ACT UP Reunion in SF: Report + Pix

An estimated fifteen veterans and allies of various ACT UP chapters gathered at San Francisco's LGBT Community Center late this afternoon for a two-hour plus reunion.

In New York, the ACT UP veterans back East were holding a simultaneous get-together and we tried to interact with them via Google Hangout, but when I spoke with Alan Klein on the phone about how ACT UP/NYC was not streaming to us, he said the person who was supposed to arrange their Hangout participation was running late.

Here in San Francisco we enjoyed a few minutes at Hangout with former ACT UP/NYC members Jamie Leo and Kit Winter who were at their own computers and both were in Los Angeles. Great to see them again and say hello.

Many thanks and big hugs to everyone in San Francisco for coming out today for some grub-n-gab, our buddies in LA and the gang in Manhattan for this collective in-person and online gathering of the tribe. We're here and we are damn fabulous!

From the left, back row: Greg Scott, ACT UP/DC and NYC, Derek, ACT UP/Philadelphia, Liz Highleyman of ACT UP/Boston, yours truly of ACT UP/Petrelis, Kendell  from ACT UP/NYC, Cedar of the newly revived ACT UP/SF. Front row, from the left: Brett Thomas of ACT UP/San Francisco State University, Dean Ouellette of ACT UP/NYC and the original ACT UP/SF, Carmen Simon of the contemporary ACT UP/SF.

 Derek, Dean and Liz chatting and posing for my camera.

Greg displaying one of his scrapbooks and explaining a flyer to Kendell. 

 Kendell and Derek giving up their smiles for my photographic needs.

One of Dean's photos, on paper, from back in the day. Here's he's smiling with Maria Maggenti at his side sharing a grin. CORRECTION: Dean informs me that is not Maria but instead is his friend Nicole. I regret the error but it was nice anyway to think of Maria!!

Carmen and Brett were having an intense conversation about organization when I took this shot.

A photo scrapbook next to a flyers-and-news-clippings scrapbook passed and shared by Greg.

No Litmus Test to March 4 Manning at SF Pride & Michelle Shocked 

(On May 17, IDAHO, International Day Against Homophobia, San Francisco queer grassrooters declared Manning a grand marshal of Pride at Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro district.)

Some in the Bradley Manning ad hoc coalition Grand Marshal, Not Court Martial (GMNCM) have expressed displeasure that nutty singer Michelle Shocked wants to join the folks marching for Manning at SF Pride on June 30. I dissent from their views because I believe come Pride Sunday, the Supreme Court will have rendered its decision on gay marriage and that will be the dominant issue of the Pride Parade and Celebration.

Let me also state for the record that I in no way endorse the loony positions of Shocked, but instead very much see her as a tool to build more awareness about Manning, his plight and court martial, and a bigger Manning contingent.

In other words, the Manning contingent will be competing for community, blogger/social media, traditional news attention with the Supreme Court's ruling and if it goes positively for the gays, there will be tremendous elation at Pride. And if the justices determine that there's no standing or makes no ruling, anger will infuse the Pride events.

Either way, the Manning contingent could use every damn body it can muster and if any participant is likely to bring some old and new media attention to the contingent and do the most important thing - spell Bradley Manning correctly - then don't dissuade that person no matter how vile her views may be on other issues from joining the contingent on June 30 at 10 am at Howard and Beale Streets. That is where the contingent will gather.

Extending an invitation (talk about radical), to Shocked from GMNCM would generate attention and in turn spread the word about where and when the GMNCM coalition. The coalition should clarify if it has a litmus test before marchers can join them, or if everyone is welcome to march for Manning.

Frameline 37: Films Bring Us Together

Queer cinema rules over the Castro, Roxie and Victoria theaters in San Francisco and the Elmwood in Berkeley from now until June 30.

The 37th annual Frameline film festival opened last night with a gala screening of "Concussion" at the Castro, and the reviews for the movie and hoopla on Twitter are all thumbs up and positive. What better way to launch Frameline this year, than with gay movie-lovers happy to be inside dark theaters and ignoring the beautiful weather?

I catch my first film of the festival today with "Pit Stop", screening at 4 pm at the Castro. It's described as a narrative feature looking at small town blue collar men and their lives. Director Yen Tan is expected to be there. Always a treat to have the filmmakers in attendance for Q & As.

High on my list of must-sees are the documentaries "Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia", the AIDS themed "Battle of AmFAR" featuring Liz Taylor and Mathilde Krim, "Continental" about the famous Upper West Side bathhouse with the fabulous Michael Musto offering gossipy dish, and also "I Am Divine" all about John Waters' muse and underground icon Divine.

Among the features I hope to see are the Polish movie "In the Name Of", about a Catholic priest coming to terms with his homosexuality, and Travis Matthews and James Franco's "Interior. Leather Bar" that recreates the lost footage of "Cruising".

See you at the queer movies!

SF Pride Rejects HRC Mediation in Bradley Manning Mess

In early May, my friend local progressive attorney and former Harvey Milk Democratic Club leader David Waggoner and almost thirty co-signatories submitted a rather confusing six-page complaint to the San Francisco Human Rights Commission requesting an investigation into whether SF Pride had violated municipal human rights statutes when it rescinded a grand marshal slot to Wikileaks hero Bradley Manning.

When I first heard about David's move, I phoned him and said he was a hero for filing the request for an investigation. Speaking as an advocate who files similar complaints, I'm always pleased when activists engage with government bodies for redress of wrongs.

David does not have a blog and as far as I know has not posted the six-page complaint and other pertinent documents anywhere on the web, hindering a fully transparent look at the charges made to HRC and subsequent actions. One of the complaint's signatories, activist and artist Clinton Fein, posted the document here, and I laud him for that.

In late May, David was informed by the HRC that they rejected his request for an investigation but he issued no statement about the development and didn't share the documents he received from the commission. On June 1, after he shared the documents with me, they were published at my blog.

The HRC told David on June 18 that SF Pride formally rejected the agency's offer of mediation between the nonprofit and the complainants, and he shared this info on the Bradley Manning for Grand Marshal, Not Court Martial (GMNCM) group on Google:

I was informed by the HRC this morning that SF Pride has declined to participate in any mediation. Because mediation requires the consent of the parties, the HRC process is effectively over at this point, unless Pride changes its mind [...] It may be a good idea for others to follow up with emails, calls or letters to the Board of Supervisors, Mayor's office, and HRC.

My hope that David would release a statement as far and as wide as what he issued in May with the initial filing was dashed. I was also surprised he asked GMNCM members to contact the Supervisors, because he has not publicly endorsed calls to have the Supervisors hold a City Hall hearing about anything to do with SF Pride. Unfortunately, he also didn't provide talking points if one wanted to contact the elected officials.

Earlier today, David informed the GMNCM folks of his communication to our local gay weekly and he also posted the HRC letter to the Google group, which is how I obtained a copy. David wrote:

I forwarded the HRC letters to the BAR, along with this comment: To recap, Pride's leadership slandered Bradley Manning, disenfranchised the Electoral College, banned the press from its meetings, and alternatively either ignored or screamed at community members. Supervisor David Campos and Assemblyman Tom Ammiano have publicly castigated Pride, while Bevan Dufty, for his part, simply declined the honor of being a grand marshal. Now, in refusing mediation from the Human Rights Commission, Pride has yet again conveyed a clear and consistent message: it is accountable to no one. 

A snap up for sharing the HRC letter with the BAR, but as with other pertinent documents, he's done nothing that I'm aware to share the communication with the at-larger LGBT community. He seems to think it's enough to try and get the BAR write up something and if they don't, well, then no one beyond the GMNCM group will know about it. That is not effective engagement with the grassroots or public, in my view.

BTW, the BAR didn't print anything about SF Pride rejecting mediation or David's comment. So, does he have a plan to educate as many people as possible about the latest developments stemming from his original complaint? Who knows.

Regarding his comment, much of what he states is factual about the Electoral College and a press banning but only at meeting I believe not several and yes, gay electeds have criticized SF Pride, but none of that pertains to HRC rejecting his request for an investigation nor does it require SF Pride to participate in mediation.

I must disagree with his contention that SF Pride is accountable to no one. Even I, a longstanding critic of the organization, recognize they have been accountable to anyone who bothers to show up at the two monthly SF Pride meetings open to all, and since the Manning mess began SF Pride leadership has held two and half meetings at their office and a town hall forum in Castro.

Perhaps it would be more accurate for David to say SF Pride has not yet yielded to pressure from hundreds of queer and progressive allies who want Manning reinstated as a grand marshal at the Pride Parade.

My reason for writing this is because I hope my friend takes all the good advocacy he's done with HRC and their responses and documents, and better uses it all to show the inadequacies of the HRC and then goes one step further and speaks up for a City Hall hearing after June 30 about this mess and the $58,000 SF Pride annually receives from the City.

Trans Diva Fimbres: SFPD Chief Giving Me Away At City Hall Wedding

When my cherished longtime friend, renowned diva and transgender activist colleague Veronika Fimbres, pictured, informed recently she was getting married again, I humorously asked if she was trying to break Elizabeth Taylor-Hilton-Wilding-Todd-Fisher-Burton-Burton-Warner-Fortensky's record for number of marriages.

She said no, she wasn't trying to follow in Taylor's footsteps and that she and her hubby-to-be Randy Brad Dolphin, pictured, are in love and want to get hitched. Her current full name is Veronika Lee-Tillman, Nichols, Cauley, Hernandez, Paker, Fimbres, and she plans to go by Veronika Fimbres after her June wedding.

I was surprised when Veronika mentioned her friend Greg Suhr, pictured, San Francisco's Chief of Police was giving her away, only because I wasn't aware of their friendship. Only in San Francisco can we have a diva transwoman getting married at City Hall during Pride season and the police chief giving her away to her spouse.

Congratulations to the happy couple! Here are the details from Veronika:

Michael, my husband Randy Brad Dolphin would love to have you write about our impending marriage.

Our upcoming nuptials will happen in the City Hall Grand Rotunda on Friday, June 28th at 11:30 am. All are invited to attend the 15 minute ceremony and ring exchange, where my friend and our Police Chief Greg Suhr will be giving me away for my parents, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Paul Curd who are unable to attend the happy ceremony.

Chief Suhr offered us this blessing: "I am very happy for Veronika. She is a lovely lady and her guy is very lucky to have found her. It was a surprise when she asked me to give her away but a pleasure to have the honor of being able to do it. I wish the new couple many happy years together."

I am wearing a white designer jacket with a fabulous hat that resembles a veil, a stylish short black skirt and divine black cupcake heels. My husband loves lilacs, so I will carry a bouquet of them, with a "bling-bling" encrusted handle. To honor my African-American heritage we will be "jumping the broom" and a yet-to-be-determined way to honor my Native American ancestors as well.

The reception will be on Sunday, June 30 and attended by hundreds of thousands of people as it will be the LGBT Pride Parade, where I will be an honored and proud Grand Marshal. My new spouse Randy and I will ride up Market Street, sharing our wedded bliss as we wave to the crowds.

I have been a member of the U.S. Navy, a registered nurse and a Trans and LGBT community organizer for over thirty years. I was born in Detroit, Michigan. My spouse, Randy Brad Dolphin, also a U.S. Navy veteran, formerly worked for more than three-decades at the Ford Motor Company. He was born in Boise, Idaho. We met thirty-nine years ago when we both were in the military.

We will honeymoon first in the Sonoma Wine Country before spending a week in Las Vegas at the Bellagio Hotel.

Duane Cramer will be the official photographer, and Tony De Renzo will be the videographer. In lieu of gifts, the couple ask that donations be made to the AIDS Housing Alliance, SF.

ACT UP Reunion at SF Gay Center on June 22: Open to All

Soon after I blogged about an ACT UP reunion in New York City on Saturday, June 22, my dear old friend from the dark times of the plague years back East, Dean Ouellette, emailed me to say he would help organize a simultaneous gathering of the ACT UP tribe here in San Francisco. We also heard the fabulous Liz Highleyman, who said she would show up at our local gathering.

I'm pleased to announce that Dean has secured the Cafe Room at the LGBT Community Center at 1800 Market Street near Octavia, for our reunion also on June 22 and happening from 3:30 pm till 5:30 pm. I'll be bringing some bagels and soda for people to enjoy.

Liz is taking care of our tech needs so we may be able to cam or stream or Skype with the New York City branch of our activist family. To spread the word, Liz created a Facebook page for us: https://www.facebook.com/events/153990514787405/

She writes: As usual, I'll have a cell phone, laptop, and wifi connection device, so we can say "hi" to the NYC folks, but I think a more elaborate live broadcast is probably unnecessary.

Over at the ACT UP/NYC Alumni site, event organizer Alan Klein (with whom I had a great phone chat recently and it was if we had spoken to each other last month instead of at least a decade ago), has created a page about the San Francisco gathering:

The event is open to all current and former members of all chapters of ACT UP. Attendees are encouraged to bring photos, tee shirts and other memorabilia, as well as snacks, desserts and beverages to share. The event will also be an opportunity to hear about upcoming and ongoing events, including actions.

Folks are asked to RSVP either at the Facebook page or directly to Dean at dvsouellette@hotmail.com.

Please join us this Saturday at either the New York City or San Francisco gatherings!

AIDS Doc Screens at Castro's Holy Redeemer on June 20

From New York City, my old ACT UP girlfriend Ann Northrop alerted me to a young director named Cecilia Aldarondo who is in the process of finishing her AIDS documentary titled "Memories of a Penitent Heart".

The description Cecilia sent me brought back terrible memories of the dark times and experiences of the AIDS plague years, and also intrigued me to the point of wanting to see a portion of her doc when it plays this Thursday in the Castro district. If you're on Facebook, click here to visit the page for the event.

Here is the info about the screening:

In 1987, Miguel Dieppa repented of his homosexuality under pressure from his devout Catholic mother as he was dying from AIDS. He left behind a live-in partner, a commitment ring, and a lot of questions. 25 years later, his niece Cecilia goes looking for Miguel’s partner, in an effort to understand her uncle’s faith, her grandmother’s love, and the painful costs of prejudice.

Event: When Love Goes Blind: Making a Film about Family, God, and LGBT Inequality
Date: Thursday, June 20
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Most Holy Redeemer Church
Address: 100 Diamond Street at 18th Street, San Francisco 

Director Cecilia Aldarondo will premiere an excerpt from her documentary-in-progress, "Memories of a Penitent Heart", and participate in a discussion about the film’s themes. The event is free and open to all.

City Hall Return, Deputy Sheriff to 'Infamous' Activist: 'Just Behave'

My friend Bill Wilson had barely returned from two months in Rome, Italy, when I asked him to be my witness today when I presented myself and the stay-away order from Judge Sam Feng that concluded my legal hassle with an elected official to the Sheriff's Department at City Hall.

Bill and I started out at the sheriff's main office on the fourth floor, were sent down to the deputies' security room on the ground level where we had to pass Bevan Dufty's homeless czar's office, where the above photo was snapped, and could hear his voice conducting a meeting, only to wind up where we started, in Room 456 where the command staff for the sheriff is located.

We met with second-in-command of the department Undersheriff Ellen Brin at a reception area table. The photo of us standing in front of badges from all of California's sheriffs' departments was taken before we chatted with her and she made it clear she didn't want to be photographed or tape recorded. After confirming I was the "infamous activist" himself, and introducing my witness as "the Bill Wilson community photographer", she asked how she could be of service to us.

Brin was given a copy of the three-page order and as she read it, I requested that she share it with deputies who are responsible for security on the second floor in particular since the order is so detailed pertaining to that area of the people's government building. Brin is one smart cookie and understood this was my reintroduction to the City Hall community, that I would be again attending and reporting on various meetings and adhering to the restrictions of the order, and exercising my First Amendment rights.

The barely ten-minute conversation stayed light and friendly, as Bill and I had intended. Before returning to her office, Brin looked me in the eye and said two words of advice: "Just behave."

With Bill at my side, I cocked my head in queenly fashion and replied, "But of course. After all, jailhouse orange is simply not my color!"

And with that, two giggling gays left the sheriff's main office and proceeded to the first floor, and when the elevator doors open standing in front of us was City Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu. She seemed surprised to see me and totally lit up with a smile upon seeing Bill. They know each other and had a chat about same-sex marriages starting up again at her office if the Supreme Court overturns Prop 8.

As we turned around to head to the exit, approaching us was our good friend and diva Veronika Fimbres. She was there gathering information about her pending marriage later this month. It was homecoming time for us pals!

I couldn't ask for a better return, after eight months and an estimated $26,000 taxpayer dollars wasted grinding me through the law enforcement industrial complex, to San Francisco's beautiful City Hall.

Gays at Gezi Park Detained, Bashed by Turkish Police

(The LGBT area of Istanbul's Gezi Park. Credit: Kaos GL.)

Turkey's leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender social network and political advocacy organization Kaos GL and its members have been participating in recent actions demanding accountability and democracy from their government.

On behalf of Gays Without Borders in San Francisco, I extend deep solidarity and strong friendship to the Kaos GL organization and all LGBT Turkish citizens as they fight for liberation and tolerance.

The media coordinator for Kaos GL, Omer Akpinar, today shares a report and photographs about problems from the Turkish police force against LGBT people:

After 18 days of nationwide protests over the proposed demolition of Istanbul’s Gezi Park, attention among activists and protesters has turned to the increasingly authoritarian rule of the government [...] Over the last week four LGBT activists were detained in Istanbul, with one physically attacked by police and another three subjected to homophobic slurs.

On Wednesday, three LGBT activists who had requested directions from the police were detained without reason. The activists claim they were subsequently humiliated by the police because of their sexual orientation. 

A lawyer for the activists, Türker Vatansever, told Kaosgl.org that the police officers ridiculed the activists, one of whom was wearing a chain that read “LGBT Blok” in reference to the LGBT group present in Gezi Park. 

“Two of the activists say they were harassed by the police due to their sexual orientation but that their claims were not kept on record by the prosecutor’s office,” Vatansever said. “The prosecutor suggested the activists go to executive office of the prosecutor if they had any complaints, and then they were released.” 

 (Credit: Kaos GL.)

A separate incident took place on Tuesday at around 11:30 pm local time when LGBT activist Hasan Yavuz, pictured, was stopped by the police on his way to offer food and medical help to the protesters. 

Asked by the police if he was going to aid the “terrorists at Gezi Park”, Yavuz said, “Yes, I’m doing something humane. What’s wrong about that?” 

The response of the police officers was to push him to the ground and beat him. Yavuz was kept in detention for 4 hours but was not taken to the hospital or the prosecutor’s office. When his lawyers came to the police station Yavuz was then released and filed a complaint against the police that beat him.

Weekend Woof #42: Furry Faces, Pals & Asian Muscle

What a fine few days it has been since my legal hassle was resolved. Last night, I had the best seven hours of deep sleep and feel quite revivified, ready to enjoy this beautiful San Francisco Sunday starting with a new edition in this photographic series. As always, many thanks to all the dudes for either striking a pose and a smile for me, or being captured on the street by my camera.

On top is John, one of the acupuncturists who treated me this week at the drop-in clinic at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine at 555 DeHaro Street over on Potrero Hill. In his hands is a needle that soon went into my ear and brought relaxation to my nerves. Bottom photo is of Marcos, as we waited to be let in to the SF Pride office for their membership meeting.

 My friend John was sitting in the sun at Cafe Flore on Wednesday, and we chatted about all the good movies we saw at the recently-concluded San Francisco International Film Festival, before I grabbed the photo of him. And outside the cafe on the same afternoon shopping at the farmers' market on Noe Street, was my good old pal Mike displaying a smile and a two-fingered message. Hugs again to you boys!

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That smooth Asian muscle guy at the Castro farmers' market sure turned a few heads and caught the attention of many queer eyes. About the only good thing from building boom blighting the Castro district is all the construction worker dudes coming into the neighborhood. These three were on their way to the building site at the triangular lot that used to be a gas station at 15th and Market Streets.