While San Francisco’s LGBT culture has roots dating back to the 19th century, it’s during the late sixties and seventies that the movement truly began to gain traction. Following the Stonewall riots of New York in 1969, San Francisco became a hub for the LGBT community and the gay liberation movement, with the first march that eventually evolved into the renowned San Francisco Pride being held in 1970 and the community growing throughout the decade. It was this exciting and historical time that Kief witnessed first-hand.
Kief says, “Let No Stranger Wait Outside Your Door is a book written for my younger gay brothers and lesbian sisters and for anyone who wants to understand the significance of the period and how it changed – for the better – the lives of gay men and women all over the U.S. and around the world. It shares what it was like to be gay at a time when society and often our own families, chose to deny our existence, ignored or ridiculed us.” Kief added, “My memoir is a story about a sudden, great migration of men and women, who like pioneers a century before, found themselves bound for California and San Francisco were happy, exuberant people filled with hope discovered they didn’t need anyone’s approval to live their lives in the open.”
The author urges the younger generations of the LGBT community to embrace the historical significance of the 70’s and learn about the sacrifices and events that those who preceded them endured and organized for their rights. Let No Stranger Wait Outside Your Door will help those that are not gay better understand their gay friends or family members by giving a first-hand account.
