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Vol. 56 • No.15 • April 9-15, 2026

Eliot Faine

111 Taylor Street, the site of Compton’s Cafeteria Riots in 1966, sits at the corner of Turk and Taylor streets in San Francisco, as seen on April 1.

Courtesy Curve Foundation

Landmarking moves ahead for Compton’s site

Frances “Franco” Stevens, center, was joined by friends before the San Francisco City Hall illumination for 2025’s Lesbian Visibility Week.

by Eliot Faine

he San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission unanimously voted in favor at its April 1 meeting to amend the historic designation of the site where the Compton’s Cafeteria Riots took place almost 60 years ago. However, the designation of the former cafeteria excludes the interior, at least for now. The site is currently used as a prison reentry facility owned by Florida-based company GEO Reentry, a subsidiary of GEO Group. The resolution that was brought to the commission by local historians, scholars, and activists known as the Compton’s x Coalition included landmarking the whole of the building at 111 Taylor Street, inside and out. The site had housed Gene Compton’s Cafeteria in the 1960s. It stands today as the location of one of the earliest recorded acts of transgender defiance against police brutality in the nation due to the riots in August 1966. The resolution that passed was amended by Commissioner Eleanor Cox to add a clause excluding the interior until its historical integrity can be determined. “I don’t think the significance of [the site] is in question,” Cox said. “The interiors are not included in this resolution because they are inaccessible, not because they are ineligible. I don’t want to set [the] precedent in this resolution that the interiors are not significant. I just think that’s not determined at this time.” Correspondence before the hearing between commission staff and members and representatives of the coalition struggled with this language. While the physical site of Compton’s has undergone several reconstructions, the coalition argued that the significance of the site expands beyond the preservation of the original building. Architectural historian and preservation planner Shayne Watson, a lesbian, submitted a letter via email to commission staff that addressed what she referred to as a “narrower technical issue,” that the site’s historical significance should be considered under a classification of historical event, rather than considered on an architectural basis. See page 8 >>

‘Renewable Jesus’ shines at Sisters’ Easter party

iguel Velez, aka “Renewable Energy Jesus,” center, took top honors in the Hunky Jesus contest Sunday, April 5, at the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’s annual Easter in the Park party at San Francisco’s Mission Dolores Park. He was joined by, from left, Sisters Roma and Dana Van Iquity of the drag nun philanthropic group, Honey Mahogany, and Foxy Mary

Gooch

contest winner Dirty Carol, aka David Thompson, who called herself “Santa Maria de Exorcism” for the day. The party included activities for kids in the morning, followed by a spirited afternoon of adult-themed celebrations. For more photos, see the BARtab Facebook page at facebook.com/lgbtsf.nightlife.

SF rolls out events for Lesbian Visibility Week by Cynthia Laird

an Francisco is rolling out the pink, purple, and orange carpet for Lesbian Visibility Week later this month. Plenty of events are planned to celebrate lesbians, trans women, and nonbinary individuals, organizers said, in an effort to boost belonging and safety. See page 8 >>

Wiener conversion therapy legislation passes state SenateMedia committee 2017 0 a Kit by John Ferrannini

Wiener’s solution is to extend the statute of limitations for survivors. In his opinion in Salazar, Gorsuch discussed the differences beegislation to lengthen the statute of limitatween the Colorado conversion therapy ban tions for victims of so-called conversion in question in the lawsuit and malpractice therapy to seek compensation passed a claims. The current statute of limitations for committee of the California StateThe SenateLos on TuesAngeles Blade covers Los Angeles and California news, such national a claim is three years in the Golden State; day. Gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-Sanopinion, Franpolitics, arts and entertainment and features and Wiener’s legislation would lengthen it so that cisco) authored the bill, whichinternational has drawn atten- coverage from the Blade’s award-winning reporting someone was a minor at the time of the tion since the U.S. Supreme team. Court ruled lastpart week of this exciting publication serving LGBT Be Loswho Angeles practice could sue up till their 40th birthday, against a Colorado law thatfrom bannedthe the practice team behind the Washington Blade, the nation’s ﬁrst LGBT and if they were over 18 years old, they could for minors. newspaper. From the freeway to the Beltway we’ve got you covered. sue for up to 10 years afterward. California also has a conversion therapy ban “Conversion therapy is straight up quackfor minors; that law is now uncertain following Screengrab from senate.ca.gov ery,” Wiener said, noting no major medical the high court’s ruling, which sent the Colorado State Senator Scott Wiener spoke at a association or organization endorses the idea case back to the lower courts to be further adjuhearing April 7 on his bill to lengthen the that a person’s sexual orientation or gender dicated. statute of limitations for those who have identity can be consciously changed. “It is psyWiener noted last week at a San Francisco undergone conversion therapy to sue for chological torture.” rally decrying the court decision that the majormalpractice. To that end, Ryan Kendall, a civil rights attority opinion from Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch ney and survivor of conversion therapy, told his does not cover malpractice suits, which is what story, speaking in his personal capacity. the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in Chiles v. Salahis Senate Bill 934 addresses. Kendall said he was subjected to conversion zar that state conversion therapy bans be held to The judiciary committee voted 10-2 on April 7 therapy and was “suicidally depressed, at times strict scrutiny – one of the highest constitutional to advance the bill to appropriations, with some unhoused, and I abused drugs in an attempt to thresholds to be met. members absent. The no votes were state Senators kill myself ” for years afterward. Speaking to senators, Wiener said that he thinks Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) Skye Innerarity, LMFT, a psychotherapist who California’s 2012 ban on conversion therapy for and Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks). works with an LGBTQ client base, also spoke. minors would be able to withstand strict scrutiny; SB 934 protects Californians from conversion however, “there’ve already been rumblings to a letherapy by expanding survivors’ ability to sue for See page 8 >> gal challenge to California’s law, so here we are.” malpractice. The hearing comes one week after

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4/6/26 9:52 AM