Sex in San Francisco Social deviance and San Francisco go together like peanut butter and jelly. From the California Gold Rush to current social justice movements, the city has offered a place to foster new ideas and shelter outcasts. In a time where men dominated the public sphere, madams of the Barbary Coast were still able to have financial agency. Later down the line in the 1960’s, San Francisco provided a platform to reanalyze conventional norms in a time of great political tension. Even now with the current political administration, the city still serves as a sanctuary for political thought as exampled by LGBTQ activism and other social movements. I believe the large scale formation of progressive policies across the nation has been
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During this time, many men moved out west in search of fortune. Some succeeded, some failed but the ultimate result was large male population in the West. This created a demand for sex — some women were able to capitalize on this need through parlor houses. One such woman was Belle Cora. She went on to own one of the most successful brothels in all of the Barbary Coast. Cora raked in cash by catering to the city’s wealthy socialites and prominent politicians. In turn, she maintained a lavish lifestyle and frequented posh establishments like the American Theatre. This challenged the gender hierarchy of the time as her prestigious lifestyle rivaled that of many men. One such man was Marshall Richardson. One night, Richardson and Cora were both seated in the first balcony at the American Theatre. This sparked an argument leading Richardson to angrily storm out vowing revenge. The Marshall’s bigotry ultimately led to his death. When he confronted Belle Cora’s lover a few days later, Richardson was shot in the chest. Cora helped her lover escape a conviction on the first trial by funding the best legal talent of the time. This is extremely poignant as even a century later it is commonplace for men to be the “breadwinners”. However, despite her valiant effort, Charles Cora’s fate was sealed after being put into the custody of the Vigilance Committee. The formation of the Vigilance Committee was a result of the …show more content…
Since people are able to assemble themselves without violent community backlash, major strides for change are possible. I believe San Francisco’s divergence from fixed, traditionalist mindsets is a result of the multicultural origins of the city. This allowed for future generations to escape most the oppressive forces that existed elsewhere. Furthermore, San Francisco’s role in the shipping industry continued to bring people from all over the globe which attracted a certain set of people from the rest of the United States to settle down in the city. Therefore, a diverse set of individuals and beliefs became commonplace so the influx of new people and theories was not as radical as it would be in a more homogenous city. This platform allowed for the growth of new ideas and a reanalysis of conventional concepts. Globalization gradually connected San Francisco more and more to the rest of the world augmenting its sphere of influence. As a result of the economic holdings and diverse communities inhabit San Francisco, the city had the agency to set the pace for social equality. In turn, the ripples of radical thought in the city were able to impact small scale changes
During this time, many men moved out west in search of fortune. Some succeeded, some failed but the ultimate result was large male population in the West. This created a demand for sex — some women were able to capitalize on this need through parlor houses. One such woman was Belle Cora. She went on to own one of the most successful brothels in all of the Barbary Coast. Cora raked in cash by catering to the city’s wealthy socialites and prominent politicians. In turn, she maintained a lavish lifestyle and frequented posh establishments like the American Theatre. This challenged the gender hierarchy of the time as her prestigious lifestyle rivaled that of many men. One such man was Marshall Richardson. One night, Richardson and Cora were both seated in the first balcony at the American Theatre. This sparked an argument leading Richardson to angrily storm out vowing revenge. The Marshall’s bigotry ultimately led to his death. When he confronted Belle Cora’s lover a few days later, Richardson was shot in the chest. Cora helped her lover escape a conviction on the first trial by funding the best legal talent of the time. This is extremely poignant as even a century later it is commonplace for men to be the “breadwinners”. However, despite her valiant effort, Charles Cora’s fate was sealed after being put into the custody of the Vigilance Committee. The formation of the Vigilance Committee was a result of the …show more content…
Since people are able to assemble themselves without violent community backlash, major strides for change are possible. I believe San Francisco’s divergence from fixed, traditionalist mindsets is a result of the multicultural origins of the city. This allowed for future generations to escape most the oppressive forces that existed elsewhere. Furthermore, San Francisco’s role in the shipping industry continued to bring people from all over the globe which attracted a certain set of people from the rest of the United States to settle down in the city. Therefore, a diverse set of individuals and beliefs became commonplace so the influx of new people and theories was not as radical as it would be in a more homogenous city. This platform allowed for the growth of new ideas and a reanalysis of conventional concepts. Globalization gradually connected San Francisco more and more to the rest of the world augmenting its sphere of influence. As a result of the economic holdings and diverse communities inhabit San Francisco, the city had the agency to set the pace for social equality. In turn, the ripples of radical thought in the city were able to impact small scale changes