LGBTQ San Diego County News

07/20/2025

07/18/2025

🌈 Pride is a celebration—but also a shared space. It takes thousands of hardworking people—onstage and behind the scenes—to bring San Diego Pride to life. From drag performers and bartenders to hotel staff, drivers, stylists, and festival crew, tipping is one of the simplest ways to show gratitude and keep the love flowing. 💸💖

🪩 Whether you’re front row at a drag brunch or vibing in the VIP section, here’s a quick guide to help you tip with intention this Pride. Be kind, be generous, and remember: Pride is powered by people. 🌈

DRAG SHOWS & BRUNCHES
💃 $1–$5 per performance
✨ $2 minimum at drag brunch
🙌 Tip each queen directly (respectfully—no grabbing!)

BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
🍸 Bartenders: $1–$2 per drink or 20% of tab
🪩 VIP Bottle Service Hosts: $20–$100+ depending on service
📋 Guest List/VIP Hosts: $10–$50, especially if you got in free or skipped a line

FESTIVAL STAFF & EVENTS
🎟️ Coat check, photo booths, etc.: $1–$2 per use
🎭 Street/club performers: Tip when you engage or enjoy their work

HOTELS & LODGING
🧳 Bellhops: $1–$2 per bag
🧼 Housekeeping: $3–$5 per night (daily)
🎫 Concierge: $5–$20 depending on request
🚗 Valet: $2–$5 each time

TRANSPORTATION
🚕 Rideshare/taxi: 20%
🚌 Shuttle/gala/event drivers: $2–$5 per person

GLAM & WELLNESS SERVICES
💇‍♀️ Hair/makeup stylists: 20–25%
🧥 Fashion stylists: 15–20%
🏋️‍♂️ Personal trainers: $5–$20/session or a thoughtful gift

BATHHOUSE/PRIVATE PLAY PARTIES
💁🏻Front Desk/Reception: :$2-$5
🗝️ Locker Room/Room Attendants: $2-5
🛑 Important: Always tip discreetly and respectfully, especially in sexually charged environments. Staff are there for safety, hygiene, and service—not to participate or be propositioned.

07/16/2025

Tonight! 🍷✨ Join us for an unforgettable evening with and, civil rights icon Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that made marriage equality the law of the land.

Enjoy a private wine tasting featuring Equality Vines—the first cause-based wine label dedicated to equality for all—at the elegant in San Diego.

🗓️ Tonight, July 16 | 6pm-7:30pm
📍 Sabre Champagne & Wine Bar, 560 J St, San Diego, CA 92101
🎟️ Limited tickets still available: [link in bio or sabrewinebar.com]

Raise a glass, honor a legacy, and celebrate Pride with purpose.

06/06/2025

📡 LIVE NOW from the USS Midway Museum – June 6, 2025
San Diego GLBTQ Historic Task Force Press Conference
Renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206)

Join us for a powerful gathering of leaders, veterans, and advocates as we call for the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk to better reflect the legacy of an LGBTQ+ trailblazer.

🎙️ Speakers Include:
• Nicole M. Ramirez – City Commissioner, San Diego; National President, Harvey Milk Ship Naming Coalition
• Todd Gloria – Mayor, City of San Diego
• Veronica Zerrer – State Commissioner, California State Veterans Board
• Bob Lehman – County Commissioner; Founder, San Diego American Veterans for Equal Rights
• Assemblymember Chris Ward – California State Assembly; Chair, LGBTQ Legislative Caucus
• Will Rodriguez-Kennedy – County Commissioner; Commander, Veteran Democrats of San Diego
• Paloma Aguirre – Mayor, City of Imperial Beach
• Stephen Whitburn – San Diego City Councilmember
• Bob Leyh – Coordinator, San Diego LGBTQ Veterans Wall of Honor

🌟 Special Guest in Attendance: Former Congresswoman Susan Davis

📍 Streaming live from the South Pier of the USS Midway Museum

06/04/2025

Open with Regular Hours
We will reopen today (Wednesday) with regular hours. We feel incredibly grateful to open our doors again and return to what we love most—bringing our resilient community together through food.

As our team finds its footing again, we truly appreciate your continued grace and support. Thank you for standing with us.

06/01/2025

05/18/2025

San Diego honored LGBTQ trailblazers at the 17th Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast, celebrating legacy, resilience, and the ongoing fight for equality. Read the full article via the link in our bio or at: https://lgbtqsd.news/san-diego-honors-lgbtq-trailblazers-at-17th-annual-harvey-milk-diversity-breakfast/🌈

04/26/2025

Attention detail lovers!

LGBTQ San Diego County News is hiring a freelance copie editor. Help us polish articles, fix typos, and make sure every story shines. 😉

Flexible hours, remote work. If you have a sharp eye and a love for LGBTQ+ journalism, we want to hear from you!

DM us to apply! 🤓

04/26/2025

Calling all writers!

LGBTQ San Diego County News is looking for fresh voices to join our team of columnists. If you have strong opinions, unique perspectives, or advice to share with the LGBTQ+ community, we want you!

Semimonthly or monthly columns available.

Slide into our DM’s if you’re interested!

04/26/2025

LGBTQ San Diego County News is in need of creative talent!

LGBTQ San Diego County News is looking for a freelance graphic designer to create eye-catching layouts for social media and print. If you love design and want to support LGBTQ+ journalism, let’s connect!

Send us a DM with your portfolio!

03/29/2025

⚠️ What to know about the major harmful algal bloom impacting Southern California waters, according to Scripps Oceanography biological oceanographer Clarissa Anderson, director of the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS).

🌊 The bloom of the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia began in February—likely related to moderate upwelling conditions—and is still currently active in late March. Researchers have detected domoic acid in shellfish in Santa Barbara and south LA, while also detecting dangerous levels of saxitoxin, which causes Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning, in shellfish in Santa Barbara. While the bloom is mostly impacting Southern California, it appears to extend as far north as Monterey Bay.

🧪 Pseudo-nitzschia is a type of plankton that can produce a neurotoxin known as domoic acid. When these plankton are consumed, domoic acid can accumulate in the tissues of shellfish and fish. When consumed by larger mammals, like sea lions or even humans, domoic acid can cause memory loss, seizures, and even death.

🦭 More than 330 sea lions and over 100 dolphins have been reported stranded as a result of the bloom. This event has caused more dolphin and seabird strandings than in the past three years, with the potential to surpass prior events in total strandings.

🐬 If you encounter a sick sea animal in San Diego, keep your distance and notify SeaWorld San Diego at 1-800-541-7325. To report a dead, injured, or stranded marine mammal along the West Coast, call National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s West Coast Region Stranding Hotline at 1-866-767-6114.

🔬 The weekly samples and technology used to track these blooms are operated and maintained by NOAA's Integrated Ocean Observing System. The monitoring and modeling that Scripps scientists do to mitigate harmful algal blooms would not be possible without critical support from NOAA.

You can learn more here: https://bit.ly/4iKQ8q7

02/28/2025