San Francisco City Hall is preparing for weddings at the start of Pride weekend in late June. The City Administrator’s office stated in a news release that interested couples can sign up soon.
The city expects to host over 200 marriage ceremonies on Friday, June 27, in celebration of LGBTQ love, the release stated.
Appointments are required in advance and open Friday, May 23, at 9 a.m. through the county clerk’s office . (That site also lists the steps needed, including that couples must secure a San Francisco-issued marriage license prior to the ceremony.)
Santa Cruz gay men’s support group to hold reunion
In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Santa Cruz Pride, a reunion luncheon is being planned for the 1970s Santa Cruz Gay Men’s Support Group. The reunion will take place Friday, May 30, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Avenue.
Santa Cruz Pride week, santacurzpride.org, is May 27-June 1, with the parade on Sunday, June 1, at 11 a.m. downtown.
WEB: https://santacruzpride.org/
Patrick A Meyer, LCSW, was one of the men in the support group who is helping organize the reunion. He stated in a news release that the group began meeting in 1978 and hosted hundreds of local gay, bisexual, and questioning men over a four-year period. Meyer and Ken Sentner facilitated the group, which ended in late 1981.
“We felt we were all coming out at the same time,” Meyer told the Bay Area Reporter in a phone interview. “There was no place to really talk about it except the bars.”
The group wanted a safe space outside of the bar scene, he explained. He helped start it before he went to graduate school when he was coming out, he said.
The support group started with 15 men and soon grew to 90 men each week, he noted. The drop-in group served as a place where gay and bi men could meet each other, discuss common issues and experiences as they came out, and develop a sense of community that still exists today.
Meyer said he remains in touch with some of the men. Others have since passed away.
One of the highlights of the support group was marching in the Begonia parade in nearby Capitola. In 1980, the support group won the Mayor’s Award for their float. Meyer recalled that the men picked begonias and built the float structure.
“Some people were surprised” to see a gay float in the parade, he added.
Meyer lives in Santa Cruz, where he retired from teaching human services and substance abuse counseling classes at Cabrillo College.
The men’s support group had several spinoffs, including a Spanish-speaking potluck, gay and lesbian Democratic club, a hiking group, and a monthly coffeehouse gathering. Those have all since ended. However, a Wednesday night volleyball gathering still exists, he said.
“It’s at the main beach in Santa Cruz and is a source of connection when people come to town,” Meyer said.
Meyer expects around 30-35 people to attend the reunion luncheon. For more information and to RSVP, email [email protected].
Commonwealth Club program on HIV/AIDS
Commonwealth Club World Affairs will present a program on HIV/AIDS issues Wednesday, May 21, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the club’s offices at 110 The Embarcadero in San Francisco.
“HIV/AIDS: Honoring the Past, Taking Action Now” will include two panel discussions. The first will feature youth scholars of the National AIDS Memorial Grove discussing their plans to confront the needs of the HIV/AIDS movement today. It will be moderated by Mike Shriver and feature panelists Bo James Hwang, Dante "Gray" Gautereaux, Peter Pham, and Jesus Aguilar Martinez.
Following a reception, the second panel will look at “Addressing the Impacts of the Administration's Actions,” focusing on President Donald Trump and his administration. Recent proposed federal cuts have been of great concern to HIV/AIDS advocates, as the B.A.R. has reported.
It will be moderated by Tyler TerMeer, Ph.D., a gay Black man living with HIV who is CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Announced panelists include Cecilia Chung, a trans woman living with HIV who used to be on the San Francisco Health Commission, and Carl Schmid, a gay man who is executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute in Washington, D.C.
In-person tickets are $20, while online tickets are $5. For tickets and more information, click here.
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