San Francisco Burn Book: Pride Edition
In my time while being here in San Francisco, I have grown to be more critical of the city since this is my second time visiting. In my previous blog, I talked about what Queer Joy looks like, this time I want to think about just the general things that either intrigue me, scare me, or make me want to look further.
I would like to preface that I am not a hateful or spiteful person, but I am a person with concerns and questions. Especially for myself, I found myself realizing how much San Francisco just felt like a bigger Eau Claire. I don’t think it is criminal to talk about the downsides of the place, especially if there are a lot of upsides. I bring the message as a way of telling people that being critical and talking about the hard things is part of the journey to figuring out how to be the best kind of ally/active learner in this process.
One hard thing about being in San Francisco is the lack of people with diverse perspectives. I have been honestly really astounded by some of the audiences' reactions to certain foreign films and just POC directors when they are explaining what their films are about. I felt in that moment that there could be a lot of diverse thinkers in this city but there were not enough people who understood much about each culture, even if people from the culture are around often. Racial themes seemed to be challenging for a lot of people this year, (not in the cohort, but in SF itself), so much so that I almost didn’t think that we were in SF at times but rather back at Eau Claire. This is something of interest to me just because I wonder how far progression looks like in a community like San Francisco. They are very liberal leaning when it comes to LGBTQIA+ rights, but I am unaware, or haven’t been proved differently, that they have much background knowledge on intersectionality. It’s honestly just a thought to have when you are thinking about what you fight for when you want everyone to have Queer Joy.
I bring something like this up because I feel it is important to come to this experience with as many diverse thoughts as possible, even when the people here don’t have them. I think this is a skill that people don’t even realize is a skill, and from my point of view, it’s like a cry for people to do their research. I always want people to start thinking how they can help bring awareness to other groups in need without exploiting them, including helping them thrive through proper divestment of funds, providing adequate housing, and much more. Petitions only go so far, and as a Black queer woman, I find it hard to see people like me on the streets or just not being recognized.
I urge those who have a voice to use it in the best way possible that you know. Ask to learn about others’ stories and what they go through. Ask someone about their life story and how they got to where they are now, whether that is in life, in classes, or in public. But do not fret, that doesn’t mean anyone is a bad person! It just means we all have room to grow when it comes to any kind of knowledge, including me. After going to pride, I think that gave me the sense of community that I was happy to see. I loved the performances, the people, and how much joy that I saw on display. I also think pride is the necessary step to take when you think you kind of have no hope in the world and things are literally at their worst! Celebrate pride with power, knowledge, and love! Always be who you are for your pride and uplift others through their journeys along the way.
With that out of the way, I wanted to end by saying that everyone is a great ally to themselves and the people around them! Always remember that someone will have your back no matter what you are doing or what you are facing. Happy pride everyone!
