Posts Tagged ‘Journal’

Gay marriage is finally happening. It’s full circle on something that I’ve been working on since 2004 when I worked on the Georgian’s Against Discrimination campaign in Georgia. I have to thank all the people who fought long and hard for it here in California. After 2004 I was rather burned out on gay marriage… well, politics in general really. I told myself that I didn’t believe in marriage anyway, but now that it’s here… the excitement in the air sparkles. Brian and I are thinking about tying the knot before November.

Jeff Parker and his partner Jim are my first wedding clients, getting married on 8th of July at Frank Lloyd Wrights Marin County Center. Exciting!

For those of you who did not get a chance to see the announcement, I have a few pictures from San Francisco City Hall.

I was also down there on Monday to take pictures of the first few couples getting hitched. It was nowhere near the madhouse that it was in 2004, when hundreds of couples tried to squeeze through city hall before the state revoked their marriage licenses. Monday was well scripted and well prepared for. Marriages were by appointment only: 8 every half-hour. There was a fleet of judges were on duty all day to speed up the process. There was only one Fred-Phelps-like Christian protester across the street. Practically every wide-open space in city hall was being used in some part of the marriage process. I was totally surprised by how many couples brought children with them.

Below is a collection of my flickr photos of the first few couples getting hitched.

A few stories that I loved where:

Kory O’Rourke and Kate Sheppard were at city hall four years ago, and #2 in line. This time they’ve got a little more of a handful with Keaton and Korbyn in tow.

David Bowers and Brucie Ivie are finally tying the knot. They met at Badlands 27 years and 3 months ago… found an apartment together 7 days later. And they’re not even lesbians!

Some of my photos got into Reuters YouWitness photos of the week. Not sure how long the link will work, but here it is.

A small gaggle of pro-war teenagers stood at the Civic Center grounds while thousands protested the 5th Anniversary of the Iraq War. The group eventually had to move across the street to avoid confrontation; but not before I caught the boys in mid-kiss.

And Cindy Sheehan was there as well, in a campaign to oust Nancy Pelosi. Link to Cindy’s Campaign.

Also seen was a pot-smoking Santa, a cop who seems to have had his head replaced by a frowny-face… and other protest characters…

Link to location on Google Maps.

Viagra ascii art

Originally uploaded by TroublePup

When stoners send spam.

My camera died while taking photos at Trannyshack. Really bummed, cause I can’t afford a new one.

If you’ve enjoyed my photos in the past and would like to help me buy a new camera, enjoy the gift of generosity and donate to my paypal account.

KumaSF highlights the IBR weekend with SugarKrash. Dj’s were DJ Rotten Robbie, 50pound Note, Freddie: King of Pants, Bun-D, Agent Adam, DJ Dann Edomond, LUVSIK, DJ Boyshapedbox and DJ Medic.

The highlight of the evening, of course was Tiffany.

Tiffany, Tiffany, Tiffany… You showed up in a room full(mostly) of KumaSF bears, and sang your heart out.  I was particularly tickled when you entreated the audience to  ”Sing Along!” to a song in which no one knew the words.  You were a treat to photograph, and such a good sport.  And I will never forget those pants.  

And when you left the building, I was happy that there was a drag-queen replica of you to act as a stand-in for fan photos.

Thank goodness everyone looked queer as hell in the receiving line.


The links you’ve all been looking for:
Gallery of the whole nights festivities (or slideshow).

For those of you not acquainted with Tiffany, I found an amazing fan(I think) site. There are some crazy ass quotes in the quotes section on Tiffany.org

LOLplanet

Originally uploaded by boyshapedbox

This was sooo f’ing true. Glad the last day is today!

Large speakers were set up at the corner of Market Street and Castro to broadcast Gus Van Sant’s voice, directing another scene from “Milk”.  There were a large number of extra’s on the street as both Sean Penn and Emile Hirsch hopped up on a box, yelling over the crowd with a megaphone.  Gus’s voice continually boomed, “More pantomime!”, “Less Pantomime”, “could the drag queen in the front please lower her hair”, while set workers moved through the crowd removing misspelled signs.   



Sean Penn(IMBD LINK) with megaphone playing Harvey Milk.

Emile Hirsch(IMDB LINK) as Cleve Jones. Aside from being Harvey Milk’s intern, Cleve is known for conceiving the NAMES project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Clevejones.com

And the two talking between takes.

Link to my Flickr Set “OMG: They’re making a movie in the Castro”

Link to photos tagged with “Harvey Milk Movie”

Some great background information from Towleroad Link

Coverage from Slashfilm.com Link

Photo of the night.  

Hollywood has come to the Castro as Gus Van Sant has actually started filming “Milk”, a movie about the life of Harvey Milk, San Francisco’s first openly gay elected official.   The neighborhood’s in a state of excited anticipation.   For those with no day jobs (myself included), you might even catch of a glimpse of Sean Penn arm-in-arm with James Franco with the occasional screen kiss. Sean’s butt in 70’s jeans Yesterday they were filming a rally at the Muni Station.  The Castro muni station has been boarded up because all of Market streetwas a construction site when the subway was being built in the 70’s.  And here’s a shot of a sleepy James Franco yawning between shots. Today I felt like the papparazzi.  Around the filming there are always people politely asking you not to take photos.  So hiding in the window of Hot Cookie… ahem.. I mean Double Rainbow… is necessary now and then to get a good shot.   For more pictures visit SFist: “More, More, More…“ and Gay Cities: “Milk: Sean Penn and Emile Hirsch“  Link to my continuing photo coverage on Flickr.  Towleroad has some great ongoing coverage of the Castro transformation and history.  Link

As Muni winds its way through the city, it carries the collective experience of everyone on board with it, and weaves threads of life into the fabric of the streets.