By Ann Rostow– The Shadow Doesn’t Know I’m not sure what to make of the Supreme Court’s first ruling on the subject of transgender youth, effectively reinstating Idaho’s ban on puberty blockers, hormones, and surgery for minor kids. The state of Idaho had asked the justices to lift a preliminary hold on the law, which was issued by a lower court and upheld by the Ninth Circuit. In doing so, the Court did not make any pronouncements on the underlying subject, instead deciding that the lower courts’ hold on the entire law was excessive. The law will continue to be blocked only for the two trans ..read more

Photo Courtesy of NASA The solar eclipse of April 8, 2024, now known as the Great North American Eclipse, was visible across much of North America, from Mexico to the U.S. to Canada. While sky gazers here in the San Francisco Bay Area only saw the Moon cross about 35% of the Sun’s diameter at the eclipse’s peak, the spectacle was still breathtaking and memorable. It was even more so for San Francisco Bay Times contributors Fred Sullivan and Jamie Botello, who used to live in the Bay Area but now reside in Durango, Mexico. They captured a series of three images depicting the progress of the ecl ..read more

By Brandon Miller, CFP– You probably think your financial decisions to save or spend, buy or sell are based on taking in all the information at hand and selecting the right option for you. Psychologists know better. The truth is, every decision you make is influenced by subconscious biases. Financial decisions are no different. You can do all the research you want on investing, but if you don’t account for your blind spots, your decisions might have unintended consequences. Preconceptions can sometimes work in your favor, but just as often, they can cause you to lose money, opportunities, or ..read more

By Tony Archuleta-Perkins– Dear members and allies of the LGBTQ+ business community, Are you a small business looking to expand your footprint with local and national corporations? Read more about the NGLCC  (National LGBT Chamber of Commerce) and its certification program, which the GGBA sponsors. The NGLCC is not just an organization but a vibrant community that plays a pivotal role in advocating for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. It acts as a direct link between LGBT business owners, corporations, and government, representing the interests of over 1.4 million LGBT-owned businesses across the U ..read more

Founded in 1993 by owner Charles E. Symes II, Alegre Home Care has for more than three decades provided services for seniors delivered by experienced caregivers. Symes, who has more than 35 years of experience in the caregiving field, began his work caring for his own family and then working for national and local home care agencies. Charles E. Symes Alegre is the only LGBT-Certified in-home care agency in California, and provides services in San Francisco, San Rafael, Stockton, and surrounding areas. (A member of our team hired Alegre to help a relative in the East Bay and was pleased with ..read more

GGBA members and guests attending the April Make Contact, held on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, enjoyed the stunning rooftop views from the deck atop the offices of Brio Financial Group at 19 Sutter Street. A longtime member of GGBA, Brio is a “Paparazzi Sponsor” of the organization’s upcoming 50th Anniversary Power Connect to be held on Friday, June 7, at San Francisco City Hall. For May, the annual Mega Make Contact will return, hosted by OutPro, with a celebration of San Francisco Small Business Week at the historic Stud bar at its new location, 1123 Folsom Street. The event will showcase the r ..read more

By Pau Crego– Senate Bill 957: SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) Data Collection, an important bill for the future of LGBTQI+ Californians, is currently making its way through the California State Senate. This bill, authored by Senator Scott Wiener and co-sponsored by Equality California and the California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network, intends to close gaps from previous SOGI-related legislation. Actionable and culturally-appropriate SOGI data collection and reporting is relevant for LGBTQI+ people for multiple reasons. Firstly, most large-scale studies, such as the U.S ..read more

By Joanie Juster– As I write this column, women have been dominating the news lately, for better and worse. I’ll get to the better (really, fabulous!) in a moment, but let’s start with one of the worst: the Arizona Supreme Court, whose justices on April 9 ruled to enforce an 1864 law (!) that bans nearly all abortions. The law, which predates Arizona’s statehood by nearly 50 years, provides no exceptions for rape or incest, only allowing an abortion if the mother’s life is in jeopardy. Under the law, it is suggested that doctors can be prosecuted for terminating pregnancies. The backlash from ..read more

Photos by Rink A celebration of the PRC Integrated Services Center’s 5th anniversary was held on site at 170 9th Street on Wednesday, April 3. Guests enjoyed the opportunity to meet PRC’s staff and see first-hand the range of life-changing services offered. Also welcoming guests were members of the popular Bare Chest Calendar annual fundraiser project. Chief Executive Officer Chuan Teng recognized the generosity, dedication, and commitment of key volunteers and supporters, including Joey Castenada, Kippy Marks, Troy Brunet, Neil Figurelli, Suzanne Ford, “UK” Jouke Lan ..read more

Jackie Biskupski and Laura Milliken Gray, founders of JL Productions By Laura Milliken Gray, Attorney at Law– Last year, state legislatures across the country proposed over 500 anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ laws. These laws attack the trans community, bar DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs, and try to ban rainbow flags in classrooms; all are designed to strip the LGBTQ+ community of our rights and protections. Like many queer Americans, I feel a sense of helplessness as I watch our rights being eroded. As a scrappy lesbian lawyer who spent over 25 years in the legal trenches of uber-c ..read more