News: Annual S.F. Folsom Street Fair Today

The annual Folsom Street Fair brings back great memories and pride for me. For nearly ten years, I held an Open House at my apartment during the fair. My front door is a stones throw from the event. My mother even attended one year. (She was visiting me that week, and the Open House had already been planned.) Admittedly I was a little nervous how things would turn out, but she was a big hit with all my friends. (She always was.)

Folsom is the largest leather event in the world, and draws around 400,000 visitors to San Francisco each year. In 1997, New York began holding "Folsom East", and Berlin founded the "Folsom Europe" event in 2003. In recent years, the event has drawn much criticism from the fundamentalist right. But then again, San Francisco always has. Reverend Phelps holds an "Excorcism of the City" each year on Halloween. All of the leather and parties aside, the central theme of these events is fund raising. The event here, raises about $250,000 each year. Those funds are divided among a number of charities, and have included: SFPD and SFFD designated chairities, AIDS Emergency Fund, Positive Resource Center, Episcopal Community Services, and Catholic Charities. I just love irony.

I deeply miss entertaining the 30-40 friends that used to grace my home each year during this event. Sadly, some were lost to AIDS. But most have just scattered to the winds...many returning to their roots in the heartland. I love my roots too...but have roots here as well. This past June marked my 20th year in San Francisco. And, many of the friends I still have here are what I call my "West Coast Family".

I so love this city, I just can't see myself leaving. Her beauty, her weather, but mostly what she stands for: Individual freedom and liberty. A principle foundation of the American idea...and sadly disregarded in many quarters. Perhaps next year I will bring back my Open House celebration. If I'm lucky, I might be able to wrangle some of those long-ago-seen faces up in my crib. Happy Leather Pride everyone. Leather has never really been a big thing for me...but I sure love celebrating it!
(World Premier of "Milk" at The Castro Theater, San Francisco, CA)