Roger Walker-Dack

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“Folsom Forever” Offers the Low Down of SF’s Iconic Gay Event

Roger Walker-Dack May 20, 2015

Mike Skiff’s illuminating new documentary on the Folsom Street Fair, one of San Francisco’s iconic gay events, starts off by dispelling a few of the myths that surround its 30 year history. Initially the Fair was created in 1984 as part of a growing protest movement that objected to the enforced gentrification of what previously had been one of the most blighted areas of the city. The inhabitants of the skid row houses and the working men bars were being forced out as the Authorities bulldozed their way through the area to put up shiny new expensive buildings.

This was also the height of the AIDS crisis, which would go on to decimate the city’s gay population so the advent of the Fair created an opportunity for much needed fund raising. Audrey Joseph a local activist stressed the point that the presence then of so many women supporters, who were the most accepting of AIDS victims, helped create a crucial space without judgments at the Fair

The whole area known as South of Market was already home to a plethora of leather bars which local historian Jack Fritscher Ph.D. explained had sprung up as bolt holes for gay hyper-masculine men who were not interested in the stereotypical roles that were most prevalent in the community at the time. Dr. Fritscher who also worked for Drummer the now defunct leather magazine talked about the oft misunderstood leather and BDSM community who came into its own then by promoting their safe sex practices. He explained said the whole concept of successful BDSM is sexual acts within agreed lines of limits to make sure each part is safe and pleasurable. It wasn’t an argument that sat well with the Authorities who at the time were panicking like everyone else and wanting someone to blame for this uncontrollable epidemic.

Skiff added “In the 1970s, Folsom Street was the West Coast’s mecca for anyone on their leather journey in life “ and his movie goes on explore why the Folsom Street Fair couldn’t have got started anywhere else but San Francisco.” When someone talks about Folsom Street Fair now the leather and fetish elements of the historic outdoor celebration of sexual diversity are likely what come to mind, and it follows the tradition of where members of the LGBT community are given the space to explore the full spectrum of their sexuality and queerness.

It’s the one time of the year when those into kink and fetish can literally dress anyhow and do anything they want and the Fair security staff who police the streets will only stop them if they engaging in full on sex. Evidently that you can do in any of the Bars on the strip.

Nowadays the Fair is not only a major social event it is also one that has an enormous economic impact on the city. Demetri Moshoyannnis the Executive Director estimates that San Francisco benefits to the tune of some $35.4 million in revenue, and the Fair itself raises some hundreds of thousands in profits that it distributes to fund important local non=profit organisations .

News/ State

California Assembly Passes Equal Protection for All Families Act with Unanimous Vote

Gary Carnivele May 20, 2015

The Equal Protection for All Families Act, authored by Assemblymember David Chiu and co-sponsored by Equality California, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Our Family Coalition, passed the California Assembly yesterday with unanimous support. The bill updates California assisted reproduction laws to help ensure that all families are protected equally under California law.

AB 960, the Equal Protection For All Families Act, updates the state’s assisted reproduction laws to ensure all couples using assisted reproduction are fully recognized as parents as intended. Specifically, AB 960 would allow unmarried people using assisted reproduction to be fully recognized as parents on the same terms as married parents. Further, this bill would remove the requirement from family law that couples must involve a doctor when using assisted reproduction in order to ensure that the donor is not recognized as a parent. AB 960 also provides clear direction for how egg donors should be treated under California law. These important changes in the law will increase access to family building options by eliminating economic barriers.

“The Assembly’s actions yesterday take California a step closer to bringing its assisted reproduction laws to reflect today’s realities,” said Assemblymember David Chiu. “Many families, especially our LGBT families, are now formed using assisted reproduction. California law needs to rightfully recognize all couples as parents the moment their child is born.”

“AB 960 is incredibly important to LGBT couples looking to plan and create their families in California,” said Rick Zbur executive director for Equality California. “With yesterday’s vote in the Assembly, California legislators reaffirmed the idea that families are created in various ways and they all should be valued and recognized equally under the law. We remain committed to seeing the Equal Protection for All Families Act passed and signed into law.”

AB 960 will move to the Senate Rules Committee for referral to a Senate policy committee. The next policy committee hearing on the bill will be in late June or early July.

News/ State

Assemblymembers Join EQCA in Urging FDA to Develop New Blood Donation Policies

Gary Carnivele May 18, 2015

On May 14, AJR 16, authored by Assemblymembers Richard Bloom, Eduardo Garcia and Evan Low and sponsored by Equality California, was introduced in the State Assembly in response to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) new blood donor guidelines that continue to discriminate against gay and bisexual men. The new proposed FDA guidelines would continue to prohibit blood donation from all sexually active gay and bisexual men. Specifically, all men who have had sex with another man within the past 12 months would be prohibited from donating blood. The resolution calls on President Barack Obama to encourage the Secretary of Health and Human services to direct the FDA to develop science-based guidelines that focus on risk-assessment of individuals instead of the arcane and discriminatory standards that continue to discriminate against gay and bisexual men.

“We are extremely disappointed that the FDA continues to pursue a path of pretend reform. Equality California stands alongside and thanks Assemblymembers Richard Bloom, Eduardo Garcia and Evan Low in urging the FDA to repeal its current blood donation guidelines that continue to stigmatize and discriminate against gay and bisexual men,” said Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California. “The proposed one-year deferral policy still prohibits all sexually active gay and bisexual men from giving blood based on their sexual orientation. So a gay man who has repeatedly tested negative for HIV and who is in a monogamous relationship is prohibited from giving blood, while others who engage in high risk behaviors are allowed to donate. This is simply unfair. The FDA should change course and do the hard work to develop risk-based blood donation policies based on modern science and individual behavior.”

“While the DHHS and FDA action is an important first step in lifting the lifetime ban on gay and bisexual men to donate blood, the current recommendation for a one-year deferral period for gay men is still discriminatory,” said Assemblymember Evan Low. “I urge the departments to continue to explore safe alternative policies that would allow individuals in the LGBT community to donate blood as equal members of society.”

“The 12 month deferral policy for gay and bisexual men to donate blood is ridiculous and not even based on science,” said Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia. “Our resolution is about equality and that every single Californian should be treated fairly when donating blood to help save lives.”

Equality California has advocated that the FDA replace antiquated blood donation guidelines that focus on sexual orientation with modern science-based guidelines that focus on risk factors associated with individual behavior. Outside of the United States, countries like Spain, Italy, Russia, Mexico and Portugal have adopted blood donation policies that utilize assessments of risk of an individual’s behavior, instead of the sex of a person’s sexual partners.

“The FDA’s proposed one-year deferral policy continues to stigmatize gay and bisexual men,” said Assemblymember Richard Bloom. “Today’s blood testing technology and screening techniques are reliable methods for preventing transfusion-related transmission of disease. A one-year deferral is unnecessary and not based on science.”

“These guidelines would continue to prevent countless gay and bisexual men from making life-saving donations to the nation’s blood supply,” continued Zbur. “Equality California is redoubling its efforts to change this unfair policy, and we thank Assemblymember Bloom, Garcia and Low for standing with us and for their important leadership.”

In October of 2014, Equality California launched a mobilization campaign to urge the Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration to end the discriminatory lifetime ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men. Equality California’s campaign called “Every Drop Counts” mobilized the LGBT community and its allies, who sent thousands of emails and letters to the FDA calling for an end to the ban. Equality California will continue to mobilize the LGBT community to call on the FDA to end this discriminatory ban. Equality California remains committed to working toward an outcome that minimizes the risk to our nation’s blood supply and treats gay and bisexual men equally.

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Equality California is California’s largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization focused on creating a fair and just society. Our mission is to achieve and maintain full and lasting equality, acceptance and social justice for all people in our diverse LGBT communities, inside and outside of California. Our mission includes advancing the health and well-being of LGBT Californians through direct healthcare service advocacy and education. Through electoral, advocacy, education and mobilization programs, we strive to create a broad and diverse alliance of LGBT people, educators, government officials, communities of color and faith, labor, business, and social justice communities to achieve our goals. www.eqca.org

Arts & Entertainment/ Film

German Import “More Than Friendship” Explores Twenty-somethings Fluid Sexuality

Roger Walker-Dack May 18, 2015

Twenty-something-year-olds Lukas, Mia and Jonas have been best friends since their childhood, but then three years ago this all changed. They fell in love with each other and became a very happy menage-a-trois. They decried society’s contempt for their unusual relationship and became totally committed to each other even though it meant making a break from their parents who vehemently disapproved of their arrangement.

Since then once a year every summer the trio went on a camping trip together touring the countryside where they were able to be completely free from everyone’s prying eyes and pointed fingers. This year however is different as Lukas has just been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and although the tight knit lovers agree to take an oath that the holiday should be focused just purely on joy, they soon realize that it is difficult to completely forget that this will be their very last summer together.

The trip starts off all light and love and it is surprising that they actually get to their first destination as they cannot keep their hands off each other and are always making out in the back of the van. However it is inevitable that they cannot avoid the elephant in the room especially when Lukas shares with them the Living Will that he has written that gives them both control rather than his estranged parents.

When he gets taken sick and Jonas is rushed into hospital the trio’s joy and hope has been replaced with fear and grief and they have to deal with the anger of Jonas’s parents who turn up and insist that the Doctors keep him alive even though that is exactly against his express wishes.

This sophomore film from German writer/director Timmy Ehegötz is overly melodramatic even given it’s themes. The three good-looking young leads play their parts passionately but despite this it still seems that there is not enough actual chemistry between them to convince us that their relationship is as deep and real as the script would have us believe.

This well-meaning movie is full of energy and brimming with enthusiastic performances and has a lot to commend it for particularly, in its attempt to de-mystify the whole thruple relationship concept.

International/ News/ Top Stories

Does the UK now Have the Most LGBT Elected MPs in the World?

Gary Carnivele May 9, 2015

According to new research, the number of LGBT MPs elected to the House of Commons today means the UK has the most in the world.

The research makes the claim, although there are actually no out trans MPs in the UK.

Research from the LGBT Representation and Rights Research Initiative from the University of North Carolina, found that one more LGBT MP was elected to the Commons today than before dissolution in March.

The study from Professor Andrew Reynolds suggests the UK now technically has the most LGBT MPs in the world, although there are no openly trans members.

Professor Reynolds notes that “27 out LGBT candidates have been elected to the UK House of Commons after at least 152 out candidates ran on May 7^th.”

He goes on to say that it means the UK has the most “ever recorded in the world.”

The new parliament includes 13 Labour LGBT MPs, 12 Conservatives and two SNP.

Seven new LGBT faces will be in the House. Labour’s Peter Kyle (Hove), Catherine Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood), Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil) and Wes Streeting (Ilford North). Conservative Ben Howlett (Bath) and SNP victors Stewart McDonald (Glasgow South) and John Nicolson (East Dumbartonshire).

Four sitting LGBT MPs lost their seats, all were Liberal Democrats.

Ruth Hunt, Chief Executive, Stonewall said: “We’re encouraged that people took to the polls and voted. More than 25 openly lesbian, gay or bisexual MPs have been elected, making this the largest group of openly LGB MPs elected to date. Our Parliament is richer and stronger for the diversity of voices and experiences within it, however, it is certainly disappointing not to see any openly trans people represented amongst our MPs.

“Looking ahead, our MPs cannot forget the manifesto commitments they made to the LGBT community. We must see those words translated into tangible actions. The Conservatives, alongside the Liberal Democrats, have had an impressive track record at Westminster over the last five years, and we look forward to working closely with the new government towards achieving equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people, here and abroad.”

Arts & Entertainment/ Film

“Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks” Fails to Prove Itrself Worthy of its Taleanted Leads

Roger Walker-Dack May 8, 2015

Thirty-something-year-old ex Broadway chorus boy Michael has run out of options and is down on his luck and the only job he can get is teaching old ladies to dance. There are plenty of them here in sunny Florida and all of them are looking for ways to pass their time in their twilight years. His first client is feisty 75 year old wealthy widow Lily, but the two of them take an instant dislike to each other the moment he arrives at her oceanside apartment.

With a very short fuse on his temper combined with a natural talent to put his foot into his mouth every time he speaks, Michael is quickly shown the door by Lily, or the ‘tight assed old biddy’ as he called her. She is furious enough to go to the Dance Academy where he works to cancel her lessons and intends to get him fired too. However with some very nimble footwork he talks himself into getting a second chance. Then later he has to repeat this to get a third chance and a fourth etc right up to the sixth and last lesson.

Every time the pair meet they squabble like a pair of kids and take it in turns to be the aggrieved party until they kiss and make up yet again. Much of the agreements are about nothing of any real consequence, but then again neither is this movie either. Throw in a nosey neighbor who constantly complains, and the predictable discovery of Michael’s tough past and Lily’s uncertain future (she’s ill), and that is about the full sum of it all.

It is excruciatingly unfunny with a script that is embarrassingly lame in parts that turns grins into grimaces. The saddest part of it all is that the movie stars Hollywood royalty in the form of Gina Rowlands in one of her rare screen performances these days. Even her creditable valiant efforts could not turn this sow’s ear into a silk purse.

Cheyenne Jackson as Michael has the tough job of being tough on the old lady and simply fails to do it. He just cannot play mean. He at least was not quite so miscast as poor Julian Sands who is sadly so painfully uncomfortable being the penny-pinching bitter Dance Academy Owner. The cast is completed by Oscar winner Rita Moreno as the neighbor who has no life and equally no good lines too, and Jacqui Weaver as Irene who takes her time realizing that she is never going to get her hands down (obviously gay) Michaels pants!

Adapted from what was a successful play that even ran on Broadway for a while before becoming a hit regularly performed by repertory companies. I can only assume therefore that although it was adapted by its author Richard Alfieri that something somehow got lost on the way to the silver screen.

P.S. If you really need a fix of seeing the wonderful Ms Rowlands , then instead rent ‘Gloria’ or ‘A Woman Under The Infuence’,both written and directed by her late husband John Cassavetes,

★★★

Sunday, May 3, 2015

SAUGATUCK CURES

When the movie opens with an overflowing blocked lavatory in a small Bed and Breakfast Guest House in Saugatuck, you panic slightly if this small indie comedy is headed down the toilet pan too. The place is run by Maggie and her ‘can’t get a date’ gay son Drew and as it is Thanksgiving they are planning for the imminent arrival of the daughter of the house who left town to find her fortune and a fiance. She also found ‘God’ too and has become of these homophobic self-righteous pricks who want to impose their own bible-laden morality on everyone else who is not nearly as holy as her. The ‘family’ is completed by Drew’s best friend Brett who once dated Penny but is now more in love with liquor, and two full time residents, LaQuisha an African-American tranny, and Roberta who looks like she should be someones grandmother.

Maggie lets slip that her cancer has returned and her only hope for survival is an expensive experimental treatment in Chicago which she simply cannot afford. Neither can penniless Drew, so he reluctantly goes along with Brett’s madcap scheme of usurping the work of Penny’s fiance who runs a Gay Conversion scheme. The reasoning behind this is that they can tour all the Evangelical Churches in the State and hit them up for people who will pay to ‘become straight’ and raise enough to pay for all of Maggie’s treatment.

As unbelievable as it is, their fraudulent plan works and soon they are coining in the money, but it is also the part of the movie where the comedy turns into a farce, some of which is too far fetched and forced to be funny.

The plot may be lame, and the script grimace- making at times, but for a refreshing change for small budget movie like this, it has some really good acting. Max Adler (‘Dave in TV’s Glee’) is a rather charming Drew; veteran Soap Star Judith Chapman (‘The Young & Restless’) is a very grounded Maggie; and talented actor/filmmaker Danny Mooney is a very likable Brett.

Credit too for the fine production values and particularly for the unexpectedly impressive soundtrack.

Whatever its faults, it is hard not to warm to this big-hearted indie small movie, which although may not have you rolling in the aisles, will have you grinning from time to time, which is never a bad thing. The best line belongs to Brett who wants to hand all his own savings to Drew towards Maggie’s treatment. His BF refuses saying ‘it’s your rainy day fund’ to which Danny quickly retorts ‘Dude, it’s pouring!’

★★★★★★

Saturday, May 2, 2015

QUICK CHANGE

In the back streets of Manila amidst a vibrant transsexual community Dorina who is known as the ‘Doc’, is the purveyor of quick fix beauty enhancements. In a culture obsessed with looks and glamour this ex-entertainer provides the necessary collagen implants so that the ‘lady-birds’ can be transformed into a replica of their favorite female celebrity. With the next round of the Miss Gay 2013 Pageant about to happen Dorina is kept very busy trying to make sure her ‘clients’ are pretty enough to win Best Face as well as Best Gown Categories.

Originally from Japan, she drags her young nephew around all her appointments, even to see the Spectacular Show that her boyfriend performs in for tourists. Their relationship is on the wane although he is still happy enough to fuck her as long as she doesn’t remind him about the remaining part of her masculinity which is evidently large than his.

Just as Dorina seems like she cannot keep up with the demand for her services, there is a fatal accident involving ‘Mamma’ who is trying to correct a procedure that went wrong on one of the girls, and suddenly Dorina starts having her serious doubts about the reality of her work. Especially when she discovers exactly what she has been inadvertently injecting instead of collagen like she thought.

This colorful drama from Filipino filmmaker Eduardo Roy Jnr gives an insightful look into this marginalised part of society and the high price they pay to achieve the lives they aspire too. It’s not simply all as dazzling and pretty as the costumes they like to deck themselves in.

P.S. If you have Trypanophobia or any other form of needle phobia, you may want to miss one, as there is an awful lot of them being used.

★★★★★★

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

GUIDANCE

David Gold is a thirty-something year old man who is still trying to cling to his past when he was a successful child actor in a hit TV series. Now he is closeted gay alcoholic in total denial of so much more than his sexuality, including stage 3 skin cancer. The only work he can get these days is doing voice-overs for new age mood enhancing tapes but he gets fired from that job for being drunk and ‘sounding too gay’.

Now totally broke and about to be evicted from his shabby apartment where he hangs out all day watching VHS tapes of his old shows, he talks his way into a job doing the one thing he may be good at i.e. helping young people. To date that has just consisted of him being the means for them to get liquor from stores that won’t sell it to them, but now he espies an advertisement for a vacancy as a High School Guidance Counsellor. Having absolutely no qualifications for the job he ‘borrows’ them from a real Counsellor whom he discovers through Google. With a deft piece of identity theft he uses his acting skill to ape the man’s mantras about helping teenagers which he successfully repeats to a harried School Principal who is desperate to give him the job as he is about to leave on vacation the next day.

Complete in a creased corduroy suit and now wearing geeky glasses Roland Brown aka David Gold descends on the school ostensibly do a job that he has not got the faintest idea of how to go about. The other staff are very wary of him except for the gay gym teacher who refuses to believe that Roland is straight as he claims, and immediately starts to aggressively flirt with him. The students however soon take a shine to ‘Roland’ and his unconventional advice. When shy Rhonda comes to discuss the fact that she has no friends, he gives her a few vodka shots and implores her to just hit on the dumbest boy in her class. When Brett the school ‘pot’ dealer comes for a session Roland quickly discovers that his problem is that his potential is not being recognised by anyone in the school. That, and the fact he is selling the pot too cheap, but Roland fixes both of these things.

Jabrielle who plays truant regularly is however a much more serious case as Roland quickly realises that she is being abused at home. This unlikely pair of misfits bond and when eventually Roland is uncovered for being a fraud and is on the lam from the Law, its Jabrielle who hooks up with him as she has finally run away from home.

This rather wonderful oddball comedy is the work of Canadian filmmaker Pat Mills who wrote, directed and starred in it. Mills was once a child star, and in fact he had to pay 10 years of back Union dues to be eligible to act in his own movie. He has a remarkable delightful droll sense of humor that is quite black, totally politically incorrect but never ever mean. He has written himself some real corkers of lines like ‘Everybody knows that teenagers are going to drink and smoke drugs. If you do it with them, everybody has fun!” In a performance that has some animated camp touches that seem to be inspired in part to Pee Wee Herman he simply shines and is a real joy to watch.

If this really is what the path to self-destruction actually looks like, then I think more of us would give it a spin. With a shot (or two) of vodka in hand of course.

★★★★★★★★

Monday, April 27, 2015

BEAUTIFUL SOMETHING

Four gay men of different generations are searching for love, and much more, one cold winter’s night in Philadelphia and this is the story of how their paths cross until the morning breaks.

Brian is a 30-something-year-old writer who is at the end of his tether as he has been unable to write a single word since the successful publication of his first book of poetry. He seeks solace in a local bar in which he is the sole drinker until Chris comes in and immediately hits on him. Chris fesses up to have a girlfriend back home in the burbs but just feels an urgent need to get some hot man-on-man action. Which is exactly what he gets back at Brian’s apartment but the moment their very passionate lovemaking finishes, Chris freaks out, and leaves a stranded Brian desperate to know what he had done wrong.

He shares his insecurities with his ex roommate whom he wakes up in the middle of the night insisting that they discuss his problems there and then. Dan is straight but he too had once shared an emotional and physical connection with him and now Brian wants to know why that ended if it was all as real as Dan claims.

Whilst all this is going on, in another part of town super-hot 22 year old model Jim is being very energetically fucked by Drew his older lover on the bench of his workshop. Drew is a successful famous artist who considers Jim his muse, but a disgruntled Jim just believes he is being treated as a kept boy and threatens to leave and move to NY.

After he storms out of the house in a huff, he encounters Brian, and they hook up, and after more even hotter sex, he quickly abandons needy Brian who is now getting a serious complex about the men who just cannot leave him fast enough. Jim meanwhile gets picked up by elderly Bob who has been cruising the streets all night in a big white limousine drinking heavily and looking to get lucky.

He doesn’t but others do when this intriguing wee film neatly comes to a climax and it is almost a case of all’s well that end’s well, but not quite.

Written and directed by Joseph Graham (‘Strapped’) this edgy and very sensual and unsentimental movie is by no means perfect but it’s forthright take on contemporary gay life ….. well, sex anyway …. is both refreshing and extremely entertaining. Evidently based on a true story, it has a good script which was very stylishly shot and with some rather excellent performances from newbie actor Brian Sheppard (Brian), hunky Zach Ryan (Jim), comedian Grant Lancaster (Dan) and established local actor Colman Domingo (Drew).

★★★★★★★★

BStrailerFINAL from Leilani Goode on Vimeo.

PROXY

It’s a glorious summer’s day in July but despite the sunny weather it seems like everyone is having a bad day. Well, for these three different sets of friends at least. Steve and Tristan who used to be an ‘item’ are wasting a few hours on arguing about the ethics on how forthcoming one should be with the truth when you start dating someone new. Josh goes back to his old girlfriend’s house to retrieve his grandmother’s ring that he gave to her when things were better only to be ambushed by her demands. To see them squabble now, it is actually hard to ever imagine they ever were an engaged couple.

The third story strand is between two best friends who spend the day catching up to discover that neither of them are happy with their lot right now and its going to take a great deal more than the wine they are knocking back to solve their problems.

Each of the scenes are way too long to the point of where you become totally disengaged and uninterested in the outcome which is probably just as well as the connection you hope will link them all together at the end can be described at best as tenuous.

This micro-budget dramedy written and directed by Brandon Deyette, who also stars in it, tries way too hard to be impartial in each of the stories/arguments that he takes all the potential fizz out of his wee film. It also stars porn actor Charlie Harding who sadly cannot act, and Sadako Pointer (one of The Pointer Sisters) who happily can.

★★★

Sunday, April 26, 2015

HIDDEN AWAY

Set in one of the shabbier areas in Bilbao in Northern Spain, this is a tale of racism, homophobia plus both unfulfilled and unrequited love. It’s the story of Ibra a 15 year-old youth who has fled Morocco and is living hand-to-mouth in an immigrants hostel and trying to survive on nothing but his wits. He however catches the attention of Rafa a local boy his age in a bathroom of all places. Although Rafa is part of a local macho gang who go around town menacing people, particular Arabs, knows he is somewhat different than the others.

Soon Rafa and Ibra start hanging out together most of the time, and they start to become quite close. Despite a lot of lingering looks into each other’s eyes and the occasional hand brushing over the other, they never quite get around to acting on their very obvious feelings. Rafa cannot even bring himself to talk about it with his best friend Guille, but then again he has also totally failed to notice that Guille is carrying a big torch for him anyway.

Its probably best anyway that Rafa and Ibra do not ever get to take their relationship further as Ibra entered Spain illegally and can be deported at any moment. Why he left his home country is never made clear, nor too is a secondary potentially powerful story strand about another tough immigrant who is devoted to his disabled brother .

In the end it turns out to be film mainly about innocence, and Mikel Rudeda the writer/director tries to amp up the drama with intense close up shots of the two boys intermingled with scenes of a bleak urban landscape and a soundtrack of gentle pop music. It feels however that just when the story is on the edge of developing into something a tad deeper, it holds back which is a disappointment as it never seems to fulfill its potential.

Nevertheless this gentle slow-paced indie movie has much to be admired and I’m sure it will find the audience it deserves.

★★★★★★

HIDDEN AWAY – Trailer – Eye on Films by eyeonfilms

Arts & Entertainment/ Film

“Saugatuck Cures” Delivers Loads of Laughs

Roger Walker-Dack May 7, 2015

Credit too for the fine production values and particularly for the unexpectedly impressive soundtrack.

s of Manila amidst a vibrant transsexual community Dorina who is known as the ‘Doc’, is the purveyor of quick fix beauty enhancements. In a culture obsessed with looks and glamour this ex-entertainer provides the necessary collagen implants so that the ‘lady-birds’ can be transformed into a replica of their favorite female celebrity. With the next round of the Miss Gay 2013 Pageant about to happen Dorina is kept very busy trying to make sure her ‘clients’ are pretty enough to win Best Face as well as Best Gown Categories.

News/ State

Asm. Chiu’s Equal Protection for All Families Passes First Committee

Gary Carnivele May 7, 2015

Yesterday, AB 960, authored by Assemblymember David Chiu (D—San Francisco) and co-sponsored by Equality California, passed out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee. The committee voted unanimously to pass the bill, which now moves to the Assembly Floor for a vote at the end of May. The bill would update California’s assisted reproduction laws to help ensure that all families are equally protected by law.

AB 960, the Equal Protection For All Families Act, co-sponsored by Equality California, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Our Family Coalition, ensures all couples using assisted reproduction are fully recognized as parents as intended. Specifically, AB 960 would allow unmarried people using assisted reproduction to be fully recognized as parents on the same terms as married parents. It would also remove the requirement from Family Law that couples must involve a doctor when using assisted reproduction in order to ensure that the donor is not presumed to be the parent. AB 960 also provides clear direction for how egg donors should be treated under California Law.

“All couples, including LGBT couples, should be protected by law and have access to the method of assisted reproduction of their choice to grow their families in California,” said Assemblymember Chiu. “AB 960 will help ensure that families formed in many ways are recognized and equally protected under law.”

“Thanks to Asm. David Chiu, if AB 960 is adopted, California’s Family Law will protect LGBT families, regardless of how they choose to conceive,” said Rick Zbur executive director for Equality California. “Families come in all different shapes and sizes, but they should be valued equally under the law. AB 960 corrects Family Law provisions so that LGBT families are respected and all parents can be fully recognized as intended by the state of California.”

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Features/ HIV & AIDS

‘Can Opener’ Molecule Makes HIV Vulnerable to Attack

James McIntosh May 7, 2015

A molecule that mimics a particular kind of protein has been demonstrated by a new study to render HIV vulnerable to antibodies that could kill off infected cells.
HIV in the bloodstream.

The JP-III-48 molecule forces HIV to open up and expose regions that are vulnerable to attack from the immune system.

Researchers from the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) Research Centre in Canada have described the molecule in question, JP-III-48, as acting like a “can opener” due to the way that it forces the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to open up and expose its vulnerable parts.

Study author Andrés Finzi, a professor at the University of Montreal, states the team also found that people infected with HIV-1 virus have naturally occurring antibodies with the potential to kill infected cells.

“We just have to give them a little push by adding a tiny molecule that acts as a can opener to force the viral envelope to expose regions recognized by the antibodies, which forms a bridge with some cells of the immune system, initiating the attack,” Prof. Finzi explains.

The development of a vaccine to prevent HIV infection has long been a goal of researchers. At present, antiretroviral drugs are used to slow the virus down but they are unable to prevent the formation of HIV “reservoirs” – areas where the virus remains hidden and dormant within cells. As soon as antiretroviral treatment ends, the virus returns.

Worldwide, around 35 million people are estimated to be infected with HIV-1, the predominant form of the virus. It is hoped that this new discovery could lead toward the development of a vaccine to finally stop the spread of HIV.
‘Shock and kill’ therapy may be the key to future HIV treatment

Previous research published earlier this year demonstrated that cells infected with HIV-1 were more easily eliminated when two HIV-specific proteins, Nef and Vpu, were deactivated by gene mutation.

This finding formed the basis of the new study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. These two proteins protect the virus from attack. If these proteins could be overcome, the virus becomes vulnerable.

The researchers added the JP-III-48 molecule to the surfaces of cells infected with HIV. This molecule imitates a protein called CD4 which is often found on the surface of white blood cells called T lymphocytes. CD4 proteins make these white blood cells vulnerable to HIV infection.

Jonathan Richard, a postdoctoral researcher at CHUM and study author, explains how the introduction of JP-III-48 subsequently makes infected cells vulnerable to attack:

“The virus has to get rid of the CD4 proteins to protect itself. Adding the small molecule forces the viral envelope to open, like a flower. The antibodies that are naturally present after the infection can then target the infected cells so they are killed by the immune system.”

JP-III-48 was previously developed by researchers from Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania. This study marks the first time the molecule has been tested successfully on patients with HIV.

Prof. Finzi believes that the molecule could be used as part of a treatment to eliminate the HIV reservoirs of people infected with the virus. “The solution is to develop a ‘shock and kill’ therapy,” he states. “We have to reactivate HIV reservoirs to force the virus out of its hiding place, then kill the infected cells with this molecule and the already present antibodies.”

The molecule could also be potentially used as a component in a two-part vaccine, alongside antibodies to target the virus. The next step for the team is to assess JP-III-48 capabilities in tests involving monkeys.

Recently, Medical News Today reported on the creation of a new drug candidate against HIV. The researchers state that the designer protein is effective against all known strains of HIV.

Written by James McIntosh

News/ State

LGBT Disparities Reduction Act Passes First Committee

Gary Carnivele May 6, 2015

The Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review Committee on April 30 voted with bi-partisan support to pass Assemblymember David Chiu’s Assembly Bill 959, a bill that would move California public policy closer towards meeting the needs of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) communities.

“Excluding LGBT communities from statewide collected data keeps these individuals and the health disparities they face invisible to the state,” said Assemblymember David Chiu. “AB 959 will ensure that our LGBT communities count.”

AB 959, the LGBT Disparities Reduction Act, is sponsored by Equality California (EQCA) and requires specified state agencies relating to health and well-being to collect voluntary information about sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) in the regular course of collecting other types of demographic data. Further, AB 959 would require that the aggregated SOGI data that act as indicators of disparities be reported to the legislature and made publicly available.

The rallying call for improved data collection about LGBT communities has only grown louder in the last few years. The prevalence of this historical exclusion of LGBT communities has recently prompted a convening of more than hundred organizations, community leaders, healthcare experts and educators hosted by EQCA. A report of findings from the convening stated that long-term discrimination and social bias has disproportionately impacted LGBT communities, resulting in high rates of poverty, suicide, homelessness isolation, substance abuse, violence, police profiling and criminal convictions, and low rates of health insurance, among other findings. These issues are increasingly prevalent for LGBT youth and seniors, communities of color, and the transgender and undocumented communities.

“The LGBT Disparities Reduction Act is a necessity to make sure government programs and services are being utilized effectively and reaching the communities that need these services and programs the most,” said Rick Zbur, Equality California executive director. “To tackle the disparities in health and well-being that LGBT people face, we need to make sure our community is counted. Assemblymember Chiu’s bill is one of the LGBT community’s top priorities and will give us the tools to address these disparities head on.”

“We want to be able to trust our health care providers to know more than we do about our health, but without data to reveal larger population-level trends, it’s hard—for them and for us,” said Niko Kowell, Program Coordinator for transgender services at the Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center in San Francisco and a key witness in support of AB 959. “If we start collecting this data now, it might not help me, but it will help with the next generation of LGBT youth, especially transgender youth, in this country. I hope that one day, transgender, gay, lesbian, and bisexual people will be able to have the same experience as everyone else when we go to the doctor.”

AB 959 will be heard next in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in May.

Assemblymember David Chiu (D – San Francisco) is the Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore of the California State Assembly and represents the 17^th Assembly District, which encompasses eastern San Francisco and the historic LGBT neighborhoods in the City.

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