Big Gay Frat House Blog

Update: MUMC agrees to fly transgender flag

A few days ago, I posted that the Merchants of Upper Market and Castro (MUMC) had refused a request to fly the trangender flag at half staff to commemorate the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20th.

MUMC wrote back to explain that for safety reasons, flags can no longer be flown at half-staff, and that the Board would be voting on whether to fly the transgender flag at full staff. Sister Roma has now posted that the Board just voted to fly the flag at full staff and will be issuing a press release shortly.

MUMC refuses to change flag for Transgender Day of Remembrance

The glorious rainbow flag at the corner of Market and Castro, just outside the MUNI station, is always flown at full staff to recognize the strength and pride of the LGBT community. It is never changed or lowered -- except when it is. It's been lowered only five times since the flagpole was first erected fifteen years ago. But it is routinely changed to the International Leather flag for a week in late September for the Folsom Street Fair, and to the Bear flag in February to celebrate the bear culture.

But recently the Merchants of Upper Market and Castro have rejected a petition to fly the transgender flag on November 20th, the Transgender Day of Remembrance that commemorates transgender people who have lost their lives to hate and violence.

The following is my open letter to MUMC:

 

Dear Merchants of Upper Market and Castro (MUMC):

I read with much dismay about the decision of MUMC to reject flying the transgender flag on November 20th, the Transgender Day of Remembrance:

http://www.back2stonewall.com/2012/10/sfs-castro-business-association-denies-request-fly-trans-flag-trans-day-remembrance-november-20th.html

I am frankly shocked and stunned by this decision. The transgender community is a significant part of our our community – they are the T in LGBT, after all. They are the most maligned and neglected members of our community, the most ostracized even by other members of the LGBT community. Flying the transgender flag on the Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day that commemorates transgender people whose lives were lost to hate and violence, would be a powerful gesture of inclusiveness for a marginalized group.

I recognize MUMC’s stated policy of flying the rainbow flag at full staff to symbolize the strength and pride of the community. But that stated policy belies MUMC’s own actions. The flag always flies at full staff – except when it doesn’t. The rainbow pride flag is always flown – except when it’s switched for the Leather or Bear flags. MUMC’s website says that the exception for the International Leather flag is due to longstanding tradition. The flagpole itself has only been there for 15 years, so I don’t know exactly how youwant to define “longstanding.” And I know the flying of the Bear flag is a very recent addition.

I enjoy seeing the Leather and Bear flags flown, but it is offensive to cater to chosen cultural communities while denying it for the core identity for some members of our community. Being gay or transgender are fundamental, core, immutable parts of one’s identity. Being into the Leather or Bear cultures is not. And it is offensive to deny it for one while allowing it for the others.

In the past, I have defended MUMC’s decisions to people like Michael Petrelis. I understand and accept the reluctance to yield to every request. The flag should, in general, not be constantly changed or lowered for every whim. And MUMC, which pays for the flag’s insurance and maintenance, needs to maintain some measure of regularly adhered standards. But when the board chooses to deny a single day for a core part of our community while allowing entire weeks for lifestyle choices, I’m beginning to rethink my position.

I hope you will reconsider and fly the transgender flag on November 20th.

Regards,

Kevin Goebel, homeowner

[address redacted]

San Francisco, California 94114

 

Although the Leather Flag has been raised for many years, the inclusion of the Bear flag in February only began in 2011.

Oct 15 Update: Sister Roma has just posted that MUMC has voted to fly the transgender flag on November 20th.

New event: Sticky Wednesdays @ The Cafe

My friends Paul and Alex are launching a new Wednesday evening party at The Cafe in San Francisco's Castro District called Sticky.

Where: The Cafe, 2369 Market Street, San Francisco

Date: Every Wednesday starting October 10, 2012

Time: 8:00 p.m. until closing

The event features 2-for-1 mixed drinks, $3 shots, $3 domestic beer, $1 ice cream, free photo shoot by photographer Daniel Carrasco, hot dance music by DJ Mark Andrus, and of course hot Go-Go bois all hosted by your very own Paul Knieser and Alex Wentworth!

Aside from featuring go-go boys (which is what brought me back to The Cafe several years ago) and being hosted by two friends of mine, I love that (a) the event starts early compared to other weekday venues, (b) it's being thrown by two Cafe staff members who love their bar and want it to succeed, and (c) the guys in the posters are real dancers at the event. So I'm rooting for them and will do my part to help make it a success.

Hope to see you there!

          

Men's Dodgeball ... shirtless?

Last week, we alerted you to a new Men's Dodgeball league starting up at the Eureka Valley Rec Center in San Francisco. We went to check out a preview last week and it was a lot of fun.

Now there's a new potential twist: Shirtless Dodgeball.

The SF Rec & Park Department told our friend DJ Go, who is coordinating the event, that it would be okay if some of the guys wanted to play shirtless. So I came up with a twist on the rules to encourage guys to do it while still allowing guys to keep their shirts on if they wanted. A semi-strip dodgeball.

The rules are the same as usual: if you hit an opponent, they're out, but if they catch the ball, you're out and one of their players gets to come back in. But here's the twist: if you get hit, you have the option of taking your shirt off instead of going out. But if you get hit again once shirtless, then you're really out just like the normal rules.

The games are every Saturday until December from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm at the Eureka Valley Rec Center, 100 Collingwood Street in San Francisco.

Though I won't be playing shirtless, I'll definitely check it out unless family obligations take me out of town. Here are some of the fun pictures from last week's warm-up. There are more on Flickr, too.

 

Future Chefs

In addition to the Men's Dodgeball that our friend DJ Go is promoting through the SF Rec & Parks Department, we have another friend conducting an event sponsored by Rec & Park:

Future Chefs

Our friend Matt, soon to graduate from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Academy, will be conducting a class teaching cooking basics for youth and adults alike who really know very little about cooking but would like to learn more.

A free demo will be held on September 2, 2011 (today!), and then the classes will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. every Friday at the Eureka Valley Rec Center, 100 Collingwood Street (at 18th), San Francisco.

The fee for the entire series is $48, but scholarships are also available. Call 415/831-6810 for more information.

Men's dodgeball comes to the Castro

Well, this is a bit different. Men's dodgeball?

My friend, DJ Go, has been deejaying for the San Francisco Rec & Park's Women's Dodgeball for some time now. And now they're about to launch a new all-male event in the Castro at the Eureka Valley Rec Center. 

Men's Dodgeball will be held every Saturday from 1:00pm until 3:00pm starting September 10th and continuing through December 10th. Players can pay $33 for the entire season or just drop in for a game for only $5. Check out their Facebook page to stay up to date.

I'm not coordinated enough to play, but I might become a cheerleader if DJ Go manages to get some of our friends to compete. And you can bet that if they ever get a game going of strip dodgeball (semi-NSFW), I'll be there with camera in tow!

(P.S. I may be mistaken, but this might well be the first BGFH blog post tagged with "Sports.")

 

 

Youth events for Pride!

Many of our parties and events have a rather adult flair, but there are a lot of younger LGBT folks in the community who are too young to go to bars or parties with alcohol. Our friend Hugo, a.k.a. DJ GO, is working with the San Francisco Rec & Parks Department on a variety of activities geared towards LGBT youth.

Check 'em out and please spread the word to anyone you know who's under 24. (Click on the images to embiggen them.)

 

Thirty years

June 5 will mark the 30th anniversary of the first published reports of a new disease then identified as striking gay men, a disease that would later be known as AIDS.

In the mid-1980s, San Francisco was spending more on AIDS-related programs than every other city and the federal government combined. Here's a moving ad from the San Francisco AIDS Foundation about San Francisco's response to the epidemic.

From Joe My God via David Mixner.

Odds and Ends from the BGFH

I just wanted to send a few quick updates about a few things to our members, from comic books to movies, margaritas, and more!

 

Junkyard Angels

Those of you who've come to events at the BGFH may remember my friend, Zach Enea. He made the yummy chicken enchilada dip for some of our Girl Drink Drunk fundraisers and once served as a back-up dancer for Ethel Merman. He's also an accomplished illustrator. Just ask BeBe Sweetbriar, who uses one of his illustrations of her to promote many of her events. Anyway, Zach is also the illustrator for a web comic called "Junkyard Angels," which is published on DoorQ. The first volume of "Junkyard Angels" is now being published in print for the very first time, and fans are encouraged to check it out and buy through IndyPlanet. You can also friend request their page on Facebook to be alerted of ways to buy discounted copies

Robots, zombies, and a broken heart. Everything a growing boy needs.

For more information about "Junkyard Angels" or to check out some of Zach's other work, you can visit these sites:

• Junkyard Angels on DoorQ
• Buy Junkyard Angels on IndiePlanet
• Become a friend of Junkyard Angels on Facebook
• Check out Zach's personal site, ZacharyEnea.com
• Check out Zach's portfolio on Flickr

 

Cosmique Movie Awards

We're down to the home stretch for the 8th Cosmique Movie Awards, in which we celebrate the best (and worst) of movies from the previous year. The awards blend the gravitas of the Oscars with the irreverance of the MTV Movie Awards. The nominations are in, and BGFH members are invited to vote in the final round to determine the winners. If you skipped the nomination round because it seemed too intimidating, don't worry: you can still vote for the winners, and this time it's all multiple choice!

The deadline to vote is midnight PDT on Friday, May 6, 2011. You can cast your ballot online.

 

Cinco de Mayo

Lots of folks consider Cinco de Mayo, like St. Patrick's Day and New Year's Eve, to be "amateur's hour" when it comes to drinking. Like St. Patrick's Day, Columbus Day, and Gay Pride, the holiday began as a way for a disenfranchzed segment of Americans to assert their pride, solidarity, and political power -- but today is often more about celebrating and having fun. For more on that, check out my article on the BGFH blog called Why Pride?

This year, I will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo happy hour at The Cafe (2369 Market Street, SF) where my friend DJ Go will be spinning and Brandon will be pouring strong 2-for-1 drinks. In the spirit of BGFH events, on St. Patrick's Day we over-tipped Brandon enough to get him to work shirtless. (Hmmm. On Easter, several staff members worked wearing just bunny ears and underpants, but I can't promise we could tip Brandon enough to agree to shed his jeans.) So if you're looking for a place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, check out The Cafe -- and if you're a real die-hard, stay for Pan Dulce, The Cafe's weekly Latin night.

 

AIDS LifeCycle

Back to fundraising! Just wanted to put out another plug for our friends doing the annual AIDS LifeCycle ride. If you're planning a fundraiser to help you raise your pledged amount for the ride (or if you know someone who is), especially something in the risque spirit of BGFH events, let me know and we may be able to help.

New champion for San Francisco's gay nightlife?

The Big Gay Frat House has always been a strong champion for revitalizing San Francisco's gay nightlife and using the economic boon for philanthropic support. In recent years, nightlife in the Castro and elsewhere in the City has been in decline, beset by new neighbors and complicated, often contradictory regulations.

Now there's a new supervisor in City Hall representing the Castro, Scott Wiener, who has pledged to be a champion for nightlife.

We should note from the outset that the BGFH does not make endorsements for partisan political races ever, and this article should not be construed as a previous or future endorsement of anyone. We recognize that all voters, ourselves included, balance a great many issues when decided for whom to vote. But we wanted to highlight a recent article in the Bay Area Reporter that addresses many of the issues that Supervisor Wiener intends to tackle, including being a self-professed champion for the district's nightlife businesses. 

The Bay Area Reporter article reports that Wiener:

• Pledged to neighborhood nightlife businesses during his election campaign that he would be a champion for their issues;
• Directed the City to examine the economic issues of nightlife and entertainment, a factor that should be included when considering City policies; and
• Met with then-Police Chief George Gascón (now SF's District Attorney) to express his opposition to a proposal to require bars and clubs with a capacity of over 100 to install metal detectors and keep a list of patrons, arguing that the policy should apply to bars with a history of problems, not peaceful ones that happen to be large.

Wiener argues that in addition to being a huge part of San Francisco's economic base in a city facing a $400 million deficit and attracting tourists from all over the world, the nightlife scene is also of significant importance to the young LGBT youth flocking to the City looking for kindred spirits:

"It is so much a part of our cultural reputation as a city and the LGBT community," he said. "It is important for me to know it is there for people who need it and want it. We need to make sure that nightlife remains strong and available."

You can read the full article on the BAR's website: "Wiener tackles intractable problems," Matthew S. Bajko, Bay Area Reporter.