Petrelis Files

Trevor Project Erases HRC Store
from Castro Street?

Back in December, the Human Rights Campaign caused a controversy to erupt in San Francisco when they announced they were moving their souvenir shop into Harvey Milk's old camera store on Castro Street.

After much debate about the move and HRC's failure to consult with local activists, a deal was struck in private between HRC and the Trevor Project, a group helping gay youth at-risk of suicide, allowing the project to establish a small call center at the back of HRC's new location.

Many saw this collaboration as providing cover to HRC and quieting down the criticism level against not just their move into the old store, but larger complaints about the incompetence and elitism of HRC.

When HRC started selling t-shirts and knick-knacks earlier this year at their new Castro location, they promised to hold an official opening on May 22, Harvey Milk Day. That promise will not be kept. HRC has no plans to mark the day at their San Francisco store.

However, the Trevor Project, is holding an opening of what they're calling the Harvey Milk Call Center on May 22 and their brief notice appearing on SF radio web sites, makes no mention that the center is situated at the back of the HRC shop:

On the anniversary of Harvey Milk’s birthday, Sunday, May 22nd at 11am The Trevor Project will host a Grand Opening Ceremony of the Trevor Lifeline’s Harvey Milk Call Center at the historic location of Castro Camera, 575 Castro Street, San Francisco. ... The Trevor Project’s Harvey Milk Call Center is the latest addition to the Trevor Lifeline crisis call centers and is housed in the space formerly occupied by Milk’s office in Castro Camera. ... Come out to the Ribbon Untying Ceremony and take a guided tour of The Trevor Project’s Harvey Milk Call Center.

There is no mention of this event on the Trevor Project's web site, but the group's spokesperson Laura McGinnis is circulating an email with more details about Sunday's ceremony and HRC is omitted.

Even by the low standards of Gay Inc, it's very weird that HRC is not keeping a promise of an official opening at their Castro Street store, and their partner agency sharing the space is staging a grand ceremony there but totally fails to say a thing about HRC. Just another wacky episode in the world of gay nonprofits.