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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area
CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2023) October 19–November 1, 2023 http://sfbaytimes.com
Paula West: “If only the world were more like this ... ‘you may say I’m a dreamer.’”
PHOTO BY RICKI ROSEN, MADONNA/INSTAGRAM-BY ZIV SADE, PAULA WEST/FACEBOOK PHOTO BY MATTEO MENICOCCI; LOVE IS LOVE/FACEBOOK
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The New Israel Fund’s ‘Emergency Safety Net’ for Israel
About Our Cover Images depicting hope and coexistence resurface during tumultuous times, and so it is that several iconic photographs of Arabs and Jews peacefully together have reemerged in recent days following the escalation of the Israeli– Hamas conflict this month. These photos, often conveying LGBTQ love in addition to Palestinian–Israeli togetherness, are as controversial now as when they first went viral nearly a decade ago.
By Daniel Sokatch
Music superstar Madonna, for example, in May 2015 shared a photo, taken the previous year by Ziv Sade, of a Muslim man and a Jewish man hugging and about to kiss. She gave it the hashtag #rebelhearts, referring both to the photo and to the album she released that same month. One detractor accused Madonna of “triggering people of faith.” Still others criticized the LGBTQ community. One commenter, in Hebrew, wrote, “No. Simply No,” while another wrote: “Israel still kill [sic] people every day. This is beautiful but it’s not real.” Yet another wrote, “Death to Arabs.” Explaining some of the history of the photo, which was taken for an ad for a gay party line called Drek, Sade told The Huffington Post: “This picture sends an honest message of love, acceptance and freedom, and a strong shout that represents a generation that is tired if wars, tired of hating and suppression. We want change. We want love, equality and morals. No more violence against the LGBT community! We believe that it’s not too late ... . We forgot how to talk to each other, to have sympathy and empathy, to learn from each other’s culture[s]. I’m optimist[ic]. I truly am.”
This has been a shocking, horrifying, and frightening week for all of us, full of heartbreak and uncertainty. The death tolls continue to rise. Each day, more victims of the Hamas terror assault on Israeli families are discovered in kibbutzim and the other small towns near Israel’s border with Gaza. Desperate Israelis search for news of their missing loved ones. Scores are held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. And, as Israel’s military responds to the atrocities with withering air assaults and as the Israeli military masses on Gaza’s northern border for a ground invasion that will, inevitably, result in destruction and many civilian casualties there, rockets continue to rain down on Israelis. All the while, tensions rise in the West Bank and more rockets fall on Israelis from its northern border. Right now, it’s so easy to feel helpless.
ups to stop the tensions from spiraling into violence and to build a basis for a shared future for the day after the current fighting ends. 3. Combating hate speech and disinformation: NIF grantee Fakereporter is working around the clock to combat hate speech and counter misinformation online which is, unfortunately, rife during this time of crisis. Their work was featured on NPR ( https://tinyurl.com/yfrukwen ) and in The New York Times ( https://tinyurl.com/phcrxzdb ).
There is so much more we have yet to learn about what happened and what will happen next. Yet, beautifully, the question that I, as the CEO of the New Israel Fund, hear the most these days is simple: What can we do to help those who are suffering and in need right now?
4. Providing trauma counseling: We are making trauma counseling available to civil society leaders, human rights workers, and others on the frontlines of the crisis as people, including NIF staff and grantees, reel from the events of the last week.
More recently, San Francisco-based singer and cabaret artist Paula West shared a similar but different photo, taken by Italian photographer Matteo Menicocci showing another gay male couple kissing—one again appearing to be Jewish and the other Muslim. She wrote, “If only the world were more like this ... ‘you may say I’m a dreamer.’” Producer, author, and LGBT activist Marc Huestis shared the same photo and wrote, in part, that the image was “filled with Hallmarky sentiments and hundreds of ‘likes.’ Though well intentioned, that has nothing to do with the reality on the ground.”
Our answer is the New Israel Fund’s Emergency “Safety Net” response—a plan that we have already begun to put into action on the ground in Israel. Because one thing we know for sure: we cannot afford the luxury of despair.
Another image, showing a Jewish and a Palestinian boy together overlooking Jerusalem, has gone viral in waves since it first was created in 1993 by American photojournalist Ricki Rosen. Music star Rihanna shared it during Operation Protective Edge, saying, “Let’s pray for peace and a swift end to the Palestinian conflict. Is there any hope?”
1. Caring for the most vulnerable and affected: We are providing necessary shelter, food, clothing, and medical assistance to families and evacuees from the communities near Gaza who fled Hamas’ massacre last week, often with nothing but the clothes on their backs. We are also providing urgently-needed basic medical services for populations like the Bedouin who live in unrecognized villages with no bomb shelters and no ambulances, and asylum seekers who are extremely vulnerable right now.
5. Responding immediately to human and civil rights’ violations: At a time when emotions and tensions are already high, we are working with our grantee partners to prevent human rights violations in Israel, the West Bank, and in the Gaza Strip. NIF grantees the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and Adalah are running hotlines for communities to report these violations.
Sade said that over 8 years ago.
There is a commonality among this and the other images, beyond the obvious shared aspects of their depictions and meanings. First, they are all seemingly innocuous photos that have sparked outrage among many. In terms of the photos showing gay couples, just the fact that the images hold LGBT connotations is enough to anger and even “disgust” homophobes. Second, such images were nearly all staged. Rosen told the Jewish publication Forward that her image of the two boys “was a symbolic illustration. It was never supposed to be a documentary photo.” According to The Times of Israel, the boys in 2014 were “both Israeli Jews—Zvi Shapiro, 11, wearing a skullcap; and Zemer Aloni, 12, sporting a Palestinian keffiyeh.” The Times went on to share that the picture was taken in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Abu Tor, which is a mixed Arab–Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem that was home to the two young subjects. Shapiro is now in a postdoctoral fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine, where he is focusing on children’s mental health. Aloni went on to become an architect. Shapiro told Forward in 2014 that Rosen’s photo of him and Aloni “is probably less acceptable today than it was then [in 1993].” Aloni added that the image is a “wishful thinking picture. Then it was almost a reality, and now it is like a vision.” Now, nearly a decade on, even that “vision” seems all the more remote.
NIF’s Emergency Safety Net is focused on five critical areas:
2. Preventing intercommunal violence: Extremists’ calls for violent retribution often spike in moments like these. Shatil, NIF’s action arm, is leading calls for community and political leaders to promote Jewish-Arab partnership and denounce hateful rhetoric. NIF shared society grantees are also organizing community events and increasing the visibility of shared community partnership in areas prone to flare-
The New Israel Fund has, for over forty years, been the leading organization advancing and defending democracy and equality for all Israelis. NIF is widely credited with building progressive Israeli civil society. And while NIF also supports a wide range of Israeli nonprofits ( https://tinyurl.com/yzyybxr9 ) and has provided over $300 million to progressive civil society organizations since its 1979 inception, we are now earmarking funds for the previously mentioned efforts. You can donate ( https://tinyurl.com/46wtnzcu ). Any amount will help. Daniel Sokatch is the CEO of the nonprofit New Israel Fund, which works to advance and protect liberal democracy in Israel. https://www.nif.org/
Israeli Gay Couple’s Wedding Plans Destroyed and Replaced by Funeral
Golan’s brother Oz, via LinkedIn on October 14, shared what happened. Oz is the Co-Founder and CEO of Noname Security. “On Saturday, October 7, my brother, Sagi Golan, a reservist in the Israeli Defense Force elite anti-terrorism unit, received the call he’d trained his entire life to take. Sagi did not hesitate for a moment. He rushed to Kibbutz Be’eri, fought bravely to protect and defend its community, and
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paid the ultimate price for his bravery. Sagi was just ten days shy of marrying his beloved Omer; instead, our family handed out the floral arrangements we’d purchased for the wedding at Sagi’s funeral.
being held by Hamas in the kibbutz. Sagi managed to save many lives before he was killed.
While this past week has been the darkest in my family’s history, I take great comfort and pride in knowing that my partners, colleagues, and board members at Noname Security made a superhuman effort to make sure we continue to operate at full capacity, delivering the protection and service our customers had come to expect. It’s a testament to the strength and resilience of our people and a promise that together we will endure through these tough times.”
“In memory of Sagi, and the heroes he served with in his elite unit, who were killed that day:
The news service Hebro reports that Sagi and his unit were tasked to free hostages
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Hebro added this, next to a photo of Sagi and Omer:
Veteran Captain Sagi Golan Chief Officer Elli Ginsberg Veteran Captain Roi Nagri Sergeant Ben Rubinstein Chief Veteran Sergeant Omri Balkin May their memories be a blessing to us all.” (right) Sagi Golan and his partner, Omer. Sagi was killed while defending kibbutz residents from Hamas terrorists in October 2023.
DAVIDSARANGA/TWITTER
At the start of this month, Sagi Golan was excitedly planning to wed his longtime partner, Omer. LGBTQ Israeli singer ivrilider was scheduled to sing, “I Found Love,” a favorite song of the couple. Instead, the song was sung at Golan’s funeral.
Israel and Palestine Under Siege By Jamie Leno Zimron
Sensei Jamie Leno Zimron (center) leading a class of youngsters and adults
Photos courtesy of Jamie Leno Zimron
CFPEACH.ORG
On Shabbat morning ize Israel’s ideal as a “light October 7, 2023, Israelis unto the nations.” Nothing in the tightknit agriculcan ever begin to mitigate tural communities along or justify Hamas’ sadistic the Gaza border awoke to crimes against the Israelis swarms of Hamas terrorand humanity. At the same ists in their streets, homes, time, we need to look into bedrooms, safe rooms. what could have fueled Bloodthirsty raiders bullsuch an eruption of evil if dozed through and paragwe are to emerge from this lided over high-tech border terrifying trauma and forge barriers to come butcher better conditions of life for and abduct them, while everyone in the region and rockets were sending off Jamie Leno Zimron world. terrifying waves of sirens and dashes to bomb shelters all across After 2000 years of exile and persecution culminating in the unfathomable the country. There are absolutely no Nazi Holocaust, the State of Israel words for the savagery of the wanton slaughter and hostage taking of stands as a miraculous and essential women, men, babies, toddlers, teens, haven for the Jewish people. Zionism elderly and disabled people, young was not an imperialist or colonial revelers at a music festival in nature project, but the age-old Jewish dream ... . Along with everyone in Israel, my of returning to ancestral Zion as heart and stomach are just sick, my part of the 20th century nationalism mind beyond boggled, and my soul movement. For Palestinians living for can’t stop wailing. centuries in the Holy Land, the rise As a dual American-Israeli Jewish cit- of Israel has been “Al Nakba”; catastrophic displacement, occupation, izen and member of the human race, and second-class status inside the I am searching to say something to Jewish state, with no end in sight. For help make any sense of these ghastly many complex reasons, of their own atrocities. I have been back and forth to Israel since age 17, and volunteered and others’ making, Palestinian aspirations for sovereign statehood have on farms in the Golan Heights and failed at every turn. All the while, the Negev desert after the Yom Kippur inherent tensions and contradictions War. I speak Hebrew fluently, a litof two peoples attached so deeply to tle Arabic, sing Hebrew prayers and the same holy homeland keep stoking songs in the shower, and often chant intractable lethal conflict. from the Torah. Since soon after the 1993 Oslo Accords, I have been It is no secret that, over the past 10 working with Palestinians and Israelis months, the actions of Israel’s extremon peaceful coexistence projects. My ist right-wing religious government wife is Israeli, living in Jerusalem (due have prompted vulnerability. In indeto U.S. immigration issues before scribable shock and grief, Israelis there was marriage equality, but are furious at Prime Minister Bibi that’s another story). Half our famNetanyahu, who remains more conily lives literally across the road from cerned with staying in power and those communities murderously infilout of jail rather than keeping the trated, oh so luckily a bit out of reach citizenry safe. He has made deviland spared. ish coalition deals with incompetent, I share these things so you know how anti-democratic supremacists that deep is my love for Israel, my Jewish have exposed Israel to fractures and identity, and social justice upbringweakness apparent to all the world. ing. And that I have up-close views of Day by day, their pursuit of an autodynamics contributing to this human cratic judicial coup and unilateral earthquake ripping up everyone and annexation of the West Bank have everything there. Just talking about eroded the cohesion of Israeli society. the Israeli-Palestinian conflict too Israelis are crying out loud, yet the often turns bitterly volatile. While indicted “crime minister” has turned speaking out is so touchy, I am afraid a deaf ear to masses of protesters in for all my loved ones, friends, and colleagues there, and long to realthe streets every week, and to clear
warnings that Israeli military preparedness was slipping. Days before the border breach, Bibi moved three battalions to protect vigilante settlers attacking West Bank villagers, instead of the brave citizens living near Gaza who have had to struggle for years to get needed state resources. Rushing to score a normalization pact with Saudi Arabia, Bibi continued to overlook and sell out the Palestinians, while further inciting Hamas and Iran in their terrorist jihad/holy war against Israel and the west. In the shadow of ghettos, pogroms, and genocide, in a small land surrounded by hostile neighbors, the Israelis have built an incredibly thriving nation and mighty military. A strong and highly skilled citizen’s army, innovative economy and technology, and support from world Jewry and western allies have been key to Israel’s survival. Still, there is always a feeling of being on existential edge, and the barbaric Hamas rampage and explosively hot borders have shaken Israelis and Jews everywhere to the core of our core. In the series of bloody wars in 1948, 1967, and 1973 that defeated attempts to “throw the Jews into the sea,” Israel’s original U.N. chartered borders expanded. While the borders were justified for Israeli security, millions of Palestinians have been abandoned by Arab leaders and left chafing under Israeli occupation. Stuck in the cordoned-off sliver of the Gaza Strip (less than half the area of New York City) and ever-shrinking West Bank, many still live in squalid refugee camps, and stifled in apartheid-like areas dubbed “A, B, & C.” Older Palestinians yearn to return to their homes and lands inside of Israel, while their progeny in the West Bank
and Gaza mostly meet Israelis as soldiers and overlords. The Occupied Territories subsist as smoldering grounds hemmed in by humiliating, militarized checkpoints and walls.
resilience of people on both sides. And I know that we can listen and speak and come closer in understanding one another’s pains, fears, needs, and gifts.
What most tourists, Jews, Christian pilgrims, foreign service and businesspeople encounter when visiting Israel are the amazingly vibrant people, beautiful seas, ancient sacred sites, and awesome modern-day achievements. Relatively few tour the West Bank, or can even enter Gaza since the Intifadas. They don’t see families squatting in tents beside the rubble of their demolished homes, or trying to stop confiscation of more of their lands and fields, or olive trees uprooted to pave safe bypass roads for zealous gun-toting settlers, or people actually living in caves in the South Hebron Hills, deprived even of access to wells for water.
In today’s staggering crisis, while standing solidly with the mercilessly slaughtered and existentially imperiled Israelis, it is important not to harden to the agonies of over a million Gazans, already refugees, sealed off from power and supplies, impossibly ordered to flee the deadly siege within hours with no place to go. Most Palestinians are ordinary people and families trapped too long in subjugation, themselves betrayed by Hamas’ depravity. Then there is the odious irony that while laying waste to Gaza in the effort to annihilate Hamas, Netanyahu has for years been funding and sanctioning the terrorists in order to cynically sow division from the Palestinian Authority and cripple prospects for Palestinian statehood.
I cannot forget seeing such things since first going on Compassionate Listening delegations in the 1990s and learning directly about the Occupation. The situation is not much different today, but 30 years more entrenched. I initially felt scared until getting to know Palestinians, breaking bread together, hearing their experiences, and sharing ours. We discovered we are almost like cousins, and are all scarred by victimization and PTSD. I am constantly blown away by the beauty and
As I write, Bibi’s war cabinet is about to blast full steam into Gaza, setting off worldwide protests that Israel is exceeding self-defense, driving civilians into the abyss, and ignoring urgent appeals from Doctors Without Borders, President Biden, the U.N., and world leaders to stop the collective punishment and ballooning (continued on page 7)
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Thousands Attend Pro-Palestinian March ‘All Out for Gaza’ in San Francisco on October 14 The nonprofit Code Pink and the San Francisco-based Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC) were among the organizers of the All Out for Gaza march on Saturday, October 14, which was estimated to have drawn thousands. It began at noon at Harry Bridges Plaza near the Embarcadero in San Francisco. Mission and Fourth Streets were closed for the two-hour event that included a rally at Justin Herman Plaza. A flyer released by Code Pink ahead of the event stated, “In the past few days, Apartheid Israel has waged an ethnic cleansing campaign against the people of Gaza, carpet bombing entire cities and cutting off Gaza from the rest of the world with no place to go. We demand an END to the siege on Gaza and an END to U.S. aid to Israel.” Some of the signs at the march read “No more human suffering” and “This is not war. This is genocide.” The AROC website ( https://aroc. herokuapp.com/ ) shares a quote from Black lesbian feminist Audre Lorde (1934–1992): “Your power is relative, but it is real. And if you do not learn to use it, it will be used,
Ways to Support Those Impacted by the Israel–Hamas Crisis
KPIXNEWS/SCREENSHOT
San Francisco Bay Times columnist, LGBTQ senior advocate, and Openhouse co-founder Dr. Marcy Adelman shared the following list of nonprofits compiled by J Street, “the political home of proIsrael, pro-peace, pro-democracy Americans.”
Dueling pro-Israel and pro-Palestine protesters on October 6 faced off during a demonstration in San Francisco, October 6.
against you, and me, and our children. Change did not begin with you, and it will not end with you, but what you do in your life is an absolutely vital piece of that chain.” Regarding the recent escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, AROC, in part, shared: “Recent events did not occur in a vacuum but as a result of unrelenting colonial aggression. For the last two decades, 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza have been forced to live in a dense open-air prison, besieged by Israel in violation of international law. Two thirds of the population in Gaza are refugees that were forcibly
displaced from other parts of Palestine. Half of the population is unemployed, and the vast majority are impoverished and are denied regular access to food, water, and healthcare by the Israeli siege. Completely surrounded by a militarized barrier, Gazans are denied freedom of movement. In 2018 the United Nations deemed Gaza ‘unlivable,’ and since then Gazans have experienced multiple bombardments by Israel, intensifying an already untenable situation.” AROC calls “on all to boycott Israel. We call on institutions to divest from Israel. We call on the U.S. government to sanction Israel and end the billions in military aid. We call on our community and allies to take action to stop the ongoing annihilation of Palestinians by demanding an end to the siege on Gaza, an end to the occupation, freedom for political prisoners, and an end to U.S. aid to apartheid Israel.” In recent weeks, other pro-Palestinian marches have been held locally, nationally, and globally. A sign held at one such march in London read, “LGBT stands with Palestine.” This sparked heated exchanges on social media. Andy Ngo, senior editor of The Post Millennial, for example, wrote that “Hamas-governed Gaza is run under Sharia law, which criminalizes male same-sex activity.” Another commenter posted, about the sign holder: “They should go live in Gaza. Let’s see how that works out for them.” As for LGBT rights in Israel, while same-sex marriages are not performed in the country, the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles maintains that “Israel is one of the most inclusive societies in the world for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Israel adamantly protects the rights of its gay citizens, and the LGBT community is represented in the highest echelons and in all facets of Israeli society.” Members of the political organization LGBT+ Socialists that has a strong base in the U.K., however, have been “marching in solidarity with the Palestinian people, facing bombardment in Gaza,” according to social media posts. They ask for others to “join them to demand an end to the violence and Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land.”
Magen David Adom Magen David Adom’s network of 33,000 paramedics and first responders has been working around the clock to save lives, performing dangerous and heroic work in southern Israel and across the country. Your support can enable them to deploy more ambulances and replenish critical supplies. https://tinyurl.com/2s4bscwa International Committee of the Red Cross The Red Cross is working tirelessly to provide lifesaving medical care on both sides of the Gaza border. The Red Cross network covers both the Magen David Adom ambulance network in Israel and the Palestine Red Crescent Society ambulance network, with staff working round the clock to treat casualties and provide urgent humanitarian assistance. https://www.icrc.org/en/donate/ilot New Israel Fund’s Emergency Response Plan The plan addresses basic care for the most vulnerable groups, combats violent speech and incitement online, prevents intercommunal violence in mixed cities, and helps with mental health and trauma counseling. https://tinyurl.com/4fcj3fyh NATAN Worldwide Disaster Relief The program includes medical, psychosocial, and trauma support. https://natanrelief.org/donate HIAS This organization supports displaced families with basic needs, including non-food items such as hygiene supplies, blankets, and school supplies; provides cash and voucher assistance to those affected by the crisis, especially those currently displaced from their homes; and offers mental health and psychosocial support, including support for children to help them renew a sense of normalcy and connection. https://tinyurl.com/bdhma664 Emergency Response: Unrecognized Arab Villages in the Negev There are over 40 Bedouin villages in the Negev with over 200,000 residents. With little support from the Israeli government in the best of times, some have been hit by Hamas rockets and are struggling with supplies. Donations to the Regional Council for Unrecognized Arab Villages in the Negev via the New Israel Fund will assist volunteers organizing supply convoys of water, food, first aid and construction materials. https://www.bedouin-aid.org/ Soroka Medical Center Located in Be’er Sheva, Soroka Medical Center is the only major hospital in the Negev region. Over the last several days, the hospital has already treated over 700 patients, at least 130 of whom are in critical condition. Donations can be made through American Friends of Soroka Medical Center. https://www.soroka.org/about-us/ (continued on page 22)
Congregation Sha’ar Zahav Responds to Israel-Hamas War Founded in 1977, Sha’ar Zahav (meaning “Golden Gate” in Hebrew) is rooted in the LGBTQ community and the synagogue embraces and celebrates diversity. Rabbi Mychal Copeland along with Cantor Sharon Bernstein form Sha’ar Zahav’s clergy. The San Francisco Bay Times contacted Rabbi Copeland after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. She said, “Many of us were actually just about to leave for a trip to Israel on October 11 to learn more about the region and the Israeli and Palestinian experiences.” With the trip now delayed, she and others are focusing on directing aid to the 2023 Israel Emergency Fund created by the Jewish Federation. 100% of donations goes directly to the Federation’s key partners in Israel, such as the Israel Trauma Coalition, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the Jewish Agency for Israel, World ORT, United Hatzalah, Magen David Adom, ZAKA, Barzilai Medical Center, and the Soroka Medical Center. To donate, go to: https://tinyurl.com/372dy8s7 Rabbi Mychal Copeland 6
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Manny Yekutiel of Manny’s Describes Harrowing Experience of Being in Israel During Hamas Attacks Manny Yekutiel, an LGBTQ activist and the owner of Manny’s at 3092 16th Street in San Francisco, traveled to Israel, in early October for his father’s 80th birthday party and a niece’s bat mitzvah. Just three days after his arrival, Hamas on October 7 launched a surprise attack during a season of Jewish holidays. The attack was timed to coincide with the Jewish Sabbath. Manny Yekutiel Yekutiel posted a video shortly thereafter, shared to KPIX, where he said that there were “missiles being intercepted above me. I saw a site a few miles away that had been hit by a missile. I mean, I could see the actual plume of smoke coming out of it, so this is very real, it’s not isolated to a small part of Israel. My cousin texted me last night and a
Photos courtesy of Manny Yekutiel
missile had hit a place three blocks away in Tel Aviv.” He added, “Missiles and the rocket barrages are something unfortunately that seems to happen with some regularity, but the fact that there was a ground assault and people have been kidnapped and taken from their homes, and their homes have been invaded, it just adds a very chilling feeling to what’s been going on and I pray for a deescalation. The terrorists have targeted the airport, and a lot of flights are not coming in, and so I have a flight. But it’s not for another 10 days, and I don’t know; I’m scared. I’m nervous that I might not be able to get out.” In a text to the San Francisco Bay Times on October 11 he wrote: “I arrived in Israel to see my family last week.
Candlelight Vigil in Front of Manny’s on October 19 for Israeli and Palestinian War Victims A candlelight vigil will be held in front of Manny’s on Thursday, October 19, from 7–8:30 pm, for victims of the war between Israel and Hamas. Manny Yekutiel of Manny’s at 3092 16th Street in San Francisco returned from Israel just days ago, as reported in this issue. About the vigil, he and his team wrote: “A little over a week ago Hamas carried out a terrorist attack on a group of Israeli cities and towns, killing roughly 1,500 people and kidnapping 200. In response, war has been declared in the region and Israel is engaged in a military operation to destroy Hamas. Roughly 2,400 Palestinians have been killed and almost a million displaced. This conflict’s deep tragedy lies in all of the innocent people who are caught between it and whose lives have been lost as a result. We’d like to center those people in this candlelight vigil outside Manny’s.” https://tinyurl.com/3xmpwnrz
Volunteers organized in Tel Aviv to prepare relief materials.
I woke up on Saturday morning to the sounds of boom overhead. The area that I was staying was targeted by missiles seven times that day. The next day I decided to head to Tel Aviv to join the volunteer effort, collecting donations, packaging, and sending donated goods to families in the south and soldiers on the front lines. It’s been very inspiring to see how many people have come together, community assisting effort also harrowing to hear missiles being intercepted overhead and running in and out of bomb shelters.” He also shared three videos with the Bay Times then, which are now at Instagram and Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/mryb4hep As the videos show, Yekutiel daily traveled to a large gathering site with numerous volunteers, who were assigned specific tasks. He at first just helped to fold and dispose of boxes, but with his leadership and social skills evident, he became “Water Boy,” helping to hand out bottles of water to those in need. He and the other volunteers were under constant threat, however. In one video, he is seen having to run for cover after an air raid siren
sounded. As he told KPIX, “It’s terrible and it’s scary and it’s hard to put into words what it feels like to watch a crowded synagogue have to run under tables and to see a father cover his children with his prayer shawl to keep them protected. It sounds dramatic and it was dramatic, and it was overwhelming. After it all finished, I went outside and I cried because I could feel the heat of the moment and the fear, and I could see the fear in my people’s eyes.” As he and other Americans Volunteers loading relief supplies attempted to leave Israel, You should be prepared to depart they received an email from the U.S. within 8–12 hours of receiving notice State Department that read, in part: of your booking.” “We plan to offer transit options beginning on Friday, October 13, Yekutiel did manage to get out, a but it will take some period of time to few days later on a commercial flight schedule everyone seeking to depart. he booked and involving a 19-hour If you choose to take this departure journey. He is now back in San assistance, transportation will be by Francisco, but remains concerned— air to Athens or Frankfurt, or sea particularly about his cousin, Stav. from Haifa to Cyprus. You will not Stav is also gay and owns a café. As be able to choose your destination— of this writing, he is preparing for we will assign you to the next availlikely deployment. able flight or ship.
ZIMRON (continued from page 5) humanitarian crisis. Wounded as Israelis are, the dangers are grave of failing to seek viable short- and longterm objectives, or to follow international rules of engagement and our own ethics. Terrorism is unequivocally monstrous, intolerable, and self-defeating, hard stop. I am so grateful for the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), and am trembling for my family and friends throughout Israel. Jews, Arabs, Bedouin, Druze, immigrants—all are risking their lives to save the state, and showing up in love and solidarity to help each other through this unprecedented fight. I don’t know if there is a way to negotiate with unmitigated evil. Hitler had to be defeated: so too does Hamas and the likes of Putin, ISIS, neo-fascist parties, and fanatic theocracies and dictatorships. Even as Israel battles with full force to survive, what I do know is that the wreaking of mass death and destruction breeds ever-deepening hatred, despair, and revenge. An eye for an
eye blinds everyone, and massive bombardment is a losing proposition. No amount of American firepower could crush the Vietnamese or Iraqi people, and neither Russian or U.S. forces succeeded in toppling the Taliban. Sweeping away an anthill does not stop more ants from quickly reappearing. Killing, deprivation, and subjugation trigger people’s worst impulses and solve nothing. Real grievances must be addressed and righted. It is time to stop bloody madness, in the Middle East and everywhere, and pursue the dignity, freedom, and equality that do work to bring out people’s best and bring about peace. Compassionate listening, nonviolent communication, and meeting humans’ needs do work to build understanding and trust. Crossing borders, face-to-face meetings, and joint projects with mutual benefit build enduring bonds of empathy, friendship, and cooperation. Peace is possible, once people decide to prioritize and catalyze it. There are
ways once we commit with will and wisdom. The status quo in the Holy Land has long been seethingly unsustainable. It proves fruitless to keep righteously arguing over who was here first or longer, or who has done worse to whom, or hurting each other because “you did this to us because you, no you, no you did this ... .” Suffice it for now to say that Israelis and Palestinians are not going anywhere, and everyone has done right and wrong. The vast majority desire peace and prosperity for their families and communities, and to focus on pressing regional and environmental problems. There can be no other choice but to figure out how to properly coexist. In these dark days, it is hard to imagine that greater good can come from such bad. But huge crisis opens up huge opportunities. Corrupt politicians and fundamentalists, whether Muslim or Jewish, or any religion or ideology, pose dire threats to others as well as their own people. May
this earthquake at last bring the end of Hamas, as well as the misguided rule of Netanyahu and what many term his messianic thugs. Respectful, liberal-minded, inclusive new leaders and people committed to dialogue and collaboration are imperative to usher in a whole new era. Nothing can extinguish human light and love. Even now, in so many ways and places, beautiful acts of kindness and assistance are bubbling up and flowing forth. Already now, everyone must start seriously stepping up to envision and fashion positive new realities for all involved. Transformation is possible. Who could have foreseen the Germans and Japanese disarming and becoming our allies, or the establishment of the Jewish state on the heels of 6 million exterminated? Hope sustains, and connection and love are generative of miracles and solutions. Israelis and Palestinians can never give up on our commonly beating hearts, humane values, and hopes for our children and a better peaceful future.
In closing, I’d like to share this cherished comment from a participant in our first-ever Middle East Training Across Borders Aikido Peace Seminar in 2005, who said: “Sensei, you are making our lives so difficult. It’s easier to hate—but now we can’t!” May peace prevail, and let it begin with me, and you, and all of us, choosing healing and fresh ways forward, together. Jamie Leno Zimron is a former “San Francisco Bay Times” sports and wellness columnist. Known as The Golf Sensei (Master Instructor), she is a Class A LPGA Pro, 6th Degree Aikido Black Belt, Corporate Speaker, MFT Psychologist, MindBody Fitness & Peak Performance Trainer, and International Citizen Diplomat. Recently she received the 2023 Excellence in Golf Award, which also honored her lifelong work as an LGBTQ+ advocate and activist. https://www.thecenteredway.com/
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Perspective
In Case You Missed It Joanie Juster I almost didn’t write this column. For three days I sat staring at the blank laptop screen, unable to write anything that felt meaningful. Events on the other side of the world left me utterly at a loss for words, unable to reconcile in my mind and heart the horrors happening overseas with the day-to-day life and events in our community. Then I remembered a visit to Portland many years ago. We visited the Vietnam Veterans of Oregon Living Memorial, set in a beautiful and serene park. Visitors follow a spiral pathway that ascends a gentle slope up into the forest and a view of Mt. Hood. Along the path are five stone walls, each listing, year by year, the names of Oregonians who died serving in the Vietnam War. The names alone, solemnly set in that peaceful natural setting, are deeply moving.
of everyday events that occurred at home in Oregon while the war raged across the ocean. Citizens of Milwaukie planted hundreds of dogwood trees along the streets of their city. The city of Beaverton set up a free dental clinic. In Turner, the postmistress retired from 43 years of service. A Salem girl successfully sued the school district for the right to wear slacks to class. Farmers raised so many vegetables that Oregon placed 12th in national production. 800,000 pounds of fish were hauled across the docks in Brookings. And in 1964, Oregon licensed 2,000 beekeepers. So, while I write this, I am keeping in my heart the beekeepers, the tree planters, the farmers and public servants and volunteers and defiant young feminists who keep working to build and create and nourish our society. They are the antidote to the conflict and tragedy that is also a part of everyday life. ‘Freedom, Dignity, Understanding’ - The Howard Grayson LGBTQ Elder Life Conference
But the reason this memorial has stayed with me all these years is that at the top of each stone wall, above the names of the dead, is a brief list
Among the (metaphorical) beekeepers are the good folks at the Howard Grayson LGBTQ Elder Life Conference, who will be celebrating their 10th anniversary on Saturday, October 21, in conjunction with their co-sponsors the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Openhouse, which is celebrating their own 25th anniversary. The free event will be hybrid—both live and streaming— and will focus on past issues and current situations, as well as the future of LGBTQ elders. The day will feature a full schedule of both information and entertainment. and lunch
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graysonconference@gmail.com Gala Season Is in Full Swing
will be provided for those who attend in person. Included in the program of health information will be: Teresa Palmer on the current status of Laguna Honda; Monica Gandhi, MD, on the status of public health after COVID-19; Alejandro Martinez from Openhouse on long-term HIV survival and its issues; and how to get involved in San Francisco’s 2024–25 HIV/AIDS budget planning. Paul Melbostad will also provide legal information targeting elders and their rights, especially regarding conservatorship. Entertainment will be provided by comedian Karen Ripley, and singer Tookta Jamaporn. The Grayson Conference celebrates the life and legacy of Howard Grayson, a Black LGBTQ+ labor activist, who died alone in a hospital in 2011, without any of his family or friends being informed. His death underscored the challenges of aging in the LGBTQ+ community, and in 2012 the Harvey Milk Democratic Club created the Howard Grayson LGBTQ Elder Life Conference in his memory. The October 21 event will also honor community members who have contributed to the conference and to Grayson’s life, including Sylvia Vargas, Kathy Looper, Michelle Meow, and Supervisor Aaron Peskin. The event will be wheelchair accessible, and ASL interpretation will be provided. More info: Sue Englander, Conference Convener,
Fall means more than pumpkin spice lattes. It’s the time of year to dust off your fancy duds and support local nonprofits at their annual galas. The season starts in September, and by October and November the calendar is jam-packed with organizations not only raising critical funds to support their day-to-day work, but also to publicly celebrate their accomplishments over the past year, and honor some of the many heroes in our community who devote their time and talents to helping others. Here are just a few of the big ones coming up, and they would all welcome your support: October 21: Human Rights Campaign San Francisco Bay Area Dinner, at the Westin St. Francis
https://tinyurl.com/HRCSF23
October 21: UCSF Alliance Health Project’s Art for AIDS Auction, at the UCSF Pritzker Building https://tinyurl.com/AHPAA23
October 27: Shanti Project’s Compassion Is Universal, at the Palace Hotel https://tinyurl.com/SCIU23 November 9: PRC’s Mighty Real, at the St. Joseph’s Arts Society https://tinyurl.com/PRCSFMR
And Don’t Forget Halloween ... From family-friendly to frightening to just plain fun, there are plenty of choices for celebrating Halloween this year. Here are a couple of top choices. Please stay safe while you’re out there celebrating, and look out for your friends and neighbors, too. Saturday, October 28: Halloween in the Castro, co-hosted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the Civic Joy Fund, Castro Merchants Association, and Another Planet Entertainment The Castro Theatre will be the hub of a day-long celebration including a 5-film marathon of classic horror films, and an epic costume contest hosted by the Sisters. $5 admission for each film; entry to the costume contest will be free to those wearing a fabulous costume. https://tinyurl.com/CastroHal23 (continued on page 22)
Exploring Trans Joy as Resistance Look for Crego’s Musings on Trans Liberation each month!)
Musings on Trans Liberation Pau Crego (Editor’s Note: This issue of the San Francisco Bay Times marks an historic first: the launch of the first ever column in the Bay Times dedicated to transgender issues by an out transgender member of our LGBTQ community. Please join us in welcoming Pau Crego, Executive Director of the Office of Transgender Initiatives, to the paper. Each month, Crego will share inspiring words, news, and more in the new column, which he has named “Musings on Trans Liberation.” In the over four-decade history of the Bay Times, the publication has featured many articles about the transgender community and by leaders such as Honey Mahogany, who is Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, Suzanne Ford, who is the Executive Director of SF Pride, and world-renowned choreographer Sean Dorsey. It has never, however, had a column dedicated to the transgender community until now. The Bay Times is grateful to Crego and his colleague Asri Wulandari for making this possible.
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2023 may end up being, to date, the most overtly hateful year for TGNCI (trans, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, and intersex) people in the United States. With 574 proposed bills and 366 anti-trans laws moving through state legislatures, the Republican Party is feeling more empowered than ever to overtly use trans communities—and trans youth, in particular—as scapegoats for their political purposes. Indeed, since Republicans discovered that antitrans sentiment could be exploited for political gain, transphobic rhetoric has become ubiquitous and impossible to escape. From fearmongering campaign talking points, to deeply biased news articles, to hate speech on social media, this is now the world we live in. This is why—while acknowledging how deeply painful it is to be constantly confronted with a world that hates us—I have recently been reflecting on the importance of noticing, celebrating, and savoring moments of joy in trans communities. If you think about it, it is a truly remarkable development: Since I came out as trans 20 years ago, trans people have gone from our existence not even being acknowledged in 99% of spaces, to becoming as gaymous as can be. At least one thing is true: nobody in 2023 can say they have not heard the word “transgender.” As a young teenage activist, I was implicitly taught that being invested in social change inevitably meant being enraged at the world and its injustices; and while rage can be a powerful call to action, in my experience it is also insatiable. I expect that, in my lifetime at least, there will always be injustice, and therefore,
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I will always have access to rage— should the need arise. But here I am, reminding you—reminding us—that trans joy is also a tool of resistance. When I look for it, I find trans joy everywhere. In the fact that trans people have existed from the beginning of time and all over the globe, against all odds. In the realization that, in resistance together, we have the ability to fiercely love and be loyal to each other. I find it when reminding myself that trans communities have brought outstanding beauty, art, talent, humor, healing, and wisdom to the world. I especially feel connected to trans joy when thinking about San Francisco. There is, of course, no denying that there is much work ahead to attain true equity for trans people in San Francisco, especially BIPOC, immigrant, young, elderly, low-income, and/or disabled trans people. Though when I remember to look through the lens of trans people who visit or move here from other states and countries, just like I did 15 years ago, San Francisco is undoubtedly filled with trans joy. We are the city where trans women rose up against police violence in the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot (three years before the well-known Stonewall Riots in New York City). We have government and nonprofit organizations supporting a wide range of trans people’s needs and experiences, from health care, to legal immigration services, to housing, to advocacy, among many more. And we are, and have been, the home of trans leaders whose lives have had a ripple effect on trans people all over the country and the world—Felicia Flames, Jazzie Collins, Vicki Marlane, and Lou Sullivan, to name just a few!
National Trans Visibility March, October 9, 2021, Sacramento, CA
I believe that this trans heritage in San Francisco is what fuels our local trans community to continue to be righteous in our fight for dignity, safety, and happiness. It empowers us to keep demanding what we need and deserve, knowing that what we have today is thanks to the tenacity of trans leaders before us. Since working at the Office of Transgender Initiatives, I have been lucky to build on those accomplishments, alongside local trans leaders and elected officials, towards a more joyful future for TGNCI people. Among the many positive changes our community has spearheaded, in recent years San Francisco trans advocates have created—and the City and County has funded—new housing services, economic mobility initiatives, and stronger gender-affirming care programs with TGNCI people’s unique needs in mind, in particular those most vulnerable in our community. This continuing legacy of trans San Franciscans should not be taken lightly. Amidst the daily barrage of anti-trans sentiment, a political landscape that makes trans people vulnerable, and an influx of trans
people seeking refuge in states like California, it is crucial now more than ever to remember the resilience, hard work, and intellect that local TGNCI leaders display every day. I urge everyone, cis or trans, to learn more about the incredible work trans people and TGNCI-focused organizations do in this city. We need your help to ensure trans joy remains in our future. Pau Crego (he/him) is a queer and trans immigrant who has worked towards equity for trans and LGBTQI+ communities for almost two decades, both in the SF Bay Area, and in Spain where he is originally from. His advocacy has included direct services, technical assistance, training and education, program design, and policy change. Crego is the Executive Director of the Office of Transgender Initiatives (OTI), is a faculty member in the Health Education Department at City College of San Francisco, and is a published author and translator in the field of public health. For more information about the Office of Transgender Initiatives: https://tinyurl.com/4e3w6srd
It’s Never Too Soon (or Late) to Plan Ahead to ensure your final wishes are honored, so expert help is recommended. There are also tools online to help with this. Consult with an estate planning attorney to ensure that documents are correctly prepared, avoiding potentially costly and timeconsuming missteps. Even if you aren’t ready to make it official-official, spending some time reviewing the basic needs can help pull your thoughts together.
Money Matters Brandon Miller Did you know that October is Estate Planning Awareness month as well as LGBTQ+ History month? Well, now you do. I think we collectively have a pretty good handle on our gay history but I doubt each of us has all of our ducks in a row when it comes to estate planning. In fact, studies show that up to 68% of Americans may have no estate plan at all. While it may feel a little spooky to think about, creating a legally binding plan to distribute your assets after your death can ultimately provide you with peace of mind. You can rest easy knowing that your wishes will be carried out as you have requested. Also, doing it now may save you or your heirs, as the end of favorable estate plan provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is on the horizon. Under current tax laws, in 2026, the estate plan landscape is scheduled to shift, lowering the federal estate exemption to about half of what it currently is, the generous 12.92 million enacted in 2017. Folks often think that estate planning is just for the rich but that simply isn’t the case. Having an outline of how to honor your wishes helps you and your loved ones. Well, my people know what I want, you think. Maybe. But in a time of crisis or grief do you really want to leave things to chance, risk siblings squabbling or contentious custody discussions? It is crucial that your estate plan meets your state’s legal requirements
Estate Planning 101 1. What do you want to accomplish? Will you be providing for children under 18? Or are your beneficiaries young adults, older adults, relatives, or charities? Exactly how might you provide for your children? Options you may consider include a trust and/or a will. What is a trust? Trusts provide control over the distribution of assets, privacy, and potential tax advantages. A trust is a fiduciary arrangement that allows a trustee to hold assets on behalf of a beneficiary or beneficiaries. Trusts can be arranged in many ways, specifying exactly how and when the assets pass to the heirs. For example, are you concerned that a young adult might fritter away his or her inheritance? A spendthrift trust might be the answer. Instead of an account that allows immediate access to the assets, the trustee of a spendthrift trust dispenses the assets over time. Additionally, a spendthrift trust typically protects assets from creditors, bankruptcy, divorce, and lawsuits. Is there a need to minimize taxes? An irrevocable trust might fit into your plan. By placing assets into an irrevocable trust, the estate’s value is reduced regarding estate taxes. Besides tax considerations, irrevocable trusts also help protect assets in lawsuits. You may also decide to create a living trust, which transfers your assets to your beneficiaries and avoids probate. Other trusts that you may find advantageous include charita-
ble trusts, special needs trusts, generation-skipping trusts, and bypass trusts. The latter two offer ways to reduce the estate tax. You may also consider a will. A will is a legal document that takes effect upon your death. It outlines your wishes, including provisions for guardianship of your minor children. 2. Have you taken stock of your possessions? It’s important to create an inventory of your assets, such as bank accounts, insurance policies, investment accounts, and personal belongings. This also needs refreshing every now and then! 3. Don’t avoid the difficult conversation. If you were to pass away suddenly, do your loved ones have access to important documents, financial statements, etc.? It is important to inform your loved ones about the location of your will and the legal professionals who will handle the process. In other words, it’s important to ensure that your heirs won’t be forced to embark on an unexpected scavenger hunt in the event of your unexpected passing. 4. Choose the right executor or trustee. Select a trustworthy individual or institution to act on your behalf. You need someone dependable, trustworthy, organized, fair, and financially savvy. There are also professionals, called Fiduciaries, who can step in if you need an outside party. 5. Be sure to designate and regularly update your beneficiaries. It’s common to list a beneficiary or beneficiaries for an IRA and life insurance policy. However, it’s crucial to ensure that your designated beneficiaries align with your will. For instance, if the will you drafted last year names Bob as the recipient of your IRA at ABC Brokerage, but the beneficiary listed 15 years ago is Sally, Sally will be the recipient of the assets. Yay for Sally but boo-hiss (continued on page 22)
Safeguarding Your Rental Properties: Asset Protection With Trusts minimizing these risks and safeguarding your wealth for the future. Understanding Trusts A trust is a legal entity that holds assets for the benefit of specific individuals or entities, known as beneficiaries. It’s like a safety vault for your assets, providing an additional layer of protection. Trusts come in various forms, but two common options for rental property owners are revocable and irrevocable trusts.
Trust Essentials Jay Greene, Esq., CPA Investing in rental properties can be a lucrative venture, providing a steady stream of income and the potential for long-term appreciation. However, with great rewards come great responsibilities, including the need to protect your hard-earned assets. Here we will explore the powerful tool of trusts and how they can be a gamechanger for rental property owners looking to secure their investments.
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Revocable Trusts: A revocable trust offers flexibility. You can change the terms, beneficiaries, or even dissolve the trust if needed. While it doesn’t provide the same level of asset protection as an irrevocable trust, it can still offer some benefits for rental property owners. Probate Avoidance: Assets held in a revocable trust can bypass the probate process, ensuring a smoother transition for your loved ones in case of your passing.
Why Asset Protection Matters
Privacy: Trust documents are typically private, whereas probate records are public. This means your rental property investments can remain confidential.
Rental property ownership involves risks. From property damage and tenant disputes to legal liabilities, your investments may face threats that could jeopardize your financial well-being. Asset protection is about
Irrevocable Trusts: For those seeking a higher level of asset protection, an irrevocable trust is a powerful option. Historically, irrevocable trusts meant you couldn’t make changes without the consent of the
beneficiaries. However, modern irrevocable trusts allow the trustee to maintain control of successor trustees, change beneficiaries, and control distributions. This is the type of trust we are experienced with in my office. These trusts come with substantial benefits such as: Creditor Protection: Assets placed in an irrevocable trust are often shielded from creditors, helping to protect your rental properties from legal claims. Estate Tax Reduction: Irrevocable trusts can be part of a strategic estate planning approach to minimize estate taxes, allowing you to pass on more to your heirs. Medi-Cal Planning: If you’re concerned about future long-term care expenses, certain types of irrevocable trusts can help you qualify for Medi-Cal while preserving assets for your heirs. Choosing the Right Trust for Your Needs The type of trust you choose should align with your goals and risk tolerance. Consulting with an experienced estate planning attorney is crucial to determine the most suitable trust structure for your rental property assets. They can assess your unique circumstances and help you (continued on page 22)
GGBA Member Spotlight
Megan Burns of Bonjour, Thorman, Burns & Dahm Law Firm
GGBA CALENDAR
GGBA: Although you have only been a GGBA member for about a year, has being a member helped your business so far?
Bonjour, Thorman, Burns & Dahm is a law firm with offices in Pleasanton, Oakland, and Fremont that was established in 1973. Many of the firm’s cases are referred by judges, other lawyers, and former clients, as the firm’s attorneys have a widely regarded excellent reputation and longstanding successful track record.
Megan Burns: I have not seen a directly positive impact on my business through membership in the GGBA. However, I am certainly honored to support all the various members of GGBA and [to help] their businesses thrive. GGBA: Do you go to the GGBA monthly Make Contact networking events? Have they benefited you and your business, and would you recommend them to others? Megan Burns: I recently attended the 2023 GGBA Power Connect and was so inspired by the different speakers and enjoyed getting to meet other GGBA members.
Megan T. Burns, J.D., is a Partner at the firm. She has tried over fifty jury Megan Burns trials and is regularly invited to speak about trial skills by professional organizations and public agencies. She is currently on the Board of Directors for the Alameda County Bar Association (President-Elect) and is a member of the Earl Warren Inns of Court, which is an organization that works to increase professionalism and provide mentoring within the Alameda County legal community.
Wednesday, November 8 LGBTQ+ Real Estate Investors Monthly Meetup 6–7:30 pm 501 Castro Street https://tinyurl.com/yc647w2m Thursday, November 9 Chase for Business LGBTQ+ Series: Cyber Security 5–7 pm 560 Mission Street & online https://tinyurl.com/23js6ecf Tuesday, November 14 GGBA November Make Contact 6–8 pm https://tinyurl.com/4h47wpyu
GGBA: What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of starting their own business? Megan Burns: Ask lots of questions and seek out mentors. You may put your spin on the type of business that you want to open but there are plenty of people out there who have been in your shoes before and would be happy to give advice on how to get started. For more information about Bonjour, Thorman, Burns & Dahm:
GGBA: Please tell us more about your firm and its areas Law partners Megan Burns, Esq and Emily Dahm, Esq of expertise.
Tuesday, October 24 GGBA October Board of Directors Meeting 5:30–7:30 pm https://tinyurl.com/4y4dabtb
Tuesday, November 28 GGBA November Board of Directors Meeting 5:30–7:30 pm https://tinyurl.com/576vhjnh Tuesday, December 12 GGBA Annual Holiday Party with the San Francisco Bay Times 6–10 pm The Academy SF https://tinyurl.com/5ejcz3v2
https://www.bonjourandthorman.com/
Megan Burns: We are a small law firm that specializes in criminal defense and plaintiff personal injury matters. Our core mission is to represent “real people with real problems.” Before going into private practice, I was a long-time San Francisco public defender. My co-managing partner, Emily Dahm, was also a long-time San Francisco public defender. Our extensive trial experience allows us to aggressively and adeptly fight for our clients. There is nothing we love more than helping the little guy and we do that every day, either advocating for our clients charged with a crime or fighting for a just and fair settlement for our personal injury clients who were injured through no fault of their own. GGBA: Why did you decide to join this firm, in particular? Megan Burns: Emily and I were lucky enough to have two amazing mentors in Jules Bonjour and Michael Thorman. Jules and Michael founded the law firm close to fifty years ago. Emily and I are now the co-managing partners of a thriving small law firm based in the East Bay that has an excellent reputation for professionalism and trial advocacy. GGBA: Aside from your mentioned mentors, who are some of your role models, and especially those who helped to inf luence your work? Megan Burns: Two of my role models are well-known members of the San Francisco LGBTQIA community, Judge Teresa Caffese and San Francisco Public Defender Niki Solis. These two amazing lawyers—one is now a judge in San Francisco— taught me everything I know about how to be a fearless and effective trial attorney. This includes showing a lot of compassion for our clients and always being guided by the best interests of the client. GGBA: Why did you decide to join the GGBA, and how long have you been a member? Megan Burns: I recently joined GGBA about a year ago and I am so glad that I did! As the incoming President of the Alameda County Bar Association, I believe in bringing diverse groups together and it is so important that the LGBTQIA community is at the table.
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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2023)
The GGBA page is sponsored by Anne Sterling Dorman
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Not So Affordable Housing
Social Philanthropreneur Derek Barnes Since the city of San Jose was established in 1777, the Bay Area has long been a destination for people across the globe seeking a chance for a better life, regardless of their economic circumstances. Industries flourished, and cities were built to support vibrant commerce and a steady stream of incoming labor. You could come with little to nothing, possess a functional skill and strong work ethic, and improve your economic condition. However, since the start of the 21st century, the Bay Area has faced a unique and increasingly persistent challenge—a growing affordability crisis in housing. Despite the concerted efforts of legislators, developers, and advocacy organizations, the problem of “affordable housing” in the Bay Area remains unsolved. Defining “afford-
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able” is also elusive and often confusing. For the sake of our examination, let’s assume that affordability simply means that individuals or families with low to moderate incomes can obtain housing without spending an excessive amount. In the 1950s, a U.S. household spent about 22–25% of their gross income on housing, depending on geography. Today, the percentage may be between 35–40% in the Bay Area for moderate- and low-income households. As rental and purchase prices skyrocket, lowincome and working-class families struggle to find suitable and affordable housing. Let’s examine why obtaining more “affordable housing” in the Bay Area is a flawed goal, a false promise, and merely a distraction from focusing on core structural issues that persist and deepen economic inequities. At over $800k+ to build a unit of housing in the Bay Area, who bears the ultimate responsibility for providing housing that working-class families can afford? First, our “housing crisis,” lingo used by legislators and experts, is one we’ve manufactured through a series of fouls and missteps. Bay Area residents have been handed myriad solutions ranging from rent control and stabilization schemes, renter protection laws, and new building restrictions. All promise to make housing more accessible and affordable. However, housing affordability con-
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tinues to decline, and the “solutions” offered by the governments and developers have proven inadequate and ineffective. This ineffectiveness can be attributed to flawed policies and regulations that fail to account for the long-term unsustainable nature of the current housing market. Misguided housing policies (only focused on the short term) and longer life expectancy have effectively shunted the natural movement of people and families in the housing market. More people, less supply, stagnant household incomes, and higher costs have significantly impaired and damaged our housing ecosystem. People are not moving up, literally and figuratively. The confluence of these market realities sets up conditions that ultimately harm our middle and working-class families— especially in under-resourced and marginalized communities. Another reason that the goal of “affordable housing” has become a false promise is due to the lowball estimates of housing needs. For example, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) estimated that a total of 68,000 new housing units would need to be built in the Bay Area between 2014– 2022, to meet the increasing housing demands. However, a recent report by the city and county of San Francisco estimates that the actual number of new homes that need to be built is 420,000 (San Francisco
Planning Department). This disconnect between the estimated number of homes needed and the actual number needed is another significant factor in the current affordability crisis. It demonstrates why “affordable housing” is an unattainable goal because we have failed to project the actual production needed, and the astronomical cost increases to build a housing unit. Due to the influence of powerful developers and lobby groups, Bay Area housing incentives and regulations have consistently favored large-scale housing projects rather than supporting affordable, smallscale housing for individual households. The result has been a skewed real estate market that has favored large-scale corporate projects more targeted to higher-income individuals and neglected the needs of working-class and low-income families. It has become increasingly clear that the goal of a truly “affordable” housing market in the Bay Area is unattainable without significant policy reforms and industry innovation. This includes incentives (less stick, more carrot) to keep our small legacy rental owners/operators in business since they already provide most of the “affordable” units in the market, as well as promote the construction of smaller-scale housing to combat the current housing crisis. The burden of delivering better outcomes falls squarely on legislators
and municipal leaders working with the private sector. The public should not be distracted by policy red herrings either. They must hold policymakers accountable for the poor legislation they enact that ultimately harms low- and moderate-income households the most. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of government to cultivate an environment that attracts business, supports commerce, and stimulates adequate housing production so regions and cities can thrive. As people migration increases due to regional socio-economic instability, climate change, and natural resource depletion, having enough affordable housing will continue to be a problem for the Bay Area and nationally. As real estate markets continue to soar, the need for housing that is affordable for working-class families is becoming increasingly more urgent. The goal of delivering more “affordable housing” in the Bay Area may continue to be a false promise if significant changes aren’t engaged to create a housing market that is equitable and fair. Derek Barnes is the CEO of the East Bay Rental Housing Association ( www.EBRHA.com ). He currently serves on the board of Homebridge CA. Follow him on Twitter @ DerekBarnesSF and on Instagram at DerekBarnes.SF
Horizons Gala 2023
Photos by Lisa Chamberlin with Onyx and Nash/Horizons Foundation
Horizons Foundation delivered, as promised, “an exciting, new Gala experience” on Saturday evening, October 7, at Terra Gallery. Designed to encourage mixing and mingling, the event included a cocktail reception, a carefully curated mix of elegant menu items from Melons Catering, live entertainment including music from DJ Lamont, a high-tech portrait station, and more. Gala Co-Chairs Dipti Ghosh and Tim Murray welcomed guests, Horizons President Roger Doughty gave remarks, and LGBTQ community favorite Michael Tate led the live auction and rousing call for contributions. A dessert reception and dancing followed. As the organizers invited, “be part of a revolution that celebrates love, freedom, and the unbreakable LGBTQ+ spirit!” https://www.horizonsfoundation.org/
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AGUILAS Receives the 2023 Partner in Progress Award make participants aware of sexual health and the various services provided by both AGUILAS and Strut.
Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, Co-Founders Randy Alfred, Founding News Editor 1978 Kim Corsaro, Publisher 1981-2011
2261 Market Street, No. 309 San Francisco CA 94114 Phone: 415-601-2113 525 Bellevue Avenue Oakland CA 94610 E-mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com www.sfbaytimes.com The Bay Times was the first newspaper in California, and among the first in the world, to be jointly and equally produced by lesbians and gay men. We honor our history and the paper’s ability to build and strengthen unity in our community. The Bay Times is proud to be the first and only LGBTQ newspaper in San Francisco to be named a Legacy Business, recognizing that it is a longstanding, community-serving business that is a valuable cultural asset to the city. Dr. Betty L. Sullivan Jennifer L. Viegas Co-Publishers & Co-Editors
Beth Greene, Michael Delgado, John Signer, Abby Zimberg Design & Production
Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon Calendar Editor
Kit Kennedy Poet-In-Residence J.H. Herren Technology Director Carla Ramos Web Coordinator Mario Ordonez Distribution
Juan R. Davila Volunteer Coordinator CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Carolyn Wysinger, Leslie Sbrocco, Heather Freyer, Kate Kendell, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Joanie Juster, Julie Peri, Jennifer Kroot, Robert Holgate, Eduardo Morales, Dennis McMillan, Tim Seelig, John Chen, Rafael Mandelman, Tabitha Parent, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Bill Lipsky, Elisa Quinzi, Liam Mayclem, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Derek Barnes, Marcy Adelman, Jan Wahl, Holly Near, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron, Michele Karlsberg, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Lou Fischer, Brett Andrews, David Landis
Nuestra Voz Eduardo Morales, Ph.D. 2023 Partner in Progress Award AGUILAS received the 2023 Partner in Progress Award from the HIV Advocacy Network on August 21, 2023. The award was given “in recognition of their outstanding efforts to organize and mobilize people living with AIDS with and impacted by HIV over the past year to fight justice for our communities.” AGUILAS’ staff and board members are thrilled to be recognized for our advocacy efforts throughout the year. The award is a great honor for us, representing acknowledgment of the workshops AGUILAS offers through its La Academia program funded by the ViiV Healthcare Foundation. Latinx Heritage Month On the evening of October 12, Indigenous Day in California, AGUILAS together with Strut on Castro Street had a celebration of Latinx Heritage Month that featured a Latinx Sexual Health Mixer. There were various entertainers including Betty Fresas, Cassie Brown, and Mahlae Balenciaga with special guest Mr. Safe Latino 2023 Esteban Cuaya-Munoz. The event helped
Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Sparks, Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Karina Patel, Abby Zimberg, Joanie Juster ADVERTISING Display Advertising Standard Rate Cards http://sfbaytimes.com/ or 415-503-1375 Custom ad sizes are available. Ads are reviewed by the publishers. National Advertising: Contact Bay Times / San Francisco. Represented by Rivendell Media: 908-232-2021 Circulation is verified by an independent agency Reprints by permission only. CALENDAR Submit events for consideration by e-mail to: calendar@sfbaytimes.com © 2023 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas
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AGUILAS offers community support groups and individual counseling sessions in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Check the AGUILAS website ( https://www.sfaguilas.org/ ) for more information about them, and about upcoming events, such as our Thanksgiving social on Friday, November 17, at the SF LGBT Center. During it we will give thanks to all our volunteers, staff, and program participants with a festive celebration that will include entertainment and food. Leadership Development Workshops in November La Academia of AGUILAS will host a new round of leadership development workshops November 6–9. The four major areas of training will be 1) basic financial knowledge; 2) efficient communication tools, especially for use with the media; 3) legal awareness for Latinx LGBTQI individuals; and 4) effective strategies for advocacy. Those who complete the workshop series will receive certificates from AGUILAS in partnership with Alliant International University. The workshops aim to help others develop important skills that are fundamental to leadership opportunities within our LGBTQI community and allied communities. Honoring the Life and Legacy of John Marez Recently, we received the sad news that John Marez died on September 13 at SF General Hospital. He was a past chair of the AGUILAS board for which he also served as a member for many years. John fought a long and courageous battle with kid-
John Marez
ney disease and pulmonary issues. His family and partner were with him at his side as he peacefully transitioned.
John was very active in our community and led the formation of the candlelight march in honor of the death of Gwen Araujo who was a Latinx teen transgender murdered in Newark, CA, in 2002 by a group of men. Gwen’s story is presented as a film on Hulu. Also, John was very involved with GLAAD in San Francisco. He led and helped with past GLAAD fundraisers and served as an event cochair. His passing is a great loss for our community. May he rest in peace. Día de Los Muertos in San Francisco The historic purpose of celebrating Halloween or Hallowed Eve is not about hocus pocus and tricks or treats. It is a preparation for All Saints Day on November 1 by warding off ghosts and letting go of difficult energies to allow for positive energies to emerge. November 2 is Día de Los Muertos, the Celebration of the Day of the Dead that is also known as All Souls Day. It is based on Mexican and Central American traditions to remember those who have passed. Given this history, the Marigold Project in San Francisco produces the Día de Los Muertos, Festival of Altars, and the Ritual Poetry Circle
in Potrero Del Sol Park, located at 25th Street and San Bruno Avenue, starting at 5 pm. A procession assembles at 22nd and Bryant Streets at 6 pm and starts at 7 pm. The organizers shared, “This year, our focus is JOY, and we pay homage to Coatlicue (Nahuatl for ‘Serpent Skirt’), the Aztec earth goddess, symbolizing the earth as both creator and destroyer, mother of gods and mortals. Coatlicue embodies the spirit of resilience, and we stand united to combat the challenges faced by women worldwide.”
Enjoy the traditions here in San Francisco as we move into the holiday season. Eduardo Morales, Ph.D. is a Professor Emeritus, retired Distinguished Professor, and current adjunct professor at Alliant International University. He is also a licensed psychologist and a founder and current Executive Director of AGUILAS, an awardwinning program for Latinx LGBTQ+. Of Puerto Rican decent, he has received numerous distinguished awards and citations, including being named a Fellow of 12 divisions of the American Psychological Association.
GLBT Fortnight in Review Thanks For Nothing When a single major news event explodes onto the world stage, it relegates all other subjects to the sidebars and back pages, to use a 20th Century metaphor. Our GLBT trials and tribulations are dwarfed by terror this week, but I am nonetheless obliged to focus on whatever I can find to say about the scant reporting on our community life. To be sure, I could write many paragraphs about India’s five-member top court that unanimously ruled against marriage equality on October 17. But that would require me to untangle the various opinions and master the history of gay rights in the world’s most populous nation. I decline to accept this onerous assignment. I will say that the Chief Justice made a big deal about respecting GLBT citizens and preventing discrimination. Um, okay. Another justice, S. Ravindra Bhat, said same-sex couples were free to conduct relationships “in whichever way they wish within the social realm,” adding that this “does not extend the right to claim any legal entitlement to any legal status for the same union or relationship.” Say what? Yes, basically Bhat gave gay couples the legal right to date, so there’s that. I gather the main justification was that the Court could not make laws and that marriage policy was up to Parliament. Also, I had not registered that Joe Biden addressed the big Human Rights Campaign shindig in Washington on Saturday, October 14. That’s a pretty big get, HRC. I guess some 2,500 attended the festivities. “At this pivotal moment in our history,” POTUS remarked, “Jill and
I have come here tonight to say thank you for your courage, thank you for your hope, and thank you for your pride.” I know. I would have thought he’d be a little busy, so count me kind of impressed. Hate crimes are up across the board for everyone, but us in particular. I’ll spare you the numbers. And I was happy to see some good news in Poland, where centrists have won enough seats to form a coalition government to replace the far-right faction that has recently been in power. No, it’s not a GLBT story, but it resonates for us, as we do not fare well with far-right factions as a rule. Sex and the Single Seahorse I was just scanning a story about the insidious “Moms for Liberty” bookbanners, a Tennessee group that has taken a leading role in many local school policy debates around the country. I’ve written about them before and was going to skip over their latest shenanigans, but I have to comment on one thing. According to an article last month from LGBTQ Nation, the gang was going after schools in “Williamson County,” which could be anywhere, and on their wanna-ban list they included a picture book that included illustrations of seahorses in what purports to be an intimate position. “Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in The Sea dares to show two sea horses [sic] holding tails or touching bellies as it describes the animal’s unusual mating ritual,” the news report quotes. “They twist their tails together and twirl gently around, changing color until they match.” “Today, Sea Horse’s mate is full of ripe eggs,” the informative text con-
By Ann Rostow tinues. “The two of them dance until sunset and then she puts her eggs into his pouch. Barbour sea horses mate every few weeks during the breeding season. Only the male sea horse has a pouch. Only the female sea horse can grow eggs.” That was more than enough for Moms for Liberty! For the record, the illustration shows a grey seahorse with its tail around a yellow seahorse. They’re not “doing anything,” if you catch my drift. And I also just learned that seahorses are monogamous and bond for life. What could be more wholesome? What the hell is wrong with these women? (Please note that I would not advocate banning the seahorse book even if the creatures were debauched and unfaithful. But that’s just me.) The same article reports that Moms for Liberty want to dump a book about Johnny Appleseed because “the story is sad and dark.” They want an age limit on a book about hurricanes, since kindergarten kids are too young to read about the “devastating effects,” and they object to a Civil War novel that includes “out of marriage families between white men and black women” and depicts “white people as ‘bad’ or ‘evil.’” Death Be Not Proud While I was on LGBTQ Nation, I couldn’t help but click on a link to a “New Independent Fundamental Baptist” preacher at the Stedfast Baptist Church in Watauga, Texas, called Duncan Urbanek. It’s usually a waste of time to rehash some of these fringe men of God who like to spew venomous antigay rhetoric into the willing ears of the devout
Christians in their audience. But this bozo takes the cake. “The Bible teaches that being a faggot is a crime,” Urbanek told the faithful. “It’s a crime against society. Police should arrest them, criminals should be put in jail, to be charged with a crime, and they should go to court. Evidence should be used against them, and they should be convicted and guilty of death. If you’re going to follow the Bible’s prescription, the city, town would be throwing rocks at them until they die.” “These homos are worthy of death, they should be charged in a lawful assembly, and the government should execute them. The government should line them up and shoot them in the back of their head.” Hello! Urbanek later complained that he and other preachers of his ilk are often “taken out of context.” In fact, he clarified on X/Twitter: “Here’s the thing: We want them all to die! But it’s not like I’m gonna do it ... . No, we just want them dead.” Elsewhere, he suggests that God should give gays and lesbians “a slow painful death,” which I guess would rule out being shot in the back of the head, but whatever. And we wonder why hate crime numbers have risen significantly? I’ve got a flagpole on my house and a dozen or so flags for every occasion. At present, I am flying the University of Texas longhorn flag, which was put up to replace the University of Kansas jayhawk flag. College football season is an important priority in our household.
We raise the rainbow flag in June, we put the stars and stripes up on the Fourth of July and the French flag on July 14. We have a Ukrainian flag, a “no hate lives here flag,” a Scottish flag, a “let’s party” flag, and a giant Biden Harris banner. At times, over the last few years when there’s no reason for any particular flag, I’ve felt nervous putting up the rainbow flag. We have not stopped flying it, but I’m just aware of a vague danger when it’s up. Once our car was keyed, perhaps because we have a “Proud Democrat” bumper sticker. I don’t know, but I’ve never experienced this uncomfortable sense of latent violence until recently. Swiss Miss This is a good moment to discuss the First Amendment, a laudable feature of American jurisprudence, but not one without intricacy. Duncan Urbanek has the right to preach about the death penalty for GLBT people, but he can’t issue a direct threat of violence. That’s a high bar, however, because as he points out, “it’s not like I’m gonna do it.” Still, you do more than recoil at men like him, and perhaps his “sermon” might lead a follower to “do it,” right? But the point of the First Amendment is to protect difficult and controversial speech against state censorship. So, we are stuck with having to listen Urbanek and his like, unlike citizens of, let’s say Switzerland. Yes, we have here another example of European nations where our version of the First Amendment does not operate and where a man has been sentenced to 60 days in prison for calling someone (continued on page 22)
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The 2023 GLBT Historical Society Gala PHOTO BY JOANIE JUSTER
“Reunion” was the theme of the GLBT Historical Society’s annual gala benefit held on Saturday, October 14, at the Marines’ Memorial Club & Hotel. The organization’s Executive Director, Roberto Ordeñana, welcomed guests as did Mayor London Breed who make a special appearance.
PHOTO BY SISTER ROMA
Honey Mahogany and Sister Roma served as hosts for the evening, which was a celebration of queer history makers and achievements that moved the community forward. Honorees receiving special recognition were the Queer Ancestors Project and Heklina (posthumously). The popular silent auction included selected artifacts from the Historical Society’s archives and a collection of items and services contributed by supporters and friends. During the VIP reception, Tina Valentin Aguirre was recognized for her community work and service on the Historical Society’s board. The benefit, according to Sister Roma, raised over $150,000!
PHOTO BY SISTER ROMA
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“My mother had a saying, ‘Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you’re not the last.’” —Vice President Kamala Harris
By Donna Sachet
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ife is a constant barrage of contrasting events, often reflected in this bi-weekly column, ranging from exciting galas that support the work of worthy organizations to somber remembrances of friends and community leaders whose losses will resonate for years. Prepare yourselves, dear readers, for such a wide-ranging column herein.
Those who knew Gerry Roberts were certainly touched by the memorial produced by his good friends Lenny Broberg and Audrey Joseph on Saturday, October 7, at The Eagle. A handful of carefully selected speakers, including the two hosts, shared personal memories, decorative details were added by Gary Virginia, and we shared a song with the crowd assembled. Many stories circulated regarding Gerry’s generous spirit and the wisdom he willingly shared with younger folks. His long support of the Bare Chest Calendar was evident from the many participants present. Not only the
Leather Community, but also the larger LGBTQ+ Community has lost a legendary leader. After a quick wardrobe change, we headed from there to Beaux in the Castro for Love Shack, an Imperial fundraiser supporting the Reign of Emperor Michael Anthony Chua & Empress Cameron Stiehl-Munro. Hosts Cockatielia, Alexis Miranda, and Chablis assembled quite a show and the crowd ate it up! All money raised adds to the Monarchs’ charitable fund to be distributed at their step-down next year. Our final event was at Terra Gallery for the annual gala of Horizons Foundation. Departing from their usual Fairmont Hotel location, the Horizons’ team this year offered a more relaxed format with various food and cocktail stations, a vigorous auction by the always entertaining Michael Tate, and a brief program led by Executive Director of Horizons Foundation Roger Doughty. We enjoyed catching up with SF Pride’s Suzanne Ford, Rebecca Rolfe, Marcy Adelman, Brandon Miller, and even the Bay Times own Betty Sullivan and Jennifer Viegas. Yes, it was an especially hot evening with a mountain of traffic problems, but loyal Horizons supporters ensured a successful event. The Academy welcomed Nas Mohamed for a National Coming Out event sponsored by his medical practice Osra and others dedicated to ending worldwide injustices and international LGBTQ+ discrimination and persecution. Sister Roma hosted, Philip Grasso DJed, and Bebe Sweetbriar and others entertained. The East Wing of The Academy SF was transformed into a more intimate club feel with lighting, floral decor, and a glittering crowd. We continue to be amazed at the commitment of Nas and his tireless activism. The SF Gay Men’s Chorus hosted friends of Jeff Lewy for a memorial at their headquarters on Valencia. Many of Jeff’s friends, including Bob Hermann & Dan Joraanstad, Deb Stallings, Roger Doughty, and family members, shared stories of his dedication to Horizons Foundation and the chorus, among many other philanthropic efforts, as well as expressing support for his husband Ed Eishen. We exchanged stories with several friends who date back to our membership in the SFGMC and were reminded of how many people share a love for this groundbreaking choral group. Memorials are never easy to attend, but this one was well done and gave Jeff well-deserved recognition for years of generosity.
Krewe de Kinque may have created a popular new annual event with their Friday the 13th Vampire Ball at the Cat Club. Over a hundred people, nearly all in vampiric costume, assembled for a fun night of fundraising for the SF Night Ministry hosted by BeBe Sweetbriar and DJed by Suppositori Spelling. KdK King Mez & Queen Moxie Penn are to be congratulated on creating this new event, which included select entertainment, Jello syringes, and lots of hardworking volunteers. With that many costumes, a costume contest was mandatory, this one for Scariest, Sexiest, and Most Creative with cash prizes and secret judges! This event got everybody’s blood churning! The GLBT Historical Society has always been a favorite organization of ours, because if we don’t accurately record our community’s history, it will be written incorrectly or not at all. Their annual gala, Reunion, was last Saturday night at the Marines’ Memorial Club and attendance was in the hundreds. Also choosing a more relaxed format, this event had unassigned seating in a beautiful dining room and drinks and buffet food were offered in two adjoining rooms, along with silent auction items. Board of Directors Chair Ben Chavez Gilliam recognized key volunteers and staff during the VIP reception, followed by the main event, skillfully hosted by Sister Roma and Honey Mahogany. We were pleased to see Supervisors Raphael Mandelman and Matt Dorsey among the widely diverse crowd. Joining us at our table were John Newmeyer, Joanie Juster, Michael Bongiorni, Chris Knight & Celso Dulay, Dan Bernal, and the last original member of the group that founded the GLBT Historical Society, Greg Pennington. Others in attendance were Juanita MORE!, Terrill Grimes Munro, Kylie Minono, Manny Yekutiel, Tom Horn, and new Board member Matthew Goudeau. The highlights of the program were the presentation of two awards, one posthumously to Heklina and the other to Queer Ancestors Project; a powerful speech by Executive Director Roberto Ordeñana; and closing remarks from Mayor London Breed. We join all those present in looking forward to a building dedicated to the Society’s collection in the near future. As we close this column, we reflect on the tremendous range of emotions the past few weeks have evoked. While celebrating at fundraising galas, giving tribute to recently lost community leaders, and spending time with treasured friends, a world of turmoil swirls around us. As we are continually bombarded by news of unprecedented acts of hatred, deep-seated animosity, and heart-wrenching tragedies, how do we proceed? Accurate information is paramount, as is a willingness to empathize, to share genuine emotion, and to search for goodness PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT
Thursday, October 19 AIDS Legal Referral Panel’s From the Heart Annual Reception with food, drink, silent auction Featuring tribute to Bill Hirsh Julia Morgan Ballroom, 465 California Street 6–9 pm $100 & up www.alrp.org Saturday, October 21 Maitri’s Works of HEART Exhibit & auction of local artists’ work 2358MRKT Gallery, 2358 Market Street 2–5 pm Free! www.maitrisf.org Saturday, October 21 Krewe de Kinque’s Remembrance Monthly fundraiser with entertainment Benefits Rainbow Honor Walk Midnight Sun, 4067 18th Street 4–7 pm $10 Beer Bust https://tinyurl.com/289vthza Saturday, October 21 HRC Annual Gala Dinner & Program Awards to Lesbians Who Tech, Gary Hilbert, & Joel Kim Booster Special guest Zane Philips Westin St. Francis Hotel, 335 Powell Street 5:30 pm $375 & up www.sf bayarea.hrc.org Friday, October 27 Divas & Drinks Bay Times Halloween party hosted by Donna Sachet Shake It! Booty Band debut at D&D DJ Rockaway, Extreme Pizza, Bacardí team Costume contest with prizes The Academy SF, 2166 Market Street 6–10 pm $20 www.academy-sf.com Saturday, October 28 Grand Opening of National Queer Arts Center Hosted by SF Gay Men’s Chorus 170 Valencia Street 5–7 pm By invitation only www.sfgmc.org
wherever it can be found. Feelings of hopelessness in the face of such international catastrophes can only be balanced with recommitment to active engagement at the local level. Check in with your own heart and you will find a path worth following. Donna Sachet is a celebrated performer, fundraiser, activist, and philanthropist who has dedicated over two decades to the LGBTQ Community in San Francisco. Contact her at empsachet@gmail.com
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ADELMAN (continued from pg 6)
MILLER (continued from pg 12)
GREENE (continued from pg 12)
Dror Israel Emergency Response Dror Israel is an education focused nonprofit striving for a just, equal and democratic Israel. With schools closing, reservists being called up and thousands of children traumatized, Dror Israel is working to support evacuees, assist with day care for children of hospital workers and other essential staff, and provide support to children and families impacted by the attacks. https://www.drorisrael.org/donate
for Bob. Make sure you update these details as the Sallys drift out of your life to make way for the Bobs.
create a plan that offers the protection and benefits you need.
United Hatzalah United Hatzalah of Israel is the largest fully volunteer Emergency Medical Service organization that stands out for its fast response times, often providing vital care before an ambulance arrives. The group has launched an emergency appeal for desperately needed supplies and equipment as they continue to respond to provide support in southern Israel. https://israelrescue.org/
Estate planning isn’t complete unless you prepare legal documents such as a durable power of attorney for financial matters and a medical power of attorney for medical decisions. It is crucial in the event you are incapacitated. These documents appoint trusted individuals to make decisions on your behalf when you can’t. 7. Update your estate plan regularly. Life is full of unexpected turns. Milestone events such as marriage, divorce, births, and deaths can significantly impact your wishes and create gaps in your plan. We recommend a set review every five years so you can make necessary adjustments to your plan.
Israel Democracy HQ – Emergency Assistance Fund for Residents of the South Democracy HQ and member organizations of the pro-democracy protest movement are uniting to support the people of Israel during this war. The groups have established a central assistance center to connect host families with families from the south of the country, provide transportation services from the fighting line to safe areas, a food convoy to hospitals, protective gear for soldiers and more. https://tinyurl.com/y8byu6z3 Gisha Gisha is an Israeli legal advocacy group that works to support international law and the rights and freedoms of Gaza residents through both direct legal case support and political advocacy. They are continuing to press for emergency medical and humanitarian supplies to be delivered to Gaza and to push for all parties to uphold international law. https://tinyurl.com/ysk7h3v6 Physicians for Human Rights Israel PHRI is an Israeli advocacy and direct aid group with a mission to advocate for human rights, equal access to healthcare, and free healthcare for all— including marginalized communities and Bedouin communities in the Negev. Their emergency response is supporting direct medical aid to communities evacuated from southern Israel, including kibbutz evacuees and migrant workers, among other urgent needs. https://tinyurl.com/3h3yruzy UnXeptable The U.S. based pro-democracy advocacy group UnXeptable is working to support Israelis stranded in the United States who can’t fly home. Pro-democracy supporters across the U.S. are opening their homes to host Israelis in need in the United States. https://tinyurl.com/2aa8t5x3 J Street: https://jstreet.org/
6. Prepare for medical decisions.
Estate planning is an intimate process, and these are just the basics. Something is better than nothing so scribble it on a cocktail napkin or engage with an attorney. Make a plan, or if you have one, make sure it still suits your needs today. Brio does not provide tax or legal advice, and nothing contained in these materials should be taken as such. The opinions expressed in this article are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security. It is only intended to provide education about the financial industry. To determine which investments may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. Any past performance discussed during this program is no guarantee of future results. Any indices referenced for comparison are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. As always please remember investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital; please seek advice from a licensed professional. Brio Financial Group is a registered investment adviser. SEC Registration does not constitute an endorsement of Brio by the SEC nor does it indicate that Brio has attained a particular level of skill or ability. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Brio Financial Group and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advice may be rendered by Brio Financial Group unless a client service agreement is in place. Brandon Miller, CFP®, is a financial consultant at Brio Financial Group in San Francisco, specializing in helping LGBT individuals and families plan and achieve their financial goals. For more information: https://www.briofg.com/
JUSTER (continued from pg 8) Sunday, October 29: Castro Family Halloween Block Party and Costume Contest ArtyHood, Castro Merchants, and the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association are co-hosting this second annual family-friendly event from 11–5 on Noe between Market and Beaver, complete with costume contests for kids, grown-ups, and pets, plus performances and activities of all sorts. https://tinyurl.com/CastroFHBP And did you know that you can view the costume parade on Castro Street by watching the San Francisco Bay Times’ Castro Street Cam? https://tinyurl.com/4jphheav One More Thing Halloween frights aside, these are genuinely tense and scary times. Please be an instrument of peace and healing by being kind, offering comfort and support to those who are fearful or traumatized, and speaking out against hatred, bigotry, and violence. It will take all of us working together to heal the world. Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.
For rental property owners, protecting investments is vital for long-term financial success. Trusts provide a powerful tool to shield your assets from potential threats, whether they be creditors, legal disputes, or estate taxes. By taking proactive steps and consulting with a professional, you can build a robust asset protection strategy that allows you to enjoy the rewards of rental property ownership with peace of mind. Remember, your investments deserve the best possible protection, and trusts can be the key to achieving that security. If you are looking for help with your own estate planning needs, or would like to discuss how we can help your loved ones with their plans, please feel free to contact us at obed@greenelawfirm.com or call us at 415-905-0215. We look forward to hearing from you!
a “fat lesbian” and “unhinged,” certainly a mild attack compared to some of the name calling that runs amok in our country. Alain Bonnet, who writes as Alain Sorel, was charged with defamation, discrimination, and incitement to hatred after ranting against journalist Catherine Macherel. He was previously nailed for denying the Holocaust in 2019. The ruling was “hailed” by gay activists, according to NBC news, but as an American I just can’t handle it. Presumably, if Sorel can’t call Macherel a fat lesbian, I can’t call Sorel an ugly prick, or however I might describe him were I reaching for a vulgar critique. It’s just all wrong. Meanwhile, this reminds me of a story I covered elsewhere last month, and again, it’s from our old friends at LGBTQ Nation. Thanks, guys! Apparently, a 14-year-old boy named Rylan decided to troll a TikTok commentator named Michele, who Tiks and Toks as a local lesbian. “Your family is going to be in a driveby shooting on oct 28 2023,” wrote Rylan, “tread lightly scum of the earth. (in Minecraft).” It seems Rylan erroneously believed that by inserting the parenthetical “in Minecraft,” he could not get in trouble for making a direct and specific threat, which indeed is not protected speech and could theoretically have bad repercussions. Those repercussions became more likely when Michele noted that Rylan did not bother to hide his identifying information, including his school. “You are not the brightest crayon, little fella,” she replied, via a post to her 1.5 million followers. “I kind of have some sympathy for you, because again, you’re only 14 years old. You’re not born feeling and viewing people in that way. You are taught that. So, I hope when I contact your local authorities that not only you learn a lesson, but your parents, as well. Your parents don’t want to teach you right from wrong? Allow me to teach you a little something: that’s f---ing unacceptable. You do not do s--t like that.” Michele also informed Rylan’s school principal, who agreed that his behavior was not okay. Not even in Minecraft. I’m dying to know what happened.
Divas & Drinks Halloween Party
Friday, October 27, 6–10 pm @ The Academy 2166 Market Street (between Sanchez & Church) A super group of top Bay Area women musicians, Shake It Booty Band, will be making their D&D debut! These women comprise one of the most entertaining, rollicking, funky, disco-down dance bands to hit the scene. Mark you calendar and plan your Halloween outfit now to win a prize in our annual Costume Contest! SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S
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Jay Greene, Attorney, CPA, is the founder of Greene Estate, Probate, & Elder Law Firm based in San Francisco, and is focused on helping LGBT individuals, couples, and families plan for their future, protect their assets, and preserve their wealth. For more information and to schedule an assessment, visit: https://assetprotectionbayarea.com/
ROSTOW (continued from pg 19)
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Statements In Compliance with California Rules of Professional Conduct: The materials in this article have been prepared by Attorney Jay Greene for educational purposes only and are not legal advice. This information does not create an attorney-client relationship. Individuals should consult with an estate planning and elder law attorney for up-to-date information for their individual plans.
What’s Love Got to Do With It? Here’s an intriguing headline: “What A Lesbian Monkey Love Triangle Can Teach Us About Darwin’s ‘Paradox.’” I don’t know about you, but I’m game. Tell us, One Green Planet! Darwin, of course, suggested that natural selection favors animals and plants that are likely to survive and thrive, hardly descriptive of lesbian monkey love triangles, who waste their reproductive capacity on Sapphic escapades rather than procreation. So, why would such instincts be rewarded with continuity in nature? “Lesbian monkey love triangles,” the scientists tell us, “ just like human ones, are complex. They revolve around the pursuit of pleasure and the desire to build essential social bonds.” Or, as the case may be, the consumption of half a gallon of Southern Comfort in my college dormitory. At Animal Tracks, a sanctuary north of Los Angeles, two female brown capuchin monkeys named Haley and Maci have been joined by a younger white-faced monkey named Bailey. According to the theories, “both male macaque monkeys and lesbian monkeys like Bailey, Haley, and Maci demonstrate that same-sex interactions serve distinct purposes, from strengthening social bonds to potentially increasing reproductive success.” After this flat statement, the authors provide zero evidence or explanation of why this fun-loving primate behavior would increase reproductive success, other than to speculate that the trio’s social bond contributes to a happy community and encourages, um, good things in general. I’m not convinced, but I don’t feel like listening to an entire episode of Science Quickly, which may or may not provide more information. Must there be a scientific reason for everything? Can’t there just be a few exceptions to Darwin’s precepts? Can’t lesbian monkey love triangles exist for their own sake? Must they contribute to the larger ecosystem? Must any of us? arostow@aol.com
San Francisco-Zürich Sister Cities Anniversary Corine Mauch, Mayor of Zürich, Switzerland, recently joined San Francisco Mayor London Breed at SF City Hall to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the sister city partnership between San Francisco and Zürich and to sign a Memorandum of Understanding noting the renewal.
Following the panel program, participants joined City Guides for a walking tour of the Castro with live music at Jane Warner Plaza, including a performance by the Navy Southwest Band during their Fleet Week 2023 visit to the Bay Area. Additional activities marking the 20th year of the sister city relationship have included participation in the Castro Street Fair, live music performances, policy discussion, film and literary festival presentations, and more. Swiss Impact USA has a listing of related events at https://tinyurl.com/47kbr6uh
PHOTO COURTESY CONSULATE OF SWITZERLAND
PHOTO COURTESY OF RAFAEL MANDELMAN
On Tuesday, October 5, Mayor Mauch also joined District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman at the GLBT History Museum in the Castro for a panel discussion. “The Mayor of Zürich and I discussed our shared experiences as LGBTQ+ elected officials, and how we can continue to support LGBTQ+ people locally and globally,” Supervisor Mandelman said, recalling the event. The discussion was moderated by Natalia Guecheva, who has lived and worked as an event and film industry
production manager in both San Francisco and Zürich, which is Switzerland’s largest city.
PHOTO COURTESY OF RAFAEL MANDELMAN
PHOTO COURTESY CONSULATE OF SWITZERLAND
PHOTO COURTESY CONSULATE OF SWITZERLAND
PHOTO COURTESY CONSULATE OF SWITZERLAND
PHOTO COURTESY OF RAFAEL MANDELMAN
PHOTO COURTESY OF RAFAEL MANDELMAN
Two Approaches to Electric Crossovers The two crossovers we’re checking out this week define the kind of choices buyers face. The $74,350 Genesis GV70 Electrified is an electric car with a 238-mile range that distinguishes itself with its smooth performance and sumptuous interiors. Meanwhile, the $46,305 Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid AWD combines a nominal electric range, about 33 miles, with a peppy 1.6-liter gas engine. Range anxiety becomes a non-issue.
Auto Philip Ruth Right now, it’s hard to know if an electric vehicle is for you. It’s obviously the next step in our automotive future, but range anxiety and a still-developing charging network are keeping some buyers on the bench. Recently in my work, I had a client who wanted to trade her Tesla for a plug-in hybrid. While the electric car has some clear advantages and novel features, she still yearned for the convenience of quick fill-ups.
The plug-in Tucson needs a gentle touch with the accelerator to keep it in electric mode, and the gas engine clicks in more often than not when driving through hilly San Francisco. Still, I got around 28 miles per gallon, which is admirable considering the Tucson’s substance. The Tucson isn’t overtly sporty, but it borders on being fun to drive. It tackles long sweeping curves with enthusiasm, like the ramp that loops up from 101 toward the Golden Gate Bridge. While other drivers seem to have trouble staying in their lanes, the Tucson digs in and carves exactly the line you’re tracing. My one ask would be for a more natural feel from the regenerative brakes.
Genesis GV70 Electrified
The Tucson’s 261 horsepower is enough to keep it feeling nimble, while the GV70 Electrified’s 429 horses make it the stormer you would imagine it being. Acceleration is breathtaking, and the GV70 Electrified handles with confidence. You buy a luxury car partly to feel a step above the rest, and this Genesis is up several rungs from what we could have imagined electric cars being just a few years ago. Inside, the GV70 Electrified is the anti-Tesla, where the latter’s starkness gives way to the former’s richness. Softness defines both the contours and the touch points, and
the white leather of my presser was the upholstery equivalent of whipped cream. Subtle mood lighting around the margins completes the upscale effect. The Tucson’s innards are simpler, but they are equally impressive at first glance. Thin chrome strips curve around from the instrument panel into the doors for a beautifully integrated look. There’s a lot of glossy black plastic, and most of it looks good, though fingerprints can accumulate. Rear seats in both are very comfortable, with reclining seat backs and
Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid AWD
plenty of room. Though their cargo areas are reduced a bit to accommodate batteries, they still deliver the kind of utility crossover buyers want. From the prices, we can see that Hyundai isn’t exactly giving away its luxury GV70 Electrified or mainstream Tucson Plug-In Hybrid. But as answers to the questions car buyers are asking, they both land exactly where they should. Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant with an automotive staging service.
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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2023)
Are the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence the Queens of Halloween? Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Photo
1995
As the event grew so did the attention from others outside our community who came to the Castro to gawk, harass, and even violently attack LGBTQ people. Sadly, the Sisters were forced to cancel our beloved event because it became too dangerous. The safety of our community has always been our priority.
Before we dive in, it’s important to acknowledge that Halloween has always been considered a high holy holiday for many of us in the LGBTQ community. Let’s be honest, we’re theatrical. We love to dress up. We love horror, camp, and glamour. Don’t believe me? Ask Peaches Christ; she’s made a career of it. We love playing with gender and making political statements. Most of all, we have an innate ability to make literally anything sexy. There’s something about being dressed as a sexy school teacher and flirting with a sexy zombie that speaks to our soul.
PHOTO BY SHUWU/FLICKR
Halloween Castro 2005
PHOTO BY RINK
Jump to October 17, 1989. At 5:04 pm, San Francisco was shaken to the core by the Loma Prieta earthquake. Now you might be wondering what this has to do with Halloween. Have I suffered a stroke in mid-article? No, girl, let me explain. Sister Dana leading the Children’s Halloween Parade in the Castro (2006) A couple weeks later, on Halloween night, the Sisters decided to take action. A handful of us brought step ladders, buckets, and bullhorns out onto Castro Street to collect money for then-Mayor Art Agnos’ Earthquake Relief Fund. Many of the revelers that night dropped bottle caps and cigarette butts into our buckets— but many, many more dropped cash—a lot of it! By the end of the night, we had raised over $10,000. It was then that we realized Halloween in the Castro was a huge Castro 2006 untapped resource for fundraising in our community. The following year, the Sisters officially produced Halloween in the Castro. We added two flatbed truck stages with live entertainment, DJs, and a spectacular costume contest. From 1990 to 1995, the Sisters reigned as the Queens of Halloween. We invited community partners to work the gates to raise money for important causes like Community United Against Violence (CUAV), and HIV/AIDS. Halloween in the Castro became our largest annual fundraiser and one of the most popular events in San Francisco, attracting crowds estimated to be over 300,000.
This year’s celebration will take place on Saturday, October 28, from noon to midnight. Over 40 Castro venues will participate in Halloweenthemed events including a $5 Horror Movie Marathon hosted by the Castro Theater. The neighborhood will be decorated and alive with drag brunches, face painting, fortune telling, storytime, trickor-treating, drink specials, and much more!
PHOTO BY ELIZABETH HERREN
By the 1980s, Halloween had moved to the Castro where Sister Roma tens of thousands of costumed revelers crowded the bars and filled the streets. These nighttime street parties happened organically and were wildly popular.
For years, LGBTQ people and our allies have continued to gather in the Castro to celebrate our high holy holiday, as we should. That’s why I’m excited to share that this year the Sisters have joined forces with Manny Yekutiel, the Civic Joy Fund, Another Planet Entertainment (A.P.E.), Supervisor Rafael Mandleman’s office, and the Castro Merchants to officially produce Halloween in the Castro!
DOUG KAYE/FLICKR
Halloween celebrations in San Francisco have raged for decades with roots to Polk Street as far back as the 1960s when many of us were forced to live our lives in the closet. Halloween was the one night a year they could “come out” to play and revel in their queerness.
(This also started the tradition of collecting donations at gates to street fairs we still see today.)
PHOTO BY DAVID GREEN
The short answer to the question posed in the title of this piece is yes! I know for a fact that the Sisters are indeed the Queens of Halloween because I was there when we got our crowns.
By Sister Roma
experience!
The entire event will culminate with the world-famous Halloween Costume Contest hosted by the Sisters inside the Castro Theater at 8 pm. Costumes get in free and cash prizes will be awarded in four categories: Spookiest, Sexiest, Funniest, and Best Overall. We’ve got surprise guests, special performances, and a few more tricks (or treats) up our sleeves. Your $5 charitable donation includes admission to a 10 pm showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show immediately following the contest. I can’t think of a more iconic San Francisco Halloween
Let’s make this our safest Halloween yet. It’s important to note that there will be no street closure. Please visit the bars or come to the theater after dark. Don’t go out alone, stay alert, and try not to overindulge. It’s time to bring back Halloween in the Castro and keep it in the family. See you there! Sister Roma, “The Most Photographed Nun in the World,” is an activist, fundraiser, and icon. For 36 years she has been one of the of most outspoken and highly visible members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES
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All Hallow’s Eve 2023
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Something for Everyone: Halloween Tonight gay man— whom they knew was not guilty. The ordinance finally was declared unconstitutional in 1961.
Dr. Bill Lipsky In a city with more queens than a playing cards factory, San Francisco’s celebration of All Hallow’s Eve was once the night of nights. With so many grand events in so many bars from the Embarcadero to North Beach to Polk Street, being seen at even the ones that mattered most was a daunting task. Cinderella’s fairy godmother may have turned a pumpkin into a coach fit for a princess, but no fairy can turn a Muni bus into a transport fit for a queen.
By then revelers were renting motorcoaches to take them on their appointed rounds. Not only could they carry a movable festival, so the party never stopped, but they also provided a safe space, away from prying eyes, where merrymakers could make necessary repairs before facing the crowds in front of the bars. After all, taffeta crushes so easily. Heels snap so unexpectedly. Makeup smudges and smears so awkwardly. They assured a last-minute perfection before entering any gala where awards would be given for the best gay apparel. No one remembers who rented the first bus. One of the earliest in 1961, which did a grand circuit of five bars, belonged to “Michelle and the Hollywood Starlets.” Michelle, a hugely popular drag performer and one of Jose’s affectionate rivals—they
Beginning in the 1950s, the most glamorous drag queens, who spent weeks and weeks creating their fabulous ensembles, traveled from one festivity to another with tuxedoed escorts in rented limousines. Arriving in grand style, they made their grand entrance into the Hideaway in the Tenderloin, the Talk of the Town on Lower Market Street, the Jumpin’ Frog in Polk Gulch, Jack’s Waterfront José Julio Sarria, self-declared Empress I, founded the on the Embarcadero, and San Francisco Imperial Court in 1965. especially the Black Cat Café in North Beach, where the great José Sarria, the Nightingale of Montgomery Street, regularly performed for his adoring followers. José was the true fairy godmother of the evening. As the journalist and historian Randy Shilts described it, on Halloween the Chief of Police himself drove him “to the center of North Beach ... opening the car door politely for the elegantly gowned drag queen” and reminding him, “’This is your night—you run it.’ For that one night, the police let homosexuals roam the city freely, even if they wore dresses ... . But when the hours shifted from October 31 to November 1, the iron fist of Lilly Law would fall again.”
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It was not much better in other parts of the city that year. The D’Oak Room at 350 Divisadero “was packed to the posters.” Trying to celebrate at the Barrel House at 88 Embarcadero “was useless, because you could not get in the doors.” Even with “five persons on the door checking ID,” it was “ just this side of bedlam” at Jack’s Waterfront, two blocks away. There were no such problems in the Castro, however. The neighborhood’s first gay bar, the Missouri Mule, had not yet opened. As an alternative to the tumult and the traffic, the Jumpin’ Frog sponsored the original Beaux Arts Ball on Halloween, 1963, but the next year gave up the event to the recently formed Tavern Guild, the first LGBT business association in the United States. In 1964 the Ball was held at the San Francisco Hilton. Some 800 women and men attended. A panel of three ministers—two Methodist and one from the United Churches of Christ—decided the winners of the costume contests. The Tavern Guild had hoped to honor José at the Ball, but he could not attend. He was there the next year, however, to hear himself proclaimed “Empress Norton I, Camp Queen of these United States and Protectress of Mexico.” According to the December 1965 issue of Town Talk, the “Empress lost no time springing into action—calling ‘her’ first privy council meeting on November 15th, and a second on November 22nd ... for the purpose of preparing for a gala coronation ceremony on or about New Year’s, with the ‘royal court’ in attendance.”
At any time, but especially on Halloween, the police could stop, question, and arrest whomever they claimed was violating Section 440 of the San Francisco Municipal Penal Code, which made it illegal for men to dress as women in public, supposedly to protect the naive or gullible from being misled or swindled for illicit or lustful purposes. It gave them all the reason they needed to harass and jail tastefully costumed gays as they left bars and parties on their way home. José hoped to protect those who did not travel in limousines and who had badges that stated, “I am a boy.” Now all anybody stopped by the police had to do was explain, “The law states it is unlawful to dress with an intent to deceive, but I am stating my gender plainly.” The police may not have liked it, but they understood their legal risk from arresting someone—even a
Immense crowds of spectators also became part of Halloween. In 1962, according to the L.C.E. News, they outnumbered the party goers at some of the bars. In front of the Black Cat, “the traditional spot for Halloween big times,” somewhere “between five and seven or eight thousand people,” who had “come down to the Cat to see what the styles are going to be next year,” blocked the sidewalk. The paper speculated that the gay community “made up probably less than 10% of the onlookers.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF FRAMELINE DISTRIBUTION
Faces from Our LGBT Past
From the H’Burners Bus in 1962, cited for having “such elegance, such costumery, such impersonation,” to the “Bette Davis on Canvas” bus in 1976, the rented motorcoaches were a Halloween tradition for almost two decades. Eventually there were so many of them that they had to run on a schedule. The number of bars and clubs that welcomed them also grew, offering trophies or cash prizes for best costume or “best male” and “best female,” best couple, best group, and, of course, best bus.
were “friendly competitors,” he told JD Doyle in an interview for Queer Music Heritage in 2012, and “very, very dear friends”—opened Bill’s Beauty Land at 587 Castro around 1958, the first openly gay-owned business in the neighborhood, and appeared regularly in cabarets and revues.
For several years, San Francisco chose its empress during the annual Beaux Arts Ball. Although there were other events for every fashion and fetish—from Gold Street’s Halloween Bash to the Galleon’s Witches’ Brunch and Witches’ Buffet—it remained the grand fête of the evening for a long time. Now only fond memories of those long-ago festive celebrations remain. Happily, the Imperial Court—now the Imperial Council—endures, the great, lasting legacy of All Hallows’ Eves past. Bill Lipsky, Ph.D., author of “Gay and Lesbian San Francisco” (2006), is a member of the Rainbow Honor Walk board of directors.
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Scary, or Just Plain Weird, Films along with her favorite, Shelley Winters.
Off the Wahl Jan Wahl This is the time of year when I remember movies that terrified me as a child, and movies that still completely freak me out as an adult. I’m not one of those who enjoys being scared silly, but I do love scary satires that are silly themselves. So, here are a few very spooky movies, then we’ll end up laughing with George Hamilton, Mel Brooks, and Gene Wilder. As a youngster, my mom decided that The Night of the Hunter would be appropriate since I was nagging her about a scary movie for Halloween. She figured it was suitable viewing because it was directed by the great Charles Laughton and starred Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish,
This movie freaked me out, and still does. Mitchum is a psychotic preacher who is after two children (!) for their father’s money. Spoiler Alert! It is horrific darkness as the children run, Shelley is drowned in her car, and Gish sits in a rocking chair with a shotgun. Mitchum is so nuts, as he in in the original Cape Fear, that nightmares are made for him. Nobody does gothic better than classic Hollywood. One of the best examples is 1944’s Jane Eyre. Do not waste your time with the remakes; this is the one to see. The novel was written by Charlotte
Brontë under her pen name Currer Bell, since women didn’t have a prayer of being published. After a harsh childhood, young Jane finally ends up in a sinister mansion run by the brooding Mr. Rochester. In this perfect film adaption, Elizabeth Taylor steals the first third as Jane’s doomed friend. As time goes on, Jane ( Joan Fontaine) finds that the angry landowner has a secret in the attic. It is something alive, bloody, and dangerous. Orson Welles is so good as Rochester. I wonder how they dared to remake this movie? It still plays weird and scary.
frightening tale that resonates with reality. In the 1945 film version of The Picture of Dorian Gray, a corrupt but gorgeous young man (Hurd Hatfield) has a special painting done that gradually reveals his inner ugliness. Co-starring Angela Lansbury and creepy George Sanders, the film remains a creepy classic. Also well-worth viewing is 1944’s Laura with stunning Gene Tierney and weird Vincent Price. It too features a memorable painting at its core. See these two and you’ll never look at portraits quite the same way again.
Leave it to our brave genius and gay icon Oscar Wilde to bring us a
Of course, there are the traditionally spooky movies this time of year: Psycho, Rosemary’s Baby,
Nosferatu, The Exorcist, the Poltergeist franchise, and The Shining, just to name a few. But it wouldn’t be me without focusing on the humor where we can find it. Some of my favorite scary movies are actually some of my favorite movies. Young Frankenstein is at the top of the mountain, worthy of watching every year at this time. The Rocky Horror Picture Show and a crazy musical Little Shop of Horrors are fun to watch with a crowd. But please don’t miss a really fun George Hamilton movie that not enough people know about. From 1979, Love at First Bite has Dracula being evicted with his assistant Renfield (played by Arte Johnson) for a trip to New York. He warns the rioting townsfolk to “remember. When I leave here, it’ll be as exciting as Bucharest on a Monday night.” They send him away and he meets disco queen Susan Saint James. Boogie on, blood boy. Happy Halloween! Jan Wahl is a Hollywood historian and film critic on various broadcast outlets. 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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Film Gary M. Kramer Edward Brezinski
PHOTO BY KATHY DUMAS
Documentary Make Me Famous Brings to Life ‘Hungry, Hustling’ Artist Brezinski and His Quest for Fame
Brezinski was perhaps most famous for eating a donut made by artist Robert Guber that was on display in a bag at a gallery. The piece of art was toxic (it had a resin coating and may have been dipped in formaldehyde), which meant Brezinski had to be hospitalized and get his stomach pumped. As recounted in Make Me Famous, the incident was not likely accidental, despite him being Brezinski claiming he mistook the art for catering and was quoted in the newspaper as saying, “I was hungry.”
Edward Eats, ink and water color, 2020
PHOTO BY JAMES ROMBERGER AND MARGUERITE VAN COOK
Brian Vincent’s spry documentary, Make Me Famous, at the 4 Star Theater through November 3, showcases the largely unheralded gay painter Edward Brezinski (nee Brzezinski).
Make Me Famous is a sympathetic case study about Brezinski, who came to New York after attending art school in San Francisco. He hoped to find success in the downtown art world, but it mostly eluded him. Other artists, such as Keith Haring and JeanMichel Basquiat, became superstars and Jeff Koons had a business acumen that Brezinski lacked.
Aces of the NYC art scene, Pru Walters (from left), Scott Covert, Sonny Vincent, Nancy Ulrich, and Katherine Dumas, circa 1980s
PHOTO BY KATHY DUMAS
More likely, it was Brezinski’s efforts to get his name in the paper and attract attention for himself. As various art world friends including David McDermott, Duncan Hannah, and Peter McGough acknowledge in the film, Brezinski was always “hungry and hustling,” but he never quite made it.
Yet Vincent has affection for Brezinski, who was basically a lost soul. He had talent, as seen in several of his works, including a Nancy Reagan painting that is well regarded. He established The Magic Gallery out of his apartment. But he often acted out of desperation. One interview recounts him going to a show and handing out cards promoting his own exhibitions, an art world no-no. That his handouts went from nice invitations to xeroxed pages shows his diminishing efforts over time. One of the best anecdotes in the film involves Brezinski throwing a glass of wine in the face of Annina Nosei, an 30
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Edward Brezinski Self Portrait, 1976
PHOTO BY EDWARD BREZINSKI
Moreover, Brezinksi painted in the expressionist style, but his style was not necessarily in vogue when graffiti art was trending. His effort to hang a stencil show was more in line with the 1980s zeitgeist. Brezinski was also an opportunist in his quest to get famous. His efforts to mimic the artist Stefano’s popular paintings, which were done on the back of leather jackets, failed as he quickly tried to create one and the still-wet paint rubbed off on folks at an event he was attending.
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art dealer. As one version of the story goes, fellow artist Kenny Scharf was frustrated by how Nosei treated him and Brezinski took revenge. Nosei’s version differs, as she feels the incident was motivated by her not delivering on a promise that she made to visit Brezinski’s studio. Either way— and both recollections are probably true—the episode illustrates Brezinski’s pettiness. Some of the saddest stories address Brezinski’s drinking. “It brought the dragon out,” one friend says, and hearing about the artist drunk and lying in the street, or getting into bar fights, indicates the depths of his despair. Vincent uses visuals deftly to tell Brezinski’s story. He illustrates the aforementioned bar fight and other moments with animated panels. The filmmaker also uses photographs of key figures in the art world (e.g, Julian Schnabel) as well as film clips, such as one featuring Miguel Piñero reciting a poem, to immerse viewers in the 1980s downtown scene.
Art patrons at B-Side Gallery, 1984
PHOTO BY GARY AZON
Lower East Side, 1985
PHOTO BY ANDREAS STERZING
Curiously, Brezinski’s personal life is not recounted in any detail, which perhaps suggests he did not have much of one. He did go to gay bars, and he once met a collector, Lenny Kisko, who admired his work. The AIDS epidemic ravaged the downtown art community at the time, which may account for Brezinski’s lack of a boyfriend. But one can also surmise from the film that while the artist was not unattractive, he was probably difficult given his naked desire to become famous. Interviewees describe Brezsinki as “intense, confident, and charismatic,” but no one calls him “sweet and loveable.” At one point in Make Me Famous, Vincent questions if Brezinski is still alive, as his death appears to be unrecorded in government databases. Did the artist fake his own death to generate interest and sales of his work? It is an interesting conceit, and certainly possible. The investigation is a bit shaggy, and the filmmaker trots out various cousins of the artists who are interviewed. They provide some observations about what Brezinski was like as a child— such as his dismay when there was no umbrella for him to use to walk to an outhouse on a camping trip. The “Is Brezinski dead or alive?” storyline gets dropped shortly after it is introduced, but it gets picked up later in the film, yielding a satisfying answer. That said, Make Me Famous feels like this faked-death narrative was the motivation for making the film, rather than something that organically came up during the shooting of the documentary. Whether that is the case or not is irrelevant. What does matter is that Brezinski remains an object of curiosity 40 years after he first entered the art scene. Vincent’s engaging film delivers the fame Brezinski sought after all. What lingers, ultimately, is the sad fact that this portrait is only one of surely dozens if not hundreds of other unfamous artists whose lives never came to light.
Artist Peter McGough
COURTESY OF MAKE ME FAMOUS
© 2023 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” He teaches Short Attention Span Cinema at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute and is the moderator for Cinema Salon, a weekly film discussion group. Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES
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Lit Snax
Godzilla by Shigeru Kayama This novel, now available in English for the first time, spawned the massively entertaining movie franchise. Opinions on the internet seem to be split on whether Godzilla is male, female, agendered, or gay, but we don’t care. We love Godzilla!
Night of The Living Queers edited by Shelly Page and Alex Brown If you were waiting for a YA horror anthology exclusively featuring queer authors of color, your wait is over. If this isn’t perfect Halloween reading, we don’t know what is! https://www.fabulosabooks.com/
Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste
This novel imagines two women from classic literature (Lucy from Dracula and Bertha from Jane Eyre) as 20th century vampires. It’s an easy read set in 1960s California. And did we mention that it’s got lady vampires?!
Top of your stack
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOOK PASSAGE
Heaven and Earth Grocery Store (fiction - hardbound) by James McBride In 1972, when workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, were digging the foundations for a new development, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two of the long-held secrets kept by the residents of Chicken Hill, the dilapidated neighborhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side and shared ambitions and sorrows. Bringing his masterly storytelling skills and his deep faith in humanity to The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, James McBride has written a novel as compassionate as Deacon King Kong and as inventive as The Good Lord Bird. Killers of the Flower Moon (nonfiction - paperback) by David Grann This book is now in paperback just in time before the release of the film adaptation! In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children
to study in Europe. Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off. This is a twisting, haunting, true-life murder mystery about one of the most monstrous crimes in American history, from the author of The Wager and The Lost City of Z. It is a National Book Award Finalist, and the film adaptation is directed by Martin Scorsese. Ander & Santi Were Here (YA fiction- hardbound) by Jonny Garza Villa Aristotle and Dante meets The Sun Is Also a Star in this YA contemporary love story about a nonbinary Mexican American teen falling for the shy new waiter at their family’s taqueria. The novel is about finding home, falling in love, and fighting to belong. Upcoming Events Saturday, October 21 @ 4 pm (ticketed - Golden Gate Theater, SF) Rachel Maddow, author of Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism Journalist and political commentator Rachel Maddow traces the fight to preserve American democracy back to World War II, when a handful of committed public servants and brave private citizens thwarted far-right plotters (continued on page 39)
Charlotte Maxwell Clinic Musical Extravaganza Photo by Sandy Morris
The 8th Annual Musical Extravaganza Benefit supporting the Charlotte Maxwell Clinic was held on Sunday, October 8, at The Freight & Salvage in Berkeley. Radio producer Melanie Berzon served as emcee, and Marcelle Davies Lashley, from Brooklyn, returned as the show’s headliner. Lashley was backed by Vicki Randle, Shelley Doty, and Kofy Brown of Skip the Needle, and Julie Wolf. Opening the show was SPIRIT, a new local group including Destiny Muhammad (“Harpist from the Hood”), Michaelle Goerlitz, Valerie Joi, and Caroline Chung. Watch a clip from the event at this Facebook page: https://tinyurl.com/dpacwz88 Marcella Davies Lashley, Vicki Randle, Shelley Doty, and Kofy Brown of Skip the Needle, and Julie Wolf 32
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SuperFriends NYC Accepts Invitation to SF Pride 2024 Photos courtesy of Juan R. Davila
This month, during his first ever visit to New York City, Juan R. Davila of the San Francisco Bay Times met up with SuperFriends NYC media personality Fernando Camino to deliver an “official invitation” to join the Bay Times contingent on Sunday, June 30, in the SF Pride Parade 2024. On behalf of SuperFriends NYC, Camino accepted! The SuperFriends NYC livecast is presented every Saturday, 11 pm Eastern/7 pm Pacific until 1 am Eastern/10 pm Pacific. Originating from Times Square, the program features the countdown to Midnight Moment when 90 large screen billboards are synchronized to show artwork selected by the Times Square Alliance. An interview with Camino was included in the Bay Times 2023 Pride Commemorative Issue ( June 22, 2023). https://tinyurl.com/3tpdzjcy Davila’s visit to New York included stops at the Stonewall Inn, New York Comic Con at the Javits Center, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the American Museum of Natural History’s Hall of African Mammals, the Empire State Building, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum and more. On Saturday evening, October 15, Davila interviewed Camino during the SuperFriends NYC livecast and delivered a copy of the Pride 2023 issue along with other Bay Times items.
Central Park
Watch Davila’s segment on SuperFriends NYC starting at about the 42:50 point of this YouTube archived livecast: https://tinyurl.com/hjyx64cu
Times Square
Statue of Liberty
Stonewall Inn
SuperFriends NYC feature in Bay Times Pride Commemorative issue (6.22.23)
Reading the Bay Times in Times Square
Midnight Moment in Times Square National September 11 Memorial
American Museum of Natural History African Mammals Exhibit
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Empire State Building
SuperFriends NYC moderator Fernando Camino
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400,000 BBQ Rib Lovers Attend the ‘Super Bowl’ of Rib Competitions
Photos courtesy of John Chen
is barbeque. And I am not talking about hamburgers and hot dogs, or grilling. I am talking about the really good stuff that takes time, patience, artistry, and a strong understanding of chemistry.
Sports John Chen Raise your hand if you love barbeque ribs! Raise your hand if the thought of BBQ brings a smile to your face and a twitch to your stomach. And raise your hand if you have foamed at the mouth, licked your chops, and bayed at the moon when you “accidentally” tune into a BBQ competition on various cable channels and streaming services. Growing up in California, I have learned that we have the best of and access to just about anything and everything, especially when it comes to the diversity, freshness, and authenticity of food. But the one thing we Californians do not do well
About 10 years ago, I discovered an annual “Super Bowl” of BBQ rib competition and festival, Best in the West Nuggest Rib Cook-Off just outside Reno in Sparks, Nevada. This competition is always during Labor Day Weekend when the very best St Louis-style pork rib barbeque companies from around the country go head-to-head to compete for the prestigious title of Best Ribs. Each year, hundreds of thousands of BBQ rib enthusiasts converge to sample the best of the best and participate in the selection of the People’s Choice champion. According to the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off website, the first competition began in 1989 and has since grown to become the premier BBQ rib competition and one of the largest BBQ festivals in
Big Daddy’s BBQ Winner of Best Sauce
the world. “Often referred to as the Super Bowl of rib competitions on the national BBQ competition circuit, the annual ... event spans more than 6 city blocks. It is estimated that 350,000–400,000 BBQ enthusiasts take part [in] the festivities each year consuming more than 250,000 pounds of mouthwatering ribs.” We attended our first ever Best in the West Nugget Rib Rain On the Horizon at Nugget Reno BBQ Cook Off Cook-Off in 2013 practically starving and ready to eat, but we were instantly overwhelmed at the sheer size of the festival and the number of ribs and other amazing BBQ favorites available. There was just so much to eat and so little stomach space. There were also many other BBQ Porky Chick’s 1st Place BBQ Winner favorites and sides to sample such as know, the same heavy downpours giant smokey turkey legs, Texas fries, that turned Burning Man into a pulled pork, BBQ nachos, beef brisvast paste land. However, the wet ket, mac and cheese, bread pudding, inclement weather didn’t deter us secret sauces, kettle corn, street corn, nor the thousands of people who fried pickles and green tomatoes, etc. were there. We sampled the champion, best of the best ribs from Porky My absolute favorites were the giant Chicks, as well as the second through prime rib beef bone—so tender, so fifth place winners including the beefy, so savory, and so big—folPeople’s Choice selection, Back Forty lowed by the jumbo beer battered Texas Barbecue. In addition, the onion rings. They were so big and Best Sauce chamcrunchy! If you are a size queen, pion, Big Daddy’s these two festival items are a must! BBQ, had the most And finally, I love a big, sweet, juicy amazing guava watermelon wedge that is the perand cherry chipofect refreshing and palette cleanstle BBQ sauces. ing finish to a rich (and just a tiny Suddenly, as I am bit fatty) BBQ meal! But you decide finishing this artifor yourself what you crave the most. We loved the festival and the BBQ so cle, my mouth is starting to water much that we have returned to the and my stomach is Cook-Off virtually every Labor Day showing signs that Weekend since then. it wants, no, needs Fast forward to Labor Day Weekend BBQ!! It is with 2023; we made it to Reno after a great hope that you three-year COVID-19 hiatus eager will join me next to sample the aromatic, sweet, year and experisavory, fall-off-the-bone tender, spicy, ence first-hand the and smokey ribs! This year there spectacle and the were 20 BBQ competitors, a little deliciousness of a short of their normal from before the major BBQ compandemic, but still just as big, overpetition. If you whelming, and absolutely delicious. do, a few words of advice: don’t be Also, for the first time ever, the scared of the weather was cool and rainy. You
calories. Everything is calorie free. Bring friends and stay a few extra days so you all can sample more. And most importantly, bring wet naps. You’ll thank me. https://nuggetribcookoff.com/ John Chen, a UCLA alumnus and an avid sports fan, has competed as well as coached tennis, volleyball, softball, and football teams.
Just North of Memphis 5th Place BBQ Winner
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Sbrocco Sips Leslie Sbrocco Fall is here and with it comes beautiful colors, cooler weather, and hearty fare. If you’re looking to enjoy red wine with those rich dishes, enjoy my October picks. One is party-friendly and ideal for adult Halloween revelers, while the other is an elegant bottle ready for upscale fall evenings. Sandy Giovese Vino Rosso, Italy (3 Liter Box) $35 www.sandygiovese.com
A juicy, affordable red wine made with mostly Sangiovese and a dash of the white Italian grape, Trebbiano, the wine is light on its feet and spicy at heart. It is ideal for parties or to pour a glass nightly as the 3 literbox (equivalent of four bottles of wine) will keep fresh in the refrigerator until finished. 2020 Post Scriptum de Chryseia, Douro, Portugal $35 https://www.chryseia.com/wines One of Portugal’s top red wines is named Chryseia. An intense, world-class wine made in the historic Douro Valley, it is a
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October 2023 Picks: One Ideal for Adult Halloween Revelers and the Other Offering Elegance at an Appealing Price When it comes to fun, this boxed wine packs a wallop of humor and a mouthful of delicious sipping. The name is a play on the famed red grape of Italy, Sangiovese. The founder of the brand, Amy Ezrin, joked that when living in Italy and training to be an opera singer, her alter ego was ‘Sandy Giovese’ because she preferred wine over opera (and yes, she ultimately became a vintner and wine importer).
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partnership between two iconic wine producers: Portugal’s Symington family and France’s Prats family. Their Post Scriptum de Chryseia is a bottle I like to call an “insider wine” known for elegance and excellence at an appealing price point. It’s easily drinkable on a cool fall night, yet is also an ageworthy wine made from second selection grapes that comprise Chryseia. These include famed Portuguese red varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, and Tinta Roriz. Smooth, sultry, and satisfying with dishes from braised meats to aromatic cheeses, it’s a wine to discover. Author, speaker, wine consultant, and television host Leslie Sbrocco is known for her entertaining approach to wine and food. She has won multiple Emmy Awards for her work on PBS, which includes hosting the series “Check, Please! Bay Area,” “Check, Please! You Gotta Try This!” and “100 Days, Drinks, Dishes & Destinations.” www.LeslieSbrocco.com
New Greek Restaurant Barbayani Taverna in Los Altos Is Worth the Drive A new Greek cuisine restaurant, Barbayani Taverna, just opened in Los Altos and already is receiving rave reviews, quickly earning the coveted five-star average on Yelp. A trip to Barbayani Taverna is well worth the drive, as a meal there is like a mini vacation given the beautifully designed space, expansive patio with live music, and delicious, authentic Greek dishes. Members of our San Francisco Bay Times team travel from time to time through Los Altos headed to other destinations further south, but the brakes in future will screech to a stop at this welcoming spot. The restaurant is the newest addition to restaurateur Dino Tekdemir’s three wellestablished sister restaurants, each with a strong emphasis on flavorful ethnic cuisine, cocktails, and wines: Naschmarkt Austrian restaurant in Campbell and Palo Alto, plus Anatolian Kitchen in Palo Alto. (David Landis, the “Gay Gourmet” at the Bay Times, has praised them.) Tekdemir said, “From the moment you arrive, we’ll transport you to Greece, with the smell of homemade baked bread from the open kitchen, blue and white decor reminiscent of a Greek island, and servers
well versed in classic dishes and wine pairings. When dining at one of my restaurants, expect a warm and memorable experience.” Tekdemir points out that Barbayani Taverna welcomes guests all day every day of the week, without closing between the lunch and dinner service. “Our extended daily service is uncommonly found in restaurants around Silicon Valley. We’re proud to
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San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ Restaurants of Yesteryear hunky bartenders, and socialites to boot. My editor and publisher, Betty Sullivan, used to host entertaining “Ladies Nights” regularly there. A large, oval cocktail bar dominated the dining room, which is why Mecca called itself “the birthplace of cocktail culture.” Even better, private booths were a level up so you could survey the scene while sipping a martini and eating a delectable piece of fish.
The Gay Gourmet David Landis I had the loveliest lunch recently at Fable when New York Times reporter Erik Piepenburg invited me to talk with him about some long-ago LGBTQ+ restaurants in San Francisco. It’s for an upcoming book he’ll be publishing about that topic, concerning such restaurants nationwide. He defines these restaurants as not simply those that are owned by a member of the LGBTQ+ community, but places where LGBTQ+ people gather. His thesis is that, even more than gay bars, gay restaurants (where LGBTQ+ people congregate) are a kind of community center. They’re a place to meet, feel safe, and not have to drink or be on the prowl. And, P.S., everyone must eat!
The original Hamburger Mary’s Before it became a franchised institution nationally, the original Hamburger Mary’s was an independently owned San Francisco nightspot at 12th and Folsom. It’s where you went later at night (or sometimes for brunch). The design was “hippie-funk,” with pictures askew on the walls and comfy rustic, mismatched tables, and chairs. As I recall, the waitstaff had a punk yet welcoming vibe. You went to Mary’s for the delicious homemade soups, and most of all, the hamburger served on two slices of whole wheat bread.
MECCA’s oval bar, lounge and dining areas, art, velvet curtains, chandeliers and other unique lighting — combined with the gourmet menus — created the unique vibe that continued for more than a decade from the opening in 1996 through 2009. On Thursday, November 1, 2007, hosts Betty Sullivan, Grace Floyd, Cindy Capelli and Mary Ann Brown welcomed a capacity crowd to the Ladies Night Re-opening Party following a closure caused by a kitchen fire. The legend of MECCA lives on in fond memories and occasional events seeking to recycle the name and recapture the mystique of the original Thursday Ladies Night series.
Alta Plaza
Because I’ve lived here since 1980, it got me thinking about many of San Francisco’s now-gone gay restaurants that we loved. So, herewith, is a walk down memory lane that hopefully will spark evocative remembrances.
Sometimes dubbed, “Ultra Plastic,” this is where you went to find a sugar daddy with the bucks to back it up. The restaurant, located on Fillmore and Clay, was on two levels. The clientele’s fashion de rigueur? Let’s just say we called them “the sweater set.” I remember a very good prime rib entrée, and fun cocktails at the bar. But the best was the live jazz on the lower level. It’s where vocalist Kim Nalley, among others, got her start.
Mecca
Compton’s Cafeteria
From 1996–2009, this Market Street establishment had it all: glamour, upscale food, drag queens,
According to Wikipedia, “Compton’s Cafeteria was a chain of cafeterias owned by Gene Compton in San Francisco from the 1940s to the 1970s. The Tenderloin location of Compton’s at 101 Taylor Street (at Turk)—open from 1954 to 1972—was a popular meeting place for transgender people, especially trans women, to congregate publicly in the city. The cafeteria was more of a place to socialize than a restaurant. Compton’s was one of the few places that they could meet, as many trans women were unwelcome in gay Chef Amey Shaw, co-owner and chef at Alta Plaza, also served bars due to transphobia. as executive chef at the historic Cafe Flore. Shaw was lauded for The Compton’s the amazing menus she produced at both venues.
Cafeteria riot occurred in August 1966 in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco. The riot was a response to the violent and constant police harassment of drag queens and trans people, particularly trans women. The incident was one of the first LGBTrelated riots in United States history, preceding (by three years) the more famous 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City. It marked the beginning of transgender activism in San Francisco. Before the riot, the cafeteria was open all night, so trans people and drag queens could meet up after work (many transgender folks worked nights).”
PHOTO BY ??????? PATEL
The P.S. Bar and Restaurant on Polk Street
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As many folks know, Polk Street preceded Castro Street as San Francisco’s official gay neighborhood. Many longgone bars (Oil Can Harry’s, ‘N Touch, the Giraffe) lined that street and side streets, but a more upscale offering was the P.S., which opened in 1969 or 1970. One of the main bartenders was a character named Dixon Olivier, also known as “Polk Street Sally.” A restaurant as well as a piano bar, the P.S. hosted well-known pianist Bob Sanders, who tickled the ivories while playing Cole Porter and Rogers & Hart. The
P.S. also had a tasty brunch, where I first sampled a Ramos Fizz. I remember that when I worked at the San Francisco Symphony, I took award-winning composer David Del Tredici there for an authentic slice of San Francisco. The Neon Chicken When I moved to San Francisco in 1980, this was one of the stars of the Castro dining scene. Located on 18th Street (at the now defunct Eureka Bar & Grill, another great gathering place), the restaurant was on two stories, with two first-floor dining areas separated by a kitchen, and an outdoor courtyard as well. The fare was upscale California cuisine but in a relaxed, casual setting. Fanny’s Another 18th Street haunt, Fanny’s was where I first heard the great jazz singer Faye Carroll (who still performs around town, even recently at SFJAZZ). Fanny’s was a combination dinner restaurant and cabaret, plus the site of legendary brunches. Dinner was upstairs; for the shows, you had to sit on the stairs to watch the singers, where waitress Claudia made her mark wearing chopsticks in her hair. Josie’s Cabaret and Juice Joint The brainchild of Donald Montwill and Ron Lanza (who had worked together at the shuttered Valencia
Rose), Josie’s was located where Starbelly’s is currently located on 16th near Noe. Josie’s was a great vegetarian restaurant with a cabaret in the back (and camel heads on the walls). This may have been one of the first places I saw the marvelous Marga Gomez, Lypsinka, and Varla Jean Merman perform. The evolution of the dining space at 2223 Market Burton’s was a fine dining restaurant at 2223 Market Street when I first arrived in San Francisco in 1980. I remember it being chic and quiet, with intimate, romantic booths and what we used to call “continental cuisine.” Leticia Luna took the space and morphed it into a sit-down, upscale Mexican restaurant called Leticia’s. Those margaritas were powerful! Following that, the restaurant became another upscale California cuisine eatery simply called 2223 Market, helmed by the talented chef Melissa Randolph. It was famous for its roast chicken topped with onion rings. For a short while, it became Jake’s and then a very good seafood restaurant called Pesce. Now the new Copas, a Tijuana-style taco joint, reigns supreme at the spot. JohnFrank On the corner of Church & Market, this was another sleek restaurant with a modern and clean design that brought class to the
Café Flore A Castro mainstay for years, this indoor/outdoor restaurant and community center was where you went to “see and be seen” in the ‘hood. The Flore boasted great morning lattes, salads, and sandwiches for lunch, as well as casual dinners and terrific people watching. I remember heading there with my straight pal Scott from Arizona during the Castro Street Fair one year. A local lesbian came up to my friend and asked him to sign her chest. He complied! Luckily for us, this venue is about to be reborn as a new endeavor called Fisch & Flore, a casual seafood restaurant with small plates. It plans to be open all day. The original opening date was set for this summer, but with construction delays, who knows? Bits and Bites TripAdvisor came out with its “Best of the Best Restaurants” list for 2023 and there are two San Francisco winners: burger bistro Super Duper and Treasure Island favorite, MerSea. Congratulations! Boulettes Larder, the popular French-inspired restaurant in the Ferry Building owned by Amaryll Schwertner and Lori Regis, just announced a new Wednesday special. The enticing special consists of a prix-fixe meal that includes one 12-inch pizza, one salad, and one starter, all for $40. The rotating menu includes a variety of pizzas, salads, and starters. For a special occasion this holiday season, Cyrus Alexander Valley is dedicating the night to caviar and truffles. On Saturday, December 16, guests can partake in a decadent evening celebrating the return of white truffle season featuring a nine-course menu created by Chef Douglas Keane and Pastry Chef Josh Gaulin. Sommelier Cyrus Schultz will complement the menu with a stellar beverage pairing. It doesn’t come cheap: the dinner is $750/ person and the wine pairing is an additional $500/person. But for your special honey, isn’t the splurge worth it? Bombay Sapphire had an enlightening event recently at 1 Hotel’s dazzling new restaurant, Terrene. The cocktail reception and dinner focused on educating diners and the industry about sustainability in the food and beverage sector. West Coast ambassador Eddie Johnson led a lively discussion, where I learned that Bombay Sapphire now can manufacture 1 liter of gin with a mere .82 liters of water. By comparison, many brands use up to 100 liters of water for the same result. The gin cocktails were spectacular. They included a tangy Viridian City Max Potion from Good Good Culture Club with Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru gin, lime, tonic, and cordial. Also on offer was a delicious Bay Tropicale cocktail (using Bombay Sapphire gin, leftover strawberries from the kitchen, orange bitters, pineapple, and soda) from Terrene. Kudos to Bombay Sapphire and Terrene for making sustainability a priority!
Fan favorite Boulevard turns 30 this year, which is a great milestone for a terrific restaurant. Congratulations to talented Chef Nancy Oakes! On October 26 from 4:30–6:30 pm, Hotel Nikko San Francisco is throwing “an ‘80s-themed Howl-o-ween Costume Paw-ty for the city’s four legged tastemakers. It’s hosted by the Hotel Nikko’s very own Canine Welcoming Committee. That includes COO (Canine Operating Officer), BUSTER, a Maltese mix, and is staff, BUSTERBEAU (Chief Pawblic Relations Officer), LILY (Executive Assistant), THOMPSON (Purchasing Manager), and LUNA (Sales Manager). The canines with the best costumes will win prizes, including a 2-night complimentary stay at Hotel Nikko & more. The event will also feature appetizers and gourmet dog food.” Yokai, a new hi-fi listening cocktail bar and restaurant, recently opened in the city. The name is a Japanese word for spirits, ghosts, or supernatural beings. The establishment “brings new life into a preProhibition era brick manufacturing building in San Francisco’s SOMA district. Guests experience Chef Zimmerman’s Japanese-influenced food and cocktails while listening to vinyl records at decibels that allow for spirited conversations.” On October 28, beloved Inner Sunset watering hole, The Little Shamrock, celebrates “130 years of operation with drink deals, free Victorian split pea soup, and live jams from 1 pm–2 am. Come out in your Halloween best. Victorian Era inspired costumes are encouraged. San Francisco’s oldest continuously operational bar, The
Hamburger Mary’s
Comptons Cafeteria
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Shammy (as regulars call it), provides a come-as-you-are/let’s get casual atmosphere. Known as a spot where regulars and weekend warriors alike can enjoy the cozy fireplace, admire the craftsmanship of the gorgeous old build backbar, or try a hand at darts for some oldfashioned competition.” Fable: https://www.fablesf.com/ Super Duper: https://tinyurl.com/2sscmacd MerSea: https://www.mersea.restaurant/ Boulette’s Larder: https://bouletteslarder.com/ Cyrus Alexander Valley: https://www.cyrusrestaurant.com/ Bombay Sapphire: https://tinyurl.com/rn9p83sb Boulevard: https://tinyurl.com/5632fpdu Hotel Nikko San Francisco: https://www.hotelnikkosf.com/ Yokai: https://www.yokaisf.com/ The Little Shamrock: https://tinyurl.com/367yyewz David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a retired PR maven. Follow him on Instagram @GayGourmetSF or email him at: davidlandissf@gmail.com Or visit him online at: www. gaygourmetsf.com
PHOTO BY JANET DELANEY - FACEBOOK/LOST
neighborhood. Owners John Hurley and Frank Everett (who owned Garibaldi’s at the time) created a space that raised the bar for food and wine. A long, contemporary bar dominated one side of the restaurant. The California cuisine always hit the mark, especially since chef Richard Crocker worked at Boulevard for years.
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Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun
Sister Dana sez, “Happy Belated LGBT History Month! I’m sorry that we are two thirds of the way through, but we can still celebrate!” LGBT HISTORY MONTH is an annual month-long observance that also observes the history of related civil rights movements. It was founded in 1994 by Missouri highschool history teacher Rodney Wilson. LGBT History Month provides role models, builds community, and represents a civil rights statement about the contributions of the LGBTQ community. As of 2022, LGBT History Month is specific to Australia, Canada, Cuba, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We were invited to the October 2 press viewing at the Kabuki Theatre of DICKS: THE MUSICAL starring Nathan Lane singing “It’s a Gay Old Life Being Queer,” as well as the wacky Megan Mullally as a bad mother and hermit confined to her home, Bowen Yang as God, and Megan Thee Stallion rapping away as the boss “bish.” Lyrics are by the writers and film stars, Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson. This is a wild ride from A24! It’s the gayest, filthiest, funniest, slap-stickiest, most politically incorrect, and downright wrong movie in a musical. It challenges both us free-thinking liberals and those far-right evangelicals. It won’t play well with mid-America but is perfect for San Francisco. Featured are two frightening creatures from the sewer and two homosexuals in incestuous love. It opened at the Kabuki and the Alamo Drafthouse on October 13. Israel was plunged into chaos on October 7 after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a deadly land, air, and sea surprise attack inside the country, with fighters infiltrating the southern border and firing a massive barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip. This was on the Jewish holy day Shabbat and on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. Hamas terrorists took hostages— including entire families, the elderly, and young children. As of October 17, at least 30 Americans were among the dead and probably additional American hostages. The combined death toll, of those killed in both Israel and Gaza, has surpassed 3500 as of this writing. Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu has warned of “a long and difficult war” after the Hamas attack. I have to quote the late John Lennon of the Beatles who said, “War is not the answer.” War only brings horrific war crimes. This is now a crisis of human rights. This is also a very bad time for the House to allow a shutdown of the government and to block military payment and promotions. This has become the worst mass murder of Jewish people since the Holocaust. ISIS-level savagery. Brutality and utter evil! President Biden said we must refuse to be silent about the threat of anti-Semitism. “There is no room for hate in America!” he exhorted. The heartbreaking death toll numbers continue to climb higher and higher. 38
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Sister Dana sez, “The Judiciary Act would allow President Biden to expand the Supreme Court by FOUR seats. I know it’s said that Justice is blind. But does she have to take away human rights?!” BEAR WEEK started off with a roar and a growl at STRUT in the Castro with an awesome art reception on October 13 (Friday the 13th but not at all unlucky) for two terribly talented men, BEAR PAD. This burly duo is “a coupla fuzzy bubs who make a big, colorful art of cuddly, affectionate men,” (which I can assure you was straight from the bear’s mouth). BEAR PAD is actually Patrick Stephenson and Jordan Fickel. These impressive art pieces are large-scale wooden cutouts of intimate, loving bodies. Of course, one of my faves is “Bear Hug,” followed by “Bear Wolf,” the tattooed bear with an inked arm informing, “Bad Wolf, Good Pup,” and my third is “Satyr Datr,” with his devilish horny horns. You can catch these hairy hotties at Strut, 470 Castro Street. We Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and The Bears of San Francisco presented our 3rd annual BEARRISON STREET FAIR on October 14. Special props go to super co-producers Sister Desi Juana Dewitt and Erik Greenfrost! It was an exciting adventure, “Under the Big Tops,” where many facets of the SF Bay Area Bear community were celebrated and on display. We had some fun, naughty adult carnival games, live art, including lots of big, wooden bear pieces by the aforementioned BEAR PAD artists, a drag contest hosted by Sister Roma, street performers, a wrestling stage, beard and mustache contest, talented “fag flaggers” with rainbow fans, twerking contest, Bear
Woods, VIP Bear Garden hosted by Neft vodka (LGBTQ supporters with the smoothest voddie I ever tasted), DJs, a jockstrap power-lifting competition, plenty of merch, info, and leatheriffic stuff, and our main stage headed by MUÑECAS and way famous drag rockers such as Tamale Ringwald. Please note that Bearrison seeks to provide an inclusive community event for all members of the adult LGBTQ community, which promotes body positivity for all and builds a more supportive, welcoming, and inclusive bear scene by representing a diverse arena of cultures. Formed in 1994, the Bears of San Francisco is an allinclusive community-based association that benefits the greater Bay Area through fundraising, service, and socializing. We’re always available for bear hugs! www.bosf.org Our Krewe de Kinque social and fundraising group presents: REMEMBRANCE—benefiting RAINBOW HONOR WALK. Open Show, raffle, Jell-O Shots, $10 beer/soda Bust. Saturday, October 21, 4–7 pm, Midnight Sun in the Castro. The bar is decorated in a pirates’ theme, but you can choose whatever Halloween costume you want. Sister Dana in thematic rainbow nun drag will be the usual “door whore” collecting donations and such. Section 3 of the 14th Amendment prohibits anyone who has violated their oath of office, by engaging in insurrection or aiding in a rebellion, from running for federal office. Sister Dana sez, “We need to invoke the 14th amendment and ban this traitor Trump from California’s ballot! Also ‘Lock him up!’” My friend Mark Abramson with his new book, LAUGHING MATTERS, will be giving a reading on October 22, 7 pm at Fabulosa Books, 489 Castro Street. These are Abramson’s actual diaries from two years, starting on January 1, 2021. Come for the laughter and wine! https://www.fabulosabooks.com Sister Dana sez, “Who is leading the House GOP? Your guess is as good as THEIRS!” SHANTI PROJECT reduces isolation, enhances health and wellbeing, and improves quality of life. They bring compassion, connection, (continued on page 39)
Sister Dana (aka Dennis McMillan) with Sister Roma (2020)
PHOTO BY RINK
By Sister Dana Van Iquity
To millions of Americans, meaningful access to medication abortion serves as a lifeline and a key to a healthier and better future. Medication abortion has been recognized for decades as exceedingly safe and effective—so safe that it presents a lower risk of serious complications than taking Tylenol, having a wisdom tooth removed, using Viagra, or getting a colonoscopy. Attorney General Rob Bonta continues to fight for meaningful access to medication abortion as the case reaches the U.S. Supreme Court.
SISTER DANA (continued from pg 38)
Is there still more to the story of Edina Monsoon and her bestie, the vodka-swilling Patsy? Sister Dana sez, “That would be ‘Absolutely Fabulous,’ sweetie darlings!”
On Saturday, October 28, Senator Scott Wiener will be hosting his ANNUAL PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST. “We’ll celebrate the Halloween season, carve our scariest Jack-O’-Lanterns, and have our designs judged by my favorite celebrity drag queens, SF Drag Laureate D’Arcy Drollinger & BeBe Sweetbriar,” says the Senator. Noe Valley Courts (24th Street and Douglass Street), noon to 3 pm. All ages invited. Scooped-out pumpkins and tools provided. But don’t be a punkin-head by not RSVPing at 415-557-1300 or https://tinyurl.com/5n7pf94f
egories of SPOOKIEST, SEXIEST, FUNNIEST, and BEST OVERALL. There will be performances, special guests, and surprises. $5 ticket includes admission to a special screening of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW! Proceeds benefit the Sisters and the Castro Merchants Halloween fund. The Castro Theatre welcomes us Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for what is sure to be a wild night of fun, scares, and plenty of spooky shenanigans! Live from the Castro stage, the Sisters will host a costume contest that is sure to bring out some of the coolest and most outrageous costumes you will ever see. Prizes will be given out to the best of the night, so be ready to cheer for your favorites! https://www.thesisters.org/
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (the WORST RFK ever) is officially out of the Democratic Primary and is running in the general election as an Independent. This selfish act will take away votes for President Biden and
Don’t miss the HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST at the Castro Theatre on Saturday, October 28, 8 pm. COSTUMES GET IN FREE! Cash prizes awarded for the best costumes in the cat-
Sister Dana sez, “Happy HALLOWEEN on October 31! This is our Queer High Holy Day and must be celebrated. Dress up! Get in costume! Try a new look!”
and community to individuals facing inequities and barriers to care. Each year, Shanti serves more than 2,000 San Francisco residents. Their key services include care navigation, case management, client advocacy, emotional and practical support, health and wellness activities, oneon-one volunteer support, and community-building events and activities. Shanti›s 49TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER is Friday, October 27, 6–9 pm. For more details about their programs and services, visit https://www.shanti.org
pave the way for another Trump presidency. Sister Dana sez, “Hey RFK Junior, drop out of the race!”
BOOK PASSAGE (continued from pg 32)
BARBAYANI (continued from pg 35)
trying to steer our nation toward an alliance with the Nazis. Inspired by her research for the hit podcast Ultra, Maddow charts the rise of a wild American strain of authoritarianism that has been alive on the farright edge of our politics for the better part of a century.
have created 20 new jobs as well.”
Sunday, October 22 @ 4 pm (free - Corte Madera store) Rosanna Rio, author of California Against the Sea Rosanna Xia investigates the impacts of engineered landscapes, the market pressures of development, and the ecological activism and political scrimmages that have carved our contemporary coastline—and foretell even greater changes to our shores. From the beaches of the Mexican border up to the sheer-cliffed North Coast, the voices of Indigenous leaders, community activists, small-town mayors, urban engineers, and tenacious environmental scientists commingle. Together, they chronicle the challenges and urgency of forging a climate-wise future. Saturday, October 28 @ 3 pm (free - Ferry Building store, SF) Alec Scott, author of Oldest San Francisco Oldest San Francisco draws a picture of the sudden city that exploded in the Gold Rush and has since drawn generations of dreamers to it. From Alcatraz to the Presidio to the Ferry Building, from the Tadich Grill to the Mechanics’ Institute to Gump’s Department Store, it tells the stories of the longtime institutions that have made the City by the Bay distinctive. It visits the oldest bakery (Boudin), bike shop (American Cyclery) and auto shop (Alioto); it speaks of civic fabrics—the oldest blue jeans and first rainbow flag. Together, the stories distill something of the ebullient, entrepreneurial spirit of San Francisco. https://www.bookpassage.com/
Chef Allen Isik is a native of Istanbul where he helmed the kitchen at several popular restaurants. He brings extensive taverna experience, most recently at Nemea Greek Taverna in San Jose. His signature dishes are lamb chops, branzino, and octopus. As much as Chef Isik is at home in the kitchen, he loves to meet the people he cooks for; guests may find him in the dining room, talking about the recipes and dishes they’re enjoying. The menu at Barbayani Taverna features all-time favorites and classics from this region of the world, like moussaka, souvlaki, and dolmathes and seaside staples: branzino, seabass, lobster spaghetti, seafood platter, tuna tartare, and scallops.
STREETCAM presented by
http://sfbaytimes.com/
It is Halloween time at Cliff’s! You will find décor, makeup, and more for goblins of all ages. Decorate early and enjoy a whole month of Halloween frights and fun!
What does Barbayani mean? In true Greek tradition, Barba is the friendly “uncle,” a kindly person who prepares and serves your fun-loving group of friends or family—all the delicious flavors, appetizers, Greek liquors, and cocktails—your Barba does it all with great style and flair! On Main Street in Los Altos, Barbayani has an indoor space to accommodate 65 diners, seating for 60 on the patio with its own bar, and a private room for up to 25 guests. The restaurant occupies the former site of Flora. Back in the day, it seemed like the only quality Greek food in the Bay Area was sold at the local festivals, and particularly the giant Greek Festival in Oakland that takes place in early spring. Kokkari Estiatorio in San Francisco helped to change that, along with some wellrun casual gyros places, and now Barbayani Taverna further strengthens the availability of excellent Greek cuisine in all corners of the Bay Area. https://barbayanitaverna.com/
Photographer Chris Michaelson created a portfolio of images showing San Francisco Bay Times columnist Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Dana) with friends at the annual Bearrison Street Fair on October 14. Read more in the Sister Dana Sez column on page 38.
https://cliffsvariety.com/ S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES
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