By Sister Dana Van Iquity–
Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun–
Sister Dana sez, “Thank you, my dear diva idol Dolly Parton, for giving one million dollars to Moderna for COVID-19 vaccine research! I say to you, as you have sung all these years long: ‘I Will Always Love You!'”
Will President-Elect Joe Biden choose a transgender woman as the next U.S. Surgeon General? There is a possibility. Dr. Rachel Levine, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Health, is being considered as a potential nominee. Dr. Levine has expertly navigated the coronavirus pandemic in her state while withstanding a deluge of far-right attacks and transphobic insults from both citizens and Republican politicians.
GLIDE took us all to church when they held their Annual Holiday Jam: RISE UP FOR CHANGE! virtually on November 19. They opened with the Glide ensemble singing “Say Their Names” as a tribute to all the LGBTQ and BLM people who have given their lives through violence. Dr. Renel Brooks-Moon addressed our divided country with hope for the future. Mayor London Breed lauded the founders of Glide Methodist, Pastor Cecil Williams & Janice Mirikitani. Mayor Gavin Newsom praised Glide for its social justice programs. The evening featured performers and speakers such as India.Arie, Joan Baez, Lisa Fischer, Roberta Flack, Michael Franti, Goapele, Tom Johnston, Ledisi, Valerie Simpson, D’Wayne Wiggins, and more. The Choir closed the show with everyone (including us at home) dancing and singing “Oh Happy Day!”
Sister Dana sez, “I am thrilled to report that MSNBC TV news’ openly gay reporter Steve Kornacki has been declared ‘People’ magazine’s Sexiest Man of 2020. I agree wholeheartedly because of his adorable nerd looks and his expert reporting. Meanwhile, his Kornacki khakis are blowing up the internet! Oh yeah, baby!”
On November 20, in partnership with the Seattle HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN and GENDER JUSTICE LEAGUE, and hosted by Astro Pittman, TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE 2020 featured via Zoom several speakers representing diverse aspects of this wonderful community. They shared their stories, discussed their activism, and created an opportunity to celebrate the work they are doing while also mourning those who have been lost. Both the event and the website have the full list of 38 individuals gone, with opportunities to leave a note or otherwise honor their lives. Following the speakers, they held a candlelight vigil to read the names and show slides of those who’ve lost their lives to anti-trans hate crimes and violence in the United States and elsewhere. As an added touch, they built a floating shrine in honor of the victims in other countries, to spread remembrance of them across the city’s waterways. Any comments left online were printed and added to the boats, so that remote voices could also be heard. https://seattletransvisibility.org
HELP IS ON THE WAY FOR THE HOLIDAYS XIX is online on Sunday, December 13, 6 pm, presented by RICHMOND/ERMET AID FOUNDATION (REAF). This 19th annual holiday gala benefits Raphael House and REAF. While they had hoped to be back in theaters by now to present an entirely new holiday extravaganza, this year’s show will feature performance clips by such stars as Susan Anton, Adam Lambert & Catte Adams, Carol Channing, Latoya London, Stephanie Powers, Leslie Jordan, Justin Guarini, Mary Wilson, Sally Struthers, Shawn Ryan, Nancy Sinatra, Jason Brock, cast members from Book of Mormon, and more. I’ve seen ’em all, having attended every REAF extravaganza, and they are fabulous! https://www.reaf-sf.org/home.html
Each year, the SAN FRANCISCO LESBIAN/GAY FREEDOM BAND blends Tchaikovsky’s classic The Nutcracker Ballet with an entertaining theme and a lively cast of amazing actors. And when the “Dance Along!” sign flashes, the audience is invited to put on their tutus and sashay along with the cast. The 2020 DANCE-ALONG NUTCRACKER is an online free gift to our community, but you need to join the guest list to come aboard! There will be two showings (Saturday December 12, 7 pm and Sunday December 13, 11 am). Register here: https://dance-along-nutcracker.sflgfb.org/
Sister Dana sez, “Did you know that the state of California was named after Calafia, a fictional Black lesbian queen who ruled over a mythic all-female island of Black women just off the coast of Asia? Pretty cool!”
On November 27, 1978, Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk were murdered in cold blood. Every year, the HARVEY MILK LGBTQ DEMOCRATIC CLUB remembers the movement these men created and how their tragic and senseless deaths galvanized our communities to fight. Instead of the usual MILK/MOSCONE CANDLELIGHT MARCH, the Milk Club hosted a virtual commemoration on Zoom on November 27. The evening began with the SF GAY MEN’S CHORUS singing “Never Ever” and “Truly Brave” to a video memorial to Supervisor Milk and Mayor Moscone of amazing B&W photos by Daniel Nicoletta. This was also projected onto the wall at Soul Cycle in the Castro. Then we witnessed various speeches by the two, including Milk’s famous “You gotta give them hope” and Milk’s “burst out of the closet” plea. Vice President of Events and Fundraising Jackie Thornhill hosted the program. Emotional memories were cited, including short talks by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, Supervisor Carol Ruth Silver, veteran activist Gwenn Craig, Danny Nicoletta, historian Gerard Koskovich, Senator Scott Wiener, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, and Castro LGBTQ Cultural District Advisory Board’s Stephen Torres. Co-President Kevin Bard spoke of BLM and LGBTQ civil rights, summing up with an invitation to join the Milk Club, using Milk’s famous phrase: “I’m here to recruit you!”
THE TRANSGENDER DISTRICT and House of Tulip’s VIRTUAL WINTER GALA is free to the public, and will be held on Friday, December 11, 5:30 pm and streamed on YouTube via: https://tinyurl.com/y69op4yj
The annual SANTA CON—with hundreds of SF festive folx in Santa drag—that was scheduled for December 12 has been cancelled. I sure will miss being Elfis the XXXmas Elf as I usually appear that time of year. Ho ho ho humbug!
Sister Dana sez, “Proudly gay Pete Buttigieg is an outstanding member of the Democratic party. We know he’s more than capable of being an incredible member of Biden’s cabinet!”
Mime on Radio??? While unable to perform their signature style of Free Political Musicals in Bay Area parks, the SAN FRANCISCO MIME TROUPE continues to offer New Radio Plays—free. Tony Award-winning SFMT debuts a new Activist Adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol as a Radio Play, A RED CAROL. This is a story not of the redemption of one bad man (Scrooge), but as the never-ending story of all of us making the world a more progressive place. Beginning December 11. https://www.sfmt.org/
SFMTA has approved the Castro Merchants’ request to close Noe Street between 16th and Market Streets and Beaver Street. Castro residents will be familiar with the footprint as it’s the same one used for the Castro Farmers’ Market on Wednesdays when it is in season.
Due to the increase in COVID-19 cases and in accordance with state and city health and safety directives, the ASIAN ART MUSEUM is now closed to the public until further notice.
Sister Dana sez, “Don’t you hate when you are watching one of your favorite TV shows and a BREAKING NEWS alert suddenly interrupts to announce that a zillion more people have died from COVID? Well, yeah duh, thanks for that depressing news; but could I please just have one more hour of distraction on my show? Puhleeze?”
WORLD AIDS DAY 2020 – A NATIONAL CONVERSATION was presented virtually on December 1, World AIDS Day. Award-winning actor and long-time AIDS advocate, Judith Light, hosted the event that featured Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and David D. Ho, M.D., Director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center at Columbia University. They were honored with the memorial’s National Leadership Recognition Award. ABC News Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Jennifer Ashton, moderated the conversation. Featured speakers included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; Mayors Bill de Blasio (New York City); Lori E. Lightfoot (Chicago); Robert Garcia (Long Beach); Keisha Lance Bottoms (Atlanta); and social justice activists Alicia Garza, Cleve Jones, and Kristin Urquiza. During the event, the National AIDS Memorial officially unveiled the first-ever virtual exhibition of the AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT on its website that features nearly 10,000 Quilt panels representing all 50 states and U.S. territories, using the power and beauty of the Quilt to help the nation heal during these difficult times.
Ryan Murphy‘s glorious THE PROM is on Netflix starting December 11. Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep) and Barry Glickman (James Corden) are New York City stage stars with a crisis on their hands: their expensive new Broadway show is a major flop. Meanwhile, in small-town Indiana, high school student Emma Nolan is experiencing a very different kind of heartbreak: despite the support of the high school principal (Keegan-Michael Key), the head of the PTA (Kerry Washington) has banned her from attending the prom with her girlfriend, Alyssa. This is a heartwarming, gay-positive, star-studded musical you absolutely must enjoy!
Sister Dana sez, “Thank you, Mister Trump, for your very graceful concession. Ha! I’m kidding. Could you possibly be more of an oaf, oh Orange One?!”
Published on December 3, 2020
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