More than just a Holiday...

We celebrate Independence Day on July 4 because that was the day the Continental Congress adopted the final draft of the Declaration of Independence. It is the day that the Thirteen colonies declared that they were "Free and Independent States... Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown…" at least that is what we are taught in school.

However, between the BBQ’s, the beer and the fireworks, how many of us actually take the time to stop and think about what that freedom means?

I have to admit, like most people around this holiday, I spend very little time thinking about freedom and independence, and more time being grateful I have an extra day off work. But this year has been different; Last week a coworker of mine received the sad news that his son was killed in Afghanistan. Sergeant Ryan Connolly was only 24 when his convoy hit a plastic explosive buried in the road. Ryan had only two weeks left on his one-year deployment when he was killed.

Ryan was a well-respected soldier and had recently been promoted to the rank of sergeant. He was a paratrooper and medic and served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. But Ryan wasn’t just a soldier; he was a husband, a son, and the father of 1-year-old Kayla Connolly.

With well over 4,000 deaths in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, I wonder how many of us understood the degree of sacrifices our soldiers would make when these wars began? But when a loss such as Ryan’s is suffered so close to home, it tends to bring realities and horrors of war right to your door.

I have never believed in this war, but I have always supported our soldiers. I support them because soldiers like Ryan Connolly believe in their country and believe that they are fighting for our freedom. So whether or not you support the wars in the Middle East, try to take a few minutes this holiday weekend to think about those who have given their lives in the name of our Freedom.

Wisconsin gay couples who marry outside state could face penalty

By Stacy Forester, JS Online Journal

Madison, WI - When Dick Myers heard that California was going to start issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, he and his partner of nearly 13 years considered traveling there to get married.

That is until Myers and his partner, Steve Brondino, learned of an obscure state law that makes it a crime for Wisconsin residents to enter into marriage in another state if the marriage would be prohibited here. The law imposes a penalty for those who enter into a marriage that's prohibited or declared void in Wisconsin of up to $10,000 and nine months in prison.

"If we would go to California and come back here, what are the chances we might be prosecuted?" Myers asked. "Neither of us could afford the legal costs in defending ourselves."

It's a concern for same-sex Wisconsin couples who might be considering a wedding in California, where the state Supreme Court recently legalized gay marriage, according to gay rights advocacy group Fair Wisconsin. However, it's unclear whether those couples would be prosecuted.

The group sent an e-mail to about 10,000 supporters to see if anyone was making plans to go to California to get married. It heard back from two, and followed up to warn them about the law, said Glenn Carlson, executive director of Fair Wisconsin.

"We're telling people, especially if you live outside of Dane County, to be careful," Carlson said. After receiving the warning, one person wrote back that "I'd rather be prosecuted than persecuted."

In 2006, 59% of Wisconsin voters supported a constitutional amendment that reads: "Only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized in this state."

Julaine Appling, chief executive officer of the Wisconsin Family Council, said the statutes are clear and the law should be enforced.

"If it were challenged and the courts decided to basically wink at it, and refused to enforce the law, we have a problem," she said, adding that the constitutional amendment clarified that no marriage other than between a man and woman is legal.

Penalty 'very serious'

David Buckel, marriage project director for Lambda Legal, said other states have similar laws, but Wisconsin's imposes the stiffest penalties. The national group advocates for civil rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.

Lambda Legal posted on its Web site a list of frequently asked questions for people who might be weighing a wedding in California or another country, and included on the list was a reference to the Wisconsin law.

"We put the information out there because we're deeply worried about same-sex couples in Wisconsin who may not know about this," Buckel said.

"That's very serious for getting married," he said of the penalty.

Decisions about whether to prosecute are left to district attorneys.

The law is believed to have been enacted to prohibit underage couples from going across state lines to marry and returning to Wisconsin to live, Carlson said.

The issue has gained relevance with the California ruling in May, Carlson said. Massachusetts started recognizing same-sex marriages in 2004 but only for residents, he said.

Senate Republican Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau), one of the authors of the marriage amendment, said he had a hard time seeing how the law would apply to same-sex couples here, because marriages that wouldn't be recognized in Wisconsin are strictly ceremonial.

"You're not going to go after some couple because they got married in California," Fitzgerald said.

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Madison) and his partner went to Canada in late 2006 to get married, but Pocan said he wasn't overly concerned about the impact of the law.

"It's not technically evading state law because it wasn't allowed anyway," Pocan said. "It's not something I was too worried about, and I've got a feeling that Brian Blanchard feels the same way."

Blanchard, the district attorney in Dane County, said that without evidence of an intent to defraud the government or another person, it would be difficult to imagine considering such a marriage as criminal conduct. Also, he called it a "poor use of scarce prosecution resources."

"It's hard for me to imagine a jury of citizens wanting to convict anyone under this statute," he said.

Six Ways to Improve Your Intimacy

This article was a portion of a larger blog posting on www.councellingconnection.com

Good relationships don’t just happen. Many people have the attitude that, “If I have to work at it, then it can’t be the right relationship.” This is not a true statement, any more than it’s true that you don’t have to work at good physical health through exercise, eating well, and stress reduction.

There are choices you can make that will not only improve your relationship, but can turn a failing relationship into a successful one.

1. Accept personal responsibility
It may not seem like it, but this is an incredibly important choice that you can make to improve intimacy in your relationship. This means that you learn how to take responsibility for your own feelings and needs and refuse to blame your partner for not making you feel happy and secure. It means learning to treat yourself with kindness, caring, compassion, and acceptance instead of self judgment.

Self-judgment will always make you feel unhappy and insecure, no matter how loving your partner is. For example, instead of getting angry at your partner for the feelings of rejection you may experience when he or she is late, preoccupied and not listening to you, or not turned on sexually, you would explore your own feelings discover how you might be rejecting yourself.

When you learn how to take full, 100% responsibility for yourself, then you stop blaming your partner for your unhappiness. Since blaming your partner for your own unhappiness is the number one cause of relationship problems, learning how to take loving care of yourself is vital to a good relationship.

2. Compassion, understanding and acceptance
Treat your partner the way you would like to be treated. This is the essence of a truly spiritual life. We all yearn to be treated lovingly – with kindness, compassion, intimacy, understanding, and acceptance. Relationships thrive when both people treat each other with a deep intimacy. While there are no guarantees, sowing intimacy often reaps intimacy in return.

If your partner is consistently angry, judgmental, uncaring and unkind, then you need to focus on what would be loving to yourself, and loving to the other, rather than reverting to anger, blame, judgment, withdrawal, resistance, or compliance. Kindness to others does not mean sacrificing yourself.

Always remember that taking responsibility for yourself rather than blaming others is the most important thing you can do. Seek further help such as counselling or coaching if your partner is still not able to treat you with kindness, or as a very last resort you may need to leave the relationship. You cannot make your partner change – you can only change yourself!

3. Be open to learning
When conflict occurs, you always have two choices regarding how to handle the conflict: you can become open to learning about yourself and your partner and discover the deeper issues of the conflict, or you can try to win, or at least not lose, through some form of controlling behaviour.

We’ve all learnt many subtle ways of trying to control others into behaving the way we want: anger, blame, judgment, niceness, compliance, care taking, resistance, withdrawal of love, explaining, teaching, defending, lying, denying, and so on. None of these promotes healthy intimacy within the relationship and in fact they create even more conflict. Remembering to learn instead of controlling is a vital part of improving intimacy in your relationship.

For example, most people have two major fears that become activated in relationships: the fear of abandonment – of losing the other - and the fear of engulfment – of losing oneself. When these fears get activated, most people immediately protect themselves against these fears with their controlling behaviour. But if you choose to learn about your fears instead of attempting to control your partner, your fear would eventually heal. This is how we grow emotionally and spiritually – by learning instead of controlling.

4. Make sure you have regular dates
When people first fall in love, they make time for each other. Then, especially after getting married, life happens in all its busyness. Relationships need time to thrive. It is vitally important to set aside specific times to be together – to talk, play and make love. Intimacy cannot be maintained without time together.

5. Gratitude instead of complaints
Positive energy flows between two people when there is an “attitude of gratitude.” Constant complaints create a heavy, negative energy, which is not fun to be around. Practise being grateful for what you have rather than focusing on what you don’t have. Complaints create stress, while gratitude creates inner peace. Gratitude creates not only intimate, emotional relationship health, but physical health as well.

6. Fun
We all know that “work without play makes Jack a dull boy.” And so too does work without play make for dull relationships. Relationships thrive when people laugh together, play together, and when humour is a part of everyday life. Intimacy flourishes when there is lightness of being, not when everything is heavy.

Relationships - Creating Intimacy

Intimacy in a relationship means being able to share the whole range of thoughts, feelings and experiences we have as human beings. It involves being open and talking through your thoughts and emotions, letting your guard down, and showing someone else how you feel and what your hopes and dreams are. Discovering intimacy with someone you love can be one of the most rewarding aspects of a relationship.

Intimacy in relationships
Intimacy is achieved when we become close to someone else and are reassured that we are loved and accepted for who we are. Children usually develop intimacy with parents and peers. As adults, we seek intimacy in close relationships with other adults, friends, family and with a partner.

Intimacy and sex
For many couples, ‘making love’ involves a sense of intimacy and emotional closeness. An intimate sexual relationship involves trust and being vulnerable and potent with each other. Closeness during sex is also linked to other forms of intimacy.

It is important to share a whole range of emotions with a partner, otherwise some people begin to feel lonely and isolated regardless of how good their sexual experiences may be. Explore ways to share love and affection without sex. Often, the more a couple is intimate with each other in ways other than sex, the more fulfilling their sex life becomes.

Difficulties in achieving intimacy
There are many reasons why some people find it difficult to achieve intimacy in their relationship. This is commonly the result of problems such as:

• Lack of communication


• Financial problems


• Work or family pressures


• Negative childhood experiences


• Past and current traumas.

We all have some barriers to intimacy. It is normal for couples to work together to overcome these barriers.

Intimacy is built up over time
Building and maintaining intimacy in a relationship takes time, and it takes some people longer than others. Often, the harder you work at developing intimacy in your relationship, the more rewarding it is. Some suggestions for developing intimacy in your relationship include:

• Celebrate the good things in your relationship. Tell your partner (in words and actions) how much you love and appreciate them.


• Talk openly about your feelings and what you need from the relationship.


• Create opportunities for intimacy. Take time out to be together as a couple.


• Accept that your relationship will have highs and lows. Continue to explore new ways of finding a deeper level of intimacy.


• Intimacy is damaged when one partner uses power inappropriately over the other. Abuse or violence in a relationship destroys trust and signals that the relationship is in trouble.

Things to remember

• Sharing your deepest thoughts and emotions with someone you love can be one of the most rewarding aspects of a relationship.


• Be aware of the need to explore ways to share intimacy without sex.


• Intimacy in a relationship doesn’t just happen. It is built up over time.


• Abuse or violence in a relationship destroys trust and intimacy and signals that the relationship is in trouble.

Article from the Better Health Channel

Same-sex unions boost California's June wedding average

Survey finds that more than two and a half times the usual number of couples were issued a license.
By Francisco Vara-Orta, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

County clerks issued more than 8,500 marriage licenses in the first week same-sex marriage was legal in California, more than two and half times an average June week, a Times survey found.

The tally includes licenses issued to both same-sex and heterosexual couples, although county clerks in many locations indicated that the majority went to gay and lesbian couples.

Spike in marriage licenses statewide
The state, which is not tracking the gender of applicants, has replaced "Bride" and "Groom" on marriage applications with the terms "Party A" and "Party B."

In Los Angeles County, the state's most populous, 1,806 licenses were issued from 5:01 p.m. on June 16, when the ban lifted, through June 23. The number, the highest in the state, was nearly twice an average week. San Diego County reported 864 licenses issued, up from 225; San Francisco County 849, up from 120; Orange County 667, up from 150; and Riverside County 493, up from 45.

Riverside County, where Palm Springs has marketed itself as a destination for gay marriages, saw the largest percentage increase, jumping nearly 1,000%. County officials said 329 of the 493 licenses issued went to same-sex couples.

"You know, honestly, I think we didn't know what to expect," said Riverside County's Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder Larry W. Ward. "We had heard that there were going to be airplanes of people flown in but that never materialized so we were a bit over-prepared."

Still, he said business catapulted in some of his sleepier offices -- jumping one day in Indio to 99 from a norm of 4. Ward said he was relieved the county didn't have to turn anyone away.

"What I saw were people that cared for one another deeply and I think we made a lot of people happy," said Ward, now in his third year as clerk. "And we got the job done, so that makes me happy."

Some counties such as Kern, where the county clerk stopped performing marriage ceremonies when the ban on gay marriage lifted, saw almost no change over the course of the week. In Lake, Del Norte, and Amador counties, fewer marriage licenses were issued than on a typical week in June.

Lake County, which saw the biggest dip for the week, at nearly 60%, issued 10 licenses, down from the June weekly average of 25.

In Colusa County, about 70 miles north of Sacramento, County Clerk Kathleen Moran and her staff prepared for expected same-sex couples, only to be disappointed. They rewrote the brief script for marriage ceremonies, replacing "husband" and "bride" with "spouse" and had a 45-minute meeting during which all staff members expressed comfort with marrying gays and lesbians.

But not a same-sex couple came to be wed, nor was a protester seen, Moran said. They issued five licenses that week, about average, all to heterosexual couples.

Colusa County, like most in the state's agricultural heartland, is conservative, Moran said. In March 2000 nearly 80% of voters there supported Prop. 22, which sought to define marriage as between a man and a woman. Still, Moran said, "this is a place where you better coexist. Eventually you're going to run into just about everyone at the grocery store."

Although numbers in some parts of the state fell back to normal levels in recent days, in some places the demand remained higher than usual.

With Gay Pride weekend underway in San Francisco, the county clerk there had 259 marriage license appointments and 284 reservations for wedding ceremonies for Friday, up from the 202 license appointments and 115 weddings performed on the first full day of legal same-sex marriage.

In Santa Cruz County, clerk Gail Pellerin said her office is continuing to offer three wedding ceremonies a day instead of just three weddings each Thursday. Pellerin said her office issued 127 licenses during the first full week of same-sex marriages, up from their average of 51.

"I could name (a gay couple) in every part of the county, but I don't know if that means anything," Pellerin said late Friday afternoon as she prepared for a same-sex wedding before closing. "I'm sure they are everywhere, maybe even next door. I guess that's the worry for some, relief for others."

Click here to see how the different California counties are handling same sex marriages.

Homosexual Behavior Largely Shaped By Genetics And Random Environmental Factors

ScienceDaily (June 28, 2008) — Homosexual behavior is largely shaped by genetics and random environmental factors, according to findings from the world's largest study of twins.

Writing in the scientific journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, researchers from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, and Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm report that genetics and environmental factors (which are specific to an individual, and may include biological processes such as different hormone exposure in the womb), are important determinants of homosexual behaviour.

Dr Qazi Rahman, study co-author and a leading scientist on human sexual orientation, explains: "This study puts cold water on any concerns that we are looking for a single 'gay gene' or a single environmental variable which could be used to 'select out' homosexuality - the factors which influence sexual orientation are complex. And we are not simply talking about homosexuality here - heterosexual behaviour is also influenced by a mixture of genetic and environmental factors.

The team, led by Dr Niklas Långström at Karolinska Institutet, conducted the first truly population-based survey of all adult (20-47 years old) twins in Sweden. Studies of identical twins and non-identical, or fraternal, twins are often used to untangle the genetic and environmental factors responsible for a trait. While identical twins share all of their genes and their entire environment, fraternal twins share only half of their genes and their entire environment. Therefore, greater similarity in a trait between identical twins compared to fraternal twins shows that genetic factors are partly responsible for the trait.

This study looked at 3,826 same-gender twin pairs (7,652 individuals), who were asked about the total numbers of opposite sex and same sex partners they had ever had. The findings showed that 35 per cent of the differences between men in same-sex behaviour (that is, that some men have no same sex partners, and some have one or more) is accounted for by genetics.

Rahman explains: "Overall, genetics accounted for around 35 per cent of the differences between men in homosexual behaviour and other individual-specific environmental factors (that is, not societal attitudes, family or parenting which are shared by twins) accounted for around 64 per cent. In other words, men become gay or straight because of different developmental pathways, not just one pathway."

For women, genetics explained roughly 18 per cent of the variation in same-sex behaviour, non-shared environment roughly 64 per cent and shared factors, or the family environment, explained 16 per cent.

The study shows that genetic influences are important but modest, and that non-shared environmental factors, which may include factors operating during foetal development, dominate. Importantly, heredity had roughly the same influence as shared environmental factors in women, whereas the latter had no impact on sexual behaviour in men.

Dr Rahman adds: "The study is not without its limitations - we used a behavioural measure of sexual orientation which might be ok to use for men (men's psychological orientation, sexual behaviour, and sexual responses are highly related) but less so for women (who show a clearer separation between these elements of sexuality). Despite this, our study provides the most unbiased estimates presented so far of genetic and non-genetic contributions to sexual orientation."

Adapted from materials provided by Queen Mary, University of London

San Francisco 2008 Pride Events Calendar

SATURDAY, JUNE 28

Pink Triangle Installation & Commemoration Ceremony: Friends of the Pink Triangle is a group of volunteers who, on a tiny budget, construct a gigantic pink triangle on Twin Peaks that can be seen for 20 miles. The Pink Triangle has been installed for each Pride Weekend since 1996, as a visible yet mute reminder of man's inhumanity to man. The goal is to educate others to what can happen when hatred and bigotry become law as in Nazi Germany. The Pink Triangle is one of history's reminders of intolerance and hate. We must never forget past atrocities or they will happen again. History repeats itself. Installation 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., Commemoration Ceremony 10:30 a.m., Twin Peaks, San Francisco. Free. 415-247-1100 x142, patc@hellermanus.com, www.thepinktriangle.com.

Dyke March

Events begin at 3:00 p.m at Dolores Park
March begins at 7:00 p.m. www.thedykemarch.org

Mamas & Papas Potluck Brunch: For families With Children 0–5 & 5–8 yrs. At our second combined meeting of the year we will be decorating posters for Sunday’s Pride Parade. Bring your favorite brunch dish to share. Help your kids build lasting friendships with other children growing up with LGBTQ families. Mamas & Papas is a project of Our Family Coalition, The Bay Area's LGBTQ Family Organization. Our Family Coalition promotes the rights and well-being of Bay Area lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender families with children and prospective parents through education, advocacy, social networking, and grassroots community organizing. 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Civic Center South Playground at Larkin St. and Grove St., San Francisco. Free. 415-981-1960, www.ourfamily.org.

10th Annual Pride Brunch: Gary Virginia and Donna Sachet host the 10th Annual Pride Brunch honoring the Grand Marshals of the Pride Parade and benefiting the Positive Resource Center. Hundreds of the LGBT Community’s movers and shakers will gather for an 11AM champagne reception, gourmet brunch buffet at noon, and program with comments from each Grand Marshal. Music from Dixieland Dykes + 3! 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Hotel Whitcomb, 1231 Market St., San Francisco. $75-100. 415-695-1942, donna@donnasachet.com, www.donnasachet.com.

Women of Trikone Presents Dyke Brunch: The Dyke Brunch is an annual event that brings South Asian women, their partners and allies together to celebrate Pride. It is for women only and will be held at a fantastic house in San Francisco near Dolores Park. We will have brunch, enjoy some drinks, mingle and celebrate ourselves! After 3:00 p.m., we will walk over to Dolores Park to join the Annual San Francisco Dyke March festivities, the rally and watch the stage events. We will be marching in the Annual SF Dyke March as the Women of Trikone Contingent under the Trikone Banner. Your participation, big smiles and loud cheers are what we are looking for! Brunch 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., Rally 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., March 7:00 p.m. Free. For more details visit www.trikone.org.

Cat Hill Tea Dance benefiting Glide Foundation HIV/AIDS & Health Services: Party Hearty at Glide’s Pink Saturday poolside Cat Hill Tea Dance. Join DJ David Harness of the Endup’s Super Soul Sundayz and the fabulous Donna Sachet. Sip and nibble by the pool! Prance and dance to the hottest mix in anybody’s house! And do it ‘cause it’s right! All proceeds benefit Glide’s HIV/AIDS and Health Services. Glide founders Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani have stood with the LGBTQ Community and its struggle for equal rights since the 60s. New pastor Dr. Karen Oliveto gained worldwide attention for performing the first legal gay marriage inside a United Methodist church in 2004. 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Cathedral Hill Hotel, 1101 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. $25 in advance, $30 at the door. 415-674-6117, pride@glide.org, www.glide.org.

Mo Butta Dance Party: Butterfly Productions presents Mo Butta, one of the Bay Area’s largest women’s parties for SF Pride! Join us with over 2000 of the hottest women for the Pride party of the year. This year we have a special performance by Yo-Yo, along with other special guests. DJs Calalo, Olga T, Rapture and Motive will be throwin’ down the Bay’s best hip hop, R&B, Bay Area hits and more! Wild 94.9’s own Christy Luv on the mic along with Ms. Butterfly keeping it all moving. The beautiful and sexy Butta Dancers Savannah, Rachael, Cherry & Salesha and more. Ladies don’t miss out on the best vibe for Pride! VIP Reception 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Party 9:00 p.m. – 4:00 a.m., Mighty, 119 Utah St., San Francisco. $20. 415-596-2328, fbutterfly13@aol.com, www.butterflyproductions.org.

Good Vibrations Pink Pleasure Party: Pink Pride! Express yourself and join the fun at Good Vibrations. Warm up for a night on the town at our post-march party complete with a DJ, drinks, snacks, and sexy go-go dancers. Shop ‘til you drop and enjoy 20% off during the party! This is an 18+ event. 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., Good Vibrations, 603 Valencia St. at 17th, San Francisco. Free. 415-974-8985 x201, www.goodvibes.com.

Sundance Saloon Country-Western Pride Dance: Join the friendliest crowd in San Francisco for Sundance Saloon's Country-Western Pride Dance in the gorgeous ballroom of the Hotel Whitcomb. Celebrate Pride by two-stepping, waltzing, swinging and line dancing to all your favorite music all evening. The Country-Western Pride Dance is a benefit for the Positive Resource Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting people with HIV/AIDS through counseling, education and advocacy. Sundance Saloon is a project of the Sundance Association for Country Western Dancing, a community-based all-volunteer nonprofit corporation dedicated to the promotion of country-western dancing through education, performance, and the presentation of public country-western dance events. 8:00 p.m. – Midnight, Hotel Whitcomb, 1231 Market St., San Francisco. $10. 415-820-1403, info@sundancesaloon.org, www.sundancesaloon.org.

Mango Dyke March After-Party & NectArena Women's Stage Kick-Off Party: The Bay Area's Original T-Dance for all women! Resident selectas Edaj & La Niche with guest. Marcella & Olga-T in rotation. Special performance by Krudas Cubensi. Free food provided by Jackie and Mango merchandise giveaways. Presented by Kiss My Black Ass Productions. Mango - Once you go...you know! 9:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m., El Rio, 3158 Mission St., San Francisco. $10. hotclubs2k@earthlink.net.

N’Touch Club: Saturday night party for A&PI LGBTs. 9:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m., N’Touch, 1548 Polk St., San Francisco. $4. info@ntouchsf.com.

Pan Dulce: Kick Pride weekend off right with the Castro’s biggest Latino party. 2 for 1 drinks till 11, sexy Go-Gos, and lots of free prize giveaways. The Sweetest things are always Latin @ Pan Dulce! 9:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m., The Café, 2369 Market St., San Francisco. $5. 415-675-9763, clubpapi@aol.com, www.clubpapi.com.

Shangri-la at the Endup: New dance venue for Asian & Pacific Islander LGBTs at the legendary Endup Club! 9:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m., The Endup, 401 16th St., San Francisco. Free before 11:00 p.m., $15 after. info@theendup.com.

Club Papi Brown Party: Join over 1500 caliente Latinos for the 7th Annual Brown Party featuring the sexy Papi Dancers, 3 rooms of music, and special major performing artist. This is the biggest Latino party of the weekend GUARANTEED! 9:30 p.m. – 4:00 a.m., Space 550, 550 Barneveld Ave., San Francisco. $20 in advance. 415-675-9763, clubpapi@aol.com, www.clubpapi.com.

Unleashed: Live performances from PeachCandy (Rasheeda Queen of Crunk and Kandi from XScape) and Eye Candy Dancers Whiplash, Total Eclipse, Mocha and Milan. DJs Pam Da Funktress, DJ Blu, DJ Swith, Celebrity DJ TBA. 9:30 p.m. - 4:30 a.m., Midtown, 420 14th St., Oakland. This is a 21+ event. $25, After Hours and VIP packages starting at $60. 510-464-4560, www.myspace.com/eyecandyentertainment.

Trikone Presents Spring in South Asia Pride Dance Party: Drink and dance to ethnic music from South Asia at a club in SF. Full bar, party attractions. Time and location TBA. Nominal cover charge. For more details visit www.trikone.org.


SUNDAY, JUNE 29

SF Pride Parade

The parade begins at approximately 10:30am at Market & Davis and ends at Market & 8th.

 
Pride Communion Service: Join us for an interdenominational Holy Communion/Eucharist along the parade route prior to the parade with various ministers and laity participating. 9:30 a.m., Market St., San Francisco. Free. 415-305-2124, bishopsfw@gmail.com, www.temenos.org.

SF Citadel Pride Party: Join us after the parade at San Francisco’s premier dungeon space! Cool off with air conditioning, water, and savory snacks - then heat up with Japanese rope bondage and suspension by Madame Butterfly, single tail whip demo by Daddy Darin, and other red-hot performances! This pansexual party is not a play event, but rather a rare opportunity to tour the Citadel, socialize with fellow pervs, and see some hot shows - you won't want to miss it! This is an 18+ event. 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., SF Citadel, 1277 Mission St., San Francisco. $5. 415-626-1746, sfcitadel@gmail.com, www.sfcitadel.org.

Sundance Saloon After-Pride Country-Western Dance: The party continues with the friendliest crowd in San Francisco for Sundance Saloon's After-Pride Country-Western Dance at the Hotel Whitcomb. Located just steps away from the outdoor afternoon country dance at the Civic Center, the two-stepping and line dancing continues into the night, with beginning lessons from 6:00 to 7:30pm. Sundance Saloon is a project of the Sundance Association for Country Western Dancing, a community-based all-volunteer nonprofit corporation dedicated to the promotion of country-western dancing through education, performance, and the presentation of public country-western dance events. 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m., Hotel Whitcomb, 1231 Market St., San Francisco. $5. 415-820-1403, info@sundancesaloon.org, www.sundancesaloon.org.

InvAsian: T-Dance for Asian & Pacific Islander LGBTs. 6:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m., N’Touch, 1548 Polk St., San Francisco. Free. info@ntouchsf.com.

Groove Theory After-Pride Party for Women: Groove Theory is a celebration of music! Come close out your Pride with butterflies after the Pride Celebration. Your DJs will be sure to make you sweat. This is a great new vibe with lots of beautiful women. Don’t miss out ladies! 7:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m., Milk Bar, 1840 Haight St., San Francisco. $10. 415-596-2328, fbutterfly13@aol.com, www.butterflyproductions.org.


THROUGHOUT JUNE

DYKES ON BIKES®: 30 Years at the Forefront: DYKES ON BIKES® powerfully embodies how lesbians have stood at the forefront of queer pride for 30 years. This exhibit, hosted by the GLBT Historical Society, uses a significant anniversary to look back and commemorate this anchor SF institution that has become internationally renowned. The exhibit also looks forward and celebrates the landmark legal victory DYKES ON BIKES® recently won, securing full ownership over its name. This exhibit invites the general public to revel in the mythic power of DYKES ON BIKES®. Exhibit attendees can even get a feel for riding in the famed contingent by hopping on a motorcycle surrounded by the sights and sounds of past parades. Along with the fun, the exhibit also offers visitors the opportunity to learn more about the organization’s ride down a 30-year road: its history, mission, structure, annual event production, and international reach. Opening May 15, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Years of a Ride Panel Discussion June 12 and June 30, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., We Own It Panel Discussion and Closing Reception July 12, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Exhibition open Tuesday through Saturday 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., GLBT Historical Society, 657 Mission St. #300, San Francisco. 415-777-5455, www.glbthistory.org, www.dykesonbikes.org.

Frameline32: San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival: Frameline’s renowned Film Festival offers 11 days of the newest and best in LGBT film from around the world for audiences of 60,000 from the Bay Area and beyond. The Film Festival will feature more than 250 feature and short films—from narratives and documentaries to experimental and animated—representing the most artistically-innovative, thematically-rich and socially-relevant LGBT images and ideas from more than two-dozen countries. In addition to being THE place to see the latest and best in international queer cinema, Frameline’s annual event attracts LGBT film professionals from across the globe and serves as the unofficial kick-off for San Francisco’s annual Pride Celebration activities. Screenings June 19 through June 29 in San Francisco and Berkeley. $10 general admission, $9 Frameline members. For more details visit www.frameline.org.

June 28, 2008

Main Stage Saturday Line-Up

12:00 PM Nikki Starr MC & Song
12:10 PM Andre dos Santos Morgan
12:45 PM The San Francisco Opera
1:45 PM The Glide Ensemble
2:15 PM The Lollipop Guild - An Ensemble of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus
2:50 PM Terese Genecco & Her Little Big Band
3:25 PM Cheer SF
3:40 PM Meshell Ndegeocello
4:45 PM Fogo Na Roupa
4:55 PM Marriage Equality

June 29, 2008
Main Stage Sunday Line-Up
12:00 PM BAAITS: Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits
12:10 PM Welcome - Mikayla Connell
12:15 PM DJ Junior B
12:40 PM Carole Pope
1:00 PM Liam Shy & Unwoman - A Tribute to Harvey Milk
1:10 PM San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus presents The Three Tenors
1:15 PM Grand Marshals & Pride Board
1:20 PM Margaret Cho
1:25 PM Cyndi Lauper
1:35 PM Elected Officials
1:40 PM Milk Movie
1:50 PM Marriage Equality
2:05 PM Cheer SF MC: Tim Gaskin & John Weber
2:15 PM Josh Klipp
2:30 PM Kate Kendell & Geoff Kors
2:35 PM Chantal Chamandy
2:55 PM The Ethel Merman Experience
3:15 PM Troy and the Crew MC: Cameron Eng & Margo Gomez
3:05 PM Melange Lavonne
3:25 PM Lord Martine presents Fashion
3:50 PM Christian George MC: Heklina & Cockatelia
4:05 PM Crystal Waters
4:25 PM Rubber Side Down
4:55 PM Inaya Day
5:15 PM Kat DeLuna 
5:50 PM Kent James
6:10 PM Lady Gaga