Sister Dana sez, “As Dr. Ben Carson has officially announced his candidacy for the 2016 presidential election, LGBTQ voters are advised to take a close look at six of the most audacious anti-gay comments made by the retired neurosurgeon in the two years he’s been in the public eye as a conservative politician. He has stated: prison sex is proof that being gay is a choice; judges who rule in favor of marriage equality should be ejected by Congress; gay rights advocates are dividing America with their ‘hate speech;’ gay-affirming clergy put a finger in the eye of God; gays are like pedophiles; and marriage equality is a Communist plot. Wow!!!”
ACADEMY OF FRIENDS has been in existence and evolving for 35 years. Soon after the onset of the HIV epidemic, they dedicated themselves to the mission of working to ease the burden of this disease through the raising of funds in support of direct care for those with HIV/AIDS and educational programs to prevent infection. Through their annual ACADEMY AWARDS NIGHT GALA, they have raised almost $8.7 million to support more than 73 HIV/AIDS service organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area. AoF held a BENEFICIARY CHECK PRESENTATION & VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION party at Oasis, with Vice Chair Matthew Denckla and Treasurer Beth Feingold handing out needed funds to beneficiary agencies AIDS Legal Referral Panel, HIV Nightline, HIV Story Project, Huckleberry Youth, LGBTQ Connection, Positive Resource Center and Project Open Hand. Board Chair Gil Padia spoke of the need to involve younger people, who may not have as much invested in AIDS fighting and fundraising as older veteran activists and philanthropists. AoF is all volunteer with no paid staff, and gladly welcomes new volunteers. academyoffriends.org
On HARVEY MILK DAY, we celebrated what would have been Harvey Milk’s 85th birthday at the Castro Theatre for a special one-time screening of the Oscar-winning documentary, THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK. Presented by the HARVEY MILK LGBT DEMOCRATIC CLUB, this anniversary event included a special VIP reception and fireside chat facilitated by GLBT Historical Society historian Gerard Koskovich with the film’s director Robert Epstein and living legends from the gay rights movement: former Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, former Supervisor Harry Britt, Tory Hartmann, Gwenn Craig, and Henry Der. Having premiered at the Castro Theatre in 1984, The Times of Harvey Milk (narrated by the great Harvey Fierstein) chronicles the political career of San Francisco’s and the nation’s first openly gay elected official and his rise from a neighborhood activist to a symbol of gay political achievement, through to his tragic assassination in November 1978. Receiving international acclaim, awards, and selection into the National Film Registry in the Library of Congress, the documentary later became inspiration for Gus Van Sant’s 2008 Oscar-winning biopic, Milk. Any queer activists who have not seen these two history-changing films should definitely check them out, available on Blu-ray and DVD.
BOURBON & BLANCHE is now the newest Castro drag spot – where singing along is actually encouraged. PATTY MCGROIN produces this delightful show at The Residence, 718 14th Street & Church, 8pm every 3rd Saturday every month. June 20th is the next one. The cast I enjoyed on their premiere opening night was Patty McGroin, Tora Hymen, Kylie Minono, Landa Lakes, Kit Tapata, and Piper Angelique. Patty and Kit were dressed as Marie Antoinette and King Louis the 14th lip-synching “Don’t Stop Believin’” followed by Kylie doing Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball.” Singing live, Landa brought out a chair and sang “If I Can’t Sell It, I’ll Sit Down on It.” She even gave a shout-out to Sister Dana. Tora illustrated brilliantly “I Will Survive” and “Don’t Leave Me This Way.” Drag King Kit gave us Mark Ronson’s “Up Town Funk” with his funky walk and exposing his painted-on six pack. Patty was back with “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” She then dragged contestants onto the stage to Lip-Synch for Their Lives” a la RuPaul’s Drag Race and then suck on a phallic-shaped ice sculpture with shots poured down the hollowed-out shaft and out the tip. Kylie came back to do really impressive scat lip-synch by Ella Fitzgerald. Landa sang her special composition of “Beaver” to the tune of “Fever.” Kit encored with rap fantastic. Piper did Dolly Parton’s “Nine to Five.” Tora did Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to Do with It.” Patty finished with Taylor Dayne’s “Tell It to My Heart” and brought the whole
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