Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco

Last updated

The Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco, [1] [2] [3] Inc., is a predominantly gay 501(c)(3) [4] nonprofit fund raising organization. Formed in 1973 as a more camp-oriented response to San Francisco's Imperial Court System [5] [6] by H.L. Perry, who reigned as the Court's Grand Duchess I, [7] the Grand Ducal Council raises money for a wide array of charity organizations through large annual costume balls and various other, smaller fund raisers throughout the year. [8] Both the Imperial Court System and the Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco are built using roughly the same power structure. "Monarchs" are elected and the nonprofit, 501(c)(3) portion is run by a board of directors or trustees. [9]

Contents

The Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco, in turn, inspired similar such organizations to be founded around the country. In 1998, the Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco was joined by a sister Court located in Alameda County, on the opposite side of the San Francisco Bay. [10] [11] A third such sovereign Ducal Court exists in London, Ontario, Canada. [12]

Called "one of the city's unsung gay heroes," in 2006 Perry's work establishing the San Francisco Ducal Council and more were commemorated with a month-long exhibit at the San Francisco Public Library. [7]

Structure

Each individual court chapter (or "realm") is a separate, legally incorporated charitable non-profit organization that raises funds and awareness for various charities and people in need within its realm. Each chapter has its own board of directors and is financially responsible for its own management. In addition to local non-profit status, many courts in the United States have Federal 501(c) status.[ citation needed ]

Titles

Each court holds an annual "coronation," which is usually the chapter's largest fundraiser and is attended by both local members and members of other Ducal chapters as well Imperial Courts from across North America. The evening culminates in the ceremony in which the new monarch or monarchs—the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess—are crowned. In San Francisco, the new monarchs are determined by popular elections held in the community. [13]

Within a set number of weeks, the newly elected monarchs must hold an "investiture," at which time they name the members of their Court. [14] The titles given to members vary from one chapter to another and are primarily left to the discretion of the reigning monarchs.

Each Court consists of a Royal Crown Prince and Royal Crown Princess, [15] Prince/Princess Royale, Baron/Baroness, etc. Additionally, each year the Court holds fund raising competitions to crown such titles as Royal Baby Girl & Baby Boy, King & Queen of Hearts, Mr. & Miss Royal Bunny, Royal Daddy & Royal Daddy's Boy and White Knight and Debutante. [16] [17] In 2009, the Court added an annual fund raising pageant to crown Miss San Francisco Gold Rush. [8]

Fundraising

Each court conducts numerous fundraisers throughout the year. Drag shows, ranging in size from performances at local bars to events in hotel ballrooms and other large venues, are the main way in which revenue is raised for charity. [17] [18] Especially in recent years, court chapters have diversified their fundraising strategies so as to include yard sales, gift raffles, etc. [19] Court members also solicit donations at LGBT events, gay pride parades and other public events at which they appear.[ citation needed ]

The Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco donates the funds raised to a variety of causes including those related to AIDS, breast cancer, domestic abuse, and homelessness. [20]

Membership

While composed primarily of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, each court is open to all. Gay, bisexual, transgender and straight people have all served as monarchs and court members in the system's history. [21] Drag queens collectively comprise about half of the membership.

Related Research Articles

Styles represent the fashion by which monarchs and noblemen are properly addressed. Throughout history, many different styles were used, with little standardization. This page will detail the various styles used by royalty and nobility in Europe, in the final form arrived at in the nineteenth century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duke</span> Noble or royal title in some European countries and their colonies

Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranked below princes and grand dukes. The title comes from French duc, itself from the Latin dux, 'leader', a term used in republican Rome to refer to a military commander without an official rank, and later coming to mean the leading military commander of a province. In most countries, the word duchess is the female equivalent.

Grand duke is a European hereditary title, used either by certain monarchs or by members of certain monarchs' families. In status, a grand duke traditionally ranks in order of precedence below an emperor, king, grand prince, archduke, or prince-archbishop, and above a sovereign prince or sovereign duke. The title is used in some current and former independent monarchies in Europe, particularly:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg</span> Grand Duke of Luxembourg since 2000

Henri is Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He has reigned since 7 October 2000. Henri is the eldest son of Grand Duke Jean and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. He is a first cousin of King Philippe of Belgium. In 2019, Henri's net worth was estimated around US$4 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg</span> Grand Duchess of Luxembourg from 1919 to 1964

Charlotte was Grand Duchess of Luxembourg from 14 January 1919 until her abdication on 12 November 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folsom Street Fair</span> BDSM and leather fair in San Francisco

Folsom Street Fair (FSF) is an annual BDSM and leather subculture street fair, held in September that concludes San Francisco's "Leather Pride Week". The Folsom Street Fair, sometimes referred to simply as "Folsom", takes place on the last Sunday in September, on Folsom Street between 8th and 13th Streets, in San Francisco's South of Market district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">José Sarria</span> American activist

José Julio Sarria, also known as The Grand Mere, Absolute Empress I de San Francisco, and the Widow Norton, was an American political activist from San Francisco, California, who, in 1961, became the first openly gay candidate for public office in the United States. He is also remembered for performing as a drag queen at the Black Cat Bar and as the founder of the Imperial Court System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imperial Court System</span> One of the oldest and largest LGBT organizations in the world

The International Imperial Court System (IICS) also known as the International Court System is one of the oldest and largest LGBT organizations in the world. The Imperial Court System is a grassroots network of organizations that works to build community relationships for equality and raise money for charitable causes through the production of annual Gala Coronation Balls that invite an unlimited audience of attendees to be presented at Royal Court in their fanciest attire throughout North America along with numerous other fundraisers each year, all for the benefit of their communities. The Imperial Court System is the second largest LGBT organization in the world, surpassed only by the Metropolitan Community Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Altos High School (Los Altos, California)</span> Public school in Los Altos, Santa Clara County, California, United States

Los Altos High School, abbreviated as LAHS, is a WASC-accredited public senior high school located in Los Altos, California, United States, in the heart of Silicon Valley. Los Altos was opened in 1954 and is located at 201 Almond Avenue, close to Los Altos Downtown, San Antonio Shopping Center, and Almond Elementary School.

The Bay Area Reporter is a free weekly LGBT newspaper serving the LGBT communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is one of the largest-circulation LGBT newspapers in the United States, and the country's oldest continuously published newspaper of its kind.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Provenzano</span> American journalist

Jim Provenzano is an American author, playwright, photographer and currently an editor with the Bay Area Reporter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sister Roma</span> American drag queen and activist

Michael Williams,, known professionally as Sister Roma, is an American drag queen activist, gay pornography director, fundraiser, entertainer and event host/emcee. He has been a member of San Francisco's Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence since 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donna Sachet</span> American drag actor, singer, community activist and writer

Donna Sachet is the stage name of Kirk Reeves, an American drag actor, singer, community activist, and writer based in San Francisco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pollo Del Mar</span>

Pollo Del Mar is an American drag queen performer, wrestling personality, journalist, activist and recording artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GLBT Historical Society</span> American non-profit LGBT historical society

The GLBT Historical Society maintains an extensive collection of archival materials, artifacts and graphic arts relating to the history of LGBT people in the United States, with a focus on the LGBT communities of San Francisco and Northern California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bebe Sweetbriar</span> American drag performer

BeBe Sweetbriar is the stage name of Kevin-Lee Junious, an American drag singer, actor, community activist, and host based in San Francisco, California. She has released two dance records, Save Me and Free to Be Me. BeBe is also host of multiple parties, such as Porno, a quarterly dance party and Play Trivia with BeBe at Harveys, San Francisco. She hosts a weekly webTV talk show, It's Everything, on the Talk Stream Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caldron (sex club)</span> Gay sex club in San Francisco, California

The Caldron was a sex club for gay men located at 953 Natoma Street in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood. It opened in 1980 and closed in 1984. It was called "the epitome of the uninhibited, abandoned, 'sleazy' sex club."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esta Noche (gay bar)</span> Bar in San Francisco, California, USA

Esta Noche was the first Latino gay bar in San Francisco and notably contributed to queer Latin culture. It operated from 1979 to 2014, and was located at 3079 16th Street between Valencia Street and Mission Street in San Francisco, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas E. Horn</span>

Thomas Eugene Horn is President of the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twin Peaks Tavern</span> Gay bar in San Francisco, opened in 1935

Twin Peaks Tavern is an American historic gay bar. It first opened in 1935 and is located at 401 Castro Street in the Castro District in San Francisco, California. It is one of the most famous bars in the Castro and features prominent oversized windows that were unveiled in 1972, something uncommonly seen in older gay bars. It is located across the street from the Castro Station for Muni Metro, and near the F Market heritage streetcar line.

References

  1. ↑ "Grand Duke of Grand Duchess of San Francisco ball by Coronation] Douglas Mosher, photograph: Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco, San Francisco - Bolerium Books Inc". www.abebooks.com. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  2. ↑ "Kippy Marks for Grand Duke - San Francisco Bay Times". San Francisco Bay Times. 2013-09-19. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  3. ↑ "Voting For 2014 Pride Grand Marshals Has Begun! | Hoodline" . Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  4. ↑ "Council of Grand Dukes and Grand Duchesses of San Francisco Inc - GuideStar Profile". www.guidestar.org. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  5. ↑ "impcourt.org - International Court System - Home". www.impcourt.org. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  6. ↑ "Postage stamp to commemorate Harvey Milk - National LGBTQ Task Force". National LGBTQ Task Force. 2013-10-15. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  7. 1 2 Provenzano, Jim (2006-09-21). "The Life and Times of H.L. Perry". Bay Area Reporter . Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  8. 1 2 Pratt, Paul (2009-07-16). "Ducal Council to Crown First Miss SF Goldrush". San Francisco Bay Times . Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  9. ↑ "SFDucal.org: Royal Board of Directors". Archived from the original on 2013-04-15. Retrieved 2009-09-30.
  10. ↑ "Alameda Ducal: Who We Are". Archived from the original on September 22, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-30.
  11. ↑ Del Mar, Pollo (2008-07-24). "Pollo Hits the Alameda Ducal Coronation". San Francisco Bay Times . Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  12. ↑ "ImperialCourt.org". Archived from the original on 2009-09-29. Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  13. ↑ Del Mar, Pollo (2009-09-20). "Pollo Is Back on the Campaign Trail". San Francisco Bay Times . Retrieved 2009-09-30.
  14. ↑ Provenzano, Jim (2006-11-09). "Blast from the Past @LGBT Center". Bay Area Reporter . Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  15. ↑ Sachet, Donna (2007-08-23). "In the Socializing Life". Bay Area Reporter . Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  16. ↑ Provenzano, Jim (2008-06-12). "Queer & Far". Bay Area Reporter . Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  17. 1 2 Provenzano, Jim (2006-12-07). "St. Nicholas' Cotillion @Mr. Lee-Ona's". Bay Area Reporter . Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  18. ↑ Sher, Mike (2005-12-22). "Its No Rumor: The Club's a Hotspot". Bay Area Reporter . Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  19. ↑ Provenzano, Jim (2008-08-15). "Skin Is In!". Bay Area Reporter . Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  20. ↑ Sachet, Donna (2006-02-09). "Splashy Parties & Bubbly Company". Bay Area Reporter . Retrieved 2009-10-04.
  21. ↑ Introduction to the Imperial Court System Archived January 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.