Rebel Girls: The ‘Rolling Warrior’ Who Demanded Equality for People With Disabilities

Judy Heumann never felt ashamed to use a wheelchair. Rather, what she felt most consistently throughout her life was fury at the many ways she was routinely excluded by a world that treated disabled people as second-class citizens.

In 1978, Napa's State Psychiatric Hospital Became a Punk Rock Venue for a Day

On a sunny June afternoon, The Cramps would play a free concert at Napa State Hospital, a psychiatric facility that had been around since 1875, and which provided mental health services to resident patients. San Francisco’s The Mutants — easily as anarchic as their New York City stagemates — had ag…

Andrea Bergen’s Art Hands the World Over to Its Scrappiest Scavengers

Women 'Make Their Mark' in BAMPFA Show

SFMOMA Goes All in For Sports with 'Get in the Game'

Get in the Game, SFMOMA’s largest-ever exhibition, contains over 200 artworks and design objects spread across the length of a football field. Paintings and photographs hang beside surfboards and tennis rackets. Notable sports moments loop jumbotron-style on overhead screens. Visitors can even play…

De Young Exhibit Captures the Beauty and Contradictions of Tamara de Lempicka

Despite the sleekness and sensuality of her strongest work, there’s no tidy way to tell Tamara de Lempicka’s story. The de Young does an excellent job of capturing the contradictions and mess, right alongside the utter beauty. This one is not to be missed. ‘Tamara de Lempicka’ is on view at the de …

Rebel Girls: The Transgender Topless Dancer Who Went to War with Prison Authorities

It never mattered who she was up against, Vicki “Starr” Fernandez was always ready to fight for equal treatment, no matter the venue.

Barry McGee Enters a New Era with SF "Old Mystified" Show

Barry McGee’s “Old Mystified” is on view through November 7 at Berggruen Gallery in San Francisco.

How is Armistead Maupin Connected to the Zodiac Killer Case?

In July 1978, nine years after the Zodiac Killer first struck, one of the most prominent homicide cops working the case was suddenly removed from his post. By that time, Inspector David R. Toschi — who had been on the case since day one — is said to have interviewed 5,000 people and examined more t…

Rebel Girls: The San Francisco Couple Whose Lifelong Love Changed America

It would be a gross understatement to say that Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon’s love, and their willingness to speak openly and often about it, impacted America’s view of same-sex unions. The couple spent their whole lives putting themselves in the spotlight — and sometimes grave danger — to raise awa…