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Indybay Feature

It's time to De-Center the Center

by D. Boyer
Listen up! Its time to De-Center the Center
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On June 25th 2009, a banner was hung from San Francisco’s LGBT Center. After it was hung a group of people called Gay Shame gathered outside the center to show how they feel about the LGBT Center and it’s policies. Their performance was exciting, adventurous, and creative. Many people identified with their message. While they protested they made demands from their community center.

“Does today’s mainstream LGBT movement make you feel like you’re lost in an alternate reality?
Have you ever wondered why the Center sometimes seem like a ghost town?
Do you think the purpose of San Francisco’s LGBT Center is to serve everyone, not just rich people?

Then Listen Up! It is time to De-Center the Center.

Here is a list of the following demands made by Gay Shame and its admirers.
Make the facility accessible to everyone.(includes radical queers, youth, seniors, people living with AIDS/HIV, persons with disabilities, homeless, drug addicts, sex workers, recent un-documented immigrants and anyone elses who may be marginalized and disenfranchised.)
Provide services for the poor and disenfranchised.
Terminate Board of Directors and create a way for the public to raise funds.
Rename the Center.
MAKE A PUBLIC APOLOGY TO GAY SHAME FOR 2003 Newsom fundraising bashing.
Play a bigger role in advocating for radical queers.
Do not allow I.C.E in building.
Stop profiling bodies based on race, class, and gender.
Additional demands are:
Educate society about the concept of Gender Binary
Stop ethic profiling
Eliminate classism.
And do their part to fight Capitalism.
Help create a more politicized queer/trans community.
§Banner drop
by D. Boyer
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§Folks from the community.
by D. Boyer
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§
by D. Boyer
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§Poor always reaching for food?
by D. Boyer
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§I'm da cop...
by D. Boyer
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...move on folks.
§Hey you with the camera...
by D. Boyer
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...move on now please.
§Action outside the Center
by D. Boyer
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§Action outside the Center
by D. Boyer
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§Action outside the Center
by D. Boyer
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§Action outside the Center
by D. Boyer
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Corporate vs Non-corporate and Non-Corp. WINS.
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by gayma
thanks for the pictures and the action! the only thing I love about the center is that they have a great space for kids, so i always think awesome, they're making me welcome, but once I've dropped off my kid there's nothing interesting for me and I feel weir there.
by damn time!!
Yea, yea, Gay Shame! xoxox
by Sari
This is so rad, its great to see radical queer folks doing it up. I love gay shame and I love that yall are still being creative and doing direct action after all these years!
by Queerxcore
I generally hate cops but that one cop with the rifle, was really hot. They could put me in handcuffs anytime ; )

Awesome action BTW! Gay Shame always makes me smile!
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