My favourite memory as a Local Guide was the tour of LGBTQ history in San Francisco’s Castro district. As a member of the community myself, I felt it was important to learn about the influential movements that allowed us to be seen and heard, and to stand in a place where these battles took place.
One of the stops was the Harvey Milk Memorial Branch Library. This is a hub for many community events, often appealing to children and their parents in the neighbourhood. This was particularly fascinating as the library sought to teach families about the LGBTQ culture and history. They would also invite drag queens to read stories, which not something you would see at your typical library. It’s wonderful that the community partakes in teaching the future generation about equality.
I also stopped by the Catch restaurant, despite the kitchen still being closed in the early morning. What made this visit special was the wall of blankets put up for display. These blankets were created by families of AIDS patients in memorial of their untimely death. There was a variety of colours and patterns, put together to resemble the personality and memories that the deceased left behind. It was such an honour to be able to witness the families’ hearts and souls poured into this very special memorial.
One last part of the tour I wanted to mention was the Pink Triangle Park, as depicted in the image I posted. At this park, you will find triangular granite columns that are coloured pink at the top. They are meant to honour gay and lesbian Holocaust victims who were forced to wear a pink triangle as a means of shaming and ridiculing their existence. While a small park, no bigger than the neighbourhood front lawns, it held a very important, very crucial message: that love and acceptance are timeless and here to stay.
This was such an emotional experience, and I am so glad to be a member of this community, who continually fights for a righteous cause. Too many people have become ostracized for just trying to love who they love. As a Local Guide, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as a voice for a minority group which prides itself on its acceptance of all individuals.
