The Healthy Penis - spokesmodel for safe sex and STD prevention.
This weekend I attended the Up Your Alley (possibly NSFW) fair in San Franicsco. This is the little brother to an event scheduled in September called the Folsom Street Fair (possibly NSFW), and these two events combined mark the fetish community events scheduled in San Francisco each year.
It was kind of amusing walking about the crowd feeling a bit uneasy that I was there generally, but also kind of wishing I was so liberated as to be able to be walking around nude as I suspect about 5-percent of the crowd was doing. While here, I managed to see the first naked females I’ve seen, in person, in about 20-years. With all due respect to the ladies here, I think I can go another 20-years without repeating this.
In years past, the organizers have had some trouble keeping the crowds under control, but it seems that in 2009, this wasn’t a problem. By under control, I mean the city expects the organizers to clamp down on public sex, like actual fucking in the streets and the giving of blowjobs on the sidewalks.
The image on the right in this photo is their attempt at telling people, through the use of universal signs, not to give oral sex on the streets. One stick figure is in Larry Craig mode, using a wide-stance, and the other on its knees, well, you get it.
The fair was a sight to behold. If they tried to hold something like this on the streets of any city in Conservative Hell, I’m sure the organizers and as many festival goers as they could get their hands on, would be thrown in the local jail. I find it quite liberating to be living in a place where I now have the freedom to either see, or not see, the type of activity going on here, and have the authorities tell the general public that if they don’t like it, they can simply walk down another street.
Amazing. Authorities actually telling people they need to be responsible for themselves.
The only thing that made this experience negative was the merry band of Jesus-freaks that decided to grace the festival with their presence when they marched through carrying their signs, that basically said we are all going to hell. Well, it’s nice you want to read your bibles guys, but frankly, if I want to read a fairy tale I’ll go buy a copy of Cinderella. You’re free to believe what you want, but don’t expect me to live my life as *you* see fit, especially since more often than not, you don’t abide by the book yourself.
After the fair, my friend and I went back to the hotel, rested for a while, then made our way to The Citadel (Landing page safe, other pages NSFW), where we were mostly voyeurs, but we did engage with one person in a semi-intimate activity. You see, my friend is a novice (as well as I, but I’m less so) and he wanted to learn something. What that is I will not say here, but I went to a fetish dungeon, use your imagination. I think my friend enjoyed using a variety of tools on me, but nothing invasive. It’s been a while since I’ve engaged in such activity, and to have a friend help me out instead of a stranger was, well, comforting. I don’t think people other than those who engage in these activities, can understand how truly liberating it can be.
Oh, don’t act so shocked, I mentioned I’m interested in this stuff in a post three years ago!
We also tripped across this place while we were walking about in SOMA Saturday evening. I do not partake in activity such as the clients visiting this particular store, but I do believe we should regulate the stuff sold there like we do alcohol.
I’d try to write a more coherant post, but it’s 1:30 in the morning. *yawns*
Good night!
The police are supposedly cracking down on it this year, so let’s hope I do not find a legitimate reason to be arguing with them.
