Bay Area Reporter - April 3, 2008
Seth Hemmelgarn, s.hemmelgarn@ebar.com

The Pride board announced the first round of grand marshals Tuesday, April 1; more are expected to be named in coming weeks, officials said.

Evan Low, the openly gay Campbell City Councilmember, was selected from 10 nominees as individual community grand marshal.

Gay Asian Pacific Alliance, a nonprofit organization that strives to educate queer Asians and Pacific Islanders about AIDS and also works toward other social, political, and cultural aims, was picked for organizational community grand marshal.

And Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly was the community's choice for the "Pink Brick" recipient, beating out the Human Rights Campaign. That dubious honor is bestowed upon someone who has done harm to the community.

Low, 24, was pleased that he was selected.

"It's really a great honor," he said, particularly since he's felt like there's a disconnect between San Francisco and the South Bay.

"For people, particularly for S.F. Pride, to select someone like myself who's not necessarily in San Francisco is [an honor] I truly appreciate ... it's exciting," Low said.

GAPA board member Robert Bernardo said, "We're just thrilled and deeply honored with this recognition, especially since it's our 20th anniversary this year."

Bernardo, who was an individual community grand marshal in 2006, said the honor represents 20 years of the group "standing in the frontlines" on issues such as racism and AIDS and "continuing to empower and inspire other queer API all over the world."

Clarence Wong, a GAPA member, added, " I'm just really thrilled. I think it's a great opportunity for GAPA to let everyone at the Pride Parade know about the good work GAPA does for the API and LGBT community."

Lindsey Jones, Pride executive director, wrote in an e-mail to the Bay Area Reporter, "We are thrilled to welcome Evan Low and the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance as grand marshals as they proudly represent San Francisco and Pride as ambassadors of the 2008 Pride Parade and Celebration."

Low was 23 when he was elected to the Campbell City Council, which makes him one of, if not the youngest openly gay elected officials in the country. He received 550 votes, or 18.2 percent of the Pride ballots.

Shannon Minter, the legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, received 459 votes, or 15.2 percent. Trauma Flintstone, who's helped put on hundreds of fundraisers for causes such as AIDS and breast cancer, received 418 votes, or 13.8 percent.

There were 3,028 votes cast at polling locations and through the mail for individual grand marshal.

GAPA received 1,017 votes, or 46.1 percent. AIDS Project East Bay, which provides HIV/AIDS services ranging from primary healthcare to risk reduction counseling and HIV testing received 523 votes, or 23.7 percent; GroundSpark, a nonprofit organization that creates films and educational campaigns, received 283 votes, or 12.8 percent.

A total of 2,206 ballots were cast for organizational grand marshal.

Pink Brick

One organization that's likely relieved it did not win is HRC, which was nominated for the Pink Brick. That award, which is meant to recognize groups and individuals who've run afoul of the community or pushed for anti-gay measures, went to O'Reilly, who regularly rants on air against same-sex marriage, gay rights in general, and San Francisco values. Last year he attacked the Folsom Street Fair for its poster depicting a leather-themed Last Supper.

HRC and its president, Joe Solmonese, were nominated for continuing to support a version of the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act that does not include protections for transgender individuals. The nomination marked the first time an LGBT organization had been up for the award.

Asked in an e-mail if HRC had organized a campaign to pick someone else for the Pink Brick, communications director Brad Luna replied that it had not.

"We can't think of anyone more deserving of this award than Bill O'Reilly and we applaud, and certainly agree, with [the community's] choice," Luna wrote.

A Fox spokeswoman did not return a phone call or a page by press time.

Of the Pink Brick nominees, O'Reilly received 525 votes, or 45.5 percent; HRC received 440 votes, or 38.1 percent; and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad û who last year said there are no homosexuals in his country û received 190 votes, or 16.5 percent.

"We are not surprised that the community chose to throw the Pink Brick at Bill O'Reilly rather than at HRC," Mikayla Connell, president of Pride's board of directors, wrote in response to an e-mail from the B.A.R.

"Bill O'Reilly is an actual enemy of the community, while HRC is just an ally that let us down; I think choosing Bill O'Reilly over HRC shows that our community knows who its real foes are, and at the same time knows how to give people a second chance. Of course, in all likelihood, Bill O'Reilly will actually take pride in having the Pink Brick thrown at him, but that is the sort of homophobic thinking which earned him the brick in the first place."

More marshals expected

Tuesday's winners are just the first of several more individual grand marshals, Jones noted. Aside from the one selected by the community, one is selected by the membership of San Francisco Pride. That pick will be made April 8. A third grand marshal is expected to be chosen by the "Electoral College" û a group of past grand marshals û by the end of April.

The board of directors also selects up to three additional grand marshals to ensure there's diversity. The board may pick nominees who scored high in the community voting, without being selected, or other people.

Asked about an Asian individual and an Asian-Pacific Islander group being selected after the Pride committee has sought to ensure diversity in the honors, Jones responded in an e-mail, "There are five more community grand marshals to be selected ... and the lifetime achievement grand marshal."

"The process is far from over," Jones added. "Historically, the final selections of all the grand marshals have come together as a very inspiring, accomplished, and diverse set of remarkable individuals."

There are usually three celebrity grand marshals, as well, selected by the board.

This year's San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration will be held June 28 and 29. For more information, visit www.sfpride.org.

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