gay pride

11 Things: To know about Gay Pride

Thursday, June 22, 2006

1. Why is there a celebration? To commemorate the rebellion of Stonewall Inn patrons in New York City's Greenwich Village in response to a routine police raid on June 27, 1969. Visit www.sfpride.org to learn more.

2. What's the basic premise? That people should be proud of who they are, sexual diversity is a gift and sexual orientation and gender identity are inherent and can't be altered.

3. What's the parade like? Imagine Carnaval, Mardi Gras, Good Vibrations, smiles, fun, dancing, music and laughter all rolled into one.

4. Where can I park? Pretty much nowhere. Take BART or Muni (or ride your bike).

5. Why so much skin? Because people like to let their hair down, and their shirts, and their pants ... OK, stop right there.

6. What are the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence perpetually indulging? You'll have to visit one of the many underground parties in the Castro on Pink Saturday to find out. Start at www.thesisters.org.

7. Why does Kansas sometimes get upset? Because San Francisco is "that Oz just over the rainbow" -- and because it's probably 100 degrees and humid in Kansas right now.

8. Who was Fernando Lamas? A famous Argentine actor and director (1915-1982) made even more famous by Billy Crystal's SNL character in the mid-1980s: "Saludos, my dahlings, and you know who you are! C'mon, let's mingle ... So nice to see you. Throw your hips into the air ... Like Cyd Charisse and Fred Astaire ... Let's crazy romance!!!"

9. Why was CNN's Anderson Cooper interviewing Mayor Gavin Newsom live from S.F. last week? Can't remember exactly. But I have to admit they looked mahhhvelous.

10. What's the definition of metrosexual? Not entirely certain, but Cooper interviewing Newsom clearly has something to do with it.

11. Am I gay? I'm straight, actually (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Email Tim Sullivan at tsullivan@sfchronicle.com

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/22/NSGLSJGLTR1.DTL

This article appeared on page H - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle