8
Antiques, architecture in New Orleans
Gay in the NBA
13
ARTS
7
Oscars Gala!
The
www.ebar.com
Serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities since 1971
Vol. 44 • No. 9 • February 27-March 5, 2014
Elliot Owen
Transgender Law Center deputy director Kris Hayashi, left, was joined by panelists Jenna Rapues; Jae Szeszycki-Truesdell; and panel moderator, East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club board member, Darryl Moore.
Effort to repeal trans law fails
Rick Gerharter
State Senator Mark Leno speaks about his legislation to modify the Ellis Act at a February 24 news conference as Mayor Ed Lee looks on.
Two bills target Ellis Act reforms S by David-Elijah Nahmod
A
s the chorus of public anger grows louder at evictions permitted under a state law, two gay lawmakers introduced legislation that they say will help slow the tide of Ellis Act evictions in San Francisco. This week, state Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) was joined by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and tenant advocates as he announced Senate Bill 1439, which authorizes the city to prohibit new property owners from invoking the Ellis Act to evict tenants for five years after the acquisition of a property. Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) last week introduced AB 2405. As the Bay Area Reporter noted in a blog post, the bill would allow local jurisdictions – by a means of a vote by a Board of Supervisors or public vote – to enact a moratorium on Ellis Act evictions when the local housing element is not met. The Ellis Act is a 1986 state law that allows landlords to evict tenants in order to get out of the rental business. The landlord must remove all units from the rental market. Many have blamed the law for people losing their homes as well-paid employees of tech companies like Twitter and Google move to the city. Lower-income LGBT seniors, people with AIDS, and people of color have been particularly hard hit by evictions under the Ellis Act. Landlords must pay evicted tenants up to $5,000 in relocation fees, with around $3,400 more afforded to seniors and the disabled, but many have still been forced out of the city due to skyrocketing rents. Leno, who has tried before to revise the Ellis Act in the state Legislature, said his bill would close a loophole. “Our bill gives San Francisco the opportunity to stop the bleeding and save the unique fabric of our city,” he said. Leno pointed out that See page 10 >>
Remembering Emperor I
an Francisco’s new Imperial Court royalty, Empress Misty Blue and Emperor JP Soto, each paid their respects with a single rose to the grave of Jose Sarria, Absolute Empress I, the Widow Norton, who died last August. Sarria started the annual pilgrimage to Woodlawn Cemetery in Colma to pay respects at the grave of Emperor Joshua Norton, a San Francisco
by Elliot Owen Rick Gerharter
A
referendum sponsored by right-wing organizations to repeal Assembly Bill 1266, a groundbreaking transgender youth equality law, has failed to garner enough valid signatures to qualify for the November ballot. The California secretary of state’s office issued the final full check Monday, February 24. It showed that the Privacy for All Students See page 10 >>
eccentric from the 1850s, who is buried directly behind Sarria to the left. The February 23 activities also included music by the Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band, a message from Sarria from heaven transmitted by Don Fox, remembrances of Sarria, and congratulations to the new Empress and Emperor. For more on the Imperial Court Coronation weekend, see the BARtab section.
SF Pride announces grand marshal nominees
Jane Philomen Cleland
Brian Basinger
Bill Wilson
Lenny Broberg
Courtesy SF Pride
Judy Grahn
Courtesy SF Pride
Miss Major Griffin-Gracy
Jo-Lynn Otto
Jewlyes Gutierrez
Rick Gerharter
Tommi Avicolli Mecca
Courtesy SF Pride
Melanie Nathan
by Seth Hemmelgarn
O
rganizers of San Francisco’s LGBT Pride parade and celebration have announced the nominees for the 2014 grand marshals, and voting went live this week. Public voting for the grand marshals, who typically ride in the parade, will conclude March 17. People may vote at http://www.sfpride.org/ vote, which also includes locations for polling stations where people may vote in person. “We received over 50 nominations for the three categories of awards. The board had a difficult time narrowing it down to the number of people on the ballot. There were so many qualified people and organizations,” said Gary Virginia, board president of the San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee. There are also three Pink Brick nominees. The faux award is given by Pride each year to someone who has caused significant harm to the LGBT community.
Courtesy SF Pride
Courtesy SF Pride
Leah Neaderthal
Leanne Pittsford
Virginia said the number of qualified nominees “made it very challenging for the board, but ultimately, we feel like we chose individuals and organizations who represent the best of our community,” while the Pink Brick nominees especially reflect what’s happening internationally. Results from public polling will be reviewed and certified by Pride’s board and will be published no later than April 8. As usual, the nominees are made up of a wide array of community activists.
{ FIRST OF TWO SECTIONS }
Rick Gerharter
John Weber
Courtesy SF Pride
Kortney Ryan-Ziegler
Individual grand marshal nominees
Brian Basinger has run AIDS Housing Alliance/San Francisco since he founded the group 10 years ago. He’s led the charge to open an LGBT-welcoming homeless shelter in the city, among other efforts. He also co-founded the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Youth Alliance when he was 17 and the Freedom to Marry Task Force of Northern California in 1995. See page 6 >>