Monthly Newsletter of the Alice B. Toklas Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Democratic Club
May 2007

Table of Contents

• Dates With Alice


• Co-Chairs' Report: "Inspiration"


• Reese's World: Perspectives from the Editor: "Spider-Man vs. Ex-Men"


• Alice on Early Endorsements


• Thank You from Mayor Gavin Newsom


• Thank You from District Attorney Kamala Harris


• Thank You from Assemblyman Mark Leno


• Alice Membership Form

Dates With Alice

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May Co-Chairs' Report
Inspiration

It's almost as if the Pride Parade saw it coming when they named it Pride and Prejudice.

This past week, just two days after the tragedies at Virginia Tech, Alice Board member and City College Student Owen Stephens survived a hate crime attack. News reports stated an identified male student wrote out on a slip of paper: FUCK YOU FAG and directed the piece of paper at Alice Board member Owen Stephens. Other students, including Stephens, were listening to a philosophy lecture. The student defied the professor's request to put down the paper and wrote out new language: FUCK YOU HOMO and held the new sign up at Stephens. Stephens didn't even know the student. Authorities were contacted and appropriate discipline measures were taken. Stephens reports that the police, the staff, and all involved demonstrated the no tolerance policy we so desperately need. According to him, good things will result of the incident, like more training for staff at City College on how to respond to situations of that nature.

It's important that City College conducts training on these issues. When the establishment at City College understands the issues surrounding hate crimes, conducts the investigation, acts appropriately, and the survivor is content with the process, the question of how to handle these issues almost becomes more difficult. We need to get to the root of the issue: what can we do to prevent the incubation and development of hatred against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people?

My mind then reflects on an earlier incident involving race and sexual orientation. I'm sure you'll remember the 'unknown individual' spray-painted the letters KKK on a community institution, Guy's Flowers. Guy Clark, an African-American gay man, has been in business for over twenty years on Noe Street. The letters KKK reflect a different meaning than that of the letters themselves, as the Ku Klux Klan, and its underlying philosophy of White supremacy, have been among the most destructive forces in American history. According to the African American History Museum, the Klan was originally founded to maintain the supremacy of White Americans over Black Americans, but over time grew to "direct its activity" – threats, beatings, home and church burnings, and lynchings/murders – "against not just blacks, but any group it considered un-American, including any immigrants, Jews, and Roman Catholics." I know that gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders are included in 'any group' philosophy of the KKK.

The community came together on this incident as well. We had a letter to the editor of the Bay Area Reporter with the NAACP, the Milk Club, LGADDA, the African American Democratic Club and the LGBT Community Center calling attention to what happened and asking for prosecution once a perpetrator was located. The police are still investigating what happened and are looking for information on the possible perpetrator.

This incident poses familiar questions: how do we eradicate hate and prejudice from our society? What do we do when we have an unknown perpetrator who so cowardly painted letters of hate at a time where there would be no witnesses? There is fear in anonymity in that the perpetrator who did it may live among us. The perpetrator may be our neighbor, a community member, someone with whom we ride MUNI.

Hearing about hate and experiencing hate can be demoralizing. When we focus on hate and racism and heterosexism, the prejudice overcomes us. History clarifies that we can not forget about these incidents. They remind us of the battles we must still fight. That comes in the fight for same sex marriage, to conduct business without being afraid of who we are, to serve in the military, to be a student and learn philosophy in an environment equal to that of others, to do simple things like hold hands in public.

I turn to a high school student in Fresno who successfully fought a similar battle and won. This person reminds me of Pride.

Cinthia Covarrubias will make history as the first transgender to run for prom king from Fresno High. At first school officials informed Covarrubias that a run would be impossible and Covarrubias would have to run for prom queen. School policy dictated that only boys can run for king, and girls can run for queen. This policy violated a bill passed in 2000 outlawing all discrimination based upon sexuality, gender, or gender expression.

One student had this reaction: ""I like lesbians, but they shouldn't be allowed to run for king," said one high school senior. Another said Covarrubias had her vote. "It's not like the stereotype where the king has to be a jock and he's there with the cheerleaders any more... "We live in a generation now where dudes are chicks and chicks are dudes."

Talk about courage. I wish I had that kind of courage at the age of 17. Thanks, Cinthia, for giving me hope about the next generation, and for getting me ready for Pride.

When I get ready for Pride, I'll remember Stephens, Guy, and Covarrubias for the battles fought and the battles yet to fight.

Speaking of which, we have begun making plans for the Alice B. Toklas Pride Breakfast 2007. Mark your calendars for June 24, 2007 at the Sir Francis Drake. Contact myself or Julius for more information for sponsors and to purchase tickets, www.AliceBToklas.org/Pride.asp.

Rebecca Prozan and Julius Turman
Alice B. Toklas Co-Chairs

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Reese's World: Perspectives from the Editor
Spider-Man vs. Ex-Men
by Reese Aaron Isbell, M.P.P.

"With great power comes great responsibility"- Spider-Man

"The time is coming when all that we are afraid of will be all that can save us."- X-Men



Ten years ago I was in love. Deeply, desperately, passionately in love.

Ten years ago I was dumped. Left alone. Emptied. Bereft. Devastated. And, yet, I was still deeply, desperately, passionately in love.

Ten years ago I couldn't see any future of my life without my then-boyfriend. My future seemed so intermixed with his that to consider a life without him seemed implausible, unimaginable.

It took a long while to finally realize he wasn't going to come back to me. It took a long while for me to realize I was on my own. All those late night talks about our love and future together and hopes and dreams and the little things in life were gone.

He cheated; he lied; he broke my heart into tiny little sharp-edged pieces. And my life seemed to be without a purpose any longer. What I had thought was the person closest to me in the world, who was my soul mate, had not only hurt me deeply, but also simply disappeared from my life in an instant.


Ten years on I look back at all of this and find some nostalgia and some wonder, but mostly I am proud. I made it through one of the worst periods of my life, when I could see no future, and I am a stronger person for it. I know now that my future was not with him and that it was for the best, in the long run, for us to separate. Yes, he did me wrong, but, well, people are like that sometimes. We're all a little bit confused when it comes to relationships and what works and what doesn't.

Since that relationship, I've had a few other ones where I've been hurt, or maybe they've been hurt, or maybe there was nothing really felt at all. Part of relationships is realizing that we each have our own responsibilities and powers over ourselves and each other and what we do and where we go.

While in a relationship, we can choose to work at it, be kind to each other, love fully and openly, understand that we're both human, try to do our best... Or we can choose differently. After a relationship ends, we can choose to heal ourselves, understand our own failures, forgive them for theirs, hold our heads up, try to do our best... Or we can choose differently. And while playing the part of a bitter old Queen does have its shining moments, I do try my best to forgive and understand.

As in the lines from the movie Spider-Man, there truly is 'a hero in all of us.' And what we do with our powers of love and life are up to us. Ultimately we are the ones responsible for utilizing our powers for the good of ourselves and those around us. The Ex-Men have their own responsibilities and powers and will make their own choices. And in the end, what we most fear, an end to a relationship, may indeed be what actually saves us all.

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Alice on Early Endorsements

(The letter was printed in the Bay Area Reporter on April 12, 2007)

The Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club conducts the business of the club using an open, democratic process. The case of early endorsements in the upcoming election has been no different. Your "Keeping Alice honest" editorial [April 5] betrays a basic lack of understanding of the process to date, as well as the question upon which the club's membership will vote on April 9.

Following a lengthy and considered discussion, the Alice board voted to recommend to the membership that Alice provide early endorsements to specific candidates: Mayor Gavin Newsom, District Attorney Kamala Harris and Sheriff Michael Hennessey in each of their re-election bids, and to Assemblyman Mark Leno in his run for the state Senate. Not surprisingly, the lion's share of the board's debate focused on the state Senate race and whether to recommend that the membership provide an early endorsement to Leno. While the discussion was robust, it was never acrimonious. Contrary to the inference in your editorial, the question before the membership with regard to the state Senate race is not whether to endorse Senator Carole Migden or Leno – the question is whether to provide an early endorsement to Leno. Period.

Due process exists when there is notice and a meaningful opportunity to be heard. The notice for the March membership meeting specifically stated that "early endorsements" would be considered. All declared candidates were then informed that the membership would be meeting to consider whether to hold a vote on providing early endorsements to Newsom, Harris, Hennessey, and Leno.

The March membership meeting was attended by supporters of both Leno and Migden. Both candidate's supporters spoke at the meeting; everyone who sought to be heard was heard. After approximately an hour of civil debate, the club decided overwhelmingly to hold a vote on whether to early endorse the candidates mentioned above. The membership also determined that, prior to the April 9 vote, a candidates' forum should be held where all declared candidates would be invited to address the membership. The candidates' forum was scheduled for April 1. All of the discussed elected officials – including Migden – were invited to the forum. Unfortunately, Migden did not attend.

Alice takes its endorsement process very seriously. This season, the club has chosen to consider early endorsements for specific individuals. By definition, the process for early endorsements where a specific candidate is recommended will differ from the usual endorsement process. With respect to the ballot that will be used for the April 9 early-endorsement vote, the membership, again overwhelmingly, voted that only the names of the specific candidates whom the board had recommended for early endorsement should appear on the ballot. Those who supported this approach did so because the question the membership will be considering is whether to provide an early endorsement to these specific individuals. Placing all declared candidates on the ballot would present a false depiction of the question presented. Placing Migden's name on the ballot made no sense because the club was not considering her for an early endorsement.

Alice has and will continue to make decisions in controversial races like this one. The community looks to us for endorsements and we will not shrink away from this responsibility. As activists, we are intimately familiar with the work of both candidates. We respect Migden's history, however, political realities demand that we choose. The membership will have the final say. We hope that in the coming months, the B.A.R. will exercise greater care covering factual issues and editorializing on the integrity and honesty of individuals and organizations involved in the community's political process.



Editor's Note: On April 9th, the Alice membership voted to endorse:

Gavin Newsom for Mayor

Kamala Harris for District Attorney

Mike Hennessey for Sheriff

Mark Leno for state Senate

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Thank You from Mayor Gavin Newsom

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Thank You from District Attorney Kamala Harris

Dear Alice members,

I am truly honored to receive the early and enthusiastic endorsement of Alice! Your commitment and support means a lot to me, and always has.

I want to especially thank the members of Alice who have fought alongside our office in combating the outrageous "gay panic defense" and worked to turn the tide on hate crimes in our community. We have accomplished a lot, even though there is much more to be done.

The LGBT community has always been one of my strongest and most important bases of support. I look forward to working with you in the future as closely as we have in the past.

Very Truly Yours,

District Attorney Kamala D. Harris
www.kamalaharris.org

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Thank You from Assemblyman Mark Leno

Dear Alice Friends,

I want to thank the entire Alice membership for your strong support of my candidacy for the state Senate!

This past month has been an exciting one.

First, the extraordinary show of love and encouragement from our Alice community with the Club's endorsement. Then the historic advancement through the Assembly Judiciary Committee of the marriage equality legislation I authored (Assembly Bill 43). And then an additional showing of community support for my candidacy from the San Francisco Young Democrats with their own endorsement.

The campaign is going incredibly well, and the polling shows that we can win this race. But I am going to need your help and I look forward to your continued support.

Thank you again to all my friends in Alice. For a personal webcast thank you from me to you, click here.

Mark
www.MarkLeno.Com

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Alice Membership Form

Alice B Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
1800 Market Street PMB#18
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel: 415-707-2010
www.alicebtoklas.org
Alice Reports Editor: Reese Aaron Isbell, M.P.P.

Month of May: Membership Meeting, May 14

You can now join online www.alicebtoklas.org/abt/joinonline.asp, or fill out the application below

Membership Application

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Please send checks payable to “Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club” and mail to:

Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
1800 Market Street, PMB#18
San Francisco, CA 94102

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