Leo Laurence: The Joy of Pride

Anything less than total honesty is slavery.”

On Saturday, June 27, 1970, 30 or so hippies and self-proclaimed “hair fairies” marched down Polk Street from Aquatic Park to City Hall, where they celebrated the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. There were no Dykes on Bikes leading the parade. No rainbow flags lined the streets. No marching band inspired the crowd. There were no floats or corporate contingents. Not only could all the participants have fit onto the back of one flatbed truck, but they also could have been fired from their jobs simply for being LGBT. The next day some 200 revelers gathered in Golden Gate Park for the world’s first “Christopher Street Liberation Day Gay-In.”

Organized by the Gay Celebration Front (GCF) and modeled after a New Left “be-in,” they had learned of the event mostly from word of mouth and a widely distributed flyer that not only informed the community about it, but also proclaimed a new vision for LGBT activism that was radically different from the one shaped by the pioneers of the lesbian and gay homophile movement less than two decades before.

Where the established homophile organizations believed in “Promoting the Integration of the Homosexual into Society” quietly through education and the “due process of law in the state legislatures,” the people who organized the Gay-In were convinced that “gay liberation,” itself a new concept, would come only through demonstrations, boycotts, rallies, marches, and direct confrontation of their oppressors. For them, the time for closets and compromises was over. It was now the time for “gay power” identity, pride, visibility, community, and the “Freakin Fag Revolution.”

Leo Laurence, one of San Francisco’s leading advocates for gay liberation, embodied and expressed the movement’s new ideas. The first step LGBTs needed to take, he argued, was to be open about themselves, to “come out” to family, friends, and co-workers to “go public” about their sexual identity and way of life. As his friend and fellow advocate Gale Whittington wrote at the time, “Liberation will come when total honesty is no longer repressed

The idea of acknowledging, never mind celebrating, their sexuality in public was unthinkable to the leadership of the most influential homophile organizations, which did not even have terms like “lesbian” or “gay” in their names. Laurence called them “timid leaders” and “uptight conservatives” who “were hurting almost every major homosexual organization on the West Coast and probably throughout the nation.” Most of them, he stated, “are their own worst enemy, afraid to become militant.” He invited them to “join the revolution” for gay rights.

Laurence intensified both his criticism of the homophiles and his call for confrontation in an article titled “Homo Revolt: ‘Don’t Hide it’” in the

When his employers at the States Steamship Company, where he worked as a file clerk, saw the photograph, Whittington lost his job. (He did receive two weeks’ severance pay.) The next month, he and Laurence created the Committee for Homosexual Freedom (CHF)—the first gay liberation organization in San Francisco—then publicly declared their sexuality by picketing the company’s headquarters in the Financial District every weekday at noon with signs reading, “Let Gays Live,” “Free The Queers,” and “Freedom for Homos Now.” Unlike the city’s homophile leadership, the CHF embraced confrontation.

Job discrimination was only one of the issues San Francisco’s LGBT communities faced then. Police harassment was another. Only the month before the Gay-In, the city’s underground newspaper Good Times reported that the “cops [were] tearing up the grass in Golden Gate Park on bright yellow Honda Trail 90 motorcycles ... where they putter out from behind the bushes and bust people for all kinds of petty daylite [sic] crimes.” In exasperation, the GCF reprinted the article about the “fruit and pot patrol, as they call it at the local station,” on the back of its flyer.

So, no one was much surprised that, while the revelers were enjoying their day in the park, the police “with military precision ... force invaded the Gay Liberation Front ‘Gay-In’ at Speedway Meadows.”

According to the July 3 issue of the Barb, participants were confronted by “six or eight Honda Pigs and a Jeep patrol car,” “while a mounted patrol man pranced his horse and stroked pistol[!]” They “were harassed, asked for ID, and searched.” Seven were taken into custody.

According to Laurence, the celebrants had been passing bread and wine “almost like a religious meeting” when the police arrived. “We told them we were only indulging in our constitutional right of assembly, and asked them to ... join us in our love, but they wanted to hassle us instead.”

He continued, “The gathering was beautiful and peaceful before the police came, the homophiles gathered in pride in their identity.”

Without knowing it, Laurence identified what the true revolution that Stonewall came to symbolize was all about.

First, he believed lesbians and gays “have to love themselves.”

March 28 issue the of the Berkeley Barb, an underground weekly newspaper begun in 1965. “Society has made us perverts for too ... long,” he told an unnamed interviewer. “It’s time for a change right now.” Because the Barb included a photograph, without their knowledge or consent, of Laurence and Whittington embracing, change, at least for them, came much sooner than either had expected.

They “have to get over this b.s. of guilt, the feeling we are degenerates” or “there will be no change.” Then, “after we can believe to ourselves ‘gay is good’ the revolution will come.” We did and it did. More than anything else, we celebrate the pride we have in our identity and in each other, publicly and proudly.

(grape juice). It was “Queer Church like you’ve never experienced before. It was a Drag Celebration!” All this was presented by the Faithful & Fabulous of the SAN FRANCISCO NIGHT MINISTRY.

Sister Dana sez, “It’s Pride Month, and as more and more businesses have climbed on board the rainbow train, Republicans are running out of places to dine out. Oh, tell them to ‘Taste the rainbow’”!

To launch the third season of Divas & Drinks, the San Francisco Bay Times and The Academy SF proudly will present powerhouse vocalist Rhonda Benin and her All Stars: Grammy winner Tammy Hall, legendary bassist Ruth Davies (whose discography includes several platinum and Grammy-winning records), and drummer Mark Lee, who has backed The Pointer Sisters, and many other artists.

Emcee will be my fellow Bay Times columnist, Donna Sachet Featured guests will include SF Pride Executive Director Suzanne Ford and SF Pride Past President Carolyn Wysinger. https://www.academy-sf.com/

Gary Virginia & Donna

Sachet’s PRIDE BRUNCH is celebrating 25 years! The 25th Annual Pride Brunch honors the San Francisco Pride Parade Grand Marshals. This beloved tradition marks a major milestone this year and is a rare opportunity to meet and hear from the Grand Marshals as we mix with movers and shakers, enjoy hosted bars, take pleasure in live entertainment, and dine on fine cuisine. All proceeds support PRC’s lifesaving, integrated social, legal, and behavioral health services for those affected by HIV/AIDS, mental health issues, and substance use. June 24, Saturday from 11am-–2pm at the Westin Saint Francis, Grand Ballroom, 335 Powell Street. http://prcsf.org/

For the fourth consecutive year, activists and community leaders Alex U. Inn and Juanita MORE! will be leading the PEOPLE’S MARCH & RALLY - UNITE TO FIGHT! on Pride Sunday, June 25, on Polk Street in San Francisco. The event will begin with a rally at

JAN WAHL (continued from pg 6) for the San Francisco Bay Times about the role. “I know Arnold Cunningham and I are somewhat similar. We are both often too enthusiastic and overuse our imaginations. I might have a bit more social skills, but when I get the laughs, it is just perfect. Elder Cunningham is sweet and has the best intentions.”

I asked Sam about one of the great songs titled “Turn It Off.” He replied, “This is one of the many gay or straight moments, a song that everyone identifies with. It may appear to be about these guys going on their mission, but it is about secrets, rationalizing, profound thoughts. This show brings laughter and great discussion after. The audience tells me how much it means to them, Mormons and everyone else.”

Hey, I’m all about The Music Man, The Sound of Music, West Side Story, Company. No matter how you like your musical theatre, The Book of Mormon is one to see.

This month I also enjoyed some stress-free fun in the Wine Country at the gorgeous Sonoma Mission the corner of Polk and Washington Streets, then march down Polk Street—the same route as the first Gay Liberation Protest, which occurred on Saturday, June 27, 1970. The march will end at Fern Alley for a celebration of culture and community with DJs, performers, and artists’ booths.

Having raised an impressive $1 million for LGBTQ nonprofit organizations to date this year, Juanita MORE!’s highly anticipated Pride event, taking place on June 25, will serve as a fundraiser for QUEER LIFESPACE. This organization offers affordable mental health services tailored to the LGBTQ community in San Francisco and beyond. By selecting Queer Lifespace as the beneficiary, Juanita aims to provide much-needed support and resources to help enhance the mental well-being of LGBTQ individuals in the area. Juanita’s Day Pride Party is June 25, noon to 7 pm at 620 Jones Street. Her Night Pride Party is 6 pm, June 25, to “late” at Halcyon, 314 11th Street. https://juanitamore.com/

Enjoy free admission to the Castro Theatre along with complimentary refreshments for a showing of “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar” the first major Hollywood studio film to center on drag queens! Your emcee for this historic evening to help close out Pride Month 2023 will be Donna Sachet. The event is sponsored by Comcast, in partnership with the San Francisco Bay Times and The Academy SF. June 28, 6 pm, 429 Castro Street. Don’t miss this hilarious romp! https://www.academy-sf.com/

THE FOURTH OF JULY is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America.

Sister Dana sez, “May I be the first to wish you a happy 4th of July or Independence Day! I just wish we could be less dependent on the united MAGA Republicans who continually get in the way of democracy!”

Inn for a Drag Brunch on June 4. I was there with a big hat on for this glamorous, colorful event in the elegant locale. Check out The Sonoma Mission Inn whenever you are in that beautiful area. Drag queens make the world a better place! And speaking of drag, I will be co-emcee with Khmera Rouge for a special free showing of To Wong Foo: Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar at the Castro Theatre on June 28 interviewing Julie’s brother John and introducing a personal video created by Julie. To register for this free event (free concessions too) benefiting the SF LGBT Center and Equality California, go to: https://tinyurl.com/59z974x5

Happy Pride, everyone! Together we fight, stand tall, and celebrate!

Jan Wahl is a Hollywood historian, film critic on various broadcast outlets, and has her own YouTube channel series, “Jan Wahl Showbiz.” She has two Emmys and many awards for her longtime work on behalf of film buffs and the LGBTQ community. Contact her at www.janwahl.com

Band, the club created a bulletin board featuring LGBTQ+ activists Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and We’wha, as well as club-member messages about identity and inclusion.

McNamara said, “In May, for the first time, we invited Third Graders to a Pride Club meeting, and several dozens of them came.” McNamara and Schuessler anticipate that the Pride Club will continue to be strong. In fact, said McNamara, “What was really transformative was seeing the strong interest from second and third graders who can’t wait to join the Pride Club in the future.”

This year’s Rainbow Day was made extra special by the inclusion of the first Grand Marshal for the Rainbow Day Parade, Honey Mahogany. After the entire student body and their teachers assembled on the Flynn playground, Mahogany captivated the group with stories about the 1969 Stonewall riots and the local Compton’s Cafeteria riot that preceded it by three years. She also spoke about how she grew up very close to Flynn Elementary School and how proud she is to still live near the area. Then, accompanied by the Band, Honey led the festive parade around the playground.

On the inclusion of a Grand Marshal for the event, McNamara stated, “One of the ideas the Pride Club had was to invite a dignitary to serve as Grand Marshal for the Rainbow Day Parade. The students immediately got very excited. The first person they wanted to invite was Michelle Obama and the students wrote her office a letter. I knew that we weren’t going to hear back from Michelle Obama, but the students kept asking if we’d gotten a response. I thought we should approach a dignitary who is more local. I personally know Honey Mahogany and live in District 6 where she worked and recently ran for Supervisor there (she is also the Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party). I was inspired to contact Honey by a Flynn student who had previously written her biography for a Black Women’s History project. Knowing how the students were so in solidarity with trans people, as well as the empowerment of Black, Brown, and Indigenous peoples—which is the mission of our school—I presented the idea of Honey Mahogany to them and they got very excited and sent her a letter.”

Upon receiving the letter from the Flynn students, Honey Mahogany said, “I was really honored to be asked to be the Grand Marshal for Flynn Elementary’s Pride celebration. This would be an incredible honor at any time, but right now, as we are experiencing book bans in schools, classrooms, and libraries across the country, as trans affirming care and practices are being banned, and as parents of trans children are thinking about fleeing their homes, being able to serve in this way at this particular time was especially poignant. It was wonderful to get to speak with the students of Flynn, to get to meet them and see them so joyfully celebrate the diversity within their community. I even got to meet a few children who identified as trans themselves. The confidence and joy I saw from those trans kids in particular reminded me that, even as things sometimes seem scary or hopeless, that there is still hope, and that these kids are who we are fighting for.”

Amazing miracles like this don’t just happen at Flynn Elementary School. April is Pride Month across the San Francisco Unified School District (remember, schools are not in session during the citywide Pride Month of June). During Rainbow Week, said Schuessler, “Teachers choose a book related to LGBTQ+ issues to read to their class. Each class learns about an important LGBTQ+ person. The bulletin board next to the school office features photos and bios of important queer people.”

Coordinating these activities across all the schools is Mx. Kena Hazelwood, District Coordinator, LGBTQ Student Services in the Student & Family Services Division. Kena had this to say about SFUSD’s April Pride Month in San Francisco public schools: “This year, more than ever, it has been important for SFUSD to shine as a beacon and an example of inclusion and acceptance. Throughout the year, we have been welcoming families from across the country whose families have had to make the difficult choice to leave their homes due to worsening safety concerns. The Rainbow clubs, GSAs, Rainbow Assemblies, Read-ins, and Parades being held at our schools, across the district during the month of April, are one way how we show our commitment to being a school district where everyone is welcome to be fully themselves.”

As if coordinating the Pride Day wasn’t enough, Schuessler and McNamara also held a Pink Shirt Day at Flynn during Rainbow Week 2023. Said McNamara, “This is an international anti-bullying school campaign, which began at a high school in Canada in 2008. Normally celebrated in late February, Flynn incorporated its first Pink Shirt Day into its 2023 Rainbow Week.”

Learn more at https://www.pinkshirtday.ca/

When reflecting on the miracle of Rainbow Week at Flynn Elementary School, the lyrics to Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love of All” come to mind: “I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside. Give them a sense of pride to make it easier. Let the children’s laughter remind us how we used to be.”

What does all this mean? We should all be thankful to live in a place like San Francisco where values of respect and understanding are taught every day. But, this doesn’t happen by accident; we all need to support our public education teachers, all of whom are true heroes.

Author Doug Litwin is a 35-year member of the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band and has performed at each one of the Flynn Elementary School Rainbow Day events.