Pride and Politics in San Francisco

It's not every day that, after wrapping up your interview with a man wearing nothing but a Speedo and angel wings, you can walk five steps and have a serious political discussion about an issue carving a hole through your home state.  No, I'm not leading up to a joke about the hallowed halls of Congress, I'm talking about San Francisco's Gay Pride Parade.

This one was the 39th annual.  Think about that -- 39 years -- and you have some idea why, in the midst of close-to-nude gyrating and stuffed-animal costumes, there was a seething anger about the recent passing of Proposition 8, and what it means for a state that considers itself to be open and equal.

As much about politics as it was about pride, the Parade that marched its way down Market Street into the City's Civic Center really seemed to serve a dual purpose.  Once again, the "we're here" message was loud and clear: Gay people like music and dancing, just like straight people.  Gay people like to party, just like straight people.  But the subtext to this day was:  Gay people like to walk down the street holding the hand of their spouse, just like straight people.  And when they get back to their neighborhoods, they don't like to have to collect signatures to try and get the right to do that.

But that's what we saw in the Castro, when the parade was over.  There were impromptu bands set up with drums, and horns, and dancers to go along wih the playing.  But just walking around, I saw no fewer than three people asking for signatures to someday overturn Prop. 8.  Whether or not you agree with it, I must say I expected nothing but partying in the Castro tonight.  After all, the parade was wild and crazy.

But, I guess sometimes, when there's still fighting left to do, even paraders have to take off their wings, and get back to work.

If you want to see short video clips of the parade, you can find them at www.qik.com/budman

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