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|Subject=Polk Street
|Topic=Polk Street
|Created=Apr 30, 2013 17:30
|Creator=Robby
|Comment=I was one of those "boys" on Polk from 1976-1981, when it was less-dangerous.  I was 15.  Not every guy who worked Polk was a runaway, most were, but some of us were just seeking out the gay life and because of our age Polk was the place to go.  It was an exciting time in gay history and San Francisco.  Not all desperation, and I met some great older men, but who society would most-likely consider predators and molestors.  Yes, there was rape, violence, drug abuse...but we looked out for each other the best we could.  We never had "pimps" and saw ourselves as independent.  There was no one to help us and the police would look the other way (they knew what was happening on Polk).  This was before Larkin Street Youth Services, where some of my friends went as soon as it started.  The gay community back then watched out for us the best they could too and we felt safe at least around older gay men (even though some of them were "abusing" us).  We did what we had to do to eat and survive.
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