150 Pack Milk Day Book Reading in the Castro

A grand time was had by all of the 150-plus people who stopped by at some point at Books Inc in the Castro district yesterday, Wednesday, May 22, Harvey Milk's birthday, for a reading from "An Archive of Hope", edited by Jason Edward Black and Charles E. Morris III. It was also a ninety-minute celebration of Harvey's life and legacy and the larger LGBT community.

This photo was snapped before the reading officially began. As the evening progressed, folks squeezed in behind the racks of books or sat on the floor. Some standees stayed only a short while, which allowed for other shoppers to listen in and the aisle leading to the back room was packed with folks craning their necks to see the panel of speakers.

More than twenty members of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus were traveling around the Castro, spreading love and magic with their voices and smiles. At the start of the evening, we were entertained with a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" for Harvey. There we so many adorable chorus boys, I couldn't squeeze them into one photo, and for the top photo, when I asked for volunteers to get down on their knees to fit more of them into the shot, cries of "Me! Me! Me!" rang out.

Difficult as it was to single one furry fella as my fave from the boys, this adorable dude and those backroom-eyes of his makes him my favorite.

On the left is Gerard Koskosvich, archivist for the GLBT Historical Society, who made a plug for folks to check out their museum storefront on 18th Street and support the organization. Looking down at notes is Books Inc manager Ken White. The evening was a joint production between the society and the book store.

The panel of presenters, from the left. Editors Black and Morris, Frank Robinson who was Harvey's speechwriter, and Dan Nicoletta who worked at ye olde Castro Camera for Harvey.

When the floor was opened to comments from the audience, I spoke about the over-abundance of public memorial sites and plaques in San Francisco for Harvey and other late gay male leaders, and the dearth of public space memorials for our lesbian sisters. Said I could think of only two. The plaque for the late bar owner Rikki Streicher at the Eureka Valley Recreation Center and Jane Warner Plaza, named for the police officer who died of cancer.

My plea for more memorializing of lesbians met with some applause and an endorsement from Morris, seen holding the mike.

The top photo shows Danny, and his friends Peter and Garrett. On the bottom is Jay Blotcher with Danny.

Here's Rene Puliatti, who introduced himself to me as an ACT UP/New York member for a short time back when several ACT UPpers staged a protest at Hoffman-La Roche's old headquarters in Nutley, New Jersey.

Jerry The Faerie made an appearance and we chatted about building a large crowd for the Marching 4 Manning contingent on June 30 for the SF Pride Parade up Market Street. We'll be assembling at 10 am that Sunday at Howard and Beale Streets. Come out and join us!

Thanks to everyone for making the night an only-in-San-Francisco experience and so memorable.

HRC Omits SF Pride/Manning Mess From 5/23 Agenda But . . .

Attorney David Waggoner and a group of gay human rights advocates recently filed a formal complaint with the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, over SF Pride's naming Bradley Manning a grand marshal at the Parade this year and then rescinding the honor. Waggoner is former co-chair of the Harvey Milk Democratic Club.

The HRC's executive director is Theresa Sparks, who is a member of the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club's board of directors and former chair of the group. Also on the board are Lisa Williams and Lou Fischer who are the chair and secretary respectively of the SF Pride board of directors.

I digress to provide some LGBT political club context that may be a factor or two in how Sparks and the HRC process the Waggoner, et al, complaint.

Tomorrow, Thursday, May 23, the HRC will hold its regular monthly meeting out in the community and not at City Hall. The meeting will be at the Bessie Carmichael Elementary School located at 375 - 7th Street, near Harrison, and it starts at 6:30 pm. Public comment comes at the beginning of the meeting for items not on the agenda.

Since Item 5 is Sparks' director report and only mentions her speaking about an award to be given by the HRC, I asked Tanareh Moayed of the commission if the report would include anything about the complaint. Moayed said:

Regarding your second question, the Manning matter relates to a complaint filed with HRC last week. HRC is currently reviewing the complaint with each of the relevant parties to the complaint. As such, HRC is not at liberty to comment on this matter publicly at this time.

Since the matter is omitted from the agenda, that means members of the public are free to comment about the complaint.

Color me skeptical that Sparks will conduct a fair and even investigation into the complaint because I saw how she mishandled the complaint filed in October by transgender leader Veronika Fimbres over being denied equal access by MUMC to use the public flag pole at Harvey Milk Plaza to raise the Trans Pride flag on Transgender Day of Remembrance.

The Bay Area Reporter's Matthew Bajko wrote in November:

[Sparks] said her agency had been working with the City Attorney’s office to review the legalities around the flagpole. Sparks advised MUMC that it was unclear what would happen should the city be asked to take over the flagpole [...] “It is not an easy issue to deal with,” said Sparks, citing complications that could arise over freedom of speech granted by the First Amendment. “I am not sure what could happen to opening it to other flags.”

Seen the release of that HRC investigation and the findings of Sparks, or follow up BAR reporting? Of course not, since Sparks has kept mum about the Trans Pride complaint and the larger matter of control of public property at the plaza. 

Additionally, promises by the HRC to hold a simple town hall meeting in the Castro about the flag controversy were thwarted by Sparks, who said an elected official had threatened her agency's budget if the meeting took place, according to HRC minutes.

We'll see if Sparks handles the complaint against SF Pride with the transparency and public accountability we didn't witness over the Trans Pride flag complaint.

NMAC's Online HIV Forum Ill-Served People With AIDS

(The physical component of the forum held at MCC in Washington. Credit: MCC Advocacy.)

This is a classic example of how not to hold a virtual town hall. On Tuesday, May 14, the National Minority AIDS Council held a town hall streamed live promising a discussion regarding advocacy among people with AIDS:

Following the closure of the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA), the Federal AIDS Policy Partnership and the U.S. PLHIV Caucus will hold a Town Hall Tuesday to discuss how we can ensure that people living with HIV remain meaningfully engaged in making decisions about federal policies that impact their lives.

I had fears about how empowering it would be for PWAs particularly those of us not working for AIDS Inc or who would be at the physical town hall being held simultaneously in Washington, DC, at the Metropolitan Community Church. When no agenda was posted leading up to the event, it was not a good sign.

Once the streaming began, so did the glitches starting with no sound. Hundreds of online PWA participants couldn't hear a word of what was being said in DC, for the first 40-minutes. Despite pleas to pause the meeting until we could listen in, NMAC ignored the pleas from PWAs beyond the Beltway.

The camera was positioned in such a way we either saw the backs or left profiles of speakers at a lectern inside the church's meeting room. When the sound was working, the facilitator was hard to fully hear and understand since he held the mike at chest level.

NMAC staffers tweeted about who was talking, many of whom are people living with HIV, which AIDS Inc group they represented and pleaded for our patience as they worked to solve the tech problems. NMAC said they were using a free streaming service, one that interrupted the stream every 10 or so minutes with video ad pitches for financial services to manage your wealth, prompting me to complain with their $4.6 million budget NMAC could have paid to use an ad-free and glitch-proof streamer.

Heck, NMAC would have been smart to organize a streaming rehearsal a few days in advance and have a modicum of streaming experience to make use of.

Even though questions had been solicited in the days leading up to the town hall, NMAC asked for questions as if none had been submitted and regardless, questions from online folks were never posed.

Practically all of the speakers praised the work their group was doing along with the fabulous national coalitions they belong to, and said PWAs should join the groups or offer them input.

Tweets complaining about these and other problem flowed throughout the proceeding. Being unfamiliar with Twitter's policies for deleting tweets, I'm not sure why the majority of tweets, those full of complaints and others of a more positive, upbeat nature, are no longer at the #FederalHIVTownHall feed.

The title of the event was labeled thus:

Meaningfully Involving People Living with HIV in Federal Policy

In my view, people with AIDS were ill-served by this town hall. Unfortunately, NMAC has posted no minutes, no lessons learned, no report back to the PWA community about follow up and didn't archive the town hall's stream. So much for meaningful engagement.

Jay Blotcher's ACT UP & Friends Reunion in San Francisco

We met many moons ago, Jay Blotcher and I, in the 1980s in ACT UP/New York and remain friends. He lives in New York and is out in San Francisco for work related reasons, and on Saturday night he invited his friends to a fantastic dinner party in the Castro.

I had the best time, seeing old pals and making new acquaintances, sharing lots of laffs and a bit of sadness about our late colleagues from ACT UP days, and during the evening felt the thrill of being alive and enjoying the good company of good people. Thanks to Jay and everyone at the dinner for a fabulous evening.

Here six veterans of various ACT UP chapters lining up for a group shot. From the left, yours truly, Greg Scott, David Tuller, David Robinson, Russell Pritchard and Jay.

Just a few of the fab folks pose for another group shot. From the left, Angela Penny, Tom Flinn, Jay, Greg, David Tuller, David Robinson, Claudia Breglia, Russell, Gerard Koskovich, David Glass and me.

I'm almost embarrassed to say I didn't recognize David when I first saw him. Guess it was because he wasn't wearing a tight, black shimmering skirt and sparkling earrings like he used to when facilitating ACT UP meetings. Reminded him that our late friend Harry Weider, who was a dwarf among many other things, used to say that one of the benefits of being so short was being up to look up David's skirt!

Cutie-pies Tom Flinn and David Glass gave me their best smiles for this shot. I think Tom met Jay in college and David is a friend from his high school days.

This our friend David Tuller. Back in 1987 at ACT UP's first demonstration on Wall Street, he was among the arrestees. He asked about my comrade-in-arms at the time Neil Broome, who lives in Massachusetts these days. Here's a partial list of the Wall Street 17 and if you know of other names, share 'em with me:

1) Neil Broome 
2) Frank Dowd (RIP)
3) Prema Lee 
4) Rodger McFarlane (RIP)
5) Michael Petrelis 
6) Charles Stimson 
7) David Tuller

On the left we have Greg Scott sitting next to Russell Pritchard. Greg was part of ACT UP/DC who's a terrific writer and Russell I remember from ACT UP/NYC as one of the sweet smarty-pants guys.

Jay and Claudia during the dinner party at La Mediteranee on Noe Street, where we occupied the center space of the restaurant and enjoy delicious food and great service. Wonderful choice to hold the get-together.

Here's Jay chatting with David Glass as we waited for our tasty desserts and coffees to be served.

There's that David Robinson again, this time mugging for my camera with Lisa Geduldig, putting their heads together.

As the meal was coming to an end, I grabbed a photo of Hank Donat on the left, and Gerard Koskovich.

Our visiting guest of honor and I strike a pose for the camera. We've known each other so long I recall when neither of us had a single gray hair.

SF Pride Delays Release of New IRS 990 till After Parade

With all the political controversy swirling around the SF Pride committee and their confusing recognition of WikiLeaks hero Bradley Manning as a grand marshal, and then the rescission of that honor, my curiosity was piqued about when Pride files its annual IRS 990. Examining the three previous years' of filings, I learned that they filed by mid may.

When I didn't get a reply from executive director Earl Plante seeking info about the filing for fiscal year 2012 (was it filed last week? available for public inspection at their office?), I phoned Pride's accountant Arlene K. Mose. Citing privacy regulations, she wouldn't tell me if Pride had submitted the latest 990 to the feds. Mose confirmed my statement of fact that on the day the 990 is submitted, that is the day when a nonprofit must make the document available to the public, according to federal law.

Since Pride attorney Brooke Oliver has become a de facto spokesperson for the group with her postings at the Bay Area Reporter's comment section on their story last week about the firing of a staffer over the Manning debacle, and at Supervisor David Campos' Facebook page posting about his written request to Pride to hold a public meeting, I reached out to her.

I asked Ms. Oliver when their new filing would be ready for the public to view and why they don't post any 990s on their site, as so many Equality Inc groups do. She replied:

SF Pride's extension was filed, tax return due on August 15th. I said that I will pass your suggestion about putting the Form 990’s onto SF Pride’s website. Thanks for your concern. I have nothing more to say on the topic at this time.

It is my hope that on or very soon after August 15th that the 2012 IRS filing from Pride is posted on their web site, so that anyone with a computer can read it without have to go to the Pride office or wait for 4-5 months for it to be posted on either the Guidestar or Foundation Center web sites.

Plante is both the executive director and the spokesperson for Pride, and it would do the community a lot of good if he communicated more with everyone seeking info and answers.

Voice: Non-Quinn NYC Vigil for Murdered Gay Man

This is a textbook example of how an elected official, this time of the LGBT Democratic variety, exploits a tragedy to gain votes in the middle of election.

New York City Council Speaker and out lesbian Christine Quinn and her friends in Equality Inc world are promoting a rally and vigil in Manhattan tonight for slain gay man Mark Carson, who was killed over the weekend in Greenwich Village.

The gay community center's release about the vigil mentions only one participant, Quinn, as does the GLAAD alert, along with the Anti Violence Project's (Quinn former employer) announcement.

Paying attention to Quinn and her minions exploiting Mark Carson's murder for her mayoral campaign is Louis Flores of the Stop Christine Quinn organizing effort, and Flores is not taking the co-opting of the tragic death sitting down. The Village Voice's writer Sydney Brownstone shares the details:

Expressing the LGBTQ community's grief and outrage following the hateful murder of Mark Carson in the West Village on Friday, several LGBTQ groups are co-sponsoring a rally held at the LGBT Community Center tonight. Speaker Christine Quinn jumped on the rally as well--and the Facebook page for the event lists Quinn as the only politician involved. 

Still, not all of New York City's queer community feel that Quinn has her heart in a sincere place. That's why they'll be taking their vigil for Carson outside what was formerly St. Vincent's hospital at 5:30 p.m., when activists and mourners will ask whether Carson could have been saved if the hospital hadn't been shuttered.

"A lot of people are agreeing that Christine Quinn is trying to politicize today's march," said Louis Flores, an organizer with Queers Against Quinn and a St. Vincent's activist group. Flores also wonders whether Carson, who was shot through the cheek, would have survived had he been taken two blocks away from the scene of the crime to St. Vincent's, rather than Beth Israel, which is located across town from where Carson was shot and lacks a Level 1 trauma center.[...]

Glad to see Flores and others holding Quinn accountable, and for reminding everyone about her shameful role in the closing of St Vincent's hospital.

BAR: Petrelis Quiet at Hearing

(Derek St. Pierre, center, and yours truly, right, at a December 2012 hearing in Superior Court. Credit: Rick Gerharter, BAR.)

The Bay Area Reporter's freelance writer James Patterson has filed a story from my hearing last hearing on May 15, which is posted to the BAR's blog. I've excerpted from it and have redacted the name of the elected official who has lodged the complaint against me. My defense attorney and I next appear in court on June 7. From the BAR:

Gay San Francisco blogger Michael Petrelis's legal trouble stemming from an incident last fall in which he photographed gay Supervisor [REDACTED] in a City Hall restroom inched toward a conclusion Wednesday afternoon during a brief hearing before Superior Court Judge Samuel K. Feng [...]

It took only moments for Petrelis's attorney Derek St. Pierre to move for disposition of the case to June 7 at 1:45 p.m. St. Pierre said the parties were trying to resolve the matter and if they were unable to do so, it would proceed to trial.

At a December 5, 2012, hearing Petrelis, 53, pleaded not guilty to a charge of misdemeanor disorderly conduct for photographing [REDACTED] in a City Hall restroom.

Petrelis, usually grandiloquent in the extreme, declined all questions from the Bay Area Reporter on the case and refrained from making any comments about [REDACTED], who was not present. Petrelis, who wore a "Silence=Death" button on his shirt, as he did in December, stood quietly as his attorney did all the talking.[...]

When the B.A.R. asked St. Pierre if there was legal precedent for the case, he likened Petrelis to paparazzi who photographed celebrities against their approval during private moments such as in changing rooms or during private family moments or without their knowledge at all [...]

"The temporary restraining order is still in place," St. Pierre confirmed. He said Petrelis cannot come within 150 yards of [REDACTED]. "That is one and a half football fields," St. Pierre said, adding, "Petrelis has complied with the order."

Weekend Woof #39: Men on the Street

My continuing series of attractive dudes of all shapes, ages, colors and degrees of furriness continues with multiple shots of two blue collar guys, and other snaps of random guys seen around town and caught on my camera. As always, thanks boys and men, for appearing in the photos.

These husky fellas were seen around the Mission district late in the week and even though neither is wearing a shirt or jacket with a blue collar, I still call them blue collar dudes with all due respect. That lime green shirt in particular is a far cry from blue!

This is Bill, who currently works at the General Services Administration department at City Hall and cycles in  and out of political jobs. We first met each other back in the late 1980s when we were in ACT UP/New York, and have wildly divergent political views but still remain friendly with each other.

Damn, what a knowing smile he gave me as I snapped this sexy man's photo as he enjoyed the sun on Market Street this weekend.

One of the few bears in Dolores Park on Saturday afternoon. Look at that full beard and the fine gray hairs it contains. I bet he's quite popular down at the Lone Star Saloon.

Until next week, let's keep a queer eye on the guys of San Francisco!

Video: S.F. May 17 IDAHO Rally: Manning = Pride Grand Marshal



It gives me great pleasure to share a fantastic short video from the International Day Against Homophobia and Transpobia action in San Francisco on May 17, held at the historic Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro district.

Much gratitude goes to Peter Menchini, the progressive community's videographer, who made the video. Be sure to check out his MayaMediated channel on YouTube.

Again, many thanks to all the members of Gays Without Borders, the Bradley Manning Support Network and the Grand Marshal, Not Court Martial Ad Hoc Alliance, for participating in San Francisco's annual IDAHO visibility action.

For my report and photos from our event where we declared Bradley Manning the Grand Marshal of SF Pride, go here.

On behalf of all LGBT people in San Francisco, I extend deep solidarity to all of our brothers and sisters around the globe who joined in an IDAHO event. For more info about many of the actions that occurred on May 17, 2013, check out this Facebook page that is open to all regardless of FB membership.

NAPWA Exec Oldham Resigns from HIV Group, 1-Week After Launch

(Frank Oldham. Credit: Michael Key, the Washington Blade.)

Over at the Washington Blade, veteran reporter Lou Chibarro has posted a balanced and very fair story about the formation barely a week ago of Pozitively Healthy to speak on behalf of and advocate for America's population of people living with HIV/AIDS. The Blade said:

The prominent role being played by former NAPWA officials and staffers prompted AIDS activist [...] Greg Milward of Wisconsin to raise concern, saying events leading up to NAPWA’s financial collapse and bankruptcy took place under their watch.

With creditors owed more than $750,000, NAPWA filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy at the time it announced it was shutting its doors permanently in February.

[Frank] Oldham announced his resignation from his post as NAPWA’s executive director and CEO in October and left the organization in November before news of the impending bankruptcy surfaced. A document filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Maryland lists Oldham as owing NAPWA more than $80,000 in “accounts payable.”

Reaction to the fact that Oldham was a key leader of Pozitively Healthy brought swift negative reactions from several PWAs around the country. The comments section of the story was jumping within an hour of it going live at the paper's site Thursday afternoon.

From Brooklyn, NY, Larry Bryant, pictured, hit a number of nails on their heads about why this new group and those in it are of deep concern:

No one wants a 'New' NAPWA, no one asked for a 'New' NAPWA'. The organization that claimed to be "most trusted voice" in the HIV and AIDS community has been disconnected from people most impacted by HIV & AIDS around the country for almost a decade now [...] 

ALL coalitions, boards, and caucuses claiming to be the voice of people living with HIV & AIDS should not only re-evaluate their purpose, mission, and goals. Better yet, people living with HIV and AIDS should be a bit more discerning about those claiming to speak for us when most don't even speak to us.

Marsha Jones of Dallas, Texas, left this spot-on comment expressing her displeasure:

I am offended and maybe somewhat confused as to why [HealthHIV, the sponsor of the Pozitively Healthy group, and its executive director Brian] Hudjich would not understand why an entire community would have issues and question their involvement. To think that this is just about financial non-accountability is an insult to the community that they were to serve.

Also weighing in with criticism was Nike Luhan:

There is a reason more than fiscal why the leadership of NAPWA caused it's doors to close, extremely bad idea to take that same leadership and form a new group. Bad decision all around.

By early Friday morning, less than 24-hours of the Blade going live with the story, the former executive director of NAPWA got smart and announced his resignation from Pozitively Healthy:

The work of Pozitively Healthy is Absoulutely Paramount (sic) to 1.2 million People Living with HIV/AIDS. Pozitively Healthy's work cannot be detracted by personal issues or any individuals. I am resigning from Pozitively Healthy's Steering Committee at this time and will continue to work hard as a person living with HIV to ensure the success of the PLWHA Movement as I have done since 1988. Frank J. Oldham, Jr.

Before the end of business on Friday, the HealthHIV page for the steering committee of Pozitively Healthy no longer contained Oldham's name.

The lesson I see here is that when PWAs unaffiliated with AIDS Inc put their needs and criticisms out there for all to read, and take their message to the Big Bosses of AIDS Inc who are quite clueless about actions like forming a group riddled with NAPWA associates, a whole lotta good comes from empowered PWAs standing up and speaking for themselves.