GLBT Historical Society Gala Unmasked

Photo: Kellie Ell

Guests bid during the silent auction.

By Kellie Ell

The GLBT Historical Society kicked off the Halloween weekend with their annual Unmasked Gala on Thursday, October 27.

Amongst the mini-bar and the platters of festive foods, about 300 guests showed up in varying attire to the Green Room of the War Memorial Building overlooking City Hall, according to Paul Boneberg, executive director of the Historical Society.

The event helped raise money to support the historical archives and the GLBT museum located in the Castro, and was a way of “awarding our volunteers” for their work, Boneberg said.

“It’s both a fundraising event and a way of saying thank you,” to the more than 100 volunteers working for the Historical Society who were all invited to the party, Boneberg said. “We didn’t want to give too many speeches. We just want to have fun. Tonight it’s time to party!”

While guests sipped cocktails and wine under candy-colored lights, a violin orchestra provided the evening’s soundtrack as waiters dressed as “the dead” and an Alexander McQueen-inspired fairy passed out hors d’oeuvres.

A silent auction that included prizes such as weekend getaways in Yosemite, salon visits, hotel stays, tickets to Beach Blanket Babylon and an original 1973 framed campaign poster from Harvey Milk’s first run for supervisor helped raise more than $20,000.

Ticket prices were kept at a minimum thanks to the many sponsors of the evening, who donated all of the food and most of the liquor, according to Boneberg.

Funds are used to “run an extraordinary archive and museum. Something we can be proud of, so people can learn from it.” In the future, Boneberg said he’d like to see GLBT history taught in schools.

Each year the Society invites “important figures from the [GLBT] community” allowing volunteers, members and staff to mingle, Boneberg said.

This year’s lineup of special guests included novelist and San Francisco celeb Armistead Maupin, who showed up with husband Christopher Turner sporting matching masquerade ball masks, District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener, mayoral candidate Bevan Dufty who is hoping to make history as the city’s first gay mayor, photojournalist Daniel Nicoletta, journalist and co-founder of the first lesbian rights organization Phyllis Lyon, writer and arts advocate Michelle Tea, and Jose Sarria, who was once one of San Francisco’s most famous drag queens and the first openly gay person in the world to run for public office in 1961, according to Boneberg.

“Jose [Sarria] and Phyllis Lyon are two of the great founders of the LGBT community,” Boneberg said. “Their lifetimes span the gay rights movement.”

Sarria arrived sporting his signature cane, pearls, a necklace that belonged to his late son Hector and a “Jose-dress.”

“I shouldn’t have to wear a Jose-dress for you to know who I am,” said the light-hearted 89-year-old.

“[The museum] is a dream that I’ve had for many, many, many years,” Sarria said. “I think it’s a step in the right direction. But we all have to cooperate. The gay community got to where it is with the help of the straight community.”

Don Romesburg, board member and a curator for the museum, and his partner David Mould brought their six-year-old daughter, Asha Romesburg, who dressed as Storm from X-Men, while Phyllis Lyon sat quietly in the corner chatting with old and new friends.

“It feels wonderful to be here—amazing,” Lyon said. “I’m having an absolute ball.”

Other featured guests included Dykes on Bikes, SF Pride, Trans March and Oakland’s Sisters Steppin’ in Pride.

“Unmasked is the high point of the social season for lovers of GLBT history,” Boneberg said. “It was a tremendously beautiful evening. I think everyone had a good time.”

Copyright 2011 Castro Courier