Scotty King’s LGBT+ Blog, November 2021
Scotty King’s LGBT+ Blog, November 2021
Here I am, Scotty King. I don't always wear a crown, just to Senior Center fundraisers and dances. My job is to offer our local LGBT+ community activities that support out mission:
The Sebastopol Area Senior Center's LGBT+ Mission:
“To foster pride, connectedness, belonging, diversity and inclusion for all LGBT+ adults by providing educational, social, and recreational opportunities in the continuing pursuit of a fulfilling and healthy life. We co-create this through active volunteerism at our wide variety of in-person and online activities.”
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
For those of you who may not know me yet, I’m Scotty King and I have the good fortune to work for the Sebastopol Area Senior Center as the LGBT+ Liaison. I email monthly Blogs that highlight local happenings, activities and events here at the Senior Center, and other LGBT+ points of interest. I want to introduce myself and this program in a little more depth.
I am Loving this Life!
I have been dating a wonderful guy since March of this year, YAY! We went camping 3 times this past summer and had a great time in campgrounds near Tomales Bay, Jenner, and Mendocino. We both love walking the beautiful beaches of Sonoma and Mendocino counties. We recently decided to start meeting up and walking for an hour together on the Laguna trail a few times a week. It’s really refreshing to get out!
Loving my Job
My main responsibility here is arranging rides for Seniors who no longer drive. We have a wonderful team of volunteers who donate their gas and time to take seniors to needed doctor appointments. It’s a great program started by my friend, Dean Brittingham 14 years ago, and we’ve given over 43,000 rides! The Seniors are so appreciative getting rides. If you need a ride, or would like to drive, please let me know. (707-827-8429)
More LGBT+ Events Here
The second part of my job here at the Sebastopol Area Senior Center, is being the Center’s LGBT+ Liaison. We are in a phase of expansion of LGBT+ activities and programs. We recently conducted a survey and 100 of you LGBT+ folks responded! You told us is you want more opportunities to meet new friends through outings, mixers and dances. So Stay Tuned! Stay tuned to this Blog where we will be announcing all the exciting events coming in the future. And tell your friends please. If you know someone who would like to stay connected to LGBT+ happenings, share this link where they can subscribe:
Though still not easy, young people today have far more information to combat prejudice. And of course LGBT+ folks in other countries can face horrible discrimination and worse. As a youth, I was taunted with bad names and teased for being too feminine, too fat, my hair was too curly, and the list goes on. No one showed me how to Come Out, so I hid in the closet. There were no gay movie stars, no out TV stars like Anderson Cooper, or famous CEO’s like Tim Cook (of Apple) to model acceptance. I struggled not really knowing who I was. But things have now changed! What a turn around. I finally have a job where I am celebrated for being gay.
We Have a Name for this New Program
LGBT+ Rainbow Connection of the Sebastopol Area Senior Center
“Mary Meets a Lady Cowboy”
Our Next Event Wednesday November 24th 7:45 PM
Exciting News! The manager (Keith) of our local live theater, Main Stage West (downtown Sebastopol) just called me and offered us 15 free tickets to attend the pre-opening of their latest play, “Late, A Cowboy Song.” It deals with LGBT+ issues and gender identity The first 15 folks to email me can get free tickets (scotty@sebastopolseniorcenter.org)
“This play is for all the lady cowboys of heart and mind who ride outside the city limits of convention. Mary, always late and always married, meets a lady cowboy outside the city limits of Pittsburgh who teaches her how to ride a horse. Mary's husband, Crick, buys a painting with the last of their savings. Mary and Crick have a baby, but they can't decide on the baby’s name, or the baby’s gender. A story of one woman's education and her search to find true love outside the box.” https://www.mainstagewest.com/
Lesbian Hero, Elsa Gidlow, a Trailblazer in Recent News
Considered the progenitor of the lesbian feminist era, she wrote On A Grey Thread in 1923, the first book of openly lesbian love poetry in North America. She appeared as herself in the documentary film, Word Is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives (1977). Completed just before her death, her autobiography, Elsa, I Come with My Songs (1986), recounts her life story. It is the first complete-life, lesbian autobiography published where the author “outs” herself and does not employ a pseudonym.” For more, GO HERE.
Basic Grief Cycle Illustration
I went through this cycle when a close friend died. What a journey—it took me several years to get up on the right side of this. We all face loss and challenges. It’s always good to have some resources on hand for yourself or a loved one. I have also heard through a LGBT+ friend that our West County Services was a fabulous help to her.
Information about Peer Support for Seniors
Melissa Fike, Director of Adult Counseling (707) 823-1640 x 301
melissa.fike@westcountyservices.org
WCCS Counseling Christy Davila, LMFT 102201
Director of Counseling and Behavioral Health
(707) 823-1640 ext 391
(530) 513-7832 (cell)Wellness and advocacy (707) 565-7800
Interlink (707) 546-4481
Petaluma Peer Recovery Center (707) 565-1299
Russian River Empowerment Center (707) 823-1640 x207
Carol West, Mental Health Board District 2 Rep
Sonoma County Peer Council
https://www.facebook.com/Sonoma-County-Peer-Council-100501104929076
He Falls in Love with a Male Swan!
Swan Lake is an audacious, witty, and emotive re-imagining of a classic ballet featuring a menacing male ensemble of dancers. This much-loved show turned tradition upside down.
Preview it HERE.
Rent it HERE:
Do You Need Help Around Your Home?
Our Sebastopol Area Senior Center is now in partnership with many local service clubs including the Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, Grange and more. They have just launched HOP Days, or "Helping Other People" Days. This nationally known project will be implemented on a local level to assist seniors over 60 with basic projects around their homes, utilizing service club volunteers.
The Senior Center will primarily be the "administrator," helping with marketing, getting the word out to local seniors, and being the hub of applications. We are excited to be a part of this incredible project to help seniors age safely in their own homes. Seniors can apply to have basic projects completed around their homes, things that might be more difficult for them based on physical limitations-- cleaning debris or cobwebs, changing light fixtures, installing basic grab bars, etc. To find out more and to access the application, please visit the website HERE.
Do You Know about These Lovers From the 4th Century? Sergius and Bacchus
I never knew about this couple, and I cried reading their story. They were lovers and Roman Generals, and folks were fine with that. But they were persecuted and tortured for being Christians! If you’re curious, the story of these two saints is quite remarkable. I read through all of these. Email me back and let me know what you think. Read THIS and THIS to learn more.
Great Documentary, Very Powerful, Cured!
Another time I cried was watching this incredible story. It is showing for free here for a limited time HERE.
We have come so far! Do you remember when the American Psychiatric Association cured all of us back in 1973? One day, we were deemed mentally disordered and the next, the APA removed homosexuality from the DSM, its manual of mental disorders. We were, suddenly, Cured! The APA didn't wake up to the truth of our natural wellness on its own. It took activists to push for the change. PBS has a 55-minute documentary on its website about the struggle by LGBT+ professionals and grassroots organizations and individuals to force the APA to recognize our sexual orientation as natural and normal. It airs for free all month.
Take This Love Language Quiz
We all give and receive love in 5 different ways:
Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. Which one is your main love language? Let’s find out our love language! Do this 2-minute quiz and tell your friends about the results. When it asks you at the end, if you want it emailed, say no, then you'll get the results right away. Mine is Physical Touch. Go HERE to take the quiz.
Support Our Local LGBT+ Coffee House—BREW!
Meet the Owners:
Meet the Owners of Brew: Alisse and Jess are partners in life and in business. They are coffee veterans with years of experience working in large and small coffee companies. “Girl meets coffee. Other girl meets coffee. Girls fall in love, coffee included. Brew was born from years of work in coffee. Obsessive attention to detail is what we call craft. It has the power to elevate an experience, change a day, crack a smile. Craft is central to what we’re building at Brew—a welcoming space, beautiful coffees and beers, and delicious things to eat.”
WED—MON: 7:30am—4:00pm, TUES 7:30am—8pm
Open Mic Nights are Tuesday 5pm to 8pm
Brew: 555 Healdsburg Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95401
San Francisco Art Institute’s LGBT+ History
Learn about the “Gay Statue” at UC Berkeley
I got to see this presentation live, it is wonderful! I learned so much about our LGBT+ Artist forbearers and their huge impact on the Bay Area art scene. Please watch this, the photos and stories are extremely fascinating! This is a recorded Zoom Presentation. I’m so glad this recording was saved! fast forward to the 7 minute mark to start presentation with an Oscar Wilde quote! CLICK HERE TO WATCH
Another Lesbian HERO!
“Sonoma Woman Started Largest Event for Lesbians, Queer Women 30 Years Ago”
Throwing a good party! Read about it HERE.
“I'm Such a Hallmark Christmas Junkie, and this Just Fits the Bill! I can't Wait to Watch It!”
My friend BearHug said that about this upcoming show. I also have this on my “Watch List.”
Netflix’s SINGLE ALL THE WAY looks like the queer Holiday rom-com we will all want to see
“Netflix has finally joined all the cable TV companies that now love to make happy-ever-after gay Christmas rom-coms to make us feel all sentimental over the holiday period. See the preview video HERE.
Another Local Lesbian Hero
One of my best lesbian friends is Kate Roach (who also leads Day Trips here at our Center). She is riding her bike 545 miles in the 2022 AIDS Lifecycle. She is asking for any donation you might want to give to help fund AIDS cures, assistance, and awareness. Please consider supporting her by donating to her fundraising efforts, thank you. Click here to visit my personal page.
LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000
Wednesdays Nov 24tj, 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom
Join us for a conversation about Lesbian/Gay Parenting in the 1970s-80s.
Please contact Tina Dungan to enroll and get a Zoom invite: cdungan@santarosa.edu
Come Celebrate Pride & the Holiday Season with Skating on the Square
The Sonoma County Pride organization just let me know about this event:
"The Winter Lights Rink is an experience unlike any before in Santa Rosa!
What to Expect
Please arrive 15 minutes early to check in, sign your waiver, and get your skates. One of our volunteers will check you in and get you ready to hop on the ice. You’ll be able to skate for about 45 minutes. While the skating area is fenced in, there will be no personal item storage on-site and you are responsible for any items you bring with you. We will not be responsible for any lost or stolen items.
Spectators are welcome to attend with skaters but must enter the area at the same time.
Skate Rentals and Helmets
Skate rentals are available in child’s size 9 through men’s 13. Your skate rental is included in your ticket price, but you may also bring your own ice skates if they have been recently sharpened.
Skates are sanitized between use, but please don’t forget to bring socks! Sometimes an extra pair is helpful! We highly recommend that children (and clumsy parents) wear helmets while on the ice."
End Note
If you have enjoyed this blog, please let me know! If you know of any LGBT+ events coming up, please contact me. If you have suggestions, I would love to hear from you! Contact me at scotty@sebastopolseniorcenter.org.
Scotty King
Manager of Special Services
Volunteer Driver Program ∙ LGBT+ Liaison
Read my Blog here:
https://www.sebastopolseniorcenter.org/lgbtq-blog
707-827-8429 direct
707-829-2440 main
"Remember when Giving a Ride was the Neighborly Thing to Do? It Still Is!"
Sebastopol Senior Center
167 N. High Street
Sebastopol CA 95472
