When did San Francisco become so liberal? (Vallejo, Berkeley: middle-class, neighborhoods)

[tvdxer]

San Francisco was rated #1 on a recent "liberalism" or "progressiveness" scale (I don't have a link, sorry). Along with Boston, I believe, it far exceeded the #3 city (Minneapolis) and all others.

It's also long been held among the public perception that SF is a very liberal and tolerant city.

Can anyone come up with a historical reason for this? Namely, when did SF become so accepting of homosexuality and "alt" sexual subcultures (e.g. the Folsom Street Parade)? In the most liberal of neighborhoods, would a gay male couple holding hands on the sidewalk be accepted in 1975? 1965? 1955?

Also, how do you think San Francisco would compare to Amsterdam, Hamburg, Copenhagen, or Stockholm? Are EU influences (not necessarily political) more evident than other parts of the country?

[Ruth4Truth]

My guess: as a result of the social movements of the 60's.


But, OP, do you have any reason to believe it wasn't liberal before? It was founded just before the Gold Rush, wasn't it? All those brothels and booze may have pretty well cemented its liberal nature from the get-go.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

My guess: as a result of the social movements of the 60's.


But, OP, do you have any reason to believe it wasn't liberal before? It was founded just before the Gold Rush, wasn't it? All those brothels and booze may have pretty well cemented its liberal nature from the get-go.

Yes, I hung around there as a teenager in the late 60s and the "counter-culture" that went national and worldwide got it's start in San Francisco, as well as Berkeley. The Haight-Ashbury area attracted people because it was relatively inexpensive and not crowded with middle-class people.

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

My guess: as a result of the social movements of the 60's.


But, OP, do you have any reason to believe it wasn't liberal before? It was founded just before the Gold Rush, wasn't it? All those brothels and booze may have pretty well cemented its liberal nature from the get-go.

Yes, SF has a long history of accepting things that wouldn't fly in other places. It started a while ago: Barbary Coast, San Francisco - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I think the most recent (relative to the history of the city) surge of what we know as traditional "liberalism" was cemented in the 60's. But I think SF (and in many ways, CA in general) has always been pretty progressive/open to different ideas.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by HockeyMac18

I think the most recent (relative to the history of the city) surge of what we know as traditional "liberalism" was cemented in the 60's. But I think SF (and in many ways, CA in general) has always been pretty progressive/open to different ideas.

I read a biography of the last Mexican general to rule over NorCal, Mariano Vallejo, and he was a liberal guy for his time. Alta California was run much more liberally and humanely than the rest of Mexico.

[eureka1]

Way back in the thirties SF was known as a center for progressive politics. Harry Bridges and the ILWU had a lot to do with it.

[DMenscha]

I'd suggest that 1849 would be the date.

[G Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by DMenscha

I'd suggest that 1849 would be the date.

That would be my guess, too. With the gold rush, SF was far away from mainstream American culture, and full of men without their families and lots of people trying to make a quick buck. From what I read, it was an anything goes culture that most considered to be only temporary. Bringing in the Asian immigrants, even more people were cut off from the moderating influence of their mainstream cultures. All kinds of folks filtered in, and were accepted, probably many of whom would not have been accepted back home. Perhaps those patterns just persisted. We need a history professor to fill us in, and tell us if this guess is correct.

[NewbiePoster]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

It was founded just before the Gold Rush, wasn't it? All those brothels and booze may have pretty well cemented its liberal nature from the get-go.

This. Remember, that was in the middle of the Victorian era. SF was wild by the standards of the day. Out of control, literally.