Same Sex Marriages at San Francisco City Hall, Plus LGBTQ Pride Saturday

Today my daughter and I went down to San Francisco's Civic Center. Ordinarily, I'm not there on a Saturday ... my couch and a good book usually beckons. But, what the hell, it's Pride weekend and I most likely will not make it in tomorrow -- I hate crowds. Guess what? It was crowded in SF at 11:30 already! But we walked around and I took photos. My main goal was to go to City Hall -- yep, they opened today to officiate for all those patiently waiting same-sex couples. San Francisco is very special. Thanks, officials! Gavin Newsom and his team led the way. Thanks all!!

(I purposely use "same-sex couples" instead of gay or lesbian couples because -- they could be bisexual.)

Here's my photo scrapbook ... some of them anyway. Enjoy.

And ...

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE HAPPY COUPLES AND THEIR FAMILIES ... SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THEIR KIDS!!

All photos (c) 2013 K. Smokey Cormier
If you want to enlarge a photo, double-click on it.


Outside of City Hall folks are already celebrating and the SF Pride committee is preparing for the onslaught of thousands and thousands of people tomorrow.

 Food stands are already in operation

The main stage is getting prepared. Sound system is being fine tuned.

Larkin Street Youth - a service for all queer youth

Pinkness

LGBTQ dogs want some attention too, ya know

Now ... inside City Hall ... it's a really beautiful building.

And couples are getting married all over the building. It's got some cool nooks to get married in.

Guests are shooting pictures and filming.

These brides are waiting -- they're next. (I'd be nervous!)

beautiful

Stairway down into the rotunda.

Under this dome -- lest we forget -- the bodies of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk were lain in state. They were assassinated by Supervisor Dan White.

There they are -- the brides -- post ceremony!

Lots of LGBQ clerics were the greeters throughout the building. Here are three arriving just as my daugher and I were leaving.

What a day! More to come.

Link to Reponse to Counterpunch article

And look here for a great response to the original post in Counterpunch about radical feminists and transphobia:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/06/11/these-are-not-the-radicals-youre-looking-for/

"Radical Feminists" versus Trans Women

[This is an email I just sent to Counterpunch in response to this article:  http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/06/07/the-left-hand-of-darkness/]


Counterpunch Editors:

Come on, it's the 21 century. These fights between "radical feminists" and trans women started quite a while ago. Many of us were backward thinkers and often voted to keep trans women out of feminist space. But we've had time to think more deeply about this and we don't agree one little bit with our old selves anymore. Plus, it's a diversion from all the real enemies who are out there. And I don't mean men. It's a mixed bag. It's complex. Focus on the people who are really trying to keep all women (and really -- all people) down. Examples: Republican politicians of all genders/sexual identities, Catholic hierarchy, Mormon hierarchy, sexist men, sexist women, boy bullies on the playground ... the list goes on.

And to post someone's private address and other info? What are you -- totally dead inside?*



K. Smokey Cormier


*later, they posted a trans woman's private info because she dared to reply negatively to the article