PLACES THAT GIVE US PRIDE 19 STOP Golden Gate Bridge PLACES THAT GIVE US PRIDE In June of 2020, San Francisco will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its first Pride celebration — but you can visit fascinating places that represent significant contributions to LGBTQ history all year round. HARVEY MILK PLAZA The largest flagpole in the city flies a rainbow banner above Harvey Milk Plaza, which begins above ground at Castro and Market streets and descends a wide curving stairway to the Muni Metro station entrance. A brass plaque describes Milk’s life, work and death, and concludes with a pithy comment from the first openly gay supervisor in San Francisco on his role in the gay community: “I am all of us!” Just above the station is the Pink Triangle Memorial Park, a memorial to the LGBTQ victims of the Holocaust. GLBT HISTORY MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES Affectionately known as the “Queer Smithsonian,” the GLBT History Museum (4127 18th St.) is the first full-scale museum of its kind in the United States. The museum is a project of the GLBT Historical Society, which houses its famed archives that contain an impressive collection of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender historical materials. After exploring the museum, head over to Cliff’s Variety (479 Castro St.), a Castro institution since 1936. You’ll find everything from hammers and nails to boas and tiaras among its 65,000 items. GLIDE MEMORIAL CHURCH Three decades after it opened in the early 1930s, Glide Memorial Church (330 Ellis St.) joined the national movement among religious organizations to focus more actively on social justice. In 1964, Glide helped bring together religious leaders and homophile activists (precursors to the gay rights movement) in San Francisco to form the Council on Religion and the Homosexual (CRH) — the first organization in the U.S. to include “homosexual” in the title. Joshua Resnick, Adobe Stock; Lucas Francisco; Dave Earl GOLDEN GATE PARK/AIDS MEMORIAL GROVE The national AIDS Memorial Grove, or “The Grove,” is located in the eastern part of Golden Gate Park in the San Francisco Botanical Garden. This is a dedicated space where millions of Americans affected directly or indirectly by AIDS can gather to honor, cherish, embrace and heal. The Ladies of Asia SF ASIA SF Located at 201 ninth St., this favorite spot combines restaurant, lounge and dance club elements to celebrate diversity. Since 1998, its world-famous transgender stars, the Ladies of Asia SF, have been the focal point of the experience, and their talent has made it a go-to for an ultimate San Francisco experience. SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (SFGMC) is the world's first openly gay chorus, today with a membership of about 300 voices. Founded by gay music pioneer Jon Reed Sims, the group is most often credited with creating the LGBTQ choral movement with a mission to spread social equality for the LGBTQ community. The chorus blends a season of local performances around the city with ongoing social and political activism. sftravel.com GLBT History Museum, Castro District
San Francisco Travel Planner's Guide 2020 TPG: Page 19
