Gay High Holy day has come and gone and the city is slowly winding down returning to it’s normal self. There are lots of “boys” still hanging out. The difference today is no more leather. They’ve put all their drag away and switched back into regular garb. The scruff and 5 O’clock shadow promptly shaved away and replaced w/some much needed moisturizer. Yes, gone are the wanna-be daddies. In it’s place, packs of boys1 roaming the streets w/shopping bags and designer sunglasses in tow. I can’t hep but see the irony in it all. We go out of our way to dispel the negative stereotypes of the past while creating new ones for the future. The point here kiddies is you don’t have to dress up to have a good time. Go as yourself for a change. I just can’t help but laugh at how we shun drag queens but we uplift leather drag. Don’t kid yourself, it is drag just in a different fashion. (pun intended)
For all it’s glamour, Folsom has become a victim of it’s own growth. The event was started by the leather community as a way to give back to the community whilst celebrating diversity and sexual freedom. In the early years, it was truly an event not to be missed. And like many overlooked distinctions in our culture, Folsom has become just another catch phrase for corporate sponsorship and excuse to party to excess2. I can’t tell you the number of gasps I got when folks learned I had a free ticket to both Magnitude and Real Bad3, neither of which I went to. God forbid I miss out on the ‘it parties‘, whatever that means.
For my part, I had a good time at Folsom. But I have a good time at almost anything I set my mind too. I think next year I’ll work the event as an EMT or skip it all together. Too much focus is placed on the look and parties vs the meaning behind it these days. The newness has long worn off for me and I already live most of the things Folsom is supposed to represent.
A nod here to We, Like Sheep4.
1 ‘boy’ is my term for the trendy tight t-shirt and shorts combo that is almost the standard gay apparel these days.
2 Please don’t confuse my rant as an open dislike for the fair. It offers so much to so many. Anytime someone has a chance to express themselves, whatever the reasons, I support that. My life is already an open expression so I guess the purpose of Folsom is lost on me.
3 Working for a charity involved in the community does have it’s rewards.
4 I totally stole his method of using footnotes as expressions. I just thought it fair to give him credit.
One way or another, it’s San Francisco. We all need a little excitement, change of pace, and a means of expressing ourselves. Sooner or later, commercialism, corporate sponsorship, whatever you desire to call it, moves in. To some extent it sustains the growth of an event over the years.
Anyhoo…..so I guess life is back to status quo until next weekend’s event.
I really like the “footnote idea” as a way to explain things as an aside. I might have to try that in one of my posts.
Glad to hear that Folsum went well. I have an idea for next year (if I may be so bold). Maybe your EMT squad or maybe even all of them as a group could sponsor a booth and you could man it. Like a public service to link the community to what all you hardworking EMTs do every day. Don’t know if I’m explaining myself well enough, but I thought it might be good as a community outreach/informational kind of thing. 🙂
From seeing the photos on some other blogs I was quite surprised at wat you can get away with. But from the commentary I read it sounds like you know what to expect to see there. So I hear you on it perhaps getting old.
I like the foot note idea. It was a nice touch.