By Sister Dana Van Iquity–
Sister Dana sez, “Welcome to the 55th annual PRIDE CELEBRATION on June 28 and 29—the fantastic climax of PRIDE MONTH! Sister Dana will then gleefully celebrate his 40th Anniversary of taking the veil of Sisterhood on June Pride Parade Day 1985. He’s been an out, loud, and proud queer nun ever since!”
The PRIDE CELEBRATION takes place in San Francisco›s Civic Center and features a Main Stage, many community spaces and stages, an 18+ zone, and an LGBTQ street fair with over 300 artists and exhibitors.
Sunday, June 29, is the annual SF PRIDE PARADE! The theme is “Queer Joy is Resistance!” where the Parade starts at 10 am at Market & Embarcadero Plaza, and ends at Civic Center. The Parade typically has over 250 contingents and lasts around four hours. Contingents step onto Market Street and proceed toward the Pride Celebration, ending around Market and 9th Streets. Sister Dana sez, “At the Parade, this joyful activist rainbow nun will be waving and throwing kisses to the cheerful crowd—as always from atop the SF Bay Times bus. Please feel free to kiss me back!”
As California Attorney General Rob Bonta says, “Pride is a protest, a celebration, and time to recommit for fighting for the rights of LGBTQ+ people!”
This year’s San Francisco Pride Marshals are Tita Aida, named the Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshal, and Jahnell Butler is honored as the Public Vote Grand Marshal. SAN FRANCISCO COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER is the Public Vote Organizational Grand Marshal.
After the Parade, escape the crowds within the cool marble halls of San Francisco’s historic City Hall. Produced by SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE, the SF PRIDE PARTY AT CITY HALL, 400 Van Ness Avenue, 1–5 pm features a hosted bar, delicious bites, and three rooms of ongoing entertainment. Tickets and more info are available now at https://sfpride.org/
When in The Castro District aka Gay Mecca, be sure to view the stunning PROGRESS FLAG MURAL painted on the cement in Jane Warner Plaza at Castro and 17th Streets. Visionary artist and activist Harry Breaux and his terrific team of volunteers held an official Revealing Ceremony there on June 20. And a special shout-out goes to Diana Sciarretta and Kurt Gibson who created the most beautiful, actually astonishing Yellow Brick Road anyone has ever seen! If you’re unable to witness this marvelous masterpiece in person, be assured that anyone, anytime, anywhere in the world can see it live via the Castro Street Cam (https://tinyurl.com/2u5cuwkd) Camera #4, so scroll down. Catch the action there!
On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges extended marriage equality nationwide. There are an estimated 823,000 married same-sex couples in the U.S. as of June 2025—more than double the number of married same-sex couples in June 2015 when Obergefell was decided. Sister Dana sez, “We’ve got a LOT to celebrate these last days of June. Don’t NOBODY try to take away our rights and our joy!”
The TRANS MARCH happens before the SF Pride Celebration does. So, on June 27, 1 pm at Dolores Park there is an afternoon community fair with entertainment and speakers, followed by a March to City Hall. Like many of the most vulnerable communities in our country, the transgender community is under attack now more than ever—with never-ending legislative assaults and dramatically increasing transphobic violence. On June 18, the Supreme Court conservative majority upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors—clearing the way for 24 states to keep enforcing similar bad bans. Sister Dana sez, “This year, we need our ENTIRE community to turn out for the ‘T’ in LGBTQ!”
Meanwhile the Trump administration is shutting down the LGBTQ YOUTH SUICIDE LIFELINE. A cruel and reprehensible action!
Sister Dana sez, “Did we all jump at the chance to order Grifter-in-Chief DarnOld Trump & Company’s newest money-making scheme? It’s a ‘gold’ mobile phone and wireless service. Well, it sounds pretty phony to me!”
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA has been a proud participant in San Francisco Pride since the 1980s. They are delighted to celebrate our LGBTQ community on June 27, 7:30 pm, 301 Van Ness Avenue with a very special evening of music, immersive projections, and post-show dance party. Runner-up and Miss Congeniality of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16, Sapphira Cristál, is a superstar drag queen and trained opera singer who will be emceeing this celebratory evening of classical arias and LGBTQ anthems, exploring the music of queer composers, librettists, and songwriters. https://www.sfopera.com/
The 33rd annual DYKE MARCH is on June 28, meeting at Dolores and 18th Streets for a rally at 5 pm. The mission of the San Francisco Dyke March is to bring the dyke communities together to celebrate unity, raise consciousness, and be visible. https://www.thedykemarch.org/
Get ready to lace up and let loose at ROLLERDISCO, the ultimate rooftop roller skating Pride party! This all-inclusive, disco-drenched celebration is taking over SVN West Rooftop, 10 South Van Ness Avenue, 2–8 pm for an afternoon of glitz, glam, and groove—all in honor of San Francisco Pride and Folsom Street Productions on June 29. Sister Dana sez, “Go pop a wheelie! But whenever I have attempted to skate, I’ve fallen flat on my ass-pirations!” Tickets and info at: https://briankentproductions.com/
On June 29, Juanita MORE!’s legendary PRIDE PARTY celebrates its 20th year. Held at 620 Jones, noon to 7 pm, the event benefits the TRANSGENDER LAW CENTER, continuing Juanita’s decades-long commitment to uplifting local organizations. Expect a stellar DJ lineup, vibrant crowd, and an unmatched celebration of queer joy and resilience. Since their inception, Juanita’s Pride events have raised over $1 million for LGBTQ nonprofits. https://juanitamore.com/
We kicked off Pride fabulousness by joining emcee Donna Sachet and the AIDS LEGAL REFERRAL PANEL (ALRP) at Hot Johnnie’s in the Castro on June 21 for a GARDEN PARTY! This fundraiser for ALRP helped them build on their 40-year history of providing critical legal assistance to those who need it most. Someone (not this nun) won $100 in the contest for Best Summer Hat. Congratulations to Edwin the winner with his gorge, ornate, many-tiered chapeau designed by Easter Bonnet fashion genius Miguel Gutierrez! ALRP is protecting the rights, dignity, and health of people living with HIV/AIDS and others. Check out their wonderful work at https://www.alrp.org/
Imperialist Trump went from giving his notice of an in two-weeks decision regarding Iran—to a sudden one-day immediate order: “Evacuate Tehran now!” And our military quickly, illegally, offensively bombed three nuclear energy sites there. So now the U.S. is at war with Iran. Just as sudden, anti-war protests broke out across the nation and entire universe on June 22, 2025, including one held in the largest Iranian community in America, the Westwood District of Los Angeles, and another protest that Sunday afternoon with about 300 energetic demonstrators at SF’s Embarcadero Plaza. Sister Dana sez, “Doesn’t the Constitution demand that Congress be notified and then authorize before declaring any war? Or have we just bombed that document as well?!”
The Good News is that The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Yeztugo (aka lenacapavir or LEN), a twice-a-year injection that stops HIV from replicating inside cells—reducing the risk of transmitting the virus to other people by 96%. However, AIDS VACCINE ADVOCACY COALITION (AVAC) said it will take urgent and decisive action to ensure that the drug will reduce global HIV rates. LEN’s current price as an HIV treatment is $3,450 per month, so AVAC has called on Gilead to provide the drug for $100 or below and to allow companies to develop generic forms of the drug. The Bad News is that LEN arrives just as Trump, DOGE et al. are widely canceling HIV research grants; slashing medical programs benefiting Black, Latino, and LGBTQ people most at-risk for contracting the virus; and also making severe reductions to the U.S. Agency for International Development (which oversaw HIV-prevention programs abroad).
Come celebrate the work of 10 young queer and trans creative writers as they share their writing with the world! QUEER ANCESTORS PROJECT presents a July 1st, 7:15-9pm event at Strut, 470 Castro Street.
https://www.queerancestorsproject.org/
Sister Dana sez, “Happy FOURTH OF JULY to everyone—also known as Independence Day! But will we all feel very independent while the country has become totally theocratic, oligarchic, and autocratic?!”
And while we anticipate Fourth of July celebrations, just how much will Trump’s terrible tariffs affect China’s fireworks ordinarily sent to America?
Vivian Jenna Wilson, the 21-year-old transgender daughter and critic of transphobic billionaire Musk, apparently slayed at her drag debut as “Vivllainous” during the lineup for “SAVE HER,” an immigrant legal defense fundraiser event hosted by renowned drag queen and activist Pattie Gonia. This awesomeness occurred in Los Angeles on June 13, the day before the “No Kings” protest there and everywhere.
When Senator Elissa Slotkin of the Armed Services Committee asked Defense Secretary Hegseth twice on June 18 whether he was given military orders to shoot protestors, he refused to say. Yikes!
I am thrilled to note that the NO KINGS MARCHES on June 14 had more than five million demonstrators all across the nation show up to protest traitor Trump acting like a tyrant. This was the largest march of humanity in all of history. Sister Dana sez, “Let’s keep up the energy and continue nonviolently, non-stop protesting dumpster Trumpster and his awful administration!”
Word of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun
Published on June 26, 2025
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