Tag Archives: Gypsy Taub

End of Week Updates: Nude Activists Convicted, Castro’s New Bulging Baskets (of Flowers) & More

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This week has raced by and April is nearly at an end. Summer is looming as spring draws to a close and we find ourselves checking back in on a  number of posts to find out what their status is. In no particular order or level of import here goes:

Trey Allen at SF City Hall protesting the new nudity ban on 2/1. (Photo: Justin Sullivan)

Trey Allen at SF City Hall protesting the new nudity ban on 2/1. (Photo: Justin Sullivan)

Nude activists, Russell ‘Trey’ Allen, Oxane ‘Gypsy’ Taub and Dist. 8 Supervisor candidate, George Davis were arrested and cited for violating the brand new nudity ban when they showed the full monty at a rally outside City Hall on Feb. 1 that we posted on, the day the ordinance went into effect. On Tues. the 23rd all were found guilty. They now hold the double honor of first arrested and first convicted under the Wiener Nudity Ban. They were each ordered to pay a $100 fine and $92 in court fees. Their Defense attorney Christina DiEdoardo plans to appeal in 30 days. Miss Taub and Mr. Stevens will be facing the judge again following a second arrest for dancing nude at Jane Warner Plaza.

flowers-one-castroThe 3rd Annual Flowers on Castro Benefit sponsored by the Castro Community Business District (CBD) and Herth Realty on April 18th that we posted about was a smashing success according to all who attended and CBD Exec Director, Andrea Aiello raising 2,000 more than the previous year. The event held at Herth Realty’s office on Castro St.  brought in over 10,334 dollars toward their 15,000 dollar goal in donations and art sales that will be used to replace and maintain the neighborhoods hanging baskets of flora. On Tuesday ten new baskets were installed along the village’s main strip. Art is still available for purchase at Herth’s office and you can peruse it as you will or donations can be made directly here. Special thanks to all the artists whose work was used, restaurants  Pica Pica, Fable and Poesia for providing the food and Swirl who supplied wine for the event. Pix from the event here.

SF State Sen. Mark Leno

SF State Sen. Mark Leno

Early this week we posted Sen. Mark Leno had introduced a bill, SB 635, that would allow individual communities to decide to extend their bar and clubs last calls from the current California limit of 2 AM to 4 AM. Despite a large push for the bill from within the Entertainment and Nightlife Industry the bill was rejected in committee. This is the second time our Senator has introduced this legislation. It has the ability to be brought back again before committee but not this year. It will have to go back and start its upstream swim again through political shark infested waters.  Mr. Leno has made noise that he believes that with the growing number of constituents in favor of the bill the next time up will see a different result. Who knows-maybe three times the charm?

Rally at City Hall in favor of changing SFO to Harvey Milk International Airport. (Photo; SJ Mercury News)

Rally at City Hall in favor of changing SFO to Harvey Milk International Airport. (Photo; SJ Mercury News)

And finally, Dist. 9 Supervisor David Campos’ push to rename SFO for Harvey Milk continues to seek its last supporter from among the other members of the Board of Supervisors so it can move forward. We’ve been posting on this issue since it broke. So far he has five out of the six co-sponsors from his fellows to go forward. Where the elusive sixth nod will come from has proven difficult. The freshmen members of the BOS-Norman Yee, London Breed and recent Mayor Lee appointee for Dist 4 Katy Tang-have been reluctant to sign on. Citing a variety of concerns from cost of the name change to the City or constituent balking at the idea-many think other titans of SF politics and civic duty are equally deserving as Milk have been used by the new Supes to withhold sponsorship. Campos remains undeterred and believes that in the end he will be triumphant.

Judge Sides with City Against Naturists in Latest Dust Up Over Public Nudity

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Trey Allen post arrest on Feb. 1st. sporting a SFPD supplied blanket.

Trey Allen post arrest on Feb. 1st. sporting a SFPD supplied blanket. Photo: Nude In Blogspot.com

SF’s Urban Nudist pleas for a restraining order against the City and its two and a half month old public nudity ban received a firm legal swat across their collective naked backsides this week when presiding Fed Judge, Edward Chen, denied their request.

Since the start of February when the ‘No No to Nudity’ ban, penned by Dist 8 Sup. Scott Wiener, backed by a majority of the Board of Supes and then signed, sealed and delivered by Mayor Lee was initiated there have been four incidents which have laid bare what Naturist identify as naked inconsistencies in the City’s public nudity policy.

Two or the actions: the first, held post ban at City Hall on Feb 1st, and most recently a nude ‘dance in’ on Feb. 27th at Jane Warner Plaza in the Castro resulted in misdemeanor arrests of activists for violating the public nudity ban.

Two others: one at Harvey Milk Plaza where SF porn studio, Naked Sword, filmed a large outdoor crowd scene with naked participants for an upcoming porn parody using the nude ban controversy as a plot device and second: the City’s annual Naked Bike Ride.

Both of those events-stuffed with ban violations-were exposed to a good dose of police presence but resulted in zero tickets or arrests.

Urban Nudists cite that kind of pick and choose attitude and use of the law as the basis for challenging the new ban. In a statement they said the City is, “engaged in a pattern of illegal arrests and discriminatory enforcement.” They also remain firmly committed to continued challenges both legally and actively with escalated defiance of the ban.

Judge Chen disagreed with their assessment stating their case, “was lacking in any substantive legal argument in support” of their claims and that they also didn’t provide enough evidence.

So the City’s ban stands. Again.

Trey Allen leaving court post prelim hearing for Feb. 1st City Hall nude protest. Photo: M. Petrelis

Trey Allen leaving court post prelim hearing for Feb. 1st City Hall nude protest. Photo: M. Petrelis

Nudist Trey Allen and Gypsy Taub have already been to prelim court over the City Hall disrobing and Gypsy and Sup. candidate and nude activist, George Davis, have an upcoming court appearance over the Jane Warner naked dance party exhibition.

More to be revealed on this ongoing social and political face off as the weather warms and more opportunities present themselves for the Urban Naturist activists to exhibit their case to the public.

Friday, March 22nd, they and their supporters returned to the steps of City Hall at noon and held a permitted rally against the ban. No arrests were made.

 

 

 

 

BREAKING PHOTOS: 2 Arrested for Nude Dancing in Jane Warner Plaza

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George Davis being taken away (credit: Mitch Hightower)

George Davis?? being taken into police custody (credit: Mitch Hightower)

Nudist Gypsy Taub organized a Nude Dance event at Jane Warner Plaza for this afternoon (despite the nudity ban being in full-effect) hoping to make it a regular thing if the police left them alone. Unfortunately, for her and the tribe of nudists, the police did come. 12 of them, in fact, making two arrests and one citation. No word on who was arrested yet (I was at work), but one of the arrests appears to be George Davis who has said he will be running against Scott Wiener for the District 8 Supervisor role come next election cycle.

While the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that nude dancing and other artistic expression is entitled to some constitutional protection, it is not clear how the city attorney will proceed in this matter.

I guess we’ll have to file this one under Crime?

Check out more photos from the Nude Dance here.

Police Van at Jane Warner Plaza (credit: Mitch Hightower)

Police Van at Jane Warner Plaza (credit: Mitch Hightower)

Gypsy Taub ready for the Nude Dance (credit: Guy Burdick)

Gypsy Taub ready for the Nude Dance (credit: Guy Burdick)

Photos: Porn Parody Shoot in the Castro Pokes Politicians and their Positions

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Naked Sword Rally/Film FlyerOn a beautiful and warm Sunday the Castro found itself at ground zero, once again, in the ongoing battle around the City’s new legal stance on public nudity.

The debate took a decidedly odd, only-in-San-Francisco, twist when the political became porn parody for a hardcore feature film being produced by local SF studio, Naked Sword.

Sandwiched between the Girl Scouts plying their addictive wares and a never-ending flow of citizens and tourists unloading  from MUNI subway and pouring up into the neighborhood, about 75 purveyors of porn and the embattled SF Urban Naturist community held a mock/real protest under the watchful eye of the SFPD. Their target: Supervisor Scott Wiener and the City’s new anti-nudity law used as a political hot potato plot line in the soon to be released porn titled ‘The Cover Up‘.

Naked Sword, who supports the nudist cause, smartly decided to capitalize on the current political controversy and take the Supervisor, police force and the City to task over the restrictive ban all the while engineering a hot porno.

The film’s director, Mr. Pam Gaypornmama (not her real name), a longtime Castro resident reached out to members of the nudist community and invited them to take part in an outdoor protest/rally scene shot at Harvey Milk Plaza.

“I LOVE nudity!”, declared Mr. Pam as she addressed the enthusiastic crowd of actors, extras, protestors and committed nudist. “I live in the Castro-just down the street from Jane Warner Plaza-I see the naked guys every day. I don’t understand what the big deal is and it upsets me to see our City is being turned into such a conservative town by people like Scott Wiener. Let’s keep the Castro funky!”

Armed with a City film permit the faux/real, protest/porn shoot lasted about three hours. Characters in the film like Supervisor Scott Cox (get it?) played by Dale Cooper, Christian Wilde as SFPD Officer Dick, and a variety of nude ‘protestors’ portrayed by adult film actors, Leo Forte, JD Phoenix, Logan Stevens, and Derrick Hanson all took turns delivering scripted lines and exciting the demonstrators/crowd/extras/background players for various reactions.

Dale Cooper-Sup. Scott Cox
Christian Wilde-Officer Dick
Logan Stevens
Derrick Hanson
Leo Forte
JD Phoenix

‘Background’, as extras are often referred to in that ‘other’ film industry, were primarily members of SF’s nudist clans, their ardent supporters and porn star stalkers who milled about chanting slogans on command keeping the ‘live protest edge’ at work in the scene.

Gypsy Taub, one of the four Urban Nudist activists who brought suit in Federal court against the City around the constitutionality of the new ban, played herself in the film. She read a prepared nudist manifesto condemning the real life law eradicating certain public nudity over other acceptable situational forms of nudity and the people who concocted it. Mr. Pam is going to include it in the finished product.

All in all there were at least twenty people/protestors/actors fully naked during the shoot/protest/event. No arrest were made by the six police present.

The filming killed sales for the poor Girl Scouts who were just trying to make a buck and earn merit badges at their booth in front of the now shuttered Diesel store. Their cookies could not compete with all the fine bare booties bouncing about on the sidewalk.

Many of the neighborhood’s casual observers and Sunday strollers were confused by the event and stopped to either lend support or just gape in wide-eyed wonder.

An older woman looking as if she’d just come from Mass at the Castro’s Most Holy Redeemer, commented to me as we both oogled some of Naked Swords disrobed well endowed talent, “Hard to complain about naked guys wandering the streets when they’re hung like that!” she said with an impish grin.

Art imitating life spun through a political churn, spanked with tongue in cheek, San Francisco humor and reshaped into Gay porn. I couldn’t help grinning as it seemed, for the day at least, Mr. Pam had succeeded in keeping our little hamlet funky for just a wee bit longer.

Only in the Castro folks, only in the Castro.

Some pix NSFW. All photos by Waiyde Palmer © 2013

Cops chatting with nudity advocates.
Crowd, Cast, Protest gathering.
George Davis, nude activist and supervisor candidate in dist. 8.
Naked Sword director Mr. Pam
Protest sign
Extras or Protestors?
Dale Cooper as Sup. Scott Cox studies his lines
Screw Your Nudity Ban
Dale looking the part of politician with his assistant.
Four of the six SFPD chaperoning the event
Christian Wilde as Officer Dick with JD Phoenix and Logan Stevens w/real nude activist.
Take 2- “You’re all under arrest!”
Um. This is my corner nudies!

 

 

SF Urban Naturist Won’t Go Quietly-Bare All At City Hall

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Trey Allen protest SF's new nudity ban in front of City Hall and SFPD Photo: Justin Sullivan

Trey Allen protest SF’s new nudity ban in front of City Hall and SFPD. (Photo: Justin Sullivan)

Friday, Feb 1st, the day the Castro’s Supervisor Scott Wiener’s polarizing nudity ban took effect in the City a small group of San Franciscan naturists defied the new law by disrobing at City Hall challenging SFPD to enforce it.

SFPD obliged. With cops outnumbering protestors nearly two to one they were given a fifteen minute warning to get dressed. At the end of the alloted time and a short, robust protest, four activists were arrested-three men and one woman-cited and released. The citation carries a $100 fine for the first offense.

Among those taken into custody were George Davis and Gypsy Tuab, two of the original plaintiffs in the recent lawsuit that’d been based on the supposition nudists First Amendment right to freedom of expression would be violated by the City’s new ban. US District Federal Judge Edward Chen dismissed their case Tuesday for lack of just cause.

Trey Allen at SF City Hall protesting the new nudity ban on 2/1. (Photo: Justin Sullivan)

Trey Allen at SF City Hall protesting the new nudity ban on 2/1. (Photo: Justin Sullivan)

Trey Allen, 30, another protestor who defied the law and was arrested had, ‘War is Obscene, Not My Body’, emblazoned on his back in an attempt to point out the absurdity of the nudity issue versus larger problems facing the country like ending US involvement in the war in Afghanistan or ongoing drone bombings in Pakistan.

Mitch Hightower, an outspoken advocate for public nudity who runs the website BuckNakedInPublic.com in addition to organizing the yearly ‘Nude In’ at the Castro’s Jane Warner Plaza seemed very pleased with the outcome of the small but vocal protest.

Mr. Hightower, who initiated the failed lawsuit, was quoted in the SF Gate saying, involving the police was exactly what the nudist wanted. Judge Edward Chen left open the possibility of a future lawsuit if the nudist could prove that the law was inhibiting their political expression.

One of those arrested, George Davis, also took the opportunity to announce he’d be seeking to replace Supervisor Wiener during the next election cycle for the Dist. 8 Supervisors seat in 2014 running on a pro-nudity platform.

Wether or not these arrests will help further the nudist cause remains to be seen. All detainees have expressed a desire to see their citation all the way through the court system.

Regardless of a conviction if the immediate goal was to keep the national and international news spotlight focused on their cause and the City’s nudity ban they’ve more than succeeded.

 

Federal Judge to Review the Nudity Ban

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Though the nudity ban isn’t officially a law yet, word comes this morning that U.S. District Judge Edward M. Chen, with the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, has scheduled a hearing for January 17, 2013 to hear arguments if the new, San Francisco law sponsored by Sup. Scott Weiner violates the rights of our embattled, urban nudists.

Since the onset of the debate nudists have maintained that the ban violates their First Amendment right of self-expression and is making the City look more like Topeka and less like the beacon of open minded, forward thinking community that most in the world think San Francisco to be.

As we posted earlier during the course of this winding debate that’s polarizing the Castro and the community, San Francisco-based lawyer, Christina A. DiEdoardo,  filed the class action lawsuit on behalf of four nudists claiming the proposed law violates their freedom of expression and the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. Plaintiff in the lawsuit,  Mitch Hightower, a gay man who organizes a yearly nude-in at Jane Warner Plaza in the Castro and owner/operator of an online porn site based on public nudity; Oxane “Gypsy” Taub, nudist television host from Berkeley; George Davis, former ‘nude’ SF mayoral candidate; and Russell Mills, web master of a pro nudity site. Ms. DiEdoardo has repeatedly been quoted by reporters, that her clients “are entitled” under the First Amendment to be nude in public as they are engaging in “expressive speech.” The city cannot ban such speech, she said, merely because others are offended by seeing people nude.

The Board of Supervisors are expected to revisit the vote on the ban again in December, and if it passes, Mayor Ed Lee has promised to sign it into law. City Attorney Dennis Herrera, has branded the nudists’ lawsuit baseless. The US Supreme court has reviewed two such cases previously and found that such bans do not violate individual rights to expression and local municipalities have the right to legislate against it. Both those cases however dealt with strip club nudity and the use of pasties vs. no pasties. Some would argue this case comes from a different perspective and is worth review.

DiEdoardo has also pointed out that there is still time for a compromise between the City and the plaintiffs. Compromise could be reached if the City worked with the nudist to find a better solution than another law that divides nudity into acceptable/unacceptable categories and wastes precious City resources of time and money battling the issue out in court. The idea of this happening seems highly unlikely at this point considering how rancorous the debate has become within City Hall, the full court press of the Merchants of Upper Market/Castro (MUMC) and some very influential and outspoken citizen’s from the district who’ve had the luxury of Sup. Weiner’s full attention.