It seems gay pride is spreading. San Mateo County holds its first-ever LGBTQI Pride Celebration June 15, joining other Bay Area communities overshadowed by San Francisco that have launched their own Pride parties. Why? How visible and how safe are gay, lesbian, bi, intersex and trans people — and what’s queer life like — in San Mateo, Castro Valley, Marin and other locales close to the city some consider the center of the gay universe?
Mere miles from San Francisco, many LGBT people have reason not to feel safe nor to be “out” at work. Join host Eric Jansen and his “out of town” guests for a discussion of queer life outside of “The City” and a preview of San Mateo Pride (June 15) and Castro Valley Pride (July 13). Eric’s guests are Shannon Casey of San Mateo Pride and Billy Bradford of Castro Valley Pride, and if time allows, we’ll hear music from San Jose-based pop-singer Xavier Toscano, who’s performing at both celebrations and at San Francisco Pride, and perhaps another San Mateo Pride entertainer. (Live interview broadcast 7pm PDT Thursday, June 13, 2013.)