Bay Area Reporter, Volume 26, Number 4, 25 January 1996

60 Pages·18.6 MB·English

VOL. XXVI No. 4 January 25, 1996 395 NINTH ST., SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103
The Latest
Kickoff Kiss
Scoop in
the Castro
A
by Dennis Conkin expressed our concern about
that,” Hermanson said. “They pro¬
non-profit company that vide jobs and good job skills to
was originally a spin-off kids at risk.”
from the Larkin Street The company hires high-risk
Youth Center is set to youth to work in their ventures,
open a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and receives referrals from Laven¬
franchise at 451 Castro Street in der Youth Recreation and Informa¬
the middle of June, the Bay Area tion, Larkin Street Youth Center,
Reporter has learned. Real Alternatives Project, Central
The store, to be operated by City Hospitality House, and other
Larkin Works, Inc., will begin youth serving agencies, according
construction in April at the former to spokeswoman Diana Flannery.
Mrs. Field’s cookie outlet. Activist and performer Tommi
The Ben and Jerry’s ice cream Avicolli Mecca, a frequent critic
franchise is opening a half-block of corporate capitalism and the
from an existing Double Rainbow plethora of franchise operations in
ice cream franchise owned by the Castro, said that he, too, wel¬
Brian Chun-Hoon. comes the enterprise.
The Ben and Jerry’s franchise “Oh, Ben and Jerry’s is cool.
will be located on property that is They’re a pretty cool corporation
part of the 445-451 Castro Street from everything I’ve read. Two participants buss at Gas House Cove before the start of the Jan. 20 Kickoff Ride for the Cali¬
lot block owned by the Ronald V. They’re very socially conscious,” fornia AIDS Ride between San Francisco and Los Angeles slated for June 2-8. This early morning
Pinto Trust, last assessed in 1989 Mecca said. ride had distances for all levels and is the first of several before June. Call 415/908-0400 for more
at a value of $483,052 by the “We’ve got lots of tourists
information.
city’s Assessor’s Office, accord¬ down here. Many people will go
ing to spokesman Larry Eppinette. into a shop like Ben and Jerry’s.
Merchants of Upper Market It’S one of the few corporations in
spokesman Barry Hermanson, of this country that does something Castro & Market
Hermanson’s Employment Ser¬ wonderful with capitalism.”
vices, told the Bay Area Reporter The company that will operate
he supported the endeavor because the franchise already operates an
it contributes to a worthwhile non¬ existing Ben and Jerry’s on the
profit service delivery agency. Marina, caters Ben and Jerry’s Attack Hospitalizes
“There is the obvious concern products, and operates a vending
that it’s really going to hurt the concession of the products at Can-
business of a member, but we’ve Continued on page 13
Lesbian Victim
Needle Experts
P
by Dennis Conkin assaulted woman’s car and the as¬ senger held the victim by her hair
Correct Shalala
sailant’s female passenger were and refused to let go.
olice are seeking the iden¬ also involved. A witness said the woman
tity of a driver of a red Mark Larsen, an openly gay grabbed the victim’s hair when the
A Volkswagen Cabriolet in man who was an eyewitness to the lesbian reached in the couple’s
by Dennis Conkin connection with a brutal altercation, said that although he Cabriolet to retrieve her vertical
assault on a lesbian, stemming heard no epithets coming from the steering wheel locking device.
lmost three dozen inter¬ from a traffic altercation at Castro man - or his unidentified Asian- The man had the taken the device
national AIDS and needle and Market streets last Sunday, American female passenger - he from the lesbian passenger, who
exchange researchers January 21. is convinced that it was an anti¬ had come to the aid of her friend
signed an extraordinary The woman, whose name has gay attack, and said the assault during the initial physical alterca¬
letter to U.S. Health and Human not been released, suffered contu¬ was horrific in intensity. tion, and threw it in his car, ac¬
Services Secretary Donna Shalala sions and a possible fracture of According to Larsen and po¬ cording to reports.
last month, challenging her recent her right femur in the 3:30 p.m. lice witness reports, the assault Thomason, a veteran Castro
controversial public comments on incident, according to Mission began with an argument over a beat officer, said that the woman
needle exchange. Station police officer Dennis side swipe collision of the het¬ may have fallen under the wheels
The letter was written by AIDS Thomason. erosexual couple’s Cabriolet and of the tires. She was taken by
needle exchange researcher, Thomason said that police only the lesbian driver’s Jeep. It paramedics to Mission Emer¬
physician, and public health ex¬ have a partial license plate num¬ ended with the lesbian being gency Hospital at San Francisco
pert Peter Lurie, MD, MPH of the ber for the Cabriolet, and a gener¬ dragged by the Cabriolet at General Hospital.
University of California San Fran¬ al description of the male as¬ speeds estimated at 30 miles an The suspect is described as a
cisco Center for AIDS Prevention sailant. A female passenger in the hour - as the man’s female pas- white male with blond hair and a
Studies. It is signed by experts goatee, between 25 and 30 years
Nsuecwh aYso Drko’sn BDeetshJ aIrslraaise,l PMh.eDd.i coalf INSIDE THIS WEEK owledi,g haibnogu t1 860’ 3p”o uinndcsh.e Hs et awllo raen da
Center; Patricia Case, MPH of the white T-shirt at the time of the as¬
Hanadr vmarods tS cohthoeorl mofa Pjourb lniece Hdleea letxh¬; Donna Shalala BarTalk...44 Mr. Marcus.48 sau“ltI.t was really awful. The thing
change researchers from around Calendar........46 Obituaries ..........22 I can’t forget is the look on the
the country and the world includ¬ venting HIV among injection woman’s face as she was being
ing Scotland, Brazil, Australia, users, their sex partners, and their Classifieds.27 Open Forum...6 dragged by her hair,” Larsen told
and Canada. children. the Bay Area Reporter.
Lurie and the other researchers Shalala has been quoted in Sapphistication. 10 Out There.35 “It was so malicious, it was un¬
wrote Shalala after her recent pub¬ news articles as saying that “dif¬ believable.” T
lic comments in the New York ferent experts disagree” about GLAAD.12 Personals.51
Times and on Cable News Net¬ needle exchange, and that there is Anyone with information
work, concerning the efficacy of “controversy over research.” Letters.7 Wayne Friday.9 should contact the San Fran¬
needle exchange programs in pre¬ Continued on page 18 c(4i1s5c)o 5P5o3l-i1c0e2 D3.i spatch at
FIRST OF TWO SECTIONS
▼ Community Dental Update ▼ COMMUNITY NEWS
Leal Shepherds
Richard A. Barrera
D.D.S.
490 Post St., Suite #520 Mission HIV
Union Square, San Francisco
9864534
Housing to Mediation
What Actually is Root Canal Treatment?
Root canal treatment can involve one or lental visits. During
the treatment, the endodontist removes thfle&l [pulp and prepares by Dennis Conkin
the tooth to receive a special temporary filling.
An opening is made through theJP^^® *[ he tooth into the pulp
chamber. Local anesthetics are d3£d:| [he procedure comfort- Opponents of a proposed 30-
able. The pulp is carefully removed^er|d| thej^joroco t canal is cleaned, unit low-income housing com¬
enlarged, and shaped so that it car^be prap^ny/ ffii lled and sealed with plex to be located at 1010 South
material that prevents bacteria from r^^ering the canal. Van Ness Avenue - which will
When the endodontist has corpj^iled the root canal, the dentist will also include ten units of housing
then restore the brittle root canpHooth to protect it from being broken for people with AIDS - have
under the biting pressure. The dentist will place a “build-up” and possi¬ agreed to take their concerns over
bly a post if added supjiqiffs necessary, and finally will place a gold or the Mission Housing Develop¬
porcelain crown on the tooth to restore structure, function, and appear¬ ment Corporation project to me¬
ance, which with proper care can last a lifetime. diation.
For more Ipl3pf|ination on root canal therapy or to set up a dental visit, The complex has already been
please call u$ today! approved by the San Francisco
Planning Commission, but oppo¬
Richard A. Barrera D.D.S. 9864534 sition to the project is still high
among some neighbors, including
longtime youth soccer advocate
Andy Solow.
Solow and others have agreed
YOU’LL LOVE IT
to a February 7 mediation spon¬
sored by JAMS/Endispute, and to
SMOOTH
postpone their planned appeal of
Ominous opposition: MHDC's Daniel Hernandez received death
AND SO WILL HE! the Planning Commission deci¬ threats over the South Van Ness Ave. project.
sion to the board of supervisors.
The project has been in devel¬
FREE CONSULTATION opment for two years, according
FOR PERMANENT to lesbian Supervisor Susan Leal, Mission District,” Leal said. “I be¬ Openly gay MHDC executive
who arranged for the arbitration as lieve that professional mediation director Daniel Hernandez was the
HAIR REMOVAL an alternative to litigation, which may offer the parties an opportu¬ subject of anonymous death
CALL could stall the project. nity for real dialogue to resolve threats and anti-gay harassment
“Alternative housing is critical residual neighborhood concerns during a period of intense opposi¬
JOHN FRIZZELL for our city, and especially for the and move this project forward.” tion to the project. ▼
REGISTERED ELECTROLOGIST
626-2729
Oakland Housing
Achieve your
Authority To Yank
FITNESS GOALS WITH
THE HELP OF A SERIOUS
PERSONHL TRAINER Contract at Coit
CALL DAMIEN 4I5-34B-0B72
SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY
by Mary Ann Swissler pairs after the 1989 Loma Prieta housing. At this point, [they] have
earthquake, Coit owner Steve not complied with their half of the
A troubled program that was Davis received a $2.4 million state agreement.”
| day Owned and Operated supposed to house a number of disaster assistance loan and a County Housing official Amy
COLLECTION AGENCY chronically homeless individuals, $308,000 rehabilitation loan. “In Hodgett told the committee that
including many with HIV/AIDS, addition, these contracts with the alternative housing would be
faces imminent revocation of its Housing Authority provide the found. “We don’t like to keep any¬
EST. 1975 contract, the B.A.R. has learned. landlord with an income stream one hanging,” Hodgett said.
The Oakland Housing Author¬ that in turn lets him go out and se¬ Shelter Plus Care funds origi¬
ity (OHA) gave owners of the Coit cure loans,” added Bedford. nate from HUD, to house and care
Apartments in Oakland a final One loan went for Davis’s for the chronically homeless pop¬
deadline of January 8 to bring the $600,000 home in the Oakland ulation who have the added bur¬
NO RESULTS - NO FEE! building up to code or face cancel¬ Hills, which is currently in fore¬ den of mental illness, substance
lation of its $2.5 million Shelter closure due to an unpaid tax bill, abuse, or HIV/AIDS. Local gov¬
800 218*7916 Plus Care contract, payable over a according to court documents re¬ ernments supplement the federal
. Suit Ga, * ten-year period. viewed by the B.A.R. money with in-kind service dona¬
Member Ca. & Amer. Associations Of Collectors Complaints about the building tions, such as counseling for sub¬
have been registered by its clients, ‘A Day Late1 - Literally stance abuse or emotional issues.
its neighbors, and eventually a The day after the deadline, Most of the housing provided
r consortium of county, city, and OHA’s Phil Nevil told an Oakland through Shelter Plus Care is done
( homeless advocates who began City Council’s Health and Human through Section 8 vouchers used
■ hearings last April on the matter. Services/Public Safety Committee at selected sites in Oakland. The
Travelodse.
The complaints concerned the meeting that the only response his contract for the 32 units at the Coit
lack of on-site management, office had gotten from Davis was a was between the Coit and the city
building code violations, drug one-paragraph letter from Davis’s of Oakland.
CASTRO SPECIAL traffic, and other problems at the attorney, asking for a two-week ex¬ HUD is taking an unusual step
apartments, located at 1445 Harri¬ tension. Nevil told the committee, in allowing the same amount of
$49 $59 son Street in Oakland. chaired by Oakland City Council Shelter Plus Care grant money
-
Sunday thru Thursday The most recent inspection, on member Nate Miley, that it “was a previously earmarked for the Coit
November 9, uncovered problems day late and a dollar short.” to remain in Alameda County.
We are proud to offer: throughout the building including Nevil called the contract ter¬ “We have given the County per¬
a blocked fire escape, missing mination something that would mission to use those Shelter Plus
• Clean, comfortable rooms lights, two boiler holding tanks happen in the very near future, but Care funds elsewhere ... at some¬
• Complimentary Coffee with exposed asbestos, unap¬ refused to comment further when place other than the Coit if and
• Complimentary Newspaper proved electrical wiring and im¬ contacted by the B.A.R. when that contract is terminated,”
properly installed electrical cir¬ At the January 9 meeting, Bed¬ said James Prater of the Western
• Free Parking
cuitry, a ceiling leak in the base¬ ford stressed the vulnerability of Regional Office, HUD.
• Friendly, Professional Service ment, and roaches. the Shelter Plus Care clients who In previous interviews with the
• Great Castro Location Since becoming eligible for still need housing. “These are in¬ B.A.R., Alameda County housing
Shelter Plus Care funds in Octo¬ dividuals who are chronically in officials said they would be
ber 1993, the Coit has received need of housing. These are the deeply concerned if the contract
San Francisco Central $192,000 in rental payments for chronically homeless in our com¬ between the Oakland Housing Au¬
1707 Market Street the studio apartment-sized units, munity. [Coit owners] have re¬ thority and Davis were canceled,
San Francisco, CA 94103 according to Sara Bedford of the ceived public benefits, such as because the funds would probably
City of Oakland Office of Health these low-interest loans, based on be sent back to HUD coffers in
800 • 578 • 7878 and Human Services. To make re¬ their ability to provide low-cost Washington, D.C. ▼
PAGE 2-BAY AREA REPORTER-January 25, 1996
COMMUNITY NEWS Legal Question?
‘Seattle Mike’ • Personal Injury
• Motor Vehicle Accidents
• Business Law
Busted Again • Insurance Claims
• Landlord-Tenant Disputes
No Charge For Initial Consultation
[phone]
Now Facing Five Years in Vacaville
One Embarcadero Center, Suite 1200
Son Francisco, California 941 M
by Dennis Conkin
“Seattle Mike” Rabb is back in
jail - and facing a five-year
mandatory state prison sentence -
after he was rearrested Saturday,
January 20 near 6th and Natoma
Streets on a variety of charges, in¬
cluding robbery and possession of
marijuana.
Rabb is currently being held
without bail in San Francisco
County Jail, pending a motion to
revoke his probation and remand
him to state prison. The case will
be heard in Department 28 of San
Francisco Superior Court on Feb¬
ruary 29.
Rabb was the subject of con¬
troversy last year after an August
23 mistrial when the jury dead¬
locked 9-3 on finding Rabb guilty
of five felony counts of armed
robbery.
Rabb, 31, allegedly used, a
knife, stun gun, and other imple¬
ments to threaten men he robbed
in their homes.
Rabb testified that he was a
prostitute who contracted to have
sex with his male victims and took
what he considered his from them
when he wasn’t paid for the sex,
but witnesses said they never of¬
fered money for sex - and one vic¬ ed to a negotiated disposition of Rabb will be sent to Vacaville Learn to defend against cowardly queer-bashing assaults, including bats,
tim testified that Rabb had threat¬ the case and received one year in State Correctional Medical Facili¬ standing rear grabs, and 2 assailants. Strategy, technique, & practice with
ened to kill him during the rob¬ county jail and five years’ felony ty for evaluation and processing a real person in padded armor. Connect with other men for support and
bery. probation. into the state prison system. ▼ encouragement in ending violence against gay men. Sensitive to survivor
After the mistrial, Rabb plead¬ The recent violation means that issues. Enrollment limited to 12.
Saturday, Jan. 27 1-7 pm $ 90
Worth Defending 510/550-4355
Oakland Group Warns
AIDS Rising Among
Native Americans
United Press International you realize the history between In¬
dians and non-Indians is a sad and
The incidence of infection by long one of death from infectious
the virus that causes AIDS has disease in which entire tribes and
jumped dramatically among Indi¬ cultures were wiped out.”
ans, a trend that could threaten A program to test pregnant In¬
many small reservations, health dian women for HIV has been
officials warned January 9. launched by the federal Indian Experience fine dining in the Castro
Ron Rowell, head of the Na¬ Health Service and the Centers for
tional Native American AIDS Pre¬ Disease Control. Its initial find¬
vention Center in Oakland, said ings have been troubling.
the number of reported cases of “What they found [were] rates
infection with HIV among Indians of HIV infection among Indian
has jumped from just 56 in 1984 women ranged four to eight times
to an estimated 1,202 in 1995. higher [than rural women over¬
The problem is even more se¬ all],” Rowell said. “That is alarm¬
vere among Indian women, where ing. Some of these small Indian
the infection rate of the virus was communities could collapse de-
four to eight times higher than that mographically.”
for all women living in rural Cathy Chapman, a case man¬
areas. ager for the San Francisco-based
Rowell said the impact of Native American AIDS Project,
those numbers often gets buried said steps were being taken to try
by the awesome overall toll of the and improve the situation. Featuring
malady. Last year, there were “Getting women to disclose
476,899 reported AIDS cases na¬ their status and take care of them¬ our new menu w—mm
tionwide. selves is a big push for us,” she
“Although the numbers might said. “Most of them have kids and created by
seem small, these numbers are sig¬ are taking care of elders and part¬
nificant if you consider many Indi¬ ners. Chef Stephen Hunter
an communities are rather small “The last thing they think of is
and tight knit,” he said. “And if taking care of themselves.” ▼
[" Present this certificate with a party of two or more and save 1
Correction: A j £ 10.00
In an article about City College's Gay and Lesbian Studies De¬ LJ
partment in the January 18 issue of the B.A.R., it should have
noted that four new classes will be taught this Spring semes¬ 4072 Eighteenth Street Sor Kesemtions Sail.-
ter, out of a total 16 total classes available. Additionally, San drancisco
Jonathan Katz was the first instructor hired when the depart¬ [phone]
ment was officially formed in 1989; however, he did not found Valid Sunday through Thursday N/ Not Valid with any other offer
the department. T Certificate exp. 4/1 ;96 Not \alid Valentine’s Day
BAY AREA REPORTER-January 25, 1996-PAGE 3
COMMUNITY NEWS
•SEWS
Gay Cultural Center
Fans Find Political
THOMAS R- BURNS
Attorney At Law
Strength in Numbers
SS
•• 5 --»'*’**6
ssssssss^^. by Mary Ann Swissler
S'S“S?«“s“ss"‘N,“Ni Advocates for grass-roots
community arts programs, includ¬
_ . Anoroach ing those behind a San Francisco
queer cultural center, are closely
watching a measure on the March
ballot that would fund the kinds of
arts programs historically under¬
funded in comparison to the city’s
opera, ballet, and art museums.
64 Googh St., S.F. Proposition A would earmark a
Convenient Civic Center Locofio^ Cpfoeerrn cteeenrx,tp awagnehs iicoohfn t whoeo fu clidtth yae’l ss oMh oiontesccll outndaxee Gerharter
atmmort aasdjg oeaer nittt dhy et ch vubeola ttlueln.ro eatcl iepns rso1ag9ry9ra3 m,t wbs.uo tP- tfrhaoiiprle dAds Photo: Rick
Lenore Chinn of Lesbian Visual
Artists told the Bay Area Reporter
COSMETIC AND PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY that the Queer Cultural Center
(QCC) will hold a meeting on Sat¬
Michael W. Blevins, D.D.S. urday, February 10 to get input funds, while multicultural arts representatives from feminist and
from queer artists and organizations programs got just 5.1 percent, fol¬ ethnic minority arts centers
i & Associates about what they want in a center. lowed by one-half of one percent around the city.
Tom Ammiano told the B.A.R. for lesbian and gay programming, “We all share this dilemma,”
450 Sutter Street that the board of supervisors is and .4 percent for women’s pro¬ said Chinn. “As a group, we can
Suite 1233 very interested in funding the cen¬ grams. Small to mid-sized arts nudge the supervisors on how the
San Francisco ter, but it’s still too early to tell ex¬ groups accounted for 13.2 percent city does and does not support the
actly how much will be available. of funding, according to Chinn. cultural centers.”
[phone] “It’s percolating,” he said. QCC Board President Pam
Sedation. MC/Visa, Insurance “There’s certainly a commitment Institutionalized Peniston commented, “While we
A member of GGRA, BAPHR to it, especially from my office.” Discrimination experienced a setback with the de¬
Since 1979 Chinn cited a report done five Worse, said Chinn, has been feat of Proposition A in 1993,
years ago by current QCC Board the lack of coordination among through our affiliation and work
Member Jeff Jones, showing only city agencies for arts programs. with other neighborhood arts cen¬
a minute percentage of funding “What it boils down to is insti¬ ters across the city our members
How to be was given to community cultural tutionalized discrimination,” she have all been able to create a much
dj'o eg. centers during the 1989-1990 said. Now with renewed interest stronger arts community.” T
Loved funding cycle, compared with in Prop. A funds, Chinn told the
large institutions. With school cut¬ B.A.R., “This is somewhat of a The QCC will be soliciting
backs eradicating most public glimmer of hope for us.” input from the arts commu¬
Intimacy Clas ses for Gay Men csclahsosoesl , mfuunsdicin, g dfaonrc ec,o manmdu naitryts- boaRrda tohfe rs utphearnv isgoorsi nags cinotmop etthi¬e nariyty 1a0t mtheeeirt iSngat uscrdhaeyd,u Fleedbr u¬
based centers is more important tors for the funding- which Am¬ from 1 to 3 p.m. at Theatre
Tired of one-night stands? ]L ooking for deeper connections? than ever, Chinn added. Yet fig¬ miano aide Mike Hsouh estimated Rhinoceros, located at 2926
Relationship Skills can be 1‘ aught—and you can learn them. ures from Jones’s report showed could add up to more than $7 mil¬ 16th St. For more informa¬
fine arts museums, the symphony, lion- the QCC joined the Consor¬ tion call Pam Peniston at
Wed nights 8 - 9:30 $40 per week Mar 6 - May 22 the opera, and the ballet received tium of San Francisco Community [phone] or Lenore
To enroll, call: Adrian Tiller, MS, MFCC 415/ 252-9085 80.9 percent of municipal arts Cultural Centers, which includes Chinn at [phone].
MAX Gears Up For
Jito Garcia
Realtor Associate Diverse Year of Activities
Residence 863-5555
Office 552-0129 ext. 163
by Mary Ann Swissler edged, but now members range and Mendocino in November. The
| Zephyr 4200 17th Street
from under the age of 25 to over group has also started a site on the
E-mail, [email protected] The Men’s Associated Ex¬ 70, and are of all ethnic back¬ Worldwide Web.
change (MAX) has big plans for grounds. “We’re trying to reduce the
gay men living in the Bay Area, in The average age is still around cost of some events as well,” Han¬
more ways than one, according to 33 years old. Woo said, but he cock added, “to appeal cerebrally
Is Selling Your Life Insurance its eTxheec ustoivceia ld igrreocutopr wFroarnkke dW voeor.y padled ewdh, o“ Ih’da vleik hee taor ds torefs Ms fAoXr paeno¬d taote a f enlulomwbsehri po,f wpehoicphle I, tahnidn kt ois c trhe¬e
The Right Choice? hard in the past couple of years to the negative stereotypes of MAX: hallmark of MAX.”
transform itself into more than a I challenge them to come and look MAX’S TGIF get-togethers
crowd made up of white, gay men at the organization. Over the years are held every first and third Fri¬
Let us help you find out... in suits, Woo said. we have changed our emphasis day of the month, usually drawing
The group aims to serve as an and concentrated on what we have about 450 men, who show up in
alternative to bars and clubs, for been striving for the last eight casual wear as well as in their
couples and singles alike. To this years, and that is that we are a so¬ work suits, said Woo. The next
Viatical Settlement Consulting & Brokerage end, MAX features a variety of cial group for events that people TGIF will be held February 2 at
social, artistic, and sports activi¬ would not typically go to.” the City Club, located at 155 San-
ties, as well as health-related sem¬ Hancock added, “When you some Street on the 10th floor, be¬
explore financial alternatives for people living with inars. Some events are catered, walk into a MAX event, you have ginning at 6 p.m. A $5 entrance
a life-threatening illness — No fee to you ever! while others are potlucks held in ‘permission’ to be friendly and to fee is charged.
private homes. Recently MAX drop your guard.” The second of two MAX
members went rollerblading in MAX was started in 1987 and workshops on HIV issues will be
Experienced • Compassionate • Confidential
Golden Gate Park, and over the has grown to more than 800 mem¬ held Monday, January 29. Call
Labor Day holiday they held a bers, making it the largest gay [phone] for more informa¬
Licensed in California — Offices in Sausalito houseboat party at Lake Shasta. men’s social organization in the tion.
Member, Viatical Association of America “You can’t do that by just country, according to Woo. He For more information contact
going to a bar,” said Programming told the B.A.R. that MAX operates MAX on the Web at
415.332.1444 or 800.905.0114 Committee Chair Byron Hancock. as a mini-travel agency that books http://www.maxonline.org. To re¬
Email: [email protected] Hancock said that MAX spon¬ small and large group trips for ceive a free copy of the MAX Re¬
sors the wide range of events so as members. Trips planned for 1996 port send your name, address by e-
“We Represent You, Not a Purchasing Company”
to appeal to an extensive group of include Puerto Vallarta in Febru¬ mail to: [email protected]. ▼
people. “We used to be a pretty ary, the Alps in April, London and
non-diverse group of white men Saratoga Springs in May, Vancou¬ For membership information
between 30 to 40,” he acknowl¬ ver, B.C. and Ashland in August, call [phone].
PAGE 4-BAY AREA REPORTER-January 25, 1996
COMMUNITY NEWS
Community Discusses Oral Sex
and HIV Transmission
by Hakeem Oseni II al encounter. and emotions attached to AIDS
because of the social stigma at¬
Over 250 members of San Thicker membranes tached to sex.
Francisco’s gay and lesbian com¬ Oral sex is considered low Panelist Larry Edmund of The
munity gathered at Metropolitan risk compared to anal sex, O’¬ Brothers Network, whose work
Community Church the evening Malley said, because the mucus focuses on HIV education among
of Friday, January 19 to discuss membrane in the mouth is thicker men of color, said from a cultural
oral sex and HIV transmission. than the membranes in the anus, standpoint, sucking dick is often
Flanked by gay and American and saliva may also be an inhibit¬ qualified as making one “less of a
flags, the forum had panelists ing factor to the virus. He also man,” when it should be intimate
from the San Francisco Health said being on the receptive end of and fulfilling. Among other
Department, The Brothers Net¬ things also decreases risk, and warnings he reminded the audi¬
work, the San Francisco AIDS warned that people should be ence not to “scrape or tooth the
Foundation, and the Stop AIDS aware of any cuts or liaisons in penis.” His favorite catch phrase:
Project, who hosted the event. their mouths. He reminded peo¬ “Tasty, safety.”
“There is no indication that ple “not to brush or floss just be¬
oral sex is becoming a new trans¬ fore giving a blow job.” Questions and answers
mission method,” said Paul O’¬ He said there is “some poten¬ An intense question-and-an-
Malley of the San Francisco tial” of HIV transmission from swer period followed, where the
Health Department. pre-cum, but added that the risk panelists answered questions
He conducted a study from is probably lower due to the about cum, pre-cum, and other
1984 to 1992, in which he fol¬ amount of fluid. sexually transmitted diseases.
lowed 675 gay and bisexual men Another factor which was dis¬ The panelist agreed that other
for an average of four and half cussed was how infectious a per¬ STDs were definitely more infec¬
years, 49 of whom turned posi¬ son may be - viral load (the tious than HIV, and may be life-
tive. O'Malley said three - “less amount of HIV in the body) being threatening to people who are
than one percent” - attributed greatest just after infection, and HIV-positive.
their conversion to oral sex. when a person develops full¬ A man who did not like suck¬
One man's partner was HIV¬ blown AIDS. He attributed this to ing dick but felt that it was his
positive; one claimed to have the high rates of transmission calling “to eat ass” asked about
sucked off or had sex more than during the 1980s. the risks involved with rimming.
900 times - with over 400 guys in “It is difficult to isolate oral O’Malley said make sure the per¬
less than a year; and the third had sex from other sex acts,” said son does not have an “unhealthy
gonorrhea in his throat at the time Hector Carrillo of the Stop AIDS ass” (cuts, rash, or blood) and SF AIDS Foundation s Wayne Blankenship spoke to the overflow
of transmission. Project. “The risk most likely suggested the use of a barrier crowd at the Jan. 19 Stop AIDS Project's oral sex forum.
“It does happen,” O’Malley varies on the situation of the sex¬ such as a dental dam.
said, “but again, I don't think the ual encounter - people should de¬ When asked what was the risk
activity is fueling the epidemic.” cide for themselves.” involved with going down on a
He added there were masking Carillo used the metaphor of woman, the panelist said HIV is talking this frankly,” one audi¬ Copies of the study can be
factors involved in the study, be¬ driving one block without a seat present in all body fluids, includ¬ ence member noted. picked up at the AIDS office
cause one can never really say belt, to describe the guilt and ing vaginal fluids, and one should “Great turnout. It just con¬ of the SFHD, located on the
when and where transmission oc¬ risks of oral sex. He explained avoid ingesting menstrual fluids. firmed what I knew,” said resi¬ 5th floor, 25 Van Ness Ave.
curred over the course of a sexu¬ there is a lot of discomfort, guilt. “It's terrific hearing people dent Paul Haut. ▼ Aenue.
...and people
wonder why
I like boys
432 CASTRO STREET SAN FRANCISCO 94114
Hey Woody,
They're having a big sale
on selected Levi's 501 's and
Silver Tabs at In-jean-ious,
maybe you can cover
those skinny white
legs of yours! Aj
yr Cool Donna, ^
I hear there's lots of
other stuff on sale too.
Maybe I can buy you
something while
ih. we're there! ^
paul montwillo 1996
BAY AREA REPORTER-January 25. 1996-PAGE 5
B.A.R.
OPEN FORUM
Bay Area Reporter
395 Ninth Street, SF, CA 94103
[phone] [phone] Vol. XXVI No. 4 • January 25,1996 Next Issue Out: February 1 Next Deadline: January 26
PUBLISHER
Bob Ross JOE HOOVER GUEST OPINION
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Politics
Mark Thompsen
NEWS EDITOR
Mike Salinas and Denial
ARTS EDITOR
Chris Culwell
A
GENERAL MANAGER by Bryan Coyle
Michael M. Yamashita
fter more than 270,000 deaths, ten
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING years of research and $35 billion, a
David McBrayer “cure” for AIDS still eludes us. Noth¬
ing will change as long as two obsta¬
BARTALK & cles in the gay community remain: denial of an
GENERAL INFORMATION abusive lifestyle and community politics.
Andy McConnell If you drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes or
take recreational drugs (ecstasy, crystal meth,
ASSISTANT EDITORS poppers, etc.) on a regular basis, you have a
Dennis Conkin substance abuse problem. With that prescrip¬
Patrick Hoctel tion we don’t need a virus to destroy our im¬
Roberto Friedman mune system. AIDS is primarily a result of
Mary Ann Swissler toxic build-up through use of recreational/hard
drugs, alcohol, tobacco, environmental factors
ART DIRECTOR and AZT.
Adrian Roberts EDITORIAL The rationale for using the toxic AZT in
treating healthy antibody-positives and PWAs
AD PRODUCTION & LAYOUT is based on the false assumption of 100% fa¬
Kurt Thomas State of Disunion tality, but long-term survivors continue to
prove the AIDS Establishment wrong. Anti-
PHOTOGRAPHERS F body-positive men are thriving 10-15 years
Darlene/PhotoGraphics and push the envelope farther each year.
Jane Philomen Cleland There are long-term AIDS survivors and
Gregory H. Fleischer or those who missed President than-complete-truths. AsoImDeS hfoarv ea lmreocsotv e1r3e dy.e aIr’sv. e been living with
Marc Geller Clinton’s State of the Union ad¬ The Kansas senator and presidential Most long-term, healthy survivors have
Rick Gerharter dress on Tuesday night, or who candidate, looking for all the world like detoxed their lives and strengthened their im¬
Phil Migilarese, Jr. might have inadvertently Nosferatu - but much, much older - mune systems through good nutrition, exer¬
coughed between the words “with” and gravely informed the viewing audience cise, stress reduction and a healthy lifestyle,
CARTOONIST “senior,” here is the sum total of what that the GOP’s rancorous partisanship is not drug use. My KS diagnosis has been in
Joe Hoover our leader said about the epidemic that actually some kind of investment in total remission since 1989 because I eliminat¬
is killing us: kids. Hmm. Considering the lack of in¬ ed my toxic input. If you can’t quit something,
POLITICAL EDITOR “AIDS.” terest Republicans exhibit on virtually take steps to cut down. Drug addicts have been
Wayne Friday That’s it. Once. every issue of importance to youth - ed¬ dying of TB, dementia and pneumonia for
To be fair, this is how he used it in ucation, job training, and the mainte¬ decades, usually by their mid-forties. Gay men
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS context: nance of an adequate healthcare system, have joined that statistic, but now we call it
Diannne Aaronson, Rene M. Astudillo, “And even as we enact savings in to name three - it was a little like hear¬ AIDS.
Erin Blackwell, John Blanco, these programs, we must have a com¬ ing Wile E. Coyote professing his con¬ Our community’s political stance on Peter
Michael C. Botkin, Jaime Cader, mon commitment to preserve the basic cern for road runners. Duesberg’s theory that AIDS is the result of
Philip Campbell, Jim Coughenour, protections of Medicare and Medicaid, Oh, and he said less about AIDS, and drug abuse and AZT, not HIV, is also based on
JCMehf.Rfaed. r yCJ ooKvneiennson,, e RdMyo,ab rMeiartan tJntuhele iDwanr e,K sJesonehrn,ne dBFye. ,t Kh aErrl,l iott, nwootr kjuinsgt tofa mthieli epso, ori,n cbluudt intog pcehoipldler enin, eAxsa cift ltyh aats’ sm au scuhr parbisoeu.t gays, as Clinton. dbeilnitiya l.f oItr’ so muro rpee crsoomnfaol rtbaebhlea vtioo rs hairnkd rebslpaomnes i¬a
LA. Kisselman, Karl Bruce Knapper, people with disabilities, people with “virus,” labeling anyone who disagrees with us
Daniel Mangin, Mr. Marcus, Jerry Metzker, AIDS, senior citizens in nursing homes.” A recent trip beyond this country’s a homophobe or a flat-earther. However, until
Karen Ocamb, Hakeem Osenii III, Even George Bush eventually man¬ borders drove home for us the point that we accept responsibility for our own destruc¬
Deborah Peifer, Elissa Perry, Mary Richards, aged to get in a whole paragraph about the “union” of America is unraveling tive habits and take steps to stop them with the
Adrian Roberts, Bob Roehr, John Ross, AIDS in his final State of the Union Ad¬ fast. As we have long suspected, jour¬ support of our community, needless suffering
DDPaiocuuklg WT Shaeolttmoe,ra sMs oanrv, .S Stehpahwa,n Riei cvko Tnh Bomucahna,u , cdrreedssit.. Clinton didn’t, to his eternal dis¬ Cnaolnisgtsre sins oatnhde rt hceo ubnutrdiegse tr ebprooruth oanh at haiss willA cnoontthienru efa. ctor in the denial picture is HIV
Oh, and here’s what he said about though they were covering wild beasts. antibody-negative men holding on to the HIV
MEMBER gay and lesbian people: Their communications from Washing¬ belief, giving themselves a false sense of secu¬
National Gay Newspaper Guild ton come off as a sort of Mutual of rity as long as they continue to test negative.
United Press International Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, and it’s almost This illusion of safety is often taken as license
In other words, nada. funny to see them straining to explain to for continued recreational drug and alcohol
their viewers that they aren’t inventing abuse which will eventually debilitate the im¬
The whole thing was enough to re¬ the story. mune system.
mind us that if the United States is, in No, they have to reiterate, America Even more destructive are healthy anti¬
fact, a union, we are still very much ex¬ isn’t really out of money; it’s just that body-positive men who take AZT prophylacti-
cluded from it. the foxes are in the henhouse. The cally and continue their destructive lifestyle
NATIONAL SALES Can it have escaped Clinton’s atten¬ whole thing is so absurd - particularly with substance abuse. This is part of the Amer¬
REPRESENTATIVE tion that we gays and lesbians have be¬ since they’re talking about a country ican mindset that “As long as I take a pill it can
Rivendell Marketing come the most common and lucrative that was so visionary 50 years ago - the be business as usual.” Every drug has some
target of his right wing foes that used to television correspondents can’t even toxic side effect that accumulates over time.
LEGAL COUNSEL bankroll itself by trafficking in anti¬ wipe the expressions of disdain from Altering lifestyle, not prescribing drugs, is pre¬
Thomas E. Horn, Esq. commie propaganda? Does he not no¬ their faces. And who can blame them? ventative health care.
tice that anti-gay rhetoric is ripping this Meanwhile, in their countries, there Peter Duesberg has pointed out that amyl
AUDITOR/ACCOUNTANT “union” apart? Does he not think that it is no stampede to the far right; the social nitrite (poppers), which was manufactured by
Chas Wesdell would have been worth setting aside fabric has not been shredded; and when AZT-maker Burroughs-Wellcome (now Glaxo-
some of those 64 minutes for a few sec¬ the policies have, through time and Wellcome), is carcinogenic and contributes to
A division of Benro Enterprises, Inc. onds of reminding everyone that diver¬ changing circumstances, failed, they do Kaposi’s sarcoma. So do tobacco, recreational
CRoeppyorritgehrt re©se r1v9e9s6 t.h eP ruibglhits htoe de dwit eoerk lrye,j ecBt aayn yA arde¬a sity is an American strength and that tol¬ not talk of junking them, but fixing drugs and alcohol. Even more alarming are the
vertisement which the publisher believes is in poor erance isn’t just an ideal, but a necessi¬ them. carcinogenic chemotherapy drugs like AZT,
taste or which advertises illegal items which might ty? We couldn’t help but remember that ddl, ddC, and D4T. AZT causes cancer in lab¬
result in legal action against Bay Area Reporter. Ads
will not be rejected solely on the basis of politics, phi¬ Of course, Clinton already had his when we watched Clinton in his speech, oratory rats and long-term use may cause can¬
losophy, religion, race, age, or sexual orientation. hands full, navigating a House divided proclaiming the old era (and what used cer in humans.
Advertising rates are available upon request. against itself - and the same with the to be called a war on poverty) dead. He Duesberg certainly doesn’t have all the an¬
Senate - and with all those grumpy may be correct in his assessment, but it swers. In addition to drug toxicity, there are
Our list of subscribers and advertisers is confidential GOPs sitting on their hands, but we seemed inappropriate to make the an¬ many opportunistic infections contributing to
aernsd, pish ontoot gsroalpdh. eTrsh,e a snedx uwarli toerrsie pnutabtlioisnh eodf ahdevreeirnti si¬s have to admit we weren’t much more in¬ nouncement of such an important and the total immune decline, including hepatitis
neither inferred nor implied. We are not responsible clined to jump up and cheer than they sad death with the expression he wore. and herpes, as well as environmental factors
for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork. were. and candidiasis (intestinal yeast overgrowth).
But if there’s one thing that can pro¬ Closer to home - and in a complete¬ The road to health and recovery lies not in
Vi VERIFIED voke us into praising the Prez, it’s the ly different vein - we offer our sincere prescription or recreational drugs, but in
AUDIT CIRCULATION inevitable GOP response that follows congratulations to Rudy Galindo, the strengthening our physical and emotional
his speeches. San Jose skater whose victory Sunday selves. Those of us who are long-term survivors
This year Bob Dole, that shrinking makes him the highest-ranking openly know that, as far as drugs go, less is more. Re¬
violet, accepted the awesome responsi¬ gay athlete in America. covery from AIDS and living healthy with a
bility of facing all those voters - um, Rudy, your grace and style are a positive antibody test will only come from
The Bay Area Reporter is printed on 100% concerned citizens - and force-feeding thing of beauty, a joy forever, and a re¬ strengthening the body, not injuring it with sub¬
recycled paper using soy-based inks. them a bunch of (how to put this?) less- minder of all that’s good. Thanks. T stance abuse and toxic drugs like AZT. ▼
PAGE 6-BAY AREA REPORTER-January 25, 1996
LETTERS
needei
tlOCCOr.
Touched by the love Castro planners illy needed a tej liter
Recently my lover passed away due to AIDS. The Anyone who has been around the Castro over the
Mass for him was celebrated at the Historical Chapel past ten years has seen many changes. Some may say irollahftrafjoi >)
of Mission Dolores. Father John, the Pastor, was the these are positive, and some may say these are in¬
celebrant. evitable. However, there have been grumblings for
ualiEzvateiroynb,o adnyd winatsi mvaecryy toofu tchhee dM bayss t. he love, individ¬ aserev eirmalp aycetainrsg atbhoe unte tihgeh boovrehroaolld .n egative changes that Gay Men’s / An assporciviaattieo npr oacf tiintidoenpeersn dweintht
It is good to know that we have such institutions in Therefore, several residents have gotten together Therapy Associates V. doctorates in psychology
San Francisco. Thanks, Father. to take a pro-active stance so that we all become in¬ 561-1404
Mirek Kucera formed, active participants in the changes. We have Over 25 years of service to the gay community
San Francisco named the group CAPA (Castro Area Planning and
All about love Action), and have been around for less than three
Recently you printed a letter authored by one of months. Our first order of business is to recognize and 19 Years Experience ft Really Caring
our officers. Captain Southard, an administrator of discuss the root of these changes and see if there is Blue Shield Provider
one of our many programs here in San Francisco. The any way that a group of residents, merchants and
letter was in response to an article previously printed community services can have an impact. But we are in HOUSER.
in the Bay Area Reporter. He did this without my re¬ the early stages of our group and are looking at sever¬
view or approval. al ways to proceed.
Captain Southard’s letter was wrong in that it inac¬ We have begun research on ways to include com¬ Qwflgjfe s
curately confused the social mission of the Salvation munity input on issues that affect the neighborhood. We WO (astro Street - Suite 20S
Army with what we see as internal religious beliefs. are planning a weekend gathering of city planners and 5S2-9300 ds-i
This was inappropriate and offensive not only to the architects to discuss a long-term view on the growth of
gay/lesbian community but to many. the neighborhood. We have already begun working Dr. Lowell Houser Gift Certificates Glenn Schmoll
Like many other religious organizations, we have with Merchants of Upper Market, the Eureka Valley + Chiropractor ♦ Perfect for EVERY occasion! ♦ Massage Therapist«
position statements on a number of issues that are used Promotion Association, the Coalition of San Francisco
internally for spiritual guidance of our congregational Neighborhoods and San Francisco Tomorrow.
membership. It is our policy not to impose these views We do, therefore, disagree with your guest editori¬ 'Legal Services with an Emphasis
or practices on those we serve, volunteers or employees. al two weeks ago that said that if we sit back and let on Meeting Special Needs ”
Our mission is to serve humanity without discrimi¬ corporate interests rule the neighborhood, the city will
nation or judgment. In San Francisco we are doing this prevent the area’s demise. We want and need to be an Barry Schneider
successfully at five major service centers. At these sites active part of the changes in the area, in the business¬
over 360 full-time employees serve thousands of peo¬ es, in the streets and in City Hall. We encourage any¬ Attorney at Late
ple every year. Many gays and lesbians are on our pay¬ one who has an interest in the future of the Castro to
rolls. Many of the people we serve are gay and lesbian. attend our meetings, held the second Thursday of 400 Montgomery St. ♦ Suite 505 ♦ San Francisco
The Salvation Army shares with the gay and les¬ every month at 7 p.m. and one Saturday every month [phone]
bian community the concern to provide quality ser¬ at noon at the Eureka Valley Center in Collingwood
vices to people suffering from AIDS. In 1995, for ex¬ Park. Our next meeting is on Saturday, January 27. ♦ Wilts & Probate ♦ Personal Injury
ample, our Harbor Light Center admitted 1,800 men Members of CAPA ♦ Criminal Offenses ♦ Family Law
and women into detox, many with HIV/AIDS. More San Francisco
than 800 men and women entered our residential re¬
habilitation programs which include special services Unreliable Alice ALL COMMERCIAL LINES • HOMEOWNERS & APTS. • EARTHQUAKE ■ BARS
for 50 people living with HIV/AIDS. Our Senior This is a letter to voters in our community who
Meals & Activities Program served 464,000 meals have used the candidate recommendations of the
last year at 29 sites, including an adult day health cen¬ Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club. In California [phone]
ter that serves people with the AIDS virus. I was in attendance recently when the Toklas PAC
You see, the Salvation Army is about love. We are interviewed candidates running for Municipal Court Schmidt & Schmidt
inclusive, not exclusive. We do not discriminate. Re¬ judge in the March primary. After witnessing the hos¬
spect is afforded to all persons; lifestyle is not judged; tile and arbitrary treatment by the interviewers, I can
gays and lesbians are recognized as full, equal and assure you that no longer will I give the Toklas rec¬ INSURANCE
contributing citizens. It is our goal to “love our neigh¬ ommendations any credence.
bor as ourselves” and we do. That’s what the Salva¬ Incredibly, interviews were directed by the cam¬
tion Army is all about. Jesus said, “Whosoever will, paign manager (Robert Barnes) for one of the candi¬ Since 1970
may come.” We say, “Amen.” dates in the race (Matthew Rothschild). This would be
We apologize for the confusion and the hurt caused an obvious procedural corruption to anyone with de¬ | 582 Market Street, P.O.Box 2212 3512 West Sunset Blvd.,
by Captain Southard’s unauthorized letter. We will mocratic beliefs. 18th Floor Palm Springs, CA 92263 Ste. 275
continue to serve the gay/lesbian community as best At the very least, I think we should expect our San Francisco, CA 94104 [phone] Los Angeles, CA 90026
we can within what our limited resources permit us to clubs to have basic standards of fairness and common [phone] [phone]
do. We will work hard to be more sensitive to the is¬ courtesy. Lesbian or gay candidates such as Kay Ts- x [phone] Fax [phone]
sues that will allow us to build stronger, more under¬ enin and Ron Albers who have made important con¬
standing relationships. tributions to the community particularly deserve re¬ TRAVEL • LIFE & MEDICAL • LIABILITY • FIRE • CRIME - WORKERS COMP • BONDS
Jerry W. Gaines, Major spectful and evenhanded treatment.
Divisional Commander, Salvation Army Any trust placed in the Alice B. Toklas recommen¬ Attorney at Law
Golden Gate Division dations is unwarranted until they reform their process.
Boone Callaway
An opportunity Phillip Babcock
for discussion San Francisco
I appreciate the efforts which the Bay Area Re¬ Queers on the pier Personal Injury
porter has made to honestly cover all of the issues in¬ Concerning your coverage of the inauguration of Discrimination
volved in my efforts to raise questions about how the our new mayor, Willie Brown, the B.A.R. failed to
Salvation Army conducts its tax supported social ser¬ mention the fact that a 70-foot queer booth was pre¬ Medical Malpractice
vices programs. No one has questioned the many sent at the inauguration celebration at Pier 45. Relationship Agreements
good works which the Salvation Army - or, for that The booth, which featured posters and material
matter, the many other church-related social services from a wide range of community groups, was put to¬ Wrongful Eviction
agencies - do. However, the institutionalized homo¬ gether by Pat Norman, Tommi Avicolli Mecca, Mara
phobia implicit in the beliefs of many of these reli¬ Math, Eloise Magenheim, the Gay/Lesbian Historical Wills & Estate Planning
gious organizations has led to at times questionable Society of San Francisco and others. These individu¬
treatment of lesbian and gay clients. als worked tirelessly for a week to pull off this display FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION
This controversy created by the homophobic letter that also highlighted the history of queers in San Fran¬
from a Salvation Army functionary that appeared in cisco from the ’50s to the present. Gilbert Baker’s Callaway & Wolf 415.621.3988
the B.A.R. provided a golden opportunity for a serious rainbow flag crowned the booth and made it visible
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 710
thoughtful discussion of how to allow taxpayer sup¬ throughout the football field-sized shed.
port for religious affiliated social services, and protect The booth was very well received by the public. As
the rights and dignity of their clients. Instead what oc¬ a volunteer at the booth that night, I was pleased by
curred was a refusal by board members to look be¬ the response from both the straight and the queer
neath the surface of this problem and address long¬ community, including some public officials.
standing structural and institutional unfairness.
Presently, Republican-sponsored legislation is Wolf Thurmeier
under consideration to allow direct funding of church¬ San Francisco Dentistry
es themselves, regardless of discriminatory tenets. Full disclosure
This makes this discussion even more urgent.
ing It hinet rHoudmucaend Rai gfohrtms aClo rmeqmuiesssti ofnro tmo ctohen vbeonaer da atasks¬k PonTzhi ew h1i1c/h2 3r/e9a5d sB i.nA .pRa.r t:p r“i[nIt]et di s ad ilsetuttrebri nbgy toC ucortni¬s General & Cosmetic
force to look into problems and tensions existing be¬ tinually read letters...[which are not] presenting
tanwgoete neancloi ecnshe u arinncd hh emasv iainnnogdr irtsyeel ricigoliiuoesnu tscs-o.a nfTffhillieica tStse adbl evstaowtcieoiaenln A sietrrsmv riyec leii¬ss efthoneromsuege doh n deien-csfiiosdriemodna spt.i roAensl ethntoota utegionhna pbs eledrh oap ape sod pwislees ellrt-voini ctmeen attokioe pn eeiond¬¬, 450 SSuuittete 1r2 S29tr eet
gious views and the legal requirement that they not ple with HIV by presenting a biased and inadequate
discWrimhiilne aIt eu nind eprrsotvaniddi ntgh es ecrhvailcleesn.g e this issue posed aanmdo huanrtm offu iln faot rwmoartsiot.n” that may be misleading at best 982-2250
for my respected colleagues, I feel that it left us run¬ Ponzi then goes on to distort information con¬
ning in place instead of moving forward, which is our tained in one journal article to make the reader believe
rfiogrhcte acnand fdinesdt iwnya.y sI taom p rcootencfti dcehnutr cthhaets ’t hrieg hHtsR aCn dt assekt ethvaetr ,A PZoTnz ai nddo eists naont adliosgcslo wseo rthka. tH hye pios carnit iactatollryn,e hyo swit¬¬ Rudolf V. Isch, D.D.S.
reasonable standards of conduct to protect the dignity ting on the board of directors of Project Inform.
calniden rtisg. hIt s aomf lheosbpieafnu,l gtahya,t bai spexroucael sasn hda tsr abnesegne nbdeegruend Wknoouwld tnh’att itth eb ein fvoarlmuaabtiloen f tohre yH aIVre- pgoesttiitnivge isr ebaedinergs otfo¬ A Professional Corporation
that can find a workable, fair solution. fered by a member of an organization that acts as a
lobbyist for the drug companies? Union Square Location - Visa/MC & Most Insurance Accepted
Supervisor Tom Ammiano W. Fred Shaw
San Francisco San Diego, CA
BAY AREA REPORTER-January 25. 1996-PAGE 7
LETTERS
1 OWE ON OWE
%
A New Year,
A New Body. A New You! Caring and cocoa at Kaiser Touting Tavo
Let a former Mr. Florida & I have watched with interest the increasing attacks I wanted to compliment Tavo Amador on the great
Mr. San Francisco design on Northern California Kaiser as a health provider. writing job he did in his Jan. 11 B.A.R. interview with
a fitness program for you! While Kaiser may be guilty of many sins, providing Tennessee Williams’s biographer Lyle Leverich! Out¬
bonus payments to physicians for keeping down costs standing!
“I will work with you personally is not among them. Your accusers have confused Did the B.A.R. review Gore Vidal’s Palimpsest in
on a total fitness program that will Kaiser with the for-profit HMOs which sometimes similar depth? If so, I missed it and would like to read it.
promote longevity and self-esteem." employ this practice. Splendid article. Thanks.
20 Years Experience • Men Et Women of tIh ew oCrokuendt yfo or fm Naenwy yYeoarrks. wTihther eth ew eMree dtwiceallv Se otchioeut¬y DaSvaen vForna nBcriasucon
Call Kenneth B. Newman sand physicians working privately in that organization. [Longtime B.A.R. critic Daniel Mangin reviewed
The amount of competent practitioners was alarming¬ Palimpsest: A Memoir in the November 30, 1995
552-0349 • pgr# 978-6572 ly low. Heading up the grievance committee of the So¬ issue. - Ed.]
ciety, I was continually shocked by the poor level of
care by men who were trained to protect and heal us. Delaware’s fine ‘whines’
(Oddly, women physicians were never on the shit list
- they worked tirelessly to succeed at their profession.) Gee, Ron [Sapp, Letters 1/4], I can’t help but won¬
What a difference a smile Frankly, the level of care I have observed at Kaiser der if you get out much at home. Your choice of San
has far exceeded any care I have received or watched Francisco’s fine “whines” are widely available
others receive in the private sector. A friend who died throughout the U.S. and most likely any place in the
Dentistry By of AIDS was given extraordinarily expensive world you find conceit and vanity. I’m sure that you
chemotherapy and radiation treatments far past the can find any of your favorite “whines” at a bar or sex
Jim P. Const, D.D.S point I would have expected, despite the tiny chances club near you. I’ll bet that you can find one or all of
for improvement. He finally ended his treatment him¬ them anyplace you might hear someone bragging on
Cosmetic • Preventive • Restored self: Kaiser physicians never gave up in the face of the their physique to the detriment of others.
fatal prognosis. I have not ever seen the type of kind¬ I’m certain that I’m not alone in saying thanks for
ness extended to him at Kaiser in private practice. visiting San Francisco. For the most part we love to
450 Sutter Street. Suite 21 One doctor had him come in weekly, and all she share what for most of us is nirvana (warts and all).
could do for him was make him a cup of hot choco¬ However, as for myself, I would hope on your next
415 391-2559 late, which he loved. There was nothing else medical¬ visit (and I hope that it’s soon) you would be kind
- ly to do. He counted on her and would often tell me, enough to leave your own personal vintage of fine
“Oh, I must not miss my appointment!” She was “Delaware whine” at home.
MC VISA AMEX & Most Insurance Accepted dniedv eitr otonoly r ubsehceadu soer sihmep caatireendt. oNro b buosyn utos fsoere hheirm! . She SaJn.W F.r aPnactirsiccko
Does Kaiser have faults? You betcha. But if you The enemy within
want to hear criminal stories of neglect in the private
Personalized Service Through sector, I can curl your hair and turn it snow white with Jeffrey E. Auman’s Jan. 11 letter (“Anyone but Ca¬
the Legal/Insurance Maze The Law Offices of tales of horror from private care. Or go into Healing role Migden”) attacking Carole Migden should serve
Specializing in: Robert Harlan Gold Alternatives Foundation and look up the private docs as a warning to all gays! J.E. Auman is one of the
in their library and read what actual patients have most agitating, hateful, and disliked persons on both
• Employment and Sexual written. It ain’t pretty! It ranges from outright neglect Polk Street and Castro! He has done and continues to
Discrimination Free Initial Consultation to sexual molestation. Yipes! The Kaiser physicians cause great undue stress to our gay community. He is
• Personal Injury/Auto Accidents Call Today come off pretty good in these frank assessments. At what we fear the most, an enemy from within. Ask Su¬
• Contracts and Small Business least they aren’t accused of groping the patients. pervisor Angela Alioto about Jeffrey E. Auman.
Disputes [phone] The point is: Choose your doctors carefully and
• Gay Domestic Partnership know what their reputation is. There are fabulous docs William M. Davis
Issues 353 Sacramento St., Suite 1500 at Kaiser and crummy ones as well. Know before you San Francisco
• Business Debt San Francisco, California 94111 get sick who can be on your team and work success¬
Negotiation/Collection fully with you. Most of the docs I have met are pretty Universal queerdom?
passive with patients who don’t take charge of their I challenge A1 Kielwasser to name the “140 million
care. As Bemie Siegel {Love, Medicine, Miracles) countries” that he refers to in his GLAAD column,
says, “If it doesn’t say troublemaker on your medical January 11, about CompuServe.
Dr. Christopher Amore chart, you haven’t done your job as a patient!” Let’s see, there were some new galaxies in the uni¬
CHIROPRACTOR Gordon Salter verse that were recently discovered ...
CERTIFIED CHIROPRACTIC SPORTS PRACTITIONER San Francisco Imagine - queers beyond the Big Dipper. It bog¬
gles the cojoles, doesn’t it?
• Neck and bSapcekc iianljiuzriinegs i• nH eadaches * Hypocritic oath taker? SanJe Frrryan Hciaszceol
• Stress • Sports injuries • This letter is in regard to Dr. Pawlik’s response to
the ACT UP/Golden Gate protest at Kaiser Perma- [Actually, it would appear our cojoles - whatever
Massage therapy available nente on World AIDS Day. they are - were already in a state of bogglement. Our
4411 Geary Blvd., Suite 100, S.F. Dr. Pawlik, you did a poor job as my “caregiver.” apologies for the error. - Ed.]
In September of 1993 my t-cell count fell below 200.
751-BACK 751-2225 You never once discussed with me the implications of The perils of adoption
• Open until 7 p.m. • Open Saturday • this test result. It wasn’t until I saw a different doctor Although I appreciate the idealistic sentimentalities
that I was made aware of the fact that at this level I expressed by social worker Carolyn Ritchie in the De¬
should be on septra for PCP - or, for that matter, that cember 21 story on the homeless, I believe from expe¬
I was technically, according to the federal govern¬ rience that “adopting” a homeless person can be like
ment, living with full-blown AIDS. adopting a wounded rattlesnake - as soon as it’s well
BURNEY O. ALLGOOD, EA, CFP In July of 1994 I developed HLP. As it progressed you’re liable to get not gratitude but a serious bite.
CEnerrtoilflieedd AFigneanntc ial Planner isI fut hpI optuoregoshkst 8tih0t e0w HatoLs Pa1. 2bA0iz0sa yrmroegu fapocrryemcs cloorfivb ihere dpr peoerns ld.y aI y 2f,0o i0ut ntwod o4tuh0la0dt cehitoh“peSpr teiscdok moinfefgo. nTmehy ec naeenxc pksee roeiuemtn, c”t eoas s a hcsahcveeep p tbu etthesa nit t e, PdnGueca&arltEyio, gnroaetnl ti-,t
mg a day to suppress my normal herpes outbreaks, the food, and basic expenses must be paid monthly, or
Kaiser pharmacy refused to refill by prescription not. Those that can, seem to have homes - those that
when I ran out. In fact, a certain pharmacist accused can’t, remain homeless, seeking to be “adopted.”
EXPERT, COMPLETE TAX SERVICES me of selling my acyclovir on the street! When I dis¬ If a five-year-old child steals money or lies, some¬
RETIREMENT & ESTATE PLANNING cussed this with you, you told me that there was no how that’s a child learning. But what about a self-ab¬
proof that acyclovir had any effect on HLP and the sorbed 55-year old? For nearly three and a half years
690 Market Street, Suite 512 Tel: [phone] FDA had not approved it as a treatment. I “helped” a homeless man who lied; stole money,
San Francisco, CA 94104 Fax: [phone] Furthermore you told me that I should try to make jewelry, and clothes; violated trust; and then went off
do with one 200 mg dose of acyclovir per day. I told again to skip down Castro Street with a harmonica
you that I had found the higher dosage to be extreme¬ and cardboard box, or a clipboard from a “church” so¬
ly effective against HLP and that even 200 mg twice a liciting donations to “help the homeless,” but in actu¬
PROJECT... day was occasionally ineffective against my normal ality to support his heroin addiction.
herpes outbreaks. You ignored my anecdotal evi¬ Well-intentioned strangers give this person (and
dence, and stated that I would have to make do with others like him) money, perhaps ignorant (as I once
Now is the perfect time to what you prescribed. In tears I begged you for more was) to what the money is really used for, or the string
permanently remove unwanted hair. acyclovir to control the HLP and the herpes. You fi¬ of human beings left along the line that tried to help
► smooth chest nally agreed. However, there was one condition: I had and were robbed, lied to, and abused by them with the
► clear back and shoulders to pYayou f ocra ltlheed amcyyc lporveisrc roiuptt ioofn miny toow Wn aplogcrekeent.’ s. You “FePele rshoarprys iffo irt mwee.r eIn’m’t shoo meaeslye sfso”r rsooumtien est.r eet people
► personal areas did not write me a prescription, as I could have taken to receive money from well-intentioned - but naive -
that to Kaiser and had it filled for the $10 co-pay; you benefactors, it wouldn’t be so easy for them to buy the
Sterile, disposable surgical deliberately forced me to pay cash for this drug. This drugs that keep them living on the streets, and “bot¬
gold probes. drug cost almost $200 per 30-day supply. You pun¬ tom out,” as the 12-step programs put it, instead.
ished me, monetarily, for questioning your orders. Ms. Ritchie may mean well, but adopting children
Feel confident that your body is This is just one instance of your compassionate is one thing - “adopting” adults is like taking in the
clear & smooth caregiving. wolf in sheep’s clothing. Charity groups have recom¬
Admittedly I had the choice of switching doctors, mended if you feel like helping the homeless, donate
Complimentary consultation and, in fact, a certain Dr. Metz in dermatology finally money, food, or clothing to places like Glide, St. An¬
agreed to prescribe the acyclovir specifically to sup¬ thony’s, or shelters, but bringing a homeless person
s [phone] press the HLP. But doctor, I had been your patient for into your home can be both dangerous and disillu¬
Randall Stephens, R.E. several years. I wanted to work with you. I needed sioning.
California State ALpipcreonvseed db yR tehgei Astmereeridc aEn lMecetdrioclaol gAisssto •c ia1t5io Yn ears Experience yfeorueTrd h gsaucniokdr anyn oacune. d a Dnpdru. nhPiesahlpwm.l eiIknn,st .tf eoard ,s paet aykoiunrg hoauntd. sY, oI us’uvf¬e o“cr ywInnai cnsatp lit,to”e baoesf l ihIe ovowen ciIet w ccaiasnlh lweeddo ritkth weomuotu,, ltdph reho avwveaedr wntrionurgek.s e Mod foa tunhtye,
provided me with the profound satisfaction of rebuk¬ homeless are learning the karma of abusing others and
ing a hypocrite. T. R. Goynes “burning their bridges behind them.” Anand
San Jose San Francisco
550-B Castro Street • San Francisco, California 94114
PAGE 8-BAY AREA REPORTER-January 25. 1996
WAYNE FRIDAY
Stanley E. Ayers, D.D.S.
Capitol Gains
Cjenetxif (Cosmetic &£)entistry
[phone]
and Losses 450 Sutter Street • Suite 2320 • San Francisco
T f-^rouJfy jS'erring
he Republicans have taken III Photo and Design: Franco, Doug for RAM Studios
over the California Assem¬
bly for the first time in
decades, and the once- &
mighty Democrats aren’t happy
campers. Sacramento political ob¬
servers are quietly chuckling at Litigation
the Democrats’ discomfort, partic¬ Business Laiv
ularly at those Dems who held im¬
portant committee posts in the Real Estate
days of Speaker Willie Brown. Estate Planning
Probate
Commentary
Yes, Democrats now find
themselves in the minority, and
though many knew they were in
for a drubbing, that hasn’t stopped | Goldstein, Gellman, Melbostad & Gibson
them from complaining bitterly
this week as they watched new (Attorneys at laW
Republican Assembly Speaker
Curt Pringle of Garden Grove, an 100 Van Ness
archconservative, dump them
from their remaining 13 commit¬ 21st Floor
tiene t hceh aoinrmcea Dnsehmiposc.r Aatlilc c-doommminitateteeds San Francisco •s*
Assembly are now headed by Re¬ California Call Paul H. Melbostad
publicans, and to add insult to in¬ 94102 415-621-5600
jury, Democrats were plopped into
a lottery system last week to pick
their new offices - naturally the
smallest and least desirable digs in
the Capitol. Weekend retreats in a beautiful rural
On the most powerful Assem¬ Republican opponent in the No¬ and Dornan have,” a statement setting in the San Francisco Bay Area
wbloyu ndc oump mwiittthe egs,e neRroeupsu mblaicjoarni¬s vemInb eort hgeern eleragli selaleticvtieo nra. ces of in¬ Rfriogmh tMs Cs.a Gmipnagirginch m aanidn ttahien sH. uman for gay men age 40 and beyond
ties of 13-8 on Budget and Appro¬ terest to San Franciscans, long¬ On a trip to Beijing last week.
priations and 8-4 on Governmen¬ time political hack Lou Papan Senator Dianne Feinstein was
tal Organization- the two panels could be headed for a political only one of a larger congressional
that draw the heaviest political comeback in the 19th District. delegation, but it was clearly DiFi
contributions for their members. Congresswomen Nancy Pelosi who was the star of the group. Call [phone] or write to Men
Clearly, the Republicans are now (D-SF) and Lynn Woolsey (D- When the current Chinese Presi¬ Over Forty, 4104 - 24th Street, Suite
firmly in control of the Assembly Marin) should have little trouble dent Jiang Zemin was mayor of 309, San Francisco, CA 94114
despite their razor-thin majority. with their November GOP oppo¬ Shanghai, he was once a guest at
Among the front-burner issues nents. In the 12th District, incum¬ then-Mayor Feinstein’s San Fran¬ Retreats led by David Silven, Ph.D.
of the new GOP-run body are such bent Democrat Tom Lantos cisco home, and the two, despite
controversial ones as a law requir¬ should easily defeat Republican many differences, have remained
ing voters to show a photo ID at Storm Jenkins. However, Jenkins friends. Feinstein, long an advo¬
the polls, another that would per¬ is a good campaigner, and many cate of Chinese-American rela¬
mit paddling of juvenile graffiti of Lantos’s own supporters pri¬ tions, recognizes the importance
vandals, a proposal approved this vately feel it is about time for the of a more “positive relationship” Gold Country-Sierra Foothills
week by the Republicans that will veteran Democrat to retire. with the world’s most populous
allow the continued use of methyl And speaking of Washington country, saying that “here’s the
cbirdoem gidase u(sae dh bigyh flyar mtoexrisc) , iannsde cstoi¬¬ rpeocleitnictloys ,c oSnpgeraakteurl aNteedw ht iGs iknigd rsiicsh¬ lbaurtg tehset cporuesnitdryen itn [tJhiaen egn]t ihraes w noervledr, Call Tim Dials
cial legislation certain to generate ter Candace on her television been to Washington for a state for
controversy, such as a measure debut, playing the (bit) part of a visit. What the American people
that would prevent California minister officiating at a lesbian have to begin to understand is the Calaveras County
from recognizing same-sex mar¬ wedding on a recent Friends. importance of this relationship. It
riages performed in other states. Newt said, “I’m delighted that she is important for peace; it is impor¬ Real Estate
There’s no doubt about it: Re¬ is a success” and noted that he tant for security; it is also impor¬
plouwbleirc ahnosu asree lnoocwk, inst coocnkt raonl do fb tahr¬e a“lwsoh o habse loanngost hetor stihsete rC, hSriusstaiann, tantA fno ru encuosnuoalmlyi cb witteelrl -fbigeihntg g.”o ing [phone]
rel, and the Democrats have no Coalition, who has not been ap¬ on for seats on the Democratic
choice but to tough it out - at least proached about doing a situation County Central Committee in the
until the next election. However, comedy.” Gee, Newt, maybe March primary. Why? The power¬ Coldwell Banker
don’t feel too sorry for the Dems. Ralph Reed could use her in one ful committee can now endorse in Fikes & Associates
As one senior Sacramento journal¬ of his anti-abortion docs. even “non-partisan” races. Calaveras County, CA
ist put it this week, “Republicans As for Candace, well, she’s Friends and important en¬
are doing nothing to Democrats about to hit the road on behalf of dorsers (Supes Leal, Alioto and
under the new GOP regime other the Human Rights Campaign in Kaufman; Judges Julie Tang and
than what former Speaker Willie hopes of ridding Congress of anti¬ Lillian Sing; Commissioners
Brown did to Republicans over gay lawmakers in the November Tom Horn, Pat Norman, Jon
and over during his 14-year election. Ms. Gingrich and the Henry Kouba, Bob Ross and
reign.” HRC will target some 150 con¬ Eileen Hansen; respected ac¬
gressional races in 40 states where tivists Phyllis Lyon and Del Mar¬
Politics anti-gay members now hold tin, Tim Wolfred, Larry Ep-
and People power. “The entire U.S. House is pinette, and others) are celebrat¬
up for re-election this year, and I ing Municipal Court judge candi¬
Soon-to-be assemblyperson think the Congress that was voted date Kay Tsenin’s birthday by
and current Supe Carole Migden into office in 1994 is largely un¬ giving her a reception/fundraiser
told the Chron’s Matier & Ross friendly to gays as far as equal January 31,6-8 p.m., at 1848 Pine The
that she’s already scouting out protection and is not committed to St. Donations of $25, $50 or what¬
digs in Sacramento. She wants “a fighting against AIDS. So we need ever are requested. Call 668-0410 ilOG & flMRKCT
ccoarnpdeot [o!r] aapndar tam benigt TwVit hn eaa rs hthage taog amina,”k es hes uerxep liat indso. esn’t happen for NmYoCre iMnfaoyrmora tRiound. y Giuliani, inunDRomm
Capitol and near a salad bar.” This Although Candace says she who refused to let the controver¬
prompted a phone call to me from particularly wants to oust homo¬ sial, headline-grabbing Reverend
a lesbian, no fan of Migden’s, who phobes like Jesse Helms and Bob A1 Sharpton and his supporters
quipped, “Knowing Carole’s ego, Dornan, her brother Newt isn’t on close down the heavily-traveled
she will probably have one of her her hit list, though he has often Brooklyn Bridge last week for a at 262 Noe is now open for good,
aflbaocukts t hec oanvatailcatb il[itPye otef] t heW goilvseor¬n avnotiic-egda yh isd iospcrpiomsiintiaotnio tno ala wfe dearnadl tmina rLchu thhoenro rKiningg t,h eis ltahtee Dsoru. rMcea ro¬f o Our business hours are **•
nor’s mansion.” has compared homosexuality to this Quote of the Week. When a oo 7:00am to IO:OOpm
runnMiniggd eunn,o pinpcoisdeedn tianl lyth, e wMilla rcbhe galrcicohh olhiassmn.’ t“ Wbeheinle sSuppepaokretirv eG ino¬f rweapsonr’tte ra waasrkee dth atht eS hmarapytoonr hifa dh ea o seven days a week °°
t2i6o nD etmo octhraet icr epmriaminadrye r foor fe leDc¬a ethquusa l fapr,r ohteec thioasn nfootr tgaakye n peevoeprlye siniz aNbelew foYlolorwk ipnogl iacnyd, Gthiuusl iaa nvio irce¬e Don't forg°e t weChl. ave the tw°o high speed
Mayor’s term in the 13th District. single opportunity and turned it sponded: “David Duke had a fol¬ centrifuges which save you money and time!
She faces a showdown with her into gay bashing, which Helms lowing, so what?” T
BAY AREA REPORTER-January 25, 1996-PAGE 9
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For my tax money, anyone whose pire to values higher than the low¬
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| da Pale Dept.: I guess subsidize should be self-motivat¬ Nonetheless, I could not live with
j Chico State University ing. I realize, though, that for me myself as a human being if I did
Glenn G. Griffo I can’t decide whether it to hope California college gradu- not take the reported-upon phe¬
Do you want me to create the right NF 0 PT 1st Class Certified Affiliate wants to be a party school or a nomena as evidence that some cul¬
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My 8 years of experience an affirmative action director - re¬ vocate of “human rights” can ex¬
and dedication will help you! Call About My Services cently caused an advertisement for cuse these practices in any way,
The Most [phone] three teaching positions to be ates will have skills commensu¬ shape or form - multicultural ism
Professional changed so that it sought “excel¬ rate with the jobs (and salaries) be damned.
Guidance Available lent” instead of “dynamic” class¬ they expect, the state universities
room teachers. They found this lat¬ need professors who can coax Political superstitions
PROTECT YOUR LOVED ONES ter adjective objectionable because their attention. Spiegel’s alterna¬ Actually, I do know how pop
- get this - “dynamic” implies a tive: “small campus discussion” to progressivism can reconcile
“kinetic, dramatic style. As many “teach our students to respect a vague, lesbian/feminist-flavored
■ Revocable Living Trusts ■ Wills members of minori¬ catch phrases with
ty groups are not as¬ its spineless,
■ Probates/Probate Avoidance sociated with this feel-good distaste
■ Estate Planning ■ Since 1979 style, and as many “Like it or not, the for making moral
women - particular¬ judgments about
John R. Braun, Attorney ly ‘ladylike’ women different cultures:
240 Stockton St. On Union Square - do not go in for pop progressivists through a pair of po¬
this style,” they litical superstitions.
415-956-1373 claimed the job pa¬ among us have some One superstition, in
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HMO Runaround? Not here. Foot Clinic the classroom. This would have to “summit people”) have tradition¬
• CMEvuCestn/oVinmIgS AHAro/cCuh rrDse-deFivtri ecpeel asP na rking_ _(411 5G1r0an) d4O A6avke5l.a -(nbFdy EthEe lTak e) cEtSeopsamciceahegli eanalng’sts e ns,d teeywfliewsn ih-ttioo o n“es dtoruaefnc sdaaoti rondtrgey dnJo aamnim tiocae tsvhuaarretMi’e,l tlyy e w ltioaotifkrs kett e -aao cnnahd si tnihfEgi!s u sritosyc.l eeIns’.tm”ri cYq: euaiinht¬e, ag(at lrhnleyeea wt“ebv,r ae imlewlnepi ysr doopovvemeeodrp rlsoeeopf”c r)ie tehwsteyei .ln ln teuodsnh,- eerlt ihitnee
Twilight Sedation Dr. Ron Worley Podiatrist-Director
"Refer Somorte You Love" desk and entertaining” - to turn stead of respecting diverse cultur¬ The part these cultural prac¬
OVER 20 YEARS SERVICE TO THE LESBIAN & GAY COMMUNITY underachieving LA barrio high al learning styles, I’m demanding tices play in a more just society is
'Does not include x-rays, trimming nails, corns or calluses, prescriptions, supplies b a complete exam. that students “assimilate” into a beyond me. But the second super¬
traditional academic culture of stition purports to explain that.
(gasp!) paying attention to teach¬ Non-assimilated minorities are ex¬
ers and learning! How very hierar¬ pected to develop first a group po¬
chical! Instead, I should realize litical identity, then a superidenti¬
The results are in. that because many Americans ty as part of an all-minority coali¬
have college diplomas, that’s a tion. Then, once minorities are the
privilege which should be accessi¬ majority in California and the
ble without accommodation to the U.S., women and queers will
culture of working to earn one. share power, because our fellow
minorities will magically respect
Culturally appropriate us and our culture as equal to
Top Agents - 1995 Yes, I’m leading back to last theirs, in true multicultural fash¬
summer, when my skepticism of ion. Though most immigrants
#7 Sales & Listing Team - 1995 the Freedom Day Parade theme of come from macho or Confucian
“A World Without Borders” re¬ cultures, the “pan-minority” iden¬
sulted in this paper receiving a tity that unites all oppressed peo¬
highly critical letter which advo¬ ples in America will supersede
cated high levels of immigration these family-oriented cultural her¬
to California by people intent on itages without all that annoying
avoiding cultural assimilation. assimilation.
It’s simple. Last month, the Chronicle and Ex¬ As if! Like it or not, the pop
aminer each ran an article in the progressivists among us have
same Sunday edition about immi¬ some uncomfortable clues to get -
With everyday ingredients grants taking “culturally appropri¬ one being that the new voters with
ate” steps to resist assimilation, which they’d like to stack the deck
especially to prevent their daugh¬ could vote for sexism and homo¬
ters’ assimilation. The Chronicle phobia (which makes those fan¬
like hard work, knowledge, article was about Muslims in the tasies of a Chicano militia re¬
Bay Area who keep their preteen claiming parts of California for
daughters out of school to protect Mexico kind of scary, eh?). An¬
honesty, service, integrity, them from “corrupting Western other clue is that Hyphenated
influences,” the Examiner’s about Americanism has much to recom¬
African and Middle Eastern immi¬ mend it, like the common base
fire-fighting, creativity, grants acting to prevent their identity that makes diversity
daughters becoming “wild Ameri¬ work. Both Irish-Americans and
cans” by introducing into the African-Americans, for example,
stick-to-it-iveness, sincerity, United States the practice of fe¬ differ from their Old World coun¬
male genital mutilation. terparts in ways that benefit both
The correct political line themselves and the whole. Beats
which we lesbians are supposed the hell out of multiple Quebec
caring and a little humor... to espouse, as part of the progres¬ question syndrome.
sive “community” (if I may co¬ Even if the demand for Ameri¬
opt the smarmy misuse of a per¬ ca’s goodies weren’t beginning to
results happen. fectly good word), is that all cul¬ exceed supply, there’s still the
tures are equally valid and posi¬ matter of people wanting the
tive, making value judgments Western paycheck without the
Trust us. about another culture is oppres¬ Western values of the rights and
sive, and cultural value judgments dignity of the individual - values
by Europeans or Euro-Americans upon which female and lesbian
are especially elitist, inappropri¬ freedom depend. If cultural values
ate and imperialistic. To quote the are not all relative, then the ques¬
Jim & Rick Chronicle article: “Even some tion is who sets the standards. Any
feminists raised in the Muslim lesbian who dares will be branded
tradition hesitate to condemn the an elitist, culturally biased, dis¬
JIM BEITZEL • RICK OLDS practice of keeping girls from criminatory. Fortunately, some of
school. They say that families us care enough about our rights
have a right to preserve their own and survival to insist on standards
ZEPHYR REAL ESTATE • 4200 17th St • San Francisco • CA 94114 • Phone: [phone] • Ext. 143 or 134 cultural island in the hostile sea of and our having a say in setting
secular America.” them. T
PAGE 10-BAY AREA REPORTER-January 25. 1996