top
San Francisco
San Francisco
Indybay
Indybay
Indybay
Regions
Indybay Regions North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area California United States International Americas Haiti Iraq Palestine Afghanistan
Topics
Newswire
Features
From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature

Don't Hate What You Don't Understand

by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
Most Americans oppose restrictions on LGBTQ+ people, yet Republican state and local lawmakers are pursuing hundreds of bills targeting their rights across the U.S.
San Francisco reacted on April 8 with even more than the usual outrageous style of a Bay Area protest.
sm_dragupyokojohn_terry_scussel__1.jpg
Photos by Terry Scussel, ProBonoPhoto
Please credit the photographer

In a clever bit of street theater, a John Lennon/Yoko Ono lookalike duo appeared to be naked in a recreation of the iconic original photo. They alternated carrying one sign that quoted Ru Paul "We are all born naked and the rest is drag" and another that read, "Don't hate what you don't understand." As eye catching as their appearance was, the team of two "bare naked" demonstrators was hardly the flashiest attraction at the Drag Up! Fight Back! protest of April 8.

Psychedelic colored wigs and glamorous gowns were the order of the day and it was hard to proclaim one drag queen the best until another one appeared to take the cake. Folks in solidarity with the trans/queer/drag cause carried signs of support and some donned large rainbow flag colored sunglasses.

Of course the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence made a grand appearance, with Sister Rosa at the front of the march. Another member of the sorority wore a photo of recently deceased drag star Heklina attached to their headdress. Heklina was a pioneering figure in the San Francisco drag scene and an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ causes who tragically died in London just two days before the march.
§Bevy of Beauties
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_1950_terry_scussel__1.jpg
§Crowd
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_crowdterry_scussel__1.jpg
§Fiery footwear
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_fieryterry_scussel__1.jpg
§Don't Hate
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_dont_hate_yoko_terry_scussel__1.jpg
§fists of power
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_fists_marchterry_scussel__1.jpg
§Flag of many colors
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_flagterry_scussel__1.jpg
§Rainbow colored sunglasses
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_glasses__terry_scussel__1.jpg
§Long live queens
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_long_live_queensterry_scussel_.jpg
§Love Students
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_love_students_terry_scussel_.jpg
§March
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_marchcloseupterry_scussel_.jpg
§not a crime
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_not_a_crimeterry_scussel_.jpg
§Honey Mahogany wore black
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_sister_r_honey_terry_scussel_.jpg
§Stop Genocide
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_stop_genocideterry_scussel_.jpg
§Solidarity
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragupkoksolkterry_scussel_.jpg
§more of the crowd
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragup_wowterry_scussel_.jpg
§Drag is Freedom
by Drag Up Fight Back Demo in SF
sm_dragupdragfisfreedomterry_scussel_.jpg
Add Your Comments
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!

Donate

$230.00 donated
in the past month

Get Involved

If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.

Publish

Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.

IMC Network