Los Angeles Blade, Volume 07, Issue 47, November 24, 2023

EXCLUSIVE:

By CHRISTOPHER KANE | ckane@washblade.com

(Editor’s note: This is the first in a three-part series profiling senior LGBTQ staff working on President Biden’s re-election campaign. Part two will be published next week.)

The Biden-Harris administration has made history with the number and seniority of its LGBTQ appointees — a fact that is perhaps almost as familiar as the faces of America’s first openly gay Cabinet-level official, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, or Karine Jean-Pierre, who is both the first Black woman and the first lesbian White House press secretary.

Queer people are also helping to lead the largely behindthe-scenes, grueling reelection effort, and last week the Washington Blade spoke with five of them at the campaign’s headquarters in Wilmington, Del., and another remotely over Zoom.

The campaign’s spokesperson Kevin Munoz and finance chair Rufus Gifford, both gay men, view next year’s election and its stakes for LGBTQ Americans, for all Americans, as existentially important.

So, too, do the staff who will be profiled in Parts 2 and 3 of this series: Sergio Gonzales, senior adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris; Rubi Flores, special assistant to campaign manager Julie Chávez Rodríguez; Becca Siegel, senior adviser to the campaign; and Teresa Tolliver, director of operations for the campaign.

Each brings diversity with respect to both identity and experience to their roles.

“I entered politics as someone that had worked in advertising,” Munoz told the Blade.

Joining the Biden for President campaign in 2019 as the Nevada press secretary without much experience liaising with reporters or drafting press releases, Munoz said he promised to “work like the Dickens on the things that I [didn’t] know enough about.”

After joining team Biden in Las Vegas, he would go on to serve as an assistant White House press secretary, working on critically important matters, including the administration’s response to COVID and other public health crises, before joining the campaign last March.

Throughout, Munoz said, “There’s never been an environment in which I haven’t felt really comfortable to be myself and really able to use my background, as someone from Florida, as a Latino, as a gay man, to my advantage and to be able to speak about issues that uniquely impact me or people like me.”

“When I was at the White House,” he said, “I had the opportunity to work on LGBT issues as it relates to health care,” including with the emergence of mpox, which “was uniquely impacting” gay men.

Munoz remembers that as the National Security Council — which is responsible for handling outbreaks of disease at their early outset — held a briefing, “I said to some colleagues and the powers that be, this guy is going to be the guy that is able to talk candidly and be credible and trusted, and also talk about all the wonky public health things all at once.’”

He was referring to Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who was director of the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention at the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention before the White House named him deputy coordinator of the national mpox response in 2022 — a move that, Munoz said, demonstrated that the administration “understands the need to have LGBTQ people at the table and really leading the response on something like this.”

Munoz is also from Florida. In March, “We had to lead the response when ‘Don’t Say Gay’ was just becoming an issue,” he said, during which time the bill was signed into law by the state’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, now a presidential candidate.

“I remember being with Jen [Psaki], in the Press Secretary’s office, when this was coming out and we started talking about this early on, about how this is an issue of freedom,” he said. “They want to tell you who you can be.”

The controversial law prohibits classroom discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in Florida’s public schools, potentially penalizing teachers who might, for example, display a photo of their same-sex spouse on their desk.

In the campaign, Munoz said his experience in advertising became an asset, too. With the challenges stemming from the fragmented media environment, where voters get their information from places like Snapchat and WhatsApp, Munoz said, “I’m very grateful to have come from a background where I was doing message testing and ad testing and ad recall.”

“We need to build a bench of different places that we can go and tap into, to talk about Joe Biden’s message” and “how he’s delivering,” he said, so there is a built-in advantage because “I’m not starting from ground zero.”

“When your life is on the line, you’re gonna fight like your life is on the line,” he said, noting how, leading into next year’s elections, “virtually every state attorney general in Republican states is attacking trans Americans.”

The importance of centering voices whom voters can trust and identify with extends to outreach to LGBTQ voters, too, Munoz said, noting that the community constitutes “a huge voting bloc in our battleground states.”

From the campaign’s perspective, this means continuous year-round outreach to Black communities, younger people, the LGBTQ community, and other stakeholders, he said, adding that “when we start to do more coalition specific work directly from the campaign as the general election is built out,” this will likely mean a revival of the 2020 Out for Biden campaign.

Likewise, speaking with the Blade by Zoom from his home in Boston, Gifford said that “a critically important part of the Biden Harris victory next year is engaging the LGBT community across the board.”

“Not only are we going to be an extremely important fundraising piece of this puzzle,” he said, “but look: These states, I mean, if you think about the margins in ’20 — 10,000 votes, 20,000 votes in some of these states — the LGBT community can flip a state.”

A large part of Gifford’s work, both now and in previous roles, involves dealing with people. “I’m very out and I’m very proud,” he said. “I will never lie about who I am,” he said.

Gifford said he has been out for 30 years, during which

time he worked on a total of five presidential campaigns, beginning with John Kerry’s in 2004 and then Barack Obama’s in 2008 and 2012, and then Joe Biden’s in 2020 and, now, 2024. From 2013 to 2017, he served as U.S. ambassador to Denmark, and then from 2022 to the start of his work on the campaign this year, he was chief of protocol of the U.S., an officer position with the rank of ambassador and assistant secretary of state.

“I worked for Barack Obama for 10 years,” Gifford said, but the Biden-Harris administration “is the most pro-LGBT administration in the history of the United States of America.”

“I think being gay is inherently political — I mean, it has to be,” he said. “You know, people have politicized our lives. People have politicized our love lives; they’ve politicized our sex lives; they’ve politicized everything about us.”

Gifford was a young man when the U.S. Senate rejected Jim Hormel’s nomination by President Clinton to be U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg, before he went on to serve in that role as a recess appointment.

At the time, he said the ordeal foreclosed, in his mind, the possibility of following in Hormel’s footsteps.

After his unanimous Senate confirmation to serve as ambassador to Denmark, as “one of the first openly gay ambassadors appointed” to serve in “a very progressive country,” Gifford said, “I was shocked by how much people cared” about the significance of his being an out gay man.

“It was just a couple years before I showed up in Copenhagen, that the Bush administration was pushing a constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality,” he said. “And there was the American ambassador getting married to his husband at the U.S. ambassador’s residence literally just a few years later.”

As chief of protocol with the State Department, Gifford said that in many cases, “I was the guy at the bottom of the staircase, greeting, at Andrews Air Force Base, the leader of a country that criminalized homosexuality.”

This was part of the job, he said, “whether I agree with them or not, or whether Joe Biden agrees with them or not — but I was doing it as an openly gay man,” a fact about which these foreign leaders, all of whom “well briefed and well-staffed” were certainly aware.

“Politics is about choices,” Gifford said. “And for our community, to look at the choices, it’s just so damn clear.”

The stakes, again, are very real. “Mike Johnson, the new Speaker of the House, introduced a federal ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill,” he noted. “You don’t think Donald Trump would sign that bill in a second if they could get that through the Senate and the House? This is what we’re up against. This is what we’re dealing with.”

648 crisis calls since August from California LGBTQ+ students

CHINO, Calif. - In response to the alarming rise in the implementation of forced outing policies in various California school districts, Rainbow Youth Project USA and Our Schools USA partnered to create a dedicated crisis hotline, offering a lifeline of support for affected students.

This groundbreaking partnership provides essential resources and assistance to those grappling with the emotional and psychological consequences of these policies.

The crisis hotline, launched on August 5, 2023, quickly become a beacon of hope for queer students, their par-

ents, and staff members who find themselves facing the distressing impact of the so-called “Parental Notification” policies in some school districts in the state. Introduced by several California school districts, these policies mandate school administrators to inform parents if their child identifies as transgender or gender nonconforming.

Since its inception, the hotline has received a staggering total of 648 crisis contacts from affected students, parents, and staff members, evidencing the urgent need for support in combatting the distress caused by these policies. Out of these requests for help, 67 individuals were referred to mental health counseling services, which Rainbow Youth Project provides at no cost. Three students were identified as high-risk due to self-harming behaviors. Most of the contacts self-reported feelings of anxiety, depression, isolation, and hopelessness.

“We are proud to collaborate with Our Schools USA to establish this crucial crisis hotline,” said Lance Preston, Executive Director of Rainbow Youth Project USA. “The hotline reaffirms our commitment to providing safe, supportive spaces for young individuals to access the resources they need during challenging times.”

In a remarkable milestone, Rainbow Youth Project and Our Schools USA have actively supported California Attorney General Rob Bonta in securing a preliminary injunction against the Chino Valley Unified School District, effectively halting its forced outing policy pending trial in 2024. This development is one step forward in the battle to protect

the rights and emotional well-being of young individuals affected by these policies.

“The very people entrusted to support our students are actively attacking them while ignoring the real harm their ideological crusades are causing,” said Christina Gagnier, a former school board president and co-founder and CEO of Our Schools USA. “The Rainbow Youth Project’s hotline has been a lifeline for so many and we’re proud to be partners to keep this vital resource available.”

“Our collective efforts to challenge these discriminatory policies and provide vital support to those affected have been amplified through our collaboration,” added Christopher Cooper, Director of Legal Affairs & Legislative Initiatives at Rainbow Youth Project. “We remain steadfast in our resolve to ensure the well-being and safety of every student.”

In a joint statement, the two groups noted: “Rainbow Youth Project USA and Our Schools USA are committed to their ongoing partnership, determined to expand their impact and bring about positive change nationwide. By establishing this innovative crisis hotline, they aspire to create a future where every student is accepted, affirmed, and supported in their journey of self-discovery and personal growth.”

If you or someone you know has been negatively impacted by these policies, please call or text the hotline at 866975-8870.

LA BLADE STAFF

The Abbey & The Chapel sold to local technology entrepreneur

WEST HOLLYWOOD - The Abbey Food & Bar, and The Chapel at  The Abbey have been sold. In a landmark move, entrepreneurs David Cooley and Tristan Schukraft have jointly announced an agreement for the sale of of both iconic venues.

“The Abbey is more than just a bar. It’s been a sanctuary for the LGBTQ+ community through tough and good times alike, from the AIDS Crisis to the fight for Marriage Equality and Transgender Rights. I’m proud that The Abbey has been a place for support, unity, activism, and celebration,” reflects David Cooley, the founder of The Abbey. “I ve spent half my life here, meeting incredible people and seeing how The Abbey has been a place of happiness and acceptance for so many. Now, it’s time for someone new to lead. Tristan has been coming here for years. He gets what The Abbey means to people. I trust him to look after our community, our guests, and our team. Plus, I m sure he’s going to throw some great parties.”

Tristan Schukraft is a technology entrepreneur, turned hotelier, nightlife aficionado and well-known member of the West Hollywood LGBTQ+ community. The Abbey and The Chapel will add to Schukraft s portfolio of businesses that enrich the LGBTQ+ community across the United States, which includes MISTR, the largest telemedicine provider of free online PrEP and long-term HIV care serving all

50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico. More recently Schukraft acquired and is in the process of reimagining Tryst and Circo, LGBTQ+ hotel and nightlife venues in San Juan Puerto Rico.

“I’m excited to build on the legacy that David Cooley created over the last 33 years at The Abbey. David built a small coffee shop on an unknown side street, into one of the most famous gay bars in the country, if not the world. This is both an honor and a significant responsibility,” explains Tristan Schukraft. “I plan to respect and honor The Abbey’s history while bringing new ideas that reflect our evolving LGBTQ+ community and my personal approach to hospitality. We’re not just maintaining a legacy business and an international landmark; we’re adding to the future of LGBTQ+ nightlife.”

The transition of ownership is expected to be seamless, with The Abbey’s long-time management team staying in place. Todd Barnes, The Abbey’s General Manager has spent over 20 years managing The Abbey. Todd is supported by Assistant General Manager, Kiki Farahat, who has spent over 15 years at The Abbey. They lead a team of several managers and hundreds of servers, bartenders, hosts, promoters, back-of-house staff, DJ’s, dancers, drag queens and entertainers who make The Abbey one of the most popular nightlife destinations in the world.  The Ab-

bey and The Chapel’s schedule of events and parties will all continue as planned.

The sale is expected to be finalized within a few months, after the ABC licenses transfer over, after which Tristan Schukraft will assume ownership and operational responsibilities.

PAULO MURILLO

Parental notification proposal riles Hart Unified School District

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. -  The regular meeting of the William S. Hart Union School District, located in the northern part of Los Angeles County on Wednesday, Nov. 15, was packed as LGBTQ+ allies and supporters and anti-LGBTQ+ battled during the public comment sessions over a proposed  “Parental Notification” policy.

Earlier in the day students at Hart High School in Newhall walked out of class to protest the policy. Speaking to KTLA 5, Hart High School senior, Heather Decosier, said that not all students have a safe place at home.

“Some of us have personal experiences with already being kicked out and I’m concerned that if the policy goes into place, the suicide rates will go up, the abuse rates will go up and, personally, the homeless rates will also go up,” she said.

Prior to the board meeting, a spokesperson for the District told the Blade that no vote on the proposed policy was set to take place at Wednesday night’s session.

Mason Cortina, another senior at the school, echoed Decosier’s opinion, telling KTLA the policy is potentially dangerous.

“We need to do something because if we’re just going to sit and let it go, a lot of kids are going to get hurt or do something worse, like kill themselves,” Cortina said.

Prior to the public comments, Irvine-based attorney Wendy Wiles, delivered a presentation to the board, which included an overview of the legal landscape regarding those California school districts that considered or implemented “Parent Notification” policies.

Her presentation included the preliminary injunction on two parts of the parental notification policy in the Chino Valley Unified School District by a San Bernardino County Superior Court judge.

During the course of the public comments, a majority of speakers in alliance with the LGBTQ+ students warned the school board that adoption of the policy had two certain outcomes- the District will be sued by the state and that there would be suicides, increased homelessness by LGBTQ+ students forced out of their homes as a result of the Outing policy, and probable incidents of violence against LGBTQ+ students.

The meeting was heavily attended by students from District high schools who spoke testifying about the damage the policy will inflict on queer kids. Those students included non-LGBTQ+ students speaking in alliance with their LGBTQ+ peers.

The proposed policy was introduced and being pushed by board member Joe Messina, a nationally known hard-

right anti-LGBTQ radio host of nationally syndicated talk show The Real Side (TheRealSide.com).

On social media LGBTQ+ allies took aim at Messina as did numerous speakers during the public comments session.

Chino Valley Unified School District set to ban

CHINO, Calif. - The Chino Valley Unified School Board (CVUSD) on Thursday passed a new policy that may lead to books and other teaching materials getting pulled over “sexually obscene” content notably books on LGBTQ+ subjects, deals with racial issues or even political material.

In a 3-2 vote, the conservative majority led by CVUSD Board President Sonja Shaw, set forth a new policy process that may directly conflict with Assembly Bill 1078, signed into law by Govern Gavin Newsom in September.  AB 1078 prohibits censorship of instructional materials, and strengthens California law requiring schools to provide all students access to textbooks that teach about California’s diverse communities.

“From Temecula to Tallahassee, fringe ideologues across the country are attempting to whitewash history and ban books from schools. With this new law, we’re cementing California’s role as the true freedom state: a place where families — not political fanatics — have the freedom to decide what’s right for them,” Newsom said when he signed AB 1078 into law.

Critics charge that Board President Shaw has been tonedeaf to understanding the needs of LGBTQ+ and other minority students by focusing efforts on removal of books that address those communities and labeling them sexu-

LGBTQ+ books

tire paragraphs of it directly from the generic one-size-fitsall “Model Policy to Challenge Vulgar Books in School Libraries” template provided in Tennessee-basedextremist Karen England’s “Take Back the Classroom” toolkit.

Kristi Hirst, a parent, former teacher, and co-founder of Our Schools USA in an emailed statement noted:

“Our teachers are overworked, underpaid, and very clearly under appreciated by this board who believe they have time to do their important jobs teaching our children and, as a nefarious extracurricular, indoctrinate them.” Hirst said.

“Teachers tell me they’re worried about the chilling effect curriculum censorship will have on classroom learning, resources, and an increasingly challenging and negative school climate,” she continued.

ally explicit.

A progressive Chino Valley parents’ group, Our Schools USA, said in a statement that Shaw introduced her original seven-page book banning proposal in October, and expanded it to apply to “classroom books/materials.” Shaw, who asserted she was not “a puppet or a servant” upon introducing her proposal, appears to have lifted en-

“This censorship is a naked attempt to discourage innovative teaching, squash creativity, and bury this school district in red tape and unsustainable legal expenses. The result of passing this type of censorship will diminish the quality of education available to our students, diminish the quality of teachers available to our students, and increase an already too-high number of teacher vacancies in this district.”

BRODY LEVESQUE

Homophobic slurs inspire Omaha Realtor and landlord

OMAHA, Neb. -

Local realtor Ryan Basye asked his three daughters: 5-yearold Cecilia, 7-year-old Louise and 9-year-old Josephine what colors he should paint an over 100-year-old house he owned and his girls told their dad they thought a rainbow design would be pretty neat.

Then Basye remembered a conversation with another property owner on the block where the house stands.

The house, which was converted into apartments after the Great War in 1918, has five units and is located on Davenport Street in Omaha’s Dundee neighborhood.

In an interview with USA Today journalist Saleen Martin, Basye said that after his conversation with his daughters about his next project, the mention of the rainbow design; “[It] brought me back to a conversation I had with (a property owner) on that block that used some derogatory words and that didn’t sit well,” he told USA TODAY

The property owner’s comments were made in 2022 and included a slur and stereotypes often used for gay men. The individual also told Basye his property didn t look very good compared to their own property on the street, Basye told USA TODAY.

According to USA TODAY, Basye’s daughters and their rainbow paint job suggestion reminded him of the uncom-

fortable conversation and from there, Operation Rainbow House was set in motion. Basye said that he asked a local painter he works with, Jay Axelrod of Everything Axelrod, to sign on and paint the home this past summer. They had to work out the details, make sure the weather was right and then in October they got started.

USA TODAY also noted that Basye’s daughters love the house and call him a “cool dad,” he said. They’re almost like elementary school celebrities, he laughed.

He hasn’t heard anything about the house from the property owner who made the jarring comments but people in the neighborhood love the house, he said “This place is right by an elementary school so we get lots of kids walking by with smiles on their faces,” he said. “It has been about 99% positive.”

Bishop Carlton D’Metrius Pearson, LGBTQ ally & pastor dies at 70

TULSA, Okla. - Bishop Carlton D’Metrius Pearson, an influential voice in the international Christian world and a supportive LGBTQ affirming ally died Sunday night Nov. 19, in hospice care due to cancer in Tulsa at age 70.

Pearson began his career in ministry after moving to Tulsa in 1971, to become a student at Oral Roberts University, Carlton was invited by Oral Roberts himself to join the World Action Singers on his nationally-aired TV specials, eventually becoming an associate evangelist with the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association in 1975. In 1977, Pearson launched his own ministry, Higher Dimensions, Inc., traveling across the United States with a small ministry team.

In 1981, with the help of his college roommate, Gary L. McIntosh, who is now President of the Church Growth Network and Professor of Christian Ministry and Leadership at Talbot School of Theology, Pearson started Higher Dimensions Evangelistic Center, with 75 people attending its first service in Jenks, Oklahoma.

Quickly outgrowing the small, storefront location in Jenks, the Center eventually settled at 8621 South Memorial Drive in Tulsa, becoming an integrated, multi-ethnic, cross-cultural congregation of more than 5,000 members.

A national television program launched in the mid-1980s, “Everything’s Gonna Be All Right,” expanded Pearson’s outreach to a national and international audience, becoming at that time one of only two African American preachers with a nationwide television ministry. Frequent appearances on the powerful Christian Trinity Broadcasting Network elevated his stature globally.

He gave counsel to multiple U. S. Presidents, as well as a number of international presidents, kings and other leaders, who were won over by his intelligence, charm, humor and kindness.

At the height of his popularity, Pearson had a shift in his theological beliefs, and began to preach that Jesus did not just die for and save Christians, but for all mankind, and that no one goes to hell as we’ve known it.

This became known as “The Gospel of Inclusion,” a form

of Christian theology known as universalism. This shift in belief caused churches, upon whose stages he once frequented, to close their doors to him, shut down his annual conference and caused his church to dwindle from thousands to only dozens.

In 2004, the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops Congress declared Pearson’s teaching about hell to be heretical. The finding came a year after Pearson defended his views at a doctrinal forum, the Associated Press reported.

“Because of our concern for the many people that could be influenced to adopt this heresy and in so doing put at risk the eternal destiny of their souls, we are compelled to declare Bishop Carlton Pearson a heretic,” wrote Bishop Clifford Leon Frazier, chairman of the joint college’s doctrinal commission, according to Religion News Service

His theological shift was dramatized in a major motion picture, Netflix’s “Come Sunday,” starring Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave), Danny Glover (The Color Purple, Lethal

Weapon), LaKeith Stanfield (Judas and the Black Messiah, Atlanta) and Martin Sheen (Apocalypse Now, The West Wing).

In 2007, Pearson helped lead hundreds of clergy members from across the nation in urging Congress to pass the Equality Act to even the playing field ending job discrimination measures against LGBTQ people also and a landmark federal hate crimes bill.

Openly queer Rev. Brandan Robertson, who serves as the Pastor of Sunnyside Reformed Church in Queens, New York and is also known as the “TikTok Pastor” noted: “I first met Carlton Pearson when I was a student at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and was beginning to wrestle with the idea that a loving God could damn a majority of humanity to hell.

Bishop Pearson was kicked out of his denomination for declaring that God’s love would win in the end, and he sat with me in a Whole Foods in downtown Chicago, listened to my struggles, and showed me that there was a better and truer way to be Christian.

Over the last decade, I was honored to call Carlton a friend as I’ve made my journey towards a more inclusive Christianity, and his encouragement and witness was a continued source of inspiration.”

A family statement released by his agent Will Bogle read:

“Pearson’s message and example of unconditional love, though it gained him the moniker of “heretic” by some in the Christian church, had a whole new world opened to him as a result. Non-Christians, as well as Christians who had left the church as a result of church hurts, abuse, hypocrisy, etc., loved the new message of love, healing and restoration. He leaves a legacy of love through the multiplied thousands of lives he touched during his time on earth and the impartation of grace and mercy he preached and exhibited to everyone he encountered.”

He is survived by his mother, Lillie Ruth Pearson, his son Prince Julian Pearson and his daughter Majesté Pearson. BRODY LEVESQUE

Out Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig attacker given 2 years in prison

WASHINGTON - U.S. District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg on Thursday sentenced the man convicted of assaulting out Rep. Angie Craig in an elevator at her D.C. apartment complex last February, to 27 months in a federal prison, 12 years less than asked for by Justice Department prosecutor Alexander Schneider.

In court documents, prosecutors stated that Kendrid Hamlin, a 27-year-old homeless man who suff ers from schizophrenia, entered the building’s vestibule in the 300 Block of H Street Northeast, at around 4:30 a.m. on February 9, 2023.

Craig, a Member of Congress who represents Minnesota, entered the lobby of the apartment complex, having just taken the elevator down from her apartment level. After getting coff ee in the lobby of the apartment building, she noticed an unknown individual pacing in the lobby. She did not recognize the defendant but stated “good morning” to him. She noted he was acting erratically.

As she got back into the elevator at around 7:10 a.m., Hamlin, who has a lengthy criminal record, forced his way in. In the court fi ling investigators stated: Craig then pushed a button to stop the elevator from going up and told him words to the eff ect of “I’m sorry…you have to have an access card to come up past the lobby.” When she told him this, Hamlin dropped down on the elevator fl oor to do pushups. After doing approximately three or four pushups, Hamlin told Craig words to the eff ect of “I need to go to your apartment, take me to your apartment.”

In response, Craig told him, in a sterner voice, that he had to get off the elevator. At this, Hamlin became very agitated and came chest-to-chest with Representative Craig. Then, he turned to jump in front of the elevator doors and the elevator buttons, blocking them. Hamlin then pushed Craig, and then immediately he took a closed fi st and punched her in the jaw.

This punch caused Craig to fall back, being thrown off balance by the strike. At this point, Craig realized she needed to get out of the elevator to escape this violent situation. As she turned to try to access the buttons to open the elevator doors to escape, Hamlin took a position behind her and pulled her back from the elevator buttons.

While physically preventing Craig from opening the elevator doors, Hamlin placed his hands on her collarbone, on her neck area. As this assault was occurring, Craig threw her hot coff ee over her shoulder, causing Hamlin to let go of her.

The doors at this point opened and as Craig broke free and started screaming for help Hamlin fl ed.

In a victim-impact statement submitted ahead of the hearing, Craig noted that the incident had left her with lasting damage to her mental and emotional health.

“My sense of safety and security has been signifi cantly impacted. Following the attack, I have developed strategies with professional help to combat and address periodic anxiety. I have sought personal self-defense training,” Craig wrote

She added she had to move from her Washington apartment following media coverage of the case that disclosed the building’s address and led to a “ fl urry” of death threats against her and her staff .

During the sentencing hearing, federal prosecutors argued, “In addition to his con-

victions for violent conduct, he has at least nine prior additional arrests for violent or threatening conduct ... the defendant’s actions have also shown that he is unwilling to abide by conditions of release, justifying the need for a signifi cant sentence to incarceration.”

The assault on Craig was a one of a series of violent attacks against lawmakers, congressional aides, or family members in the past year. An assailant armed with a metal baseball-style bat charged into the offi ce of Virginia 11th District U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly, (D) this past May.

CNN reported that a jury on Thursday has found David DePape guilty on two counts in the violent attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, last year in the couple ’ s San Francisco home.

DePape was convicted in federal court of one count of assault on the immediate family member of a federal offi cial, with the jury determining that he used a dangerous weapon, and a second count of attempted kidnapping of a federal offi cial. He could face a maximum sentence of 30 years and 20 years on the charges , respectively.

BRODY LEVESQUE

HRC report: ‘Epidemic of violence’ against transgender community

WASHINGTON - In marking the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, the Human Rights Campaign released its 2023 annual report documenting the epidemic of violence taking the lives of trans and gender non-conforming people.

According to HRC’s report, at least 33 transgender and gender-nonconforming people were killed in the last 12 months, an overwhelming majority who were young people of color, with Black transgender women disproportionately impacted.

“In the 12 months since Transgender Day of Remembrance 2022 (November 20, 2022), we’ve reported on at least 33 transgender and gender non-conforming people killed in an epidemic of violence threatening our community. These victims had families and friends, hopes and dreams. None of them deserved to have their lives stolen by horrific violence,” said Tori Cooper, Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative, Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

“Almost two-thirds of the victims were Black trans women, a tragedy that reflects an appalling trend of violence fueled by racism, toxic masculinity, misogyny and transphobia and the politicization of our lives. We need everyone to join us in empowering transgender leaders, building safer, stronger communities and reducing stigma. We cannot rest until all transgender and gender non-conforming people can live our lives safely as our full selves,” she added.

“The epidemic of violence against transgender and gender-nonconforming people is a national tragedy and a national embarrassment,” HRC President Kelly Robinson said Monday in a statement. “Each of the lives taken is the result of a society that demeans and devalues anyone who dares challenge the gender binary.”

The report also noted that the actual tally of deaths may be much higher because “data collection is often incomplete or unreliable when it comes to violent and fatal crimes against trans and gender-nonconforming people.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recorded just 21 fatal hate crimes committed against transgender and gender-nonconforming people over the same time period.

This report comes amidst a tidal wave of anti-transgender legislation. In 2023, for the first time in its 40+ year history, the Human Rights Campaign declared a  National State of Emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans, in response to the over 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced into state houses across the country, more than 80 of which were passed into law.

This is a record high for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation introduced and enacted in a single state legislative session since HRC began tracking—beating out 2022, which, with 25 anti-LGBTQ+ bills enacted, previously held the record for most anti-LGBTQ+ bills enacted in a single year.

The report noted that the vast majority of the bills introduced in 2023— over 220—specifically targeted transgender people in an attempt to: limit access to school  sports, school  restrooms and locker rooms; ban access to  safe, effective, age-appropriate gender-affirming medical care; and remove inclusive books and references to LGBTQ+ identities and experiences from school curricula (a la “don’t Say LGBTQ”). Coordinated efforts led by well-funded rightwing extremist organizations such as the Family Research Council, Heritage Action, and the Alliance Defending Freedom have led to similar efforts in the U.S. House of Representatives, including attempts to pass nationwide trans sports bans and bans on gender affirming care, as well as attempting to enact anti-LGBTQ+ legislation  through attaching extraneous riders to appropriation bills.

Against this backdrop of discriminatory legislation, attacks on the transgender and gender non-conforming community, as well as the LGBTQ+ community and its allies writ large, are on the rise. Proponents of anti-trans legislation in state houses and Congress, have often relied on hate-filled rhetoric that  demonizes transgender people and their allies, perpetuates misinformation, and legitimizes anti-trans stigma, violence, and hate.

Such rhetoric has, unfortunately, begun to translate to  real world violence: 2022 saw the  highest number of anti-LGB and anti-trans and gender non-conforming hate crimes reported by the FBI to date, with the number of hate crimes based on gender identity  increasing by over 32% from 2021 to 2022.

Almost 500 gender identity-motivated hate crimes were recorded in 2022, accounting for 4% of all hate crimes recorded in that year; anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes overall accounted for more than one in five (20.8%) hate crimes. And this number is an undercount, given that FBI data reporting does not capture all hate crimes, as not all jurisdictions track anti-trans hate crimes, nor do all jurisdictions report hate crimes to FBI databases.

In addition to the FBI-reported hate crime incidents , between the beginning of 2022 and late April 2023 GLAAD recorded 161 different attacks against drag events, including  bomb threats, vandalization, armed and  violent protests, and in one instance the firebombing of venues that

hosted Drag Story Hour and other all-age drag events.

These attacks were part of the more than  350 anti-LGBTQ+ incidents across 46 states, recorded by GLAAD and the ADL over the same period. June 2023 saw 145  additional anti-LGBTQ+ extremism incidents recorded at Pride events across the country. Transphobic violence and hate has even taken the lives of several cisgender allies this year, such as in the case of  Colin Michael Smith, a White cisgender man in Oregon who was stabbed and killed while defending a non-binary friend from an assailant “hurling anti-LGBTQ+ slurs,” and Laura Ann Carlton, a White cisgender woman in California, who was shot and killed for refusing to stop flying a pride flag over her store.

These attacks are occurring against a community which is already vulnerable and marginalized. As detailed in HRC’s report “Dismantling a Culture of Violence,” transgender and gender non-conforming people face multiple forms of sigma, which result in lower access to status, power, and resources, and higher risk of discrimination, including in employment, healthcare, and housing. Together, this contributes to higher risk of poverty and homelessness/housing insecurity, social isolation, and worse physical and mental health outcomes, which in turn results in increased risk for violence.

Such stigma, bias and discrimination compounds for transgender and gender non-conforming people who hold multiple marginalized identities. Transgender women and transgender people of color are at elevated risk of fatal violence, and the risk is compounded for Black transgender women, who comprise the vast majority of victims of fatal violence against trans and gender non-conforming people.

“We must imagine a better future for transgender and gender-nonconforming people,” Robinson said Monday. “Not just surviving, but truly living as free and equal members of our society.”

LA BLADE STAFF

Comedian Quincy Bazen wants you to laugh through the darkness

LOS ANGELES – Up-and-coming comedian Quincy Bazen isn’t afraid to dive into the dark and scary topics in his new show, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Family breakdowns, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, and the scariest topic of all for young gay men – turning 30 – are all fair game for the hilarious observations that make up the hour-long show that recently made its LA debut at The Virgil.

The newly minted tricenarian grew up in a military family and moved fourteen times before he finished high school, which inspired the title and much of the substance of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

“Trying to carve out my own identity throughout all those moves and all those changes was not an easy thing. Especially when you’re in the closet, right? You’re already trying to latch onto anything you can so nobody’s paying attention or asking questions about like what’s really going on behind the curtain,” Bazen says.

is the most authentic piece about me then I can give you? And yeah, I do struggle with mental health, and it’s been a lifelong struggle, but it’s something that I think that we have to find comedy because it’s the human experience,” he says. “I don’t want to make small talk about my life. I want to talk about it for an hour.”

And Bazen’s comedy is unabashedly gay. From bits about topping and bottoming, being selfish in bed, his monogamous relationship with his British boyfriend, and reacting to his father’s discomfort with his being gay, Bazen always finds a uniquely queer and hilarious take.

“Queer comedy kind of stands in the face of everything that queer people are really brought up to believe,” he says. “I love to get on stage and act as faggy as I absolutely can. I just love to do it and I think it’s because I’m a little rebellious. I just I hated growing up being told I couldn’t, and now I’m just flying in their faces every single day.”

creating web series, when the pandemic hit and everything was shut down, he had to find a new way to express himself. Comedy turned out to be a natural fit.

“I’ve been type-A since I was 6 years old,” he says. “I think that’s why stand up is so fun, because there’s no rules. You’re changing what you’re saying based on how other people are responding in the room. I think there’s a sense of ease in that.”

And 2024 is already looking like it’s going to be a big year for Bazen. He’s planning a tour of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in February and has a monthly comedy showcase in Los Angeles beginning in January.

He’s also the co-host of the weekly Dom Pop podcast, where he and cohost Hayden Baker break down their favorite new and classic pop albums. That podcast will soon be holding its third annual Dommie Awards, which Bazen describes as “the unofficial Grammy Awards, they’re where the girls that you always want to win a Grammy get to win.”

Bazen says the show is his way of answering the question, “where are you from?” which has always been a tricky thing to answer.

“I don’t really feel like I’m from anywhere. So, okay, what

Bazen’s only been doing standup for a little over a year, but he has an obvious comfort and confidence on stage that he says comes from being a theatre kid since he was a child. While he’d previously been putting on musicals and

All of this activity has proven to be a healthy antidote for the other major change in his life – turning 30. While he had dreaded the big 3-0 as “gay death,” he’s found instead that he’s thriving. “I feel like I was one of those really serious religious people in 2012, ready for the world end, and then I woke up on D-Day and I’m like, ‘Oh? It’s okay? I’m still here I’m still fine?’” Bazen says. “I’d like to think that I’m doing better than I was, but I’d be remiss or lying if I said that I was never anxious about it.”

ROB SALERNO

MICHAEL LEACH

has spent most of his career as a healthcare professional specializing in Substance Use Disorder and addiction recovery. He is a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant and contributor to the healthcare website Recovery Begins.

Holiday sobriety is always a good thing

Seek help if you or someone you know is struggling with addiction

The Thanksgiving weekend kicks off the holiday season. Between now and New Year’s Day, numerous celebrations and festivities can occur. Overall, this time of year can bring good and bad for everyone, and some stressors become too much to manage.

Unfortunately, the holiday season is associated with increased alcohol use and recreational drug use. Thanksgiving Eve is also known as Blackout Wednesday and is considered the first heavy drinking weekend of the holiday season.

This can pose a challenge for anyone new to sobriety or someone choosing to remain sober during the holidays. Fortunately, there are practical tips and helpful information anyone can use to stay sober or help someone struggling with an addiction this time of year.

The holiday season can be particularly stressful for members of the LGBTQ community; this could include stress, anxiety, and depression. While many of these individuals experience these symptoms yearround, the holiday season, especially when returning home, can exacerbate these symptoms. The impact of negative challenges, such as stigma and rejection, tends to lead to alcohol or drug abuse.

Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season do not have to lead to lost sobriety and constantly dealing with stress. The best approach involves coming up with a plan to stay sober.

Most temptation to drink or use drugs arises because of anx-

iety, depression, and feeling overwhelmed during the holidays. This time of year can bring about negative emotions.

Moreover, chaos and unpredictability create triggers that often lead to relapse. Stress is typical this time of year and difficult to manage.

Consider coming up with a plan before the holiday weekend arrives. What are you going to do? Where will you go? Who will you spend it with?

Or, try hosting your own Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving gatherings with friends or family. Let people know ahead of time that you are not drinking. When attending any family or friend gatherings, bring non-alcoholic beverages or mocktails or invite a friend as added support. More importantly, plan your exit before you arrive if things begin to go sideways.

In contrast, suppose you notice someone struggling with their sobriety; do not brush it aside as just the stress of the holidays. Offer a helping hand, provide resources for support, be supportive, and avoid casting judgment.

There is so much stigma within the LGBTQ community associated with addiction and sobriety, and this prevents people from asking for help. Remove this stigma by showing compassion and understanding. Take this time of year to create new memories and sober traditions. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, do not wait until the new year to get help; take advantage of available resources.

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Measures must be stricken down, enjoined, or otherwise invalidated

Florida’s ‘Don’t

Say Gay’ laws undermine protections for LGBTQ teachers, students

Formally entitled the “Parental Rights in Education Act,” Florida House Bill 1557 amends Florida Statute § 1001.42 to add a new subsection 8(c)(3), which provides: “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” In May of this year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1069, which has been viewed as expanding H.B. 1557 by requiring that sex education classes in Florida teach that “sex is determined by biology and reproductive function at birth,” and that reproductive gender roles are “binary, stable, and unchangeable.” Among other things, the new bill also broadens the ban on classroom discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation so that it covers pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and prevents employees from using pronouns other than those that correspond with sex assigned at birth. Criticsofthese laws have labeled H.B. 1557 and H.B. 1069 “Don’t Say Gay” laws. We share these critics’ concerns.

Below, we highlight the potential of these laws to undermine anti-discrimination protections for teachers and students at public educational institutions in Florida and summarize litigation challenging these laws.

The Legal Landscape for LGBTQ Anti-Discrimination Protections in Florida

On June 15, 2020, the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, 140 S. Ct. 1731 (2020). In a 6-3 decision, the Court interpreted existing federal law to protect LGBTQ individuals from discrimination in employment and public accommodations by recognizing sexual orientation and gender identity as protected categories under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As a result of Bostock, LGBT individuals who work for an employer with fifteen (15) or more employees, and who have experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, now have the right to take legal action against their employer by filing a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and/or taking their employer to court.

In light of the Supreme Court’s decision, the Florida Human Rights Commission issued a notice that clarified that the agency would now broaden its mandate to include combatting discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. Thus, after Bostock, LGBTQ Floridians, including teachers, gained vital anti-discrimination protections at work and in housing under both federal and state law.

Bostock v. Clayton County has been interpreted to protect LGBTQ students from discrimination as well. For instance, in Grimm v.Gloucester County School Board, 972 F.3d 586 (4th Cir. 2020), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit relied on Bostock to hold that disparate treatment on the basis of a student’s sexual orientation and transgender status—in this case, barring transgender students from using school restrooms that align with their gender identity—is considered discrimination under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Id. at 618–19. These protections are especially important for LGBTQ students in conservative states like Florida; these students may face discrimination on a direct level as well as indirectly from institutions and political players who aim to promote homophobic and transphobic rhetoric and policies.

Unfortunately, the victory represented by Bostock has been

overshadowed by H.B. 1557 and H.B. 1069.

Harm and Confusion Created by H.B. 1557 and H.B. 1069

While it is too soon to know how H.B. 1557 and H.B. 1069 will impact the application of Bostock, there is cause for alarm. Under Florida law, if a parent raises a concern about compliance with H.B. 1557 and that concern is not “resolved by the school district,” the parent may proceed before a special magistrate or “[b]ring an action against the school district to obtain a declaratory judgment that the school district procedure or practice violates [H.B. 1557] and seek injunctive relief.” Fla. Stat. § 1001.42(8) (c)(7)(b). If the parent prevails in the suit, the court may offer the parent damages and shall “shall award reasonable attorney fees and court costs.” Id.

Undoubtedly, Florida’s LGBTQ teachers will face greater scrutiny and potential legal obstacles as a result of these laws. As critics have pointed out, these laws’ ambiguity and undefined terms represent a potential minefield for LGBTQ teachers. For instance, Florida law now bans instructing some students on sexual orientation. Would a gay teacher who mentions in class that he has a husband violate this law? Would a cisgender teacher with a nonbinary child be in violation if she referenced her child by their proper pronouns in front of her students?

For transgender and nonbinary teachers, the environment is even more dangerous. H.B. 1069, which went into effect on July 1, 2023, states: “An employee or contractor of a public K–12 educational institution may not provide to a student his or her preferred personal title or pronouns if such preferred personal title or pronouns do not correspond to his or her sex,” with “sex” defined in strictly “biological” terms. Fla. Stat. § 1000.071(1), (3). It is unclear whether this language (i) forbids a transgender or gender-nonconforming teacher from providing the teacher’s own preferred pronouns to students, or (ii) forbids a teacher from providing a transgender or gender-nonconforming student’s preferred pronouns to that student—or both. Ambiguities aside, this provision is likely to force transgender and nonbinary teachers in Florida back into the closet or ban them from teaching in Florida schools altogether. If transgender and nonbinary teachers are prohibited from truthfully representing their identities in front of their students, transgender and nonbinary identities are essentially banished from the classroom entirely.

Already, headlines have been made by teachers who have fallen on the wrong side of these new laws. For instance, the Hernando County School Board placed a fifth-grade teacher in Brooksville, Fla. under investigation for showing her class a Disney film that depicted a gay character. In another instance, an assistant principal in Polk County was told that she couldn’t pass out LGBTQ-inclusive “safe space” stickers because it violated the new legislation. Some teachers have publicly decried that the laws make their jobs nearly impossible and others have decided to quit teaching altogether.

While these laws are new and their impact on Florida’s LGBTQ teachers and other staff is only just beginning to be understood, the socio-political movement that paved the way for this legislation has been decades in the making. In 1977, singer and political activist Anita Bryant led an anti-LGBTQ campaign in Dade County, Florida, targeting housing and employment protections for gay individuals. Bryant was particularly concerned that the ordinance would prevent gay teachers from being fired for their sexual orientation and she argued that gay teachers posed a threat to Florida’s children. Unfortunately, the campaign was

ALOK NADIG, MADISON ZUCCO and XAN WOLSTENHOLME-BRITT are

attorneys at Sanford Heisler Sharp.

a short-term success for anti-LGBTQ activists, culminating with the repeal of a nondiscrimination ordinance. Historians note that this tactic of using the protection of children to restrict LGBTQ rights was seen even before Bryant’s crusade, with the infamous Johns Committee in 1958 targeting and eliminating LGBTQ individuals from Florida schools.

Although Bryant initially won the repeal of the ordinance, her activism spurred LGBTQ mobilization that ultimately successfully countered her bigoted efforts.

Lawsuits to Enjoin Enforcement

We are aware of two recently filed cases seeking to enjoin enforcement of H.B. 1557.

First is M.A. v. Florida State Board of Education, No. 4:22CV00134 (N.D. Fla.), a case that was initiated in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida on March 31, 2022. In M.A., a group of students, parents, and teachers advanced claims arising from alleged violations of the Constitution’s Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses, the First Amendment, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. On February 15, 2023, District Judge Allen Winsor, a Trump appointee, concluded that the plaintiffs had “not alleged sufficient facts to show standing” and dismissed the case. M.A. v. Fla. State Bd. of Educ., No. 4:22-cv-134AW-MJF, 2023 WL 2631071, at *1 (N.D. Fla. Feb. 15, 2023). In so holding, the court reasoned that the plaintiffs failed to “allege facts showing any concrete future harm that is fairly traceable to [H.B. 1557’s] enforcement and redressable by an injunction prohibiting that enforcement.” Id. at *2. On March 20, 2023, the plaintiffs appealed the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. See M.A. v. Fla. State Bd. of Educ., No. 23-10866, Dkt. 1 (11th Cir. Mar. 20, 2023). In their appellate briefing, the plaintiffs argue that the district court erred because the plaintiffs alleged sufficient facts to confer standing in the form of “three distinct injuries caused by H.B. 1557”: (i) a chilling effect on speech, (ii) denial of access to ideas and information in school, and (iii) stigma and unequal treatment in schools based on LGBT status. See M.A. v. Fla. State Bd. of Educ., No. 23-10866, Dkt. 38, at 38 (11th Cir. May 31, 2023). As of this writing, the appeal remains pending before the Eleventh Circuit.

Second is Cousins v. School Board of Orange County, Florida, 6:22-CV-01312 (M.D. Fla.), which was initiated on in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida on July 25, 2022. The plaintiffs in Cousins were a group of student and parents, as well as a mission-driven non-profit called CenterLink, Inc, who advanced claims arising from alleged violations of the First Amendment and the Constitution’s Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses. On August 16, 2023, District Judge Wendy Berger, also a Trump appointee, dismissed the case for reasons similar to the reasons provided by Judge Winsor in the M.A. litigation. See Cousins v. Sch. Bd. of Orange Cnty., Fla., No. 6:22-cv-1312-WWBLHP, Dkt. 143 (M.D. Fla. Aug. 16, 2023). As of this writing, the plaintiffs have not appealed the decision.

It remains unclear whether and to what extent these two cases will succeed in enjoining enforcement of H.B. 1557 and H.B. 1069. Settlement discussions are currently ongoing in the M.A. case, and we are cautiously optimistic that the plaintiffs in that case will be able to obtain some form of relief.

Whether through litigation, legislative repeal or some other means, Florida’s recently enacted anti-LGBT laws are harmful and should be stricken down, enjoined, or otherwise invalidated.

End-of-year lineup offers holiday feast for queer movie lovers

Gripping ‘Saltburn’ features stellar performances

By JOHN PAUL KING

Looking back, we’d have to say that 2023 has been good to fans of outstanding cinema. From summer’s existential one-two punch of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” to an iconic filmmaker’s delivery of a new masterwork with “Killers of the Flower Moon,” we’ve already seen enough top-notch artistry on the big screen to know there are going to be some tight races in this year’s awards season.

But don’t start making your Oscar predictions yet, because there’s still more to come, including Ridley Scott’s Joaquin Phoenix-starring “Napoleon” and Yorgas Lanthimos’ darkly fantastical sci-fi comedy “Poor Things,” not to mention Timothèe Chalamet in a purple frock coat as “Wonka.” And as our annual Blade Holiday Roundup of current-and-upcoming movies clearly shows, even if most of them aren’t exactly “seasonal” in terms of tone or subject matter, there are sure to be quite a few queer (or queer-related) titles in the mix to make the competition even more interesting.

In fact, a potential awards juggernaut is already in theaters: SALTBURN, the second film from Oscar-winning writer/director Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman”), which premiered at this year’s Telluride Festival and represents the latest ascension in the rise of two sensational young actors. Jacob Elordi (“Euphoria,” “Priscilla”) is likely more familiar to many viewers – his blend of impossibly good looks and authentic talent have gained him a lot of attention for a range of reasons, and both those qualities are put to good use here. But it’s Barry Keoghan (“Dunkirk,” “The Banshees of Inisherin”) who is the real breakout star of this twisted, darkly comedic psychological thriller as Oliver Quick, a working class boy who earns a scholarship to Oxford and becomes infatuated with rich-but-sensitive fellow student Felix (Elordi). Invited to spend the summer at his boy crush’s family estate (the “Saltburn” of the title), he gradually becomes enmeshed within their privileged dynamic – and to say anything more than that would be to spoil the “can’t look away” fun that makes this savage, stylish, and sexy mindf*ck of a movie into something you can’t wait to watch multiple times. Also starring Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver, Archie Madekwe, and Carey Mulligan in a delicious supporting turn, it goes into wide release on Nov. 22.

Another title now in theaters is NEXT GOAL WINS, from Oscar-winner and auteur-on-the-rise Taika Waititi (“Jojo Rabbit,” “Thor: Ragnarok”), in which the uniquely whimsical New Zealand filmmaker presents his take on the “true sports” genre. It’s a comedic-but-inspirational underdog tale centered on the American Samoa soccer team, which after a brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001 hired a down-on-his-luck maverick coach to turn themselves around in hopes of qualifying for the World Cup. Waititi’s infectiously winning blend of quirky absurdism and heartfelt sentiment makes this an automatic must-see, even if its handling of a trans character – real-life soccer player Jaiyah Saelua (played by Samoan “third gender” actor Kaimana), considered by FIFA as the first trans woman to compete in a World Cup qualifier game –has met with mixed response. Still, it’s one of two current films boasting the return of the exquisite Michael Fassbender (the other is David Fincher’s “The Killer,” which should also be on your list), so we think it’s worth seeing anyway; that way you can make up your own mind about the controversy over its approach to trans inclusion. Also starring Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, and Lehi Falepapalangi, with appearances by Will Arnett and Elisabeth Moss. Also currently on big screens is Todd Haynes’ MAY DECEMBER, which reunites the revered queer indie film pioneer with longtime muse Julianne Moore and casts her opposite Natalie Portman in

the true-story-inspired tale of an actress who travels to Georgia to meet a woman – notorious for an infamous tabloid romance, years before – that she is set to play in a movie. Loosely suggested by the real-life story of Mary Kay Fualaau, who was imprisoned for having sex with an underage pupil and later married him, it’s steeped in the kind of uncomfortable ethical-and-emotional danger zone that is a hallmark of Haynes’s best work, so it’s no surprise that it brings out the best in his two lead actresses. The buzziest performance in the film, however, comes from “Riverdale” star Charles Melton, who has drawn raves as Moore’s husband. Distributed by Netflix, it will stream on their platform starting Dec. 1 – but why wait when you can see it in theaters now?

Bringing a double appeal for lovers of classical music is MAESTRO, going into limited release Nov. 22 before it begins streaming on Netflix Dec. 20, which stars Bradley Cooper – who also wrote and directed - as legendary conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein and documents (among other things) his relationships with both wife Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan) and longtime male partner David Oppenheim (Matt Bomer). Though initially plagued with criticism over Cooper’s use of a prosthetic nose to play the Jewish Bernstein, endorsement from the late musical genius’s family and positive reviews of his performance have helped that conversation fade into the background, and the biopic – which also stars Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, Michael Urie, Brian Klugman, Gideon Glick, and Miriam Shor – looks poised to be a winner.

Releasing in limited theaters Dec. 1 and expanding wide on Dec. 8 is EILEEN, adapted from Ottessa Moshfegh’s acclaimed 2015 debut novel, finally hitting screens nearly a year after a splashy debut at Sundance. Set in Boston of the mid 1960s, it tracks the relationship that develops when a young woman working at a juvenile detention center is drawn in by the allure of a new and glamorous older colleague (Anne Hathaway), who may also be drawing her into something much more dangerous than a workplace flirtation. With a screenplay by the author (alongside husband Luke Goebel) and direction by William Oldroyd, it’s been described by co-star Hathaway as “‘Carol’ meets ‘Resevoir Dogs’” – and that’s enough to make it irresistible, as far as we’re concerned.

Coming to Hulu on Dec. 6 is WE LIVE HERE: THE MIDWEST, a documentary from filmmakers Melinda Maerker and David Miller that explores the lives of several LGBTQIA+ families in the American heartland; these include a trans/queer family with five children in Iowa expelled by their church, a gay Black couple with a young daughter facing homophobic and racial prejudice in Nebraska, a gay teacher in Ohio trying to create a safe space for queer students, and a lesbian couple homeschooling their bullied son on a farm in Kansas. Profiling families who struggle to remain part of a region in which they have deep roots, it’s a snapshot of a precarious historical moment in time when anti-queer legislation and sentiment is rapidly multiplying across the country, forcing queer Midwesterners to endure a clash of values as they strive to build lives in the communities they love in the face of mounting discrimination.

Another much-anticipated release comes on Dec. 22 with ALL OF US STRANGERS, the latest effort from “Looking” creator Andrew Haigh – whose 2011 “Weekend” places high on the list of all-time great queer romance films – starring top-shelf UK thespians Andrew Scott (“Sherlock,” “Pride,” “Fleabag”) and Paul Mescal (“Aftersun,” “The Lost Daughter”) in a ghostly romantic fantasy loosely adapted from Taichi Yamada’s 1987 novel “Strangers.” In it, a melancholy Londoner (Scott) strikes up a relationship with a

mysterious neighbor (Mescal) through a chance encounter that leaves him increasingly preoccupied with memories of his past; returning to his suburban childhood home for a visit, he finds it occupied by his parents (Claire Foy, Jaime Bell), who seem to be living in it exactly as they were when they died there, three decades before. An ethereal meditation on grief, nostalgia, and, ultimately, loveboth the romantic and familial kinds – that leans more into the metaphysical than the supernatural as it weaves its disquieting tale and is somehow more haunting because of it, it’s already a fixture in the pre-awards-season chatter. Put this one on your list in bold letters.

On Christmas Day, if you’re looking for that perfect “big event” family movie to take in after the presents have been unwrapped and the feast devoured, you couldn’t ask for a more perfect candidate than THE COLOR PURPLE, which is not a remake of Steven Spielberg’s 1985 movie of Alice Walker’s 1982 novel – though Spielberg, along with the original film’s co-star Oprah Winfrey and its composer Quincy Jones, as well as Walker herself, is one of its producers – but rather the film adaptation of the Tony-winning 1985 Broadway musical version of the book. Confused? No need to be, though we must admit the film’s advertising campaign may have contributed to that feeling by all-but-erasing any clue that it’s a musical. But with a superstar cast headlined by Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, Halle Bailey, and H.E.R., along with a proven score of powerful songs by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray, it will all make sense after you sit back and let yourself be immersed in what’s sure to be a reverent and heartfelt celebration of Black culture, history, and heritage, told through the experience of an uneducated and impoverished Black queer woman in rural Georgia of the early 1900s, that fully honors the transcendent spirit of its timeless source material.

And lastly, speaking of Christmas, this December won’t disappoint the sentimentalists out there for whom the season wouldn’t be the season without one or two of those much-ridiculed but secretly adored holiday romances, a genre which – after years of clinging to a stubborn “straights only” policy – has finally blossomed with a whole queer-inclusive subgenre of its own. In fact, Hallmark – the channel that, let’s face it, is pretty much synonymous with the whole phenomenon – has no less than 40 heartfelt Christmas love stories slated for broadcast, and among those are at least three which will be must-sees for queer fans: CHRISTMAS ON CHERRY LANE (premiering Dec. 9), starring out actor Jonathan Bennett (“Mean Girls”) and Vincent Rodriguez III as a gay couple trying to expand their family among two other intertwined stories; FRIENDS & FAMILY CHRISTMAS (premiering Dec. 17), featuring Ali Liebert and Humberley Gonzalez (“Ginny and Georgia”) as a pair of lesbians who get set up on a date for the holidays and find themselves connecting more than they expected; and though it centers on a straight romance, CATCH ME IF YOU CLAUS (premiering Nov. 23) has sure-fire queer appeal thanks to its out-and-proud star, “King of Hallmark” actor Luke Macfarlane (“Bros”), playing it straight as Santa’s son, who meets an aspiring news anchor (Italia Ricci) just in time to spice things up for the holidays.

Go ahead and watch them all, we won’t judge you. Happy holidays and happy viewing!

A holiday book for Christmas lovers and haters alike

‘The Jolliest Bunch’ chock full of relatable anecdotes

By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

It’s a hard choice to make.

When someone asks you about your favorite holiday, you have to think. Do you pick a spring holiday with bunnies, hearts, or leprechauns? Or something grand with parades and flags? Then again, stuffing yourself with stuffing is pretty awesome and that whole Santa-reindeer-elf bit is pretty appealing. Do you have a favorite holiday or, as in “The Jolliest Bunch” by Danny Pellegrino, do you just pick them all?

We’ve all had ‘em: legendary stories attached to holidays that are best forgotten – for at least a little while, until they become family lore. Take, for instance, the various stories Pellegrino tells, beginning with a shout-out to his mother, Linda.

Linda, controller of all holidays, who invites the family over for Christmas Eve at 6 o’clock and then, like clockwork, freaks out at 5:10 “for approximately forty-nine minutes.” Linda, who rents chairs for the holiday from a local funeral home. Linda, who once fashioned a passable angel costume from a woman’s white shirt.

For a holiday we love, we’ll do almost anything to be home with family, including taking a cross-country ride with a half-drunk driver who’s on her way to see a former lover with six kids. For a holiday we love, we hold onto Christmas Past by welcoming gay ghosts into our lives. We work retail and endure the same eight holiday songs on every store speaker, then go home and watch the same four holiday specials on TV. We hope we get the gift we didn’t ask for. We celebrate with family and friends “and sometimes we’re surrounded by people we don’t like all that much.”

And then there are the traditions and the things that make the holiday a holiday: a string of beloved lights that a childhood pet nearly destroyed. Cookie cutters in the shape of the south end of a cat. Enjoying “Midwest comfort foods... that are incredibly delectable and anything but healthy.” Knowing that you’ve wrapped the 100% exact right gift for someone you adore, but also knowing “that even the most special presents are not as important as how you

‘The

Jolliest Bunch: Unhinged Holiday Stories’

By Danny Pellegrino

c. 2023, Sourcebooks | $27.99 | 239 pages

make them feel.”

So, here’s the brilliance of “The Jolliest Bunch”: no matter who you are, man or woman, gay or straight, author Danny Pellegrino has a universal memory to share that’s hilariously close to something you’ve experienced. Awkward relatives, check. Meals gone wrong, check. The gift you wanted more than anything, check. Bad holidays at a stranger’s house, yep. Decorations that are older than you are, uh-huh. It’s like he was at that same get-together.

This may make you cringe, but you’ll also laugh because Pellegrino is a funny writer with a keen eye for a great (and relatable) story. Just beware, though: holidays also bring out nostalgia, longing, missing, and regrets, so watch your heart.

In his introduction, Pellegrino says this book is for holiday haters as well as for those who start singing Christmas carols in August. That means “The Jolliest Bunch” is for you, and reading it’s an easy choice to make.

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David Vela: A Champion for LACCD’s LGBTQIA+ Rights

Out of the blocks, David Vela tells people, “I’m not apologetic about having what the right would call a gay agenda.” Likely, this is one of the reasons Vela has made so much headway for LGBTQIA+ rights through his work as the president of Los Angeles County Community College District’s (LACCD) Board of Trustees. For Vela, understanding this need began early.

Born in Boyle Heights, as a child, Vela moved to Echo Park after his mother married his stepfather. The family saved towards buying a house in Linwood. Then, his parents divorced. “I had a pretty tough childhood,” he recalls. “There was a period when I witnessed a lot of violence in our home. We were on food stamps and moved a lot.” Vela applies what he took away from those experiences to his work for the LBGTQIA+ community.

Then, a single mother, Vela’s mother, moved the family to Bell Gardens, where David spent his school years. While at Bell Gardens High School, Vela got involved in student politics. “Even then, I had a John Galbraith philosophy and understanding that poverty exists, though it’s not spoken about.”

It was Vela’s grandmother who instilled the importance of higher education in him. “She taught me that a college degree is the most important thing you can invest in. No one can take your education away, and it can lift an entire family out of poverty.”

After high school, Vela attended UC Santa Cruz. With his eye on pre-med, he transferred to UCLA, where he earned his BS in biological anthropology. His passion for public policy was flamed at UCLA, where he undertook the role of vice president of Chicanos in Community Medicine. Additionally, he had an internship with Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, a non-profit that advocates for immigrant rights. The position would prove integral in his future.

Vela was all set to attend medical school when he woke up one morning with a realization—he didn’t want to enter that field. Instead, “I knew I was going to be involved in public policy. I just felt it.” In short order, he found himself in Pepperdine’s Master of Public Policy program with concentrations in international relations and economics, on a full scholarship. In many ways, Vela felt like a fish out of water. “The notion of upward mobility was a world I’d

By BEKAH WRIGHT

never been exposed to, so that was a value-added component, although sometimes lonely.”

Post grad school, Vela began working with Greenlining Institute, an Oakland-based advocacy think tank and non-profit with a mission to provide communities of color—those that had been the targets of redlining in the past—economic opportunities with banks, various foundations and the Federal Reserve.

While with Greenlining, Vela was contacted by Cathryn Rivera-Hernandez, whom he’d met during his Hermandad Mexicana Nacional internship. At the time, RiveraHernandez was Governor Gray Davis’s general counsel. California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) needed Latino and unemployment outreach. Was Vela interested in a senior advisor role?

“Cathryn was the first person who took a chance on me,” Vela says. He admits though he accepted the job, “I was way too young for that job right out of grad school.”

During Vela’s tenure with the EDD, 9/11 occurred. “I was in charge of offering Rapid Service unemployment applications to all the workforce hubs throughout the state.” This was followed by a stint as a senior legislative assistant handling Labor, Transportation, and Economic Development for former California State Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg.

Politics and education suddenly collided for Vela while serving East Los Angeles political aid for LA County Supervisor Claudio Molina. This found him visiting schools for ages K through 12 to alert the community to county services available to them. Vela impressed parent councils of the Montebello School District, who asked him to run for school board. In 2007, Vela heeded their call, ran for school board, and won. “I was an openly gay school board member in a very conservative Latino town.”

Having witnessed the bullying of LGBTQ students in K-12, one of Vela’s first actions was to pass a districtwide antibullying resolution. “It was revolutionary at the time,” he says. “Back in 2007, parents didn’t even want to recognize that they had gay children.

During this time, dual enrollment and articulation movements began. The program made it possible for kids as young as middle school-aged to earn community college credits through their classes. “The fact that we could help students access community colleges was a game-changer,” Vela says. “Once they stepped foot in just one class, their wheels started turning, and they began to see possibilities for their future education.”

It was his first exposure to Los Angeles’ community college system, the largest in America, with nine schools and over 200,000 students. Vela began to see a future for himself there, too. In 2018, Vela was the first openly gay member on LACCD’s board of trustees. “We were at the cusp of what was to be a very draconian, anti-gay agenda from the Trump administration,” he recalls. “I felt like I had to kick doors open and say, ‘I’m here representing queer students of all denominations, shapes and sizes, and we deserve protection.”

In 2020, Vela stepped into the role of president for the LACCD Board of Trustees. That October, Vela, who also chaired the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on LGBTQIA+ Affairs, put forth a district-wide LGBTQIA+ Bill of Rights. “At the time, what existed in terms of rights was very piecemeal,” he says. “For example, whereas East LA

College had a strong footprint of services and safe zones, West LA College did not.”

The resolution passed, bringing myriad impactful changes, such as reviewing and updating anti-discrimination policies and procedures. Another focus of the Bill of Rights was a slate of LGBTQIA+ events to bring visibility to the community, starting with an annual celebration of LGBTQIA+ History Month. As momentum has grown, campuses acknowledge Pride Week by flying the Pride Flag. On tap, too, a trans job fair and an LGBTQIA+ ball. The LACCD held its first district-wide Lavender Graduation, a ceremony to honor LGBTQIA+ students and allies for their achievements in LACCD colleges. “It started with 50 students,” Vela says. “Now, in our fifth year, we honored 200 LGBTQIA+ students. It’s one of the most moving things I’ve seen in the district.”

In addition, Vela advocated for safe zones where LGBTQIA+ students could study, hang out, meet with faculty, and address personal situations, such as serving as a safe place for trans women to administer hormones. “It evolved into a campaign for ongoing state funding, which resulted in a $10 million one-time allocation--for either rehabilitating existing structures or building new ones, staff and operations-to have these centers throughout California community colleges.” Several Dream Resource Centers and BIPOC organizations merged into the efforts. That $10 million has become a permanent part of the state budget.

Underway is a district-wide LGBTQIA+ curriculum and courses. “They’re currently embedded within an interdisciplinary model,” Vela says. “And in conjunction with the Academic Center, we’re moving forward with creating an LGBTQIA+ Studies department at each college.” Vela’s term as LACCD board president concludes at the end of 2023. His involvement with the board, though, will continue.

As integral as LACCD is to Vela’s life, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. He is the owner and chief executive officer of Velada Consulting, a public outreach firm that works with high-level capital construction. Beyond this, he’s a founder of Honor Pac, a political action committee that empowers LGBTQ+ Latina/o/e communities. “We have to stand up,” Vela says. “United, and with the right assistance and community support, we can overcome oppression.”

The Montebello resident finds time to devote to his family, specifically his grandmother, mom and three nieces. His partner, Victor Valerio, provides a sense of balance in Vela’s high-speed life. “He reminds me that you can be in politics in an altruistic way, and they don’t have to define you.”

Queer allyship figures prominently in Streisand memoir

‘My

Name Is Barbra’ filled with dishy revelations about Hollywood, D.C.

By KATHI WOLFE

Have you been told you’ll never amount to anything? That an angry rodent is better looking than you?

If yes, don’t worry.

Barbra Streisand (hello, Gorgeous!), the EGOT-winning (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony), divine, queer icon has been told and called much worse.

“An ‘amiable anteater’?,” Streisand, 81, writes in “My Name Is Barbra,” her eagerly anticipated, recently released, memoir, “that’s how I was described at nineteen in one of my first reviews as a professional actress.”

She was then playing a “lovelorn” secretary in the show “I Can Get It for You Wholesale,” Streisand recalls. “I could see the comparison,” she writes.

But the demeaning comparisons kept coming. Over the next year, she remembers people likened her to “a sour persimmon,” “a furious hamster,” “a myopic gazelle,” and “a seasick ferret.”

Streisand worked on “My Name Is Barbra” (whose title is the same as her acclaimed album and TV special) for more than a decade.

At nearly 1,000 pages, it makes “War and Peace,” seem like an Instagram post.

Streisand name-drops more often than your nutty uncle curses during Thanksgiving dinner. Rarely a paragraph goes by without a dishy mention of celebs and politicos she’s friends with, slept with, argued with, been mistreated by, or worked with: from her BFFs Bill and Hillary Clinton to Warren Beatty to Stephen Sondheim to Larry Kramer to Sydney Chaplin.

Take Beatty. Streisand and Beatty have been friends since they were young and in summer stock. Yet, “Did I sleep with Warren,” she wonders about Beatty, who’s known as a ladies man, “I kind of remember. I guess I did. Probably once.”

Sidney Chaplin starred with Streisand in the Broadway production of “Funny Girl.” After Streisand rejected his efforts to begin an affair, he harassed so much, that Streisand, for the first time, developed stage fright. She worried that she’d throw up on stage.

Streisand’s memoir is sprawling. There’s an ellipses, seemingly, every nanosec.

If it were written by almost anyone else but God, the Queen of the Universe (Streisand), you might think: this is too much. The audio book of the memoir is a 48-hour listen; it’s a couple- day read in hard cover or e-book format.

But, “My Name Is Barbra,” wasn’t penned by one of the lesser mortals. It’s by Streisand, the greatest, or among the greatest, in the pantheon of queer icons.

With her talent, persistence and guts, she’s earned the right to name-drop, to safeguard her legacy and to go on as long as she wants. Why rain on her parade?

“Looking back, it was much more fun to dream of being famous than to actually be famous,” Streisand writes. “I didn’t like all the ridiculous stories they made up, or the envy my success provoked.”

Reading “My Name Is Barbra,” whether in print or as an audio book, is like spending an intimate evening with Streisand. It’s Streisand talking to you (and, maybe a small group of your queer friends and allies).

You’re there, drinking it in, as she dishes on everything from her mother (who makes Mommie Dearest seem like June Cleaver) to her love of coffee (it has to be Brazilian coffee) ice cream.

In “My Name Is Barbra,” Streisand doesn’t explicitly call herself a queer icon. But her connection and allyship with the LGBTQ community are a through line in the memoir.

Streisand notes that queer people were the first to see her when she first performed at the Lion, a gay bar, and the Bon Soir, a small club in the Wet Village in New York.

“I believe we all have certain needs in common,” Streisand writes, “we want to be happy, we want to be loved, we want to be respected, no matter what our sexual orientation...No one should have to live a lie.”

Streisand was an executive producer of “Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story,” a 1995 TV movie about an Army nurse who was discharged because she was queer.

Sometimes, Streisand has had arguments with other LGBTQ legends. She wanted to make a movie of Larry Kramer’s iconic play “The Normal Heart.” But she and Kramer had different views of how the film should be made. Kramer, Streisand writes, wanted more explicit sex scenes, than she did in the movie. She feared that if it was too graphic, the film might turn off the mainstream audience.

She was disappointed that she couldn’t film Kramer’s play. “There are some love affairs you never quite get over,” Streisand writes, “I fell in love with a play...pursued it, won it, lost it.”

Streisand, Jewish, female, creative, assertive, born poor in Brooklyn, refusing to have a nose job, is the ultimate outsider in a culture that prefers women to be docile, middle-class and to conform to cookie-cutter beauty standards. Is it any wonder that queers are drawn to her?

Whether you’re queer, hetero, an outsider or insider, you’ll be riveted by “My Name Is Barbra.”

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