PlinyTheOlder

yesjohn, 4 hours ago to random

straight men online really get mad at other men for having painted nails.

like god forbid a bro just wants to feel like a cutie patootie 🙄

PlinyTheOlder, 20 hours ago to random

Christina Cauterucci spent six months digging into the archives in SF and elsewhere to put together a podcast series for Slate’s Slow Burn. It’s about the Briggs Initiative in 1970s California, an anti-gay ballot initiative that would have forced Californians to ban out gay & lesbian teachers from public schools, and fired any pro-gay teachers as well.

Gwenn Craig and Harvey Milk were major players in the anti-Briggs movement, which ended up causing a generation of queers to come out to their friends and families. The Briggs Initiative ended up failing. Three weeks after that election, Dan White assassinated Milk and Mayor George Moscone in City Hall.

This article by Cauterucci is a pretty good explanation of why she felt it was important to tell this story 45 years later.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/05/slow-burn-season-9-gays-against-briggs-launch.html

PlinyTheOlder, 1 day ago to random

On this day in Queer Ancestors:

Venus Xtravaganza, forever commemorated in Paris is Burning, was born today in 1965. She was murdered in 1988, aged 23.

Arnold Lobel, creator of Frog and Toad, was born today in 1933. He died of AIDS in 1987 at the age of 54.

Harvey Milk’s birthday is today; he was born in 1930. He was murdered in 1978 at the age of 48.

Today’s also the anniversary of the passing of poet Langston Hughes, who died after complications due to surgery for prostate cancer in 1967 at the age of 66.

PlinyTheOlder, 2 days ago to gay

Historian Gerard Koskovich posted this flier and post today, the 45th anniversary of the White Night Riots in San Francisco.

gkoskovich Forty-five years ago today, Dan White was found guilty of manslaughter instead of murder for the assassinations of San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk (1930-1978), the first openly gay elected official in California, and progressive Mayor George Moscone (1929-1978). White was given a sentence of just seven years in prison. In response, thousands marched from the gay Castro neighborhood to San Francisco City Hall, where a riot broke out. Protesters smashed all the windows on the ground floor of the monumental beaux-arts building, torched a dozen police cars parked at one side of Civic Center Plaza and carried on an hours-long running battle with the police. Supervisor Harry Britt (1938-2020), named to replace Harvey Milk on the Board of Supervisors, refused to condemn the rioters. Interviewed by a local television station, he stated bluntly, "We're reacting with anger because we are angry."
The graphic shows a detail of a flyer from the archives of the GLBT Historical Society (@glbt_history) which was produced by the committee that raised funds for the legal defense of protesters arrested during the uprising. In classic queer form, it mixes righteous rage with fabulous wit to expose injustice: "Oh, beautiful, for sissy power that cannot be contained. / We fought at Stonewall decked in drag, we want more fruited plains. / America, America, gays are oppressed by thee. / When called to fight, we'll do it right, with no apology!" Be sure to note the names of the colors for the color-by-number illustration of a burning cop car. Keep in mind that "amazon" in 1979 referred to the feminist recuperation of the Greek legend of women warriors, not to the late-capitalist corporate behemoth. If only we had this set of crayons handy for daily use. #gbt #gbtq #gay #queer #Igbthistory #gayhistory #queerhistory #harveymilk #riot

PlinyTheOlder, 3 days ago to random

While we were sitting in Harvey Milk Plaza, a woman came up and asked all of us if we would sign to get something on the ballot. I just said no. Gwenn Craig, in the black outfit with the purple scarf, and Tina actually engaged with her. Tina read the initiative and said they wouldn’t sign it.

The woman started to argue, so Gwenn asked who was behind the initiative. It turns out it was TogetherSF, an organization funded by billionaires who are trying to remake SF. Gwenn got into it with the lady, who wouldn’t give up.

Eventually, the woman said “Have you heard of Pat Norman?” All of us looked up, and Gwenn said “I worked with Pat Norman”. The woman said “Pat Norman was my mother” and then walked away. Tina walked after her to give her a tote bag — Tina commissioned a big mural in the Castro featuring four Black queer women, including Gwenn and Pat Norman, and the image is on the tote.

The woman argued with Tina, and did not want to take the bag, but eventually took it without looking at it.

PlinyTheOlder, 3 days ago to random

The SF Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band is kicking off the Harvey Milk Day celebration in the Castro

PlinyTheOlder, 7 days ago to random

I’m mentioned it before, but this Calenda on Friday night from the Castro to Mission Cultural Center looks like it’s going to be pretty great. Some of the sponsors are El/La, BAAITS, the SF Arts Commission, the Mexican Consulate in SF, and Casa Sanchez (which is our absolute favorite salsa brand, fwiw).

mcclasf Dive into the vibrant world of Mexico's third gender, the Muxe, at the first-ever "Vela Muxe Guchachi" celebration in San Francisco at Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts! We will be hosting a week of workshops and events leading up to International Anti Homophobia Day on May 17th, from where Muxes will travel from Oaxaca to join members of the LGBTQ Bay Area, other cities in California, and international guests that will participate in the historic "Calenda," a festive procession route that will begin in the Castro District and end in the Mission District. The procession and reception on May 17th, from 6:30 - 8:30 PM, will lead to the historic international event "Vela Muxe Guchachi" on May 18th at MCCLA, which celebrates sexual diversity and activism rooted in Zapotec cultural traditions.

PlinyTheOlder, 13 days ago to random

Here’s information about the Vela Muxe Guchachi calenda that will take place next Friday, processing from the Castro to the Mission Cultural Center. Sounds really fun.

mcclasf Dive into the vibrant world of Mexico's third gender, the Muxe, at the first-ever "Vela Muxe Guchachi" celebration in San Francisco at Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts! We will be hosting a week of workshops and events leading up to International Anti Homophobia Day on May 17th, from where Muxes will travel from Oaxaca to join members of the LGBTQ Bay Area, other cities in California, and international guests that will participate in the historic "Calenda," a festive procession route that will begin in the Castro District and end in the Mission District. The procession and reception on May 17th, from 6:30 - 8:30 PM, will lead to the historic international event "Vela Muxe Guchachi" on May 18th at MCCLA, which celebrates sexual diversity and activism rooted in Zapotec cultural traditions.

PlinyTheOlder, 13 days ago to random

This article (from January) about muxe is pretty great.

Next week there is a weeklong muxe festival at Mission Cultural Center here in SF, and a group of 15 muxe are traveling up from Mexico to be here for it. One of them is Lady Kero from Drag Race Mexico, who is the 2024 Reina Muxe Guchachi and will be crowned at the event.

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2024-01-11/muxe-third-gender-isthmus-tehuantepec-mexico

PlinyTheOlder, 15 days ago to random

Came across this opinionated list of the 27 greatest queer films of all time, and I mostly agree with it.

All lists like this are up for debate. I appreciate the reasoning behind each choice, and many (most?) are pics that I would also choose. It’s from last summer, so nothing more recent than that.

Biggest TIL from this: Pedro Almodovar revealing which asshole on the jury kept BPM from getting the Palme d’Or at Cannes.

https://gorhamandhenry.com/2023/06/27/27-give-or-take-of-the-best-queer-films-of-all-time/

PlinyTheOlder, 17 days ago to random

Maybe it’s time for a new #introduction

I’m a 52-year-old queer man (he/him); I’ve been married to my nonbinary spouse for 16 years now. We live in San Francisco where the Castro meets the Mission. I was blogging before the word existed, and the fediverse reminds me of what I loved about that time of my life.

In addition to the SF queer arts & drag scene, I’m interested in comics, sf & fantasy fiction, musical theater, queer history & pop culture, tarot & cartomancy, and Apple/iOS tech.

A selfie of me in front of a wall covered in white hexagons

PlinyTheOlder, 27 days ago to random

This is 52.

Despite — well, everything in this sad, crumbling year; the background noise of a world falling apart — I think my thirteen-year-old self would be so surprised at where I ended up after all this time. As a young queer growing up in the 80s, I had no sense that it was possible to reach this age. (Hard to convey just how pervasive this was.)

I’ve spent my life working with kids, and outside of that I do believe that that finding and creating moments of queer joy is a revolutionary act in the face of oncoming fascism.

So I’m looking forward to a great dinner tonight at a restaurant that Tina and I love. This weekend I’ve got book club — always a treat — and some theater. So I’m going to play my little playlist of Maggie Rogers, Chappell Roan, girl in red, and (yes) Beyoncé and get ready for all the day offers.

A photo of me standing under a balloon arch with my arms crossed and a serious expression

annaleen, 29 days ago to random

Experiencing a strange craving for a Ding Dong

PlinyTheOlder, 1 month ago to random

Obsessed with Marina.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C58BINLR3E2/?igsh=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA==

PlinyTheOlder, 1 month ago to random

My favorite is definitely li hing mui on dried pineapple or mango, or on gummies. https://botsin.space/@kottke/112180183988278807

PlinyTheOlder, 1 month ago to random

Walked up to my favorite Pakistani restaurant to pick up lunch. It’s been rainy but the sun came out.

A selfie of me on a sunny day; I’m wearing mirrored gold sunglasses and a Madonna tee; a church is behind me

danielpunkass, 2 months ago to random

I have neglected to promote Black Ink for iOS in part because I wanted it to be a "soft launch" and in part because I don't have time to do everything I want to do. If you are not aware, I shipped a crossword solving app for iOS, and it's pretty, pretty pretty good. https://redsweater.com/blog/4051/black-ink-for-ios-available-now

PlinyTheOlder, 2 months ago to random

I guess March 1st is the day to get rid of your holiday decor

PlinyTheOlder, 3 months ago to random

Whenever people post articles about parents being confused about Gen Z slang, I remember how confusing I used to find thirst — is the person posting thirsty, or are they making the viewer thirsty? and what about thirst traps? — and then I close my little iPad and take a break.

PlinyTheOlder, 3 months ago to random

Taking advantage of a moment between the rain showers

mikey, 3 months ago to random

Katy Perry is dropping new music this year too. The gays are collecting the infinity stones (pop girlies) this year!

Ariana. Beyoncé. Taylor. Gaga. Katy