Year
|
In Houston/Texas
|
Other
Events in United States |
1970
|
Integrity/Houston founded in Feb 1970, as
a service and fellowship organization.
KPFT
went on the air, the home of diversity programming, with many
shows over the years, like Wilde N Stein, Breakthrough, After
Hours and Queer Voices
August. The
Nuntius. The first Houston community gay newspaper, published
by Phil Frank (real name: Floyd Paxton Goff) and it was a good
mix of local news, gossip, drag and bar information. By October
1972 it had merged with the Dallas publication Our Community,
with both names on the cover. Last known issue was October 1976.
Fall. Formation of the Gay
Liberation Front. Lasting a couple years its heavily leftist
philosophy was not well received in Houston. It was loosely associated
with the University of Houston, but did not have university sanction.
Gayboy
was a Houston-based pubication, borderline pornographic, begun
in 1970 by Anaco Publishing and Editor Ray Houston. There were
six issues through 1972.
September. The bar Briar
Patch opened, and was in business until the Spring of 2005.
|
Noted gay activist
Morris
Kight, a Texan living in Los Angeles, was responsible for the
first Remember Stonewall vigil. AGay-In that took place
on June 27, 1970.
The American Library Association GLBT Round
Table was founded in 1970 as the Task Force on Gay Liberation
and is considered the nation's first gay, lesbian & bisexual
professional organization
The Advocate estimates that there are approximately
6,817,000 gays and lesbians living in the United States
July 2. The Fifth
Biennial Convention of the Lutheran Church in America expresses
its opposition to discrimination and oppression of gay men and
lesbians
July 4. The General
Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association becomes the
first mainstream religious group in the US to recognize publicly
the existence of gay, lesbian, and bisexual clergy and laity among
its members and to demand "an end to all discrimination against
homosexuals."
July 25. The Vatican
issues a statement reminding the faithful that the Roman Catholic
Church considers homosexuality a moral aberration
Huey Newton, leader of the Black Panthers,
publicly states his "solidarity" with the "Gay
Power" movement. He declared: "Whatever your personal
opinion and your insecurities about homosexuality and the various
liberation movements among homosexuals, we should try to unit
with them in a revolutionary fashion. We must gain security in
ourselves and therefore have respect and feelings for all oppressed
people."
|
1971
|
March. "Mary's...Naturally,"
an iconic bar and for a time Houston's oldest continuously open
gay bar, closing in 2009. Also
see...
L.U.E.Y.
(Let Us Entertain You) founded by the Texas Riders in order to
'keep the party going' for individuals returning from Mardi Gras
in New Orleans." It officially became an annual event in
1973, under the organization Houston Council of Clubs.
|
January 1971. The
New York Times Magazine includes a groundbreaking
seven-page essay by writer Merle
Miller entitled "What It Means to Be a Homosexual."
Seven lesbians, including Barbara
Gittings, break new ground on US Television when they appear
on The David Susskind Show.
Andy Warhol's play "Pork"
opened. The cast included a sixteen-year-old drag queen named
Harvey Fierstein. See this
link for a lot more info on Warhol.
First gay community center opened in L.A.
Exiled Texan Jim Kepner began to make the
documents and memorabilia he had been amassing available to researchers.
This ultimately became the International Gay and Lesbian Archives,
consisting of over 25,000 books, as well as many thousands of
other items. Kepner's archives were merged with the collection
of the ONE Institute in 1994
The Gay Book Award Debuts
The state of Idaho repeals the sodomy law
- Then re-instates the repealed sodomy law because of outrage
among mormons and Roman Catholics
The newly formed Libertarian
Party calls for the repeal of all victimless crime laws, including
the sodomy laws
|
1972
|
Houstonians participate in the Dallas Gay
Pride Parade. Houstonians helped sponsor this, the first Pride
Parade in Texas
Oct 1972. Montrose
Gaze, Houstons first gay community
center, opens its doors.
Nov 1972. Four female members of the Circle
of Friends, tired of the "sexism of that organization,"
formed the Dallas Chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis.
October 5. First "gay
marriage" in Texas, between Billy Ert (dressed in female
attire) and Antonio Molina. It was not legal but got a whole
lot of attention.
|
Delaware decriminalizes
private consensual adult homosexual acts.
Inner
Circle Dinner
Ann Arbor, Michigan becomes the first U.S.
city to pass a broad gay civil rights law. The city council passes
the city's human right code making discrimination against gays
in housing, public accommodation, and employment illegal throughout
the city.
At the 1972 Democratic National Convention,
two openly lesbian and gay delegates, Madeline
Davis and Jim
Foster made history when they gave a televised address before
the convention. Click
to find Madeline Davis interview and spotlight
Washington, D.C.'s first Pride Parade
San Francisco bar Twin Peaks Saloon founded
by two lesbians was the first gay bar to have floor-to-ceiling
windows, so that passers-by could see the inside
National Bisexual Liberation Group forms in
New York. Within three years, more than 5,500 members in 10 US
chapters receive what is probably the earliest bisexual newsletter,
The Bisexual Expression
The first chapter of PFLAG
founed in New York City. See
link for local clippings.
|
1973
|
Representatives from
the Houston Gay Political Coalition (a precursor to the Houston
Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus) appear before Houston City Council.
Coalition members unsuccessfully request the last week in June be
declared Gay Pride Week.
First meeting of the Sexuality and Lesbianism
Task Force takes place at the Milam Steet Women's Center in Houston.
September 20, 1973 - In their so-called "battle
of the sexes", tennis star Billie Jean King defeated
Bobby Riggs in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, at the Houston Astrodome
Marion
Pantzer and Lynn Hornaday opened
the long-running lesbian club named Just
Marion & Lynn's in September, with original location at
817 Fairview, and then in Oct 1984 moving to 903 Richmond, closing
in 1987. Marion was killed during a robbery on March 11, 1986.
|
Oct.15, Bruce Voeller,
Dr. Howard Brown, Ron Gold and Nath Rockhill found the National
Gay Task Force in New York City
Six-hundred gay men and lesbians joined hands
and formed a chain across the George Washington Bridge in New
York City to protest discrimination against homosexuals
The American Psychiatric Association removes
homosexuality from its list of mental disorders, Transgenderism,
however, remains listed as a mental disability, termed "gender
dysphoria," to this day.
Rita Mae Brown's Rubyfruit Jungle Is Published
Dignity
becomes a national organization.
An anti-transgender backlash causes activists
to physically prevent Sylvia
Rivera from speaking at the Stonewall commemoration in New
York, and Beth
Elliot, a lesbian transsexual woman who had once been vice
president of the San Francisco chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis
was ejected from the West Coast Lesbian Conference in Los Angeles.
The Gay Raiders, a Philadelphia-based activist
group, led a national campaign to change the TV networks
portrayal of gays and lesbians. The groups most famous zap
took place in 1973 when activist Mark Segal (now publisher of
Philadelphia Gay News) interrupted the CBS Evening News with Walter
Cronkite bearing a placard that read, Gays protest CBS bigotry.
|
1974
|
May 25-27. The 7th National NOW Conference
held in Houston
Houstonian Harla Kaplan starts a NOW task
force on sexuality and lesbianism.
Mayes
v. Texas The first challenge to
Houston's "cross-dressing" law
March. The Metropolitan
Community Church Gay Bible Study Group (which evolved into
Resurrection MCC) rented a storefront at 2020 Waugh.
March. Henry McClurg began
his several decade publishing career with Contact
in March 1974, lasting 17 issues until absorbed by The Advocate
in late 1975.
June 21. First Texas Gay Conference
was formed in late 1973 and held in Fort Worth. Succeeding events
were held annually through 1982, rotating in different cities
around the state to organize political activism. Conferences featured
national speakers See this
link for the programs.
|
AT&T is the first
major American corporation to agree to an equal opportunity policy
for lesbians and gay men
The first federal gay rights bill is introduced
in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Equality Act of 1974,
would have amended the 1964 Civil Rights Act, by adding "sexual
orientation to the list of those protected from discrimination
Jan
Morris's Conundrum
is published, a personal transgender journey
Ohio repeals its sodomy laws
Robert
Grant founds the American Christian
Cause to oppose the "gay
agenda," the beginning of modern Christian politics in
America
Episcopal ministry to Gay Christians, Integrity,
is founded
Walter Cronkite featured a major segment on
gay rights after speaking with Mark Segal, a gay youth activist
who had interrupted his broadcast five months earlier
|
1975
|
First Garden
Party - drag-attired event, fundraising for the community
until around 1999
The
Houston Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus (Now the HGLBTPC)
founded by Pokey Anderson, Keith McGee, Bill Buie and Hugh Crell.
It is the South's oldest GLBT civil rights organization. The Houston
Pride Parade was first run by the Houston Political Caucus. Much
more info...
The lesbian publication Pointblank
Times began in March 1975, founded by Linda Lovell and Alison
McKinney, with a large staff including Pokey Anderson. It existed
until at least May 1978.
This
Week in Texas (TWiT)
begins publication. Although many now consider the publication
a "bar rag," in the early years it covered much of what
was happening in the state concerning the gay community
A press conference is held by Houstons
GLPC. Ray Hill announces that this year will be the last quiet
celebration of the Stonewall anniversary in Houston.
August 1. Gary
J. Van Ootegham, then the county comptroller, goes before
the Harris County Commissioners Court and speak out about
gay rights
June 20-22. Second Texas
Gay Conference, held in San Antonio
June 28. Austin's first Pride Parade
The Montrose
Activity Center (MAC) had a long and rocky existence, technically
forming in December of 1975 and obtaining a building in 1976 and
selling it in 1982 (giving proceeds to the Montrose Counseling
Center). It went on, adding the production of the Gay Pride Week
events as a subprogram until that spun off into their own organization.
|
California and Washington
decriminalizes same sex acts between consenting adults.
In a change of policy, the U.S. Civil Service
Commission decides to consider applications by lesbians and gay
men on a case-by-case basis. Previously, homosexuality was grounds
for automatic disqualification.
US Army Sgt.
Leonard Matlovich is on the cover of Time Magazine with the
headline, "I Am a Homosexual."
The National Gay Task Force works on the introduction
of the first gay rights bill in the U.S. Congress (HR5452), sponsored
by Rep. Bella Abzug.
David
Kopay the first professional football player to come out
|
1976
|
February. Doonesbury
character Andy Lippincott, a classmate of Joanies, told
her that he was gay. Since the strip was removed from the Houston
papers, Ray Hill read it aloud on the radio
Houston's first gay pride parade, an informal
march, is held downtown during the afternoon of June 20, sponsored
by the University of Houston's Gay Activist Alliance. 300 -400
people attend. Marching with them was a legend of the time Vito
Russo
June 18-20. Third Texas
Gay Conference held in Houston
Pokey
Anderson the first openly lesbian
political candidate in a run for neighborhood commissioner
Henry McClurg resumed his
publishing with the Montrose
Star in July 1976, which morphed into The Star in 1980 and
then the Montrose
Voice in October 1980.
Colt 45s founded, a self-styled "Western
charity club," doing social and fundraising efforts.
December. Montrose
Activity Center (MAC) opened
December 20. Gary
Wayne Stock shot and killed by HPD officer at the corner of
Fannin and Drew
Janus Information Facility established in
Galveston with financial backing from the Erickson
Educational Foundation created by Trans pioneer Reed Erickson.
This facility provided worldwide information concerning transsexualism
and its treatment to anyone attempting to find answers.
|
Indiana, South Dakota
and West Virginia decriminalize private consensual adult homosexual
acts
Candidate Jimmy Carter announces that if elected
he will support and sign a federal civil rights bill outlawing
discrimination against gays and lesbians
The first part of the daily serial "Tales
of the City" by Armistead
Maupin appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle. Maupins
Tales of the City featured a transsexual as a main
character.
San Francisco - at the second annual convention
of Integrity, writer-Priest Malcolm
Boyd calls the Church's response to homosexuality a "negative
scandal of the Gospel" See
Episcopal News Service story here
|
1977
|
A planned Pride Parade
is cancelled due to a lack of funds. However, gays, lesbians, bisexuals,
transgender individuals, and friends respond to a Texas State Bar
Association-sponsored appearance by Anita Bryant, the virulently
anti-gay Florida orange juice spokesperson and former Miss America.
An estimated 12,000 (Jacks article says est. 6,000, Pokey
says est. 3,000) participate in the Anita Bryant Demonstrations.
A few weeks later, Houston's gay community held it's first Gay Pride
Rally in Cherryhurst Park.
Houstons Pokey Anderson is one of 14
representatives invited by Jimmy Carters Assistant for Public
Liaison, Margaret (Midge) Costanza, to go to the White House for
the first-ever official White
House Meeting between presidential staff and lesbian and gay
activists
National Gay Task Force Executive Director
Jean O' Leary is appointed to President Carter's International
Women's Year Commission and coordinated the passage of sexual
preference resolutions at 30 state conferences and the National
Womens Conference in Houston, November 18-21, a milestone
in making equality for lesbians a key feature of mainstream feminist
advocacy
Fall. The Lesberadas
group formed, to initiate communication between lesbians and gay
men. (founded neat the time of the IWY convention)
Texas Human Rights Foundation founded by
Robert
"Mort" Schwab
Charles Gillis and Ken Cyr
open the first location of the Wilde
'n' Stein bookstore at 819 Richmond. The first non-pornographic
gay and lesbian oriented bookstore in Houston. It relocated twice,
from 819 Richmond to 520 Westheimer, and then to 802 Westheimer.
Importantly, it also functioned as a community and political center,
offering space for community organizations such as Integrity (later
Interact), and sheltering for some time the Texas Gay Archives
before they merged with the Charles Botts Collection at MCC Resurrection.
It closed in 1986.
June 18-19. Fourth Texas
Gay Conference held in Austin
|
January 10, 1977.
The Episcopal Church ordains Ellen Marie
Barrett. She is the first openly lesbian cleric of any major religious
organization in the US
Wyoming decriminalizes private consensual
adult homosexual acts
Log Cabin Republicans is formed in Southern
California (originally called "Gay Republicans)
The first gay film festival founded in San
Francisco
Renee
Richards, a transsexual tennis player,
was ruled eligible to play in the women's division by a New York
judge
Sandy Stone is "outed" while working
for Olivia Records, the first womens' music record label, as a
recording engineer. Lesbian activists threaten a boycott of Olivia
products and concerts, forcing the company to ask for Stone's
resignation.
|
1978
|
Feb 1978, though not the first
gay bar in that location at 2400 Brazos (there were three before
it within three years) the Brazos
River Bottom became the iconic country dance bar, closing
35 years later in March of 2013. Many learned to two-step at their
weekly dance lessons and it was homebar to the clubs Southern
Country and the Rainbow Ranglers.
On Easter Sunday a small party among friends
gathered at an apartment complex on Clay Street. The word spread
of the event, and the following year they set up a sound system
outdoors and sent out invitations. By the early 1990's the party
attendance had grown so large that the hosts decided to move to
the new outdoor plaza at the Wortham Center downtown on Buffalo
Bayou; Bunnies on the Bayou was born.
The Montrose
Mining Company opened on March 25, 1978, for a time the oldest
gay bar in Houston (LaFitte's in Galveston is older). The address
housed three other gay clubs from 1971 until 1978, when the Mine
made it their home.
April 7. Upfront
began publication, a full news souce guided by Gary Von Ooteghem,
changing its name to Upfront America in January 1980 and broadening
its focus, lasting until January 1981.
June 9-11. Fifth Texas
Gay Conference held in Dallas
Formal celebration of the first Gay Pride
Week in Houston in June with a full schedule of political and
social events, including Town Meeting I , held at the AstroArena,
a hall adjacent to the Astrodome in what is now Reliant Park.
Nearly 3,500 people attend. As a result, integral local service
groups, including Gay & Lesbian Switchboard Houston, Montrose
Sports Association, and the Montrose Counseling Center, are born.
Coordinating Council of Gay Organizations
formed to represent the gay community in Houston.
October. Initially called
Parents
and Friends of Gays, this group morphed into PFLAG by 1983.
Executive and Professional
Association of Houston, EPAH
formed
|
Harvey
Milk helps to defeat a California initiative that would ban
gays from teaching in public schools. On November 27, San Francisco
Supervisor Dan White assassinates Harvey Milk and Mayor George
Moscone.
Spring. National
Coalition of Black Gays founded in Columbia, Maryland.
June 25. The Rainbow
Flag debuts at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade
May 25, The first
"Gay Day" at Disneyland is held. More than 15,000 people
attend and it's the largest private party ever held at Disneyland.
|
1979
|
The Montrose
Counseling Center was founded with a handful of counseling
professionals, and a two-room office at 900 Lovett. They obtained
non-profit status by the end of the year, adding six more to a
part-time staff. The facility moved to 701 Richmond in early 1993
and in June 2007 obtained their own building at 401 Branard. More
history.....
July 1. First Official Houston Pride Parade
held in Montrose. The parade was followed by a rally at Spotts
Park, where 5,000 community members enjoyed music, speeches, dancing,
and fireworks.
November. The Montrose Singers, now The Gay
Men's Chorus of Houston, founded. See more
info...
July. The Montrose Patrol
was created to protect citizens from harassment and violence in
the streets. About 50 volunteers patrolled the streets, carrying
CB radios.
August 17-19. Sixth Texas
Gay Conference held in Austin
While the Houston
Pride Band began getting together to play in 1978 they really
ramped up in the Spring of 1979 to get ready for the March on
Washington. They were first the Montrose Marching Band, then the
Montrose Symphonic Band, the Lonestar Symphonic band and finally
the present name.
|
October 14. An estimated
100,000 people, with delegations representing
every state and tell foreign countries, participate in the first-ever
March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
New Jersey decriminalizes private consensual
adult homosexuals acts.
Business Week reports that gays control one-fifth
of the spendable income in the United States, giving rise to businesses
going after the "Pink dollar".
The first Mr.
International Leather contest is held. The winner is David
Klos
Jerry Falwell forms The Moral Majority
Researchers at Columbia University issue a
report that concludes that homosexuality is a result of nurture,
not nature ("upbringing and psychological causes").
The National Coalition of Black Gays sponsored
a conference in Washington DC, The First Third World Lesbian and
Gay Conference.
Johns Hopkins Medical Center closes its Gender
Clinic, under the recommendation of new curator, Paul McHugh,
John Money's successor and an opponent to both Money's idea of
gender as being learned, and Money's support of transsexuals'
need to transition. Over the next two decades, many of the other
Gender Clinics across North America would follow suit. The closure
was justified by pointing to a 1979 report ("Sex Reassignment:
Follow-up," published in Archives of General Psychiatry 36,
no. 9) by Jon Meyer and Donna Reter that claimed to show "no
objective improvement" following male-to-female GRS surgery.
This report was later widely questioned and eventually found to
be contrived and possibly fraudulent, but the damage had been
done.
|
1940s
& Prior
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
|