By Sister Dana Van Iquity
Sister Dana sez, “April 22nd is Earth Day. Be sure to hug your Mother (Earth).”
THE SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE held our 37th Anniversary party in the very spacious Hellman Hollow in beautiful Golden Gate Park. It was entitled: JESUS H. CHRIST: EL NIÑO AGAIN?! and marked the Sisters’ Easter 2016. The day started at 11 am with the Children’s Easter Egg Hunt with Sister Betty Tasteswell. Clever co-emcees Kit Tapata, Mutha Chucka & introducing, for her first time on our stage, Cruzin D’Loo, started the adult portion of the day. Live entertainment ensued from noon on with B-52’s cover band Private Idaho. Carly Ozard gave us a rockin’ set of Queen hits. There were three contests judged by Sister Roma & Sister Dana, and ultimately elected by crowd participation. The Easter Bonnet Contest resulted in Amber Alert aka Brian Busta winning. Grants to the total of $15,501.40 were ceremoniously given to many various LGBTQ/HIV/AIDS charities. The hard rock band Epiqe played. The Foxy Mary Contest was won by a very Pregnant Mary drinking champagne. Dottie Lux & Red Hots Burlesque performed, followed by the fabulous Bebe Sweetbriar singing her Pussycat Dolls hit, “Dontcha.” Momma’s Boyz, a drag king duo, rapped and hip-hopped to die for. Grammy nominated DJ Chris Cox spun some very danceable tunes as we nuns twirled and twerked onstage. Sisters from all over the world took our vows to continue serving the community in a truly moving ceremony. The Hunky Jesus Contest resulted in Cheer Jesus winning everyone over with his vivacious cheerleading in full-on cheer gear including pom poms. The day ended with the Trashkan Marchink Band urging the crowd to “Leave No Trace” as they say in the well known Burning Man slogan. We “sainted” several deserving individuals for their contributions to the community. Saintings that weekend included: Jose Guzman Colon who became Saint Jose of the Bigger Picture and Protector of the Puta; Soni Wolfe, a founding member of Dykes on Bikes became – Saint Soni Oh So Bright, Dyke on a Bike and Leader of Lesbians, Movements, and Parades; Miss Major became Saint Majorious the Glorious, Universal Trans Mother, Beacon of Light, Laughter, and Love; Brian Basinger is now Saint Ruby Slippers: There’s no Place Like a Home; and Frank E Capley Alfano shall hereafter known as Saint Fox Likea Bunny.
TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY – EMBRACING OUR LEGACY was a time set aside at SOMArts to honor and encourage transgender people. The International TDoV is an annual holiday celebrated around the world, dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments and victories of transgender & gender non-conforming people while raising awareness of the work that is still needed to save trans lives. The holiday was founded in 2009 as a reaction to the lack of LGBT holidays celebrating transgender people’s successes. Event emcees were Lex Adsit, Mia “Tu Mutch” Satya, Shawn Demmons, and Nya (from Transcendent). There were video presentations, comedy, and musical performances. Lively entertainment was provided by The Fresh Meat Experience; The Singing Bois (three trans men singing with one playing guitar); opera coloratura singer Breanna Sinclairé (the first trans woman to sing the national anthem at a professional sports event); and Our Lady J (the first openly transgender writer for Transparent) singing and playing keyboards). Awardees for 2016 were presented to the Fresh Meat Festival, Ms. Billie Cooper, St. James Infirmary Clinic, Annalise Ophelian and StormMiguel Florez for the documentary film MAJOR!, and a special surprise award to HIV/AIDS awareness activist Tita Aida, who for a change was not out front onstage but behind the scenes as stage manager.
MOMENTUM is OUT & EQUAL’s annual celebration and gala dinner including top entertainment, thrilling auctions, a cocktail reception and inspirational speakers. Held at The Palace Hotel, we celebrated advances in workplace equality and the individuals and organizations who take the lead on fundamental issues of equal rights, both in and out of the workplace. They raised more than $300,000 for LGBT workplace equality. The fabulous and hilarious Kate Clinton returned as the official emcee. The LGBT Ally award is presented to individuals that demonstrate long-standing support for inclusion and equality for all. Out and Equal was honored to recognize Judy and Dennis Shepard of THE MATTHEW SHEPARD FOUNDATION for their commitment to diversity through outreach, advocacy and resource programs. Judy and Dennis Shepard, founders of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, have committed their lives to combating LGBT bullying and violence following the murder of their son in 1998. The Foundation has been pivotal for bringing families together and has inspired life-saving federal hate crime legislation that has shaped our nation’s dialogue on LGBT violence and acceptance. Unfortunately they could not accept in person, stuck in an airport.
DANCERS WE LOST: HONORING PERFORMERS LOST TO HIV/AIDS is a project at the GLBT HISTORY MUSEUM including an arts and public-history exhibition now through August 7 at 4127 18th Street and Castro showing the dancers in their prime performing in myriad venues including Broadway and Las Vegas shows, dance concerts, TV variety shows, films, ballet, music videos, and commercials. A searchable database and biography file of each of the dancers also is in the works. The AIDS pandemic struck the performing arts particularly hard. “Dancers We Lost” is an important step in documenting and bringing to light the lives and contributions of performers, most of whom tragically died young. With an exhibition about their work and a database providing accurate information about their lives and careers, “Dancers We Lost” ensures that these virtuosos will not be forgotten. At the VIP opening party, executive director Terry Beswick said it was important to acknowledge these performers in their prime and their art cut off too soon. He introduced exhibition coordinator Elisabeth Cornu who spoke more about the importance of the exhibit and how it would be expanding. Curator and producer Glenne McElhinney talked about the growing future of the museum and the expected visitations of schools during April field trips there. She introduced Senator Mark Leno, saying, “We have lost so many to AIDS who have added so much value to our culture.” dancerswelost.org, glbthistory.org
EQUALITY CALIFORNIA held their annual EQUALITY AWARDS BANQUET at Westin St. Francis. EQCA’s mission is to achieve and maintain full and lasting equality, acceptance, and social justice for all people in our diverse LGBTQ communities, inside and outside of California. EQCA honored U.S. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, actor and activist George Takei, businessperson and philanthropist Kathy Levinson, and former San Francisco Supervisor and civic leader Bevan Dufty at the 2016 SAN FRANCISCO EQUALITY AWARDS for their extraordinary service to the LGBTQ community. Co-chairs of the event were San Francisco Supervisor David Campos, San Francisco Supervisor Mark Farrell, and Equality California Board Members Sen. Ricardo Lara, Andrea Casalett, and Boe Hayward.
COMING UP!
All are welcome to come celebrate the work of Marvin Werlin in his current exhibition, INTERLUDES, oil paintings that explore the complexities and ambiguities of human relationships, on display all April at STRUT, 470 Castro Street. Strut is the home for health and wellness in the heart of the Castro, a program of San Francisco AIDS Foundation with the three-fold mission to promote the health and wellness of gay, bi, and trans men, to strengthen our diverse communities, and to reduce the impact of HIV in San Francisco. Werlin’s paintings are done in narrative realist style that draws thematic inspiration from Greek myths and incorporates film noir imagery and classical art allusions. His work has been featured with many of the best-known contemporary realist painters in the book 100 Artists of the Male Figure, 2011. Werlin had a long career as an advertising artist in Hollywood for the film and television industry before moving to San Francisco in 1995. Here in San Francisco he taught drawing at the Academy of Art University for many years. He lives near San Francisco and currently teaches a drawing and painting class in San Francisco’s Richmond District. At the opening reception, Werlin aptly quoted Oscar Wilde: “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars,” and noted that gay humanity is surely looking at the stars. When he announced he will soon be celebrating his 87th birthday, Sister Dana felt we just had to sing him the “Happy Birthday Song,” and we did so with gusto! I have to say my two faves at the gallery are “Homage to Wilhelm Von Gloeden,” as a still life with flowers and more with many photographs by Von Gloeden painted in oils. Fabulous! My 2nd fave is “Model Resting” that captures a Renaissance era light & shadow effect of a tasteful nude male, which could easily be in a late 14th century museum display.
Join the SAN FRANCISCO LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER at their epic 2016 annual citywide Soiree! for THE IMAGINARIUM: The queers and allies of San Francisco celebrate the creative power of our community’s imaginative minds. Ours is a flourishing, growing community that has a visionary and revolutionary pulse. At the Center, we know that the collective power of our queer community to imagine and create is immeasurable. Soiree 2016 summons us to unleash our creative powers. To imagine a better future for rising generations. THE IMAGINARIUM comes to life on April 9th with dinner at 5 pm and party at 8:30 pm, Terra Gallery, 511 Harrison Street. Entertainment curated by the Entertainment Director, Juanita MORE!, music, dancing, food from your favorite SF restaurants, and bars helmed by some of our beloved Castro bartenders. sfcenter.org
TALES OF OUR CITY: OUR LIVES, OUR HEROES is being presented by the SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS at Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue, Thursday April 14th and Friday April 15th, 8 pm. It was 40 years ago when author Armistead Maupin penned the very first article that became the international phenomenon of Tales Of The City, bringing the colorful life and times of San Francisco to the entire world. Maupin joins SFGMC for an evening full of stories and music about our home and its heroes, while revisiting this magical work of literature, including “Michael’s Letter to Mama.” Act I includes excerpts from NakedMan, the groundbreaking multi-movement piece originally commissioned and performed by the Chorus in 1996, which chronicled the lives and loves of the men of SFGMC against the backdrop of the AIDS pandemic. Act II includes excerpts from the wildly popular commissioned work I Am Harvey Milk by composer Andrew Lippa, which SFGMC premiered in 2013. Tales Of Our City: Our Lives, Our Heroes also presents a world premiere by SFGMC Composer-In-Residence James Eakin. Accompanying the Chorus for the entire evening will be the 60-piece Bay Area Rainbow Symphony with guest artist: Armistead Maupin. sfgmc.org
KREWE DE KINQUE, the Mardi Gras themed social club and charitable fundraising organization, is holding our MONTHLY BEER BUST FUNDRAISER FOR CHARITY at The Edge, 4149 18th Street, Saturday, April 16th, 4-7 pm. Special hosts & emcee’s will be Krewe de Kinque King 7 John Weber & Krewe de Kinque Queen 7 Dana Van Iquity. Always free entertainment, but tips appreciated.
COMFORT & JOY presents another adventure for the curious queer citizens of the night, TOUCH IT! Get ready for splendorous decor, alluring entertainments, dreamy dance ability, palatial playspaces, and most importantly, a menagerie of guests from all four corners of our funky town. At 11:30 pm, be dazzled by a special performance, starring and curated by community activist, nightlife impresario, and style icon Grace Towers. Saturday, April 9th, 10 pm – Sunday, 5 am, Club Six – 60 6th Street.
playajoy.org
BALONEY: San Francisco’s Gay All-Male Revue Returns! Choreographed by Rory Davis and directed by Michael Phillis, Friday April 8th, Saturday April 9th, Thursday April 14th, Friday April 15th, Saturday April 16th, Oasis (298 11th Street at Folsom Street), Doors 6:30 pm, show 7 pm. Tickets at sfoasis.com/Baloney
If you want to enjoy what old time art openings used to be like in San Francisco, then do drop by this unusual gallery in the heart of the Castro, Friday night, April 8th between 6 and 10 pm and meet the artists involved with this exhibit, NINE MALE ARTISTS, at Castro Street ArtSavesLives Studio and Gallery, 518 Castro Street. Expect several short pop-up performances delivered by local talent and always an abundance of food and drink. 120 feet of wall space featuring some local men that have been in the Castro when it all “began.” Photos, paintings, ceramics. Curated and hosted by Thomasina DeMaio.
THRILLPEDDLERS presents THE UNTAMED STAGE: Weimar Berlin Kabarett, a new musical by Scrumbly Koldewyn at The Hypnodrome, 575 10th Street, April 14 – May 28, (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 8:00 pm. Opening Night – Thursday, April 21st, 8 pm.
hypnodrome.org
It didn’t take long for the folks at Funny or Die to skewer North Carolina’s new anti-LGBT law. Less than 24 hours after Republican Governor Pat McCrory signed the sweeping homophobic legislation into law, the comedy website published a faux commercial from North Carolina’s tourism board that reminds potential travelers of “all the fun straight things you can do in their beautiful, intolerant state.” “Now you can experience the beautiful outdoors, cityscapes, and incredible ignorance by hang-gliding backwards in time, racing to the wrong side of history in a kayak, teaching your children to judge others while frolicking in the waves and enjoying our waterfalls without fear of gay people falling on you,” says a voice over the requisite video montage of the Tar Heel state’s natural landscapes. Hysterical!
Sister Dana sez, “A Washington Post-ABC News poll shows Donald Trump’s overall 67 percent unfavorable rating – making him less popular than any major-party nominee in the 32 years the survey has been tracking candidates. As Donald would say, ‘This is huuuuge!’”
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