SECRET# 17 ...ADDA DADA IS A LESBIAN!
28 SECRETS IN 28 DAYS...
SECRET # 17
ADDA DADA IS A LESBIAN!
---------------------------------
OK...an HONORARY LESBIAN...but still a LESBIAN....I guess I need to explain this one!
so here it goes!
Back in the late 1970's...there was a HUGE rift between the Lesbian and Gay men community. The LESBIAN community was aligning themselves with the WOMAN's RIGHTS groups. There were many struggles going on all at the same time mind you...CHICANO and AFRICAN AMERICAN (BLACK) groups were also fighting for equality.
The gay men's community was also fighting for equality, though, they also were partying like there was tomorrow...and along with them was ADDA DADA.
There were many people, bars and even resturants that clearly divided their alliances with the GAY and LESBIAN and STRAIGHT communities. The revisionist theory that everyone was along each others side is pure hogwash. The communities were divided. EVEN IN SAN FRANCISCO!
There were very few gay men who had straight men or straight women, and/or lebian friends. For those who do not know, this is NO secret...ADDA had LOTS of friends from all fences and all colors.
(I won't go into me supporting the BLACK PANTHER PARTY in high school which gained quite a bit of attention and well, respect amongst the African Americans, and Asian Americans in my school. Its a great story...one day I will jot it down. )
Most gay men bars 'barred' woman, straight or gay, and there was definately a color barrier. One of the easiest ways to excluded folks was to ask THREE (3) forms of IDENTIFICATION (ID) when entering a bar. Who and the hell has 3 pieces of ID? Easy way to say, you're not coming in.
Well, since ADDA seemed to have a 'carte blanche' whereever he went, he made sure to include his friends...no matter their color or sex! Many of the 'in' places clearly were not going to 'card' my friends...such as MELINDA who was AMERICAN INDIAN and straight. She adored going out to gay bars with ADDA and having fun..and we did!
One of the 'safe havens' for many of those who were not included in the GAY MALE DISCO CROWD of the 1970's was the beacon of light (and punk/new wave music), the CAFE FLORE in the CASTRO.
Artists, dykes, drag queens, trendies, did i metion artists, poets, and the few gay men hung out in this former car sales lot turned into a greenhouse cafe. The previous owners purchased the cafe and let those who were 'left out' of the madness of the gay male clone CASTRO...enjoy their single cup of cafe for the day.
Don't worry, the previous owners made up for the lost revenue by selling the CAFE FLORE for over 2 million dollars! So it certainly paid off for them to let those poor drag queens sip their cafes all day long!
Anyway, ADDA had tons of DYKE friends who were kind and loving. I have always admired very STRONG woman, such as my straight mom, who provided a good role model that woman can make it out on their own, or even alone with their kids. I grew up with a strong 'leftie' family...and a strong mom.
(So those OF YOU who may be poo-pooing a 50 year-old gay man with their 80 year-old mom...I'M REALLY HAPPY & PROUD TO BE ABLE TO BE WITH HER NOW!)
OK..so, my DYKE friends, LAURIE, JD, LAUREN-GIRL, and crew adored my politics and my support...so, one day, at the CAFE FLORE at the outside table near the entrance had a 'cermony' where they pronouced that ADDA DADA was an HONORARY DYKE.
IT WAS SO DAMN COOL...and I can remember it so well..we were all sitting around a table and there were proclamations made by about 10 of my DYKE friends.
Each one stood up individually and stated why I should be welcomed into DYKEHOOD. It was really moving and totally impromptu.
I do not remember the exact words for needless to say, for once in my life, I was completely BLOWN AWAY.
Remember, this was in the days that there was a division between gay men and gay/lesbian woman!
So, BIG SECRET....ADDA DADA IS A HONARARY LESBIAN!
Also, it should be noted, that it was the LESBIAN COMMUNITY that came to the rescue of the GAY COMMUNITY when the A-bomb (AIDS BOMB) hit and NO ONE WANTED TO TOUCH ANY GAY MAN.
After so many years of exclusion within the gay community, it was the LESBIAN COMMUNITY that came to the rescue of so many of my gay male friends who were dropping...dying off at an alarming rate.
Today, the GAY /LESBIAN/TRANSGENDER community is united in the many stuggles that are still to be made....
ADDA would like to thank the LESBIAN community who came to aid of the GAY community in one of the most trying and dire times during the stuggle of GAY/LESBIAN/TRANSGENDER rights.
thank you for everything...and thank you for the honary title...it really meant/means so much to me. really reminds me of those fun and also the difficult days so long, long ago...
SECRET# 17 ...ADDA DADA IS A LESBIAN!
28 SECRETS IN 28 DAYS...
SECRET # 17
ADDA DADA IS A LESBIAN!
---------------------------------
OK...an HONORARY LESBIAN...but still a LESBIAN....I guess I need to explain this one!
so here it goes!
Back in the late 1970's...there was a HUGE rift between the Lesbian and Gay men community. The LESBIAN community was aligning themselves with the WOMAN's RIGHTS groups. There were many struggles going on all at the same time mind you...CHICANO and AFRICAN AMERICAN (BLACK) groups were also fighting for equality.
The gay men's community was also fighting for equality, though, they also were partying like there was tomorrow...and along with them was ADDA DADA.
There were many people, bars and even resturants that clearly divided their alliances with the GAY and LESBIAN and STRAIGHT communities. The revisionist theory that everyone was along each others side is pure hogwash. The communities were divided. EVEN IN SAN FRANCISCO!
There were very few gay men who had straight men or straight women, and/or lebian friends. For those who do not know, this is NO secret...ADDA had LOTS of friends from all fences and all colors.
(I won't go into me supporting the BLACK PANTHER PARTY in high school which gained quite a bit of attention and well, respect amongst the African Americans, and Asian Americans in my school. Its a great story...one day I will jot it down. )
Most gay men bars 'barred' woman, straight or gay, and there was definately a color barrier. One of the easiest ways to excluded folks was to ask THREE (3) forms of IDENTIFICATION (ID) when entering a bar. Who and the hell has 3 pieces of ID? Easy way to say, you're not coming in.
Well, since ADDA seemed to have a 'carte blanche' whereever he went, he made sure to include his friends...no matter their color or sex! Many of the 'in' places clearly were not going to 'card' my friends...such as MELINDA who was AMERICAN INDIAN and straight. She adored going out to gay bars with ADDA and having fun..and we did!
One of the 'safe havens' for many of those who were not included in the GAY MALE DISCO CROWD of the 1970's was the beacon of light (and punk/new wave music), the CAFE FLORE in the CASTRO.
Artists, dykes, drag queens, trendies, did i metion artists, poets, and the few gay men hung out in this former car sales lot turned into a greenhouse cafe. The previous owners purchased the cafe and let those who were 'left out' of the madness of the gay male clone CASTRO...enjoy their single cup of cafe for the day.
Don't worry, the previous owners made up for the lost revenue by selling the CAFE FLORE for over 2 million dollars! So it certainly paid off for them to let those poor drag queens sip their cafes all day long!
Anyway, ADDA had tons of DYKE friends who were kind and loving. I have always admired very STRONG woman, such as my straight mom, who provided a good role model that woman can make it out on their own, or even alone with their kids. I grew up with a strong 'leftie' family...and a strong mom.
(So those OF YOU who may be poo-pooing a 50 year-old gay man with their 80 year-old mom...I'M REALLY HAPPY & PROUD TO BE ABLE TO BE WITH HER NOW!)
OK..so, my DYKE friends, LAURIE, JD, LAUREN-GIRL, and crew adored my politics and my support...so, one day, at the CAFE FLORE at the outside table near the entrance had a 'cermony' where they pronouced that ADDA DADA was an HONORARY DYKE.
IT WAS SO DAMN COOL...and I can remember it so well..we were all sitting around a table and there were proclamations made by about 10 of my DYKE friends.
Each one stood up individually and stated why I should be welcomed into DYKEHOOD. It was really moving and totally impromptu.
I do not remember the exact words for needless to say, for once in my life, I was completely BLOWN AWAY.
Remember, this was in the days that there was a division between gay men and gay/lesbian woman!
So, BIG SECRET....ADDA DADA IS A HONARARY LESBIAN!
Also, it should be noted, that it was the LESBIAN COMMUNITY that came to the rescue of the GAY COMMUNITY when the A-bomb (AIDS BOMB) hit and NO ONE WANTED TO TOUCH ANY GAY MAN.
After so many years of exclusion within the gay community, it was the LESBIAN COMMUNITY that came to the rescue of so many of my gay male friends who were dropping...dying off at an alarming rate.
Today, the GAY /LESBIAN/TRANSGENDER community is united in the many stuggles that are still to be made....
ADDA would like to thank the LESBIAN community who came to aid of the GAY community in one of the most trying and dire times during the stuggle of GAY/LESBIAN/TRANSGENDER rights.
thank you for everything...and thank you for the honary title...it really meant/means so much to me. really reminds me of those fun and also the difficult days so long, long ago...