The San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration, usually known as San Francisco Pride, is a parade and festival held at the end of June each year in San Francisco to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies. The 40th anniversary parade included over 200 parade contingents, and is described on the official website as "the largest gathering of LGBT people and allies in the nation."[1]
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Parade
The San Francisco Pride parade is a world-renowned LGBT pride parade. It is held on Sunday morning of the Festival. The route is usually along San Francisco's Market Street, from Beale Street to 8th Street.[2] The parade starts at 10:30 am, although contigents begin to line up a couple of hours before all they get onto the parade route, and the last contingent doesn't turn off the parade route until almost 2:00 pm.
Contingents
The parade consists of hundreds of contingents from various groups and organizations. Some of the more well-known contingents are:
- Dykes on Bikes formerly known as Women's Motorcycle Contingent (WMC) for legal purposes has several hundred motorcycle riders, almost all women-identified although they welcome all gender-variant people.[3] Some of the women are topless, some wear leather or fanciful costumes. The sound of hundreds of motorcycle engines gives this contingent a big impact. They are traditionally the first contingent in the parade; one reason for this is that it's difficult for motorcycles to run reliably at the walking pace of the rest of the parade, so as the first contingent they can move at an easier pace. On November 13, 2006, they won a battle to trademark the name "Dykes on Bikes", having struggled since 2003 to persuade the United States Patent and Trademark Office that "dyke" was not an offensive word.[4][5]
- PFLAG, or Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Usually one of the largest contingents, featuring several hundred people. These are typically the (straight) parents or family members of LGBT people, sometimes marching together with their LGBT relatives. Many carry signs indicating where their PFLAG chapter comes from. It's common to see signs from all over Northern California. This contingent is notable for the swell in cheers (and some tears) that follow it along the route.
- Politicians frequently participate in the parade, as a way of making themselves visible to LGBT prospective voters.
- Churches of many denominations, or religious-oriented LGBT groups, contribute several dozen contingents.
- Nonprofit community groups and LGBT-oriented local businesses contribute more than half of the contingents. It's common for them to decorate a flatbed truck or float, along with loud dance music, or create a colorful contingent that carries a visual message out to the bystanders.
Groups which are anti-gay typically do not have contingents. During the 1990s it was common to see anti-gay protestors in the spectator area along the parade route, holding large signs condemning homosexuality, often with biblical passages. In the 2000s such protestors have become less common.
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20120403205348im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/10/SF_Pride_Drag_Queens.jpg/220px-SF_Pride_Drag_Queens.jpg)
Hundreds of thousands of spectators, if not over a million, line the parade route along Market Street. Some arrive hours in advance to claim a prime spot on the curb with a clear view of the street. Others climb onto bus shelters, the walls of subway station stairs, or scaffolding on buildings to get a clear view. As the parade ends, the spectators are able to pass through the barriers and march down Market street behind the parade. The end of the parade route is near the Festival location at the Civic Center.
Festival
A two-day (Saturday and Sunday) festival has grown up around the Sunday morning parade. It is a collection of booths, dance stages, and vendors around the Civic Center area near San Francisco City Hall. On the Sunday of the parade, an area of the festival called Leather Alley features fetish and BDSM oriented booths and demonstrations.
The festival is traditionally held in the last full weekend in June. This commemorates the Stonewall riots. There have been proposals to move it to different dates, for instance to July 4 in 2004.
The independently organized Trans March is held on the Friday before the parade while the Dyke March and Pink Saturday events are held the Saturday night of the festival in The Castro.
Administration
The festival is run by a non-profit organization, the San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration Committee. According to their web site, their mission is "to educate the World, commemorate our heritage, celebrate our culture, and liberate our people."[6]
The event is funded by a combination of community fundraising, corporate sponsorships, San Francisco city grants, and donations collected from the participants at the festival.
Current staff is: Brendan Behan - Interim Executive Director, Imani Brown - Community Relations Manager, Lucky Gutierrez - Office/IT Manager, and Jeremy Koo - Clerical Assistant.
Several veteran contractors are employed to take on specific roles for the event.
Also involved in the running of the festival and parade are hundreds of volunteers. Of particular note are:
- Safety monitors, crews of volunteers who help maintain order on the parade route and in the festival, particularly with respect to crowd control, and participant actions that might be harmful to themselves or others. Created in 1982, the Safety Committee philosophy and training has served as the model for many other LGBT events both local and international, and possibly the Black Rock Rangers of Burning Man.
- Hospitality, a team of volunteers led annually by Davace Chin and Michael Fullam and charged with feeding the other volunteers, keeps hundreds coming back year after year.
- Medical volunteers, who provide first aid and medical assistance to participants. These volunteers are typically doctors, nurses, or other trained emergency response staff.
- Contingent monitors, members of the various contingents who maintain cohesion and safety in a their contingent. They are recruited and trained by the Safety Committee.
History
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20120403205348im_/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7a/Gay_Freedom_Day_1976_by_Harvey_Milk.jpg/220px-Gay_Freedom_Day_1976_by_Harvey_Milk.jpg)
The first event resembling the modern San Francisco Pride celebration was held in 1970--a small "gay-in" in Golden Gate Park. Since 1972, the event has been held each year. The name of the festival has changed over the years. The event organizers each year select a theme for the event, which is reflected in the logo and the event’s publicity.
The Rainbow Flag identified with the Gay community was originally created by Gilbert Baker for the 1978 San Francisco Pride Parade. It originally had eight stripes, but was later simplified to the current six stripes. A six-stripe Rainbow Flag flies over Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro, arguably the best known gay village in the world.
Year | Dates | Festival name | Theme | Estimated attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|
1970 | June 28 | Christopher Street Liberation Day Gay-in at Speedway Meadows Golden Gate Park | Freedom Day Revolution | 30 hair fairies (what transsexuals were then called) marched down Polk Street, then San Francisco's primary gay neighborhood, in the morning; afterward, several hundred people attended the "Gay-in", which began at 1PM. |
1971 | No Pride festival[7] | |||
1972 | June 25 | Christopher Street West [8] | 54,000 | |
1973 | June 24 | Gay Freedom Day [9] | A Celebration of the Gay Experience | 42,000 |
1974 | June 30 | Gay Freedom Day[10] | Gay Freedom by ’76 | 60,000 |
1975 | June 29 | Gay Freedom Day[11] | Join Us, The More Visible We Are, The Stronger We Become | 82,000 |
1976 | June 27 | Gay Freedom Day [12] | United for Freedom, Diversity is our Strength | 120,000 |
1977 | June 26 | Gay Freedom Day[13] | Gay Frontiers: Past Present, Future | 250,000 |
1978 | June 25 | Gay Freedom Day | Come Out with Joy, Speak out for Justice | 240,000 |
1979 | June 24 | Gay Freedom Day | Our Time has Come | 200,000 |
1980 | June 29 | Gay Freedom Day | Liberty and Justice for All | 250,000 |
1981 | June 28 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | Front Line of Freedom | 250,000 |
1982 | June 27 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | Out of Many...One | 200,000 |
1983 | June 26 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | Strengthen the Ties, Break the Chains | 200,000 |
1984 | June 24 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | Unity & More in ’84 | 300,000[14] |
1985 | June 15 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | Honor our Past, Secure our Future | 350,000 |
1986 | June 29 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | Forward Together, No Turning Back | 100,000 |
1987 | June 28 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | Proud, Strong, United | 275,000 |
1988 | June 26 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | Rightfully Proud | |
1989 | June 25 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | Stonewall 20: A Generation of Pride | |
1990 | June 24 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | The Future Is Ours | |
1991 | June 30 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | Hand In Hand Together | |
1992 | June 28 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | A Simple Matter of Justice | |
1993 | June 27 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | Year of the Queer | 400,000 - 500,000 |
1994 | June 19 | International Lesbian & Gay Freedom Day Parade | San Francisco to Stonewall: Pride & Protest | |
1995 | June 18 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | A World Without Borders | |
1996 | June 29-30 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | Equality & Justice For All | |
1997 | June 28-29 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | One Community Many Faces | |
1998 | June 27-28 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | Shakin’ It Up | |
1999 | June 26-27 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | Proud Heritage, Powerful Future | 700,000 |
2000 | June 24-25 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | It’s About Freedom | 750,000 |
2001 | June 23-24 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | Queerific | 1,000,000 |
2002 | June 29-30 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | Be Yourself, Change the World | |
2003 | June 28-29 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | You’ve Gotta Give Them Hope | |
2004 | June 26-27 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | Out 4 Justice | |
2005 | June 25-26 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | Stand Up, Stand Out, Stand Proud | |
2006 | June 24-25 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | Commemorate, Educate, Liberate — Celebrate! | "hundreds of thousands"[15] |
2007 | June 23-24 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | Pride Not Prejudice[16] | |
2008 | June 28-29 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | United by Pride, Bound for Equality[17] | 1.2 million[17] |
2009 | June 27-28 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | In Order to Form a More Perfect Union...[18] | 1.2 million[18] |
2010 | June 26-27 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | Forty and Fabulous[19] | 1.2 million[19] |
2011 | June 25-26 | San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration | In Pride We Trust[20] |
Note: Several facts in this section are taken from KQED’s LGBT timeline.[21] Logos of the various festivals may be seen at SF Pride’s website.[22]
Notable Performers
- The B-52s
- Backstreet Boys
- Joan Baez
- Sandra Bernhard
- Big Freedia
- BoA
- Margaret Cho
- The Cliks
- Inaya Day
- Deep Dark Robot
- En Vogue
- Kat DeLuna
- Erasure
- Exposé
- Jennifer Holliday
- Erika Jayne
- Grace Jones
- Kat Graham
- Kerli
- Chaka Khan
- Solange Knowles
- Lady Gaga
- Lady Miss Kier
- Lime
- Lisa Lisa
- Luciana
- The Motels
- Myra
- Me'shell Ndegeocello
- CeCe Peniston
- The Pointer Sisters
- Rose Royce
- Sylvester
- Third Eye Blind
- Gloria Trevi
- Ultra Naté
- Crystal Waters
- The Weather Girls
See also
- Dyke March
- Pink Saturday, a separate celebration held in the Castro on Saturday night of SF Pride.
References
- ^ sfpride.org/aboutus
- ^ "2005 parade route map". SF Pride Committee website. http://www.sfpride.org/. Retrieved 2006-01-13.
- ^ "Dykes on Bikes". SF Women's Motorcycle Contingent website. http://www.sfwmc.org/. Retrieved 2006-01-13.
- ^ Raab, Barbara (2006-04-20). "Dyke Drama: A not-so-excellent adventure through U.S. trademark law". American Sexuality magazine (National Sexuality Resource Center). http://nsrc.sfsu.edu/MagArticle.cfm?Article=601&PageID=0. Retrieved 2007-03-17.
- ^ National Center for Lesbian Rights (2006). "What's in a Name?". NCLR Newsletter 2006 (Winter): 1. "'On November 13th, the Women's Motorcycle Contingent formally won the legal right to trademark "DYKES ON BIKES.""
- ^ "About Us: Mission Statement". SFPride.org website. http://www.sfpride.org/. Retrieved 2006-01-13.
- ^ Although there was no gay parade per se in 1971, there was a one time event called the Age of Aquarius Parade on a Sunday in August 1971 that marched down Folsom Street from the Embarcadero to 11th St. that functioned very much like a gay parade and was attended by many gay people and had some gay floats. There were mostly floats from spiritual groups and yoga groups. The parade had several thousand attendees.
- ^ The 1972 gay parade started from Montgomery and Pine down Montgomery to Post, then up Post to Polk Street. There was a celebration afterward at the Civic Center.
- ^ The 1973 gay parade started from Montgomery and Post, down Post to Larkin, up Larkin to Sacramento, and west on Sacramento to Lafayette Park, then a major cruising area, where Mr. Marcus, the first gay emperor of the Imperial Court, presided over a preliminary celebration prior to the main celebration afterward at Marx Meadow in Golden Gate Park.
- ^ The 1974 gay parade started from Grant and Bush, down Grant to O'Farrell, then down O'Farrell to Polk Street. There was a celebration afterward at the Civic Center.
- ^ The 1975 gay parade started at Pine and Montgomery, went down Montgomery to Post, then down Post to Polk Street. There was a celebration afterward at the Civic Center.
- ^ The 1976 gay parade started at Pine and Montgomery, down Montgomery to Market, then down Market to Noe, then up Noe to Duboce Park. There was a celebration afterward at Marx Meadows in Golden Gate Park--since the temperature was 94 F. that day, there was a lot of nudity at this celebration, which was filmed by agents of Anita Bryant to use in her anti-gay campaign.
- ^ In 1977 the gay parade for the first time adopted its present route from Spear Street near the Ferry Building down Market Street to City Hall, with a celebration afterward at the Civic Center.
- ^ "Gay Parade draws 300,000:1984" Johnny Miller, 21 June 2009, Sunday Datebook (San Francisco Chronicle).
- ^ Sebastian, Simone; Demian Bulwa (2006-06-26). "Huge Celebration of Pride: Hundreds of thousands fill Market Street with 'incredible' color". San Francisco Chronicle: p. A–1. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/26/MNGAVJKD7D1.DTL. Retrieved 2006-06-26.
- ^ San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration Committee (2007). "SF Pride 2007". SF Pride Committee website. http://www.sfpride.org/heritage/past/2007.html. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ a b San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration Committee (2008). "SF Pride 2008". SF Pride Committee website. http://www.sfpride.org/heritage/past/2008.html. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ a b San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration Committee (2009). "SF Pride 2009". SF Pride Committee website. http://www.sfpride.org/heritage/past/2009.html. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ a b San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration Committee (2010). "SF Pride 2010". SF Pride Committee website. http://www.sfpride.org/. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
- ^ San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration Committee (2011). "SF Pride 2011". SF Pride Committee website. http://www.sfpride.org/. Retrieved 2011-06-17.
- ^ "LGBT Pride: SF Historical Timeline". KQED.org website. http://www.kqed.org/topics/history/heritage/lgbt/timeline.jsp. Retrieved 2006-01-13.
- ^ "Our heritage". SF Pride Committee website. http://www.sfpride.org/heritage/index.html. Retrieved 2006-01-13.
External links
- San Francisco GLBT Neighborhood Guide, Gay & Lesbian News, MyCastro.com
- sfpride.org, website of the San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration Committee
- kqed.org's LGBT timeline, list of events in the LGBT history of San Francisco, as assembled by KQED-FM public radio and KQED public TV.
- 2011 S.F. Pride photo gallery
- 2010 S.F. Pride photo gallery
- 2010 S.F. Pride music video (Champagne Mouth)
- 2008 S.F. Pride photo gallery
- 2007 S.F. Pride photo gallery
- 2008 Pride parade photo gallery
- 2007 parade photo gallery
- 2006 parade photo gallery
- 2005 parade photo gallery
- 2004 parade photo gallery
- 2003 parade photo gallery
- Shooter.net -- Photos of 2007 San Francisco Parade
- Shooter.net -- Photos of 2005 San Francisco Parade
- 2005 Pride parade photo gallery
- 2004 Pride parade photo gallery
- 2003 Pride parade photo gallery
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