Jose Sarria

A San Francisco native and Army veteran of World War II, Jose Sarria -- also known variously as the Absolute Empress I de San Francisco, the Grand Mere, and the Widow Norton – was a drag queen, restaurateur, activist and the first known out gay candidate for public office in the U.S. Shortly after his return from active military duty, Sarria enrolled in a local college but not long after was arrested for solicitation. Realizing the arrest would prevent him from becoming a teacher, Sarria dropped