Did Fil Castro Trigger The US Gay Rights Movement? - The Atlantic

castro on gay rights

Members of the LGBTQ muny are worried that San Francis's Castro District, long the cultural center for gays and lbians the cy, is beg ls queer.

Contents:

FIL CASTRO TAK BLAME FOR PERSECUTN OF CUBAN GAYS

Concentratn mps for gays. Polil prisons where they were treated like ‘beasts.’ Listen up, liberals: Before you celebrate Castro, remember his victims. * castro on gay rights *

Image ptn, Mr Castro told Carmen Lira that he had not paid enough attentn to the treatment of homosexualsFil Castro has said that he is ultimately rponsible for the persecutn suffered by homosexuals Cuba after the revolutn of former print told the Mexin newspaper La Jornada that there were moments of great jtice agast the gay muny.

In the 1960s and 70s, many homosexuals Cuba were fired, imprisoned or sent to "re-tn mps" Castro said homosexuals had tradnally been discrimated Cuba, jt as black people and women. Amid the fawng enia released upon his long-overdue ath at the age of 90, should never be fotten that he was also an opprsor, torturer, and murrer of gay people.

FIL CASTRO’S HORRIFIC RERD ON GAY RIGHTS

Former Cuban lear Fil Castro said he acknowledg the persecutn of gays and lbians durg the Revolutn his untry, acrdg to a newspaper terview published Tuday. * castro on gay rights *

“We would never e to believe that a homosexual uld embody the ndns and requirements of nduct that would enable to nsir him a te revolutnary, a te munist ant, ” Castro told an terviewer 1965. ” In the ey of Castro and his revolutnary ra Che Guevara—who equently referred to gay men as marin, “faggots”—homosexualy was herently unterrevolutnary, a bourgeois nce.

In 1965, the regime tablished prison work mps known as Milary Uns to Aid Productn (UMAP), to which posed homosexuals, Jehovah’s Wns, and other “unsirable” elements. Alert to this news, the Mattache Society—one of the earlit gay rights anizatns the Uned Stat—held monstratns outsi the Uned Natns and the Whe Hoe succsively over two days. That same year, Allen Gsberg was expelled om Cuba for spreadg mors that Rl Castro—Fil’s brother and succsor as print—was gay and claimg that Guevara was “cute.

One of the untry’s most distguished wrers, Realdo Arenas, reunted the prison experience he and untls other gay men endured his memoir Before Night Falls. ” Gays prised a signifint portn of the 125, 000 Cubans (“worms, ” Fil Castro’s words) permted to leave the island for the Uned Stat as part of the 1980 Mariel Boatlift.

CASTRO ADMS 'JTICE' FOR GAYS AND LBIANS DURG REVOLUTN

* castro on gay rights *

(The 1984 documentary Improper Conduct, which tells the stori of gay and straight Marielos, remas one of the starkt dictments of the Castro regime.

) When the Human Immunoficiency Vis h the island’s gay muny the mid-1980s, the regime’s rponse was to quarante all HIV-posive people sanariums, referred to as “pretty prisons” by the founr of the World Health Organizatn’s Global Program for AIDS.

No doubt attuned to the way which gay rights has bee central to the agenda of a global left creasgly sensive to the claims of inty polics, the Cuban regime recent years has tried to fashn self as beg the vanguard of homosexual liberatn. But no matter how much life for gay Cubans might have improved om the days of forced labor mps, ’s all occurrg wh the ntext of a totalarian society whose cizens nnot vote, are nied basic eedoms like the right to speak or prott eely, and nnot form anizatns pennt of the ernment.

THE SUPREME COURT RULGS THAT HAVE SHAPED GAY RIGHTS AMERI

The Court led favor of gay rights as early as 1958. But s cisns haven't always sid wh the LGBT muny. * castro on gay rights *

Mariela is a hard-re munist who skirts around her fay’s horrific rerd of opprsg LGBT people, and her ersatz gay rights csa reeks of beg a vany project and personaly Wtern progrsiv nohels fall for this pkwashg chara. Outsi of the vlatns, historians regard the 1960s as an even more reprsive for one Cuban muny particular: the untry’s homosexual populatn.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, gay men were routely imprisoned for solicg sex public lotns, ernment workers lost their jobs bee of their homosexualy, and homosexual artists were censored. From 1965 to 1968, openly homosexual men were round up and rcerated UMAP (Milary Uns to Aid Productn) mps signed to turn them to the heterosexual ial.

MARIELA CASTRO WS GAY-RIGHTS ADVOCY AWARD

Over the weekend Philalphia, the dghter of Cuban Print Rl Castro and niece of Fil Castro received an award for her gay rights advocy. To unrstand the signifince of Mariela Castro's honor, you have to go back to the 1960's when gay people were sent to forced labor mps. * castro on gay rights *

7 In another se of historic persecutn, the famo Mariel Boat Lift of 1980, the Castro regime expelled thoands of homosexual Cubans he nsired among other “unsirabl.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Havana’s polici toward s LGBT muny began to change as munist lears around the world began to lean toward a more tolerant policy regardg homosexualy. 9 For example, 1977 the Cuban Natnal Center for Sex Edutn (CENESEX) was found by the Cuban Women’s Feratn, which “enuraged a more enlightened outlook on homosexualy and started to unrme tradnal sexual prejudic and taboos. Some have argued that another explanatn for Havana’s homosexual polici is that Cuba’s ntued pennce on the Soviet Unn for tra and assistance led to a Stalist-style tolerance of homosexualy throughout the earlier part of the .

CASTRO'S NIECE CASTS RARE 'NO' VOTE IN PARLIAMENT, CG GAY RIGHTS

14 The annulment of many of the remag laws the Penal Co that had prohibed homosexual nduct allowed thori to release those who had been prevly imprisoned for homosexual activy. 15 Durg this perd, the Cuban thori began to show greater tolerance toward homosexualy orr to enforce safe sex and to ga polil support for the regime om the LGBT muny and om cril ternatnal observers.

The Cuban ernment began to produce films and documentari nmng discrimatn agast homosexualy, and the medil muny Cuba began to scribe homosexualy as a natural mory ndn rather than a perverse choice. ” However, 1997, this language was modified to “hasslg wh sexual mands, ” gradually removg the distctn between heterosexual and homosexual behavr.

IS THE CASTRO GETTG LS GAY?

In addn, prev public sndal laws that penalized those who “publicly flnted their homosexual ndn” were later changed to those who engaged “sexual sult, ” ditg a more most tone agast homosexualy.

Although he once vulgarly referred to homosexuals as “agents of imperialism, ” and praised the Cuban untrysi for supposedly beg ee of homosexualy, his recent claratns exprs a much more tolerant sentiment. 24 Gay rights activists, both Cuba and abroad, have acced the Cuban thori of applyg the crime of “pre-crimal dangerons” unfairly to homosexuals, and ignorg plats of those who have been beaten or fired om their jobs bee of their sexual orientatn. 25 Other gay rights activists have cricized Mariela Castro for her nsistency and hypocrisy when to gay rights, argug that gay rights activists ntue to be imprisoned, beaten, or simply disappear while she provis ltle more than lip service to the issue.

DID FIL CASTRO TRIGGER THE US GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT?

For example, 2006, the Cuban state televisn released “The Dark Si of the Moon, ” the first soap opera on Cuban televisn ncerng issu of homosexualy. The most negative reviews nced the belief that the show was important, but as a way to warn people of homosexualy’s nsequenc rather than a way to promote tolerance and acceptance toward . 28 While the nnectn to gay rights is margal at bt, such an act do suggt yet another attempt by the Castro regime to mornize and adapt to the changg mands of s society.

Whether this more lenient policy translat to greater rights for gays the near future is unclear, but certaly suggts a willgns to nsir more progrsive ctoms, which is another promisg sign. Penalti towards gay men have gradually been rced, the ernment has exprsed s support for gay rights, and even gay civil unns have been serly proposed and nsired. STORY HIGHLIGHTSCuba sent openly gay men to labor mps wh no charg the '60s and '70sFil Castro acknowledg "persecutn" of gays and lbians durg the RevolutnCastro says the U.

Embargo agast Cuba enuraged his untry to be creative Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Former Cuban lear Fil Castro said he acknowledg the persecutn of gays and lbians durg the Revolutn his untry, acrdg to a newspaper terview published Tuday. "We had so many and such terrible problems, problems of life or ath, that we didn't pay enough attentn, " Castro said of the way gays and lbians were treated. But, members of the LGBTQ muny are worried that the cy's Castro District, long the cultural center for gays and lbians San Francis is beg ls queer.

CASTRO'S DGHTER SRNED BY LAWMAKERS, PRAISED BY GAY RIGHTS GROUPS

"But… I'm jt lookg around at my own iends and who are also gay and lbian and they're leavg the neighborhood, " The Castro's roots wh the gay rights movement began after World War II, when workg class fai moved out and gay men moved .

SEE ALSO: San Francis Giants 1st MLB team to wear Pri lors on the field "We've been seeg gayborhoods beg lost major ci all across the untry, " said Terry Bwick Executive Director for GLBT Historil Society. SEE ALSO: US rtor gay and transgenr health protectns reversal of Tmp-era policy District 8 Supervisor Rafael Menlman says 's important to strike a balance between matag the Castro's cultural inty while welg non-gays and straight fai. "But I do believe that is important to remember the history of the place, to be there for people who still need a gayborhood to meet people, to gather, to anize polilly, " said Menlman.

The Supreme Court of the Uned Stat (SCOTUS) was tablished 1789, but didn't le on a se that directly fluenced gay rights until nearly 170 years later. Sce then, the hight feral urt the untry has weighed on about a dozen other LGBTQ rights-related s, which have had powerful impacts on the gay rights movement and the liv of LGBTQ Supreme Court's First Gay Rights CaseSCOTUS's first gay rights se foced on the First Amendment—specifilly, how the rights of ee speech and prs apply to homosexual ntent. In 1954, Los Angel' postmaster Otto Olen orred feral postal thori to seize ONE, a homosexual magaze (the natn's first), argug that the magaze's ntent was "obscene.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* CASTRO ON GAY RIGHTS

Search-In</tle><sc>Created wh Sketch.</sc><g id="Events-Dktop-Redl" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-le="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-1106.000000, -311.000000)" fill="#8A8A8A" fill-le="nonzero" id="Search-In"><path d="M1116.72041,320.433962 L1116.04288,320.433962 L1115.80274,320.202401 C1116.64322,319.2247 1117.14923,317.955403 1117.14923,316.574614 C1117.14923,313.495712 1114.65352,311 1111.57461,311 C1108.49571,311 1106,313.495712 1106,316.574614 C1106,319.653516 1108.49571,322.149228 1111.57461,322.149228 C1112.9554,322.149228 1114.2247,321.643225 1115.2024,320.802744 L1115.43396,321.042882 L1115.43396,321.720412 L1119.72213,326 L1121,324.722127 L1116.72041,320.433962 Z M1111.57461,320.433962 C1109.43911,320.433962 1107.71527,318.71012 1107.71527,316.574614 C1107.71527,314.439108 1109.43911,312.715266 1111.57461,312.715266 C1113.71012,312.715266 1115.43396,314.439108 1115.43396,316.574614 C1115.43396,318.71012 1113.71012,320.433962 1111.57461,320.433962 Z"></path></g></g></svg></button></form></div><div class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-MegaMenu-___MegaMenu__megaMenu_Men"><ul class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-MegaMenu-___MegaMenuSectn__menu" style="transn:opacy 0.3s ease 0s, transform 0s ease 0.5s"><div class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__menu"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name__tle">News</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/polics"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Polics</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/science"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Science</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/tnnews"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Edutn</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/hog"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Hog</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/immigratn"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Immigratn</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/crimaljtice"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Crimal Jtice</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/silinvalley"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Silin Valley</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/fom"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Fom</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/liforniareport"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">The California Report</span></a></div></ul><ul class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-MegaMenu-___MegaMenuSectn__menu" style="transn:opacy 0.3s ease 0s, transform 0s ease 0.5s"><div class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__menu"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/arts"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name__tle">Arts & Culture</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/thedolist"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Crics’ Picks</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/artsmentary"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Cultural Commentary</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/food"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Food & Drk</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/bayareahiphop"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Bay Area Hip-Hop</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/rebelgirls"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Rebel Girls</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/artsvios"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Arts Vio</span></a></div></ul><ul class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-MegaMenu-___MegaMenuSectn__menu" style="transn:opacy 0.3s ease 0s, transform 0s ease 0.5s"><div class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__menu"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/podsts"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name__tle">Podsts</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/podsts/baycur"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Bay Cur</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/podsts/rightnowish"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Rightnowish</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/podsts/thebay"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">The Bay</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/podsts/onourwatch"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">On Our Watch</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/podsts/mdshift"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Mdshift</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/podsts/nsirthis"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Consir This</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/podsts/polilbreakdown"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name">Polil Breakdown</span></a></div></ul><ul class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-MegaMenu-___MegaMenuSectn__menu" style="transn:opacy 0.3s ease 0s, transform 0s ease 0.5s"><div class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__menu"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/rad"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name__tle">Live Rad</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/tv"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name__tle">TV</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/events"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name__tle">Events</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/tn"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name__tle">For Edutors</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/support"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name__tle">Support KQED</span></a><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" href="/about"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name__tle">About</span></a><a href=" class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk" to=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name ponents-NextHear-ponents-Menu-___Menu__lk_Name__tle">Help Center</span></a></div></ul></div><div class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-MegaMenu-___MegaMenu__megaMenu_Socials"><div class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-MegaMenu-___MegaMenu__megaMenu_Ins"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-MegaMenu-___MegaMenu__megaMenu_InsText">KQED is a proud member of</span><svg width="29px" height="10px" viewBox="0 0 29 10" versn="1.1" xmlns=" class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-MegaMenu-___MegaMenu__megaMenu_Ins_NPR"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-le="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-1161.000000, -810.000000)" fill="#231F20"><g transform="translate(1161.000000, 810.000000)"><path d="M0,9.95549326 L28.9906686,9.95549326 L28.9906686,0 L0,0 L0,9.95549326 Z M19.4831387,9.52669557 L28.5617592,9.52669557 L28.5617592,0.428853565 L19.4831387,0.428853565 L19.4831387,9.52669557 Z M9.95621965,9.52669557 L19.0348401,9.52669557 L19.0348401,0.428853565 L9.95621965,0.428853565 L9.95621965,9.52669557 Z M0.428909441,9.52669557 L9.52742197,9.52669557 L9.52742197,0.428853565 L0.428909441,0.428853565 L0.428909441,9.52669557 Z"></path><g id="Group-8" transform="translate(2.905588, 2.468017)"><path d="M1.17665684,1.49396936 C1.28343719,1.35545106 1.43206917,1.23811002 1.62193815,1.14485183 C1.81180713,1.05086724 1.99055665,1.0037632 2.15779557,1.0037632 C2.51987649,1.0037632 2.78076474,1.09953584 2.94018092,1.28985183 C3.09993237,1.48100597 3.17983603,1.78357823 3.17983603,2.19863025 L3.17983603,5.00950694 L4.31899403,5.00950694 L4.31899403,2.01870732 C4.31899403,1.39735857 4.15052582,0.91201368 3.81487457,0.565298844 C3.47927919,0.216963584 3.02047572,0.0434105973 2.44086686,0.0434105973 C1.83600173,0.0434105973 1.37876281,0.222663006 1.06881484,0.581391329 L0.858942004,0.125940462 L0.0381693642,0.125940462 L0.0381693642,5.00950694 L1.17665684,5.00950694 L1.17665684,1.49396936 Z"></path><path d="M10.5991312,1.33561484 C10.8107921,1.12412158 11.053241,1.0171736 11.3262545,1.0171736 C11.8499867,1.0171736 12.2259809,1.13496166 12.4533432,1.37003487 C12.6800349,1.60482871 12.7936881,2.00993468 12.7936881,2.58641445 C12.7936881,3.12540096 12.6791408,3.52044913 12.4509405,3.7704973 C12.2218461,4.02004258 11.8454607,4.14548574 11.3217285,4.14548574 C11.0459212,4.14548574 10.8047574,4.06211773 10.5991312,3.89526994 L10.5991312,1.33561484 Z M10.5991312,4.89116012 C10.8940484,5.03364566 11.22048,5.10578247 11.5794877,5.10578247 C12.3243239,5.10578247 12.9114202,4.89009846 13.3422854,4.45850694 C13.7723682,4.02780944 13.9869347,3.41165723 13.9869347,2.61368227 C13.9869347,0.90055896 13.209243,0.0434105973 11.6525744,0.0434105973 C11.2357902,0.0434105973 10.8846052,0.180587861 10.5991312,0.453657225 L10.5991312,0.125940462 L9.45980559,0.125940462 L9.45980559,6.34361869 L10.5991312,6.34361869 L10.5991312,4.89116012 Z"></path><path d="M20.7841603,2.23924701 C20.7841603,1.89404085 20.8855765,1.60214104 21.0898617,1.36276532 C21.2940909,1.1233896 21.5277114,1.00375761 21.79022,1.00375761 C22.0324455,1.00375761 22.2543877,1.06779229 22.4572759,1.19591753 L22.9379272,0.221148748 C22.7323568,0.10274605 22.4357634,0.0434050096 22.0493202,0.0434050096 C21.5229618,0.0434050096 21.1015399,0.226233526 20.7841603,0.592505202 L20.7841603,0.125934875 L19.6450582,0.125934875 L19.6450582,5.00950135 L20.7841603,5.00950135 L20.7841603,2.23924701 Z"></path></g></g></g></g></svg><svg versn="1.1" x="0px" y="0px" viewBox="223 234 346 144" width="59px"><g><path fill="#2638C4" d="M367,306c0,39.8-32.2,72-72,72c-39.8,0-72-32.2-72-72c0-39.8,32.2-72,72-72C334.8,234,367,266.2,367,306"></path><g><path fill="#2638C4" d="M547.4,298c-7.9-4.1-14.2-7.4-14.2-13.7c0-4.5,3.8-7.2,10.3-7.2c7.6,0,14.4,2.5,19.6,5.6v-16.3 c-5.4-2.3-12.9-4.3-19.6-4.3c-19,0-27.5,11.3-27.5,23.6c0,14.4,9.7,21.3,20.3,26.9c10.5,5.6,14.5,8,14.5,14c0,5.1-4.4,8-11.8,8 c-10.3,0-17.5-4.7-22.3-8.5l0,17.3c4.4,3.1,13.9,6.8,22.1,6.8c18.4,0,30.1-9.6,30.1-25.1C569,308.9,555.3,302.1,547.4,298z"></path><path fill="#2638C4" d="M406.8,262.8H384v86.4h17v-27.5h3.4c21.3,0,34.5-11.3,34.5-29.5C439,273.8,427,262.8,406.8,262.8z M401,277.2 h5c10,0,16.4,5.8,16.4,14.7c0,9.7-5.9,15.2-16.3,15.2H401V277.2z"></path><path fill="#2638C4" d="M493.3,302.7c5.8-4,8.6-9.9,8.6-17.8c0-13.6-10-22.1-26.2-22.1h-26.4v86.4h27.5c21.1,0,30.7-13.6,30.7-26.2 C507.6,313.1,502.1,305.4,493.3,302.7z M474.4,277.4c6.7,0,11,4.1,11,10.6c0,6.5-4.7,10.7-11.9,10.7h-7.2v-21.2H474.4z M466.3,334.8v-22.6h10.8c8.6,0,13.7,4.2,13.7,11.2c0,7.5-5.1,11.3-15.3,11.3H466.3z"></path></g><g><g><path fill="#FFFFFF" d="M347.5,306.7l-8,1.6v14.8c0,5-4.1,8.9-9.4,8.9H326v17.2h-13.2V332h4.1c5.3,0,9.4-4,9.4-8.9v-14.8l8-1.6 c1.7-0.4,2.6-2.3,1.8-3.8l-21-40.1h13.1l21,40.1C350.1,304.4,349.2,306.4,347.5,306.7z"></path></g><path fill="#FFFFFF" d="M320.5,302.9l-21-40.1h-21.7c-19.7,0-36.5,16.1-36,35.9c0.3,14.7,9.8,25.7,23,29.9v20.6h32.4V332h4.1 c5.3,0,9.4-4,9.4-8.9v-14.8l8-1.6C320.5,306.4,321.4,304.4,320.5,302.9z M293.3,300.6c-4.5,0-8.2-3.7-8.2-8.2s3.7-8.2,8.2-8.2 c4.5,0,8.2,3.7,8.2,8.2S297.8,300.6,293.3,300.6z"></path></g></g></svg></div><div><div class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Log-___Log__log ponents-NextHear-ponents-Log-___Log__log__megaMenu"><span class=""><svg class="in in-log ponents-NextHear-ponents-Log-___Log__log_In ponents-NextHear-ponents-Log-___Log__log_In__megaMenu" width="20px" height="20px" viewBox="0 0 20 20" versn="1.1" xmlns="><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-le="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-931.000000, -271.000000)" fill="#404040" fill-le="nonzero"><g transform="translate(931.000000, 271.000000)"><path d="M10,0 C4.48,0 0,4.48 0,10 C0,15.52 4.48,20 10,20 C15.52,20 20,15.52 20,10 C20,4.48 15.52,0 10,0 Z M10,3 C11.66,3 13,4.34 13,6 C13,7.66 11.66,9 10,9 C8.34,9 7,7.66 7,6 C7,4.34 8.34,3 10,3 Z M10,17.2 C7.5,17.2 5.29,15.92 4,13.98 C4.03,11.99 8,10.9 10,10.9 C11.99,10.9 15.97,11.99 16,13.98 C14.71,15.92 12.5,17.2 10,17.2 Z"></path></g></g></g></svg></span><span tabx="0" class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Log-___Log__log_Lk ponents-NextHear-ponents-Log-___Log__log_Lk__megaMenu">Sign In</span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="ponents-NextHear-___NextHear__hear_Items"><a class="ponents-NextHear-___NextHear__hear_Logo" href="/"><svg class="logo logo-kqed" viewBox="0 0 99 31" versn="1.1" xmlns="><tle>KQED</tle><g fill="none"><path fill="#FFF" d="M6.988 13.215l-3.615 3.688v9.036H0V0h3.373v12.662L15.423 0h4.155l-10.3 10.757L20 26h-4.096M56.41 14.226v8.647H71V26H53V0h17.522v3.19H56.35v7.848h12.258v3.188"></path><path class="highlight" d="M47.866 13.69C47.866 6.27 41.68.223 34.232.223 26.72.223 20.534 6.27 20.534 13.69c0 7.42 6.123 13.53 13.698 13.53 2.398 0 4.607-.623 6.564-1.683l4.23 5.175 2.65-2.12-4.103-5.05c2.65-2.432 4.293-5.986 4.293-9.852zm-23.86.063c0-5.55 4.608-10.1 10.226-10.1 5.617 0 10.225 4.55 10.288 10.1 0 5.55-4.608 10.1-10.225 10.1-5.618 0-10.29-4.614-10.29-10.1z" fill="#fff"></path><path d="M99 13.03C99 6.856 94.732 0 85.144 0H75v26h10.144C93.742 26.06 99 19.762 99 13.03zM78.588 3.274h5.876c7.423 0 10.763 4.508 10.763 9.82 0 3.273-1.98 9.82-10.578 9.82h-6.062V3.272z" fill="#FFF"></path></g></svg></a><div class="ponents-NextHear-___NextHear__hear_Tagle">Inform. Inspire. Involve.</div><div class="ponents-NextHear-___NextHear__hear_Post"><div class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-SaveArticle-___SaveArticle__SaveArticle"><a href="#" tabx="0"><svg class="in ponents-NextHear-ponents-SaveArticle-___SaveArticle__SaveArticle_In" width="24px" height="24px" viewBox="0 0 24 24" versn="1.1" xmlns="><tle>Save Article</tle><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-le="evenodd"><g><polygon pots="0 0 24 0 24 24 0 24"></polygon><path d="M19,3 L5,3 L5,21 L12,18 L19,21 L19,3 Z M17,18 L12,15.82 L7,18 L7,5 L17,5 L17,18 Z" fill="#fff" fill-le="nonzero"></path></g></g></svg></a><span>Save Article</span></div></div><div class="ponents-NextHear-___NextHear__hear_Log"><div class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Log-___Log__log"><span class=""><svg class="in in-log ponents-NextHear-ponents-Log-___Log__log_In" width="20px" height="20px" viewBox="0 0 20 20" versn="1.1" xmlns="><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-le="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-931.000000, -271.000000)" fill="whe" fill-le="nonzero"><g transform="translate(931.000000, 271.000000)"><path d="M10,0 C4.48,0 0,4.48 0,10 C0,15.52 4.48,20 10,20 C15.52,20 20,15.52 20,10 C20,4.48 15.52,0 10,0 Z M10,3 C11.66,3 13,4.34 13,6 C13,7.66 11.66,9 10,9 C8.34,9 7,7.66 7,6 C7,4.34 8.34,3 10,3 Z M10,17.2 C7.5,17.2 5.29,15.92 4,13.98 C4.03,11.99 8,10.9 10,10.9 C11.99,10.9 15.97,11.99 16,13.98 C14.71,15.92 12.5,17.2 10,17.2 Z"></path></g></g></g></svg></span><span tabx="0" class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-Log-___Log__log_Lk">Sign In</span></div></div></div></div></div><div id="navBar" class="ponents-NextHear-___NextHear__subnav"><div class="ponents-NextHear-___NextHear__gradient"></div><nav class="ponents-NextHear-___NextHear__subnav_Inner"><div class="ponents-NextHear-___NextHear__subnav_PageMenu"><div class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__wrap"><ul class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav unfed"><li class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Item" data-x="0"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Lk" data-transn-unrle="te" data-transn-dropdown="false" href="/"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_LkText">News</span></a></li><li class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Item" data-x="1"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Lk" data-transn-unrle="te" data-transn-dropdown="false" href="/polics"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_LkText">Polics</span></a></li><li class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Item" data-x="2"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Lk" data-transn-unrle="te" data-transn-dropdown="false" href="/science"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_LkText">Science</span></a></li><li class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Item" data-x="3"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Lk" data-transn-unrle="te" data-transn-dropdown="false" href="/tnnews"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_LkText">Edutn</span></a></li><li class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Item" data-x="4"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Lk" data-transn-unrle="te" data-transn-dropdown="false" href="/hog"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_LkText">Hog</span></a></li><li class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Item" data-x="5"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Lk" data-transn-unrle="te" data-transn-dropdown="false" href="/immigratn"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_LkText">Immigratn</span></a></li><li class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Item" data-x="6"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Lk" data-transn-unrle="te" data-transn-dropdown="false" href="/crimaljtice"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_LkText">Crimal Jtice</span></a></li><li class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Item" data-x="7"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Lk" data-transn-unrle="te" data-transn-dropdown="false" href="/silinvalley"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_LkText">Silin Valley</span></a></li><li class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Item" data-x="8"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Lk" data-transn-unrle="te" data-transn-dropdown="false" href="/fom"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_LkText">Fom</span></a></li><li class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Item" data-x="9"><a class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_Lk" data-transn-unrle="te" data-transn-dropdown="false" href="/liforniareport"><span class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_LkText">The California Report</span></a></li><div></div><div class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_ItemUnrle" style="left:0;width:0;transn-property:all"></div><div class="ponents-NextHear-ponents-PageMenu-___PageMenu__subnav_DropdownBg" style="width:240px;height:0;marg-top:10px;transn-property:all"></div></ul></div></div></nav></div></hear><d id="kqed-d-player" preload="none" src="></d><ma class="page-ma" id="ma-ntent"><div><div class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-___PostView__postView"><div><div id="scrollnews_11634601"><div class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostMise-___PostMise__wrap rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostMise-___PostMise__wrap__first"><div class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostMise-___PostMise__ntaer ntaer"><article class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostMise-___PostMise__mpost"><div class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostMise-___PostMise__mpost_Column rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostMise-___PostMise__lumn__Standard"><div class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostMise-___PostMise__mpost_Tle"><div><div class="ponents-Label-___Label__postLabel"><span class="ponents-Label-___Label__tegoryLabel" target="_self" rel=""><span class="ponents-Label-___Label__tegoryLabel_Text">Bay Cur</span></span></div><h1 class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostTle-___PostTle__tle">Is the Castro Gettg Ls Gay?</h1></div></div><div><div class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostListen-___PostListen__articleListen"><button class="ponents-ListenButton-___ListenButton__listen rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostListen-___PostListen__listenButton"><svg class="in in-playCircle ponents-ListenButton-___ListenButton__listen_In" viewBox="0 0 45 45" versn="1.1" xmlns="><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-le="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-184.000000, -4983.000000)"><g transform="translate(184.000000, 4983.000000)"><path class="circle" d="M22.5,0 C34.9271341,0 45,10.0728659 45,22.5 C45,34.9271341 34.9271341,45 22.5,45 C10.0728659,45 0,34.9271341 0,22.5 C0,10.0728659 10.0728659,0 22.5,0 Z" id="Shape" fill="#EC0046"></path><polygon class="symbol" fill="#FFFFFF" pots="17 12 17 33.1342308 34.1086631 22.5671154"></polygon></g></g></g></svg><span class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostListen-___PostListen__articleListen_Label">Listen</span></button><div class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostListen-___PostListen__articleListen_Duratn"><span><span>10<!-- -->:</span><span>43</span></span></div></div></div><div class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostMise-___PostMise__mpost_Info"><div class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostMise-___PostMise__mpost_Authors"><span class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostAuthors-___PostAuthors__thors"><span class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostAuthors-___PostAuthors__thor"><a href="/thor/rlevi"><span>Ryan Levi</span></a><a class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostAuthors-___PostAuthors__twter" tle="Ryan Levi on Twter" href="><svg class="in in-twter unfed" xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 23 18" height="18px" width="23px"><path class="lor" fill="#dadada" d="M22.357 2.718c-.827.338-1.654.592-2.574.676a4.6 4.6 0 002.023-2.281c-.92.507-1.839.845-2.85 1.014-.827-.845-2.022-1.352-3.31-1.352-2.481 0-4.504 1.859-4.504 4.14 0 .338 0 .676.092.93-3.86-.17-7.17-1.86-9.376-4.394a3.586 3.586 0 00-.644 2.112c0 1.436.828 2.704 2.023 3.464-.736 0-1.471-.169-2.023-.507v.085c0 2.027 1.563 3.717 3.585 4.055-.367.085-.735.17-1.195.17-.275 0-.551 0-.827-.085.552 1.69 2.206 2.872 4.229 2.872a9.724 9.724 0 01-5.608 1.774c-.368 0-.735 0-1.103-.084a13.705 13.705 0 006.895 1.859c8.365 0 12.87-6.337 12.87-11.829V4.83c.919-.591 1.654-1.351 2.297-2.112z"></path></svg></a></span></span></div><div class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostMise-___PostMise__mpost_Date"><time class="ponents-DateFormatted-___DateFormatted__dateTime" dateTime="2017-12-06T11:00:42.000Z">Dec 6, 2017</time></div><sectn class="ponents-SavePost-___SavePost__saveArticleWrap rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostMise-___PostMise__mpost_SavePost"><div class="ponents-SavePost-___SavePost__saveArticle ponents-SavePost-___SavePost__saveArticle__unsaved"><a href="#" tabx="0"><svg class="in ponents-SavePost-___SavePost__saveArticle_In" width="24px" height="24px" viewBox="0 0 24 24" versn="1.1" xmlns="><tle>Save Article</tle><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-le="evenodd"><polygon pots="0 0 24 0 24 24 0 24"></polygon><path class="lor" d="M19,3 L5,3 L5,21 L12,18 L19,21 L19,3 Z M17,18 L12,15.8 L7,18 L7,5 L17,5 L17,18 Z" fill="#636363" fill-le="nonzero"></path><polygon class="lor" fill="#fff" pots="17 18 12 15.8 7 18 7 5 17 5"></polygon></g></svg></a>Save Article</div><div class="ponents-SavePost-___SavePost__savedArticle ponents-SavePost-___SavePost__savedArticle__unsaved"><h2>Failed to save article</h2><p>Please try aga</p></div></sectn><div class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostMise-___PostMise__mpost_Spacer"></div><div class="rout-Se-rout-Post-ponents-Post-ponents-PostMise-___PostMise__mpost_Social"><ul class="ponents-SocialMi-___SocialMi__social ponents-SocialMi-___SocialMi__social__morn"><li class="ponents-SocialMi-___SocialMi__social_em"><a class="ponents-ShareButton-___ShareButton__button ponents-ShareButton-___ShareButton__button__morn"><span class="ponents-ShareButton-___ShareButton__button_Label">Facebook</span><svg class="in in-facebook ponents-ShareButton-___ShareButton__button_In ponents-ShareButton-ponents-ShareFacebook-___ShareFacebook__share" width="32px" height="32px" viewBox="0 0 32 32" versn="1.1" xmlns="><tle>Share-FB</tle><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-le="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-558.000000, -239.000000)"><g transform="translate(559.000000, 240.000000)"><ellipse class="circle" stroke="#939393" stroke-width="0.9" fill="#ffffff" fill-le="nonzero" cx="15.2586868" cy="15" rx="15.2586868" ry="15"></ellipse><path class="symbol" d="M13.6388196,22 L13.6181818,15.1818182 L11,15.1818182 L11,12.4545455 L13.6181818,12.4545455 L13.6181818,10.75 C13.6181818,8.2195 15.1225367,7 17.2896189,7 C18.3276756,7 19.2198276,7.08050227 19.4798262,7.11648864 L19.4798262,9.76100909 L17.9768393,9.76171818 C16.7982582,9.76171818 16.5700575,10.3450955 16.5700575,11.2011659 L16.5700575,12.4545455 L20,12.4545455 L18.6909091,15.1818182 L16.5700575,15.1818182 L16.5700575,22 L13.6388196,22 Z" id="Mask" fill="#939393"></path></g></g></g></svg><span></span></a></li><li class="ponents-SocialMi-___SocialMi__social_em"><a href=" class="ponents-ShareButton-___ShareButton__button ponents-ShareButton-___ShareButton__button__morn" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span class="ponents-ShareButton-___ShareButton__button_Label">Twter</span><svg class="in in-twter ponents-ShareButton-___ShareButton__button_In ponents-ShareButton-ponents-ShareTwter-___ShareTwter__share" width="32px" height="32px" viewBox="0 0 32 32" versn="1.1" xmlns="><tle>Share-Twter</tle><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-le="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-603.000000, -239.000000)"><g transform="translate(604.000000, 240.000000)"><ellipse class="circle" stroke="#939393" stroke-width="0.9" fill="#ffffff" fill-le="nonzero" cx="15.2586868" cy="15" rx="15.2586868" ry="15"></ellipse><path class="symbol" d="M23.9008621,10.400522 C23.3045797,10.6440911 22.7082974,10.8267678 22.0457615,10.8876601 C22.7082974,10.5223065 23.2383261,9.91338392 23.5033405,9.24356905 C22.8408046,9.60892261 22.1782687,9.85249166 21.4494792,9.97427618 C20.8531968,9.36535357 19.9919001,9 19.0643499,9 C17.2755029,9 15.8179239,10.3396298 15.8179239,11.9837208 C15.8179239,12.2272899 15.8179239,12.4708589 15.8841774,12.6535357 C13.1015266,12.5317512 10.7163973,11.3139059 9.12631106,9.48713809 C8.7950431,9.97427618 8.66253592,10.4614143 8.66253592,11.0094446 C8.66253592,12.0446131 9.25881825,12.957997 10.1201149,13.5060274 C9.59008621,13.5060274 9.06005747,13.3842428 8.66253592,13.1406738 C8.66253592,13.1406738 8.66253592,13.1406738 8.66253592,13.201566 C8.66253592,14.6629803 9.78884698,15.8808255 11.246426,16.1243946 C10.9814116,16.1852869 10.7163973,16.2461791 10.3851293,16.2461791 C10.1863685,16.2461791 9.98760776,16.2461791 9.78884698,16.1852869 C10.1863685,17.4031321 11.3789332,18.2556237 12.8365122,18.2556237 C11.7102011,19.0472231 10.3188757,19.5343612 8.7950431,19.5343612 C8.53002874,19.5343612 8.26501437,19.5343612 8,19.473469 C9.45757902,20.3259606 11.1801724,20.8130987 12.9690194,20.8130987 C18.9980963,20.8130987 22.2445223,16.2461791 22.2445223,12.2881821 L22.2445223,11.9228286 C22.9070582,11.4965827 23.4370869,10.9485524 23.9008621,10.400522 Z" id="Mask" fill="#939393"></path></g></g></g></svg><span></span></a></li><li class="ponents-SocialMi-___SocialMi__social_em"><a href="mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20article%20om%20KQED&body=%2Fnews%2F11634601%2Fis-the-stro-gettg-ls-gay" class="ponents-ShareButton-___ShareButton__button ponents-ShareButton-___ShareButton__button__morn"><span class="ponents-ShareButton-___ShareButton__button_Label">Email</span><svg class="in in-email ponents-ShareButton-___ShareButton__button_In ponents-ShareButton-ponents-ShareEmail-___ShareEmail__share" width="32px" height="32px" viewBox="0 0 32 32" versn="1.1" xmlns="><tle>Share-Email .

TOP