Meet Hank, The Man Behind The Castro's Barbie And Ken Windows

Meet Hank, The Man Behind The Castro's Barbie And Ken WindowsPhotos: David-Elijah Nahmod / Hoodline
David-Elijah Nahmod
Published on August 01, 2015

"It's Castro, Bitch" states a sign in the window at 19th and Castro Street that pays homage to a Britney Spears song. That window, and several other windows beside it, are colorfully decorated with an impressive variety of Ken and Barbie dolls. There's even a Gay Bob doll, a popular, anatomically correct doll that enjoyed a brief burst of popularity during the 1970s. The dolls, representing 40 years of queer culture in the Castro, are the creation of Hank Cancél.


Cancél, a 47-year-old hospitality worker originally from New York, has lived in San Francisco for 21 years. Speaking to Hoodline, he gave us more insight into the windows that many of us glimpse whenever we walk by.

Dubbed "Eureka Valley of the Dolls," Cancél's displays are meant to represent the diversity of communities and cultures that call the Castro home. "I wanted to give back to the community," he said. "It's a fun art project, and it was popular from day one."

Photo: Lynn Friedman/Flickr

The windows continue to be a work in progress, as Cancél tries to represent the ever-evolving mix of people living in the neighborhood. Recently, he added two white gay dads with two black children to the display after seeing such a family walking by.

"I want everyone who looks at the windows to see themselves represented and celebrated," he said, noting that his doll collection includes lesbians and straight couples, all of whom are part of the neighborhood fabric.


The display's main purpose is to represent the many diverse groups and movements that have appeared in the Castro. Cancél's side window, which faces Castro Street, features drag queens, drag kings, and the venerable Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. His front three windows along 19th Street are a political history lesson, with dolls carrying signs for the Occupy and Black Lives Matter movements, leather community and the now-banned nudist dolls, and other dolls representing queer activist movements. Many of the dolls are holding up miniature reproductions of the actual signage used by 1980s groups such as ACT UP—The AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power, or the more recent Body Freedom nudist movement.

Cancél notes that his window displays might be the last of a once-vibrant art form. "When the city was a huge queer community, there were window displays everywhere," he explained. "San Francisco was a place where you could fly your freak flag, and it was celebrated. You could radically self express—it was a place where Robin Williams could feel normal."


Cancél feels that the Castro of today is still a mecca, albeit a very different place. "People come looking for the party," Cancél said. "They might be disappointed. The fire is no longer in the belly of the beast. The streets used to be packed, but look at it, it's deserted." He pointed outside his window, where only a handful of people could be seen walking down the street.

Despite the shifts and changes, Cancél still loves the neighborhood. "Many come to town and see my work as they check out the Castro's recently installed History Walk," he said. "And some of the remaining iconic businesses from the old days, including Orphan Andy's and the Castro Coffee Company, are my favorite spots to hang out."

For Cancél, the Castro is home. It's where he feels community, where he most fits in. It's the neighborhood which inspires his art, and he hopes that his ongoing display project inspires others. "Be creative," he said. "I hope I inspire people to explore their creative side."