an overview
lgbt history in san francisco
“Come see the city that practically invented gay,” boasts local tourist company San Francisco Travel. While this company makes a bold claim, it is true that San Francisco has long been recognized as a hub of LGBT activity, a place where individuals are free to express themselves and their sexuality.The city has been on the forefront of civil rights activism and neighborhoods like the Castro have carved out a rather vibrant presence in the city’s landscape. Gay bars proliferate and, as they did in the past, offer a space for the LGBT community to gather. But San Francisco’s queer identity was not always given. The city’s history is nuanced and has seen its share of homophobia. The population has had to fight for their rights and negotiate their place in San Francisco. The history of gay San Francisco is compellingly complicated; it is a story of growth, organization, resistance, tragedy, and, overall, a fight for acceptance.
The origins of gay San Francisco can be traced to the Gold Rush of the mid 1800’s. The promise of riches to be found drew an influx of new residents to the area, an overwhelming amount of whom were male. The absence of women in these communities necessitated a renegotiation of certain social constructs. Because of the shortage of female labor, men were forced to take on traditionally feminine roles like cooking and cleaning. For entertainment, the men also engaged each other in dancing. An etching entitled “A Miner’s Ball” (seen below) depicts a likely nighttime scene amongst the camp. Cross-dressing was sometimes part of this performance. Despite a ratio of 216 men to 4 women, a boat carrying prospectors held a “Fancy Dress Ball” on its passage to San Francisco. In order to even the playing field, the younger and “smooth-faced” of the crew wore gowns (Flanagan, 2014). Given all of these men living together in small spaces, there was certainly the possibility of homosexual activity. But what was also important were the social changes at hand. Components of gay culture like drag were arriving in San Francisco normalized along with a lifestyle that challenged traditional ideas of masculinity.
(Castaigne, 1891)
WWII was hugely influential in shaping San Francisco’s gay male population. Soldiers who were dishonorably discharged for being homosexual were released from the forces in SF. Many of these men chose to stay in the city instead of returning home to shame. Unfortunately, there was a wave of homophobic sentiment in America during the WWII era. Society praised the “macho” man and feared the deviant homosexual. But San Francisco offered a new start and an environment of sexual liberty. Staying there gave them a chance to reimagine their lives, and also to explore their sexuality further among a growing population of like-minded individuals. Following the war, even more gay soldiers who remembered the city as a tolerant place decided to settle in the area (Carlsson, 1995).
Because of its low rents, North Beach became the prominent gay area at the beginning of the 20th century. Here, gay soldiers were joined by bohemians who had been drawn to San Francisco for different reasons. The 1915 Pan Pacific Exposition, the depression-era WPA art project, and the ’39/’40 World Fair all brought a large number of artists, some of whom simply stayed and found more work in the city . The San Francisco Art Institute and the Rincon Annex were also conveniently located close by to North Beach (Boyd, 2010). Though the term “bohemian” was meant to represent their artistry, historian Dick Boyd posits that it came to be nomenclature for those with unconventional sexual preferences (Boyd 2010). In North Beach, they were able to find and socialize with other queer identifying individuals.
The beatniks of the 1950’s were also attracted to SF’s progressive lifestyle. These noncomforming individuals mixed with the gay population and in fact were often homosexual themselves. This spatial and cultural overlap had a number of consequences (Godfrey 1988, 115). In the words of Godfrey, the beats helped “legitimize nonconformity” for the gay population (Godfrey 1988, 115). Instead of understanding themselves as deviants, sinners, or outcasts, now gays could begin to see themselves simply as social rebels. What they were doing was not wrong, it just differed from society’s idea of normal, like the beats. So these groups shared a common rejection of traditional middle-class values (Carlsson, 1995). The beats were also an important example in that they were organized and political-minded. As being gay no longer necessitated absolute silence, the LGBT population began to organize and promote themselves. In 1955, the first lesbian organization – The Daughters of Bilitis – was founded in SF. That same year, the Mattachine Society – one of the country’s first gay organizations – moved to SF. These groups (along with many other organizations like gay newspapers) were important in spurring activism and offered support to members of the community. They also attempted to educate the rest of the population on homosexuality (Carlsson, n.d.). This growing consciousness was a necessary instrument in the fight for civil rights.
(Mattachine Review, 1959)
SF’s gay population grew both numerically and spatially in the mid 20th century. Polk St., Tenderloin, and South of Market emerged in addition to North Beach as gay-friendly communities (Godfrey 1988, 115). After 1933 (the end of prohibition), bars catering to gay crowds sprung up in these areas. Places like the Black Cat and Mona’s offered the community a place to gather and meet like-minded individuals. They often featured performers in drag and also became hot spot tourist destinations. But these bars were contested spaces.
Homosexuality was still not legitimized in society, which created a culture of unease within and discrimination against the queer community. In response to public fear of sexual deviance, the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission, the SFPD, and Mayor George Christopher waged war on gay bars and individuals in the 1950’s. Police began to frequently raid known haunts and harassed their owners. They were wary of these places because they were thought to attract undesirables and lewd behavior. There are many examples of this systemic harassment. A lesbian bar, 12 Adler, was shut down in what outsiders thought to have been a police set up. A cafeteria refused to serve a number of transgender patrons which led to a riot and police intervention. And after a 14 year legal battle stemming from the question of the right of police to shutter known gay bars, the notorious Black Cat bar was forced to close (Boyd, 2010).
The harassment reached its darkest moments in 1961. First, the “Gayola” scandal revealed police had been blackmailing gay bars in exchange for holding off raids. Local gay bar owners responded by forming the Tavern Guild to protect their interests, but also to educate gay individuals about their rights and what to do if they are arrested in a bar (Agee, 2006). Given the prevalance of these raids, that advice would have come in handy. At 3:15 am on September 14th, 1961, the largest police raid in San Francisco history targeted the Tay Bush Inn. 103 people were arrested and booked on vague charges like “visitors to a disorderly house” and “lewd and indecent acts” (Kamiya, 2013). Despite its unfortunate circumstance, this event was a turning point. It prompted debate about the rights of the LGBT community and the media began to respond critically. While there was still an undercurrent of anxiety bolstered by the systemic discrimination occurring, outside attitudes began to shift and the gay community continued to fight back. Conditions gradually improved and the number of police raids faltered. In 1965, the last raid on a gay establishment occurred. It was decried in the media and even condemned by the city’s mayor (Kamiya, 2013).
Meanwhile, with the risk of owning a gay bar lifted, more opened and thrived. By 1969, there were 73 gay bars in the city, and by 1982, there were over 300 (Godfrey 1988, 119). In 1972, the first gay bar with windows opened (SF Gay history, n.d.). This seemingly trivial feature was actually incredibly symbolic. It figuratively brought the gay population into view of the world, no longer having to hide behind closed doors. In turn, it allowed the gay population to look out on the world as well, becoming greater participants in society. The windowed gay bar was an image of integration and assimilation.
“Twin Peaks”, San Francisco’s first gay bar with windows.
(TimeOut: San Francisco, n.d.)
Gay bars were (and still are) an important space in San Francisco. Especially in the earlier days, they provided the grounds for socialization and organization. They were a place where you could be yourself, find other people like yourself, and have your desires be a completely normal thing. A gay journalist named George Mendenhall sums up their symbolic status quite well, and can have the last word on this topic:
“It sounds silly, but if you lived at that time and had the oppression coming down from the police department and from society, there was nowhere to turn…and to be able to put your arms around other gay men and to be able to stand up and sing ‘God Save Us Nelly Queens’…we were really not saying ‘God Save Us Nelly Queens.’ We were saying ‘We have our rights, too.'” – George Mendenhall
(Mariposa Film Group, 1977)
Today, the Castro is synonymous with gay San Francisco. This neighborhood emerged as the premier gay community in the early 1970’s. The area’s small Victorian houses were attractive as affordable, small households. As real estate agents funneled gays into the community and bars and restaurants were converted to gay establishments, the local Irish immigrant population began to flee outward (Godfrey 1988, 121). In turn, this opened up even more space for gays to take root. Of course, a conversation about the Castro (or gay San Francisco at all) is not possible without a nod to Harvey Milk. A former camera store owner, Milk decided to run for city supervisor after becoming increasingly frustrated with the local government. He focused on gay liberation, but also wanted to listen to and treat the concerns of all individuals.He worked within the community to better conditions for everyone. He believed neighborhoods should be a thriving community center, but also a resource. Accordingly, he worked tirelessly within the Castro. He helped keep open an elementary school, added stop signs, and prioritized an ordinance that made dog owners responsible for their animal’s poop. He was also responsible for the first Castro Street Fair, which drew 5,000 patrons and still occurs annually. He was tragically slain just 10 months after his election, but his legacy lives on today in the city’s civil rights victories as well as the Castro’s prominence (Britt, n.d.)
(RandomnessMaster, 2012)
Harvey recorded this statement knowing full well he faced a threat of assassination. In his last words, he wanted to urge people to continue to stand up. He can be heard saying: “All I ask is for the movement to continue, and if a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door” (RandomnessMaster, 2012). In this last act, Milk is reminiscent of the overall sentiment of SF’s gay community. He calls for courage in the face of oppression, and a collective statement that the gay community is here to stay.
San Francisco’s gay history has followed a roller coaster-esque trajectory. There is simply not enough space to do its full justice, but this post has attempted to touch on the most important moments. Of course, there are two more obvious and polarized points that cannot be overlooked. First, the AIDS outbreak of the 1980’s hit San Francisco hard, forcing many closures of gay spaces and also tragically inflicting and killing many of its gay residents. This era was an incredibly trying time for the city’s gay population. But in recent years, the civil rights movement has made incredible strides, and same sex marriage is legal in California thanks to SF’s fight against Prop 22 (SF Gay History, n.d.). Both of these events were emotionally charged and have come to form the gay community’s collective history. Perhaps these important events can be explored further in a future post.
Gay communities in San Francisco have been called many things – deviant, noncomformist, radical, subversive. But it is clear that this population is, above all, resilient. From its early days, the gay lifestyle has been intertwined with San Francisco’s overall identity. But the community needed social, political, and cultural consciousness and organization in order to fully establish themselves and win the rights taken for granted today. Gay bars have played an important role in this community building and continue to function as a space for socialization and making connections. The fight to keep them open was part of the overall struggle for gay civil rights, which has now been largely thanks to efforts of the city’s gay movements. Because of the work of past actors, in 2016 the LGBT community has a happy and secure stronghold in the city.
References
Agee, Christopher. “Gayola: police professionalization and the politics of San Francisco’s gay bars, 1950-1968. Journal of the History of Sexuality. September 1, 2006. https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-164424524.html
“Bars”. TimeOut: San Francisco. n.d. https://www.timeout.com/san-francisco/bars
Boyd, Dick. “Before the Castro: North Beach, a Gay Mecca”. The Semaphore, Winter 2010, #189,.
Britt, Harry. “Remembering Harvey Milk”. FoundSF. n.d. http://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=Remembering_Harvey_Milk
Castaigne, Andre. “A Miner’s Ball”. Published in 200 Years of American Illustration by Henry Pitz. 1891. C/o Jim Vadeboncoeur Jr., JVJ Publishing, Palo Alto.
Carlsson, Chris. “The Castro: The Rise of a Gay Community”. FoundSF. 1995. http://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=The_Castro:_The_Rise_of_a_Gay_Community
Carlsson, Chris. “Gay History and Politics in the Tenderloin”. FoundSF. n.d. http://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=Gay_History_and_Politics_in_the_Tenderloin
Clendinen, Dudley, and Nagourney, Adam. 1999. Out for Good: The Struggle to Build a Gay Rights Movement in America. Simon & Schuster.
Flanagan, Michael. “Gold Rush Gays: Rediscovering the Westward Ho(mo) Era. The Bay Area Reporter. October 6, 2016. Vol. 46, No. 40. http://www.ebar.com/bartab/article.php?sec=barchive&article=54
Godfrey, Brian J. 1988. Neighborhoods in Transition: The Making of San Francisco’s Ethnic and Nonconformist Communities. University of California Press.
Kamiya, Gary. “1961 Police Raid pivotal for gay rights in S.F.” SFGate. June 21, 2013. http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/1961-police-raid-pivotal-for-gay-rights-in-S-F-4615713.php
Mariposa Film Group. Word is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives (Theatrical film). United States: Mariposa Film Group, 1977.
“Revolt of the Homosexual”. Mattachine Review. May 1959. image from back2stonewall.com
SF Gay History. “Timeline”. SF Gay History. n.d. http://www.sfgayhistory.com/?page_id=115
“The Last Words of Harvey Milk [Full Audio Clip],” YouTube video, posted by “RandomnessMaster” June 15, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-rP7pRPSDI