The Castro: Gay and lesbian San Francisco
San Francisco is still the undoubted gay capital of the world , but the gay scene hasn't had much to celebrate in the last few years and there's been a definite move from the outrageous to the mainstream. The increasing number of gay activists in public office have become more conservative in approach, if not in policy. However, gay parties, parades and street fairs still swing better than most. If you're here in June, you'll coincide with the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, Gay Pride Week and the Gay Freedom Day Parade. Come October, the street fairs are in full swing and Halloween, for years the zenith of the Castro's social calendar, traditionally sees the beautiful of body and ballgown out in force - although in the last couple of years city officials have tried to move it to Civic Center, where there's better crowd control and safety.Although the 1980s saw the flowering of a lesbian culture to rival the male 1970s upsurge, the bars for women have all but closed down (the exception being the Mission's Lexington Club ) and the nightlife revolves around a handful of women's club nights. Lesbian culture is more in evidence in the bookstores.
The Sentinel, Oblivion, The Bay Area Reporter and Gay Times are all free publications listing events, services, clubs and bars, found in Castro bars and cafés. On Our Backs and Girlfriends are of particular use to lesbians. Gay men could not do better than purchase a copy of Betty and Pansy's Severe Queer Review of San Francisco ($11), available in gay bookstores - as is The Lavender Pages , a free telephone-cum-resource book. The AIDS/HIV Hotline (tel 415/863-2437) provides counseling and advice. We've listed gay accommodation and bars .
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