With young men making up 95% of the population, men often assumed gender roles that were traditionally assigned to women, and same-sex dancing and cross-gender dressing were common at masquerade balls and parties. As the city became heavily populated with young men looking to strike gold out West, homosexuality became more common. San Francisco’s LGBTQ history goes all the way back to the Gold Rush era of 1848 to 1855.
In celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month, we dive into San Francisco’s incredible LGBTQ+ history… 19th century After decades of standing at the forefront of gay culture, it continues to be globally recognised as one of the most progressive and LGBTQ+ friendly cities in the world. The birthplace of the rainbow pride flag and home to one of the world’s largest LGBTQ+ communities and best Pride Parades in the world, San Fran is a trailblazing symbol of LGBTQ+ activism. As the first city in the USA to legalise gay marriage and elect an openly gay official (Harvey Milk), San Francisco is a true gay icon.
