Strife hits amid
Prop 8 repeal effort
by Seth Hemmelgarn
With an approved initiative in hand, backers of a drive to repeal Proposition 8 in 2010 began gathering petition signatures this week to get the measure on the ballot next November. (read more)
Fine Arts - Southeast
Asian treasure trove
by Sura Wood
The Asian Art Museum now owns one of the largest and most important collections of rare 18th and 19th century Thai and Burmese material outside of Thailand; and perhaps, the largest, most esteemed collection of Thai paintings anywhere, including their country of origin. (read more)
More News
Online extra: Fed partner benefits bill advances in House
A House committee on Wednesday evening approved a bill to provide equal benefits to gay federal employees with domestic partners, but not without a political slugfest first over whether the legislation is an attempt to undermine the Defense of Marriage Act. (read more)
Gay papers' closures
stun readers
The LGBT media world lost two landmark publications this week with the sudden closures of the Southern Voice in Atlanta and the Washington Blade, which had just celebrated 40 years of covering the nation's capital. (read more)
Changes likely
for 17th St. plaza
Plans are in the works to improve the pedestrian plaza at the intersection of Castro, Market and 17th streets, which was created this spring by blocking off part of the street in the city's gay district to vehicle traffic and has proven to be quite popular with residents. (read more)
Folsom
does it again!
Folsom Street Events Inc. handed out big sums to local charities, totaling $333,452. (read more)
Stimulus money
to support UCSF HIV studies
The National Institutes of Health has given HIV researchers at the University of California, San Francisco two $1 million grants to study using web-based, patient controlled records to improve health for HIV-positive patients and help them prevent transmission to others. (read more)
A kiss helps
bring civil rights
to Salt Lake City
In a twist that surprised many people, the Mormon Church last week announced its support of anti-discrimination ordinances in Salt Lake City that will make it unlawful to discriminate against a person in housing or employment based on his or her sexual orientation. (read more)
Shanti marks 35-year milestone
The nonprofit organization Shanti marked its 35th anniversary on November 10 with a gala benefit at the Hotel Kabuki in Japantown. (read more)
More Arts
Music -
How the Moor
came unmoored
The San Francisco Opera concludes the fall season of 2009 with performances of Giuseppe Verdi's penultimate Shakespearean masterwork Otello, and if you were still considering last-minute attendance, you really ought to grab your tickets before it is too late. (read more)
Out There -
Good hair day
Actor, writer and comedian Paul Mooney was spotted shopping at the Out of the Closet thrift store last week by photojournalist Cornelius Washington. (read more)
Out & About - Mood swingin'
As shopping season approaches, think twice about where you patronize and spend your gay dollars. Arts events listings. (read more)
Theatre - Southeast London fairy tale
My own fond memories of New Conservatory Theatre Center's 1998 production of Beautiful Thing have apparently been shared by many other theatergoers. (read more)
Film - Non-
casual casualties
If you're a fan of movies where real men manage to break taboos about touching without actually fucking, a tough-minded, tendered-hearted new film, The Messenger, may be just the ticket. (read more)
Theatre - Holiday season approaches
"But Auntie Mame, it's one week from Thanksgiving Day now," sings Little Patrick in "We Need a Little Christmas" from the musical Mame. (read more)
Books -
Behind the times
I have to confess; I read Jim Arnold's Benediction mostly on BART, which, like the novel, is a mix of the fascinating and the banal. (read more)
