The Sole Proprietor photographed the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade on Sunday, June 28, 1998. He arrived an hour early and exited BART at Market and 2nd Street where he found the Lesbian bike contingent preparing to lead the whole shebang. He judged it to be a photographic opportunity.
The Sole Proprietor has never attended one of these parades before, although he has lived in San Francisco and the Bay Area now for a number of years. The 10 car BART train, arriving an hour before the Parade started, was tightly packed with lots of gay people in a very good mood. Standing room only. One of the passengers was heard to say "there are no homophobes here". None, at least, that the Sole Proprietor could perceive.
This was a big deal. A day to shout your name out to a world where that name can get you killed. Even in sunny San Francisco. So celebrate and stick it in the straight world's face. Freak 'em out. Show them you don't give a shit. And have some fun. This is, after all, a parade.
The Sole Proprietor can remember long ago when the world wasn't safe for long haired freaks and he was a long haired freak. Not nearly as heavy as the gay trip, but one that will give you a glimpse of people who are frightened. Not the kind of people you want to meet on a lonely street. Frightened people will kill you and neither, really, will ever know why.