Far from the Pride parades that draw millions of visitors to San Francisco and other major U.S. cities, Gary Saperstein stood in the town square of rural Sonoma beneath a trio of Pride flags city hall recently hoisted for Pride month.
At the edge of the square, Saperstein pointed out a series of rainbow-colored crosswalks added for the first time this year, an idea Saperstein proposed to the city council.
“They make such a statement,” said Saperstein. “Not only to the local community but everybody who’s coming into our community.”
Saperstein has been referred to as Sonoma’s unofficial “gay mayor,” a badge of honor he wears proudly. He’s become one of wine country’s biggest LGBT advocates, raising the visibility of the area’s queer community.
Saperstein walked around the town square pointing to large banners declaring Pride, each sponsored by a different local business — another idea of his.
“So you’ve got all the colors of the rainbow,” said Kyle Kuklewski, a local chef. “But at the base of every flag you also have a local or small or large business that’s helping to say, 'I also am here to help show and support.'”
Saperstein, who came out in New York before moving to the Bay Area, has devoted much of his professional life to supporting the gay community. He founded and runs an LGBTQ tour business called Out in the Vineyard, which organizes tours of wineries and other wine country destinations.
He also founded the annual three-day Gay Wine Weekend in Sonoma, which draws thousands of revelers to the area for a weekend of wine-themed partying.
“As a community, we love to travel, we love experiences,” Saperstein said. “Food and wine are so much a part of our culture and especially for the LGBT community.”
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Among the regular stops for Out in the Vineyard’s tours is La Crema winery in Windsor, which Saperstein cited as a business that supports the gay community year-round, not just during Pride month. The tours wind through vineyards, wine-making operations, glasses of wine always in hand.
The tours have not only introduced the LGBTQ community to new wineries – the wineries have realized the increased marketing potential of the gay community, which Saperstein said was once lacking.
“I was wondering why nobody was talking to us in the wine industry,” Saperstein said. “I didn’t understand why.”
As the success of his many endeavors has taken hold, Saperstein has become more emboldened in his efforts, increasingly harnessing the area’s political forces to increase recognition of the LGBTQ community.
“He is somebody who wanted to give LGBT and their allies and friends a really wonderful opportunity to come together,” said friend Matthew Long. “To enjoy this beautiful vineyard and to share with one another.”
Aside from the big city Pride events, Saperstein said it’s become more important to raise the visibility of Pride in rural areas like Sonoma. He’s heartened to see Pride flags raised in rural cities like Healdsburg and Santa Rosa.
“That is so important, especially to young people growing up in small towns that think they’re alone,” said Saperstein. “The more we can bring out into the public sphere, people know they’re not alone.”
At La Creme, Saperstein poured a rosé and clinked glasses with a couple friends — a Pride flag dangling over the winery’s front door as the sun re-angled its rays across the vineyard.
“We need to be out, we need to be proud,” said Saperstein, admiring the view. “That we are part of the community that we live in.”
