#David kopay

[garethschweitzer]

David Kopay

Photo by Don Herron

[70s80sandbeyond]

David Marquette Kopay: former US American football running back in the National Football League

[yourdailyqueer]

David Kopay

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Gay 

DOB: 28 June 1942  

Ethnicity: White

Occupation: Former American Football player, actor, activist

Note: One of the first professional athletes to come out as gay

[100gayicons]

Dave Kopay made history when in 1976 he came out as the first gay professional football player in history.

Kopay played football in high school and college and fulfilled a personal dream by being signed to the San Francisco 49ers in 1964. In his 8 years in the sport he played for a variety of teams, including the Lions, the Saints, and the Packers. But during that time he kept a secret… he was gay. To come out as such would have ended his career in the male dominated macho sport.

After he retired, he read a news article in the Washington Star telling the story of an unnamed gay NFL player (someone Kopay knew). The newspaper was inundated with hate nail. No way could an NFL Player be gay!

This angered Kopay who decided to contact the reporter and agree to be interviewed and named in the subsequent article.

Kopay then co-wrote his biography, “The David Kopay Story” detailing his life in sports and struggles being gay. He has said he’s received very little hate mail. Instead, he’s been contacted by young gay athletes all over the world, thanking for helping them to come to grips with their own sexuality.

Kopay photographed in 1971 by George Dureau while he was playing for the New Orleans Saints.

[jdbrecords]

David Kopay.

[usgunn]

September 8, 2019

CLICK HERE for the September 8, 2019 playlist

1.    The Walker Brothers - “My Ship Is Comin’ In” (1965)

It may be a music nerd cliché to love Scott Walker, but...I love Scott Walker.  I’m sure Scott will show up in other forms on later ARBTR playlists, but this week I felt like kicking things off with some quirky, string-laden late 60��s productions, and this early Walker Brothers song felt like a great way to start.  For a primer on Scott, check out the documentary Scott Walker: 30th Century Man, which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.  A little extra trivia: this song was produced by Ivor Raymonde, father of Cocteau Twins bassist Simon Raymonde.

2.    The Left Banke - “Desiree” (1968)

The Left Banke are best known for their hit “Walk Away Renee,” from their first record in 1967.  That record was primarily written and arranged by keyboardist Michael Brown, who at the time was a mere 17 years old.  Brown parted ways with the band before their second record, The Left Banke Too, was released, but this track is one of the two songs on that album that he wrote and played on, and in my opinion a highlight of a small but dense catalog.  

3.    The Move - “Beautiful Daughter” (1970)

OK, so technically this song was released in February 1970, but...close enough to stick with our late 60′s time period.  A really wonderful string arrangement here, presumably done by singer and songwriter Roy Wood, who would later start ELO with Jeff Lynne.

4.    The Electric Prunes - “The Adoration” (1968)

This song comes from the fourth album credited to The Electric Prunes, Release of an Oath, but is an Electric Prunes record in name only.  The band that recorded “I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night” was gone, and all that was left was producer David Hassinger and composer/arranger extraordinaire David Axelrod, who would go on to compose and produce several amazing, hip, jazzy records under his own name.  I’m a big Axelrod fan and I’m sure he’ll show up on a future playlist, but this early example of his forays into the “rock” world seemed to fit with this week’s opening theme.

5.    The Soundcarriers - “Signal Blue” (2014)

Getting out of the 60′s, but this UK band has had both David Axelrod and Scott Walker referenced by critics as likely musical inspirations, among other hip 60′s and 70′s acts.  This comes from their album Entropicalia, released on the great Ghost Box record label run by Julian House, a graphic designer whose work has graced almost every Broadcast and Stereolab record sleeve, and who similarly does all the design for Ghost Box’s releases.

6.    SAULT - “Don’t Waste My Time” (2019)

Literally know nothing about this band.  Try and Google them -- as of when this playlist was released, you will find virtually nothing.  All I can tell is that the production was done by Inflo, a UK-based producer that appears to have some connection to super-producer Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse.  Kind of a sassy, ESG feel; just heard this this week and loved it.

7.    Shape of Broad Minds (feat. MF Doom) - “Let’s Go (Space Boogie)” (2007)

Hip-hop project led by prolific producer (and, I think, part-time Atlanta resident?) Jneiro Jarel.  This comes from a record, Craft of the Lost Art, released on Warp Records hip-hop offshoot Lex Records.  And of course, this song features the vocal stylings of rap legend (and, I think, also part-time Atlanta resident?) MF Doom.  Jarel and Doom later did a full-album collaboration, Key to the Kuffs, under the name JJ Doom.  I love the propulsive feel of this song, with a riff that feels like it’s leading somewhere but keeps repeating itself.

8.    George Smallwood - “You Know I Love You” (1980?)

I discovered this song on a compilation put out by the enigmatic DC-based label Peoples Potential Unlimited called Peoples Potential Family Album, compiling tracks the label had reissued on 12-inches.  PPU mainly mines obscure boogie-funk from the DC/Virginia area, from which blind singer-songwriter George Smallwood hailed.  I love the backing vocals on this song, they totally make it for me, along with the demo-like sparseness of the production.

9.    Sandra Wright - “I Come Running Back” (1974)

I’ve already forgotten how I discovered this, but something I saw this week led me to listen to this track, from the album Wounded Woman, recorded in 1974 for Stax subsidiary Truth Records but unreleased until 1989.  I’m glad I did--I instantly fell in love with everything about this song.

10.   Tim Maia - “Brother, Father, Sister and Mother” (1976)

Note the correct song title above - Spotify seems to have mucked it up.  Maia was a funk/soul guy in the 70′s in Brazil who was the subject of Luaka Bop’s compilation World Psychedelic Classics 4: Nobody Can Live Forever - The Existential Soul of Tim Maia, where I discovered this song.

11.    Daphni - “Sizzling (Radio Edit)” (2019)

Daphni is the name under which Caribou mastermind Dan Snaith releases his more dance-oriented material.  This song, released this past summer, is a remix of an obscure 1981 funk track called “Sizzlin Hot” by Paradise.  It cooks.

12.    "Blue” Gene Tyranny - “David Kopay (Portrait)” (1978)

Note the correct song title above.  Tyranny was an avant-garde piano player and composer who dabbled the “rock idiom,” for lack of a better term.  He was briefly in the Stooges, apparently.  This song is adventurous from a compositional perspective but also remarkably funky.  Extra trivia: this song’s namesake, David Kopay, was an NFL running back and the first NFL player to publicly acknowledge he was gay.  In addition to the many things to love about this song, the extended synth drone outro provides a palette cleanser for the set of songs that close the playlist this week.

13.    Will Johnson - “Every Single Day of Late” (2017)

Will Johnson was the leader of the late-great Centro-matic from Denton, TX, one of my all-time favorite bands.  He released a couple of sparse solo records while Centro-matic was active, but since that band folded in 2014 his solo records have incorporated more varied sounds and approaches to songwriting.  This song, from his most recent record Hatteras Night, a Good Luck Charm (although a new one is due this year) opens with a somewhat menacing electric guitar sound and never quite feels settled, adding junkyard percussion and backing vocals with some interesting atonal guitar work in the middle.

14.   Rollerskate Skinny - “Lunasa” (1993)

Really, really weird and fearless 90′s rock band from Dublin, Ireland that featured Jimi Shields, younger brother of Kevin Shields from My Bloody Valentine, on drums and other instruments.  This song really gives you no idea of what the album this comes from (Shoulder Voices, their debut) sounds like--I’m not sure any individual song on the record does.  All over the place in the best way possible.  I felt like the backing-vocal heavy nature of this song went well with the previous song and the next song, even if they otherwise sound like they have nothing to do with each other.

15.    Kelley Polar - “Chrysanthemum” (2007)

Polar was (is?) a Julliard-educated violinist with an affinity for dance music who made two great string-drenched dance records in the early 2000′s and then, as far as I can tell, disappeared.  This song actually barely features strings, and I therefore hesitated to include it, but I love the starkness of this track and the rhythm “breaths” that drive it.

16.    Psychic TV - “The Orchids” (1983)

I’m not a Psychic TV fan, and I don’t get much of what they do.  The band, formed by former Throbbing Gristle members Genesis P-Orridge and Peter “Sleazy” Christopherson, often trafficks in drone and noise music that just doesn’t do anything for me.  But this song is different.  I first heard this song when Califone covered it on their Roots & Crowns album in 2006, and I still love that version.  But the original has a strange naiveté to it, with its lo-fi production and overlapping, cut-and-paste vocals.

[keyouone]

Mental game of O'Callaghan

 Ryan Thomas O'Callaghan, offensive tackle, who finished his football career in 2011 has decided to share his story with the public. In a book to be released, 'My Life On The Line: How the NFL Damn Near Killed Me and Ended Up Saving My Life,' Ryan discloses how difficult it is to be closeted once working in team. Even for him, it didn't happen until 2017 that O'Callaghan has finally came out. After the move some players shared with him. Different from others, O'Callaghan fears were were primarily family-related. It was Kansas City Chiefs psychologist who lead O'Callaghan step-by-step to open up to his family.

"I can promise you there's plenty of closeted NFL players,"  he said to Reuters. The problem is still there as many NFL players prefer to go stealth in order to avoid problems with team mates, coaches, sponsors. The level of discrimination remains truly incredible."I think it's safe to say there's at least one on every team who is either gay or bisexual. A lot of guys still see it as potentially having a negative impact on their career," he adds. Sadly, NFL does little to protect LGBTQ players against discrimination. The most done for now is sponsoring New York Pride Parade last year, But that is not enough.

The action is needed as the problem is quite old. It was David Kopay who made the very first brave step in 1975 and came out followed by publishing his memoirs in 1975 entitled "The David Kopay Story". The recent history clearly demonstrates how low the level of tolerance in NFL is. In 2014 Michael Dam was cut from the team (St. Louis Rams) after coming out.  “I just don’t think people understand the reality. We can still get fired for being gay or denied services for being trans,” O'Callaghan said. Something should be done immediately unless NFL is determined to lose myriads of  talented players.

[meawslove]

A conversation with NFL legend David Kopay to be featured at Outsports Pride

A conversation with gay NFL ...

[prideguy]

Conversation with gay legend David Kopay featured at Outsports Pride

Conversation with gay legend David Kopay featured at Outsports Pride

[ad_1]

A conversation with gay NFL legend David Kopay will be a centerpiece of Outsports Pride, the weekend coinciding with LA Pride celebrating and advancing LGBTQ inclusion in sports.

Kopay will share his insights into being gay and closeted in professional sports in the 1960s and ‘70s, as well as his observations about the LGBTQ sports movement over the last 45 years.

Jim Buzinski, Outsports…

[sfplhormelcenter]

On week 6 in honor of this weekend's religious holiday’s (Easter and Passover) we’ve decided to pick four questions from the Religion chapter in James Aaron’s Gay Trivia Quiz Book (Call #:793.73 Aa75g)

If you’re just joining us, during week 5 we covered Sports and the answers to those questions are: 39. C) David Kopay 40. A) Running back 41. D) The Forty-Niners, Lions, and Redskins

[thelgbtarchives]

Days of Our Lives

No Author Found

Advocate. 9/25/2007, Issue 993, p42-45. 4p.

Link to article in database

This is a brief timeline of LGBT+-related events in the United States, from 1967 to 2003. While it does not contain enough information to use as a full-fledged resource, it gives enough facts to spark interest and clarify certain events, such as the birth of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the first flying of the rainbow pride flag. It also provides a very strong basis for further research into more specific topics.

1 The Advocate launches

SEPTEMBER 1967 The Advocate begins publishing in Los Angeles.

2 Metropolitan Community Church

1968 The Reverend Troy D. Perry founds the Metropolitan Community Church in Los Angeles.

3 Stonewall Rebellion

JUNE 1969 in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, police raid the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, sparking the modern gayrights movement. Thirteen people would be arrested and three police officers would suffer minor injuries.

4

AUGUST 1976 The first Michigan Womyn's Music Festival takes place in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Created by 19-year-old Lisa Vogel, hersister Kristie, and Mary Kindig, the festival offered camping space, vegetarian meals, and musical performances for $20.

5 Gay Liberation Front

1969 The Gay Liberation Front, a militant political action group, is founded by Stonewall veterans.

6 Kameny runs for Congress

1971 Franklin Kameny becomes the first openly gay candidate for the U.S. Congress when he runs for the District of Columbia'snonvoting seat. He would lose the election but go on to form the Gay Activists Alliance of Washington, D.C.

7 Beth Chayim Chadashim

1972 Los Angeles-based Beth Chayim Chadashim becomes the first gay and lesbian synagogue in the United States.

8 William Johnson ordained

1972 William Johnson is ordained by the United Church of Christ, making him the first openly gay pastor in a major religiousdenomination.

9 John Wojtowicz

1972 John Wojtowicz robs a Brooklyn, N.Y., bank to pay for his boyfriend's sex-change operation and inspires the film Dog DayAfternoon.

10 National Gay Task Force

1973 Barbara Gittings and Frank Kameny help found the National Gay Task Force.

11 Disorder revisited

1973 The American Psychiatric Association takes homosexuality off its list of mental disorders after pressure from a group of closetedgay psychiatrists, who were spurred by Gittings and Kameny.

12 Lambda Legal Defense

1973 Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, a nonprofit law firm, is founded to fight for gay civil rights.

13 Santa Cruz legislation

1975 Santa Cruz County, Calif., becomes the first U.S. county to ban job discrimination against gays and lesbians.

14 Baker flies flag

JUNE 1978 The rainbow flag is first flown by its creator, Gilbert Baker, at San Francisco's Gay Freedom Day parade.

15 David Kopay comes out

1975 Former NFL player David Kopay becomes the first major athlete to come out.

16 Tales of the City

1976 Armistead Maupin writes the first installment of "Tales of the City" for the San Francisco Chronicle.

17 NOVEMBER 1974

Elaine Noble is elected to the Massachusetts legislature, making her the first openly gay candidate to win a state-level office in theUnited States.

18 Anita Bryant shamed

1977 Gospel singer and Florida orange juice queen Anita Bryant forms antigay organization Save Our Children. Gay activists boycottthe Florida Citrus Commission and throw a pie in Bryant's face during a televised event in Des Moines.

19 First March on Washington

1979 More than 100,000 people attend the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Washington, D.C.

20 AIDS in the media

1981 The first articles about the mysterious disease that would later be named AIDS appear in U.S. publications.

21 PFLAG goes national

1981 Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays sets up headquarters in Los Angeles.

22 Military bans gays

1982 The U.S. Department of Defense introduces a formal ban on gays in the military and requires all new recruits to answer questionsabout their sexual orientation.

23 Gerry Studds comes out

1983 Massachusetts representative Gerry Studds becomes the first U.S. congressman to come out.

24 Rock Hudson dies of AIDS

1985 Closeted movie and television actor Rock Hudson announces he has AIDS. He dies three months later.

25 GLAAD forms

1985 Angered by the media's poor coverage of the AIDS epidemic, a group of New York activists found the watchdog organization Gayand Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

26 AUGUST 1982

About 1,300 athletes from 12 countries take part in the first Gay Games in San Francisco.

27 Milk-Moscone

NOVEMBER 1978 San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk and mayor George Moscone are killed by former supervisor and antigay conservative Dan White. WhenWhite's manslaughter conviction and light sentence are announced in May 1979, more than

5,000 people storm City Hall in protest.

28 Barney Frank comes out

1987 Massachusetts congressman Barney Frank tells The Boston Globe he's gay.

29 AZT approved by FDA

1987 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves AZT, the first AIDS antiviral drug.

30 Larry Kramer forms ACT UP

1987 Activist Larry Kramer forms ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) in New York to fight for AIDS funding and research.

31 World AIDS Day

1988 The first World AIDS Day is observed with the message "more information, less discrimination."

32 National Coming Out Day

1986 The first National Coming Out Day is celebrated.

33 AIDS ribbon debuts

1991 A red ribbon is used for the first time to symbolize the battle against HIV and AIDS.

34 Don't ask, don't tell

1993 President Bill Clinton attempts to repeal the 1982 ban on gays in the military. After vehement opposition, he settles for "don't ask, don't tell."

35 AIDS Memorial Quilt

OCTOBER 1987 The AIDS Memorial Quilt, remembering those who dies of the disease, is displayed for the first time on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Itcovers a space larger than a football field with its 1,920 panels.

36 "Genius" awards

1994 Out choreographer Bill T. Jones and poet Adrienne Rich receive "genius" grants from the MacArthur Foundation.

37 Baldwin elected

1991 Wisconsin representative Tammy Baldwin becomes the first openly gay nonincumbent elected to Congress.

38

MAY 2004 Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Massachusetts.

39 Vermont civil unions

2000 Vermont becomes the first state in the nation to legally recognize civil unions between gay or lesbian couples. The law states that gay "couples would beentitled to the same benefits, privileges, and responsibilities as spouses" but stops short of referring to same-sex unions as marriage, which it reserves forheterosexual unions.

40 Lawrence v. Texas

2003 The U.S. Supreme Court rules in the case of Lawrence v. Texas that sodomy laws are unconstitutional.

[madforfashiondude]

Frameline39: the San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival has announced several highlights for this year’s renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer cinema. Frameline, the world’s oldest and largest LGBTQ film festival, will be held June 18-28, 2015 in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland; with San Francisco screenings at the historic Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street), Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street), and Victoria Theatre (2961 16th Street), in Berkeley at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood (2966 College Avenue), and new this year, in Oakland at Landmark’s Piedmont Theatre (4186 Piedmont Avenue). The Festival showcases international imports from Kenya, Venezuela, Lithuania, Thailand, France, and Bosnia-Herzegovina as well as local gems.

Frameline39: There’s No Place Like Here… the 39th San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival celebrates an exceptional experience that unites diverse communities across an ever evolving cinematic landscape for 11 days of innovative and socially relevant film. Commemorate legendary filmmakers, discover emerging talents, and join the inimitable community of festivalgoers that distinguish the world’s oldest and largest celebration of queer cinema. Frameline39 pays tribute to LGBTQ experiences through revelatory documentaries, captivating features, enchanting shorts, cinematic classics, and more. With an expected attendance of 65,000, the 11 days of Frameline39 promises to draw film lovers, media artists, and LGBTQ communities from the Bay Area and all across the globe to discover the best in queer cinema. More than 30 countries will be represented, including Kenya, Venezuela, Lithuania, Thailand, France, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. OPENING NIGHT FILM I AM MICHAEL / DIR Justin Kelly / USA

Starring James Franco and Zachary Quinto, director Justin Kelly’s much-talked-about drama I AM MICHAEL tells the controversial true story of Michael Glatze, a former San Francisco-based gay rights activist who renounces homosexuality and becomes a Christian pastor.

CENTERPIECE NARRATIVE SUMMER OF SANGAILE / DIR Alanté Kavaïté / Lithuania, France, Netherlands

Sangaile is a brooding teen trapped in a cage of adolescent fear and self-doubt when she meets vivacious, outgoing Auste at an aeronautics show. This is a sumptuously shot, subtly told story of the transformative power of first love. CENTERPIECE DOCUMENTARY OUT TO WIN / DIR Malcolm Ingram / USA, Canada

Featuring interviews with sports legends Martina Navratilova, David Kopay, Jason Collins, Brittney Griner, and many others, this inspiring documentary from director Malcolm Ingram (Small Town Gay Bar, Frameline30; Continental, Frameline37) takes a powerful look at the struggles and triumphs of LGBTQ athletes in pro sports and leaves everyone cheering.

CLOSING NIGHT FILM BARE / DIR Natalia Leite / USA, Canada

Sarah is trapped in nowheresville Nevada when the worldly drifter Pepper blows into town and opens her eyes to life’s possibilities. But is Sarah being seduced by a wily user, or is she herself using Pepper to break free?

FRAMELINE AWARD Established in 1986, the Frameline Award is given every year to a person or entity that has made a major contribution to LGBTQ representation in film, television, or the media arts. The 2015 Frameline Award will honor queer documentarian Jeffrey Schwarz for his wide-ranging contributions in documenting LGBTQ figures and queer history. Frameline will also present the Bay Area premiere of Schwarz’s latest film, TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL.

TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL / DIR Jeffrey Schwarz / USA

From the earliest years of Hollywood,we, as movie (and television) viewers have had the pleasure of seeing (and lusting after) some of the sexiest men who ever lived. But none was more sexier than Rock Hudson and Tab Hunter. Following the rapturously received I Am Divine (Frameline37) and Vito (classic documentaries, in and of themselves), director Jeffrey Schwarz vibrantly recalls the rollercoaster life and career of formerly closeted 1950s Hollywood heartthrob Tab Hunter in this lively and fascinating documentary. Furthermore, at 84 years old, he’s still sex on a stick. (see a review of the documentary from SXSW here.) It’s a must-see documentary of a less-liberal time in Hollywood and America; and a cautionary tale for today’s Hollywood stars.

ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS AT FRAMELINE39 The Festival, will also host the following highly anticipated screenings:

54: THE DIRECTOR’S CUT / DIR Mark Christopher / USA After nearly 17 years, director Mark Christopher has re-cut his disco-driven romantic drama 54 into the glitterier, grittier, and gayer version he originally intended. Ryan Philippe stars as an opportunistic busboy ensnared in a bisexual love triangle with the coat-check girl (Salma Hayek) and the bartender (Breckin Meyer), all set against the backdrop of New York’s Studio 54 disco nightclub overseen by Steve Rubell (Mike Myers).

DO I SOUND GAY? / DIR David Thorpe / USA

Is there such a thing as a “gay voice”? Why do some people “sound gay” but not others? Why are gay voices a mainstay of pop culture—but also a trigger for anti-gay harassment? This light-hearted yet thought-provoking quest to understand “gay voice” explores these questions and more in revealing interviews with Margaret Cho, Tim Gunn, Don Lemon, Dan Savage, David Sedaris, and George Takei.

LIZ IN SEPTEMBER / DIR Fina Torres / Venezuela A tight-knit group of lesbian friends are enjoying their annual vacation on a beautiful Caribbean beach when Eva, a straight stranger, crashes the party. On a dare, the group’s heartbreaker Liz launches a seduction, with results that surprise them both.

LARRY KRAMER IN LOVE AND ANGER / DIR Jean Carlomusto / USA A well-deserved tribute to one of the nation’s most important gay activists, this documentary is also a gripping account of the onset and terrible escalation of the AIDS crisis in the United States, an epidemic that came to define Kramer’s life and work.

NAZ & MAALIK / DIR Jay Dockendorf / USA Two closeted Muslim teens have their Friday afternoon ruined by FBI surveillance when their secretive behavior and small-time scheming start to “look” like violent radicalism.

SEED MONEY: THE CHUCK HOLMES STORY / DIR Michael Stabile / USA Porn and politics meet between the sheets and on the streets in this sexy, stirring account of infamous provocateur and heroic philanthropist Chuck Holmes, who parlayed his success as founder of pretty-boy empire Falcon Studios into life-saving LGBT activism.

STORIES OF OUR LIVES / DIR Jim Chuchu / Kenya From a ten-person artist collective comes an anthology of narrative short films based on true stories about queer life in Kenya. Homophobia is institutionalized in Kenya, heightening the stakes of this brave, beautiful vignette quintet. Via intimate depictions of identity under siege, drawn from real life experiences of LGBTQI people, this black-and-white anthology breaks the silence enforced by intolerance.

FRAMELINE COMPLETION FUND RECIPIENTS Since 1990, Frameline has awarded more than $400,000 in completion funding to 125 film projects by and about the LGBTQ community. Frameline39 presents seven films that were finished with assistance from the Completion Fund:

DEEP RUN / DIR Hillevi Loven / USA Young transman Cole and his girlfriend Ashley seek spiritual refuge in a welcoming church, a daunting challenge in rural North Carolina where conservative Christianity rules. What ultimately saves them is deep love for themselves, each other, and their God.

DYKE CENTRAL (Episodes 6-10) / DIR Florencia Manovil / USA This Oakland-based dramedy webseries centers on 30-something butch roommates Alex and Gin. Surrounded by a diverse group of friends who guide, challenge, and support them, Alex and Gin struggle to adapt to change and create balance in their lives without losing themselves.

FEELINGS ARE FACTS: THE LIFE OF YVONNE RAINER / DIR Jack Walsh / USA Endlessly searching San Francisco-born choreographer and filmmaker, intellect and feminist Yvonne Rainer is the subject of this fascinating reflection on the politics of identity as well as the always-related concerns of one of the preeminent artists of our time.

FROM THIS DAY FORWARD / DIR Sharon Shattuck / USA When filmmaker Sharon Shattuck’s artist dad came out as transgender and changed her name to Trisha, Sharon was in the awkward throes of middle school. The changes to Trisha’s appearance were difficult for her straight-identified physician wife to accept, but they stayed together and are now going on 33 years of marriage. As the Shattucks regroup in 2013 to plan Sharon’s wedding, the filmmaker asks her parents for advice, prompting a conversation about love in a very modern family.

HOW TO WIN AT CHECKERS (EVERY TIME) / DIR Josh Kim / Thailand, Indonesia, USA

HOW TO WIN AT CHECKERS (EVERY TIME) / DIR Josh Kim / Thailand, Indonesia, USA

Adapted from the U.S. bestselling book “Sightseeing” by Rattawut Lapcharoensap, Josh Kim’s feature film directorial debut tells the coming-of-age drama of two brothers struggling to survive and stay together. As eleven-year-old Oat tries to keep his beloved older brother Ek out of the military, he unwittingly sets in motion events that lay bare the limited options facing Bangkok’s working poor.

THE ROYAL ROAD / DIR Jenni Olson / USA A road movie like no other, Jenni Olson’s cinematic essay is part memoir, part history lesson, part travelogue—and entirely original. Confessional narration about butch identity and long-distance longing is layered over mesmerizing 16mm images of California landscapes in this engrossing meditation on memory and nostalgia.

VISIBLE SILENCE / DIR Ruth Gumnit / Thailand, USA A delicate but probing documentary look at “tom” and “dee,” lesbians in Thailand, as they confront expectations to conform to a rigidly gender-assigned society. Silent but visible within it, they speak to us from a rich variety of experience.

The Frameline Box Office, presented by Showtime, located inside The HRC Action Center and Store, (575 Castro Street between 18th and 19th Streets) opened Friday, May 22 for Frameline member ticket sales, and Friday, May 29 for the general public. Box Office hours are 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm daily. Tickets are also available 24 hours daily online (www.frameline.org/festival) and via fax (415-861-1404). Unless otherwise noted, tickets for matinee screenings, (Monday-Friday, 5:00 pm and earlier), are $10 for the general public and $8 for Frameline members, while evening and weekend shows are $12 for the general public and $10 for members. Castro Passes, good for admission to all screenings at the Castro Theatre, other than Opening Night and Closing Night, are available for $225. Weekday Matinee Passes, good for admission to all weekday matinee screenings starting at 5:00 pm or earlier at the Castro Theatre are available for $40 for the general public and $35 for members. For more information, visit www.frameline.org/festival.

THE YEAR’S BEST QUEER CINEMA AT FRAMELINE39: the San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival Frameline39: the San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival has announced several highlights for this year’s renowned showcase for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer cinema.