You only have a few weeks to register to vote. Please register today and get all your family and friends registered.

I’ve always said that the pink ribbon should be just as important to our community as the red one is. October is breast cancer awareness month and statistics show that breast cancer is more prevalent among lesbians than among straight women. Many of our lesbian sisters do not get checked for breast cancer and cannot afford it. That’s why five years ago the Imperial Court and The Center established the Toni Atkins Lesbian Health Fund (I am proud to be the founder), which The Center administrates and which provides financial help so that our lesbian sisters in need can get tested for breast cancer, among other things.

Sometime this month I urge you to stop by The Center and make a financial contribution to the Toni Atkins Lesbian Health Fund. Thank you.

While my less than 24-hour stay in the “city by the bay” seemed like a whirlwind visit, it was very productive. I highly recommend the Hyatt Regency in Union Square (thank you, Rick Ford). Mayor Gavin Newsom’s approval ratings are now at more than 80 percent. My good friend, Supervisor Bevan Dufty, took me to his re-election campaign headquarters in the Castro and we also had breakfast to discuss his race, which he is expected to win easily. It was nice talking to Assemblymember Mark Leno, City Treasurer Jose Cisneros and Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin. I had many meetings and it was great discussing journalism with Ralph Hyman, co-founder and vice president of the mainstream, slick society magazine Benefit and Bay Area Reporter columnist Donna Sachet.

I was in San Francisco as honorary host of the GLBT Historical Society’s annual gala. San Diegans Frank Nobiletti (San Diego Historical Society) and philanthropist Rick Ford also were in attendance.

Who truly becomes a legend? The “first lady of tennis,” that’s who – Billie Jean King. I had the pleasure of meeting her and having a great conversation with the first woman Sports Illustrated named “Sportsperson of the Year.” I have been so blessed and honored to have met her.

I’ve dined with presidents and governors and met the late Cesar Chavez and Coretta Scott King, but let me say that Billie Jean King is so genuine, down to earth, generous, articulate and beautiful. I fell in love immediately.

The U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) recently renamed the USTA National Tennis Center (the world’s largest public tennis facility and home of the U.S. Open) after King. It is most certainly a well-deserved honor. I urge you to catch the Billie Jean King story on HBO. King was honored by the San Francisco GLBT Historical Society and we hope to honor her here in San Diego next year.

The community is cordially invited to the Stepping Stone residential treatment facility, located at 3767 Central Ave., Saturday, Oct. 7, for an unveiling ceremony for the new 2006 additions to their beautiful “Tile Wall.” The special event will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and many people will be in attendance.

The “Tile Wall” is a place where people and organizations are recognized and remembered, some whose lives have been touched by the ongoing ravages of addiction and the challenges of recovery.

I had the honor to be among those asked to cut the ribbon at the dedication of the Stepping Stone residential facility some years ago.

Stepping Stone continues to change lives every day of the year. For more information, call (619) 278-0777 ext. 103.

On Jan. 8, just a few hours after Deputy District Attorney David Rubin is sworn in as San Diego’s newly-elected Superior Court judge, he has been honored to have been asked to swear in our county’s recently re-elected Sheriff Bill Kolender.

This is indeed a true honor, especially for such a new judge, and David has been touched and humbled by this request from his friend Bill Kolender.

David Rubin will make history as San Diego’s first elected Superior Court judge who happens to be a gay man. Judge Ted Weathers made history a few years ago by being the first openly gay man to be appointed (and re-elected) a judge by the governor of the state of California, then Gray Davis.

The growing shooting incidents at schools in this country usually have one thing in common: The young shooter says he was bullied, picked on, teased, etc. Such behavior is most certainly not an excuse to shoot anyone, but this continues to give good reason to protect children and students in school from being bullied. Usually these shooters state they were called “faggots and queers,” and usually they were not gay. That’s why we need more laws and protections for students who are or perceived as being GLBT in our schools, period.

For the seventh year, there will be a rally in Balboa Park protesting that the Boy Scouts of America continue to be a very discriminatory organization denying membership to GLBT and atheist scouts (both youth and leaders), as well as GLBT and atheist parents of scouts.

I’ve attended most of these peaceful rallies, and they are always full of outstanding speakers and draw a GLBT and straight crowd of all ages and backgrounds. The rally will take place this Sunday, Oct. 8, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 1207 Upas St.

Among the fiery speakers will be well-known community activists Matt Stephens and Pat Washington. Brenda Watson will be turning in her Eagle Scout badge (the Scouts’ highest honor) in protest of this organization’s discrimination. I hope to see you all there.

For more information, visit www.sdscoutingforall.org.

The San Diego Democratic Club’s annual Freedom Banquet was one of its most financially successful and actually ended within two hours. The commentary by Mel Merrill was once again a highlight for all of us, and he should go on the road. Councilmember Toni Atkins, the special guest emcee, received a prolonged standing ovation that almost tore the roof off and SDDC president Stephen Whitburn gave a fiery speech.

Congratulations to all the honorees, which included labor leader Jerry Butkiewicz, who brought his entire family. Other honorees included the ever-popular and hard-working Robert Gleason, the young (and future congress member) Jonathan Goetz, the always smiling volunteer Mike Kirkeby, role models and 50-year couple Chuck Cotton and Henry “Bud” Metzger and the tireless Michelle Krug. The co-chairs, City Commissioner Bruce Abrams, the beautiful Jennifer LeSar and, of course, Larry Baza, did a great job.

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force executive director Matt Foreman was outstanding as the keynote speaker.

The guests at my table included City Attorney Mike Aguirre, Ben F. Dillingham, Sherman Mendoza of The Caliph, Tryce Czyzynska of Radio 1360 AM, Jim Ginelli of Stepping Stone, Big Mike Phillips of Ordinary Miracles and Ray Portillos of GLBT Vote 2006.

As for the controversy regarding the Gay & Lesbian Times center-spread advertisement – well, first of all, if I was the publisher I would not have sent in the original ad. But as for the SDDC refusing to run it, I believe it was censorship. The editorials had already been seen by everyone, and when asked I told the club I thought they should run the ad. I still feel it was a mistake not to run it. The recent Wall Street Journal and San Diego Union-Tribune editorials against Councilmembers Scott Peters, Jim Madaffer, Atkins, Brian Maienschein and Donna Frye are very disturbing, but I will continue to support this council and its members, especially Mayor Jerry Sanders.

How good are the Saturday and Sunday brunches at Baja Betty’s? Well, I’ve eaten there two weeks in a row! There are more than 23 items to choose from, including salads, a salsa station and dessert. I love their chorizo, machacha, tamales, fresh tacos and scrambled eggs made your own way. This brunch is huge, and it’s all you can eat or drink every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Your host is the very handsome Nicky Award winner Saul Mendoza, whose smile can light up a room. What do I give Baja Betty’s weekend brunches? I give them five olés!

The wonderful Bonnie Zimmerman will be hosting a benefit for a “show and tell” of the Lambda Archives of San Diego next Friday, Oct. 13, at The Center at 7:00 p.m. The event is titled “Amazons and Women-Loving Women: Pathways to the Modern Lesbians,” and will be about the history of lesbians. There will be a ’70s name-that-tune contest. Admission is only $5 at the door. Men are welcome too. For more information, e-mail e3myers@sbcglobal.com.