06
08
LGBTQ bills
The
www.ebar.com
ARTS
Merchants' letter gets response
19
FALL ARTS PREVIEW
Serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities since 1971
Vol. 52 • No. 35 • September 1-7, 2022
2 Pride events planned for Oakland in a week by Eric Burkett
by Eric Burkett
W
hile monkeypox cases continue to rise, state and federal officials say they are encouraged by an overall slowdown in numbers both in California and worldwide. Still, according to U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-California), the state needs 800,000 vaccinations to stop the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) tweeted on Monday that California legislative leaders and Governor Gavin Newsom have reached a deal whereby the state would authorize a $41 million emergency budget allocation to address the MPX outbreak. The Legislature must still vote on the matter, which is almost certain to be approved. Wiener had called for the emergency financial boost in July. The funds would go toward the public health response to the outbreak, Wiener noted in a news release. During his visit, Padilla addressed reporters at a news conference at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center August 25, along with state epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan. Speaking at the entry of the hospital where over the past several weeks thousands of mostly gay, bisexual, and trans men have been lining up in the early morning hours to get the MPX vaccine, Padilla and the others were cautiously optimistic about an overall slowing down in the spread of the virus. Since August 1, when reported infections hit their statewide peak of more than 125 per day, numbers have decreased dramatically since then, falling to only a few reported cases per day since August 20, officials said. However, there was a great deal of criticism at the sluggish federal response to the outbreak, which started back in May. See page 16 >>
Courtesy Instagram
Big Freedia will headline Pridefest Oakland Sunday, September 11.
nounced this year’s festival in February. Recently, however, Oakland Pride’s website was updated and announced its parade and festival are taking place this Sunday. (Pridefest will not hold a parade.)
Outgoing Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf is not expected to attend either event, according to a spokesperson. The mayor’s office did not respond to a request for comment. In previous years, Schaaf rode her “snail” car in the parade. See page 16 >>
Out candidates seek Silicon Valley council seats by Matthew S. Bajko
community college board member, in a recent email to supporters noting his broad support from LGBTQ groups and leaders. Also running this fall is gay Redwood City planning commissioner Chris Sturken, who is mounting his first bid for a council seat, and J.R. Fruen, a gay man mounting his second council bid in Cupertino, having lost his race two years ago. First time council candidates Sarah Fields, running in San Mateo, and Richard Mehlinger, seeking election in Sunnyvale, both identify as queer and bisexual. “One of the things I really want to do is raise the visibility of the queer community in the South Bay and on the Peninsula,” Mehlinger told the B.A.R. during a recent phone interview about his decision to seek elected office. Two years ago saw the elections of Michael Smith, a gay Black business entrepreneur, and Lissette Espinoza-Garnica, who is a queer, nonbinary Chicanx, to council seats in Redwood City. Alysa Cisneros, who is queer, won election to the Sunnyvale City Council that year, as did James Coleman, who is bisexual, to the South San Francisco City Council. See page 10 >>
T
hree gay and two bisexual candidates are seeking council seats throughout Silicon Valley this November. The outcomes of the various races could see the first out person elected to San Jose’s city council in decades and double the number of LGBTQ council members on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. All have built up strong political and community ties within their cities over the years and are attracting support from local Democratic and LGBTQ leaders. In San Jose, gay District 3 city council candidate Omar Torres was made this month a “spotlight candidate” by the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which works to elect out candidates for public office across the country. As the Bay Area Reporter noted in June when Torres took first place in his primary race, he would be the first out person of color on his city’s council and the first LGBTQ person to serve on it in 16 years if he wins. Also supporting him in the race are the statewide LGBTQ advocacy group Equality California, the LGBTQ Latino focused political action committee Honor PAC, and BAYMEC, the Bay Area Municipal Elections
Courtesy Omar Torres
San Jose City Council candidate Omar Torres
Committee that works to elect LGBTQ candidates and straight allies throughout Silicon Valley and the Central Coast. “As our rights are under attack, it is important now – more than ever – to have LGBTQ+ representation in all levels of our government,” noted Torres, 40, an elected
SP EC IA
L IS SU E
- C A LI FO
ID E! RN IA PR 3 8 Sci-fi writ
ing prog
ram Cannab
is co. form
The
2021 • May 27, No. 673 agazine.com outwordm
www.eba r.com
Serving
the lesbian,
ing
gay, bise xual, trans
gender, and
queer com
munities
13
'PrEP Play
' at NCT
C
ARTS
Padilla in SF to push for monkeypox resources
ARTS
Eric Burkett
Senator Alex Padilla speaks about efforts to combat the monkeypox outbreak August 25 at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.
W
ith two Pride events taking place in Oakland in September, it may be worth asking whether one can have too much of a good thing. Oakland Pride and Pridefest Oakland, September 4 and 11, respectively, will be giving people plenty to keep busy with. Both events will also offer monkeypox vaccinations, thanks to efforts by the Biden administration to offer shots at events drawing large numbers of gay, bisexual, and trans men, and other men who have sex with men. If it seems a little odd that Oakland is holding two Pride events this year, organizers seem a little surprised, too. Following last year’s implosion of Oakland Pride, leading many to believe the organization was finished given the financial difficulties it had encountered, Pridefest Oakland took up the slack to ensure there was an in-person Oakland Pride event last year. It had held a street festival with entertainment outside the Port Bar and other locations along Broadway. As people began looking toward 2022, Pridefest organizers began making plans to do it again, and an-
member-e
REACH CALIFORNIA’S LARGEST LGBTQ AUDIENCE. page 34
ns on Expressio tice Social Jus page 2
LA Pride s Announce nts Eve In-Person 4 page
CA-LGBTQ-STRIP.indd 1
& Pronouns “PRIDE, gress” Pro page 15
D
No.16 • Apri l
21-27, 2022
Haney
Courtesy Several LGB CA Assem TQ-relate bly heard in d bills are Sacramen being to.
S. Bajko
istrict 6 Supe clared victo rvisor Matt Haney dery Tuesday runo in the speci al vacant 17th ff election for San Francisco’s on the initia Assembly District seat based l was David vote count. Trailing he Sisters Campos, a in of Perpetual gay man who second chair Indulgence their Easter California brought party back e PrideHaneofythetook to Mission Park Sunda Democrat is a vice Dolor y, April ic Party. Celebrat tflixvotethe outbre first place ak of the COVI 17, for the first time es with 64% ail ballots was thrille since With Ne partmby-m d. This year’s D pandemic and the that the electi of the ent Woman is crowd Hunky Jesus God” (Britta page 25 Election received and proce ons deat far left, ny Henry) was “Black Day, ssed was “Tran sgender Maria and the Foxy Mary, With 3,306 while Campos receiv before votes de Guadalupe” es where peop received from pollined 36%. le g placcast their ballo sic forTuesday added in, Hane ts in perso n stood at 38,91 y’s total vote Queer Mu count 22,567 votes 6 votes and Camp Pride os’ was at . Because most page 26 ballots were be mailed expec in thanked voterahead of Election Day, ted to Haney sembly seat s for electing him to neighborho representing the city’s the Asods as soon eastern by Cynthia er results were as the first end nsg poste Laird electi e-“First Tra d. on results are ary Doubl point ayor London s. We won,” out: We’re up by over Documentader Breed has made 27 tweeted you so much He and appoi nted Pau Crego it official to San Franc Haney. “Thank all of our mane isco voter staff, s, & to Francisco Office nt executive direct as the perpage 35 ers, & every volunteers, dono of Transgende or of the San rs, endorsone who Crego worked so the last 6 mont r Initiatives. , a trans and hard over nonbinary hs.” grant, had Campos told Spani been tor since Clair serving as acting execu sh imminumbers came his supporters tive direcas the first in that “it the departmenFarley, a trans woma we are g n wh does
Hall: Todrick to Oz in g Returnina County Sonom
s
Christopher Robledo
lect Matt
Haney wins big in Assembly race
by Matthew
fest fave
since 1971 Vol. 52 •
Assembly
14
SF Film
T
Sisters’ Ea ster part y a hit
Gooch
(Shane Zaldiv Sisters gather ar). The day before, nearly two-d ed at Alert and Lande ozen Alley, betwe rs streets, for the comm en Dolores renaming of the emora Sisters co-fou alley to Sister Vish-K tive street Bunch. For nder Sister Vish-Knew, new Way, after more on that, aka see story, page Kenneth 6.
Trans issu top CA LG es BTQ legislativ e push by Mat
C
thew S. Bajk o
alifornia legisl ing forward ators are once again pushon at improving a number of bills aimed transgende the lives of r and nonb inary reside the state’s to the legisl nts. ative attack several other s on trans And due children are also focus states, lawmakers in Sacramentin their paren ed on assisting those o ts who are youth and affirming tryin g to acces health care. s gender-
CALL 415-829-8937
Crego tap ped as per of San Fra ncisco’s trmanent ED ans office M 6/14/22 10:38 AM See page
tional to the and inclu office’s efforts to prom sion forming peop for trans and gende ote safety cal governmenle, creating a mode r-nonconl for other ts to follow loCrego, 34, .” said that o
7 >>