When We Rise: My Life in the Movement - Cleve Jones
Travelling to San Francisco was somewhat of a pilgrimage for me. As someone who feels it is important to know the history of your community and has a keen interest in the events and lives of those who have come before and impacted the society and community today. San Francisco, as an individual who identifies as LGBT and as a writer, is essential to visit for its pivotal role in firstly the civil rights movement of LGBT+ people followed by its devastation shortly after in the tragic losses and decimation created by the AIDS Epidemic.
From the electing of the first openly gay public official in Harvey Milk, the creation of the Rainbow Flag, to popular LGBT authors such as Armistead Maupin, San Francisco with her Golden Gate Guardian opened its arms and acted as a beacon to LGBT people to consider a haven where you could be free to be who you were. If you were a hippie, an artist an entertainer or homosexual, you spilled into San Francisco as the place of love and freedom. Or so the echo of time through to popular culture would have you believe. The secret hidden behind her statuesque appearance and reputation of freedom and love, is that neither happened naturally or easily, it was in fact a battle, thats aftermath lingers through the decades creating the first LGBT ground zero, a city where loss hangs in the air and silence could be dangerously close to reclaiming the land.
The place and struggle of LGBT people in San Francisco is documented in the incredible work of Cleve Jones in When We Rise: My Life in the Movement, published by Hachette Books. I came across this incredible account when after two days walking the length of the city. Spending an afternoon in the famous Castro and time in my new favourite book store Dog Eared Books, looking specifically for books relating to LGBT History with an emphasis on rights or the HIV/AIDS epidemic I was directed to a signed copy of the book by Mr. Jones. After ditching half a case of clothes to make room to get my new stack of books back to the UK, I instantly started the book in bed. Barely moving for 24 hours I found a closer intimacy and understanding with Cleve from cover to cover under the covers than many people in my years sharing stories between the sheets.
You may recognise Cleve Jones from his work on, and portrayal in, academy award winning film, Milk, or through his activism, writing and talks that continue today. Real beauty in LGBT literature is found when the writer can put reality to paper whether it is intimately personal, shocking to others, graphic in portraying that which society shies from or simply just honest about that which we choose to shelve to ensure our own comfort.
Cleve's account of the decades from rights, AIDS and the aftermath to today's San Francisco captures moments of all of these. Bringing to life figures and icons of the past that have become loss to media representation that often leads people to teeter into the world of fiction with younger generations who disassociate from real lives lived. For example, how many people standing in a Pride parade, or enjoying music and entertainment at a Pride event are aware the rainbow flag they are wearing, waving or walking across is celebrating its 40th birthday created in a small room in San Francisco? In a year where we saw Anti-Trans protest at the head of the London Parade, to personally witnessing racist behaviour by white women in a male toilet against Spanish supporters, this flag, the creation of one mind, was designed specifically to unite all factions of a fractured community under one banner. Is it the case that 40 years later this symbol that has become an icon in passing the rights for many is seeing its holders fracture themselves disrespecting that of which they ironically wave?
'When we Rise' may not seem relevant to a British LGBT audience however the history of the community, be it in San Fran or New York, the middle ages or World War 2, the fight and experiences of those before us are essential to our understanding and supporting of those still struggling in countries where there are no rights for LGBT people, and for being able to appreciate the life and times we are able to have today.
On arriving in San Francisco, armed with photographer and a map, we walked from our hotel on Geary, through Polk, Lombard, around the bay to the Golden Gate. We ventured from Golden Gate through Presidio and the national cemetery. Around the Haight and of course the Castro.
What struck me was the beauty of the city, but mostly the atmosphere, which was not what I had expected an atmosphere I found overwhelmingly emotional. I am sure the City by the Bay is a favourite location for many and it is clear to see why, however from the point of view of someone who had a preconceived notion of a foundation for LGBT culture I was surprised to find the atmosphere thick and less acknowledgement to the pass than I expected. I found some amazing story tellers in both Dog Eared Books and the wonderful historic Cliff's Variety, however in conversation in various bars I found either a lack of interest or knowledge of San Francisco, is it a surprise or should it be expected that as generations pass an employee of Hamburger Mary's would think it was a brand new addition to the Castro? It became clear the environment has moved on, but within the soul of the city, San Francisco harbours a silent scream.
San Francisco would willingly or not become the encouraging mother of LGBT rights before having the bereaved soul of a parent, witnessing the continuous loss of thousands of her children slowly snatched by a ruthless epidemic. Her essence started to weigh heavy from the sudden appearance in the late 1970's of the then 'Gay Cancer', confused sufferers with no answers, to government silence as her children died one after the other. San Francisco stood, holding her children as they roared for help and research, with her wrapping her mist around over 15000 silenced souls by 1997, not only due to the unforgiving disease but the choice by money and power to ignore the community she guarded. A community that in the shadow of the great gate, under the burden of relentless death, would compose in themselves a compassion unequalled anywhere else in history, comforting and cradling their own through fear, loss and grief at an unfathomable level.
I absolutely loved the beauty of San Francisco but knowing its history weighed heavily on my shoulders walking through the streets, reading 'When We Rise' bought those streets back to life for me. Coincidentally having walked through many of the streets walked by Cleve and other heroes of the times I got to recapture and learn more of the importance of the Polk, the Haight and the Castro, whose sidewalks are cloaked in a density from events past, leaving the air thick. Events that occurred not only within living memory but recently. Too recently to be slipping into a legend of love and flowers, we must ensure the memory of the struggle, the fight and the enormous loss stays incurrent consciousness. We must remember in honour and respect of millions ofpeople worldwide that have died of or are living with HIV/AIDS. Can you be sure in your first world country with right to marry, access to medication, equal rights to employment that there isn't someone suffering a street away, someone living lonely with a shame and fear of who they are round the corner, or feeling a shame and fear of this disease that our brothers and sisters before us dedicated their lives to fighting to save each other and our generations? All under the flurry of many flags and symbols but none more recognisable than the Rainbow Flag, the umbrella that bought unity to differences.
Books like Cleve Jones 'When We Rise' keep the stories alive of those unable to tell them and for that I am grateful of his penmanship and in awe of his strength and honesty. I am hopeful the televised adaptation will reach the UK, its importance isn't specific to a US audience. I get to enjoy, like many, the benefit of a social paradise and ecstasy in comparison to my community before me, but I am fully aware of the global struggle, of the social persecution and execution others live with daily, and how there is still many who need to be equipped with the knowledge and opportunity to rise against that which keeps them from standing.
For more on Cleve Jones visit
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Purchase your copy of When We Rise: My Life in the Movement Here.
If you are interested in reading similar stories of LGBTlives and the HIV/AIDS crisis in the UK check out God's Other Children By Vernal Scott
