San Francisco Pride was everything, period.
From Beale Street to Civic Center Plaza, the city transformed into a vibrant tapestry of love, acceptance, and unbridled joy.
The sun shone brightly on our oft-foggy San Francisco on Sunday, when we saw every color of the rainbow at the annual Pride Parade. From Beale Street to Civic Center Plaza, the city transformed into a vibrant tapestry of love, acceptance, and unbridled joy, capturing the spirit of what makes San Francisco a beacon for the LGBTQ+ community.
The Bold Italic captured much of it in pictures along with producing queer content all week. These were our stories:
Pink Saturday brought us nothing but joy
By noon, Dolores Park became a kaleidoscope of color — parasols, flags, and outfits in every imaginable combination, but emphasizing one hue in particular. It was Pink Saturday, our quintessential preamble to the daylong festivities at Pride, the annual celebration and protest for LGBTQ+ rights.
View it in photos by Courtney Muro
Ginger’s reopens just in time for Pride
The ribbon cutting was fashionably late, but no one seemed anxious or in a rush. Other than the lack of drinks in hand, the vibe outside of Ginger’s was very similar to that of the bar downstairs.
San Francisco’s most festive gays were present, dressed for the part, and genuinely happy. It was all smiles, hugs, and kisses. What better weekend to hold the San Francisco Financial District’s only queer-identified bar’s Grand Reopening than on the Friday of Pride weekend?
Read the latest by Courtney Muro
People’s March celebrates its fifth year
It’s no secret that Pride has become a corporate spectacle, with rainbow logos, themed merchandise and big business strutting down Market Street each June. Nobody queer in my social circle tells me, “Say, let’s go to the parade this Sunday!” Many view it nowadays for brand sponsors and straight teens.
Now we have the “People’s March,” an event started five years ago to return Pride to its roots in San Francisco, where it began in 1970 as the Gay Liberation March. Back then it was a tiny band of hippies — so sayeth the GLBT Historical Society — and they marched to observe the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
Read the latest by Saul Sugarman
Queer trans fashion show gave me life this Pride
The second-annual QT Fashion Show served many genderfluid, nonbinary, and androgynous looks, which I love for our local LGBTQ+ community. More importantly though, I was absolutely floored by several pieces that walked the runway on June 21. We saw several collections, a Buffy-esque drag performance and one jaw-dropping vogue number that I personally wanted to open the show. Oh, and Mayor London Breed made an appearance.
Read the latest by Saul Sugarman
Transgender showgirls pop up in the Marina
For 26 years, SOMA restaurant AsiaSF served up a unique take on “dinner and a show” by offering up Asian cuisine presented by transgender female servers who weren’t just your wait staff, but also your entertainment. Long before drag brunches became such a thing, AsiaSF popularized the concept, only not with drag queens, but actual transgender women.
Sadly though, when AsiaSF’s owners decided to retire in April, it left its showgirls in a lurch. But now only a couple months later, the ladies are back on stage, rebranding themselves as Dolls SF, and doing a pop-up version in the Marina on Friday and Saturday nights through August 10th.
Read the latest by Adriana Roberts
Art and activism: Alok Vaid-Menon’s contributions to LGBTQ+ rights
Surprising connections link Alok Vaid-Menon — the nonbinary poet and comedian — to Urvashi Vaid, a prominent leader in the LGBTQ+ movement from the 1980s until her recent passing. Both members of the same Indian American family, they share a powerful approach to social change. Documentary shorts that profile each were featured at the Frameline Film Festival this week, and this is my review of them.
Read the latest by Laura Stein
What we’re doing this week
It’s July 4th
Yeah, so this is one of those cute fakeouts San Francisco likes to do where we have this awesome bay for fireworks, then Karl rolls in and says, “Haha, like I’m letting you see those. Still it might be worth checking out our vintage guide for best places to watch them. There are also events throughout the day. TBI photographer caught the above snap from Pier 39 last year.
Mrs. Doubtfire: The Musical
The beloved movie-turned-musical takes center stage at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco. Mrs. Doubtfire is the classic tale of Daniel Hillard, an out-of-work actor who transforms himself into the lovable Scottish nanny, Euphegenia Doubtfire. With unforgettable songs and show-stopping dance numbers, the musical captures the heart and humor that made the 1993 movie a timeless favorite.
WHEN: Opening night July 3. Runs through July 28th
WHERE: 1192 Market St, San Francisco, CA
Evita
The Tony Award-winning musical Evita charts young and ambitious Eva Peron’s meteoric rise from poor illegitimate child to the most powerful woman in Latin America. Told in part through the lens of Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara, Evita recounts the incredible story of Argentina’s matriarch as she rallies the heart of a nation to bring about a new era in Argentine history.
WHEN: June 27 – September 7, 2024
WHERE: 450 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94102
What’s on our mind
We keep content mostly fun and light at The Bold Italic, but the future of the Bay Area interests us, too. Here’s what we are thinking about in local news. Brought to you by GrowSF.
Waymo opens robotaxi service to all of SF
The wait is over! Waymo's robotaxi service is now open to everyone in San Francisco, ditching the old waitlist system. Just download the app, request a ride, and you’re set to go—just like folks have been doing in Phoenix since 2020.
This is a big deal for the city and for Waymo. Despite some bumps along the road, like regulatory hurdles and public skepticism, Waymo has successfully demonstrated that they are now the safest car on the road — about twice as safe as a human driver. This expansion is a bold step forward for safer streets. It’s all about bringing the future of driverless travel into the everyday, turning what was once a novel concept into a new normal for urban commuting.
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The Bold Italic publishes first-person stories on topics that are on the brains and lips of San Franciscans. We’re a hub for conversations to be heard and discussed, and we celebrate all that’s great about living in San Francisco and the Bay Area. We hope our continuing conversation will get you thinking, talking, and inspiring you to share your opinions with us on living in San Francisco.
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The Bold Italic is brought to you by GrowSF and edited by Saul Sugarman. Send us a pitch, a question, comment, or advertise with us: info@thebolditalic.com