The Castro By Drone

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STUDY: Gays Are Leaving Gayborhoods

Newly published research confirms what most casual observers have known for years - fewer gay people are choosing to live in traditional urban gayborhoods.

Fewer same-sex couples reside in historically gay neighbourhoods compared to 10 years ago, according to one of the largest studies of sexuality in the U.S. Led by University of British Columbia sociologist Amin Ghaziani, the study found the number of gay men who live in gay enclaves has declined eight per cent while the number of lesbians has dropped 13 per cent. Ghaziani’s research, which is collected in his new book There Goes the Gayborhood, suggests that San Francisco’s Castro district, New York’s Chelsea, Chicago’s Boystown and other “gayborhoods” are changing as growing numbers of heterosexual households join or replace gays and lesbians. He offers several reasons for the shift, including gentrification, changing attitudes among gays and lesbians, and growing acceptance of same-sex couples. The study also identifies new demographic trends, including unexpected clusters of same-sex parents around desirable schools in traditionally straight neighbourhoods and the emergence of districts for LGBT people of colour. The findings also show that same-sex households exist in a record-high 93 per cent of U.S. counties.

Here's the trailer for Ghaziani's book.

Warning: Bear Crossing

Seen by JMG reader Sean Chapin.

Male Strip Club Slated For Castro

According to a press release issued by investors, a combination restaurant and male strip club will open in the iconic Castro and Market building that most recently hosted a Diesel outlet. Via SFist:

“Our aim is to bring an upscale dining and entertainment experience to the Castro and the gay community at large,” said RR-SF spokesman Adam Alberti. “RR-SF seeks to fill a void, offering high caliber burlesque style entertainment in a clean, safe, and high-end environment that will give back to the very community where it is located,” he said.

During the day and evening, the restaurant will offer locally sourced and sustainable dining options with designer cocktails and premium wine and liquor. Inspired by the Crazy Horse in Paris, RR-SF will offer tasteful burlesque style entertainment for gay gentlemen, a service currently not offered in the City.

RR-SF is embracing a new cashless model that will raise the integrity of the institution, promoting team work rather than competition among employees. A percentage of money patrons spend will be donated to a community organization of their choice, selected upon entering the club. The philanthropic aspect of RR-SF creates a respectful and socially conscious mindset that will benefit the establishment, clientele and the local community.

A philanthropic strip club? Only in San Francisco. And so much for the rumor that an Apple store was moving in. SFist notes that the business must still past muster with the city planning department. (Via NewNowNext)

Another Violent Mugging In The Castro

The Castro continues to be plagued by a string of violent muggings, many of which involve the theft of personal electronics. Castro Biscuit reports on the latest:

Around 9PM, Dalton Huckaby, popular personal trainer and 2013 Bare Chest Calendar participant, was on his way home from work walking down 17th Street near Noe St speaking to a friend on his iPhone 5 when it was cruelly torn from his hand by a thief who ran off with the phone at a break neck pace. [snip] Before he’d taken a few steps however he found himself attacked by a second, unseen assailant from behind, who blindsided and knocked him forcefully to the ground . Mr Huckaby slammed the pavement hard suffering bad scrapes and bruises to his face and hand.

Castro Biscuit notes that the city has responded to the latest crime wave with public meetings, town hall forums, and by posting notices that warn against displaying electronic devices while walking alone. Last week The Bay Area Reporter observed that the SFPD has posted "LGBT Safe Zone" notices at their stations to assure residents that their reports will be taken seriously in the event that muggings involve "hook-ups."

The police chief’s LGBT community advisory forum has spearheaded the campaign, which was touted at the panel’s meeting Monday, March 4. Law enforcement officials have acknowledged people may be reluctant to report incidents, especially those involving hook-up crimes. Those cases often involve someone being drugged, robbed, or attacked during a sexual encounter with a person they met in a bar or online. Police have said they want people to report incidents because it helps them spot patterns, distribute resources, and prevent future crimes.

When I was in San Francisco in October, I met with a JMG reader who volunteers with the Castro Patrol, a gay citizens group that walks the neighborhood in orange vests to hand out whistles and help police identify possible problems.  Locals should consider helping them out; I still have their whistle on my keychain. 

Court Upholds SF Nudity Ban

Yesterday a federal court dismissed an attempt to block San Francisco's recently-approved ban on public nudity.  The ban will go into effect as scheduled on Friday. Matthew Bajko has more at Bay Area Reporter:

In his ruling Chen wrote that "the court concludes that the ordinance does not conflict with state law, that plaintiffs' facial challenge to the ordinance based on the First Amendment lacks merit because nudity is not inherently expressive and because the ordinance is not substantially overbroad, and that plaintiffs' equal protection claim as pled fails to state a 14th Amendment claim under the rational basis test." The ruling had been expected, as Chen indicated during a January 17 hearing on the nudists' lawsuit that he saw no reason to block the public nudity ban from being implemented. "The plaintiffs took an unlikely position in their case that if they couldn't be naked everywhere, no one could be naked anywhere. We believed their legal challenge to be baseless, and we're grateful that the court agreed," stated City Attorney Dennis Herrera in a news release.

Nudism activists say they will appeal the ruling to the Ninth Circuit Court.

RUMOR: Apple Store For The Castro

Apple Insider speculates:

An historic landmark building at the epicenter of San Francisco's gay district is rumored to become the city's fourth Apple Store. Citing "plugged in tipsters," real estate blog SocketSite noted today that Apple is rumored to have set its sights on the property, which originally served as a Bank of America. The building has most recently served as a Diesel apparel store, which unexpectely closed this month after the building's landlord reportedly demanded a 50 percent rent increase. The side of the building was remodeled to partition off a separate space originally housing a Noah's Bagels and subsequently used by a Sprint store. Since its closing, the space has remained vacant for years. The two empty spaces could be rejoined into a larger, single space, with dramatic high ceilings.

(Tipped by JMG reader Merv)

SF Gay Bar Gains Landmark Status

San Francisco's Board of Supervisors last week voted unanimously to grant landmark status to the Twin Peaks bar in the Castro. Here's a reminder of why Twin Peaks is so historic:

In 1972, when Mary Ellen Cunha and Peggy Forster threw open the doors and uncovered the windows at Twin Peaks Tavern on the corner of Castro and Market streets, they didn't know they were making history. But four decades later, the bar that has sat both literally and figuratively at the center of San Francisco's gay rights movement and community is now a historic landmark. Twin Peaks Tavern, which first opened in 1935 but was purchased by Cunha and Forster in 1971, is believed to be the first gay bar in the nation to feature full-length, open plate glass windows that let its patrons look out, and more importantly, the public look in. The lesbian friends, known to most regulars as "the girls," opened the bar to the world at a time when many gays still feared losing their jobs or being socially ostracized if their sexual orientation was revealed. It has now survived for 40 years as one of the Castro district's most memorable and welcoming establishments.

SAN FRANCISCO: Anti-Israel Protest Brings Turmoil To Castro Shop

On Friday the Bay Area Reporter discussed a Christmas Eve protest at Cliff's Variety, which is arguably the most beloved retailer in the Castro.

A small but spirited group of demonstrators held informational pickets outside Cliff's Variety on Castro Street last week after some of them were forcibly removed by employees for loudly protesting inside the store on Christmas Eve. The cause of the dispute is an at-home soda machine, Sodastream, which is manufactured in an illegal Israeli settlement in the West Bank that is disputed by the Palestinians.

Some of the protesters filed assault complaints with San Francisco police after the incident. They and others distributed literature to passersby in front of Cliff's December 26 and 28 about the Christmas Eve flash mob while the store's manager said that a protester also hit one of their staff and pushed a stroller-pushing customer. Store manager Terry Asten Bennett said her staff wasn't "emotionally or mentally prepared" for the two-minute adaptation of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" December 24.

Similar protests have been held by Code Pink at Bed, Bath & Beyond. The above-linked reports notes that a follow-up vigil staged outside of Cliff's several days later resulted in verbal taunting from supporters of the store.  Below is video taken inside of Cliff's on Christmas Eve.  As of yet, no charges have been filed against anyone.

SF Narrowly Passes Nudity Ban

Late this afternoon San Francisco's Board of Supervisors voted 6-5 to ban nudity in public places.

Supervisors Jane Kim, John Avalos, Eric Mar, Christina Olague and David Campos voted to oppose the ban. Campos argued that police resources could better be spent fighting violent crime, instead of tracking down naked men roaming the streets. Other supervisors argued the ban seemed to infringe on people’s right to express themselves and was merely a problem in a Castro that didn’t need a citywide ban.

The ban must be reviewed a second time by the Board and approved by the mayor before becoming law on February 1st. (Tipped by JMG reader Craig.)

SF To Rule On Public Nudity Tomorrow

Tomorrow San Francisco's Board of Supervisors will rule on a proposed ban on public nudity, which has long been legal on city streets provided that a person isn't in a state of "obvious arousal."

Supervisor Scott Wiener's proposal would make it illegal for a person over the age of 5 to "expose his or her genitals, perineum or anal region on any public street, sidewalk, street median, parklet or plaza" or while using public transit. A first offense would carry a maximum penalty of a $100 fine, but prosecutors would have authority to charge a third violation as a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine and a year in jail. Exemptions would be made for participants at permitted street fairs and parades, such as the city's annual gay pride event and the Folsom Street Fair, which celebrates sadomasochism and other sexual subcultures.

Wiener says that he is reluctantly backing the change due to the high volume of complaints about the men who regularly gather in a public plaza in the Castro. Residents and merchants point out that the Castro nudists come from outside the neighborhood because they believe they will face fewer objections there. Some claim that few of the nudists are gay themselves.

SAN FRANCISCO: Twin Peaks Bar Set To Receive LGBT Landmark Status

San Francisco's Twin Peaks bar in the Castro, which is thought to be the first gay bar to uncloak its windows and allow passersby to see the people inside, is set to be named an LGBT historical landmark by the city.

The Board of Supervisor's Land Use and Economic Development Committee is set to vote Monday, December 10 on adding the Twin Peaks Tavern to the city's list of historical landmarks. Located at 401 Castro Street, it was the first gay bar in the city to have clear glass windows at a time when people could be fired based on their sexual orientation. The San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission voted last month to support the bar's nomination, and gay District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener has sponsored the ordinance before the board to landmark the bar. It is expected the request will be adopted and signed into law by the mayor. It would become the third LGBT site to win local recognition for being historically important. The others are the camera shop and residence of the late gay Supervisor Harvey Milk (573-575 Castro Street) and the original home of the Jose Theater and the Names Project, which oversees the AIDS Memorial Quilt (2362 Market Street).

Twin Peaks unshuttered its windows in 1972.  Learn more about the bar's history at Castro Biscuit. (Tipped by JMG reader Wayne)

The Castro Celebrates

Photo by Steve Heist.

SAN FRANCISCO: Castro Merchants Remove Benches At Harvey Milk Plaza

After two years of complaints about aggressive panhandling and public drunkenness by the homeless, merchants in the Castro District have removed the benches from Harvey Milk Plaza.  The benches, some had claimed, allowed people to violate San Francisco's controversial law against lying or sitting on public sidewalks.

The removal decision was made Monday by the Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District, the community group that paid $40,000 to install the benches in 2010 and has been discussing their adverse impact on the plaza for months. The group paid $18,000 more to remove the benches, said Andrea Aiello, executive director of the benefit district. The plaza sits at the heart of the Castro neighborhood, above the Castro Muni Station, which provides panhandlers with a steady flow of passers-by. In the past month, Aiello said, more and more transients had been gathering on the benches. The board's decision was applauded by some walking by Friday morning as the seats were taken out. "It's about time," said Dan Glazer, owner of the nearby bakeshop Hot Cookie. "They pee, they defecate, and they leave their garbage there. They have no respect for the plaza or for Harvey Milk and what he meant to our community."

Harvey Milk Plaza has long been the traditional Castro meeting point for activists and public rallies or demonstrations.  The city's Board of Supervisors recently made it illegal to camp there, but police only enforced that rule when complaints were made.  Preliminary discussions are underway for a complete remodel of the plaza.

SAN FRANCISCO: Windows Smashed At Castro's GLBT Historical Society

From their Facebook page:

Two windows at The GLBT History Museum were smashed in an act of vandalism around 4:45 a.m. this morning (Oct. 29). Our staff responded immediately, as did the San Francisco Police Department. None of the historical objects on display were damaged. The museum will be closed today so we can start repairs, but we expect to open tomorrow for our normal hours.

Donate to the repair fund.  I was just in there with Dr. Jeff two weeks ago. Dammit.

Evening View - Halloween Tree

Seen in the Castro, of course.

Slideshow: JMG Meetup In The Castro

We had some great fun last night at the JMG meetup at the Edge last night. I only hope I got to properly thank everybody for riding along with us on this here website thingy. Extra thanks go out to Dan Savage for enduring the Edge's apparent transformation into a mini-disco, completely with go-go boys and a DJ. Gawd, that moon is bright.

Morning View - From My Back Porch

Tonight: JMG Meetup At The Edge

Tonight we'll be holding a JMG readers meetup at the Edge bar in the Castro at 8PM. We had a great crowd last time!

Homeless Advocates Occupy Castro Storefront, Dozens Of SF Police Respond

Last night my pal Matt Foreman and I were walking to dinner when we came across quite the scene on Castro Street as dozens of homelessness activists occupied a vacant storefront. A massive and helmeted SFPD riot contingent responded and gathered in several different huddles before rushing the storefront from all directions, with one squad blazing up from a side street on bikes. I'd estimate that somewhere around 75 officers responded, prompting one young man with a megaphone to taunt them: "Is THIS what you what think is a proper use of your parking meter money?"

The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

About 50 protesters gathered at Dolores Park at 5 p.m. and listened to music for an hour before marching down 18th Street, chanting "Homes not jails." Shortly after 6 p.m., protesters wearing black masks broke into an empty building at 535 Castro St. and hung a sign reading, "Gentrification Equals Assimilation." About half of the crowd stayed outside the two-story building while about as many police officers gathered across the street. Police stormed the building at about 6:50 p.m. Nearly an hour later, they arrested 20 people inside the building and marched them into a waiting police van. One woman sprained her ankle while trying to run from police as they stormed the building. Earlier, housing activist Tommy Avicolli Mecca, who was carrying a sign that read, "Stop the war on the poor," said the city needs to do more to make use of its vacant spaces. "In San Francisco we have anywhere from 6,000 to 10,000 homeless people, yet we have all these empty buildings," he said. "Do the math. Why are we not using them? We're the city that thinks outside the box."

More of my photos are here.