Led by body freedom fighter Gypsy Taub, a local contingent of nudists is planning their own celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love, further testing San Franciscans' tolerance for the ongoing celebration of this particular anniversary.
In a release Taub writes that the Summer of Love in 1967 "sent such powerful ripples of love throughout our whole planet that it changed the world forever." And, she adds, "It brought us a spiritual awakening of unprecedented proportions, which in turn lead to a powerful peace movement, sexual liberation, body freedom, women’s rights, greater human rights in general, animal rights, environmental protections and other grass roots movements on all fronts of human existence."
Taub is asking that all nudists and body freedom lovers gather at the traditional spot, Jane Warner Plaza at 17th and Castro, on Saturday, May 20, where the parade/march will kick off at 11 a.m. The route will take the nudity up Castro to Haight Street, and all the way up Haight to Stanyan, and then back to the Castro. She's secured a parade permit until 2:30, and she says of previous events, "We usually dance at Jane Warner Plaza after the parade and until the permit is expired and often past the time of the permit. Come dance with us!"
Participants are asked to wear flowers in their hair, or have some sort of hippie adornment, like a peace sign.
This is actually the second time Taub and the gang have done a nude parade in honor of the Summer of Love they started celebrating the anniversary last August, on Jerry Garcia's birthday, as you can see in the video above.
It should be noted that this is the day before Bay to Breakers, and event which at one time was rife with nudity and probably will still contain some, and where Taub herself taunted cops, in the nude, in 2014 and got a citation, even though Bay to Breakers is a specific exception made in the 2012 nudity ban.
I will also note that having received many press releases from Gypsy Taub over the years, this is by far her most exuberant and lyrical. "The Summer of Love began in the 60s but it never ended," she writes. "It continues to transform humanity in new ways that keep evolving and seducing more and more people into love, compassion and world peace."
And there's more: "Let’s shed our clothes. let’s shed our inhibitions, our self doubt and self hate. Let’s wake up to the love, to the flame that burns within our hearts. Let’s show the world that we as the human race have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to fear. Let’s spread love, body freedom and sexual liberation! Let’s demonstrate that we are not afraid to be vulnerable, that we are not afraid to be free."
She certainly has a point that a bunch of naked people with peace signs painted on their body is a more authentic commemoration of the dawn of the hippie era than, say, a museum exhibition with some tie-dye.
Related: What Was The Summer Of Love?: An Explainer As 50th Anniversary Celebrations Ramp Up
