, including $12 million to acquire a site to house the country’s first full-scale LGBTQ Museum; • policies and initiatives that aim to break the cycle of violence and discrimination against transgender communities, especially against Black trans women who experience disproportionate levels of violence.
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“I still miss those I loved who are no longer with me but I find that I am grateful for having loved them. The gratitude has finally conquered the loss.” – Rita Mae Brown
ack in San Francisco, it didn’t take long to be reminded of how special this place truly is! In short, after a 10-day self-imposed isolation and a fresh, negative COVID at-home test, we felt ready to emerge with proper precautions into the world again.
We spent a totally unstructured afternoon with Gary Virginia that included spirited stops at 440 Castro and Moby Dick, supporting local businesses and catching up after a long separation. We popped in with Peanut to visit a friend who also lives the high-rise life, but with stunning views of the Bay Bridge and downtown, and reminisced while pondering when, if ever, this punishing pandemic will end. And we spent a carefree afternoon in Dolores Park, soft grass beneath our feet and fresh summer air in our lungs, gazing on the panoramic view of San Francisco. As if there were any doubt, we are home. Beautiful weather, a restless puppy, and our own longing for personal contact all led us to Flagging in the Park on Sunday. Remarkably, flagging is not as well-known across the globe as it is here in San Francisco, where it has become a symbol of joyous freedom at many dances, street fairs, and other gatherings. Loosely defined as the skillful manipulation of brightly colored fabric swatches, flagging in the LGBTQ+ Community often includes sexy dance moves, toned bodies, and ecstatic performers. We have included flagging in several of our own performances, as far back as Reunion at City Hall during Pride, a command performance of Skyfall for Imperial Coronation several years ago, and pre-show entertainment at Chase Center for the Golden State Warriors’ first LGBTQ Night in 2019. The AIDS Memorial Grove has been the setting for periodic Flagging in the Park for years and after such a long period of social isolation, it was like a desperately needed blood transfusion! The broad grove was bathed in sunlight, several hundred smiling folks had created little encampments with blankets, coolers, and sun protection, and DJ David Harness embraced us all with glorious music. Photos and videos can only suggest the energy and beauty of swirling color, sparkling sunlight, and human connection. Among those in the grove were Xavier Caylor, Suzan Revah & Tim Mahaffey, Steven Satyricon & Andrew Darling, Ira Olney, Race Bannon & Mike Pierce, Laura Hodges & Michael Pere, Jouke Janning, and Rick LeBlanc. All this and money was raised for the Oakland LGBTQ Center! We end this column with words of remembrance for two gentlemen who recently died. Many warm stories will be told by those more qualified than we are of James Hormel’s expansive generosity and political acumen, but Jim had become a friend over 20 years of running into each other at events, sharing community passions, and exchanging ideas. Reading his autobiography Fit to Serve gave me an even clearer picture of the man behind the name. One personal remembrance springs to mind from 2010. Jim had been announced as Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshal of the SF Pride Parade and we were most anxious to have him attend Gary Virginia & Donna Sachet’s Pride Brunch, already a very popular event, but especially enjoyable when the Grand Marshals would come and address the crowd. In our opinion, hearing remarks from and having a chance to meet such an extraordinary local hero would be great for the attendees, most of them friends and supporters from the LGBTQ+ Community. When Jim said he had not planned on scheduling that Saturday morning event, we were crestfallen. When he saw our disappointment, he said he would see what he could do, but I had little hope of seeing him at Pride Brunch. After all, isn’t this the first openly Gay man to serve as an Ambassador of the United States, underwriter of the Lesbian & Gay Center of the SF Library, co-founder of HRC, and so much more? Whether it was specifically for us or because he knew the impact of a Grand Marshal appearing and speaking at this fundraiser for PRC, Jim Hormel came to Pride Brunch and our audience was engaged, inspired, and amused. Thank you, Jim. When Harry Denton approached us about a drag brunch in the legendary Starlight Room of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, we couldn’t quite get our head around it. We knew him from social circles and enjoyed his energy and enthusiasm for San Francisco, but would this unusual idea work? We asked for a rough run-through before the first public event, sort of an audition, to establish the basics of the show. We opened with a theme song, basically rewritten lyrics to a classic song with an upbeat tempo and room to speak directly to the audience. When we came off stage, Harry said, “You sing live?! We are going to be a hit!” And the rest is history! 12 years of weekly shows, hundreds of pleased patrons, wonderfully talented cast members, and all because this creative man, in collaboration with Michael Pagan, the Starlight Room manager, believed in us and gave us a chance. Harry Denton left the city he loved some years ago and died this week. I hope he knew how grateful we were and how much he was loved.
Friday, August 27 Divas & Drinks: 45th Anniversary of Dykes on Bikes® San Francisco Bay Times & The Academy partner again! Follow the roar of motorcycles to The Academy for this fun party Donna Sachet hosts, special guests galore The Academy, 2166 Market Street 6–10 pm $10 https://tinyurl.com/p2mfpwcs Tuesday, August 31 & Wednesday, September 1 SF Gay Men’s Chorus Auditions Your chance to audition to be a part of this group Register online www.sfgmc.org Wednesday, September 8 Golden Gate Gaymes Night Imperial Court of SF sponsored title event Help select Mr., Miss, and Mx. Golden Gate @ Lookout, 3600 16th Street 6–9 pm www.imperialcouncilsf.org Sunday, September 19 Golden Gate Gaymes & Picnic Imperial Court of SF sponsored title event Outdoor competition & shenanigans Mariposa Bay Front Park, 824 Terry A. Francois Boulevard 11 am–5 pm www.imperialcouncilsf.org Sunday, September 19 Golden Gate Finale & Crowning Wrap-up of contest & raffle ticket sales Powerhouse Bar, 1347 Folsom Street 6–9 pm www.imperialcouncilsf.org
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
PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT
PHOTO COURTESY OF DONNA SACHET
In closing, make sure that friend, that relative, even that casual acquaintance knows that they are appreciated for who they are and how they make you feel. Do it today. Thanks.
Donna with Harry Denton at the legendary Starlight Room where Harry launched the famous Sunday's A Drag Brunch
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DYKES ON BIKES® 45 YEARS (continued from page 2) to June, finding volunteers to help register and line up riders early on Pride Sunday and securing the Road Captains who will help ensure motorcyclist safety for the duration of the short, but exhilarating Pride Parade Ride. The San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® organizers work throughout the weekend of Pride, arriving at Market Street as early as 6:30 am the morning of the Parade to begin preparations to register and line up eager and excited Pride celebrants and their motorcycles. And following the Parade, after all the motorcycles have parked, this small group takes a much-needed break, enjoying what is now a tradition of lunch together while they relive the joyful chaos of the previous four and a half hours. More than once, one will hear a patch-holding member exclaim about the entire day’s activities: “It’s so much work—but it’s always worth it.” Looking Towards 50+ While 2021’s LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations were markedly different from the typical Parade down Market Street, the San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® WMC was still there to kick off events. The June SF Pride Movie Night at Oracle Park included the surprise presence of Dykes on Bikes® riding around the compressed dirt track that defines the playing field inside the San Francisco Giants stadium—a truly unique motorcycle route. 2021 also marked the second year that the San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® escorted the Pink Torch Procession through Oakland and San Francisco, proudly taking the Torch on the last leg of the journey to the top of Twin Peaks where Mayor Breed and Speaker Pelosi symbolically lit Patrick Carney’s Pink Triangle canvas with 2700 pink LED lights from the nonprofit art organization Illuminate. In 2021, as San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® WMC celebrates its 45th anniversary, the members are already looking towards their 50th and beyond. Under the direction and guidance of Emeritus Patchholder Dr. Sheila Malone, the group has begun the archival process for close to 5 decades worth of material encompassing everything from meeting minutes to party fliers, chapter patches to photographs, and even motorcycle tanks and personal effects of key figures within the Dykes on Bikes® community. The San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® is proud of its role in the history of LGBTQ+ rights and equality. The organization is working to ensure that its story is properly preserved and made accessible to anyone seeking to learn more about the history of Dykes on Bikes® as well as individual members, past and present, who embrace with dignity their identity as dykes every time their motorcycles rumble down Market Street, an audible and visual confirmation of LGBTQ+ equality. Kate Brown, Ph.D., is the President of San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® Women’s Motorcycle Contingent. DYKES ON BIKES® INTERNATIONAL (continued from page 3) that celebrates and supports all motorcycle-enthusiast womyn, increases queer visibility, performs community service, and fundraises. Dykes on Bikes® PDX was founded in 2013 with Cassie Moore holding Presidency since 2016, along with present Board members Laura Mangano (Secretary), Liz Byron (Treasurer), Kathy Monnot (Webmaster), along with officer Rachel Kimzey (Road Captain). Prior to the pandemic, DOB ® PDX ran monthly bingo events at local queer-owned or queer-supported bars or restaurants, such as Crush or Escape; and regularly partnered with local queer and youth organizations to provide funds and resources to local organizations—such as SYMRC (Sexual & Gender Minority Youth Resource Center), New Avenues for Youth, and in coordination with the Border Riders MC, Bad Girls Club, and Dirty Bingo PDX—supporting local gay and trans youth and adults. DOB ® PDX is committed to combating discrimination, and is open to learning, evolving, educating, and striving for a more equitable future for all. Along with providing security for events such as the Trans Pride Parade and community meetings, DOB ® PDX also works closely with local groups such as the Sweethearts of Portland and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, providing and sharing necessary resources in the queer community and beyond. DOB ® PDX was also excited to have its second Pride Ride in July 2021, in coordination with the gay men’s Border Riders MC, in response to COVID-19 restrictions of Pride events nationwide. Continuing visibility of the LGBTQ+ community throughout Oregon and beyond continues to be a forefront mission of the DOB ® PDX. As Dykes on Bikes® celebrates its 45th year, DOB ® PDX looks forward to celebrating and supporting the next generation of dyke and queer-identifying individuals and the communities that care, support, and empower them. http://www.dykesonbikespdx.org/
TING (continued from page 7) San Franciscans, regardless of their race or economic status, deserve an opportunity to serve on a jury. Let’s give everyone a chance to participate in the justice system without harming their finances by compensating them fairly for their work. 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 7) factor to many additional severe and fatal crashes. AB 43 is a smart, prevention-focused strategy to save lives in communities across California. Councilmember At-Large and Council President Rebecca Kaplan was elected in 2008 to serve as Oakland’s citywide Councilmember; she was re-elected in 2016 and 2020. She also serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC). Follow Councilmember Kaplan on Twitter @Kaplan4Oakland ( https://twitter.com/ Kaplan4Oakland ) and Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/ Kaplan4Oakland/ ).
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Jewelle Gomez
‘Add to Cart’ Leave Signs Jewelle Gomez Long ago, when I lived in Manhattan, I sublet my apartment for several months while I moved in with a lover in the Bronx. A friend, Stacy. sublet my place and agreed to periodically bring me my mail. Okay, yes, I was so uncertain about this experiment that I didn’t want to change my mailing address! As a sister lesbian, Stacy was aware of how tentative impetuous romantic arrangements could be and was very understanding. In the 1980s, everything was still so covert and many lesbians yearned desperately to belong with/to someone, so we tended to commit quickly just because, say, we both liked to watch Beauty and the Beast. There was even a standard joke: What do lesbians do on their second date? Rent a U-Haul. After meeting up with the intrepid Stacy lugging a shopping bag full of my mail order catalogues, I relieved her from the duty, asking her to ditch the catalogues and to forward any letters. The catalogues went into the trash bin (there was no recycling yet). Away went hours of fantasy: L.L. Bean, Soft Surroundings, Vermont Country Store, West Elm,
and Harry and David! Young, heterosexual women had bridal magazines to fuel their imaginations; lesbians had Hammacher Schlemmer and its amazing gadgets. When I tried the experiment again, I gave up my Manhattan apartment; but a year later it became clear that neither of us were ready for co-habitation. Within weeks I moved so quickly, so efficiently that I didn’t begin to grieve until I came home from work the first time and opened my door to my solitary cat. I cried, mourning all of the hope that had gone into that U-Haul.
Lillian Vernon
This is where Lillian saved my life. She was not a new girlfriend, although I spoke of her as if she were. The Lillian Vernon catalogue was/ is a potpourri of mostly small items, many of which cost under $15 plus shipping. So began my retail therapy. I wasn’t making a huge salary, but weighed against other expenses— a bottle of wine, a movie alone—she was a low budget extravagance. Every other day I ordered something from Lillian— monogrammed mugs (2), Halloween lights (2), pen organizer (1), salad spinner (1), flamingo salt & pepper shakers (1 set), cat toys (innumerable), etc. And every other day I’d come home to a small gift on my apartment door step. When done continually, each gift was a surprise, raising those important serotonin levels. Others might mend their broken hearts with exercise or therapy; I used presents. Years later I discovered that there really was a
Lillian Vernon (1927–2015), who was iconic! She escaped Nazi Germany with her parents and learned her enthusiasm for entrepreneurship from her father. Once married, wondering just how many toasters a bride needed, she used her wedding gifts to start her mail order company at age 24! Her catalogue business was the first company founded by a woman to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange. But she wasn’t just a successful capitalist; she was also progressive. She supported charities like Meals on Wheels and Democratic political activity like Emily’s List and Barack Obama’s campaign. It is no wonder her little inexpensive widgets helped heal my heart! Thirty years later and finding myself in a pandemic, shut inside my home (with a delightful spouse of 28 years), I turned to shopping online to relieve the monotony of nowhere to go. Despite knowing that at my
age there’s little I actually need, I too joined the legions: COVID-19 masks (27 so far), t-shirts (7), pants (3), books (10), holiday lights (3), etc. I promised myself to pass on one item for every one purchased! But the phrase “add to cart” plucks the same joyful strings as did the sight of small packages on my doorstep decades ago. Every year on Lillian Vernon’s birthday (March 18), even though her company belongs to a conglomerate now, I buy something from her online catalogue to salute her persistence and remember how tiny things can help mend a heart.
She’s written for “The Advocate,” “Ms. Magazine,” “Black Scholar,” “The San Francisco Chronicle,” “The New York Times,” and “The Village Voice.” Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @VampyreVamp
Jewelle Gomez is a lesbian/feminist activist, novelist, poet, and playwright.
Women’s Equality Day 2021 Today, August 26, is Women’s Equality Day, which commemorates the 1920 adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that prohibits the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of this nation on the basis of sex. Among the local events scheduled to mark Women’s Equality Day is the #WChallenge with supporting partner Women’s March San Francisco. At noon, WChallenge founder and San Francisco City Administrator Carmen Chu along with other women leaders and allies are scheduled to gather on the steps of San Francisco City Hall to hear about ways of supporting women’s wellbeing and community health, as well as expanding the representation of women.
to drop off at City Hall or to visit the Voting Center after the event. In addition to Chu, the WChallenge is a collaboration of the Department on the Status of Women and the League of Women Voters San Francisco with the overall goal of raising women’s voices and expanding women’s representation. https://wchallenge.org/ School House Rock Women’s Suffrage Movement: https://tinyurl.com/3ymu2s2f
Participants were encouraged to bring their completed and signed ballets S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES
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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2021)
New Version of Berlin Alexanderplatz Has Soul, Heart, and Spirit
Film Gary M. Kramer A new adaptation of Alfred Döblin’s Berlin Alexanderplatz arrives on DVD August 31. (It is also available on demand.) This sweeping, 3-hour epic about good and evil is decidedly different than the celebrated 1980 Rainer Werner Fassbinder version set in the 1920s. Here, the protagonist is Francis (Welket Bungué), a refugee from Guinea-Bissou who arrives in contemporary Germany hoping for a better life, only to get trapped in the criminal underworld. Director Burhan Qurbani, who also co-wrote the screenplay, opens his film with a striking, upside-down shot of Francis and Ida (Thola von Hulbert) in the ocean as she drowns. It is a memory that haunts Francis in the shower, or at other times in his fateful life; a symbol of loss and grief. It also is why he swears to be a good man. However, as the film’s narrator—later revealed to be Mieze ( Jella Haase)—explains, Francis fails to be decent, and becomes broken instead. As Berlin Alexanderplatz unfolds in five parts plus an epilogue, viewers experience his story of survival and resilience. Qurbani shoots his film in a bright, glossy style that provides a notable contrast with the seediness of the characters and their environment. It’s an interesting choice, but one that pulls viewers into the action. The saga begins with Francis working a construction job. After he helps an injured coworker, he gets fired for his actions. This prompts him to hook up with Reinhold (Albrecht Schuch), a flunkie for Pums ( Joachim Król), a local (and possibly queer) gangster. Reinhold offers the undocumented African workers jobs dealing drugs. Francis is reluctant to participate, but he asks the seductive and convincing Reinhold for a passport in exchange for his loyalty. Reinhold quickly exacts a hold on Francis, whom he renames Franz. A parasitic relationship develops between them. Reinhold eggs Francis on to share the women he brings home and abandons, and the two men treat each other tenderly, even sharing a bath. Reinhold calls Franz his brother, but he is untrustworthy, luring Francis in, gaining his confidence, and using him. Moreover, Francis is told by Eva (Annabelle Mandeng), a nightclub owner, and her trans lover Berta (Nils Verkooijen), that Reinhold will only exploit him. They care for Francis one night when he trips on
drugs. (Reinhold slips him something with a kiss.) Eva and Berta, who are voices of reason, later introduce Francis to Mieze, a sex worker. Mieze takes Francis in after he is seriously injured. While Francis and Mieze fall in love, Reinhold becomes jealous and determined to spoil their happiness. Berlin Alexanderplatz crackles because Welket Bungué is magnetic in the central role. Francis endures considerable hardships, but the actor makes his heartbreaking character sympathetic with every reversal of fortune. Bungué plays Francis as a striver and a victim; he has little control over his circumstances, but it is his palpable wrestling with good and evil—wanting to do right but making bad choices—that makes the film so engaging. Bungué conveys Francis’ restlessness through in
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his body language. He is coiled up in some scenes, seething with rage at times, or strutting with a confidence that suggests having power that turns out to be tenuous at best. Bungué is well matched by Jella Haase, who turns in a slinky performance as Mieze, a young woman who, like Francis, is equal parts tough and fragile. But it is Albrecht Schuch, as Reinhold, who gives the film’s most dynamic turn. Wired and wily, Reinhold plays hurt and fragile, but snaps and seizes control. He is a petty man who tries to curry favor with Pums, although Pums is more enamored with the hungry, observant Francis. Just as Reinhold is jealous towards Mieze he also envies the dynamic between Pums and Francis. Berlin Alexanderplatz is both gripping and painful as Reinhold manipulates
things to cause Francis and others harm. Qurbani keeps the action nimble—the film’s three hours pass very quickly— even during the lengthy third part where Mieze and Francis’ romantic relationship develops. The middle act sets up the film’s escalating, melodramatic climaxes. These episodes are effectively presented in arresting set pieces and feature some nifty camerawork. The film is especially well lensed, despite some arty, unnecessary moments depicting Francis encountering a bull—a clunky symbol for his struggles. There is a fabulous, decadent costume party given by Eva and Berta, which also gets at the racism inherent in Francis and Reinhold’s rela-
tionship. (Francis is given an ape costume, while Reinhold shows up as a Great White Hunter.) The film uses this motif and other scenes as a way of commenting on “the New Germany,” and the immigrant crisis This version of Berlin Alexanderplatz is full of despair, but it also has considerable soul, spirit, and heart. © 2021 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer
DYKES ON BIKES® ON FILM Women from Dykes on Bikes® were in the 2018 film The Mule, where they have a passing encounter with the character played by this famous actor/director: A) Quentin Tarantino
B) Spike Lee
C) Clint Eastwood
D) Diane Keaton
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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2021)
Hearts on the Streets of San Francisco
The glory that was Rome is of another day I’ve been terribly alone and forgotten in Manhattan I’m going home to my city by the Bay I left my heart in San Francisco Most people have never heard the opening of one of the most famous, iconic songs in the world. Whether they knew the verse, they certainly know the refrain. Millions of people have left their hearts right here on our streets as they have departed from dreamy vacations. They actually left their hearts and a good bit of cash that fueled our economy for decades. I am one of them. For many years, I visited gay mecca as often as possible, and every single time, grieved as I packed my bags and headed home. OK, the grief was exacerbated by the fact that on the other end of that flight was the brown, flat plains of Texas. No shade. Literally.
In December 1961, in the famous “Venetian Room” at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, Tony Bennett first sang “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” I would never have imagined that a chorus of mine would perform a song beloved by generations—for the man synonymous with it—and
Tim with Bobby Jo and Tater Tot holding “hearts” in Portland, Oregon
Heart sculpture located at the Lyon Street Steps
Now, many of those leaving are using moving vans instead of matching luggage. Literally tens of thousands of residents have left their hearts littering the quaint neighborhoods, hair-raising hills, and enchanting fingers of fog drifting down past Sutro Tower. They left because San Francisco’s “golden sun” could no longer shine for them. Even the sun’s rent went up. Oh, and the little cable cars stopped running! They found that the cost of living in other locations was just too appealing to refuse. The number of hearts left behind in the streets exploded during the pandemic. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, “The number of households leaving in 2019 and 2020 leaped by more than 77% or roughly 35,000 more households than previous years.” The number jumped from 45,263 in 2019 to 80,371 in 2020. The majority relocated to other Bay Area counties. The destinations outside the Bay Area that were most popular were Austin, Denver, and Portland. There will be more on those three destinations later in this article.
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There is some good news in the Chronicle article. “The pattern suggests that San Francisco rent prices could continue to fall as rental and home prices rise in the suburbs. Even if the city’s apartment occupancy goes up, San Francisco could be less dense, as more people can afford to live alone or with one roommate rather than doubling or tripling up.”
the city. In my years here, we’ve had not one, but two amazing opportunities to perform for Tony Bennett and even sing his iconic song.
Now back to the song that started this all off, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” People all over the world know this iconic song. Most can sing some of it. Many shouldn’t. They probably only know the first seven words of the refrain anyway. What could go wrong?
The first was on Valentine’s Day 2012. The chorus gathered at City Hall with a thousand friends and fans crammed in the space to honor the Mr. Bennett on the golden anniversary of his signature song. It was filled with artists and musicians who performed. At the end of the
A heart sculpture located in Union Square
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SFGHF.ORG
The Hearts in San Francisco sculpture project, organized by the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation, has introduced new artworks each year since 2004.
of his 90th birthday. The chorus was once again invited to sing the iconic song for Mr. Bennett. On June 2, 2018, the 18-time Grammy winner helped celebrate the unveiling of Tony Bennett Way, located in front of the Fairmont Hotel, with a deathdefying stunt—repelling down the façade of the hotel before performing his signature song. Finally, at noon on Saturday, April 25, 2020, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and the shelterin-place orders for people across the U.S., San Franciscan residents sang “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in unison from their residences and other places of sheltering as a tribute to the spirit of the city and its fight to keep the virus in check. Tony Bennett led the sing-along. At 95, he just released a new duet album with Lady Gaga! No one represents the heart of San Francisco more than Tony Bennett.
(above) Tony Bennett sang “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” on his 90th birthday in a ceremony at The Fairmont San Francisco where a statue of him was dedicated in 2016. (left) Tim Seelig conducted a combined chorus, including the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, San Francisco Boys Chorus and Girls Chorus and more in singing to Tony Bennett at SF City Hall on Valentine’s Day, 2012.
Earlier, I mentioned there would be more about the three top destinations for those moving outside the Bay Area. As I look toward retirement in a year, all three were possibilities. My best friend moved mid-pandemic to Denver. Of course, most of you know I came from Texas. I voted down both Denver and Texas: Denver for no specific reason, and Texas because, well, Texas. That left Portland. That’s it. That’s the place. In August 2022, you’ll find Bobby Jo and me drinking a glass of Oregon wine by the Columbia River! But we have an entire 11 months to do it all. With a deadline ahead, we’ll do all those things you put off when you live here thinking, “Oh, I have no time for that.” I do have time: now! Of all the things I have left to do it is to conduct my 10th season with the chorus, finishing off 35 years of “waving my arms at the gays.” We have our usual holiday extravaganzas planned with eight concerts—finishing with our final three on Christmas Eve at the Castro Theatre. In the spring there will be an incredible world premiere titled Songs of the Phoenix being curated by Broadway Composer Andrew Lippa. It is being composed even as we speak by an incredibly diverse group of lyricists and composers. The talent is amazing and includes two icons: Stephen Schwartz and Stephen Sondheim! Finally, I get to have my big swan (trust me, it’s a big ass swan) song at Davies Symphony Center on July 12, 2022. I’ll need to sit down and take a breath.
But there’s more! One of my very favorite things in San Francisco is discovering beautiful, unique hearts around the city. I absolutely love them. In 2004, the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation inaugurated a fundraiser with 130 large heart sculptures. They were created by artists and placed around the city for the public to enjoy before being auctioned to benefit the foundation.
Will I leave my heart in San Francisco? Absolutely. No question about it. I will leave my heart and so much more, including the people I love, the chorus that is my logical family, and a delightful 11-year-old granddaughter, Clara Sky.
Each year, a limited series of hearts are created and auctioned. As many as 30+ new painted hearts are added to the streets of San Francisco each year. They have their debut at Union Square and then find a home around the city. The total is now more than 350 and they have raised more than $27 million since 2004. The hearts are a beautiful reminder of how our hearts live here—and they have done a world of good for patients at SF General.
When I come home to you, San Francisco
My love waits there in San Francisco Above the blue and windy sea
Your golden sun will shine for me When I come home to you, San Francisco Your golden sun will shine for me And, I know it will! Dr. Tim Seelig is the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.
SAN FRANICSCO GENERAL HOSPITAL
The music was written by George Cory, with lyrics by Douglass Cross. It found its way to Tony Bennett through Ralph Sharon, Bennett’s longtime accompanist. Sharon brought the music along when he and Bennett were on their way to performances at San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TIM SEELIG
The loveliness of Paris seems somehow sadly grey
The second was on August 19, 2016. In honor of his 90th birthday, a statue of Mr. Bennett was unveiled outside the Fairmont Hotel in honor
SAN FRANCISCO GENERAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
Dr. Tim Seelig
ceremony, I was especially thrilled to lead the entire crowd in singing the song. It was out of this world as the voices bounced all over that enormous acoustical bathroom.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TIM SEELIG
TLC: Tears, Laughs and Conversation
I hadn’t been here a hot minute before deciding to get a brandnew arrangement of the song by our Composer In Residence, James Eakin. We began to sing it and are still doing so 11 years later. It’s just part of who we are as people and as a chorus.
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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2021)
From Ru Paul to Tallulah Bankhead, Larry Edmunds Bookshop Is the Place to Be! are nearby, providing owner Jeffrey Mantor and Sean Hathwell with colorful characters visiting.
Off the Wahl Jan Wahl Three glorious hours in Larry Edmunds Bookshop on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles is movie buff heaven. Posters, lobby cards, and scripts abound, but it is the books that rock this place off its foundation. From Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights (it is beyond all right, all right, all right!) to Mean, Moody and Magnificent: Jane Russell and the Marketing of a Hollywood Legend ... from the out of print to the out of this world, the books are alive and exciting. Let’s set the scene. Larry Edmunds has been around since 1938. Edmunds himself is gone, but the people who worked with him kept the store up and running, deciding to focus on pirated books from Europe, including erotica and Henry Miller. In those days, all merchandise was wrapped in brown paper bags, which they use today as an homage. When they turned the focus on showbiz and Hollywood books and memorabilia, the nearby studios came running for research and information. Hollywood Boulevard used to have many bookstores, but now Edmunds is all that’s left. Still, it was a perfect location back in the day, in 1973 next door to the famed Pussycat Theatre with the first punk club in L.A. in its basement. Ru Paul’s World of Wonder shop and production office
When Ru Paul signed his book GuRu, copies were sold out. No surprise there. John Cleese, Shirley Jones, Chelsea Handler, author Eve Golden, and so many more have dropped by. Faye Dunaway was researching a new book on the making of Mommy Dearest, so she came in and studied about Miss Joan. The fabulous Czar of Noir, Eddie Mueller, is a regular, and was recently signing his updated Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir. Eddie is our own local, and the best part of my favorite channel: Turner Classic Movies.
floodgates for serious LBGTQ film history was Vito Russo’s The Celluloid Closet. Hollywood Babylon, William Mann’s Behind the Screen: How Lesbians and Gays Shaped Hollywood, is one of my personal favorites. When the
While at the bookstore, spending every penny I had, I was able to talk shop with Sean, a knowledgeable and friendly guy. “Director Quentin Tarantino, who has been coming here since he was a young one, Peter Bogdanovich, Jim Jarmusch, Orson Welles. It’s a director’s paradise found,” he told me. “Spike Lee was in here, buying up all of his photos since he was out of his own. Our modern audiences seem to love film noir, but musicals and silent films appeal to younger people, too. Marilyn is always popular. Michael Jackson would buy tons of Disney; Morrissey loved ‘50s teen idols like Tab Hunter. Tippi Hedren was sweet and full of Hitchcock stories; Illeana Douglas brought acting colleagues to read from her book I Blame Dennis Hopper. Her family took Easy Rider seriously and led the family on a nomadic lifestyle. I meet amazing people, musicians and regular folks discovering the world of Hollywood, past and present.” I asked Sean about LBGTQ books. He was on it. “These books were originally hard to find. But around the time of the AIDS crisis, interesting and intellectual books began to appear. The opening of the
documentary came out about Scotty Bowers, his Full Service sold out quickly. Mann’s book about William Haines, Wisecracker, does well. Boze Hadleigh has two good books, Hollywood Gays and Hollywood Lesbians. It is now a thriving genre.” I was able to get many books shipped to me safely since travel and books are heavy lifting. Larry Edmunds has a website, but with the Motion Picture Academy Museum opening on October 1st of this year, maybe another trip down to L.A. is called for ... I’ll see you there at Larry Edmunds. And I’ll see you at Respect, the terrific new biopic about Aretha Franklin. Everything works in this long, but engrossing movie about the Queen of Soul. It shines as she will forever. Larry Edmunds Bookshop https://www.larryedmunds.com/ Respect https://tinyurl.com/6veab6cp Jan Wahl is a Hollywood historian, film critic on various broadcast outlets, and has her own YouTube channel series, “Jan Wahl Showbiz.” She has two Emmys and many awards for her longtime work on behalf of film buffs and the LGBTQ community. Contact her at www.janwahl.com
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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2021)
Ajuan Mance: Black Art from the Edge of the Universe The African American Art & Culture Complex (AAACC) in San Francisco is now presenting the artwork of Ajuan Mance, a talented out and proud member of our LGBTQ community and a longtime participant in the Bay Area arts scene. Members of our San Francisco Bay Times team have admired Mance’s unique comic illustrative style and highly recommend this powerful and uplifting exhibit entitled Black Art from the Edge of the Universe. As of this writing, it is scheduled to close on August 28 and reserved dates are sold out, but demand has been so high that there is a chance it will be extended. We hope so! Mance’s iconic imagery gives life to her sharp political and social commentary. As she says, “I want to use drawing and painting and digital collage to create a universe in which anything is possible.” A Professor of English at Mills College in Oakland, Mance has been an artist and writer for as long as she can remember. In both her scholarly writing and her visual art, she explores the complexities of race, gender, and identity. She has shown her work at exhibitions and festivals from the Bay Area to Brooklyn. Her illustrations and comics have appeared in several anthologies, including, most recently, Drawing Power from Abrams Press, winner of the 2020 Eisner Award for Best Anthology; She Votes, from Chronicle Books; COVID Chronicles: A Comics Antholog y, from Penn State University Press; and others. For a look at some of Mance’s digital works: https://tinyurl.com/ynr3zuyx Eventbrite page for the new exhibit: https://tinyurl.com/y697hyt2 Additional info about the exhibit, with a link to the AAACC site: http://ajuanmance.net/
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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2021)
Top of your stack
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOOK PASSAGE
(Editor’s Note: This issue marks the launch of a new column in the San Francisco Bay Times from Book Passage, an innovator in bringing the world’s finest authors to the Bay Area. Their Corte Madera and San Francisco stores are among our favorite bookshops not just for this region, but for any area as they are some of the best in the world and their team is exceptional. It is little wonder that presidents, prelates, network anchors, front-line journalists, Nobel Prize-winners, and first-time novelists have all been part of the thousands of authors who have spoken at Book Passage. This pandemic time has also given us greater appreciation for books in all of their forms: hard copy, audio, and e-books. They can impart in-depth information, take us out of ourselves, open our minds to new ideas and perspectives, stimulate our imagination, and cause us to slow our often-racing minds down to savor the moment. In short, they can make life better and even help to improve both physical and mental health, as numerous studies have shown. We value all of our local bookstores, and encourage you to support them whenever possible. Book Passage Corte Madera is at 51 Tamal Vista Boulevard and Book Passage San Francisco is at 1 Ferry Building.)
friends, family, lovers, and others—and the interplay of love, pain, intimacy, and their absences that so often suffuse each one. Set in the American Midwest, tracing a path through a series of connected narratives—featuring among other things, an open relationship, cancer, and teenage violence—Filthy Animals is another remarkable set of observations from Brandon Taylor, both sharp and lingering, brutal and tender.
Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So
How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith
Marvelously rich and endlessly insightful, the short stories collected in Afterparties explore the lives of a Cambodian-American community and all the complexities within, paying particular attention to the nuances of the immigrant and queer experiences. From a high school badminton coach attempting to relive his glory days to the scheming of two brothers at a wedding afterparty to a nine-year-old child’s discovery of an unknown chapter in their mother’s past, each vignette is a stunning meditation on race, sexuality, friendship, and family, underscored by the pain of generational trauma and the grit necessary to pave a path forward.
From the monuments in Smith’s own hometown of New Orleans, to Jefferson’s home at the Monticello Plantation in Virginia, to a former plantationturned-maximum-security-prison in Louisiana, How the Word is Passed takes the reader through an intergenerational exploration of slavery’s role in shaping our legacy and our present. As transporting as it is profound, How the Word is Passed considers how the history of slavery has been inherited and represented, from landmarks to holidays to entire neighborhoods.
Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor From the acclaimed author of Real Life, Filthy Animals dives deep into the messy, complicated nature of relationships—between
https://www.bookpassage.com/
Acclaimed Historical Crime Series Features Transgender Protagonist Whitford pulled out a notebook and pencil. Today, everyone seemed to want to write down what I had to say. “When did you first meet Dora Hannigan?” He had a blunt accent that I thought might come from Yorkshire. My sister, who could place a voice to any county south of Hadrian’s Wall, could have told me for sure, down to the nearest town, probably.
Words Michele Karlsberg Michele Karlsberg: Alex Reeve’s “Leo Stanhope” series consists of three crime novels based in 1880s Victorian England, with a fourth one in the process. With the series going strong, please enjoy an excerpt from his most recent release in North America, The Anarchists’ Club (Felony and Mayhem Press 2021). A man approached and put out his hand, which I ignored. He was the large, whiskered fellow I’d seen earlier. “J.T. Whitford,” he announced. “The Daily Chronicle. And you are?” “Cold,” I replied. “And wet. And keen to get home.”
“Why are you here? Tell me. Be quick.” Despite his urgency, his voice was well mannered and clipped, every consonant pronounced perfectly. “I will not,” I said, trying to pull away from him without anyone noticing.
“Are you a member of the club here or just a radical sympathizer?”
“Dora must have kept your name and address. That’s it, isn’t it?” He stepped into the lamplight, his eyes shining orange. “But this could be good news. You could be helpful. And you’ll do it, won’t you?”
“What?”
“I don’t even know who you are.”
He rolled his eyes. “Look, these coppers’ll spill the whole story for fourpence. For a cigarette, most of’em. You might as well tell me what you’re doing here.”
“Of course you do. We met in Enfield ... goodness, it must be ten years ago. More, even. Our mothers tried to ... well, it seems pretty foolish now, wouldn’t you say? My word, and to think of what might have happened.”
“Never.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t help you.” I pushed past him, intending to leave, but then stopped. The man I had recognized, with the ragged beard and unlaundered suit, was staring at me. I ignored him, but he waved insistently, and I feared he would call out my name if I didn’t respond. It was a risk I couldn’t take. He was huddled against the wall, so deep in the shadows I could hardly see him. He grabbed my sleeve and pulled me closer, almost hissing into my ear.”
“I don’t know you.” “Oh yes you do.” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “I’m John Thackery. And you’re Miss Lottie Pritchard. Or you used to be.” I could feel myself shaking, and I clasped my hands together, inching the skin fiercely between my thumb and forefinger. I wished I had refused to come to this place. I wished I had acknowledged having met Dora Hannigan. And I wished
most of all that I had not come face to face with this man. “What are you talking about?” “I’m talking about I need an alibi for yesterday,” he said. “And unless you want your secret exposed right now to those policemen, you’re going to provide me with one.” Alex Reeve lives in Buckinghamshire with his wife and two sons. Having done many jobs, including working in a pub and teaching English as a foreign language in Paris, he is now a university lecturer. His debut novel, “Half Moon Street,” was the first in a
Victorian crime series featuring transgender amateur sleuth Leo Stanhope. His writing focuses on closing the gap between the actual Victorian era and how the period is perceived. https://tinyurl.com/5e6yk4ax Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBTQ+ community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates 32 years of successful marketing campaigns. For more information: https://www.michelekarlsberg.com
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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2021)
Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS serves some serious fierceness with Todrick Hall’s classic “NAILS, HAIR, HIPS, HEELS.” Such fun! Shablam! https://bit.ly/3yPCyuM
Sister Dana sez, "As former First Lady Nancy Reagan used to say: ‘Just say NO to drugs’; I say: ‘Just vote NO to the Newsom recall!’” Governor Newsom is on the BRINK of losing to Larry Elder, a right-wing RADICAL radio talk show host who thinks ROE V. WADE should be overturned! He wants abortion OUTLAWED! Elder has pushed the conspiracy theory that the COVID-19 vaccine is a population control method created by Bill Gates. He promoted the idea that the Delta variant was intentionally unleashed by the government. If Republicans get their wish, the biggest state in the union will have an anti-woman, conspiracy extremist in charge. Please vote NO to the recall! For further encouragement, President Biden just stated, “Governor Newsom is leading California through unprecedented crises. Keep him on the job, and keep California moving forward!” DRAG OUT THE VOTE is proud to announce that they are partners in the nationwide march to support voting rights. The march will take place on August 28 in cities around the country. Since January, 48 states have introduced 389 bills that amount to blatant voter suppression and, unfortunately, many have already become law. https://bit.ly/3yZQthW GLIDE’s CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF JANICE MIRIKITANI took place in person and online on Sunday, August 15. It was a beautiful celebration and a wonderful tribute to the beloved Co-Founder and former GLIDE Foundation President. The memorial featured music, live performances, poetry, and remarks from GLIDE President & CEO Karen Hanrahan, Minister of Celebration Marvin K. White, elected officials, community leaders, family members, and friends, with reflections on Janice by The Reverend Cecil Williams. The Celebration honored Janice’s legacy and unwavering advocacy for the city’s most marginalized, which continues in GLIDE’s ongoing mission to serve those in need. https://www.glide.org/janicemirikitani/
Congratulations to Pete & Chasten Buttigieg, who are in the adoption process of becoming first-time parents! This is their dream come true. Steve Maryweather, AKA Agent Mary, was once the Golden Boy of the AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (AIA), until he came out as gay. Unable to fire him, the Agency sent him off to West Hollywood, to disappear into obscurity. Instead, he assembled a misfit squad of LGBTQ+ geniuses. Joining forces with the expert mechanic Deb, master of drag and disguise Twink, and hacker Stat—together they are Q-FORCE. But they must put up with a new member of the squad: straight-guy Agent Buck. Did you guess that this is an animation series from NETFLIX? It is available starting September 2. Here’s the trailer: https://bit.ly/2Ue1gG1 22
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After spending almost a year and a half in Florida helping her mother during the pandemic, Lisa Geduldig (of “Kung Pao Kosher Comedy” fame) Sister Dana at the 2017 Krewe De Kinque benefit for Larkin returns to the Bay Area and Street Youth Center with talented musician and improv artist Kippy Marks. Kippy has just announced that he and his fabuproduces “COMEDY AL FRESCO,” an outdoor com- lous violin Izabella will appear throughout October at Burj Al Arab in Dubai in conjunction with the Expo 2021 Dubai World edy night on the patio of El Fair. Congratulations! Rio, 3158 Mission Street in San Francisco’s Mission Afghan women, but that is a role District, on Thursday September 2, for diplomacy and humanitarian 8 pm. This “hybrid” show will also efforts—but not war. be live-streamed on YouTube Live COMFORT & JOY warmly invites and available for viewing afterwards. you to the fifth PLAYA IN THE Comedians performing: Karinda GROVE, a fabulous afternoon of Dobbins, Nina G, Arjun art, music, connection, and other Banerjee, Bob McIntyre, and festivities in partnership with the Lisa Geduldig. NATIONAL AIDS MEMORIAL https://www.koshercomedy.com/ GROVE. For this free celebration SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE 2022 of our amazing queer community on Parade is Sunday, June 26; Celebration August 28, noon to 5 pm, C&J feels is Saturday, June 25–26. Have a the sacred Memorial Grove is the great suggestion for what next year’s perfect magical space to revel and theme should be? Submit your relax in as they honor our past and ideas by Wednesday, September 8. envision our future. Membership will choose from the list of suggestions at the Annual General Meeting. https://tinyurl.com/49mv94ux
Sister Dana sez, “The latest research finds that one out of five Americans oppose the Covid vaccine. This is sickening. And I am sick ... of wearing masks!” “Remember, we can’t live forever!” That was Marjorie QAnon Greene’s idiotic response when asked about the dangerous overcrowding of hospitals and pediatric wards from this latest COVID-19 surge. True, but we CAN live with an extremely painful, lingering, frightening progression towards death. Just shoot Marjie Q ... with the vaccine! This week, the biotech company MODERNA will start human trials for its HIV vaccine. Its HIV vaccine will be the first of its kind to use messenger RNA (mRNA), an approach that Moderna used in its effective COVID-19 vaccine. Fairy magic is all about connecting to oneself, to each other, and to the planet. Fairies have been around for thousands of years and bring creativity, magic, connection, and positivity wherever they go. This Earth needs fairy magic now more than ever. So go check out LUNA RIENNE Art Gallery at 3318 22nd Street @ Valencia for HOW TO KNOW YOU ARE A FAIRY. These are absolutely charming acrylic on ink pieces by Amandalynn and Lady Mags— now on display through September 6. https://lunarienne.com/#shows A recent poll has found that 62% of Americans say the war in Afghanistan was not worth fighting, including 57% of Republicans. Sister Dana sez, “Americans are no longer willing to fight an endless war.” Of course, we are deeply troubled about what has happened with
Remembering Ambassador Jim Hormel, January 1, 1933 August 13, 2021: “He was there with us from the very beginning,” said John Cunningham, Chief Executive Officer of the NATIONAL AIDS MEMORIAL. “Jim was a pillar of our community and our nation, a person of great courage, empathy, and generosity—a hero to so many. Consider and celebrate the extraordinary difference Jim made in countless lives, and the powerful legacy he leaves behind.”
“We mourn the loss of a true titan in our LGBTQ+ movement—a trailblazer, a mentor, and a friend to all those who sought his counsel during his decades of leadership and advocacy,” said EQUALITY CALIFORNIA Executive Director Rick Chavez Zbur. “Ambassador James Hormel defined our community’s resilience—representing our nation with honor and distinction in the face of vile hate and discrimination. In the years since his diplomatic service, Jim has been unyieldingly generous with his time and his resources, working tirelessly to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ+ people.” A message from NCLR stated: “A tireless philanthropist, his support for democracy and civil liberties served as a beacon of hope well before supporting LGBTQ causes was fashionable. Jim was an early supporter of NCLR, always understanding the imperative that the protection of our families is central to our equality, the importance of our intersectional approach to civil rights, and the shared belief that freedoms are inextricably linked, so our fight for justice must include all of us. His love of San Francisco and his support of so many of our institutions will ensure his legacy is felt for generations to come.” (continued on page 28)
PHOTO BY RINK
By Sister Dana Van Iquity
In a dangerous new video, Rand Paul says, “No one should follow the CDC,” and that if everyone fights mask requirements and other COVID-19 safety measures, “they can’t arrest all of us.” With COVID-19 cases and deaths surging, it has been called his “mass murder manifesto.”
Places to Stay & Dine in Calistoga as you are served the local wine pick of the day.
Liam’s LGBTQI List Liam P. Mayclem Late summer is a perfect time to visit the following, some of my favorite places to stay and dine in Calistoga: Mount View Hotel The iconic Mount View Hotel & Spa sits centrally on Calistoga’s Lincoln Avenue and has been a beacon for enthusiastic travelers searching out the region’s abundant amenities and mineral-rich waters for over a century. This is a place where the magic happens; where one can escape to relax in the heart of Napa Valley’s wine country just steps from the action and worlds away from the norm. https://mountviewhotel.com Amaro Located in the Mount View Hotel & Spa, Amaro restaurant and wine bar offers visitors a taste of Italy with a range of traditional dishes and a menu that changes with the seasons depending on what local products are available. Mount View also has a bar, Johnny’s, which serves up local brews & vino and crafted cocktails. Make time to stop by for the daily poolside happy hour, “Vinyl and Vino,” where records spin
https://www.amarocalistoga.com Dr. Wilkinson’s Resort Since 1952, Dr. Wilkinson’s has been providing wellness, relaxation, and good times. Home to healing mineral waters, “The Works” mud bath, and a backyard that keeps you connected, this is Calistoga’s original wellness resort. A recent makeover has elevated the look and feel here. The pool is sexy and inviting, and the staff are friendly & attentive.
ponds, and open space. The property is blessed with rare natural resources—four thermal geysers provide mineral water for two swimming pools and combine for the spa’s renowned mud baths. https://www.indianspringscalistoga.com Sam’s Social Club While at Indian Springs, enjoy lunch or dinner at Sam’s Social Club, which serves up killer cocktails and a taste of seasonal Sonoma comfort food. Reservations are recommended.
https://drwilkinson.com
https://www.samssocialclub.com
House of Better Dr. Wilkinson’s is now home to the casual restaurant House of Better that serves simple, tasty flavorful eats like tacos and salad bowls. I stopped by recently for the trio of tacos and a glass of yummy rosé. The pies by Chef Trevor Logan are the star here, though; Green Chile Apple pie with whipped cream & honey drizzle is all kinds of yummy. Enjoy a slice or a full pie for the road. There are good food & good vibes at the House of Better and it is a must-stop as you pass through town.
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/
https://drwilkinson.com/house-of-better Indian Springs Indian Springs resort is an historic, family-owned resort and spa in the Napa Valley. Modern and period-style accommodations nestle across 17 wine country acres spotted with gardens, hills, paths,
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Cocktails With Heather Heather Freyer Spanish for “Black Storm,” the Tormenta Negra is a twist on the classic rum and ginger beer cocktail. Bacardí Black rum creates a more intense experience. TORMENTA NEGRA 1 1/2 ounce Bacardí Black rum 3 lime wedges 3 dashes Angostura bitters 3 ounces ginger beer Fill a highball glass with cubed ice, and squeeze in the lime wedges. Pour in the Bacardí Black rum and ginger beer. Add the bitters and stir gently before serving. https://tinyurl.com/yyc4me8t Heather Freyer is a beverage expert who is the Vice President and General Manager for Open West States at Bacardí USA. Previously she was with Trinchero Wine Estates, Castle Rock Winery, Cost Plus World Market, and more.
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A Ruby Anniversary for La Méditerranée on Noe
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The Gay Gourmet David Landis How many people, much less businesses, much less restaurants, make it to their 40th anniversary? Not a lot. Which is why it makes celebrating this seminal milestone for La Méditerranée on Noe in the Castro even more festive. As a San Francisco youngster in the ‘80s, yours truly remembers how groundbreaking the Castro’s La Med (as the locals call it) was—and still is. Who had heard of Mediterranean, Lebanese, and Armenian foods back then? Their delicious and unique offerings made for something completely different, tasty, and yet still affordable. Luckily, that winning combination is still the case. The Gay Gourmet caught up with La Med Noe’s dynamic owner, Alicia Vanden Heuvel, to find out the secret to the restaurant’s success. “Levon Der Bedrossian opened La Méditerranée in 1979. David Wright was the first server on Fillmore (he was also the drummer with The Flaming Groovies!),” she told me for the San Francisco Bay Times. “He, Ellen Sinaiko, and Levon opened the Noe Street restaurant together in 1981. Levon’s motto was always that, ‘The smallest things make the biggest differences.’ That’s the company motto that Levon and David carried forth thru La Med’s existence: that the quality of the delicious food should be at reasonable prices, served with casual friendly service. Customers should feel welcome. Additionally, La Med cares for their employees as much as their customers, having offered health and dental benefits before mandated by the city. As a result, Meza we’ve had servers from 3–20 years. Our longest server has been there for 24 years!” “I started as a server 1997,” continued Vanden Heuvel, “and worked my way up to managing the Fillmore store. David and Levon were my mentors. They taught me everything about running the restaurant. When David ‘retired,’ I moved up to General Manager, managing both restaurants, and became a partner. With Ellen and Levon’s retirement— his son Vanick Der Bedrossian has been our executive chef since 2011— Vanick has taken the mantle of the Fillmore Store and I took over the mantle at the Noe location.” “Levon is still deeply involved, here 2–3 times a week, checking out recipes,” she added. “We’re still a partnership. It’s a family-run restaurant where the family has been extended to staff members. Caring for their employees has always been a hallmark and inspired such loyalty and goodwill with employees and in the
So, what’s in store for the 40th Anniversary?
of neighbors and homeless people who need help. It also helps you mitigate risk.” So, you might ask, how’s the food? The Gay Gourmet is always partial to the Middle Eastern plate at lunch because you get to sample a number of different items. Each plate comes with your choice of soup, salad, or Armenian potato salad. On my last occasion there, all 3 in our party ordered that special. We tried the always-creamy hummus with pita bread, the tasty chicken celicia fillo (with a hint of cinnamon), the musthave cheese karni fillo, the satis-
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‘The Smallest Things Make the Biggest Differences’ community. Our core value is to be a bright spot in the community. Over the years, we’ve donated to the Frameline Film Festival, the SF Film Festival, and have partnered with Casa de las Madres and Shanti, local school auctions, and service organizations like the LGBTQ Asylum Project in the Castro. We’ve also been part of the city’s program to serve seniors with box lunches this past year, and we’ve donated to first responders at the hospitals with a program called #FeedTheLines.”
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that has all the buttery tones one would expect. For dessert, we sampled the pistachio nest—a kind of baklava with pistachios instead of walnuts that was yummy—and muhalabiye, a light, rosewater pudding with pistachios. Both were a delectable ending to the meal. Our server, David, couldn’t have been more helpful and fun, making us feel like guests at his own personal party. The Gay Gourmet asked: Who’s responsible for the recipes? “The recipes come from Levon’s
“We’ll be having a celebration on September 9th—a fundraiser for a local charity,” explained Vanden Heuvel. “One of our friends, Vera, is a drag king with the Southeast Asian drag society. We’ll invite them to perform at the party. We’ll have the performance in front of the windows so that folks can sit outside. We haven’t opened for indoor dining yet. Mask mandates make it uncertain.
fare. My husband and I have hired La Med for numerous parties at our home. I asked Alicia: How big is your catering business? “I really promoted the growth of our catering business online from the Fillmore Street store,” says Vanden Heuvel. “Catering counts for about 40% of our business in a typical year. We offer delicious, reasonable food for local, private events of all kinds: weddings, bar mitzvahs, corporate events, celebrations of life, and more. Food is something that people come together around. You want delicious food, not cookie-cutter. The reliability of the party platter being high quality means people aren’t disappointed. Ordering for your own party or your office, people want to be reassured that it’s dependable. We were voted ‘Best Caterer’ in the readers’ poll in The Examiner and the SF Weekly polls in 2019. In 2020, we had to lay off our events staff and close our catering office. Events were no more for this past year. Luckily, they’ve started to come back. We’re catering our first wedding. People who put off celebrations of life, it’s been heartwarming to be honored to cater those events for people separated from their loved ones for so long.” Besides the anniversary, what’s next for LaMed?
Levon Der Bedrossian
“La Med is a place that has purpose and a connection to the community,” touted Vanden Heuvel. “Our reputation makes me feel hopeful for the future. People still move here to San Francisco for diversity and acceptance. The Castro community is stronger than ever. We’re not going anywhere.” Bits and Bites
Alicia Vanden Heuvel
Levon (1979)
We’ll send out a newsletter that if we are celebrating with indoor dining, to bring proof of vaccination. Right now, with COVID, it’s about taking care of the health and safety of our customers and our staff as well. It’s so important to put that as your first priority. We have plenty of seating outside.” The Gay Gourmet hadn’t visited La Med since the pandemic and was surprised to see a beautifullylandscaped and expanded outdoor patio dining area. Vanden Heuvel explained that The Lookout and Jeffrey’s Natural Pet Foods were nice enough to share their outdoor parking and all 3 businesses have outdoor activities as a result. “Because of our expanded outdoor dining,” Vanden Heuvel said, “I feel we’re more connected to our street and neighbors. You’re the eyes and ears of the block—keeping it clean, getting to know the names
Falafel
fying spinach and feta cheese fillo and the melt-in-your mouth (and gluten-free) lamb lule. The special soup that day was one of The Gay Gourmet’s favorites, cream of broccoli soup—bursting with chunks of broccoli and light, yet velvety (made with real cream and not a drop of corn starch anywhere!). One member of our party tried the tasty cold cucumber soup and raved. The ever-present Avgolemono Greek lemon rice soup (with chicken) is another fan favorite, always on the menu. By the glass, we imbibed with a clean, dry Pinot Grigio and a Chardonnay
family recipes— Armenian and Lebanese dishes that his grandmother and family used to make,” explained Vanden Heuvel. “Everything is made from scratch daily, so it’s an experience. We work with local, sustainable meat companies like Superior Farms for our lamb. We can negotiate good pricing because we have 3 restaurants (Noe, Fillmore, and Berkeley) and the catering kitchen. We understand that those things have a cost. But we want to behave responsibly to the environment and the community by making choices to keep people coming back, so it’s within reach of working families. Looking to the long term is part of it.” The Gay Gourmet has always thought of La Med as having the perfect party offerings; it’s finger food and the ideal size. Plus, the flavors and spices make for something different than your typical party
Canela, also in the Castro, will celebrate its 10th anniversary September 26 from 3–5 pm. Chef Mat Schuster will be frying fresh churros and serving up bubbles, sangria, and wine in the parklet. You can also fill up a bag of sweets from Canela’s artisan candy bar to take home. But while it’s still summer, try their delicious butter lettuce salad, featuring Early Girl tomatoes, pickled carrots, Persian cucumbers, seed mix, dried apricots, and blood orange vinaigrette. Other summertime specials include a melon gazpacho and Romano beans with corn. Another Castro favorite, The Lookout, hosts Carnie Asada’s weekly drag brunch. There are 2 shows every Saturday starting at 12 pm & 2 pm. Check before going for details. For reservations, email: lookoutDragBrunch@gmail.com Food & Wine magazine named the best hamburger in every state and guess who won in California? None other than another Gay Gourmet favorite, Zuni Café. We recently visited and its parklet is pristine and 5-star, with charming views of the passing streetcars on Market Street from all over the world. The café’s iconic burger, served on freshly-baked focaccia with house-made pickles (don’t forget to order their shoestring fries— the best in town!), has always been a winner, baby! (continued on page 26)
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LANDIS (continued from page 25) Michelin’s statewide list of “new discoveries” includes the following Bay Area restaurants: Horn Barbecue (Oakland), Marlena (SF), Top Hatters Kitchen (San Leandro), 3rd Cousin (SF), Aurum (Los Altos), Reve Bistro (Lafayette), Routier (SF), North Block (Yountville), Khom Loi (Sebastopol) and Ettan (Palo Alto). Congratulations to all! Cliff House Redux: From the San Francisco Chronicle: “The National Park Service issued a temporary permit that will allow San Francisco nonprofit Western Neighborhoods Project to install a pop-up museum inside the famed Cliff House to commemorate the building’s history. The Cliff House has been closed to the public since the restaurant there was shuttered at the end of 2020. The display will be up by October. Too bad there won’t be any of the Cliff House’s famed ‘popovers’ to go along with it.”
Dykes
Top Chef Season 18 Meet & Greet: On September 14 from 4–6 pm, you can meet Top Chef’s Season 18 cheftestants Maria Mazon, chef/owner of BOCA Tacos y Tequila in Tuscon, Nelson German, chef/owner of Sobre Mesa and alaMar in Oakland (and recently profiled by The Gay Gourmet), and finalist Dawn Burrell of Houston’s forthcoming Late August restaurant. The event begins at the Moxy Oakland Downtown with a Q&A panel moderated by Chef Tu David Phu, Top Chef Season 15 contestant, to follow from 5 to 5:30 pm. Cocktails, including Chef German’s popular Guava Margarita from alaMar, and Moxy’s signature flatbreads will be available for purchase. Free to attend. No registration necessary. Chefs Mazon, German, and Burrell will collaborate on a prix fixe meal on September 16 at Sobre Mesa in Oakland. The registration link will be on the Sobre Mesa Instagram page.
With Drills Tip of the Week By Julie Peri
Caulking Have you ever wondered how carpenters make your interior and exterior trim look seamless? Caulking is the secret! On almost all trim, caulking is applied at the joints to give the effect that the trim is one solid piece. Caulking is also applied to windows, showers, tubs, and sinks as a waterproofing agent. To apply caulking, first you need a caulking gun and a tube of caulk. Cut the tip of the tube with a utility knife—it’s always better to start with a smaller hole. Then you can apply a bead of caulk in the areas you want it. People have different methods for smoothing out the caulking; we like to use a damp rag or sponge. Let the caulking air dry, and voila! That’s all there is to it. Join us for more fun tips and tricks in person and online. Here is what we have coming up next: How to Build a Step Stool, September 25, Online Construction Workshop Series, Fall 2021, Walnut Creek Stay tuned for more great workshops and events! For more information about these and other events, go to: https://www.dykeswithdrills.com/workshops Julie Peri is the Founder and Director of Dykes With Drills. https://www.dykeswithdrills.com
Take Me Home with You!
And, lastly, for Broadway fans looking for a place to eat before Hamilton (which has returned to the Orpheum through September 5), the new Latin-Caribbean restaurant Chao Pescao on McAllister Street offers a Burr-ger & Burr-bon special (get it? Think Aaron Burr!) as well as a specialty cocktail and fixed price pre-theater menu. La Méditerranée: https://cafelamed.com/ Canela: https://canelasf.com/
“My name is Mango and I’m sweet as can be! I’m 13 years old and ready to enjoy my golden years. When we meet, I’ll probably greet you with a chirpy meow and then come right over for pets and cuddles. I’ve been described as a true lap cat, and these days I prefer a good snuggle session over playtime. I’m looking for an adopter who’s affectionate and loving, because I have a ton of affection and love to give in return!” Mango is presented to San Francisco Bay Times readers by Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup the SF SPCA’s Co-President. Our thanks also go to Krista Maloney for helping to get the word out about lovable pets like Mango. To apply to meet Mango, visit https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions/ The Bay Times is also happy to announce that the SF SPCA’s “Summer of Love” promotion has been extended! All senior animals 7+ years, including Mango, and big dogs 30+ pounds are free to adopt through August 30!
The Lookout: http://www.lookoutsf.com/ Jeffrey’s Natural Pet Foods: https://www.jeffreyspets.com/ Zuni Café: http://zunicafe.com/ Food and Wine Best Burgers: https://tinyurl.com/v5ry96f6 Chao Pescao: https://www.chaopescaosf.com/ Cliff House redux: http://ow.ly/KC4I50FPWbf Moxy Oakland: https://tinyurl.com/ys5snx8d Sobre Mesa: https://www.sobremesaoak.com/ Horn Barbecue Oakland: https://www.hornbarbecue.com/ Marlena:
https://www.marlenarestaurant.com/
Routier: https://routiersf.com/ 3rd Cousin: https://www.3rdcousinsf.com/
Castro Street Cam 24/7 Live-streaming
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David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer and a PR executive. Follow him on Instagram @ GayGourmetSF, on Twitter @ david_landis, email him at: david@ landispr.com or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com
Sports SFGSL Softball: More Than Just a Game
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by Liz Gonzales
Having played softball for most of my life, I have always enjoyed the camaraderie that forms among teammates, but it wasn’t until I joined the Women’s+ Division in the San Francisco Gay Softball League (SFGSL) that I learned what it meant to belong to a community. The league brings together a group of diverse people who not only share their love for the game, but also form friendships and connections that impact their lives in a way they never knew possible. How has playing in the Women’s+ division in the SFGSL impacted my life? 1. I play the sport I love as an adult. 2. I meet people from other cities, states, and countries. 3. I travel nationally and internationally to compete in tournaments. 4. I have met people whom I now call family. Softball is a competitive sport, and the thrill of competing against other teams never gets old, but for me, winning or losing isn’t as important as the journey we took to get there. I have learned from the Women’s+ division that there is a place for everyone to play. Whether you are 18 or 81 years old, there is a spot for you. Also, I continue challenging myself both physically and mentally—playing different positions, fine-tuning my fielding skills, and finding new joy in playing the sport. Softball has tested my strengths, weaknesses, and patience, but overall the memories made are worth the bruises. At the end of a game, I can look around and see not only my team but also a safe space that allows me to be me and play the game I love. Liz Gonzales is the Secretary for the San Francisco Gay Softball League: http://www.sfgsl.org/
SF Sketch Randy Coleman Randy Coleman hails from New York, but has lived in San Francisco since 1975. Coleman shares that before moving to the Bay Area, he studied Art History and Architecture at Boston University while working as a resident artist for architectural rendering at a Massachusetts historical society. “All of my life I’ve been an artist,” Coleman says. “To know me is to know that I have a passion for art and architecture. I love this project for the San Francisco Bay Times, and hope that you enjoy my sketches.” © Randy Coleman, 2021
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SISTER DANA (continued from page 22) (See page 9 of this issue for more tributes.) The Mocas Group is pleased to be hosting FACE TO FACE, an exhibit of new work in Deidre DeFranceaux’s “SISTERS AND QUEENS” portrait series. This new work is the artist’s creative meditation on friendship and aspirations of joy produced within the prism (or should that be prison?) of Covid confinement. The show will be up from now through September 30 at 3150 18th Street, Room 219. Viewings are available by appointment or during one of their scheduled receptions. When I was invited on August 19, the show was hosted by Sister Plush Lovebud and Sister Tilda Next Time. https://www.mocasart.com/ SUNDAY SLOW STREETS presents SIDEWALK SALON by ARTSAVESLIVES and curator Thomasina DeMaio every Sunday, noon to 5 pm at Noe and Market. When I attended on August 15, the artists in person and whose beautiful works were on display included Billy Douglas, Carl Linkhart, Pamela Heyda, Alan Beckstead, Ramona Soto, Matt Pipes, Anthony Anchundo, and DeMaio. Trump-appointed Postmaster Louis DeJoy, the main driver of destroying our U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, is profiting from the inside. This is a major conflict of interest, and he is trying to do away with mail-in voting. We must demand President Biden fire DeJoy immediately! Sister Dana sez, "DeJoy brings no Joy to us!"
QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on pg 17)
C) Clint Eastwood Clint Eastwood, who was born in San Francisco but grew up in the East Bay, meets some of the Dykes on Bikes® members while playing the character of Earl Stone, a drug courier or “mule.” The film received generally favorable reviews and has grossed over $174 million. Five years prior, in 2013, Eastwood added his name to a legal brief that called on the U.S. Supreme Court to legalize same-sex unions. That happened two years later on June 26, 2015.
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Castro Shapshot, Update on Shared Spaces
Photos by Rink
Since the late 1960s, San Francisco Bay Times photographer Rink has been capturing images in the city, with a particular focus on the LGBTQ community. These days, you will most often find him in the Castro, on Polk Street, Upper Fillmore, Pacific Heights, Nob Hill, and wherever noteworthy LGBTQ-related events are taking place. Often, however, everyday happenings are the subject of his images, and especially during this pandemic time. In this issue, for example, he captures moments in the Castro at Harvey’s, Gyro Express, Fable, Cove on Castro, Cafe Mystique, Blush, El Capitan, Heeling Cuts Barbershop, The Mask Shop at The Castro Stitchery, Orphan Andy’s, and the new popup shop Freeborn Designer. Rink has often toured the Castro during the Shared Spaces program dates when traffic is closed on 18th Street for outdoor dining and walking. The Castro Merchants Association is currently looking for a new event producer to partner in continuing Shared Spaces in the Castro. On August 23, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman wrote: “The Shared Spaces street closures on Noe and 18th have been a source of joy for folks in the Castro. Shared Spaces can’t be successful without attention, support, and staff, which is why I secured $175,000 in addback funding in this year’s budget to help ensure that the Castro closures can continue.” We are therefore hopeful that the program will likely be reinstated. Watch for additional updates. (Shared Spaces is a multi-agency program of San Francisco’s Economic Recovery Task Force that allows merchants and community groups to use sidewalks, full or partial streets, and other nearby public spaces like parks, parking lots, and plazas for restaurant pick-up and other neighborhood retail activities allowed under San Francisco’s Public Health Orders.) For an updated list of all Shared Spaces locations, go to: https://www.sfmta.com/projects/shared-spaces
As Heard on the Street . . . What song best describes your summer? compiled by Rink
Don Ho
Curtis Canaday
Carly Ozard
Jason Brock
Michael Petri
“’Take My Drunk Ass Home’ by Luke Bryan”
“’Tom’s Diner’ by Suzanne Vega, about getting more coffee”
“’I Will Survive’ by Gloria Gaynor”
“’This Is Me’ from The Greatest Showman. This song is about embracing who you are.”
“‘O-o-h Child’ by The Five Stairsteps”
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47th Nihonmachi Street Fair San Francisco Bay Times photographer Rink attended the Nihonmachi Street Fair, which he visits annually in Japantown. In addition to great Asian-Pacific food, arts, and entertainment, this year’s event—held on Sunday, August 8—had a COVID-19 Vaccination Site and other health-related booths.
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Photos by Rink
Round About - Signs All Over Town
Photos by Rink
CASTRO STREETCAM presented by
Artists Eric Heinz and Nick Platt painted a mural featuring British singer/songwriter Dua Lipa on a wall at the Oasis nightclub. This mural is near the one of Sylvester, also at Oasis.
A street sign accompanied the Brave Robot food truck where free ice cream was provided on Castro Street on August 7.
http://sfbaytimes.com/
A new sign has been painted on the windows at Buffalo Whole Food, declaring that the produce for sale is organic!
Passengers disembarked a Van Ness Ave, California and Market Line cable car next to a transit shelter sporting an announcement featuring pop legend Elton John.
Signage on the F Line car turning at Jane Warner Plaza on August 15 indicated the car was dedicated to Harvey Milk. A flag attached also declared, “Welcome Back!” and encouraged passengers to “Work Dine Shop Play.” Supervisor Milk was known for his support of pubic transit.
Reduce plastic use in your kitchen with a healthier, more sustainable way to store food. Bee’s Wrap reusable and biodegradable wraps are the perfect alternative to plastic—for storing sandwiches, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, and for covering a bowl or casserole dish. Woods Polk Station is one of five popular, cozy bars serving the namesake Woods beers and wines. The Rainbow Crosswalk at Castro and 18th Streets provided the perfect backdrop for this sweet moment captured by Rink.
Street signs at Harvey’s restaurant and bar in the Castro announced that its staff was “Vaxxed!” Signs at The Edge and Mix bars declared that face masks and proof of vaccination are now required.
Rink Remembers
Photos by Rink
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I
know it seems early to be thinking about the holidays, but this year especially it might not be too early. The pandemic has done a real number on the supply chain. The ports are backed up several months, which has resulted in not only long delays in getting merchandise but also skyrocketing costs. On a daily basis we are getting emails from our vendors with price increases and notifications of 15% surcharges. So, if I had one piece of advice for you, it would be to shop early. If you see something you want, buy it now! We can’t promise we can get it again and it will probably be 15% more expensive when we can get it.
During a visit to the Castro on Sunday, August 15, photographer Rink noted memorial tributes at Hibernia Beach (18th and Castro Streets), for Davyd R. Morris (1955–2021) and Erwin Kelly, Jr. (1932–2021), who was a world traveler, professor of economics, and activist for gay students’ rights. Rink also reported the passing of Eric Larson, well-known in the Castro neighborhood as “Big Eric,” who held benefit parties supporting queer youth services at LYRIC. A memorial service for Larson took place on August 22, and donations in his honor were suggested for Redwood Empire Trout Unlimited, an organization promoting water stewardship and fisheries restoration, causes that Larson fervently supported throughout his life. http://www.redwoodempire-tu.org Eric Larson (left) and Mitch Thompson S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES
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