Sunday, June 26, 2011

HRC Meatrack at Macy's;
Gratuitous Cub-cake Pix

This Pride weekend has been the delightful, low-key affair for my partner and I. We generally avoid as much of the official hoopla and profiteering and drunks as possible, and stick to 420 for mood elevation.

On Friday, I participated in the trans march on Dolores Street, with dozens of friends and acquaintances I haven't seen in many a moon, was recruited to help organize the August 6 Slutwalk For Safety, and didn't see one damn corporate logo on any signs or banners or clothing gear. Quite an old-fashioned queers, steers and a few bears visibility and solidarity parade.

The gay grapevine was buzzing about the Human Rights Campaign's action center, er, store down at Macy's on Union Square. It's a temporary set up in the Men's Store Annex, on the ground floor, more of a display with a few mannequins and tables of useless products with the equal logo on everything, with a DJ spinning dance music and a meatrack of two young smooth, skinny guys.


Definitely an awkward situation for the time I observed the HRC store, late Saturday afternoon. The models remained standing, putting out unfriendly stiff vibes, sported pouty looks and shoppers walked past them quickly, gays too, or showed more interest in the HRC merchandise.

Early Sunday afternoon, I brought all of my laundry to the Little Hollywood wash-n-dry on Market and Laguna Streets, and spent most of the time watching the hordes of colorful, sun-basted crowds walk in both directions on the sidewalk.

The laundromat's manager allowed anyone who asked for the bathroom to come in and use it, bringing many smiles to faces and relief to bursting bladders. A parade of diverse folks came and went, but one young muscular cub stopped to chat with me about how hard it was to call a cab for a pick up today.


A cub does not necessarily have to have a hairy chest or belly. It's more about possessing a friendly attitude, and he had plenty to spare. Told him he should grow a beard and really drive the cub-cake admirers crazy, an idea he liked. In the flesh, he has quite a deep innie navel, with a thick dusting of black fuzz surrounding it.



When asked if his father was half as handsome as he, a grin spread across his face and he told me he was good-looking, with more fur, some of it gray. I should have asked if the father was down at Civic Center. ;-)



Our adorable cub was traveling with a precious princess who forgot to slather on the sun screen lotion this morning. I thanked them striking a few poses for my camera, and for not having any HRC stickers or clothing on their bodies. Princess also complained about not being able to hail a cab today, before they went back out on the street and headed up toward the Castro.

And how was your Pride weekend?

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