Many choose to live elsewhere in search of cheaper housing and better comfort. After decades of political and social change, they are increasingly accepted in other communities.
Published July 3, 2022 Updated July 4, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. ET
SAN FRANCISCO — Cleve Jones has lived in the Castro neighborhood for nearly 50 years, almost since the day he graduated from high school in Phoenix and hitchhiked to California.
He was a political and cultural leader in San Francisco, organizing gays and lesbians when the AIDS epidemic ravaged those streets in the early 1980s. From a storefront on Market Street, he created a nationally recognized AIDS memorial quilt. He was the face of the anger and grief that swept through Castro in 1978 after the assassination of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to the Board of Supervisors.
Mr. Jones helped define Castro when he was younger, dancing seven nights a week in its gay bars, growing up, gathering with friends to drink and gossip. He is still recognized today when he walks on its sidewalks. “Hi, Cleve — I know who you are,” said Lt. Amy Hurwitz of the San Francisco Police Department after Mr. Jones began to introduce himself.
But in May, Mr. Jones, 67, moved to a small home with a garden and apple and peach trees 75 miles away in Sonoma County after the monthly cost of his one-bedroom apartment rose from $2,400 to $5,200.
His story is not just another story of a long-time resident who was forced out of the gentrifying housing market. Across the country, L.G.B.T.Q. neighborhoods in big cities – New York, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco among them – are experiencing a confluence of social, cultural and economic factors accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, reducing their influence and visibility. In a few cases, some LGB.T.Q. leaders say the very existence of neighborhoods is at stake.
“I walk through a neighborhood that has encouraged me for so many decades and I see memories of Harvey and the Rainbow Honor Walk, which celebrates famous queer and trans people,” said Mr. Jones as he led a visitor on a tour of his old neighborhood, pointing to empty storefronts and sidewalks. “I can’t help thinking that the time will soon come when the people walking up and down the street will have no idea what it’s all about.”
A big reason for this is housing costs. But there are other factors as well.
LGBT.Q. couples, especially younger ones, are starting families and considering more traditional features—public schools, parks, and larger homes—when deciding where they want to live. The appeal of “gay communities” as a refuge for previous generations seeking to escape discrimination and harassment is less urgent today, reflecting the growing acceptance of gays and lesbians. And dating apps have replaced the gay bar as the place that leads to a relationship or a sexual encounter for many.
Many gay and lesbian leaders have said this could be a long-term redistricting, an unexpected result of the success of the gay rights movement, including the Supreme Court’s recognition of same-sex marriage in 2015, which is pushing for equal rights and integration into mainstream society.
There are few places where this transformation is more visible than in the Castro, long a barometer of the development of gay and lesbian life in America. It’s a place where same-sex couples thronged the streets, sidewalks, bars and restaurants in defiance and celebration as L.G.B.T.Q. people in other cities lived a monastic life.
It was the stage for some of the first glimpses of the modern gay rights movement of the late 1960s; the rise of the political establishment by electing openly gay officials such as mr. Milk; and the strong community response to the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s.
“Gay clubs are going away,” Mr Jones said. “People need to pay attention to this. When people are dispersed, when they no longer live in geographical concentrations, when they no longer inhabit certain areas, we lose a lot. We are losing political power. We are losing the ability to choose our own and defeat our enemies.”
Cynthia Laird, news editor of The Bay Area Reporter, L.G.B.T.Q. newspaper based in San Francisco, she said she was reminded of this transformation every time she walked through the neighborhood.
“I wanted to get a picture of people walking on the rainbow crosswalk at the corner of Castro and 18th Street, and no one was walking,” she said. “The Castro and San Francisco have changed a lot in the last 25 years. We saw a lot of L.G.B.T.Q. people move from San Francisco to Oakland—where I live—and even further to the East Bay.”
Departure of Mr. Jones caused stress in gay neighborhoods across the country, all the more so because it happened in the middle of the annual Pride celebration that marks the progress of LGBT.Q. movement since the NYPD raided the Stonewall Inn gay bar in June 1969.
“I see in Houston that we’re losing our history,” said Tammi Wallace, president of the Greater Houston L.G.B.T. Chamber Commerce, who lives in Montrose, the city’s gay neighborhood. “A lot of individuals and couples are saying, ‘We can move to different parts of town and know we’ll be accepted.'”
Daniel B. Hess, a professor of urban planning at the State University of New York at Buffalo and co-author of a book on the development of gay neighborhoods, said U.S. Census data showed a decline in the density of same-sex couples in New York’s Chelsea and Greenwich Village over the past three decades. , Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., West Hollywood in Los Angeles County, and the Castro, which he called “America’s premier gay neighborhood.”
“Homosexuals are moving out of gay neighborhoods,” he said. “They are settling in other city neighborhoods and nearby suburbs. And non-L.G.B.T.Q. people are moving in and reducing the concentration of gay neighborhoods.”
dr. Hess said part of it is generational. The men and women who founded these neighborhoods “wanted to separate and be surrounded by gay people,” he said. “On the contrary, when you ask young people today what they want, they would rather choose an inclusive cafe. They don’t want anyone to feel unwanted.”
Some gay leaders have argued that the drive to live in communities of like-minded people is still a strong attraction and that there will always be some version of gayness, though perhaps not as concentrated and strong.
“I say this as a gay man: It’s nice to live in a community where there are a lot of other queer people, where I can go out and walk down the street to a gay bar,” said Scott Wiener of California State. a senator who lives in the Castro. “Where I can walk two blocks to get HIV. and S.T.D. test at a clinic that won’t judge me.”
“We have to be very deliberate about protecting these neighborhoods — and keeping them queer,” he said. “With that said, I also believe that Castro is very strong and has a very deep L.G.B.T.Q. roots.”
These changes follow a comparable pattern in American history: Immigrants establish ethnic neighborhoods to avoid discrimination and build community bonds, but these enclaves lose distinction and energy as succeeding generations move to suburbs that have become more welcoming
In this case, it is also a story about gentrification, economic cycles and social change. Gay men and women moved into relatively oppressed neighborhoods like the Castro and Montrose and fixed them up. When housing costs become too high, residents and younger generations move to another downtrodden neighborhood.
In New York, that meant moving from Greenwich Village to Chelsea to Hell’s Kitchen; in the Los Angeles area, moving from West Hollywood to neighborhoods like Silver Lake. But this time the migrations were more extensive.
“I know a lot of new gay dads who live in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, two neighborhoods in Brooklyn,” said Corey Johnson, a former New York City Council president who is gay and lives in Greenwich Village. “They are not traditional gay neighborhoods. Schools are better. It’s more accessible. And you have more space.”
Mr Johnson argued that this had actually led to an increase in the number of openly gay and lesbian members of the city council. But other LGBT.Q. leaders said there was real danger in this type of diaspora.
“I think it’s important to have spaces where we can walk, hold hands and maybe share a little kiss and not be too anxious,” said Tina Aguirre, head of the Castro L.G.B.T.Q. Cultural quarter. “We need to live in queer neighborhoods. It’s just not as hot as it was in the ’80s and ’90s.”
On a beautiful June afternoon, gay rainbow flags fluttered up and down Castro Street as Mr. Jones walked past reminders of a bygone era. The Castro Theater, a landmark for parades and protests for decades, is reopening after a long shutdown due to covid-19. Men mostly drank in bars, some sex shops were also open. At one point, a completely naked man walked nonchalantly along the sidewalk.
“I guess he’s trying to keep the neighborhood gay, too,” Mr. Jones said.
Mr. Jones stopped at a shop window where Mr. Milk camera store. In 1979, Mr. Jones lived two houses away and watched from his apartment as the police closed in on protesters on Castro Street following the lenient sentences given to Dan White, the former superintendent, for the assassination of Mr. Milk and George Moscono, Mayor of San Francisco. “On the night of the White Night riots, when the police counter-attacked, we were out on the fire escape up there just watching the chaos,” Mr Jones said.
Driven out of his Castro Street store, Mr. Milk later moved his camera shop to Market Street. This was the place that Mr. Jones used for the AIDS blanket project. Today it is a restaurant.
Mr. Jones is not happy about leaving this corner of San Francisco, but said he had no choice. He lived in his Castro apartment for 11 years before his landlord claimed he lost rent control protection because he lived in Sonoma County and effectively forced him out by more than doubling his rent. He said he liked the escape from his home in Guerneville, but he considered himself a city man from the day he arrived here as a teenager from Phoenix.
“Everything good in my life has come from this neighborhood,” he said.
What does the P stand for in Lgbtqiapk?
Pansexual: a person who feels attraction regardless of gender identity (The term bisexual is used for people who experience attraction to established gender binaries of male and female. To see also : Disney’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Misstep Threatens to Overshadow Chapek’s Reign as CEO.)
What does the P in LGBTQQIP2SAA stand for? LGBTQQIP2SAA | Abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, pansexual, two-souled (2S), androgynous, and asexual.
What does the in Lgbtqia+ stand for?
What do the I and A in Lgbtqia stand for?
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual. To see also : FAS Holds Information Session on Changes in Ownership Review Process, Says Gay | News.
What does Lgbtqia+ even mean?
Somewhat recently, the Pride acronym has adopted more letters. Many resources now refer to the LGBTQIA community, which stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual. While some of these words are often discussed, others may need further explanation.
What is the difference between proud and pride?
Pride refers to the satisfaction an individual derives from something. Proud, on the other hand, refers to a sense of pride. To see also : Three single, single fathers talk about their travels.. The difference between the two words is that pride can be used as a noun or a verb, but pride can only be used as an adjective.
What makes a person proud? Pride is often driven by low self-esteem and shame. We feel so bad about ourselves that we replace it with a sense of multi-value. We look for the faults of others to cover up our own.
What is the real meaning of pride?
1 : the quality or state of being proud: as e.g. a : excessive self-esteem : conceit. b : reasonable or justified self-respect. c : joy or excitement arising from some action, possession or attitude parental pride. 2 : proud or contemptuous behavior or conduct : contempt.
What is pride examples?
Pride is a state of high regard for oneself or another. An example of pride is the feeling of a parent when their child graduates from college. noun. 2.
What is the original meaning of pride?
In its original meaning, pride was hardly something to be proud of, as it carried the meaning of “excessive self-esteem” and “unreasonable conceit of multi-value.” In early usage, pride was also often found in a capital letter, referring to one of the seven deadly sins.
What does someone’s pride mean?
Someone’s pride is the feeling they have that they are better or more important than other people. [disapproving] His pride may still be his downfall. Synonyms: conceit, vanity, arrogance, pretense More synonyms for pride.
What does pride mean to you in one word?
Is proud a negative word?
proud – (neutral) to have self-respect. confident – (positive) having confidence in one’s abilities. conceited – (negative) to be too proud of one’s abilities.
Is pride positive or negative?
Pride is often seen as a negative force in human existence—the opposite of humility and a source of social friction.
How is pride a good thing?
Those with healthy pride motivate and inspire others to take their lead and join them. They do not crave their successes so much as they show a desire to share them. As such, others gravitate towards them, as they rarely feel threatened or intimidated in their company.
What are the negatives of pride?
Pride is poison because it is the basis for disrespecting others and creating suffering in our lives. Excessive pride is the excessive valuing of oneself by devaluing others. It is often driven by low self-worth. We are so insecure that we compensate with a sense of multi-value.
Is pride a positive feeling?
Pride is usually a positive emotion or affect resulting from an individual’s autonomous personal evaluation of one’s own behavior, actions, possessions, relationships, belonging, self, or identity that is consistent with shared social and cultural values.
How can pride be a negative and a positive?
A proud person is negatively defined as one who has an unjustifiably high opinion of himself. It is the one who is arrogant and the one who appears haughty. But pride also has a positive side – when a person has dignity and self-respect.
What are the two types of pride?
Both types of pride were associated with different profiles of goal-regulation tendencies, affective tendencies, and self-control. Authentic pride was related to measures of self-control, while hubristic pride was related to measures of impulsivity and aggression.
What are the signs of pride? How they define pride
- Pride is being EGOISTIC.
- Overthinking of SELF.
- The basis of pride is too much SELF-LOVE.
- To think that the value of our SELF is greater than it really is.
- SELF WORSHIP.
- Preoccupation with one’s image or SELF.
- Pride is narcissism (infatuation with one’s image or SELF)
What kind of pride is good?
Healthy pride is expressed in an assertive manner and is most often communicated implicitly. This is a quiet, self-confident confirmation of one’s abilities. In contrast, unhealthy pride is a much more aggressive – and explicit – statement not of ability per se, but of personal superiority.
What are the kinds of pride?
We distinguish three types of pride, dignity, multi-value and arrogance, highlight their mental components and present two experimental studies that show that they are expressed through different combinations of smile, eyebrow and eyelid position and head posture.
What is good pride in the Bible?
James 4:6 tells us, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” A great example of great pride is seen in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Luke 18: 9-14.
What does pride mean in Christianity?
Pride alienates God. Whether consciously or not, the proud are alienated from God. As May explains, “pride is self-devotion, self-justification, and self-aggrandizement in contempt of God.” This contempt can lead to outright rebellion, but not always. It is usually expressed as “resistance” to God.
What does God say about good pride?
Pride is serious. That’s why the Bible says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5 “Young men, be in subjection to those who are older.” Put on humility, all of you, toward one another, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. ‘â€
What is pride in the Bible?
The sin of pride is excessive preoccupation with oneself and one’s own importance, achievements, status or possessions. This sin is considered rebellion against God because it ascribes to itself the honor and glory that belongs only to God.
What is Two-Spirit 2S?
Two-spirit (also two spirit, 2S, or occasionally twospirited) is a modern pan-Indian umbrella term used by some North American indigenous peoples to describe natives in their communities who fulfill traditional third gender (or other gender-variant) ceremonial and social roles in their cultures.
What is the Two Spirit Flag? Two-spirited flag (also two-spirited or occasionally twospirited) is a modern pan-Native American umbrella term used by some indigenous North Americans to describe certain people in their communities who fulfill a traditional third gender (or other variant gender). ) role in their cultures.
What does 2 stand for in lgbtq2?
Sep 19, 2019. Sexual orientations and gender identities other than heterosexual or cisgender are often described by the acronym LGBTQ2S. LGBTQ2S is an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and two-spirit.
What does the term two spirited mean?
“Twin spirit” is a term used in some indigenous communities to encompass cultural, spiritual, sexual, and gender identity. The term reflects complex Native understandings of gender roles, spirituality, and a long history of sexual and gender diversity in Native cultures.
What is the meaning of Two-Spirit?
“Twin spirit” is a term used in some indigenous communities to encompass cultural, spiritual, sexual, and gender identity. The term reflects complex Native understandings of gender roles, spirituality, and a long history of sexual and gender diversity in Native cultures.
Where does 2 spirit come from?
The term “two spirits” is credited with coining to Elder Myra Laramee, who suggested its use during the third annual Native American, First Nations, Gay and Lesbian Intertribal Conference held in Winnipeg in 1990. The term is a translation of the Anishinaabemowin niizh manidoowag, two spirits.
Where does the word two spirited come from?
The term “two spirits” is credited with coining to Elder Myra Laramee, who suggested its use during the third annual Native American, First Nations, Gay and Lesbian Intertribal Conference held in Winnipeg in 1990. The term is a translation of the Anishinaabemowin niizh manidoowag, two spirits.
What is the Ojibwe word for Two-Spirit?
The term Two-Spirit is a direct translation of the Ojibwe term, Niizh manidoowag. “Two-Spirited” or “Two-Spirit” is commonly used to refer to a person whose body is inhabited by both a male and a female spirit.
