Golden Gate Guards

About the Golden Gate Guards

The Golden Gate Guards was a leather/Levi, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, open to both men and women, serving the San Francisco Bay Area for 36 years from 1986 to 2022. Our purpose was to:

• Have fun!
• Promote fellowship, camaraderie and social interaction among people in the alternative-lifestyle communities
• Host safe, sane, and enjoyable events for those with an interest in leather, Levi's, motorcycles and uniforms
• Provide education and opportunities for newcomers to learn about various alternative-lifestyles
• Raise money for selected other non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations

A Brief History

Originally founded in 1976 as the Imperial Guards of San Francisco, the club served as an unofficial liaison between the Imperial Courts and the Leather/Levi's community. Pictured to the right are the Imperial Guards at the 1981 Coronation. In late 1986, with the courts' blessing, we became an independent organization known as the Golden Gate Guards. Pop quiz: name the person standing in the lower left of the picture.

Our overlay paid tribute to our beginnings with both the year (1976) and the Imperial Crown. The year 1987 and the phoenix represents the beginning of the Golden Gate Guards.

In 2001, the Golden Gate Guards became a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization recognized by both the IRS and the State of California. The non-profit organization was dissolved in November 2022 and all assets were given to other non-profit organizations.

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Our Activities

Here is a summary of typical events we hosted throughout each year.

• Golden Dildeaux Awards in April: This hilarious event was the only awards program for sex in the world! It was also a unique fund-raiser with the proceeds going to the Positive Resource Center's Emergency Financial Assistance program (formerly the AIDS Emergency Fund).
• Springtime in Yosemite National Park in May: This weekend run took advantage of the natural beauty of Yosemite National Park and it's proximity to the SF Bay Area. It was open to everyone and was a great motorcycle run for both beginners and experienced riders.
• San Francisco Poker Run in either the Spring or the Summer depending upon the weather. This was also a good beginners motorcycle run and only required about three hours to complete. It typically ended at the SF Eagle beverage benefit where you could relax, socialize with friends and meet members of the alternative lifestyles community.
• Leather Cruise on San Francisco Bay the Saturday evening before Folsom Street Fair. This was a fun and exciting way to meet members of the leather community and enjoy a great sunset cruise on San Francisco Bay.
• Annual Run the first weekend in October:For 28 years from 1987 through 2014, the Golden Gate Guards hosted one of the most exciting weekend runs in California, each with a different creative theme. The annual runs featured bike & buddy events, people events, guest night talent show, Saturday night prime rib dinner, campy run show, a play space for after-hours activities and an awards presentation.
• Annual Anniversary Party in November. We enjoyed celebrating each year's accomplishments with an anniversary party. We also made contributions to our selected beneficiaries for the year at this event.
• Periodic Sunday afternoon beverage benefits to raise funds for our beneficiaries and have fun socializing with our members, friends, and meet others. We firmly believed in face-to-face activities in addition to the ubiquitous Internet. We also worked together with Folsom Street Events to manage a beverage booth at the Dore Alley and Folsom Street Fairs for many years.
• Monthly President's event: (dining out, movie night, bowling night, miniature golf, etc). Again more opportunities for face-to-face socializing and learning from others about alternative lifestyles.