too much flaunting - when others dont want to see

[ericbear]

What is appropriate in one situation often isn't in a different one, and unfortunately you don't always have to go very far to get from the one to the other.

I remember a time about two years ago when I was walking in the Haight in San Francisco. I was wearing a pair of Levis that fit well, but were not overly tight or revealing, and nothing else out of the ordinary in the way of clothes. I see a guy coming toward me down the street. As he gets closer, his face breaks into a broad smile. As he passes by, he leans toward me a bit, and very quietly says "NICE package!" He then continues on, not even hesitating a moment, so there was no public scene of any kind, just a quiet compliment.

I cross the street, and start walking back. There is a guy standing by a storefront. As I start to approach, still perhaps 30 feet away, he starts calling out to me quite loudly:

"Oh NO! Oh NO! NO! You take that shit back to the Castro (a gay neighborhood in S.F.)! Get that out of here!"

Same time, same street, same jeans, same bulge, two very different reactions.

 

[jonb]

Castro? I would've picked West Hollywood.

 

[ericbear]

Originally posted by jonb@Dec 13 2004, 05:16 PM
Castro? I would've picked West Hollywood.

[post=267213]Quoted post[/post]​

But I was in San Francisco. The Castro is perhaps the main "gay ghetto" in San Francisco, and isn't far (walkable if you have strong legs) from the Haight where the encounters occured.

The South of Market (SOMA) area is another place in SF where you will find a gay presence, but is less residential and has a lot of gay bars, sex clubs, etc (as well as a lot of straight clubs). To get between Castro and SOMA, you can take a trolley line called the F Line. In theory, it is called F because it terminates at the ferries (or perhaps Fisherman's Warf, next to the ferry slips), but many of us are sure some old queen was giggling with delight in naming it the F Line for reasons associated with a different F word. (And I've often taken it when on my way to do just that&#33

 

[B_RoysToy]

Such a fascinating account, ericbear. My short visit to SF in July of 2002 was unforgettable and continues to entice me for more of the city.

 

[jonb]

I was confused because your profile says you're from southern California.

 

[grnman]

I have gotten quite a few interesting reactions to my bulge over the years. For a time I did go out of my way to show my stuff, so I am sure there were times when some folks were put off. Even now, where I don't hide my cock, except at work and other "polite" settings, but don't try to accentuate my bulge either I have seen some disgusted expressions.

For me, it depends on the situation. Just out and about if some folks don't like seeing my bulge, well I am sorry, but that is how I am built. But when I am teaching I am very careful not to show, where it would be distracting and affect the teaching process; just like a woman with really big bobs and wearing real fitted top etc.

The bottom line is that if you like to wear more fitted pants you just have to be ok with the reactions you will get, good and bad.

PS ericbear, i have had the same kind of experiences.

Jack

 

[ericbear]

Originally posted by jonb@Dec 14 2004, 10:57 PM
I was confused because your profile says you're from southern California.

[post=267448]Quoted post[/post]​

Yes, I live about 35 miles south of LA, quite near Disneyland. But like any pious gay man, I make the pilgrimage to San Francisco for all the high holy days, like Dore Alley, the Folsom Fair, The ICF Awards/IBR, etc, plus a few weekends when "nothing" is happening, so I get a chance to actually see my friends.

And who knows, if I get any more disgusted with my job, I just might quite and move closer to the bay.

 

[DerSchwanz]

Originally posted by ericbear+Dec 14 2004, 01:59 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ericbear &#064; Dec 14 2004, 01:59 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-jonb@Dec 13 2004, 05:16 PM
Castro? I would&#39;ve picked West Hollywood.

[post=267213]Quoted post[/post]​

But I was in San Francisco. The Castro is perhaps the main "gay ghetto" in San Francisco, and isn&#39;t far (walkable if you have strong legs) from the Haight where the encounters occured.

The South of Market (SOMA) area is another place in SF where you will find a gay presence, but is less residential and has a lot of gay bars, sex clubs, etc (as well as a lot of straight clubs). To get between Castro and SOMA, you can take a trolley line called the F Line. In theory, it is called F because it terminates at the ferries (or perhaps Fisherman&#39;s Warf, next to the ferry slips), but many of us are sure some old queen was giggling with delight in naming it the F Line for reasons associated with a different F word. (And I&#39;ve often taken it when on my way to do just that&#33

[post=267236]Quoted post[/post]​

[/b][/quote]

The naming of the F-line has nothing to do with all that. It&#39;s just the resurrection of a streetcar line that had been replaced with other bus lines (8-Market and 32-Embarcadero). Streetcar lines have letters (F, J, K, L, M, N), cable car lines (59, 60, 61) and bus lines are numbered. Neither have rhyme or reason in their assignment.

The F-line does run, as you say, from Fisherman&#39;s Wharf to 17th & Castro, but doesn&#39;t go to SOMA. It goes along Market Street, which is three long blocks (1/3 mile) from Folsom Street (Powerhouse bar), and four long blocks (1/2 mile) from Harrison Street (Lone Star, Eagle, Stud, End Up, Blow Buddies). There is no direct San Francisco Municipal Railway (a.k.a. "Muni") line between the Castro and SOMA.

 

[jonb]

Originally posted by ericbear@Dec 15 2004, 12:15 AM
Yes, I live about 35 miles south of LA, quite near Disneyland.

[post=267477]Quoted post[/post]​

Which probably explains some of the homophobia you encounter. OC&#39;s just about the most right-wing part of California.

 

[ericbear]

Originally posted by DerSchwanz@Dec 15 2004, 09:58 AM
The F-line does run, as you say, from Fisherman&#39;s Wharf to 17th & Castro, but doesn&#39;t go to SOMA.

No, of course it doesn&#39;t. But it is the way with the shortest walk to get from SOMA to the Castro, without using a transfer, as you only have to walk up to Market street. Of course, you can alway take the underground train, too, but although it is faster there are less stops and less scenery.

The modern F-line actually operates on the track of what used to be called the number 8 Market Street Railway line, which has its roots very early times, predating electric traction. It actually takes the F-name from a different trolley line, on a different street. Here&#39;s some background:


The name of the F-line was originally the Market Street Railway, which today is the name of the non-profit company that helps maintain it. The line is unique because it operates historic rolling stock from around the world. It is a lot of work to maintain this equipment, and much of this is done by groups of volunteers that have dedicated themselves to preserving these streetcars. If this intrests you, and you have appropriate skills, your volunteer labor is welcomed by the MSR. Or, you can just send money. See http://www.streetcar.org/msr/volunteer/index.html .

It was just a joke that "F" was chosen from all possible letters, given various words that begin with F. There were originally 4 streetcar lines along market street. They all started at the warves, or Ferries. Three of them continued past Castro street, and went through the Twin Peaks tunnel (these correspond to the Muni K, L, and M lines). The track that ran closest to the present route of the F line was actually called the Market Street Railway 8 line.

The original F-line streetcar started at the Ferries, but actually ran on Stockton street, not Market street. I believe this is now the number 30 electric bus route.

In 1962, the bond issue that built BART also included money to put the Market Street trolley lines underground, as a second level with the BART tracks. This was done, and for a time eliminated surface trolley service along Market Street.

In 1979, Muni proposed developing a surface streetcar route along the path of the old number 8 line. They decided to call this the F-line. The line would run historic equipment as a tourist incentive. MUNI didn&#39;t get too far with this idea, until in 1982 the city realized that much of the cable car system would have to be shut down for extensive repairs, and then warmed to the idea of a different vintage transport tourist attraction. MUNI began operating occasional trolley festivals on the existing, old Market street tracks.

As time went on, they began upgrading the old track. In 1995, the modern F-line officially opened for continuous service. Although it operated along the old number 8 route, service did not initially extend all the way to the Ferries. In 2000, service was extended all the way to the Ferries.


So, the modern F line actually operates on the historic number 8 line, and takes it name from a different historic route operating a a different street, but that also happend to originate at the Ferries.

For more, see:

http://www.streetcar.org/fline/history/index.html

 

[jonb]

Well, there&#39;s a similar urban legend about why there isn&#39;t a J street in Washington.