SGN.org- by Scott Rice – SGN Contributing Writer
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: The Imperial Sovereign Court’s Widow Norton
You may call him The Nightingale of Montgomery Street. You may call him Empress José I, The Widow Norton. And you may call him simply José. But whatever you do, don’t call him a drag queen.
José Julio Sarria is a Queer legend. But first, he is an entertainer. After scrapping plans to become a teacher, Sarria made his name in San Francisco’s bohemian circles by waiting tables and singing opera at the legendary Black Cat. He went on to become an early activist for LGBT civil rights, the first openly Queer candidate for public office (he lost – Milk later won), a successful entrepreneur, and the founder of the International Imperial Court System (IICS), one of the largest Queer organizations dedicated to raising money for our community.