Monty and Frankie hosted since I was not able to this March due to the fire. They have an amazing house with a super-comfortable couch and it was Saint Patrick’s Day themed.
Vallejo Gay Network March Potluck
Category Archives: Gay
December 2023 Vallejo Gay Network Potluck
Friendsgiving 2023
Another fabulous Thanksgiving event at Tom Bilbo and Chris’ house with the Vallejo Gay Network.
Tabling at the Third Annual Bearrison Street Fair
Shando and I volunteered all day at the Bearrison Street Fair in San Francisco for LGBTQ Minus Tobacco. It was wonderful to see so many of our friends and let them know about my activism of this kind throughout the Bay Area, particularly in Vallejo. Plenty of Vallejoans were present as well!
Oakland Pride 2023
Saw a lot of friends at Oakland Pride, many of whom I had not seen since before Covid. Despite the way it might look in the pictures, it was very well attended. I was also pleased to read that the two competing Oakland pride events from last year had reached a detente, so they were consolidated this year.
We parked at a nearby lot and walked a few blocks through the City Plaza, which had some gorgeous architecture and murals. I also realized that the amazing oak tree in front of City Hall is the one featured in the Oakland logos. When I first saw the Corinthian columns, I didn’t even realize the ornate building next to me was City Hall.
We were really touched by the Breonna Taylor monument, which has its own history worth reading about.
One of the buildings reminds me so much of the Flat Iron building in New York City.
Furassic Park 2023
Despite the “carmagedon” on I-80 with the Labor Day Weekend shutdowns, we ventured into San Francisco to attend the Bears of San Francisco “Furassic Park” picnic in Dolores Park. In this first picture, look at the SIDE-EYE Snoopy is giving someone. So shady!
Gaggles of Gays at Downtown Vallejo August Nights
Another fun “August Summer Night” in downtown Vallejo last night! And yes, my shirt DOES say, “Don’t be a Salty Bitch.” It was the first time I wore it in public and I got a lot of laughs and compliments on it.
There was lots of dancing to excellent live music, we stopped by the Anchor Pantry, shopped at thrift stores, and we dined at the new-ish Thai Place on Sonoma Blvd. When this gaggle of five gays walked in, we soon found out the other occupied table also had five gays. What are the odds? Go Vallejo!
Here is some of the music and dancing spoken about. Also amazingly, the man with the white shirt is the father-in-law of Antonio’s sister who lives nearby in Walnut Creek. He performs with his band regularly at the Empress Theatre, so he recognized Antonio and Michael and came over and talked to us for a while, trying to get us all to dance with him.
I know I’m gay, but I don’t usually notice shoes, but these ones are to die for! You can see her walk by in the video above too!
Lazybear Week 2023
This video is mostly of the Russian River float we did on Tuesday, August 1.
Dore Alley-Up Your Alley Event
We planned to meet our friends on the ferry but with the baseball game we were not able to board the same ferry by about six people. We therefore decided to just drive, which turned out to not be too troublesome. Parking was even free and easy (especially because of it’s on a Sunday).
Italy and the EU
Shame on Italy. The gay news reports that some lesbian mothers are having their names removed from their children’s birth certificates to exercise their homophobic power.
Italy is my mother’s home country, where most of my relatives continue to live. The country may be risking a court overruling from the EU with this outrageous act of homophobia. I fought for years as part of what is now called FamilyEquality.org to make sure this kind of family destruction was not sanctioned by the United States in certain backward states. Now EU member countries are trying to push the envelope and reverse all the progress Europe has made toward recognizing all types of families.
I wrote Family Equality hoping they make a statement condemning what Italy is doing and how the EU should respond. As an Emeritus Board contact (with the honor of being listed on their website) and especially as an Italo-American, I am outraged to my core.
The organization was known as Gay & Lesbian Parents Coalition INTERNATIONAL (GLPCI) when I was on the Board between 1996-2001. While I’m glad they no longer have a trans-exclusive name, I do remember at our conferences having parents from other countries who wanted to see how the USA was securing rights for queer families like ours.