Monday, February 15, 2010

Feminine Influence in the Castro

Visiting the Castro, I am exposed to a wide range of perspective and personalities. Almost all the gay men I have interviewed continue to tell me that the Castro is a place where they can be who they are without the worry of criticism. I feel that freedom and non-judgment toward sexuality is awesome and am happy people have a place to live where they feel comfortable. However, I constantly find myself asking the same questions, where are all the lesbians? Is there a separate district for them? If not why doesn’t the Castro cater more towards their needs?

Upon asking this question I passed an art gallery containing giant erotic images off women staring out the window at shoppers passing by. Curios, I wandered in. I found out that the woman who opened the gallery shared the same questions that I had been asking. She decided that the Castro needed more feminine influence and thought that an art gallery would be a perfect way to express lesbian and bi-sexual desires.

I don’t think that was such a bad idea.

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4 comments:

  1. Mike BebernesFebruary 15, 2010 at 1:45 PM

    Great point. Where is the female Harvey Milk? The lesbian community seems to be one of the most under-represented groups in America today. San Fran is one of the most diverse cities in the world, with neighborhoods for every conceivable demographic. Yet there just doesn't appear to be a specific lesbian area of town. Way to think outside the blocks.

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  2. Yvonne DaleyFebruary 15, 2010 at 9:00 PM

    Actually, there's little enclaves around the city and lots of lesbians in the Mission and the Sunset! (And everywhere; I just know groups in both places.) The cool thing about the lesbian art place is it used to be a very macho, biker, leather shop! But I hear (read) your point. Let's explore that further.

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  3. SpookFebruary 15, 2010 at 10:09 PM

    I notice that when I'm out there, too! There's so many men to interview, but not many women. I seldom get to speak to lesbians unless I wander down the residential parts of the neighborhood. I wonder how their perspective varies from the men.

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  4. AudreyFebruary 20, 2010 at 12:50 PM

    When I was a fundraising canvasser for Equality California they never sent women to the Castro. Only the cute guys. It kind of peeved me that they were kind of like bait but they brought in good numbers. The lesbians in my office all said they hate the Castro because they feel like they're under constant scrutiny. In my experience I think the lesbian communities are found in Noe Valley, Bernal Heights and in the Mission.

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