Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun–
By Sister Dana Van Iquity–
Sister Dana sez, “May I be the first to wish a very Happy Father’s Day (June 20) to all you fathers, leather daddies, and drag king daddies! You raised some real fine folx!”
It was not the usual affair as we “celebrated” HARVEY MILK DAY by helping our community take its next steps out of the pandemic. The event was held May 22, between 10 am–6 pm in the Castro. Participating were the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District along with Castro Merchants, LYRIC, The GLBT Historical Society, Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, Openhouse, Strut, SF Office of Transgender Initiatives, Castro Community On Patrol, Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza, Castro/Upper Market CBD, and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. This broad coalition provided community access to free testing, vaccinations, services, and support of local businesses. There was also a stage for speakers and performers in Jane Warner Plaza.
SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS (SFGMC) Artistic Director Dr. Timothy Seelig and Executive Director Chris Verdugo will present WIRED, an all-virtual showcase celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride month. Packed with exciting performances, “WIRED” will also feature uplifting videos from Chorus members and SFGMC friends, special guests, and more. WIRED will stream on SFGMC’s YouTube and Facebook pages on Thursday, June 24, at 6 pm. “WIRED” is an official event of SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE. To register, visit https://www.sfgmc.org/pride-2021
So sorry to hear that White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has announced she will step down at the end of 2021. She has been the only remarkable one with integrity in four years.
Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has become the first gay woman to lead White House press briefings and the second Black woman to do so. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki praised Jean-Pierre, saying she is doing full briefings from the podium “making history in her own right.” Psaki added, “But doing her real justice means also recognizing her talent, her brilliance, and her wonderful spirit.”
Not to alarm anyone, but EQUALITY CALIFORNIA (EQCA) says, “We’ve seen a shocking and unprecedented flood of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation nationwide, with over 250 discriminatory bills introduced in just the past 5 months. 17 of these bills have already become law, and 11 more bills are poised to join them in the next few weeks. This is an emergency.” Update: as of May, the count has grown to 404!!!
Sister Dana sez, “I heard it during Pride Month: We gotta out-love hate!”
LEGO has announced its first-ever rainbow set, just in time for Pride month. The Danish toymaker announced a new set called “EVERYONE IS AWESOME,” which will feature 11 monochromatic, non-gendered figurines that come together to form a rainbow with black and brown stripes and the transgender flag colors. The people in the set don’t come with faces or clothes painted on them and they aren’t being assigned genders by the company. Except for the purple one, where she is “a clear nod to all the fabulous drag queens out there.” The figures stand on a rainbow platform that forms an arch.
SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS for the first time in over a year sang live. Together. IN PERSON! on HARVEY MILK DAY, May 22, from outside Mission Dolores Basilica. They performed “Give ‘Em Hope” from 2012’s Unplugged and “Tired of the Silence” from 2016’s GALA Choruses Festival in Denver.
JAMES C. HORMEL LGBTQIA CENTER is back with a lineup of virtual programs for LGBTQIA Pride Month. To see updates on the library’s current, limited, in-person services, visit https://sfpl.org/events
The LEATHER & LGBTQ CULTURAL DISTRICT is proud to have partnered with OASIS SF and artist Josh Katz to bring a new mural to SOMA on the Folsom side of the Oasis building. This is a glorious rendering of iconic SF disco diva SYLVESTER! A festive ceremony was held on May 24 with a welcome by District Vice President Bob Brown and remarks by District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney; D’Arcy Drollinger, owner of Oasis; and artist Josh Katz. There was a blessing by Honey Mahogany, District 6 Legislative Aide and Saint of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and by Reverend Martin K. White from Glide Memorial. We just love all these queer murals appearing!
As part of the OPENHOUSE HERO SERIES, there was a celebration on May 26 dedicating the Openhouse balcony as BOWTIE BALCONY for then soon-to-retire Executive Director Karen Skultety. After more than four years of fierce leadership as Openhouse Executive Director, Skultety left the organization at the end of May and relocated her family to Denver. The Openhouse Community, Board of Directors, and Staff (many wearing ceremonial bowties) said they were grateful for Karyn’s visionary service and invaluable contributions over the past four years. Thanks to Karyn’s leadership, Openhouse is a nationally recognized leader in services to LGBTQ+ seniors in the Bay Area. For this and the innumerable other ways that Karyn has contributed to the overall success of Openhouse, the balcony at the new community center at 75 Laguna Street will be forever known as the DR. KARYN SKULTETY BALCONY—lovingly nicknamed the “Bowtie Balcony” in recognition of Karyn’s signature sartorial style. Supervisor Rafael Mandelman presented Karyn a Certificate of Honor from the Board of Supervisors. Senator Scott Wiener sent a video of gratitude and framed Certificate of Honor. And what a surprise in the video slide show, when I glimpsed a photo of Karyn and me gaily dancing together at a Senior’s Prom at Openhouse to the song of “When I Get Older”! Good times!
ROCK THE YARD! Celebrating PRIDE MONTH is Saturday, June 12, 3–5 pm in Belmont in person and also online. Live singing with Carly Ozard, Maria Konner, Katya Smirnoff Skyy, and Alotta Boutte. https://tinyurl.com/5hbp8snw
ARTSAVESLIVES presents SIDEWALK SALON SUNDAY SLOW STREETS every other Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm on Noe and Market Streets—thanks to benefactor/curator/artist Thomasina DeMaio. On June 13, look for the following extremely talented artists in person accompanying their pieces: Billy Douglas, Ed Terpening, Suzanne Cowen, Matt Pipes, Alan Beckstead, Donna DeMatteo, Dale Wittig, Jeff Desira, Alex Presia, Denise Flowerday, DeMaio, and Michael Lownie.
Sister Dana sez, “A recent poll showed that 28% of Republicans agree ‘because things have gotten so far off track, true American patriots may have to resort to VIOLENCE in order to save our country.’ Did we really think January 6 was the last insurrection? As if.”
FRESH MEAT PRODUCTIONS is celebrating their 20TH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL in a big way, expanding the festival to TWO weeks, commissioned all-new work to bring you gorgeous past performances for free of transgender and queer dance performance online June 18–27. https://tinyurl.com/3v8jafw8
Mayor London Breed has announced that the City is awarding 28 music and entertainment venues in San Francisco with a total of $1 million in grants from its MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT VENUE RECOVERY FUND. Each of the venues will receive an award of $35,720 to prevent their permanent closure due to the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our music and entertainment venues are part of what makes San Francisco such a special place to live in and visit, and I’m glad we’re able to provide this local support to help them make it through this challenging time,” said Mayor Breed.
LOCKDOWN COMEDY has been taking place on Zoom every 3rd Thursday of the month since July of last year. The show is produced by San Francisco comedian Lisa Geduldig from her mother’s retirement community home in Florida. The June 17, 6 pm (Pacific time) show features Kate Willett (NY), Rabbi Bob Alper (Vermont), Sammy Obeid (LA), and The Geduldigs (Florida). https://www.koshercomedy.com/lockdown-comedy
I highly recommend SWAN SONG, the outlandish true story of “the Liberace of Sandusky, Ohio!” When retired hairdresser Pat Pitsenbarger is offered $25,000 to style an estranged friend (remember Crystal from TV’s soapy Dynasty?!) for her funeral, he escapes his nursing home and hitchhikes into town. As Pat makes his way through his hometown shoplifting beauty supplies, he finds himself reconnecting with friends, confronting old rivals, and facing the demons of his past. This is one of many fabulous FRAMELINE45 flicks to enjoy. https://www.frameline.org/festival/film-guide/swan-song
Sister Dana sez, “How is it possible that only six Republican Senators want to know the truth about the January 6 insurrection, and the rest are just plain scared of bully Senator Mitch McConnell?!”
The GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY recently received an archival donation of an extraordinary, unique piece of history that was officially unveiled during Pride month, June 4: a fragment of one of the two monumental rainbow flags first raised on June 25, 1978, in San Francisco’s United Nations Plaza at the SAN FRANCISCO GAY FREEDOM DAY PARADE. Displaying the original design’s eight colored stripes, it was created by Gilbert Baker and hand-stitched and dyed with the help of volunteers and friends. It remains on display in the Castro museum to the public. https://www.glbthistory.org/gilbert-baker
Meanwhile, in a surprise announcement, Mayor London Breed has called for the inclusion of $12 million in the City budget to fund acquiring a permanent building for The GLBT Historical Society Museum and Archives.
On June 7, Mayor Breed, Senator Scott Wiener, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, Treasurer José Cisneros, and representatives from SF Pride gloriously raised the PRIDE FLAG on the balcony at SF City Hall.
Sister Dana sez, “Mitch the B*tch says, ‘100% of my focus is on stopping this new administration.’ So, yeah, for sure, let’s keep trying to remain nonpartisan at the expense of our ideals!”
Published on June 10, 2021
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