What more do you need?

Obviously, San Francisco is still reeling from the disturbing fact that not only are we not the gayest city in the nation, but apparently Salt Lake City, Utah does a better job catering to its homosexuals.

That alone is enough reason for San Francisco to up the ante when it comes to making this city a Disneyland for gays. Perhaps that's why the local business bureau crafted a new campaign slogan which it hopes will bring a whole new crop of gays out ... of Utah.

According to the Bay Area Reporter, the new ad slogan essentially claims San Francisco is synonymous with the Castro. "San Francisco's gay district is called 'San Francisco,'" claim the ads, which are already plastered around Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, and Portland. The new $500,000, 12-month campaign will also be targeted at Phoenix residents, because that place is like a really boring sauna.

Here's how Lynn Bruni, director of consumer marketing with the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau, explained the new ads to BAR: "With these campaigns we want to remind people to come to San Francisco outside of big event weekends," she said. "Something new and amazing can happen on any day or weekend."

We'll leave that last statement to the imagination of our readers.

More >>

Maybe he should have consulted this before he ran for mayor

Have you ever wondered exactly how our government leaders make some of their decisions? We assume many city decisions are made through backroom deals and a lot of backstabbing.

And then there's Supervisor John Avalos' refreshing governing style.

We were shocked, entertained, and strangely pleased to read the news today that our very own Avalos consulted not just his staff but an Ouija board before voting on whether San Francisco should name a Navy ship after slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk. Just for context, the last time we used an Oujia board was at a slumber party in third grade.

But the progressive supervisor known for his retro-fabulous interests (he loves his '80s vinyl) tells the Chron that he and his staff talked with Harvey Milk's spirit, and got his political guidance on that very important vote.

We actually put our hands on the Ouija board and the letters g-o-o-d-r-i-d-d-a-n-c-e-d-a-d-t came out. We asked Harvey, and Harvey gave us these letters: "good riddance don't ask, don't tell." It was quite clear that Harvey Milk would have been opposed to Don't Ask, Don't Tell. I can honestly say that's one aspect of this resolution that's really valid.

More >>

Happy Birthday!

Last week, we told you about those hatemongers up in Sacramento who wasted time and money trying to convince everyone to lock their kids inside for Harvey Milk Day, which, by the way, is today. And while we can't say for sure how many kids were forced to stay home from school so they didn't have to hear one peep about the civil rights leader, we can tell you plenty of kids -- gay and straight -- are finding ways to celebrate.

And not just by chomping down on Milk Duds.

The San Francisco Gay Straight Alliance Network has put together a blueprint of ways for teens and California's youth to honor Harvey Milk on his 82nd birthday, starting with donning buttons, stickers, and t-shirts with his photo on it.

After you get decked out in your Harvey Milk gear, here are some other ways you can memorialize San Francisco's slain supervisor best known for revolutionizing the gay rights movement:

More >>

The right-wing pro-family group Save California has made the daunting request that probably won't go over well in San Francisco. Those hatemongers demand parents take their kids out of school on May 22 -- Harvey Milk Day -- so youngsters aren't subjected to curriculum, lessons, or positive information about Harvey Milk, whom they offensively refer to as a "teen predator."

The group went on the radio with its controversial campaign, which purports to protect children from state law requiring public schools commemorate and teach children about the state's first openly gay elected official. Milk, who was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, was slain along with Mayor George Moscone by fellow Supervisor Dan White.

Even before his election, the gay rights activists made his meteoric rise in politics with his cutting edge civil rights agenda -- and not just one that served San Francisco's gay community. Yet Save California claims Milk, whose 82nd birthday is on May 22, was not an leader, but a immoral "sexual role model." Here's an excerpt from the group's disturbing radio ad:

"Parents, your boys and girls are being targeted for immoral indoctrination at school on Harvey Milk Day.... Given this man's notorious agenda against marriage, family, morality, and God himself, you'll be shocked at what Harvey Milk Day will teach boys and girls as young as kindergarten."

More >>

Tiffany Woods

Brandy Martell

Nearly three weeks ago, we told you about 37-year-old Brandy Martell, who was gunned down in Oakland after a group of men learned she was transgender. While police are still working to catch the killers, friends and family are using Martell's death as a chance to draw attention to these type of horrific hate crimes that continue to plague our communities.

In an article featured today in our sister blog, the Exhibitionist, Vanessa L. Pinto, a local writer, gives us a glimpse into Martell's life and death. On April 29 at about 3:30 a.m., Martell was with some friends at 13th and Franklin streets when a group of men walking by made "catcalls" and aggressively hit on the women. One man in particular was interested in Martell, saying over and over how "fine" she was. According to witnesses, the women said to the men "You know we're trans, right?"

The men left, but returned two hours later, while Martell was sitting in her car with friends. One of them opened fire on Martell, shooting her in the genitals before she was shot twice in the chest.

More >>

We're guessing she thinks this is gay too?

We thought we had heard it all after nut job Pastor Sean Harris came out (!) and publicly told parents to beat the gay out of their kids. But then today we caught wind of this insane video of a woman at a Lincoln, Nebraska City Council hearing where the city officials were debating a LGBT protection ordinance.

Obviously, this woman was opposed to the ordinance, because when she hold of the mic, she said things not even gay-hating Tea Partiers have come up with. Among the crazy talk, she told the council that gays and lesbians rarely live past the age of 40, and the reason is they either kill themselves or are killed by their partners. "If you want to live to be 80, don't be gay -- it's not healthy," the woman says during the public comment period.

She goes on to tell everyone how deadly anus-licking is, and that, like shoplifters would make bad sales people, gays make bad troops. Then she had the nerve to bring Hillary Clinton into it!

But the diatribe got person when she curses San Francisco gays, blaming them for our illiterate children.

More >>

Aside from being located in the same state, there's very little San Francisco and San Diego have in common, except perhaps our affinity for men in sailor suits.

In any event, we came across a more important thread that links these two disparate communities: our love for Harvey Milk.

As the Bay Area Reporter notes, San Diego's City Council this week decided to rename one of its thoroughfares Harvey Milk Street, to honor the former San Francisco supervisor who was the firstly openly gay politician elected to office in California. Shortly after he was elected in 1977, Milk and Mayor George Mascone were assassinated at City Hall by former Supervisor Dan White.

It was Milk's rise in politics and his murder that captivated the nation, and put LGBT issues at the forefront of politics. To this day, when you think of San Francisco, you think of Harvey Milk, and vice versa.

And now San Diego wants in on that.

More >>

Obama secures the gay vote

It seems those many trips to San Francisco this year have convinced President Barack Obama that gays should be allowed to tie the knot. News reports of the president's reversal on same-sex marriage is making rounds in the blogosphere this afternoon, and for good reason: It's about damn time!

According to press reports, Obama came out -- literally -- for same-sex marriage, explaining the obvious, that when two people who are in a loving, monogomous relationship, they should be allowed to get married, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Here's a snippet of the interview with our newly minted pro-gay president:

"I've just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married. I've stood on the side of broader equality for the LGBT community. I hesitated on gay marriage in part because I thought civil unions would be sufficient. I was sensitive to the fact that for a lot of people, the word 'marriage' evokes very powerful traditions, religious beliefs."More >>

Some people are gay ... get over it already!

North Carolina's most notorious nut job, Pastor Sean Harris, would be disappointed to learn that not only do we not beat the gay out of our kids in California, but we really aren't interested in trying to "cure" them either.

In other words, gay kids will be gay kids.

At least that's what Sen. Ted Lieu, (D-Torrance), thinks. The SoCal pol has introduced legislation that would make it illegal for therapists and psychologists to try to cure teens from being gay. The bill also says therapists would have to get written consent from any gay adult who is requesting to be "cured."
More >>

Is he really going to tell us that it meant nothing when Judas kissed Jesus?

As readers probably recall, nut job Pastor Sean Harris' gay-children hating comments at a recent sermon made national headlines and sent Americans into a convulsing rage -- and we're not not just talking about liberals and gays.

It seems even the most faithful and godly can't deal with the North Carolina Baptist preacher. To prove that he sure as hell doesn't speak for all Christians, Faithful America, a faith-based Washington, D.C., nonprofit, has circulated a petition denouncing the pastor's comments encouraging parents to attack and hit their young, effeminate sons. The comments came a week before state voters are to decide whether to ban gay marriage tomorrow.

According to the petition:

"Faithful Christians are appalled by Pastor Sean Harris's hateful tirade urging violence against gay and lesbian youth. Violence and child abuse can never be justified by the teachings of Jesus Christ. All young people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, should be assured in church that they are beloved children of God."

More >>