Unspeakable Vice

Unspeakable Vice Uncovering the stories of every gayborhood.

01/27/2026

“These are people who, especially in certain decades, often were getting kicked out of their homes, estranged from their families, and were having to make new families in the city that they've moved to,” said Sprockett. “So the bar really becomes a place for potluck dinners on the holidays, when people don't have family to go home to. They were sponsoring sports teams that play in community leagues in addition to all the events they would host as well. These were really community centers that just happened to serve alcohol.”

https://sf.gazetteer.co/gay-old-times

Seven years ago, I first learned about Jose Sarria and the Black Cat Cafe and I have been obsessed with sharing his stor...
11/02/2025

Seven years ago, I first learned about Jose Sarria and the Black Cat Cafe and I have been obsessed with sharing his story with more people ever since. His wit, creativity, and passion for bringing q***r people together to stand up for themselves deserves so much more attention and tribute.

Now after two tours, hundreds of street corner testimonies, and dozens of lectures, I was so proud to see a resurrected tradition on Friday: laying flowers on Halloween night in commemoration of the Black Cat Cafe, one of San Francisco's earliest and most influential gay bars.

Special thanks to all who attended and to the Jose Sarria Foundation for their generous donation

Take the quiz and learn a bit about LGBTQ living thirty years before the Castro.
05/13/2023

Take the quiz and learn a bit about LGBTQ living thirty years before the Castro.

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