S E P T E M B E R 2 2 2 0 1 7 V O LU M E 0 1 I S S U E 1 4 A M E R I C A S LG B TQ N E W S S O U R C E LO S A N G E L E S B L A D E .

C O M

You have
to keep
ghting
VALERIE JARRETT ON LIFE AFTER THE
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, PAGE 10

THE SEASONS BEST IN TV, FILM AND MORE. PAGES 29-39

 Honda of Hollywood
The customer is always the star!
Honda of Hollywood has new management and a whole new attitude.
That means big savings for you! Weve got a huge inventory so we
can give your family the best deals, like this brand new 2017 Honda Civic.

2017 Honda Civic

You will get a great deal and have an amazing experience!

Were your number one Honda dealer in customer satisfaction.

6511 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90038 | 323-466-3247 | hondaofhollywood.com

0 4 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017 W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM LO CA L N E W S

Protesters accuse Pelosi of using them as bargaining chip

California attorney general
les suit to stop the wall

By KAREN OCAMB
kocamb@losangelesblade.com

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi

was shaking as about 50 young protesters
shouted her down at a news conference in
San Francisco Sept. 18. Pelosi had called
for the quick passage of a legislative x
to the Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals program, instead of shutting it
down completely and deporting hundreds
of thousands of young people brought to
House Minority Leader NANCY PELOSI was
the U.S. illegally as children, as President shouted down this week.
Trump has called for in six months. PHOTO COURTESY OF DOUG SOVERN
Pelosi and one-time Trump New York
friend, Senate Minority Leader Charles E.
Schumer, met with Trump to negotiate
a deal, a DACA x in exchange for more
border enforcement, minus money to build
Trumps promised wall on the Mexican
border. The protesters were upset the
Democrats negotiated with Trump at all.
We are not your bargaining chip,
the demonstrators, many young DACA
recipients, shouted at Pelosi. All of us or
none of us, they chanted, calling for a
pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11
million undocumented immigrants in the US.
I understand their frustration, Im
excited by it as a matter of fact, but the
fact is theyre completely wrong. The
Democrats are the ones who stopped
PRESIDENT TRUMPs border wall and eorts
their assault on sanctuary cities, stopped to kill DACA are inspiring protests around the
country.
the wall, the increased deportations in our
last bill that was at the end of April, and we BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

are determined to get Republicans votes

to pass the clean Dream Act. Is it possible
to pass a bill without some border
security? Well well have to see. We didnt
agree to anything in that regard, except to
listen, Pelosi told reporters afterwards.
But Trump has the signature.
Pelosi expounded on the issue at
another news conference at Sacramento
State. We have commitment to [passing
the DREAM Act] in a bipartisan way, Pelosi Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris lawsuit in federal court in San Diego to
said. This is just the rst step. We must also support the bill, which would include a block Trumps border wall.
have comprehensive immigration reform pathway to citizenship for those who work, Theyre violating the Tenth Amendment
to protect everyone. study or serve in the militarywithout the and infringing on a lot of state laws, not just
The DREAM Act is a bipartisan bill with co- wall or increased deportations federal laws, that aect our state. At the
sponsors Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham Meanwhile, on Sept. 20, California
and Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra led a CONTINUES ON PAGE 15
 WE FOCUS ON HIV
TO HELP YOU FOCUS ON

TODAY
Ask your doctor if a medicine made by Gilead is right for you.
onepillchoices.com
2015 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. UNBC1851 03/15

UNBC1851_ML2_10x10_LABlade_p2.indd 1 7/21/17 10:20 AM

0 6 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017
Equality California celebrates progressive values at LA gala
Rep. Schi says arc of
moral universe not bending
toward justice now
By KAREN OCAMB
kocamb@losangelesblade.com
There was a marked pep in the steps of
California lawmakers as they celebrated the
Equality California Equality Awards Sept.
16, at the J.W. Marriott @LA Live. They were
still exuberant from passing progressive
legislation until 2:00am that not only gave
a big blue middle nger to Donald Trump
and his alt-right-based administration
but stiened the spine of Democratic
compassion, inclusivity, equality and
fairness as a model for the resistance.
Among the slew of important bills
headed to Gov. Browns desk for signature
were six key bills sponsored by Equality
California, including legislation to reform
the states sex oender registry, an HIV
decriminalization bill and legislation
protecting LGBT seniors in long-term
facilities that has the far right frazzled.
Networking noise and bad audio initially
made it dicult to hear the speakers.
But then Conrad Ricamora, who plays
an out, HIV-positive character on ABCs
How to Get Away With Murder, stopped
and turned away from the microphone,
choking up during his speech accepting
the Equality Visibility Award. Co-star
Viola Davis had given him advice to just
be himself, show your humanity. Show
people you dont have it all together.
Ricamora took her adviceand the
room silenced as he shared the irony
of being given a visibility award when
hed spent so much of his life growing
up in a small townNiceville, Florida,
just south of the Alabama bordertrying
to be invisible as a budding young gay
Filipino. The traumatic situation of feeling
something really shitty that happened
still has ramications, he said, which is
why its all the more important to stand up
W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM
Equality California executive director RICK ZBUR with California State Sen. KEVIN DE LEON at
Equality California Equality Awards in LA on Sept. 16
and be visible, for the young people like he
was still struggling in the darkness.
We exist! LGBT people exist! from Los
Angeles to the Deep South, he said. Its
important to tell young gay men that
its OK to be themselves. Theres nothing
wrong with being sensitive.
It was as if the room remembered why
everyone was there, exploding in applause
as Ricamora concluded. He wasnt just a
cool young gay TV star adding a touch of
Hollywood glamour before Sharon Stone
snatched away simple sanityRicamora
spoke to the heart of every little kid whos
been bullied, shamed into silence and still
hurts remembering the trauma. He also
represented the courage and power of
choosing the light of authenticity instead
of the darkness.
Laurie Hasencamp and Mike Lurey were
honored with the Ally Leadership Award.
Hasencamp has known Equality California
executive director Rick Zbur since the two
worked together at Lathan & Watkins,
where she practiced bankruptcy law.
Hasencamp basically saved and stabilized
Equality California after a tumultuous
period by stepping up to serve as interim
director in 2012 for 10 months until John
OConner was hired as the new ED.
LOS ANGELES BLADE PHOTO BY KAREN OCAMB
Stone was honored for her commitment
to ghting HIV/AIDS that lasted two
decades. Presenting Stone with the
Equality Activist were event Co-Chairs LA.
City Council member Mitch OFarrell and
HIV-positive West Hollywood Mayor Pro
Tem John Duran, who gushed over Stone,
saying gay men just want to BE her.
Stone took the audience on a thoughtful
journey, a Word/Cloud stream of
consciousness about equality for all and
who then determines who is superior and
who is less than.
This is not the principle I understood
when I read the Constitution, she said. Im
like thatI read things. I dont just tweet
them. That was greeted with whoops
and wild applause. Stone mimicked her
graveled-voice adopted grandmother
who, in between drags on a cigarette, used
to say gay people are the better people.
She closed noting that when she started
her career, people called her a bitch. Now,
she said, its Miss Bitch.
Rep. Adam Schi, who delivered the
keynote address, was received as a
political rock star and a truth-teller about
the horrors of the Trump presidency.
For millions of Americans who had
taken to the streets, the willingness of
LO CA L N E W S
some of our fellow citizens to embrace
the divisive policies of this administration
was a revelation. Not so for the LGBTQ
community, Schi said. To the leaders
and members of Equality California, the
reawakening and the reemergence of
the hatred we have seen over the last six
months is no revelation. But it is, however,
a profound call to action, Schi said.
The moral arc of the universe is long but
tonight does not bend toward justice. And
it will not bend, not of its own accord, not
unless we grab on with both hands and we
pull. All of us, together. Bill Clinton once
said theres nothing wrong in America that
cannot be cured by whats right in America.
And you, my local friends, are whats right
in America. You are tolerance, you are
tenacity in the service of a just cause and
you are loving. And we are going to get
through this. All of us, pulling together.
Zbur placed Equality California squarely
in the middle of this ght, noting that
the organization sponsored 15 pieces of
legislation this year, more than any other
time in our history. Among them is SB 384,
a bill to reform the sex oender registry
and correct an antiquated injustice when
LGBT people were arrested for holding
hands and kissing in the park, which
society viewed as lewd conduct. A lifetime
on the sex oender registry ruined lives.
This bill was written by law enforcement
and supported by rape crisis advocates
because they know we need a sex oender
registry system that actually works to
protect people from those who pose
a signicant risk of committing sexual
violence, bill author Sen. Scott Wiener said
in a press release. Our current registry
system is broken and burdensome for law
enforcement to use, and wastes resources
by requiring law enforcement to monitor
low-level oenders who pose little to no
risk of committing any crime.
The bills were doing are meaty, required
and important, said Zbur. We have so
much work to do, and Equality California
will keep working until the work is done.
0 8 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017 W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM LO CA L N E W S

Los Angeles Equality California Dinner in pictures

Some of the happy people connecting at the Equality California Equality Awards gala in LA on Sept. 16.
LOS ANGELES BLADE PHOTOS BY KAREN OCAMB

Rep. ADAM SCHIFF delivering the keynote

address.

RICK ZBUR with National Political Director

AIDS activist and Equality Activist honoree SHARON STONE. VALERIE PLOUMPIS. Visibility Award honoree CONRAD RICAMORA.

Black Men Honoring Black Women

The Black AIDS Institutes 16thAnnual Heroes in the Struggle Awards was held on Sept.
16 at the 20th Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles. This years theme was Black Men
Honoring Black Women, emceed byactor and Institute Board Member Jussie Smollett.
Black women are the single most important engine in the survival of Black people,
including with HIV/AIDS, said Phill Wilson, president and CEO of the Black AIDS Institute.
This event helps raise awareness about the devastating impact AIDS continues to have
on Black women and the opportunities we have to turn that around if Black men and
women work together.
PHOTOS BY STEVEN WILLIAMS

VANESSA WILLIAMS PHILL WILSON & SINGER LEDISI

JENNIA FREDRIQUE APONTE TARAJI P. HENSON & JUSSIE SMOLLETT LAVERNE COX GINA BELEFONTE
 #1 IN CALIFORNIA,
#1 IN AMERICA,
46 LOCATIONS
TO SERVE
YOU!

NOW THRU MONDAY SEPTEMBER 25TH

34 off % 34 MONTHS

PLUS
NO INTEREST* NO DOWN PAYMENT
NO MINIMUM PURCHASE
On purchases with your Ashley Advantage credit card made between 9/12/2017 to 9/25/2017. Equal monthly
payments required for 34 months Ashley HomeStore does not require a down payment, however, sales tax and
delivery charges are due at time of purchase. See below for details.

BURBANK LAGUNA HILLS MONTCLAIR OXNARD SAN MARCOS WEST COVINA

East of the 5 Just North of Located South Located in the Market Place 1050 Los Vallecitos Blvd Located in the
Exit Burbank Blvd the Laguna Hills Mall of Montclair Plaza at Oxnard Shopping Center San Marcos, CA 92069 Eastland Shopping Center
401 N. 1st St 24001 El Toro Rd 5055 S. Montclair Plaza Ln 1721 E Ventura Blvd 760-304-0080 2753 E Eastland Ctr Dr #2050
Burbank, CA 91502 Laguna Hills, CA 92653 Montclair, CA 91763 Oxnard, CA 93036 West Covina, CA 91791
SANTA ANA
818-840-5620 949-461-0829 909-625-4420 805-981-0284 626-938-1480
Located in the
COLTON PALMDALE Westfield MainPlace Mall YORBA LINDA
NOW Next to our Factory LONG BEACH MURRIETA 2800 N Main St., #2100
West of the 605 Across from the AV Mall Just North of Fwy 91
855 Ashley Way 25125 Madison Ave Santa Ana, CA 92705
in Long Beach 39626 10th St West 22705 Savi Ranch Pkwy

HIRING!
Colton, CA 92324 Murrieta, CA 92562 714-558-5300
Towne Center Palmdale, CA 93551 Yorba Linda, CA 92887
909-433-5303 951-894-7988 SANTA CLARITA
7410 Carson Blvd 661-225-9410 714-363-9900
FOUNTAIN VALLEY Center Point Market Place
Sales Just East of 405 Fwy
Long Beach, CA 90808
562-766-2050
NORTHRIDGE
Just East of the
PALM DESERT Across From Sams Club
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK:
Associates 18060 Euclid St
Fountain Valley, CA 92708 LOS ANGELES
Northridge Mall
Desert Gateway Plaza
34740 Monterey Ave
and Super Walmart
26520 Carl Boyer Dr Monday - Sunday 10am - 9pm
714-549-3200 9301 Tampa Ave, Ste 1401 Palm Desert, CA 92211 Santa Clarita, CA 91350
South of the 10,
HAWTHORNE Exit Convention Center Northridge, CA 91324 760-202-3052 661-284-7200 Se Habla Espaol
1810 S Broadway 818-717-1740 SAN DIEGO VICTORVILLE
East of 405,
Rosecrans Exit Los Angeles, CA 90015 7770 Miramar Road North of Victor Valley Mall
14600 Ocean Gate Ave 213-745-2980 San Diego, CA 92126 12704 Amargosa Rd
Hawthorne, CA 90250 858-408-1701 Victorville, CA 92392
310-349-2083 760-261-5386 www.AshleyHomeStore.com

*Offer applies only to single-receipt qualifying purchases. Ashley HomeStore does not require a down payment, however, sales tax and delivery charges are due at time of purchase if the purchase is made with your Ashley Advantage Credit Card. No interest will be charged on
promo purchase and equal monthly payments are required equal to initial promo purchase amount divided equally by the number of months in promo period until promo is paid in full. The equal monthly payment will be rounded to the next highest whole dollar and may be higher
than the minimum payment that would be required if the purchase was a non-promotional purchase. Regular account terms apply to non-promotional purchases. For new accounts: Purchase APR is 29.99%; Minimum Interest Charge is $2. Existing cardholders should see their credit
card agreement for their applicable terms. Promotional purchases of merchandise will be charged to account when merchandise is delivered. Subject to credit approval. Monthly payment shown is equal to the purchase price, excluding taxes and delivery, divided by the number of
months in the promo period, rounded to the next highest whole dollar, and only applies to the selected financing option shown. If you make your payments by the due date each month, the monthly payment shown should allow you to pay off this purchase within the promo period if
this balance is the only balance on your account during the promo period. If you have other balances on your account, this monthly payment will be added to the minimum payment applicable to those balances.
Previous purchases excluded. Cannot be combined with any other promotion or discount. Discount offers exclude Tempur-Pedic, Stearns & Foster, Sealy Optimum and Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid mattress sets, floor models, clearance items, sales tax, furniture protection plans,
warranty, delivery fee, Managers Special pricing, Advertised Special pricing, and 14 Piece Packages and cannot be combined with financing specials. Effective 12/30/15, all mattress and box springs are subject to an $11 per unit CA recycling fee. SEE STORE FOR DETAILS. Stoneledge
Furniture LLC. many times has multiple offers, promotions, discounts and financing specials occurring at the same time; these are allowed to only be used either/or and not both or combined with each other. Although every precaution is taken, errors in price and/or specification
may occur in print. We reserve the right to correct any such errors. Picture may not represent item exactly as shown, advertised items may not be on display at all locations. Some restrictions may apply. Available only at participating locations. DURABLEND upholstery products
feature a seating area made up of a combination of Polyurethane and/or PVC, Polycotton, and at least 17% Leather Shavings with a skillfully matched combination of Polycotton and Polyurethane and/or PVC everywhere else. **Leather Match upholstery features top-grain leather
in the seating areas and skillfully matched vinyl everywhere else. Ashley HomeStores are independently owned and operated. 2017 Ashley HomeStores, Ltd. Promotional Start Date: September 12, 2017. Expires: September 25, 2017.
1 0 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017
Valerie Jarrett: Our democracy is worth ghting for
Former Obama senior
advisor keeping her
eye on the long view
By KAREN OCAMB
kocamb@losangelesblade.com
Talking with Valerie Jarrett, the former
Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama,
is surreal. On this day, Sept. 19, a day lled
with such powerful natural and political
thunderclaps, the news is deafening: a
massive 7.1 earthquake shakes Mexico
City; Maria, the third massive hurricane
in a row to hit the Caribbean, becomes a
Category 5; Senate Republicans scramble
to repeal the Aordable Care Act; Special
Prosecutor Bob Muellers investigation into
Russias cyber warfare and interference
in the 2016 elections intensies; and
President Donald Trump lectures the
U.N. about national sovereignty, then
threatens to totally destroy North Korea,
bringing the U.S. the closest to nuclear war
since perhaps the Cuban Missile Crisis in
October 1962.
The pall of hatred cast over America
during Trumps dark inauguration speech
has descended in seven months to become
like the thick, choking smog of China. Its
hard to see each other through the billowing
exhaust of white supremacy. Everyones
afraid as LGBT rights and black lives and
immigrant promises are blocked from the
sun with a shrug from the White House.
Valerie Jarrett is a breath of fresh
air, a patch of blue. In advance of her
appearance at the Los Angeles LGBT
Centers 48th Anniversary Vanguard
Awards at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday,
Sept. 28, Jarrett speaks candidly about the
election consequences and keeping an eye
on the prize of justice and equality for all.
Obviously, I disagree with the
dismantling of many of the important
measures that President Obama put in
place to create an even playing eld and
advocate for civil rights for Americans,
W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM CO V E R ST O RY
Jarrett says in a phone interview. But
elections have consequences. I dont think
we should be surprised about the steps
the administration is taking. Thats why
President Obama campaigned so hard
for Sec. Clinton. And he expressed quite
clearly during the campaign what was at
stake here.
But we are where we are, says the
longtime advocate for civil rights and
equality. I try to be a force for good. I try
to highlight the positive steps we can take
to create a fair and more just country. And I
also try to take the long view and know that
our democracy is messy but you cant give
up. You have to just keep ghting.
But many LGBT people, especially
millennials, are still in shock: how can
fundamental rights be revoked?
Well, this is the challenge. You can
never take equal rights for granted.
You have to constantly reinforce their
importance. And we can never aord
to become complacent. It is a real blow,
particularly to young people who grew up
with President Obama ghting on their
behalf, Jarrett says. But part of the lesson
here is that we all have a responsibility, a
collective and an individual responsibility,
to ght for what is just and what is right.
Jarrett say she is heartened to see so
many people running for oce, showing
up for city council meetings, becoming
active in their communities.
Thats the bright light for us all to
seepeople who are willing to turn their
outrage and their frustration and their
anger into constructive action to ght for
justice, she says. Im just heartened to
see so many young people who are rolling
up their sleeves and engaging in their local
communities. They are constructive forces
for good. We cant allow our frustration
or our discouragement to paralyze us. It
should motivate us to take action.
It is imperative to take the long view.
The arc of the moral universe is long, but it
VALERIE JARRETT, a staunch ally, speaks candidly about the hurdles LGBTQ people face after Obama.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JARRETT CONTINUES ON PAGE 14
Local Bears
Born This
Way.
Follow @WeHoCity for alerts
on rallies where artists inspire
and prides on fire.

Lady Gaga and

Elton John Popup
Concert on the City of West Hollywood
California 1984
Sunset Strip
1 2 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017
Impulse Group strives to keep gay youth healthy, empowered
A global network
with 400 volunteers
By MICHAEL JORTNER
The reason I started doing this work,
Jose Ramos, 37, founder of Impulse
Group, explained, is that my best friend
got diagnosed with AIDS. The doctor told
us we had a week left.
Ramos friend got treatment and is still
with us, but when he got healthier it really
shook me...I had never seen AIDS.
So in 2009, here in LA, Ramos founded
the nonprot, with the mission to help gay
men make healthy lifestyle choices. Eight
years later Impulse is a global network
in 20 cities around the world, including
W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM
Atlanta, Bangkok, and London. The two
newest chapters are in Buenos Aires
and Chicago. Fuel to run Impulse Group
comes from the elbow grease of 400-plus
volunteers worldwide.
Impulse Group may seem like an odd
name. When youre being intimate theres
an urge, an impulse, to either be protected,
or not, Ramos said. We wanted to
ensurewhen we have that urge, people
in the community have information they
need to make the best choice for them.
A healthier lifestyle is the tagline on
Impulses website. Ramos said that while
the organization began as one focused on
reducing the spread of HIV, over the years,
withPrEP, PEP, being undetectableit
really became more of a lifestyle focus.
Several nonprots focus on HIV reduction
and LGBTQ health. What makes Impulse
Group dierent, or even necessary?
A lot of my friends were becoming HIV-
positive, Ramos said. He believed sero-
conversions happened partly because of
how the information [to remain negative]
was presented.
Messaging he saw was very public
health, cookie cutter. Were missing
lifestyles. In other words, providing crucial
information to gay men in the situations
they actually nd themselves in.
Impulse targets nightclubs, bathhouses
and sex parties. We are at the entrance
letting people know about PEP (post-
exposure prophylaxis), PrEP (pre-exposure
prophylaxis), condom use, Ramos said.
Thats where the action is happening.
The nonprot also educates gay men via
events Ramos described as 80% social, 20%
educational. It may be a three-hour event,
but we take 20 minutes to teach about
meth addiction. Were teaching aboutviral
loads. We package itin a very social way. I
think that makes [what we do] a little more
unique than most [nonprots].
Social marketing, the implementation of
for-prot consumer marketing techniques
to encourage the adoption of healthy
behaviors, has also been used by British
Columbias Centre for Disease Control
in Vancouver. Mark Gilbert, MD, in the
medical journal AIDS, cited campaigns
focused on raising awareness of rapid
testingamong gay men and one
targeted at gay men having risky sex.
The upshot? Once gay men know their
status, or are diagnosed, behaviour
change frequently occurs, Gilbert writes.
Holding fundraisers and asking for
donations is how Impulse Group began.
But now it is a fully funded program of
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), where
Ramos also works. [AHF] started to see
that we were able to bring [up to] 400
people to talk about HIV, Ramos said.
Being fully funded means the team
spends all of their time on the outreach
and advocacy versus recruiting for
LO CA L N E W S
JOSE RAMOS founded Impulse Group with the
mission to help gay men make healthy lifestyle
choices.
PHOTO COURTESY OF IMPULSE GROUP
money. That outreach includes events
in the other 19 cities worldwide. With an
annual operating budget of more than
$2.4 million, according to Ramos, AHF
has been really willing to fund all of the
programs that we have right now.
Michael Weinstein, AHFs CEO, stirred
up controversy a few years ago. Some
in the gay community felt he was anti-
PrEP. Ramos acknowledged this saying
Weinstein wanted to wait until more
research came out proving PrEP was
indeed eective. Yet a recent New York
Times article, The CEO of HIV, presents
Weinstein as still wary of PrEP. Ramos
said, We think its a great tool to use for
the high-risk demographic.
Such demographics need to receive
dierent messages than those considered
low-risk. If you look at the census of whos
taking PrEP87% of prescriptions are for
white males over 30, said Ramos. Whats
there for transgender sex workers and low-
income communities? PrEP isnt reaching
the people that really need it, which is the
black community, transgender and Latinos.
CONTINUES AT LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
 In adults with HIV on ART who have diarrhea not caused by an infection
Tired of planning your life around diarrhea?
Enough is Enough
Get relief. Pure and simple. Ask your doctor about Mytesi.
Mytesi (crofelemer):
Is the only medicine FDA-approved to relieve diarrhea in people with HIV
Treats diarrhea differently by normalizing the flow of water in the GI tract
Has the same or fewer side effects as placebo in clinical studies
Comes from a tree sustainably harvested in the Amazon Rainforest
What is Mytesi?
Mytesi is a prescription medicine that helps relieve symptoms of diarrhea not caused by
an infection (noninfectious) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Important Safety Information
Mytesi is not approved to treat infectious diarrhea (diarrhea caused by bacteria, a virus,
or a parasite). Before starting you on Mytesi, your healthcare provider will first be sure that you
do not have infectious diarrhea. Otherwise, there is a risk you would not receive the right medicine
and your infection could get worse. In clinical studies, the most common side effects that occurred
more often than with placebo were upper respiratory tract (sinus, nose, and throat) infection
(5.7%), bronchitis (3.9%), cough (3.5%), flatulence (3.1%), and increased bilirubin (3.1%).
For Copay Savings Card and
Patient Assistance, see Mytesi.com
Please see complete Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com.
NP-390-26 RELIEF, PURE AND SIMPLE
IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION
This is only a summary. See complete Prescribing Information at
Mytesi.com or by calling 1-844-722-8256. This does not take the place
of talking with your doctor about your medical condition or treatment.
What Is Mytesi?
Mytesi is a prescription medicine used to improve symptoms of
noninfectious diarrhea (diarrhea not caused by a bacterial, viral, or
parasitic infection) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on ART.
Do Not Take Mytesi if you have diarrhea caused by an infection. Before
you start Mytesi, your doctor and you should make sure your diarrhea is
not caused by an infection (such as bacteria, virus, or parasite).
Possible Side Effects of Mytesi Include:
Upper respiratory tract infection (sinus, nose, and throat infection)
Bronchitis (swelling in the tubes that carry air to and from your lungs)
Cough
Flatulence (gas)
Increased bilirubin (a waste product when red blood cells break down)
For a full list of side effects, please talk to your doctor. Tell your doctor if
you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of
prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or
call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Should I Take Mytesi If I Am:
Pregnant or Planning to Become Pregnant?
Studies in animals show that Mytesi could harm an unborn baby or
affect the ability to become pregnant
There are no studies in pregnant women taking Mytesi
This drug should only be used during pregnancy if clearly needed
A Nursing Mother?
It is not known whether Mytesi is passed through human breast milk
If you are nursing, you should tell your doctor before starting Mytesi
Your doctor will help you to decide whether to stop nursing or to stop
taking Mytesi
Under 18 or Over 65 Years of Age?
Mytesi has not been studied in children under 18 years of age
Mytesi studies did not include many people over the age of 65. So it is
not clear if this age group will respond differently. Talk to your doctor to
find out if Mytesi is right for you
What Should I Know About Taking Mytesi
With Other Medicines?
If you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicine, herbal
supplements, or vitamins, tell your doctor before starting Mytesi.
What If I Have More Questions About Mytesi?
For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information at
Mytesi.com or speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
To report side effects or make a product complaint or for additional
information, call 1-844-722-8256.
Rx Only
Manufactured by Patheon, Inc.
for Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. San Francisco, CA 94105
Copyright Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Mytesi comes from the Croton lechleri tree harvested
in South America.
1 4 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017 W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM CO V E R ST O RY

Jarrett on life after the Obama administration

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

bends towards justiceif we all push in the

same direction. I think reminding everyone
of that responsibility of citizenship means
that you have to be engaged, she says,
noting that 43 percent of eligible voters
didnt vote in 2016. Its very hard. Im not
trying to sugar coat how painful and hard
it isnot just the people whose lives are
directly aected, but for those of us who
believe in a country where our fundamental
value is based in civil rights for all.
This belief is at the root of her deep 26-
year friendship with Barack and Michelle
Obama, whom she rst met when they were
just out of law school and she tried to recruit VALERIE JARRETT remained in the Obama
then-Michelle Robinson to join her working administration for the full eight years.

for Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.

Part of why the three of us clicked so long
ago was because we shared this passion
for social justice, she says. We felt a
responsibility to give back and to try to ght
for people who needed advocatesto have
this sense that we are all in this together and
so I cant just ght for my civil rights, I have to
ght for your civil rights, too.
Jarrett, who was very involved in the
repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tell and lifting
the ban against transgender military
service, says she cant imagine why the
Trump administration is seeking to re-
impose the trans ban.
Im not in a position to guess their
motivation, she says. I just believe that
anyone who is prepared to serve and
sacrice for our country should be given
permission to do so. And should be
supported in doing so. We owe our men
and women in the military an enormous
debt of gratitude for their service and
their sacrice. Why deny somebody the
opportunity to do that?
Jarrett points to Illinois Sen. Tammy
Duckworths powerful statement reacting
to the trans ban. Duckworth, a retired
Army lieutenant colonel and helicopter
pilot, lost both her legs in 2004 in Iraq.
When I was bleeding to death in my
Black Hawk helicopter after I was shot
down, I didnt care if the American troops
risking their lives to help save me were
gay, straight, transgender, black, white or
brown. All that mattered was they didnt
leave me behind, Duckworth said. during Gay Pride Month at the Defense
There are already transgender people
serving our country admirably, making
great sacrices for our country. Why
would you try to change that? Its not true
to our core values, says Jarrett.
The Obama administration took
LGBT rights seriously. From Day One,
President Obama directed us to ght for
equality everywhere and to look at all
of the dierent ways in which there was
inequality and level the playing eld,
Jarrett says. And so that was our mission.
And it was important to him to be an
advocate for everyone.
But it was hard to change policy. The
Dont Ask, Dont Tell repeal eort was never easy. It always takes longer than
Herculean, she says. But now you
dont hear of any issues. And that is
because it was embraced by the Defense
Department so it wouldnt be a pyrrhic
victory. We wanted to ensure that our
LGBTQ brothers and sisters would actually
be able to thrive in the military.
Jarrett has stories, too. I went to the
rst LGBT annual celebration that they had
Department, she says. I was moved to
tears to see people in uniform who had
had to sneak into the White House to see
me during the process of repealing Dont
Ask, Dont Tell for fear of being thrown
out of the military. And then, there they
were in their uniforms proudly celebrating
with the Secretary of Defense. It felt like
a thunderbolt because one year they
werent allowed to be in uniform and the
next year, they were.
That thunderbolt came after years of
sustained hard work, ghting against those
entrenched in the status quo. Theyre
threatened by changeand change is
it should, its more painful than it should
be, but ultimately, that arc of the moral
universe does bend toward justice.
But Jarrett is no Pollyanna. I am
optimistic, she says. But I know people
are scared and feeling very vulnerable
and under attack. All Americans have a
responsibility to make it clear that the
LGBT community doesnt stand alone. We
all stand with the entire community. We all
have to lock arms together and look out
for one another.
Believe me, I know this is hard, Jarrett
continues. And it is shocking, particularly
to young people who I think have been
perhaps lulled into a false sense of security.
But our democracy is worth ghting for
and its something every citizen can do. Its
within their power to do it. So lets do it.
Every voice matters. Every person,
everyone in this country can be that force
for good, says Jarrett. It is no time to feel
paralyzed and or to feel hopeless because
we can all be a part of that positive force
for change.
For more information on the LA LGBT
Centers Vanguard Awards, go to: https://
lalgbtcenter.org/
LO C A L N E W S W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 1 5

Pelosi, Becerra, DREAMers ght for the DREAM Act

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 04 We will stand up collectively, all of us, coming out, of being who they are and were moving these policies forward
as a legislature, as Californians, to protect obviously, those who have been infected to protect the human condition of all
our most vulnerable, de Leon says. Young with HIV and are even doubly-triply fearful individuals and obviously, that includes
same time, theyre trying to do something men and women, those who are fearful of because of their legal status. Thats why our most vulnerable in California.
that only Congress can do, Becerra told
journalists in Washington before ying to
San Diego.
Asked about the California suit, U.S.
Attorney General Je Sessions said, Well, in
the United States, anybody can sue, but the
United States of America has a border. The
United States government has the control
of that border and a responsibility to secure
it. We would expect to be fully successful
in moving forward with a border wall as
Congress gives us the money to do so.
Sessions on Sept. 19 also attacked as
unconscionable a bill passed by the
California Legislature, which Gov. Jerry
Brown is expected to sign, that would
make California a sanctuary state.
The bill risks the safety of good law
enforcement ocers and the safety of the
neighborhoods that need their protection
the most, Sessions said, the Los Angeles
Times reported.
Brown shot back. [The bill] protects
public safety but it also protects
hardworking people who contribute a
lot to California, he told CNN. Were not
soldiers of Donald Trump or the federal
immigration service.
I think it sends a very clear message
that in California, we value diversity and
inclusivity. We value who you are and
where you come from and it doesnt
matter who you love or the hue of your
skin, California State Senate Pro Tem
Kevin de Leon, told the Los Angeles Blade.
De Leon authored the sanctuary state
bill, SB 54, which he says sends a very clear
message to Washington that we will reject the
politics fueled by resentment, by misogyny
by homophobia, as well as bigotry.
De Leon represents Hollywood and
is highly aware of his transgender
constituents, as well. Well be there to
protect them.
1 6 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017
Key West residents allowed to return home after Irma
But now Maria threatens
storm-ravaged Caribbean
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
Authorities this week began to allow
residents of Key West and the lower
Florida Keys who evacuated ahead of
Hurricane Irma to return home.
Former Monroe County Mosquito
Commissioner Steve Smith who
evacuated to Orlando with his husband
told the Blade during a telephone
interview from Key West that Irmas storm
surge did not ood his home that is less
than a block from the beach.
Smith, who returned to Key West on
Sunday, said utility crews have restored
power to roughly 70 percent of the island
and supermarkets and other stores have
reopened. He also told the Blade the gay
guesthouses are getting themselves
cleaned up.
The clean up is going remarkably well,
considering this is a little island, said
Smith. You can drive down just about
every street. Theyre not blocked.
There are piles of debris everywhere,
he added. A lot of trees blew down.
Aaron Huntsman, co-manager of Aqua,
a gay nightclub on Key Wests Duval Street,
lives with his husband on Stock Island,
which is directly east of Key West.
Huntsman said his home did not ood
during Irma, even though its storm surge
inundated the island on which it is located.
He nevertheless described the hurricane
as a freight train, noting he thought it
was going to destroy his homes roof.
It just kept going and going and
going, said Huntsman, who, along with
his husband, are among the couples
who successfully challenged Floridas
constitutional amendment that dened
marriage as between a man and a woman.
That storm was huge.
Huntsman said trees fell in Aquas patio
and the garden bar of New Orleans House,
W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM
Hurricane Irmas storm surge inundated areas of Key West, Fla., on Sept. 10, when it made landfall
in the Florida Keys. Local residents are watching Hurricane Maria, which is approaching the Leeward
Islands in the Caribbean, closely.
a gay guesthouse that is less than a block
south of his nightclub on Duval Street.
He told the Blade there is no signicant
damage to any of the islands gay and
lesbian bars and clubs.
The bars are grilling food and the locals
are bringing stu in, noted Huntsman.
People come, get their drink, bring a bag
of FEMA ice.
Irma made landfall on Cudjoe Key,
which is roughly 20 miles east of Key West,
on Sept. 10 with winds of 130 mph. The
Category 4 hurricane washed out portions
of U.S. 1, which is the only road to the
mainland in Miami-Dade County, and
caused widespread damage throughout
PHOTO COURTESY OF LARRY BLACKBURN
the Florida Keys.
Smith told the Blade he saw gas station
awnings tipped over and blown away and
part of a house that was very shattered
when he drove through Big Pine Key, which
is roughly 30 miles east of Key West, on
Sunday. He also saw motorhomes on nearby
Bahia Honda Key ipped over and boats that
had become dislodged during the storm.
Its sobering, said Smith. It lets you
totally realize the force of this storm.
Smith also noted he saw people oering
hot meals, ice and bottles of ice water along
U.S. 1. He told the Blade that gas stations,
propane companies and supermarkets are
also providing free water, propane and
NATIONAL NEWS
water to local residents.
People are stepping up, said Smith.
Irma caused widespread destruction
in Barbuda, St. Barts, St. Martin, Anguilla,
the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, the
Turks and Caicos, Cuba and portions of
the southeastern Bahamas before it made
landfall in Florida.
Alturi, an organization that seeks to
promote further engagement on global
LGBT and intersex issues, and the Rustin
Fund for Global Equality have created
a fund to help Irmas LGBT victims in
the Caribbean. The groups are raising
funds for the Jamaica-based Caribbean
Vulnerable Communities Coalition, which
provides services directly to and on
behalf of Caribbean populations who are
especially vulnerable to HIV infection or
often forgotten in access to treatment and
healthcare programs.
Irma damaged the Centro Comunitario
de Cultura, an LGBT community center in
the Cuban town of Santo Domingo that
operates independently of Mariela Castro,
the daughter of Cuban President Mariela
Castro who spearheads LGBT-specic
issues as director of the countrys National
Center for Sexual Education.
Victor Manuel Dueas, who founded the
community center, told the Blade over the
weekend that local residents and members
of the LGBT community need clothing,
shoes and other items after the hurricane.
Facebook on Monday said an employee
mistakenly deleted a message Mariela
Castro posted onto her Facebook page
that contained information about how her
supporters could contribute to the Cuban
governments hurricane relief eorts.
The Trans Disaster Relief Fund has also
been established to help trans, intersex
and genderqueer people impacted by
Irma and Hurricane Harvey, which made
landfall last month on the Texas Gulf Coast
and inundated large swaths of Houston
and surrounding areas.
CONTINUES AT LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
NATIONAL NEWS
The trans military ban claptrap
No one wants this ban but
Trump, Pence and their
evangelical fans
By KAREN OCAMB
kocamb@losangelesblade.com
Despite the need to backup President
Trumps threat to destroy North Korea
and the need to fortify troop strength
in case there are military consequences
to the US pulling out of the Iran nuclear
agreement, and despite repeated
indications that undergoing a major
personnel policy change is disruptive right
now, Sec. of Defense Jim Mattis is following
the commander-in-chiefs directive to
come up with a policy to address open
transgender service.
Short of screaming it from the rooftop
of Trump Tower, Mattis has made it very
clear he does not want this ban. And while
Trump tweeted July 26 that reinstating the
trans ban resulted after consultation with
my Generals and military experts, he did
not name any nor did any step forward,
other than the suspects from the Heritage
Foundation and the Family Research
Council, whose policy chief Peter Sprigg
provided Missouri Rep. Vicky Hartzler and
California Rep. Duncan Hunter with the
bogus report that the existing transgender
policy could cost the military billions over
ten years. That assertion was repeatedly
shot down in Congress, but found its way
to the ear of Vice President Mike Pence
who pushed it as a political requirement
from the evangelical base.
The claim will surely be shot down again
in court, though it is unclear which of three
lawsuits against Trump, Mattis and the ban
will be taken up rst. Rumors of squabbling
among the LGBT groups has already
surfaced about who can represent trans
servicemembers better and most broadly.
Meanwhile, New York Democratic Sen.
Kirsten Gillibrand and Maine Republican
Sen. Susan Collins have teamed up again
S E PT E M B E R 22, 2017 17
Turn the place you live into
the home you love.
Secretary JIM MATTIS has been given six
months to develop a plan to implement
President Trumps directive on transgender.
for a bipartisan stab at protecting trans
servicemembers. S.1820, which also is co-
sponsored by Rhode Island Democratic
Sen. Jack Reed and Arizona Republican
Sen. John McCain, says that individuals
who meet military requirements should be
allowed to serve and prohibits discharges
based solely on someones gender
identity or transgender status. It skirts
the question of accessions and does not
address Trumps ban on access to trans- Consider a U.S. Bank Home Equity Line of Credit for your
specic medical services.
next project. With competitive rates and flexible payment
However, the fact that McCain, a former
major opponent to the repeal of Dont Ask,
options, lasting home improvements could be within reach.
Dont Tell, signed on as a co-sponsor sends
a clear message to other lawmakers and to
the troops, who have been already trained
Call 800.209.BANK (2265),
and have served with trans servicemembers visit a local branch,
for a year without incident. or go to usbank.com/dreambig
When less than one percent of Americans
are volunteering to join the military, we
should welcome all those who are willing and
able to serve our country, McCain said in a
statement. Any member of the military who
meets the medical and readiness standards
should be allowed to serveincluding those Loan approval is subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Not all loan programs are available in
who are transgender. The Senate Armed all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and program terms are subject to change without notice. Visit
usbank.com to learn more about U.S. Bank products and services. Mortgage and Home Equity products are
Services Committee will review the results
offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Deposit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association.
of the DOD study on accession and will Member FDIC. 2017 U.S. Bank. 171177 8/17
continue to work closely with our military Worlds Most Ethical Companies and Ethisphere names and marks are registered trademarks
of Ethisphere LLC.
CONTINUES ON PAGE 19
1 8 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017
AIDS Conference highlights fears about funding
Treatment and care for
people with HIV/AIDS at risk
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS & KAREN OCAMB
Senate Republicans have until Sept. 30
to try once again to repeal the Aordable
Care Act. They also have to pass legislation
to fund the government and raise the
debt ceiling by then, too, which raises the
question about whether Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell wants to risk a
second failure by bringing an unpopular bill
to the oor.
If this Trumpcare bill is the same one
GOP Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski
and John McCain killed last June 27, expect
people with pre-existing conditions to be out
in force once again to save ACAs essential
health benets (EHB) requirements. They do
not want to be left to bottom line calculations
of insurers with state waivers.
But, as House Minority Leader Nancy
Pelosi (D-Calif.) told thousands of
attendees during the opening plenary for
the U.S. AIDS Conference at the Marriott
Marquis Hotel in D.C. Sept. 8, President
Trumps proposed budget for the 2018
scal year is already expected to adversely
impact people with HIV/AIDS.
Pelosi said Trumps budget would
cut $850 million from the Presidents
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)
and $225 million from the Global Fund for
AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; $150 million
from the Centers for Disease Control; $59
million from the Ryan White Comprehensive
AIDS Resource Emergency Act that provides
assistance to low-income people with HIV
and their families; $26 million from the
Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS
(HOPWA) Program; and $72 million from
the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services Oce of Minority Health.
Additionally, Pelosi said, the proposed
budget would cut $7.5 billion from the
National Institutes of Health, despite
Trump having stressed during the
W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM
campaign that he was going to rid our
country of the misery of disease.
Pelosi also pointed to the repeated GOP
congressional attempts to cut Medicaid,
underscoring that 40 percent of people
with HIV/AIDS depend on Medicaid for
their health care.
I dont want to get into personalities here,
but In Trumpcare all of that was eliminated
or very much in doubt, Pelosi said. So we
have to recognize that the battle for the
budget is a ght that involves our family
here. The budget should be a statement of
our national values and whats important
to us should be reected there in terms of
how we allocate our resources.
We have to be resourceful in how we
ght [HIV/AIDS], she said. That takes
resources. And so Im concerned.
And then Pelosi added the kicker
everyone knew but no one wanted to
hear: It shouldnt have to be a ght for
resources at this point, but it is.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the
National Institutes of Healths National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases, picked up that message when
he addressed the conference on Sept. 9.
Fauci said 19.5 million of the more than
36 million people around the world who
are living with HIV are on antiretroviral
drugs. He noted there is a treatment gap
of 17.2 million people.
We are really far o the mark so
we need to do something at a global
epidemiological level that involves not only
people in this room, but governments,
our own, international organizations that
need to pull together for that, said Fauci.
Fauci did not specically refer to the
proposed cuts noted by Pelosi. He did say,
however, there is a need for an HIV vaccine
to achieve what he called a durable end of
the HIV pandemic.
Were not talking about the individual for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program
person whos living with HIV or what we
can do for at the at-risk purpose, even in
the absence of a vaccine, he said. But
globally and epidemiology if we want
to end the epidemic, if its durable were said Kawata. Were being told in the outside
going to need a vaccine.
On Sept. 19, the same day Trump
delivered a bombastic America First
address to the UN, Sec. of State Tillerson
NATIONAL NEWS
House Minority Leader NANCY PELOSI
(D-Calif.) speaks at the U.S. Conference on AIDS
at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in D.C. on Sept. 7.
BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
released this administrations PEPFAR plan
that reiterates US support to combat AIDS
in more than 50 countries. How that is to
be accomplished if the proposed budget
cuts go through is another matter.
We are a movement for social justice
that is dependent upon government
funding, conference organizer NMAC
Executive Director Paul Kawata told a
crowd of around 3,000 attendees. It has
been a very dicult time in Washington.
Kawata referenced the horric white
supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va.,
that left a 32-year-old woman dead and
more than a dozen others injured. He
also noted the Trump administrations
decision to rescind the Deferred Action
that has allowed roughly 800,000 young
documented immigrants to remain in the
U.S. and obtain work permits.
A lot of us are really hurting right now,
world that were second-class citizens.
Goddamn it, we are not second-class citizens
and we deserve to ght and we deserve to
stand up for who we are.
NATIONAL NEWS W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 1 9

Mattis faces transgender decision crunch time

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17
leaders on any policy changes as we conduct
oversight on this important issue.
Though McCain said hes waiting for
the nal report from Mattis, in fact, a
source familiar with the trans ban told
the Los Angeles Blade that it was Mattis
who called McCain and asked him to sign
onto Gillibrands original unsuccessful
amendment to the defense authorization
bill and then the stand alone bill. It is not
known if Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
will allow that bill to come to the oor
for an up-or-down vote. And while
commendable, the bill, even if it passes,
faces Trumps veto pen.
The eort will also, no doubt, attract the
attention of the federal judges looking at
the cases brought by NCLR/GLAD, OutServe-
SLDN and the ACLU, among others.
And, in addition to the legal arguments, the
courts will also have to weigh which military
experts they heedthose oered by the
Justice Department or the slew of generals
and top ocialssuch as former Sec. of
Defense Ash Carter and former Joint Chiefs of
Sta Admiral Mike Mullenwho studied trans
service for a year, decided to lift the ban and
still support that decision. To which military
position will the courts give deference?
There is also the transparent slight
of hand of Mattis stacking the deck with
hand-picked panel of experts. Mattis
has until Feb. 21, 2018 to study how to
implement Trumps directive, based on
factual evidence, credible reports and the
recommendations of his panel of experts.
The new policy is supposed to go into
eect on March 21, 2018.
According to a new Mattis memo issued
Sept. 14, Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick
Shanahan and Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva,
the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Sta will take the lead and, supported
by a panel of experts, shall prose for Joseph Dunford Jr., who doesnt want the
my consideration recommendations
supported by appropriate evidence and
information. Additionally, the memo calls
for the creation of a Central Coordination
Cell in the oce of the Undersecretary
of Defense for Personnel and Readiness,
which is currently occupied by Anthony
Kurta, who Trump nominated to be the
deputy undersecretary in the oce.
Shanahan comes from a long career
of service at Boeing, where he was a
senior vice president. Boeing has a long
track record of a 100 percent rating on
the Human Rights Campaigns Corporate
Index; theyve had a transgender
employment policy since 2012. Selva is
an Obama appointee under Marine Gen.
ban. Kurta was Deputy Assistant Sec. of
Defense for Military Personnel Policy from
Sept. 2014 to Jan. 2017. He helped study
and implement lifting the trans ban.
So, what if the leaders and panel experts
recommendation to Mattis is to stick with the
current policy and not re-impose the ban?

MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS EXPERIENCE HELPING

LGBT CLIENTS ACHIEVE THEIR IMMIGRATION GOALS

Soloway Law Group

Immigration Attorney
Employment-Based Immigration
Family-Based Immigration Temporary (Non-immigrant) Status
Citizenship Consular Applications for Non-immigrant Visas and Green Cards
Asylum Based on Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Applications
Representation of Detained Individuals Removal Proceedings and Appeals

solowaylawgroup.com | 323.904.4730
Lavi Soloway PRACTICE LIMITED TO IMMIGRATION & NATIONALITY LAW
*ADMITTED IN NEW YORK (ATTORNEY ADVERTISING)
BillyWoomerBladefull_Layout 1 9/6/17 3:43 PM Page 1

JUST LISTED - CASH GENERATING PALM SPRINGS MEISELMAN

2240 E BELDING DRIVE / PALM SPRINGS OFFERED AT $675,000

Prime Location! Tasteful remodel! Mid-Century Meiselman with 3BR/2BA plus Bonus/Media Room. Eye-catching features include walls of glass, polished concrete floors, energy
efficient dual pane windows and sliders, quartz counter tops in Kitchen and Bathrooms, Living Room with Fireplace. Private and secure compound offering sweeping entertainment
areas, two gas fire pits, large saltwater pebble tech pool and spa, covered patio with ceiling fans, outdoor shower, bocce ball court, awesome mountain views. Available Furnished.

COMING SOON - PALM SPRINGS MID-CENTURY ALEXANDER

385 E DESERT WILLOW CIRCLE / PALM SPRINGS OFFERED AT $595,000

Stylishly updated three Bedroom, two Bath classic Mid-Century built by the Alexander Company - designed by Palmer and Krisel - and located on a quiet cul de sac in historic Racquet
Club Estates. Light, Bright, Modern, and ready to enjoy! Special features include clean lines, polished concrete floors throughout, tongue and groove beamed ceilings, open Kitchen, adjacent
Dining Room and Living Room with Fireplace. Private backyard with large saltwater pool, covered patio, and stunning San Jacinto mountain views. Two Car Garage. Available Furnished.

BILLY WOOMER
760.408.1648
bwoomer@rp-ac.com
REAL PROPERTY ACQUISITION CORPORATION www.billywoomer.com
77-622 COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE SUITE V PALM DESERT, CA 92211 CalBRE # 01808225
R E A L E STA TE
Your own private Malibu beach
Theres a scene in Grace and Frankie
in which Lilly Tomlin and Jane Fonda are
sitting in Adirondack chairs, the surf nearly
lapping at their feet as the Pacic Ocean
crashes loudly then recedes Zen-like. This
is living, says Grace to a near catatonic
Frankie. I want this house, she says.
Who wouldnt want to own a beachfront
home in Malibu?
Long the most coveted second home
community in Los Angeles, Malibu has
an international reputation and culture
all its own. The views, the sunsets, the
meandering clis of the jagged coastline,
the gentle breezes and the almost always
perfect weather is the stu of legend. It
has inspired lm, TV and literary types
for years and over time has become an
exclusive hideaway for some of the most
famous and wealthiest people on Earth.
Increasingly, too, Malibu is supplanting
Palm Springs as the ultimate second home
community for successful gay and lesbian
(and at least one notable trans woman)
Angelenos.
When philanthropists Brian Pendleton
and his husband Chad Goldman started
looking for a second home some years
ago, they chose Malibu. While all of our
friends were buying in Palm Springs, we
decided to buy in Malibu, Pendleton told
the Los Angeles Blade.
But the couple didnt buy just any
property. They bought one of the best
traditional coastal homes in all of Malibu.
Their three-story home sits on Las
Flores beach in east Malibu, oering two
bedrooms, two baths, a full-size kitchen
and a kitchenette on the ground oor. It
was rebuilt in 2003, and is meant to be
shared with friends and family, boasting a
three-car garage and an additional three
outdoor parking spaces rare for Malibu.
The house is perfectly designed for
entertaining, with two living rooms, two
dining areas, and multiple re-pits. You
W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM
GAY COUPLES COASTAL HOME IS AN ENTERTAINERS DREAM
By REBEKAH SAGER
This home at 20906 Pacic Coast Highway is listed for $6,450,000.
can walk right o the beach and grab a
margarita, and head to the living room,
Pendleton told the Los Angeles Blade.
Conveniently positioned on whats known
as dog beach (they have two fur-babies)
and, unlike many of the houses up and
down the beach, the house is fronted by a
seawall versus pillions, so the water cant go
underneath the house as it rushes against
the wall, leaving the home protected.
Its great for a second house or for
someone who lives in LA. Its so much
closer than going to Santa Barbara or
Palm Springs, and when you get out there
it feels like youre in a dierent city. Its
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIAN PENDLETON
quiet and quaint. You can go to the movies
there and park in the spot right out front
of the theater doors, Pendleton says.
We bought it as an investment
property, and Malibu was a great location.
Its closer to LA. And while interest rates
are still low, we thought wed take a look
and see what buyers are interested. The
home is perfect for a retired couple or
small family who wants to live in Malibu.
And for people looking for second home
in Malibu, Pendleton says.
But I am not terribly motivated, says
Pendelton with a smile. Pendleton, as
founder of CauseForce, helped raise
SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 2 1
money for life-saving research and care for
premier institutes around the world, raising
billions of dollars for charity. In 2013, he
sold his company and now volunteers his
time mentoring, supporting and advising
individuals and organizations. He also
works to help communities gain access to
academic facilities, scholarship programs
and receive life saving medical support.
The Goldman-Pendleton West
Hollywood Library Mall, for instance, in
West Hollywood is a landmark facility for
the communitys commitment to lifelong
learning, and in the Philippines, two state-
of-the-art Pendleton-Goldman Learning
Centers, are serving local communities to
help break the generational cycle of poverty
in their communities. The Pendleton-
Goldman PrEP clinic provides HIV education
and prevention to underserved individuals in
South Los Angeles. Theres even a language
lab and an LGBT scholarship program the
pair fund at The University of Tennessee in
Knoxville, Goldmans alma mater.
But it was this years #ResistMarch
that put Pendleton (and Goldman) on
the national map. The #ResistMarch
was a resoundingly successful show
of Pendletons team building and
organizational skills.
This year, the LGBTQ community is
lending our iconic rainbow ag to anyone
who feels like their rights are under threat
and to anyone who feels like Americas
strength is its diversity, Pendleton said.
The political climate we nd ourselves in
has driven us to galvanize and unite.
Today, their attention is turned toward
selling the luxe Malibu beach house,
and enjoying the singular peace and
tranquility of their equally amazing full-
time home overlooking Runyon Canyon
and downtown LA.
The couple can sit back and smile,
because they have Adirondack chairs in
the Hollywood Hills too.
2 2 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017 W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM RE A LE ST A T E

Navigating LAs booming real estate market

3 GAY PROFESSIONALS ON OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES FOR LGBT FAMILIES

By MICHAEL JORTNER

Berkshire Hathaway is oering perhaps the most iconic house in Los Angeles, the Dynasty house.
Its surely the perfect home for any LGBT family.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY

Its hard not to be captivated upon
hearing: Do you recall the scene in
Dynasty when Krystle and Alexis slap
each other into the the lily pond?
Oh good, youre riveted now, too. Thats
Nick Cacarnakis talking, the 43-year-old
branch manager of Berkshire Hathaway
Home Services on Rodeo Drive in Beverly
Hills. That house, which, of course, is
every gay boys dream to live in that house,
right? Its listed at $28 million.
Sighluxury real estate in the City of
Angels, so reasonable, so within reach.
More attainable properties, from
condos to three-bedroom homes, are
generally the focus for the three real
estate professionals interviewed for this
article, all of whom happen to be gay.
They buy, sell and manage real estate
transactions throughout Los Angeles. One
has a particular niche (West Hollywood)
while the other two consider themselves
generalists, the entire city their focus.
Each shared his perspective on, and
experience with, the current market for
LGBT clients, especially families, in search
of luxury homes.
Dening luxury
What exactly meets such criteria? Isnt
everything a family-size luxury property?
Cacarnakis asks. We have a term that we
use in our oce: Everybodys House. Its a
house that will work for everybody.
For him, that means enough bedrooms,
enough bathrooms, maybe a backyard,
too, a home that, no matter what the
family looks like, can work.
In terms of price, it can be all over the
map. Half of [our listings] in the Beverly
Hills oce, which are $2 million and up,
would fall into the category of being a
luxury family home, Cacarnakis added.
Keith Kaplan, 57, an agent with Sothebys
expanded on that. He said, Theres really
a wide range.
With a focus on WeHo and adjacent
environs, for Kaplan that means the
category of luxury family homes starts
with condos, perhaps on Kings Road,
lets say, at around $750,000, all the way
up to the new homes built along swanky,
revamped Orlando Avenue between Santa
Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue
listing as high as $8.5 million.
The word luxury brings it to a higher
price point, said Randy Lopez, 50, an
agent with Coldwell Banker Beverly Hills
North. If you say family-sized property,
thats dierent than family-sized luxury
property. In my mind, Im thinking
anywhere between three to ve million
and upwards, depending upon what their
denition of luxury is.
Maybe now is a good time to introduce
the problem of sticker shock, the biggest
challenge Kaplan faces when helping a
client enter the market.
I really like working with rst-time
buyers, Kaplan said. Walking them through
the process, getting them to understand the
value equation of owning versus renting. Its
a tremendous jump to take.
Is there any hope for those trying to
make that dramatic transition? Although
lenders have not gotten so relaxed were
gonna be in the position we were in 2008,
Kaplan added, they are relaxing a bit.
Lower down payments are allowing more
Millennials to enter the market, so we
have more options for them.
Kaplan added, The rst home product,
or the rst trade-up product, homes
priced under $2.5 million, [there is] strong
demand.
Yet most readers will be familiar with
the concept of competition. While all three
agents said the market for high-priced
homes ($2.5 million and higher) has
softened, Lopez says, In the $1 million
to $10 million range, if something is well
done, well-priced based on comps, and
desirable, youre still gonna have a huge
demand for that property.
All three said they still see properties
sell in a single day with multiple oers all
above asking. Lopez said, Is it in a great
area? Is it priced right? If theres a value
there for people, based on logic and
numbers, were gonna see that [sell].
The other two agents agree.
Expectations are high on all sides,
Cacarnakis said, especially on the
Westside when were dealing with business
managers and attorneys.
Kaplan added, Im seeing some crazy,
crazy bidding over ask. I saw some
2-bedrooms in West Hollywood priced at
$750,000[they] went out at $825,000.
Thats a tremendous overbid. Apparently
CONTINUES ON PAGE 23
R E A L E STA TE
Live like a diva in $28 million Dynasty house
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22
many bidders are investors who ip the
property, coming in and renovating,
adding premium xtures and modern
appliances, then put them back on the
market. And theyre getting top dollar.
Whats trending?
What about trends? Managing 100
agents in Beverly Hills, Cacarnakis is able
to get an aerial view of the market on a
regular basis.
Mega-mansions, Cacarnakis said.
These mega-prices that we just havent
seen in LA before. I had a situation where
an agent wrote an oer on a listing of $22
million and they had [several] oers. That
kind of money is out there.
Another trend, perhaps obvious, is the
big glass boxes replacing older homes
knocked down by developers. The style
is contemporary as far as the building is
concerned, Cacarnakis said. Lots and
lots of construction going on. But I think
everybody knows that.
What about up-and-coming areas for
family homes? I think the next frontier
is that area south of Melrose all the way
to Fairfax, said Kaplan. Youre seeing a
lot of rehabbing of the Old Spanish and
bungalow type homes.
Lopezs view is, Its really dependent upon
W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM
[budget]. Do they have unlimited resources number other really good private schools.
and want to live in Beverly Park, where homes He adds to that by waxing on West
are $20 to $30 million? Or are they more on a Hollywood Park and their recreation
budget and going east to Eagle Rock, Glassell programs for kids. I have friends that I
Park, Mt. Washington, where you can still nd actually meet there on Saturdays with their
a luxury home for a million dollars? three boys. One plays T-ball, one plays
Up and coming? wondered Cacarnakis. in a basketball clinic and one swims on
All around that Wilshire Corridor area, and the swim team. Its almost like a summer
then you have all Echo Park. Its too late for camp year-round.
Silver Lake, that already came and went. All three agents feel being gay gives
them a competitive advantage over
Needs of LGBT families straight agents when working with LGBT
clients and families.
But what do LGBT families need in Its like going to a gay doctor, Cacarnakis
their choice of home and neighborhood? said. Its maybe just the insight and that level
Cacarnakis, a father with two teenage of understanding. Im gonna knowwhat
children, thinks LGBT families moving areas we are gonna feel comfortable holding
into that sort of Silverlake [area]those hands, and maybe what areas were not.
neighborhoods have good school districts Kaplan echoed that. I think there
[and] theyre very accepting. If he had to is perhaps a sensitivity to, and an
pinpoint a section of the city that is super understanding of, the unique needs
LGBT friendly [and] also not incredibly of [gay clients]. For instance, I think its
insane on prices, that whole Echo Park, important for a gay family to understand
Silverlake area is denitely a prime area. the community that theyre entering. Even
Kaplan has done his homework on West at the school. How will they be perceived?
Hollywood schools, even though he hasnt Will it be comfortable for their children?
had an LGBT family as a client thus far in What is faculty like?
his ve years as an agent. He considers it Theres a compassionate psychological
his responsibility to know what parents component to working with clients,
will ask, though, once he does. Lopez said. I feel like having a common
We have WeHo Elementary, which is one foundation with your clientsbeing able
of the best schools in the area, Kaplan said. to hold [their] hands during the process
Rosewood is rising quickly and then weve is helpful. It provides another level of
got the Center for Early Education and a connectionas opposed to agents who
SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 2 3
are not part of the LGBT community.
Even with this shared bond of experience
in mainstream society, I wondered if these
agents run into any particular challenges, or
unique surprises, they might not otherwise?
Working with LGBT clients, or not, says
Lopez, the challenges are very much the
same. Gay or straightits about honoring the
commitment youre making to your Realtor.
Cacarnakis, the married, gay dad,
said, Im surprised at how non-dierent
it is. Were still just families looking for
everything that everybody else is. The right
schools, the right family conguration.
For Kaplan it was not in the process of
selling, it was after the sale. A gay couple
he sold a condo to chose a contractor (a
member of the community) to renovate
the unit. Supposedly he had the gay eye
but the most shocking thing [was] the
shoddy work and the lack of attention
to detail. Mismatched color tile on a
backsplash did not bode well. Ultimately
it went to small claims court.
I requested video links and photos of
active luxury listings from all the agents
featured in this story. Regarding the
Dynasty property, Cacarnakis tells me,
Take a look at the two videos. He pauses.
One of them is the Dynasty mansion,
whichI mean, it is a family... residence,
I think he wants to say.
A dysfunctional family, I joke.
Right? Cacarnakis says, laughing.
2 4 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017
Remembering Kate Millett
and Edie Windsor
Two lesbian warriors
who changed our lives
By ROBIN TYLER
In 1970, Kate Millett became the face of
the womens liberation movement with the
publication of her book Sexual Politics.
Time magazine put her on the cover and
declared she was the Karl Marx and Mao
Tse/Tung of the womens movement. She
spent 47 years writing books, teaching,
speaking, and being a political activist.
Yet not many remember her as one of
the major founding theorists of the modern
Womens Liberation Movement. In Sexual
Politics she rocked convention and went
after DH Lawrence and Henry Miller, the
great champions of sexual liberation.
Sexual domination, she wrote, is perhaps
the most pervasive ideology of our culture
and provides its most fundamental concept
of power. Kate exposed their contempt and
outright hatred of women.
America was shocked! Kates radical
explanation of male privilege and
superiority from birth to death in our
sexist society, (developed and defended
by law, medicine, science and schools)
was nally being talked about, debated,
arguedbut never again, ignored.
Sexual Politics was a volcanic eruption
and millions of women who did not
previously realize they were discriminated
against because they were conditioned to
accept it, were startled into waking up.
Kate, an intellectual from Oxford and
artist, came out as a lesbian in 1970, while
still married to Japanese sculptor Fumio
Yoshimura; they divorced in 1985. Lesbian
feminists attacked her for not coming
out earlier. And of course, the book was
so radical, there was a backlash among
feminists. But she went on to write Flying
in 1974, and several other books about
fame, sexuality, mental illness, cruelty,
and her relationship with her mother.
In the early 1980s, I invited Kate to
speak at both of the festivals I produced
WWW .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM
EDIE WINDSOR
BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
(Southern & West Coast Womens Music
& Comedy Festivals.) Her hour workshop
was brilliant and mesmerizing as she
took on the Ayatollah Khomeini and his
suppression of women. In 1979, after the
overthrow of the Shah, she had marched
in Tehran, side by side with 100,000
Iranian women for Irans rst International
Womens Day and gave a solidarity speech.
Kate was a genius, fun, shy, warm, funny,
talented, radical, loyal, at times disturbed,
a woman warrior, our amazon leader.
When she passed on Sept. 6 at 82, she
was in Paris to attend a Simone de Bouvier
conference with her loving spouse, Sophie
Keir. They had been together for decades
and married a few years ago.
Edie Windsor was born Edith Schlain to
Jewish immigrants from Russia. She went
to Temple University and although she fell
in love with a female classmate, she did
not want to live in a lesbian lifestyle so
she married Saul Winsor in 1950. They
divorced one year later.
In 1963, Edie met Thea Spyer, a clinical
psychologist, at a Greenwich Village
Restaurant. They began dating two years
later. In 1967, two years before the Stonewall
riots, Spyer proposed to Windsor and they
VIEWPOINT
had a four-decades long engagement.
And then tragedy. In 1977, Spyer was
diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Edie
cared for her around the clock. They
married in 2007 in a ceremony in Toronto
by Canadas rst openly gay judge. When
Thea died in 2009, Edie was hit with a
$350,000 penalty in federal estate taxes
because their marriage was not recognized.
That was simply unfair. Edie went to
several LGBT legal organizations but none
of them accepted her case. They felt that
suing for an issue like taxes would not be
popular or winnable.
But there was one brilliant attorney
who felt dierentlyRobbie Kaplan. And
though Robbie, also a Jewish lesbian,
was not supported by the LGBT legal
community when she rst led suit, (pro
bono) nevertheless, she persisted.
My wife Diane and I were in the Supreme
Court when Robbie presented Edies case
in 2010. Earlier that morning, we met Edie
in the Courts cafeteria where she was
sitting alone. We bent over to introduce
ourselves and she said, I know who you
are, the Los Angeles couple.
I kissed her hand and she kissed mine,
and we all had tears in our eyes.
And the rest is history. In 2013, the U.S.
Supreme Court ruled that the federal
government had to recognize existing
same sex marriages. That meant we could
now have all the rights, responsibilities
and benets of marriage.
Although this movement has had
hundreds, thousands of activists and
heroes who stood up, married, marched,
picketed, sued and fought for decades,
Edie Windsor, that fabulous, energetic,
high-spirited, newly radicalized Jewish
lesbian activist forever became the
Mother of Marriage Equality.
Edie remarried in September 2016. She
died at 88 on Sept. 12 in New York City.
She is survived by her wife, LGBT activist
Judith Kasen, and millions who will always
be grateful for her tenacity and courage.
ROBIN TYLER is a longtime activist based in LA.
VOLUME 01 ISSUE 14
ADDRESS
5455 Wilshire Blvd #1505, Los Angeles, CA 90036
PHONE 310-230-5266
E-MAIL tmasters@losangelesblade.com
INTERNET losangelesblade.com
PUBLISHED BY Los Angeles Blade, LLC
PUBLISHER/EDITOR
TROY MASTERS
tmasters@losangelesblade.com
310-230-5266 x8080 (o), 917-406-1619 (c)
SALES & MARKETING
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
FRANK MORALES
fmorales@losangelesblade.com
310-230-5266 x8095
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
TRACY PAASO
tpaaso@losangelesblade.com
310-230-5266 x9459
PALM SPRINGS ACCOUNT EXEC
BRAD FUHR, 760-813-2020.
brad@gaydesertguide.com
NATIONAL ADVERTISING
RIVENDELL MEDIA
sales@rivendellmedia.com, 212-242-6863
MARKETING DIRECTOR
STEPHEN RUTGERS
srutgers@washblade.com, 202-747-2077 x8077
EDITORIAL
MANAGING EDITOR
KEVIN NAFF
kna@washblade.com, 202-747-2077 x8088
NEWS EDITOR
KAREN OCAMB
karenocamb@sbcglobal.net
INTERNATIONAL EDITOR
MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com
CONTRIBUTORS
CHARLES KAISER, ALAN MILLER, TIM MILLER, MAER
ROSHAN, HOLLY HUGHES, KIT WINTER, BRAD LAMM,
DAVID EHRENSTEIN, STEVEN ERICKSON, LILLIAN
FADERMAN, ORIOL GUTTIEREZ, SETH HEMMELGARN,
ROBIN TYLER, CHRIS AZZOPARD, ALLEN ROSKOFF,
JOHN PAUL KING, JOHN MCHUGH-DENNIS, MELODY
MUNDY, ROBERT WILLIAMS, DAN ALLEN, BRAD FUHR,
WINSTON GEISEKE, RICHARD ANDREOLI, DREW
MACKIE, JOEY DIGUGLIELMO, CHRIS JOHNSON, LOU
CHIBBARO JR., MARIAH COOPER, ABBY DEES, REBEKAH
SAGER, JOHN MCHUGH-DENNIS, MIKE CIRIACO
PHOTOGRAPHY
BOB KRASNER, JON VISCOTT, MICHAEL KEY
CREATIVE DESIGN/PRODUCTION
AZERCREATIVE.COM
DISTRIBUTION
CHRISTOPHER JACKSON, 562-826-6602
All material in the Los Angeles Blade is protected by federal copyright
law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the Los
Angeles Blade. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers,
writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor
implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not
necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons.
Although the Los Angeles Blade is supported by many ne advertisers,
we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers.
Unsolicited editorial material is accepted by the Los Angeles Blade, but
the paper cannot take responsibility for its return. The editors reserve
the right to accept, reject or edit any submission. A single copy of the
Los Angeles Blade is available from authorized distribution points, to
any individual within a 50-mile radius of Los Angeles, CA. Multiple copies
are available from the Los Angeles Blade oce only. Call for rates. If
you are unable to get to a convenient free distribution point, you may
receive a 26-week mailed subscription for $195 per year or $5.00 per
single issue. Checks or credit card orders can be sent to Phil Rockstroh
at prockstroh@washblade.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to
the Los Angeles Blade, PO BOX 53352 Washington, DC 20009. The Los
Angeles Blade is published bi-weekly, on Friday, by Los Angeles Blade,
LLC. Rates for businesses/institutions are $450 per year. Periodical
postage paid at Los Angeles, CA., and additional mailing oces. Editorial
positions of the Los Angeles Blade are expressed in editorials and in
editors notes as determined by the papers editors. Other opinions are
those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of
the Los Angeles Blade or its sta. To submit a letter or commentary:
Letters should be fewer than 400 words; commentaries should be fewer
than 750 words. Submissions may be edited for content and length, and
must include a name, address and phone number for verication. Send
submissions by e-mail to tmasters@losangelesblade.com.
2017 LOS ANGELES BLADE, LLC.
V I E W PO I NT W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 2 5

Happy Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month

We will no longer be
dened by others

By JOSE GUEVARA

We are celebrating Hispanic heritage

month, a time to pay tribute to the
generation of Hispanic Americans who
have positively inuenced and enriched
our nation and society, according to the
U.S. governments website. As someone
who is undocumented, queer and post-
bone marrow transplant, this month
takes on a dierent meaning. For young
migrants like myself, it means having
an opportunity to redene Americas
perception of us.
This month is a reminder that the
political forces in power are responsible for
the chaos, not only in our home countries,
but also here in the United States. We will
no longer take the criminalization of us
eeing danger. There was a time when the
Bracero (Field Worker) program brought
millions of Latinx folk to the U.S. to work
JOSE GUEVARA
as guest workers and when they were no
PHOTO BY MARCOS NIEVES; COURTESY OF GUEVARA
longer protable, tried to send them back
like criminals.
But no more! We will ght for basic Hispanic is a word created without the killing of gays abroad but then will made having an accent in the mainstream
human rightslike having access to the consent of those whom it would later sit quietly as their country sends queer media acceptable, to later on portray
education and healthcare because we represent. Considering ourselves Latinx people back to places that are not safe for characters like Beatriz in Beatriz at dinner
remember when we were not good is one of many ways my community has them. They stay quiet while Trans women showing the reality that Latinx folks face
enough to be educated among white been resisting for years to being spoken are detained in immigration centers, often in a white-dominated culture. Like Jorge
people. When we won that battle, they for. We are no longer thankful for just the with the male population, left to face Ramos, who often times has to fact check
tried to require us to provide proof of crumbs this government gives uswe rape, abuse, and torture. It means ugly individuals on the lies they try to tell about
citizenship just to go to school or the speak out and resist. We realize that what accusations of the media accusing us of our community, knowing his integrity as
doctorbut we resisted and we won. is being celebrated during this month is stealing healthcare from the government, a journalist will always be questioned by
We are a ourishing, vibrant community the exploitation of our blood, our sweat, even though we put millions in taxes into others for standing up to this unfounded
that is now, more than ever, reclaiming and our tears that is now being sold for a system that we will never benet from rhetoric. Like Bamby Salcedo, who is a
our own narrative. To be Latinx, especially the enrichment of the country. We have to be forced to use emergency rooms as pioneer in the Trans rights movement that
for millennials, means to have an survived the abuse of our labor and the the only mean of healthcare and later be brings our community to light and holds
understanding of ourselves on a global dehumanization of our communities from blamed for the staggering cost. us accountable for showing up for all, not
perspective and that we lead intersectional the top down. Most importantly, this month represents just some.
lives with multiple identities. This Latinex month is dedicated to the amazing folks that these pressures All shine bright within their own merit
This month is about learning how to the intersectionality that queer folks like have created. Just like diamonds, we are but are apart of a Latinx resistance that is
love ourselves despite historys attempt to myself represent. We know that often forced to be made under pressureand growing, getting stronger and is taking the
erase us. To understand that my language times the white LGBTQ+ movements fall we shine. reins of its own destiny. Lets us remember
is beautiful, my skin color is beautiful, who short on marriage equality and gender We shine bright like Marco Antonio our victories, our hardships, and actively
I choose to love is beautiful, my physical pronouns without challenging racism Firebaugh, who was a pioneer in work to break down the borders that are
abilities do not make me less of a person, and the power structure that makes up healthcare for underrepresented trying to be built to keep us down.
and the humble work my family provides America. They have failed to honor our communities, and later on brought in
is the backbone of this country. That is diversity as LGBTQ+ people of color. State tuition to undocumented students
JOSE GUEVARA is a DACA recipient and student
what Latinx Heritage Month means to me. The white movement will denounce in California. Like Salma Hayek, who organizer.
2 6 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017
A perfect storm of violence
We need to do more and
better for our LGBTQ kids
DIEGO M. SANCHEZ is director of Advocacy,
Policy, and Partnerships for PFLAG National.
On Sept. 16, an LGBTQ student at Georgia
Tech was shot and killed by a campus police
ocer. Scout Schultz (who according to
friends identied as bisexual, nonbinary,
and intersex and used the pronouns they
and their) had behavioral-health issues
that were well-known to campus medical
professionalsalmost as well-known as
their leadership as president of the Georgia
Tech Pride Alliance, the schools LGBTQ
organization. The police ocer noted that
Scout advanced on him with a knife. What
was later reported found at the scene was
a multipurpose toola tool that had earlier
been in the hands of a desperate young
person in need, whom it is now reported
left behind multiple suicide notes.
As an Army brat with a younger brother
who rose through the ranks and is now a
police sergeant Im left with a knot in my
stomach, plenty of anger, and more than a
few questions, including What more could
we have done to support this vulnerable
young person? and, What more needs
to be done to ensure our police ocers
secure the skills and sensitivity to honor
their oath to protect and serve?
Increased bigoted rhetoric from the
highest oces in the land is taking its toll
on all of us. I feel it every day, and I am
surrounded by loving friends, courageous
PFLAGers, and engaged and equally
enraged allies. How must our most
vulnerable young peopleour LGBTQ
kids, our kids of color, our undocumented
kids, the ones who might not have
access to the human safety net needed
to mitigate negative outcomesfeel?
Isolated, depressed, invisible, unloved?
W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM
For those with behavioral-health treatment; and the violence perpetrated by
challenges, the feelings can be some in law enforcements (whether due
exponentially worse. Last month, a queer to insucient training or outright racism
friends teenage daughter attempted to and bigotry)these circumstances have
die by suicide. Thankfully, she lived and is created a perfect storm that lead to exactly
getting counseling after a hospital stay. Are what happened on the Georgia Tech
we giving that same care to children whose campus to Scout Schultz.
genders, sexualities, rage, and grief seem It is time to connect the dots. If we are
to collide just as they are learning to make to survive these times in a manner we can
sense of our system and themselves? stand byif we want to build a world that is
And what of our police? I know many actually going to hold close and protect the
good law enforcement ocers at the people who are most targetedwe will need at Pulse nightclub. I know this kind of
federal, state and local levels. But there a much more comprehensive approach.
has been a growing wave of reports The truth is that, like most marginalized
about bad actors. Im talking about Ocer people, LGBTQ youth of all races are on the
Darren Wilson, Ocer Daniel Pantaleo, radar of our police forces than their peers.
Ocer Jeronimo Yanez, the list goes on Our kids are more often homeless, in the
and on. The most recent addition is St. foster care system, in drug and alcohol
Louis Ocer Jason Stockley, who was treatment centers, and in mental health
just acquitted by a judge in the death facilities. Worse, they are often rejected by
of Anthony Lamar Smithdespite a their families, and relying on professionals
recording of him saying Im gonna kill and caregivers who can make treatment
just moments prior to shooting him. outcomes feel like a roll of the dice.
Taken togetherthe heightened rhetoric At this time, when many, many more
and barrage of negative legislation; the of us have been in the streets, calling
vulnerability of marginalized youth; the lack our elected ocials, and passionately
of sucient behavioral-health support and mobilizing our LGBTQ and ally networks,
VIEWPOINT
SCOUT SCHULTZ was shot to death by Georgia
Tech campus police.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGIA TECH PRIDE ALLIANCE
we have to ask ourselves: What more
can we do? How can we provide better
support? Where is the root of the violence?
What are our best strategies?
I had the great honor of working with The
Department of Justice Community Relations
Service providing education alongside our
law enforcement partners on how to serve
the transgender community. I stood side-by-
side with DOJ CRS to work with our PFLAG
chapter in Orlando following the massacre
learning is possible and available.
We must call for better care for our youth.
We must provide more education and
support for families who are lost when
their kids come out.
We must provide better training to well-
meaning law enforcement ocers, and
demand justice when others act on base
impulses and cause harm to good people.
As we mobilize for justice as loudly and
proudly as ever, lets build something better,
more profoundly just, than we had in 2016.
And lets all commit to fortify our vulnerable
populationsincluding our LGBTQ kidsso
that they will thriveand live.
 I know the where, when and why
to buy in West Hollywood.

I live in the city. I play in the city. I work with organizations throughout the city. As Chaiman
of the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce I know what is happening now in our city,
and what is planned for the future. This deep and thorough understanding of the West
Hollywood community provides a unique base of knowledge to help clients as they
KEITH KAPLAN
consider buying or selling in this area. West Hollywood, its my hometown.
CalBRE #01933707
C 323 646 7791 | D 310 888 3714 | keith.kaplan@sothebyshomes.com | keithkaplanproperties.com Sunset Strip Brokerage
9255 Sunset Blvd., Mezzanine
A member of the property experts/powered by Sothebys International Realty | thepropertyexpertsre.com West Hollywood, CA 90069

Sothebys International Realty and the Sothebys International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Operated by Sothebys International Realty, Inc. Real estate agents
affiliated with Sothebys International Realty, Inc. are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of Sothebys International Realty, Inc. Sothebys International Realty CalBRE#: 899496
2 8 S E P T E M B E R 2 2 2 0 1 7 V O L U M E 0 1 I S S U E 1 4 A meri c a s L G B T Q N e w s S our c e L O S A N G E L E S B L A D E . C O M

Tom of Finland, from director Dome Karukoski, tells the story of Finlands infamous homoerotic
export.

PHOTO CREDIT?????

Straight director takes on Tom of Finland

T elling the s tory o f country s in f amou s homoeroti c export

By MICHAEL JORTNER

Im speaking with Finnish film director
Dome Karukoski via phone. Hes in Europe
shooting his new project, a biopic of Lord
of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien.
Im in England, he says. Unfortunately,
I cant tell anything about that project
other than that.
Luckily for us, Tom of Finland, his
recently completed feature telling the
story of Finlands infamous homoerotic
export, is a lot more accessible.
Finlands entry for the 2018 Academy
Awards, having screened at Outfest this
past July, will now premiere Oct. 13 in New
York City, and Oct. 20 in San Francisco and
Los Angeles (The Nuart). A national release
will follow.
The film is really good strong Finnish
cast, traditional three-act structure,
beautiful cinematography and some
unique dialogue. When was the last time
you heard a character declare, My cock is
the boss?
Karukoski has always felt like he doesnt
quite belong. Its a theme tying his oeuvre
of seven feature films together. Yes, seven.
ContinueS ON page 30
 T H E W A L L I S
N
F A LL A RTS S E PT E M B E R 22, 2017 29

U M @
AUT Harlem Quartet

The Heart of
Robin Hood

Joe Morton in
Turn Me Loose
A Play About
Activist and
Comic Genius
Dick Gregory

PHOTOS COURTESY KARUKOSKI

Dome Karukoski helms

Tom of Finland biopic FEATURING:
OCT 15
Harlem Quarte
t
NOV 10-11
Kyle Riabko:
Richard Rodgers
OCT 8 OCT 20-29
P ia n o : Reimagined
s, Feathers of Fire
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28 own. He found it in the hills of Echo Park. is
Jonath an B
Karukoskis lm uses the contrast of dim pi c NOV 28 - DEC 17
OCT 12-14 A Persian E
And hes only 40. white light in Helsinki with that of sunny LA
D an ce The Heart of
Dorra n ce NOV 2-4
Ive always done lms about people to accentuate the point.
O V 12 Robin Hood
who are longing to nd a home, either How did Tom feel arriving in LA in OCT 13 - N L.A. Dance
spiritual or a complete home, Karukoski the late 70s? Karukoski wondered. We Turn M e Lo os e Project
explained. A lot of my characters have wanted to portray [the] feelings that hes Feathers of Fire:
been outsiders. actually arriving into [a] movie world- A Persian Epic
Born on the island of Cyprus, he grew slash-utopia.
up in Finland. I became bullied because I That must have felt like liberation for
was an outsider. I traveled and I try to nd him because his community had to hide in CONNECT WITH US:
a home, [but] it doesnt really help when Finland. The Nordic nation was a really 310.746.4000 | TheWallis.org
you travel 200 days a year. dark place at that time. It wasnt legal to be
Touko Laaksonen (aka Tom of Finland)
fought mightily for a home to call his CONTINUES ON PAGE 38
3 0 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017
queery MACKENZIE PHILLIPS
By TROY MASTERS
tmasters@losangelesblade.com
Running into Mackenzie Phillips is like
meeting an old friend. After all, many of us
have known her all our lives, since she was
a child star in American Grati and was
beloved by millions on the 1970s hit TV show
One Day at a Time in which she co-starred
with Valerie Bertinelli and Bonnie Franklin.
According to Biography, Phillips was one
of the highest paid actresses of her time,
earning nearly $50,000 an episode until
drugs and alcohol ended her run.
She has a quick, loving sense of humor and
a loving take on the world around her and
given her public battles with addiction and
dysfunction, thats surely her saving grace.
She found her calling eventually and her
star is once again ascendant
After two nearly fatal overdoses, she
began her recovery journey and fell in
love with helping others in crisis. And even
though her journey has been a bumpy
ride, she has found herself at 58 years old
in a contented place.
For several years Mack, as she is
aectionately known by friends and
colleagues, has worked in drug and
alcohol counseling and is currently
working with Addiction rehabilitation
expert Brad Lamm at Breathe Life Healing
Center in Los Angeles. At Breathe, which
has a sizeable LGBTQ community, Phillips
is a primary counselor.
My addiction was so powerful, and so
rooted in early trauma, that I lost myself
for many years. Now, with a strong
recovery Im committed to helping others
nd their voice at Breathe Life Healing
Centers, she says.
W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM
How long have you been out and who
was the hardest person to tell?
Im not in and Im not out. Im just me.
Whos your LGBT hero?
Ellen DeGeneres
Whats Los Angeles best nightspot,
past or present?
The Rainbow on Sunset Boulevard.
Describe your dream wedding.
Tahiti, thats an easy one.
What non-LGBT issue are you most
passionate about?
Thats a hard one, because LGBT is the
rainbow and it encompasses all aspects
of who we all are. There are no non-LGBT
issues.
What historical outcome would you
change?
The assassinations of John F. Kennedy
and Martin Luther King.
Whats been the most memorable pop
culture moment of your lifetime?
I was a pop cultural moment! Oh, I had
sex with Mick Jagger...that was a pop
cultural explosion!
On what do you insist?
Love. Everything can be done with love.
2 0 G A Y Q U E ST I O N S F O R: M A C K E N ZI E P HI L L I P S
What was your last Facebook post or
Tweet?
I posted about being on Facebook Live
with Brad Lamm. Ill be live on Breathe
Life Healing Centers page with Brad
Lamm at 11am PST!!! Join us for some
lively conversation! Post questions to
Breathe Facebook page!
If your life were a book, what would
the title be?
My life is a book and Ive written several.
Hopeful Healing: Essays on managing
recovery and surviving addiction, is my
most recent but the hardest for me to
write was High on Arrival in 2009.
If science discovered a way to change
sexual orientation, what would you
do?
Id like to try on a dick and walk around
for about three days, just to see what
the big deal is. Id go out and just nail
everything I could and have a good
time. Im sure Id want to be a woman
again. Oh, orientation? But I already like
everything. I am all orientations!
What do you believe in beyond the
physical world?
Everything aects everything else. I really
believe that completely.
Whats your advice for LGBT movement
leaders?
PHOTO BY CVANWAGONER; COURTESY OF FLICKR
Addiction is something that seems to be
left behind. I think there needs to be a
major focus on educating the community
about recovery.
What would you walk across hot coals
for?
My son. Id walk across hot coals for my
son and if he turns out to be gay I will
prance across hot coals for him.
What LGBT stereotype annoys you
most?
That all gay men are eeminate or that all
lesbians are butch.
Whats your favorite LGBT movie?
Bar Girls
Whats the most overrated social
custom?
Cocktails
What trophy or prize do you most
covet?
I really dont covet anything but I do prize
my recovery and my work helping others
along their journey to recovery.
What do you wish youd known at 18?
That everything would be OK.
Why Los Angeles?
Even though I have lived elsewhere, I
always keep coming back. I keep coming
F I LM W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 3 1

Mother! A masterpiece to hate

CHALLENGE YOUR MOST UNCOMFORTABLE, INSTINCTUAL PLACES

By JOHN PAUL KING

Darren Aronofsky doesnt make movies
for your enjoyment.
From the earliest days of his career, his lms
have been a relentless barrage of grotesque
and transgressive imagery, built around
themes of paranoia and self-destruction, and
tied together into a debasing experience that
feels less like a catharsis than an assault.
Consequently, it seems odd that viewers
would expect his latest work Mother! to
be the kind of tried-and-true psychological
thriller its advertising would seem to suggest;
it seems even more odd that their reaction to
it would be one of surprise and even outrage.
Yet that is precisely what happened.
During the movies opening weekend,
critics and audiences alike labeled it as a
op within moments of walking out of the
theater, and took to social media with ranting
diatribes calling it one of the worst movies
ever made but does it really deserve such
labels? The answer to that question may be
as perplexing as the lm itself.
Mother! is ostensibly the tale of a young
woman (Jennifer Lawrence) who lives with
her older husband (Javier Bardem), in an
isolated house in the country. She works
hard restoring their home, previously burned
in a re, while he struggles with writers block,
but their life together seems tranquil and full
of hope until a strange couple (Ed Harris
and Michelle Pfeier) unexpectedly arrives at
their doorstep, threatening the stability of the
idyllic world they have built for themselves.
The premise echoes countless other thrillers
in which happy couples are terrorized by
interlopers, and forced to face uncomfortable
truths about themselves as they battle to
restore order to their lives. Though Aronofsky
quickly derails the formula with his customary
descent into nightmare logic, he nevertheless
takes on all the tropes of the genre buried through a sort of peripheral vision which not
secrets, subversions of intimacy, implications
of gaslighting, even good old-fashioned
jump scares. He doesnt necessarily take
them seriously; indeed, he milks them for
considerable humor, using them to mock both
themselves and the audiences willingness to
buy into them, even as he twists them into the
service of his larger agenda.
He utilizes a similar combination of
homage and satire in the repurposing of
some of his own now-familiar tools, most
notably the unreliable narrator technique.
Almost the entirety of Mother! is focused in
close-up proximity to Lawrences character;
most of the action comes to our attention
only serves as a reminder that we are seeing
it through her eyes, but creates a dreamlike
ow which warns us that not everything in
this lm should be taken at face value.
CONTINUES AT LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

A RAZOR-SHARP SATIRE! The Hollywood Reporter

Brian Hutchison, Luke Macfarlane. Photo by Luke Fontana.

3 2 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017
Best of LAs fall fine arts scene
MOVE OVER TV AND FILM FOR A HIGH CULTURE PREVIEW
By CHRISTOPHER CAPPIELLO
Film and television may dominate Los
Angeles culture, but the ne arts are alive
and well and thriving in venues large and
small. From opera to dance, visual arts
to classical music, the Southland has a
delicious buet of fall oerings to satisfy
your appetite for culture. Here are some
upcoming highlights.
MARTN RAMREZ: HIS LIFE
IN PICTURES, ANOTHER
INTERPRETATION
ICA LA inaugurates its new downtown LA
space with the rst major SoCal exhibition of
the work of one of the most celebrated outsider
artists, Martn Ramrez. Born in Mexico,
Ramirez emigrated to California to nd work
in 1925. After the stock market crash, he was
living on the streets and was hastily diagnosed
with schizophrenia and lived the last 30 years
of his life in NorCal psychiatric hospitals where
he created an astonishing body of drawings
using rudimentary materials. Through Dec.
31, Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles,
1717 E. 7th St., Los Angeles, 90021; theicala.org
MOZART 1791
In the never-ending search for new ways
to celebrate his work, the LA Philharmonic
presents a multi-part celebration of the
last year in the short but prolic life of the
incomparable Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Only 35, Mozart had a remarkably productive
nal year before falling ill in the autumn
and dying quickly. The LA Phils program
includes his last piano concerto, played by
Spanish pianist Javier Perianes, and four
evenings featuring the Clarinet Concerto and
selections from Mozarts beloved opera The
Magic Flute. Gustavo Dudamel conducts.
Sept. 26-Oct. 8, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111
S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, 90012; laphil.com
THE PEARL FISHERS
After opening the season with Bizets
beloved Carmen, LA Opera follows up
W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM
with the French composers lesser-known
work set in an Asian pearl-diving village.
British director Penny Woolcocks modern-
dress production has earned raves in
London and New York for its evocative
use of technology. The piece also includes
one of the most beautiful male duets in
all of opera, Au don du temple saint,
a friendship duet that can easily take
on homoerotic undertones. Oct. 7-28,
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand
Ave., Los Angeles, 90012; laopera.org
DORRANCE DANCE
2015 MacArthur genius Fellowship
recipient Michelle Dorrance has
resurrected and redened tap dance.
Angelenos get a taste of her talents with
this full evening of work, including an
extended version of her Myelination,
which earned plaudits in a 2015
incarnation in New York. Oct. 12-14, The
Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly
Hills, 90210; thewallis.org
THE CONSUL
Long Beach Opera can be counted
on to present powerful productions of
provocative work. This fall the ambitious
company stages Gian Carlo Menottis The
Consul, an intimate opera with a timely
and relevant story about refugees. Patricia
Racette, who earned raves for her Salome at
LA Opera this year, sings the role of Magda
Sorel, whose husband is a political dissident
on the run in an undisclosed totalitarian
state. Oct. 14-22, Centinela Valley Center
for the Arts, 14901 S. Inglewood Ave.,
Lawndale, 90260; longbeachopera.org
NABUCCO
One of the great treasures of LAs cultural
scene is that Plcido Domingo has made LA
Opera his professional home, serving as
general director since 2003 and performing
and conducting on a regular basis. This
2015 MacArthur Genius Fellowship recipient MICHELLE DORRANCE (left) has resurrected and
redened tap dance.
season the septuagenarian tenor continues
his exploration of Verdi baritone roles by
taking on the title role in Nabucco, singing
the mad emperor opposite Ukrainian
soprano Liudmyla Monastryrska, in a
reprise of a heralded pairing last year at
the Met Opera. Oct. 14-Nov. 19, Dorothy
Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los
Angeles, 90012; laopera.org
UNTIL THE LIONS
As part of the Music Centers always-
engaging Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance
program, the adventurous Akram Khan
Company comes to town with Until the
Lions, award-winning choreographer Khans
interpretation of a work by poet Karthika
Nair. Khan uses classical Indian kathak dance
as well as muscular, athletic contemporary
forms to tell the story of Princess Amba, who
calls on the gods for revenge after being
abducted on her wedding day. Oct. 18-21,
Culver Studios, 9336 Washington Blvd.,
Culver City, 90232; musiccenter.org.
L.A. DANCE PROJECT
Dancer/choreographer (and Black Swan
star) Benjamin Millepieds L.A. Dance
Project has been selected to be the rst
F I N E A RT
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WALLIS
resident dance company at the Wallis
Annenberg Center for the Performing
Arts, meaning the troupe will present
programs in the fall and spring. The fall
bill includes three pieces choregraphed by
Millepied and a U.S. premiere of a work by
young French choreographer No Soulier.
Nov. 2-4, The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica
Blvd., Beverly Hills, 90210; thewallis.org
BERNSTEIN ON STAGE
As part of Bernstein at 100, a two-
year global celebration of the centennial
of the birth of American composer
extraordinaire Leonard Bernstein, the
Valley Performing Arts Center presents
an evening celebrating the composer and
conductors contributions to American
theater. Broadway star Davis Gaines and
the Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles join
the New West Symphony under the baton
of John Mauceri, who worked side-by-side
with Bernstein for 18 years. Audiences
will hear beloved music from West Side
Story, Wonderful Town and Candide,
as well as lesser-known works like Trouble
in Tahiti. Nov. 17, Valley Performing Arts
Center, 18111 Nordho St., Northridge,
91330; valleyperformingartscenter.org
EMMYS W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 3 3

The gay designer behind every L.A. Red Carpet that matters
GLAM IS SPELLED BUTCHKAVITZ

By SUSAN L. HORNIK

When events producer Billy Butchkavitz
is not creating impressive designs for
HBO parties throughout the year, he is
searching for new decor themes around
the world.
My favorite thing is to travel and nd new
sources, i.e. people that can manufacture
for me, vendors, ideas. Just walking through
villages in India and seeing a temple or
seeing people on the banks of a river
doing hand block textiles, I nd inspiration
everywhere, Butchkavitz enthused.
The veteran organizer/designer is one
busy guy: he creates over 36 elaborate
parties each year, and ongoingly works
for years with gay and lesbian students for
Project Ten.
Butchkavitz just wrapped up breaking
down the HBO Emmys partya three
day process at the Pacic Design
Center, where the party theme was The
Royal Pavilion, in Brighton, England; the
custom textiles, furniture, table top decor,
large scale decor and carpeting were all
inuenced by their very bold chinoiserie
interiors.
A 30 diameter tiered chinoiserie
pagoda surrounded by a garden of giant
jade trees was one of the focal points of
the party and served as the entertainment
hub, he noted. Also, a series of 12 high
Chinese Guardian Lions stood watch in the
main dining pavilion, along with a 20 long
replica of The Royal Pavilions magnicent
banquet room chandelier.
This weekend he is setting up at The
Beverly Hilton for a 1960s style Gay and
Lesbian Centers annual gala this weekend.
Next is a red carpet premiere for HB0s
new documentary on Steven Spielberg
and The Golden Globes.
Butchkavitzs parties take months to
plan and bring to fruition.
Last year, we started working on
the Emmys party right after the Golden
Globes, because it takes so long to get
everything sourced, manufactured and
shipped in, since we do custom carpets
and textiles, he explained.
Butchkavitz is not a one man show, he
works closely with his brother and sister.
They are my travelling buddies; we go
everywhere together and are really close.
We love going places together. My brother
and I are gay, so its like three sisters, he
quipped.
When they reach a destination they
want to explore more, they all shoot o in
dierent directions, so they can all barter
and bargain at the markets. From Egypt,
Europe and Indonesia to Malaysia and
Laos, we have done it all. It keeps us going.
Butchkavitz considers himself lucky. Its
the whole thing of right place, right time.
I started doing events in Honolulu in 1986.
HBO came to a hotel opening I did and
asked me to do see stu for them. Twenty
three years later, I am still with them. In
addition, I have also done events around
the world for others clients too.
CONTINUES AT LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

EMMA STONE
AS BILLIE JEAN KING

STEVE CARELL
AS BOBBY RIGGS

FROM THE DIRECTORS OF LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

IN THEATRES 9.22

EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENTS START FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 WEST LOS ANGELES

at W. Pico & Westwood (310) 470-0492
HOLLYWOOD CENTURY CITY AMC
at Sunset & Vine (323) 464-4226 Century City 15 amctheatres.com
3 4 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017
A busy fall in LAs arts scene
ONGOING THROUGH OCT. 1
The Red Shoes, @ 8:00 PM (2:00
PM & 8:00 PM Sep 23 & Sep 30, 1:00
PM & 6:30 PM Sep 24 & Oct 1) at the
Ahmanson Theatre (135 N. Grand Ave).
The Los Angeles debut of celebrated
out choreographer Matthew Bournes
stunning ballet, based on the classic 1948
movie and set to the unforgettable music
of lm composer Bernard Herrmann,
enjoys a short run on the world-class stage
of the Ahmanson. Dont miss your chance
to see this acclaimed, multi-Olivier-winning
production before its too late! Ticket info:
https://www.centertheatregroup.org/
ONGOING THROUGH NOV. 26
Happy Birthday, Mr. Hockney, @ 10:00
AM - 5:00 PM at The Getty Center (1200
Getty Center Dr.) Gay icon David Hockney
is considered one of the most important
British artists of the twentieth century.
To celebrate his eightieth birthday, this
focused two-part exhibition includes self-
portraits made over the past sixty-ve
years and key photographs from the 1980s
that investigate time and perspective.
ONGOING THRO UGH DEC. 31
Axis Mundo: Queer Networks in
Chicano L.A., @ 11:00 PM - 05:00 PM at
MOCA Pacic Design Center (8687 Melrose
Ave). Organized by ONE National Gay &
Lesbian Archives at the USC Libraries, this
exhibition maps the intersections among
a network of queer Chicano artists and
their collaborators from the late 1960s
to the early 1990s, marking the rst
historical consideration of these artists in
the context of broader artistic and cultural
movements. Presented at both the ONE
Archives gallery in West Hollywood,
temporarily located at 9007 Melrose
Avenue, and MOCA Pacic Design Center.
SEPT. 23
Grand Park + Outfest Present PROUD
Movie Night, Sun Sep 24 @ 5:30 PM at
Grand Park (200 N. Grand Ave). The Music
W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM
The Wallis welcomes L.A. Dance Project in a series of programs in both the fall of 2017 and the
spring of 2018, as well as other education and outreach activities.
Center continues its series of intimate
events that invite the Los Angeles LGBTQ
and ally community to celebrate and
connect. Grand Park partners with Outfest
to present a picnic and screening in
celebration of fresh and diverse voices in
lm. Filmmakers and actors will introduce
the showcase of short lms from the
Outfest Fusion Festival and share insight
about their craft. Come early to enjoy a
late summer afternoon in the park with
DJs, food trucks and the parks popular
splash pad and playground.
SEPT. 26
Moonlight Rooftop Screening, Tue
Sep 26 @ 2:00pm at LEVEL Furnished
Living (888 S. Olive St). The ultimate lm
experience, Rooftop Cinema Club brings
their hugely popular lm series to LEVEL,
an urban oasis in the sky, with a screening
of a landmark LGBTQ lm last years
Oscar-winning Best Picture, Moonlight.
Check in at the Box Oce with your tickets
in exchange for wireless headphones
and blankets (if necessary). Event is 21+,
alcoholic beverages available by pre-order
only. Further info and tickets atEventbrite.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WALLIS
SEPT. 28
Will & Grace Viewing Party at The
Faultline, THU 8 PM at Faultline, (4216
Melrose Ave). Watch the return of the
iconic LGBTQ sitcom at the Faultline on a
HD 113 Projector Screen in their inside
lounge. Doors open at 8 pm, early arrival
encouraged for best seating options.
Complimentary popcorn. Come for the
show and stay for Take It O Absolut
Underwear Party, for a fun and sexy night!
SEPT. 30
Gay D.D. Presents Fashion!, Sat Sep
30 @ 7:00pm at Art Share L.A. (801 E. 4th
Pl.) Gay D.D. stylishly returns to Art Share
LA just in time for the fall fashion season:
supermodel stomp your way in for drag,
music, burlesque, and of course, the
signature vegan buet! First come, rst
serve. Timely arrival is recommended.
Cocktail intermission in between acts.
Distinctive attire denitely encouraged.
Featuring Princess PoodlePoo, Miss
Barbie-Q (MJ Brown), Alan Ishii and many
more! Advance tickets available at http://
gaydd.bpt.me
EVENTS
OCT. 8
Best in Drag Show, 7 PM at Orpheum
Theatre, (842 S. Broadway). The legendary
fundraiser beneting Aid for AIDS, a program
of Alliance for Housing and Healing returns
October 8th to the Orpheum Theatre. A
great tradition for a great cause, and one
of the entertainment highlights of the Los
Angeles year. Visit www.bestindragshow.org
for more information.
OCT. 12-14
Dorrance Dance, @ 7:30 PM (2:00 PM &
7:30 PM on Sun) at the Wallis Annenberg
Center for the Performing Arts (9390 N.
Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills). Dorrance
Dance honors tap dances unique and
powerful history while simultaneously
pushing it forward. Artistic Director Michelle
Dorrance brings her troupe to the Wallis
with a trio of exciting pieces which illustrate
the great range for which the company is
known. Ticket info: http://thewallis.org/
NOV. 2-4
L.A. Dance Project (FALL), @ 7:30 PM
at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the
Performing Arts (9390 N. Santa Monica
Blvd, Beverly Hills). The Wallis is thrilled
to announce L.A. Dance Project as its rst
Company-in-Residence! Collaborating with
the companys Artistic Director Benjamin
Millepied, The Wallis welcomes L.A. Dance
Project for a quartet of thrilling pieces.
Ticket info: http://thewallis.org/
NOV. 14-15
Joey Arias: Still Misbehavin, @ 9:00 PM
at Cavern Club Theatre (1920 Hyperion Ave.,
Silverlake). The legendary performance
artist and drag pioneer brings his one-of-
a-kind cabaret act to the intimate stage of
the Cavern Club, at the iconic Casito Del
Campo restaurant. Get your tickets, if you
can, before its too late, and come early for
a delicious dinner! Ticket info: http://www.
cavernclubtheater.com/
CONTINUES AT LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
T E L E V I SI O N
Something old, something new
DYNASTY REBOOT, SCARY CLOWNS AND 70S PORN AMONG FALL TV HIGHLIGHTS
The fall LGBT TV season got o to an
explosive start with the return of Narcos
to Netix on Sept. 1. Based on the violent
history of the Cali Cartel in Colombia,
season three picks up after the death of
Pablo Escobar. Gay hitman Pacho Herrera
(Alberto Ammann) rises to the top ranks
of the cocaine cartel; the amboyant
character is featured in steamy sex scenes
and has quickly become a fan favorite.
The rst new show of the LGBT TV season
was American Horror Story: Cult on FX.
Set in a small Michigan town, season seven
of the popular anthology series is the rst
major scripted show to deal directly with
the political and social aftermath of the
2016 presidential election.
The cast is led by Ryan Murphy
regulars Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters.
Paulson and Alison Pill play Ally and Ivy
Mayfair-Richards, Clinton supporters
who are terried by the outcome of the
election and who begin to see evil clowns
everywhere. Peters plays Kai Anderson, a
Trump supporter who is energized by the
outcome of the election.
Other new shows include:
The Deuce looks back at the 1970s
porn industry in New York City. James
Franco stars as the twin Mancini brothers,
Vinnie (good) and Frankie (bad); Maggie
Gyllenhaal plays porn actress Eileen Candy
Merrill. Currently running on HBO, the
series includes plenty of queer content,
including Chris Coy as gay bartender Paul
Hendrickson.
LogoTV.com is streaming Made to
Model: Trans Beauty in Fashion, a
celebration of the diverse models who are
transforming the runways at New York
Fashion Week.
Star Trek: Discovery boldly goes
where no other Star Trek television
series has gone before: it includes openly
gay characters. Out actor Anthony Rapp
(Rent) plays Lieutenant Paul Stamets,
W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM
By BRIAN T. CARNEY
Narcos season three on Netix features ALBERTO AMMANN (right) as a gay drug lord.
an astromycologist (fungus expert) and
Stareet science ocer aboard the
Starship Discovery. Out actor Wilson Cruz
(Rent and My So-Called Life) plays his
partner, Dr. Hugh Culber. The new series
blasts o on CBS All-Access on Sept. 25.
The most highly anticipated television
show of the fall season may be the return
of Will & Grace. The queer quartet
will resume their shenanigans on NBC
on Sept. 28. Season nine will ignore the
dreary series nale which aired on May
18, 2006 and give the returning characters
a fresh start. Based on the enthusiastic
response from dedicated fans, the new
Will & Grace has already been renewed
for a second season.
The campy 1980s nighttime soap
Dynasty is perhaps best remembered
for its vicious cat ghts, glamorous gowns
and conspicuous consumption, but it
made television history with its ground-
breaking portrayal of mature women
PHOTO BY JUAN PABLO GUTIERREZ; COURTESY NETFLIX
who were powerful and sexy and for the
inclusion of a gay male character. While
the cast of the reboot, which premieres on
Oct. 11 on the CW, is noticeably younger
than the original cast, it is also noticeably
more diverse.
The series returns to familiar story lines
about the Carringtons and the Colbys,
two rich Colorado families battling over
business empires and family loyalties.
Grant Show (Melrose Place) plays
patriarch Blake Carrington and James
Mackay (The Dressmaker) plays his
openly gay son Stephen. Their love
interests are Cristal Flores and her nephew
Sammy Joe (played by Hispanic actors
Nathalie Kelley and Rafael de la Fuente); in
the original series Sammy Jo was played by
Heather Locklear. In the early episodes of
the reboot, the Colbys are represented by
African-American actors Sam Adegoke as
Je and Wakeema Hollis as Monique.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary
SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 3 5
of the decriminalization of gay sex
in the United Kingdom, the BBC has
commissioned a series of eight monologues
about LGBT life. The writers include Jackie
Clune, Mark Gatiss and Brian Fillis; the
actors include Alan Cummings, Russell
Tovey, Ben Whishaw, Gemma Whalen and
Rebecca Front. Queers premieres on
BBC America on Oct. 14.
Queer director Bryan Singer is using
his artistic superpowers to help move
Marvels X-Men franchise to the small
screen. He served as director and
executive producer for the pilot episode of
The Gifted which airs on Oct. 2 on Fox.
Marvel is also represented on television
this fall by Runaways. Starting Nov. 21
on Hulu, the series about teens eeing
their extra-terrestrial parents includes
lesbian Karolina Dean (played by Virginia
Gardner) in the diverse cast.
Following on Hulus runaway success
with The Handmaids Tale, Netix brings
Margaret Atwoods novel Alias Grace
to the small screen on Nov. 3. Loosely
based on a true case, the six-hour mini-
series tells the story of Grace Marks (Sara
Gadon), who was convicted (and later
exonerated) for the murders of her boss,
Thomas Kinnear (Paul Gross), and his
maid/mistress Nancy Montgomery (Anna
Paquin) in Canada in 1843. Directed by
Sarah Polley, this passionate tale of love
and murder also tackles issues of class,
gender and sexuality.
Lots of fan favorites with LGBT
characters will also be returning this fall.
Already back on the airwaves are Tig
Notaros One Mississippi on Amazon,
Top of the Lake: China Girl directed
by Jane Campion and starring Nicole
Kidman and Elisabeth Moss (the Sundance
Channel); Broad City (Comedy Central);
and Better Things (FX).
CONTINUES AT LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
3 6 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017
The best of lm and theater in LA
For those of us who have a taste for lm
and theater, fall is the time of year when
there always seems to be an avalanche of
choices.
Never fear, weve got you covered.
Here are the must-see options for Blade
readers in the months ahead.
ON THE SCREEN
Battle of the Sexes Sep 22
Emma Stone and Steve Carrell star
as Billie Jean King and Bobby Rigg,
respectively, in this lm about their much-
touted 1973 tennis match. Directed by
Jonathon Dayton and Valerie Faris, it
focuses on the personal struggles of the
two rivals, and has garnered particular
praise for Stones performance as the
legendary lesbian icon.
Marshall -- Oct 13
Chadwick Boseman stars as future
rst African-American Supreme Court
Justice Thurgood Marshall in this much-
anticipated lm about his days as a young
attorney. Following his court defense of
a fellow black man accused of rape and
murder, it promises to be one of the
years big awards contenders. Directed
by Reginald Hudlin, and also starring Dan
Stevens, Kate Hudson, James Cromwell,
Josh Gad and Sterling K. Brown.
Wonderstruck Oct 20
The latest lm by out director Todd
Haynes is adapted by Brian Selznick from
his own novel about two young runaways
50 years apart who each seek the
same mysterious connection. Known
for the way he mines cultural nostalgia
for queer and outsider experiences (Far
From Heaven, Velvet Goldmine, Carol), Room With a View) from the novel
Haynes also has a knack for the innovative
re-imagining of vintage cinematic styles
something which should prove interesting
in his weaving together of two narratives
separated across time. Starring Julianne
Moore, Michelle Williams, Oakes Fegley
W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM
STAGE AND SCREEN ROUNDUP FOR THE FALL SEASON
By JOHN PAUL KING
LUKE MACFARLANE (left) and BRIAN HUTCHISON in the world premiere of Big Night at Center
Theatre Groups Kirk Douglas Theatre.
and Jaden Michael, this one looks very
promising.
Gods Own Country Oct 27
The opener of this years OutFest, this
U.K. drama has been described as the
English Brokeback Mountain. Directed
by rst-time lmmaker Francis Lee, its
the story of an unlikely but irresistible
romance between a Yorkshire sheep
farmer and the Romanian immigrant he
takes on as a hired hand and sure to
be a must-see for acionados of LGBTQ
cinema.
Call Me By Your Name Nov 24
Already in the news, thanks to actor
James Woods hateful tweeting (and the
responses to it from star Armie Hammer
and Amber Tamblyn), this 1980s-set
coming-of-age romantic drama was
adapted by James Ivory (Maurice, A
by Andr Aciman. Directed by Luca
Guadagnino, its the story of an academic
staying with an Italian couple and the
attraction he develops with their teenaged
son. Starring Hammer opposite Timothe
Chalamet (Homeland), its bound to be
PHOTO COURTESY OF CENTER THEATER GROUP
another sure bet for gay audiences.
ON THE STAGE
Big Night Ongoing thru Oct. 8
Kirk Douglas Theatre (9820 Washington
Blvd, Culver City)
The world premiere production of the
latest play by acclaimed out playwright
Paul Rudnick. Its Oscar night and Mike
is nominated. His transgender nephew
is pushing him to make a political
acceptance speech, his mother drops
a bombshell on him, and his boyfriend
wont return his calls just another night
in Hollywood. Another hilarious and
razor-sharp romp by the writer of such gay
classics as Jerey, In And Out, and The
Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, this one is
denitely worth catching before it makes
its run towards Broadway.
Fixed Ongoing thru Oct 22
Echo Theatre Company @ Atwater
Village Theatre (3269 Casitas Ave)
Equally inspired by Calderns Spanish
drama The Physician of His Own
Honorand the iconic documentaryParis
Is Burning, this erce and funny new
F I LM & T H E A T E R
play is set in the heart of LAs historic
Filipinotown, where Miracles, a ladyboy
masseuse who walks for the infamous
House of Malacaang, has a forbidden
love aair which sparks tensions between
the citys hottest political families. The
kind of diverse, Angeleno-born theatre
that doesnt get enough attention in a
town obsessed with big ticket prestige,
this slice of local attitude by Boni B. Alvarez
deserves your support.
The View UpStairs Ongoing thru
Oct 29
Celebration Theatre @ The Lex (6760
Lexington)
This O-Broadway hit by Max Vernon is
a gripping, heartfelt and provocative new
musical that pulls you inside the world of
historic 70s New Orleans bar The UpStairs
Lounge, as a young fashion designer from
2017 buys the abandoned space and
sets o a journey of seduction and self-
exploration. Stellar reviews of its New
York run (which closed in May) praised its
score and its visual style, and predicted its
destiny as an iconic cult phenomenon.
Directed by Ovation-winner Michael A.
Shepperd.
Bash Oct 14 thru Oct 21
Whitmore-Lindley Theatre Center
(11006 Magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood)
If youre looking for a dose of theatre
at its most raw and controversial, this
mounting of the rst published work by
renowned playwright and lmmaker Neil
LaBute might be just the ticket. A trio of one
act duets and monologues (one of which
details a horric gay-bashing incident), this
plays uninching look at the evil lurking
underneath everyday life was responsible
for getting LaBute excommunicated from
the Mormon church. Make that dreaded
trip to the Valley (really, people, its just a
short drive through the hills) and see why.
CONTINUES AT LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
MUSIC W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 3 7

Miley, Demi, Dolly and then some

TAYLOR S WIFT, PINK, SHANIA AMONG ECLECTIC FALL ALBUM RELEASES

By CHRIS GERARD

The new release schedule for fall is
loaded with long-awaited new albums
from some of the biggest stars in music.
There will be plenty of new tunes to keep
music fans occupied.
September is highlighted by the latest
from favorite Dave Grohl and Foo
Fighters, who unleash their ninth studio
album, Concrete and Gold, featuring the
electrifying rst single Run.
Also out is a live album and DVD
documenting Madonnas record-breaking
Rebel Heart Tour. Also out is the latest from
new wave pioneer Gary Numan, Savage
(Songs From a Broken World), Yusuf
(formerly Cat Stevens) with The Laughing
Apple, Swedish EDM duo Galantis are back
with The Aviary, former Vampire Weekend
mainstay Rostom will release his solo
debut Half-Light and Metric vocalist Emily
Haines is set to release her new solo album
Choir of the Mind.
More big new releases arrive the
following week, with new wave revivalists
the Killers leading the way with Wonderful
Wonderful. Also dropping Sept. 22 is
Double Dutchess, the long-awaited
second solo album by Black-Eyed Peas
diva Fergie. It comes 11 years after her
smash The Duchess, but judging from the
singles so far it will be well worth the wait.
Other new albums due on the 22nd include
the latest from trip-hop pioneer Tricky,
ununiform, folk-rock legend Van Morrison
with Roll With the Punches, goth goddess
Chelsea Wolfe with Hiss Spun, Australian
electro-pop group Cut Copy with Haiku From
Zero, versatile R&B vocalist Ledisi with Let
Love Rule, rapper Macklemores rst solo
album in 12 years, Gemini, and a live album
by acclaimed lesbian guitar virtuoso Kaki
King, Live at Berklee.
Sept. 29 is a big week for multiple
generations of female artists. The
legendary country icon Dolly Parton will
release a childrens album, I Believe in
After a long hiatus from music, SHANIA TWAIN is back with a new album dubbed Now, slated for a
Sept. 29 release. Its her rst album since 2002s RIAA Diamond-selling Up!
You, while country-pop superstar Shania
Twain is back with her rst new album in
15 years, Now.
Demi Lovato also returns on the 29th
with Tell Me You Love Me, featuring her
platinum single Sorry Not Sorry and
Miley Cyrus delivers her latest, Younger
Now. British synthpop duo Hurts also
have a new album on the 29th, Desire,
including the new single Ready to Go.
Former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher
has set his new solo album As You Were
Available for an Oct. 6 release. Alternative
rockers Wolf Parade are also back on the
sixth with Cry Cry Cry, along with the debut
album by the much-buzzed about R&B
vocalist Kelela, the latest from indie-popsters
Ducktails, Jersey Devil, the new solo eort
by openly gay Bloc Party vocalist Kele
Okereke, Fatherland and glam-rockers the
Darkness with Pinewood Smile.
Pop superstar Pink returns Oct. 13 with
her rst album in ve years, Beautiful
Trauma, featuring the stunning rst
single What About Us. On the same date,
PHOTO BY GIAMPAOLO SGURA; COURTESY THE KARPEL GROUP
critically beloved St. Vincent will deliver
one of the years most anticipated albums
with MASSEDUCTION. Also scheduled for
the 13th are new albums by Beck, Colors;
legendary Led Zeppelin frontman Robert
Plant, Carry Fire; William Patrick (aka
Billy) Corgan with his collaboration with
producer Rick Rubin, Ogilala; and an
intriguing collaboration between uber-
talented troubadours Courtney Barnett
and Kurt Vile, Lotta Sea Lice.
Also out Oct. 13 is The Con X: Covers, a
10th anniversary celebration of The Con
by openly gay sisters Tegan and Sara with
all of that classic albums songs covered by
various artists.
Look for a newly remastered and
expanded edition of the Smiths The
Queen is Dead on Oct. 20. Originally
released in 1986, its widely considered
one of their nest eorts.
October wraps up with two of the falls
biggest releases: Kelly Clarkson drops
her latest, Meaning of Life, on Oct. 27,
and on the same date Weezer returns
with Pacic Daydream. The-Dream
also hits on the 27th with Love Aair,
featuring the hit single Summer Body,
and emo-rockers the Used return with
The Canyon.
The much-anticipated new Taylor
Swift album, Reputation, arrives Nov.
10. Led by smash single Look What You
Made Me Do, its likely to be the seasons
biggest-selling release. Also hitting on the
10th is the latest from moody alt-rockers
Evanescence, Synthesis.
Nov. 17 is highlighted by the latest from
that icon of wit and misery, Morrissey,
who is back with Low in High School. The
season is capped by the long-promised
Songs of Experience by U2, the follow-up
to their outstanding 2014 release Songs of
Innocence. Presumably, though, the new
album wont show up on everyones iPhone
automatically, or at least we can hope.
Kanye West may (or may not) unload
his latest, reportedly titled Turbo Grafx
16, this fall as always, he is hard to
predict. Bjork is working with acclaimed
gay electronic visionary Arca on an album
expected in November, with the rst single
called The Gate.
Other artists expected to release new
albums this fall but have yet to announce
dates include Tei Shi, Sam Smith (who
just released a new single, Too Good
At Goodbyes), Ne-Yo, Paloma Faith,
Thirty Seconds to Mars, En Vogue, 80s
heroes Tears for Fears, 90s rockers the
Ospring, Travis Scott, Charli XCX,
Barenaked Ladies, Nas, Clean Bandit,
Kylie Minogue, MGMT, Sara Bareilles,
Zayn, Tove Lo, Kiesza, Avril Lavigne,
Mariah Carey, up-and-coming rapper
Kamaiyah, Marilyn Manson and a
Christmas oering from one of pops
hottest stars, Sia. Inevitably some of these
will get bumped to 2018.
CONTINUES AT LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
3 8 S EPTE MB ER 2 2 , 2017 W W W .LOS ANG E LE S B LADE .C OM F A LL A RT S

Straight director develops new appreciation for male form

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29
gay until 1971.
S.R. Sharp is vice president at the Tom
of Finland Foundation. He and his kinda
like my boyfriend Dirk Dahner run what
can only be called the largest and most
passionate fan club for the erotic artist in
the world.
Were collaborators on the lm, said
Sharp. We went with a Finnish production
company for obvious reasons.
In some ways, Tom of Finland, like the
artist himself, is the latest example of a
fabulous Finnish export.
Tom humbly admitted before he
died, said Sharp, that he had a global
recognition in the queer community, but
he didnt have very much recognition in
Finland. In addition to petitioning the
Finnish government for a Tom of Finland
postage stamp (approved in 2014), the
Foundation just came back from a Finland
100 celebration in Stockholm. People are
much more aware of Tom of Finland.
Karukoski, lead actor Pekka Strang, and
the lms art director all made trips to
Toms House, as Sharp calls it, to bone up
on what it was that made Tom tick.
We pulled out work from the safe,
Sharp said. Its not framed. Its the actual
paper. Even through the phone line
Sharps voice conveyed solemnity. The
lmmakers were able to experience how
incredibly exquisite these pieces of work
are.
Karukoski acknowledged this. A lot

PHOTOS COURTESY KARUKOSKI

of research was done [there], he said. explicit gay sex.

Those were people that met Tom in the
later part of his life, a lot of people that
worked with him.
Actor Strang returns to LA for The Nuart
premiere. Sharp has a wish. Hopefully, he
will be staying here at Toms House, he
said. Hes been here a few times before,
doing researchbut I dont think hes
stayed overnightin Toms bed.
If Strang brings his wife, that might be
revolutionary.
Kake, a major, recurring character in
Tom of Finlands work appears throughout
the lm as a private, only-seen-by-the-
artist, tongue-in-cheeks (sorry) muse.
Described by specialty publisher
Taschen, Kake is a sort of post-
Stonewall, hyper-masculine Johnny
Appleseed traveling the world on his
motorcycle to spread the seeds of
liberated, mutually satisfying, ecstatically
Its always a question of how do you
show, Karukoski asked, especially in
lms about artists, whats going on in the
artists head?
Kake, which translates into Butch in
English, is a fantasy character appearing
throughout the movie. The equivalent of
the most beautiful man [Tom] can envision,
[what] he wants every man to be.
Kake was also an homage, said the
director. I think thats something [Tom]
would have valued.
Karukoski is not casual about
lmmaking. Hes all about preparation.
Over a ve-year period he traveled
to the Tom of Finland Foundation. You
learn, Karukoski said. When you are a
straight director doing a lm about a gay
icon, you have to kind of rehearse your
CONTINUES ON PAGE 39
F A LL A RTS
Tom of Finland ready
for his close-up
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38
sensibility. You have to understand the
beauty of a mans neck, a mans thighs, or
the bulgejust the portraiture of a man.
Even more plainly: Basically, what is the
appraisal of the dick?
Karukoski got it right. His sexuality
as director never intruded upon my
experience viewing the lm. I assumed
he was gay. Hes not. He has a son, Oliver,
with his wife Nadia. They live in Helsinki
most of the time.
Im aHow do you say? Karukoski
wondered. Im a straight guybut Im as same thing.
S E PT E M B E R 22, 2017 39
OCTOBER 7, 2017 | THE BEVERLY HILTON HOTEL
HONORING:
JILL SOLOWAY WILSON CRUZ WANDA SYKES
POINT POINT POINT
IMPACT AWARD COURAGE AWARD LEGEND AWARD
PHOTOS COURTESY KARUKOSKI
gay as a straight guy can get. SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY HOSTED BY
Really? ADAM LAMBERT MICHELLE COLLINS
Part of the research is also watching
hot guys, Karukoski admitted. A lot, a lot
of hot guys. The director felt compelled to
TICKETS AND INFORMATION:
understand how his hero looked at men.
Apparently, there have been some long- pointfoundation.org/events/phla17/
lasting eects.
This morning I was walking with my
BENEFITING
assistant, he said, whos a woman. We
were walking in the studios and theres a
really good-looking guy. I said to [her], in
Finnish, Thats a hot guy.
And she says, I was just thinking the
 We bring more green to the table.

City Ventures solar-powered homes, built where you want to live.

SOLAR - POWERED SOLAR AND GAS POWERED SOLAR AND GAS POWERED SOLAR - POWERED SOLAR - POWERED
TOWNHOMES SINGLE FAMILY HOMES SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TOWNHOMES TOWNHOMES

LiveGreenGlendora.com NewHomesLaVerne.com CitrusCollectionCV.com ElMonteNewHomes.com MontebelloSouth.com

Disclaimer: All renderings, floor plans, and maps are concepts and are not intended to be an actual depiction of the buildings, fencing, walkways, driveways or landscaping. Walls, windows, porches and decks
vary per elevation and lot location. In a continuing effort to meet consumer expectations, City Ventures reserves the right to modify prices, floor plans, specifications, options and amenities without notice or
obligation. Square footages shown are approximate. Please see your Sales Manager for details. 2016 City Ventures. All rights reserved. BRE LIC #01877626.