It's probably not news to anyone who's played an internet-enabled, multi-player video game in the last few years (or anyone who's ever met a teenage boy, for that matter) that LGBT gamers often face name-calling and harassment in the game-o-sphere when they advertise their sexual orientation. The Bay Area Reporter just published this investigative report in which they speak to several people in the industry -- including Flynn DeMarco of gaygamer.net and Caryl Shaw, a senior producer for the Sims and Spore -- who discuss things they've heard and seen. The takeaways: The Sims welcomes all kinds of sexual proclivities, gender identities and whathaveyou, but the multi-player environment of Xbox Live -- which is particularly rife with children and teens -- does not allow players to display their sexual orientation in their profile, gamertag or elsewhere. more ›

One of two things happened over at BAR.com: 1) Somebody hacked the interwebs, and posted this casual faux-resignation letter Sunday morning, or 2) news editor Cynthia Laird is peeved. Since Laird is a respected journalist in these parts, very much civic minded about her community, and too overqualified to spritz homosexuals with bronzer, we're going to assume the former. more ›

The airtight smiles. Awesome. For those of you somehow not tempted into becoming a part of Van Santian art -- or, you know, if you sport a vagina -- might we suggest catching round II of the Leno vs. Migden smackdown? Sponsored by the Harvey Milk Club, this meeting is sure to ruffle a few plumes and have local politicos affectedly scratching their chins for days to come. That's right, kids, it's on. It is... more ›

-- Emmy-winner Al Gore might also win the Nobel Peace Prize. Weren't Bono and Princess Diana supposed to win that at some point, too? (You know, before she...vroom.) [Wired News] more ›

God bless the Bay Area Reporter. more ›

You know you've made it in San Francisco as a marginalized group when you start getting in fights with other marginalized groups -- so a local bisexual advocacy/social group is under fire for their policies excluding certain transgender persons. more ›

-- Are you ready for the genius that is Peaches Christ and her Midnight Mass cult-film series? [Bay Area Reporter] -- Television -- glorious, warm, loving television! -- on BART cars? Hmm. [Inside Bay Area, Oakland Tribune] -- Matt Stroud takes a brief, much-needed break from his Rocky-like boxing bootcamp training. [The Snitch] -- Affordable housing advocates get pinched by the fuzz. Remember, purveyors of justice: don't drop the soap! [Fog City Journal] --... more ›

more ›

more ›

"He is like a cross between Liberace and Hello Kitty. He is out of his gourd." - Bevan Dufty describing Han Shin (aka Purple Gloves) to the Bay Area Reporter. more ›

more ›

As promised -- when we find people defending Newsom, we diligently write 'em up in the column we call.... Who's Defending Newsom Now! Who's swinging for the mayor? more ›

Man, we are starting to get a headache trying to stay on top of the convoluted machinations of the San Francisco 2008 State Senate race. You may remember that current State Assembly rep Mark Leno floated a trial balloon to run in two years for the seat currently held by his former friend Carole Migden. After pooh-poohing the rumor, Migden then promptly started floating trial balloons of her own that she might run against Gavin Newsom for mayor in 2007, to improve her name recognition in SF and shore up support with anti-Newsomites. more ›

It's a slight variation on our Who's Attacking/Defending Newsom Now columns -- Gavin goes on the offensive! more ›

--Why's Lawrence Wong getting in so much trouble for accidentally crossing a picket line when the Bay Area Reporter did too? more ›

Congratulations, Supervisor Bevan Dufty and Rebecca Goldfader! They're expecting a baby in October. "Wait a minute!" you say. "Isn't Dufty gay?" And those of you who go to the Menlo Clinic or take her pilates classes might also be thinking, "And isn't Rebecca a lesbian?" Well, sure -- Dufty and Goldfader are what the Bay Area Reporter calls an "opposite-sex gay couple," who've committed to a relationship where they both date other people (though neither of them is seeing anyone right now) but will rely on each other for support and to raise their child. The whole thing sounds vaguely sitcommy -- Goldfader and Dufty met at the Gold's Gym, where both of them were taking step aerobics classes. (Grapevine!) They've been trying since 2004, when they hired a gay male midwife to do the inseminations, and both of them giggle about the tremendous effort Dufty was putting in to get his sperm samples. "Sometimes he would come out of the bathroom sweating!" They're thinking about getting a duplex and live on separate floors -- but Dufty has to make sure any house they buy is in District 8 (the famously expensive Castro and Noe Valley district) so he can run for reelection in November. We can't wait for the wacky episode where the babysitter Goldfader hires turns out to be an ex- of Dufty's, culminating in some kind of pratfall at the Board of Supervisors meeting that night. The proud papa to your right. more ›

Last week's winner, the East Bay Express: Bottom Feeder asks a good question, which is: why did Sports Illustrated run an excerpt of the Barry Bonds book and not the Chron? He doesn't say, but we're going to guess money. In a separate story, the value of Bonds baseball cards has dropped. Hey, EBX, shouldn't you be focusing on your own baseball team instead of SF's? Cover article: E (aka, "thizz") stops being a raver drug and starts being a hip-hopper one. Extra bonus: author buys and takes a pill that's mostly Benadryl. E-40! Cred Sheet asks the eternal question -- why is Live 105 always playing Sublime? more ›