San fran gay district
After World War II, the Castro District began to shift from a working-class neighborhood into
a haven for members of the Diverse community seeking acceptance and equality during a moment of widespread discrimination. Then in 1977, local resident and civil-rights activist Harvey Milk solidified Castro’s place as a mecca for the LGBTQ+ community when he became the first openly gay elected official in California.
Milk was assassinated just one year later, but the Castro District honors his legacy through empowerment and inclusivity for marginalized communities, shaping an experience of belonging for generations of LGBTQ+ individuals. Today, the district invites you to explore its rich culture, delve into its captivating history, and be your authentic self.
So get ready to start on an unforgettable journey through this remarkable people — and don’t fail to catch a thing with our curated list of the top 10 must-dos in the Castro District.
If you want to learn more about the history of the LGBTQ+ community, there’s no better place to do it than the Castro District, starting with the GLBT History Museum. This cultural gem invites you to journey through time, exploring the
San Francisco Castro: Top Things to Do & Spot In this Famous, LGBT District
The San Francisco Castro district is an internationally recognized neighborhood that supports the LGBTQ (lesbian, same-sex attracted, bisexual, transgender and queer) community.
This progressive and accepting neighborhood was also home to one of the most significant male lover rights activists of the 1970s, Harvey Milk.
In my experience of visiting this district often, there are plenty of fun things to do here during the day and at night.
I love walking around this lively and colorful neighborhood. While this SF district is famous for its support of the LGBTQ community, you will find that many families also call this neighborhood home.
Is the Castro safe? Absolutely. In reality, due to its robust sense of community, it's one of the safest in San Francisco.
During your visit, you will immediately see the fun essence of the community all the way down to the names of some of the bars, restaurants and shops. My two favorites are "Does Your Mother Know" which is a gift shop and the "Sausage Factory" an Italian restaurant serving h
Historical Essay
by Chris Carlsson, 1995
Castro Street Fair, 1978
Castro Lane Scene 1970s
Photos: Crawford Barton, Gay and Lesbian Historical Society of Northern California
| Many across the Together States consider San Francisco to be a “Gay Mecca” due to its large gay community located primarily in the Castro District as well as the city’s relatively liberal attitude towards sex. Until the 1960’s, though, the Castro was largely a white working class Irish neighborhood known as “Eureka Valley.” A shift came during World War II, when many soldiers came to San Francisco and formed gay relationships. These soldiers then stayed in the city after existence discharged for homosexuality. In the 1950s, Beat Tradition erupted in San Francisco and notoriously rebelled against middle class values, thus aligning itself with homosexuality and helped bring same-sex attracted culture to mainstream attention. In the mid to late 1950s, groups such as the Daughters of Bilitis and the Mattachine Society were born, as well as the Tavern Guild, which was the first openly gay business association. By 1969, there were 50 gay organizations in San Francisco, and by 1973 there were 800. Unfortunately, Vibrant and eclectic, the Castro/Upper Market neighborhood is an internationally known symbol of gay freedom, a foremost tourist destination full of stylish shops and widespread entertainment spots, and a thriving residential area that thousands of San Franciscans call home. Its streets are filled with lovingly restored Victorian homes, rainbow event flags, shops offering one-of-a-kind merchandise, heritage streetcars, lively bars and restaurants, and numerous gay-borhood landmarks including Harvey Milk Plaza, the Castro Theatre, Pink Triangle Park and Memorial, and the large SF Female homosexual Gay Bisexual Transgender Collective Center. The Castro District, improve known as The Castro, is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California, which is also known as Eureka Valley. San Francisco’s same-sex attracted village is most concentrated in the business district that is located on Castro Street from Market Street to 19th Highway. It extends down Market Street toward Church and on both sides of the Castro neighborhood from Church Street to Eureka Street. Although the greater gay community was, and is, concentrated in the Castro many gay people live in the surrounding residential areas bordered by the . |