This is where you’ll find a really cool timeline, showing the history of the Leather community, as it is reported to us. Have something that should be here? Let us know!
Satyrs have their 25th anniversary
Satyrs MC, the country’s oldest, celebrates its 25th anniversary in the Grand Ballroom of the Queen Mary, Long Beach CA.
Queen Elizabeth
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II is named an “honorary man” by hosts during a visit to the Persian Gulf so “he” could visit areas barred to women.
Harvey Milk Assassinated
Harvey Milk, openly gay San Francisco Supervisor, assassinated, along with mayor George Moscone, by former Supervisor Dan White.
Rainbow Flag Created
The Rainbow (Gay Pride) flag, designed by Gilbert Baker, is flown as a decorative element at the annual gay pride parade. It later achieved national prominence when a gay man in West Hollywood sued his landlords because they attempted to prohibit him from flying his flag from his balcony.
Robert Mapplethorpe
The photography of Robert Mapplethorpe gets its first solo show at Chrysler Museum.
Tom of Finland 1979 Calendar published
January, Eons Gallery in Los Angeles holds Tom of Finland show and publishes the Tom of Finland 1978 calendar. Tom attends the opening and meets Durk Dehner who would become his partner in establishing the Tom of Finland Foundation.
Anita Bryant
Anita Bryant forms “Save our Children” to fight Miami’s gay rights ordinance, and ignites a counter movement that brought together gay men and women in unprecedented numbers to stand up for their rights.
A Leather Wedding gets coverage
Robert Opel covers a Leather Wedding at Griff’s, a popular Los Angeles leather bar, in Drummer #7.
Slave Auction raided in LA
Los Angeles Police Department raids a Slave Auction being held at the Mark IV baths as a fundraiser sponsored by Drummer magazine. A major case of police overkill as the resulting legal actions show.
The Loggers from Tom of Finland goes on display
Tom of Finland’s first exhibition of original art, the illustrations for the book, The Loggers, is held in the back room of a sex shop in Hamburg Germany. It is a disaster, poorly hung, poorly lit, no sales, and most of the art disappears.
Knights of Malta: Jet Chapter founded
The Knights of Malta: Jet Chapter was founded. Now known as the Knights of Mantra.
Leather Emperor Elected
Marcus Hernandez, leather bar manager of The Bootcamp in San Francisco and leather columnist for The Advocate and later for the B.A.R., is selected as the first gay Emperor of San Francisco. (Not counting the Emperor Norton, of course.)
The Black Pipe raided
Los Angeles police raid a HELP (Homophile Effort for Legal Protection) monthly fundraiser at the Black Pipe, a major leather bar. Among those arrested: HELP president Larry Townsend. The police are surprised when the organization fights back. Some consider this the West Coast Stonewall.1969,
Troy Perry holds a vigil in LA
Troy Perry, founder of Metropolitan Community Church, and a leatherman, sits on the steps of the Federal Building in Los Angeles refusing to eat or leave until someone from the city of Los Angeles comes and talks to him about Gay rights. Eleven days later city Councilman Robert Stevenson holds a curbside meeting with Perry, ending his vigil.
Born to Raise Hell released
The explicitly homoerotic SM film Born to Raise Hell starring Val Martin (the first L.A .Mr. Leather), produced by Terry LeGrand and directed by Roger Earl, is released in Los Angeles. It remains a classic of the genre to this date.
Hollywood Boulevard march
More than 250 homosexuals, led by the Rev. Troy Perry, march for police reform on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.
The Stonewall Riots
The Stonewall riots (also referred to as the Stonewall uprising or the Stonewall rebellion) were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the LGBT community against a police raid that began in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood in New York City.
Border Riders Motorcycle Club formed
Border Riders Motorcycle Club was formed. Based in British Columbia, Washington State and Oregon, it is the second oldest Gay Bike Club in North America. The oldest Gay Bike Club is the Satyrs MC in Los Angeles which was formed in 1954.
https;//borderriders.com
MCC is formed
Metropolitan Community Church founded in Los Angeles by Rev. Troy Perry, a leatherman.
The Black Cat is raided
Los Angeles Police raid the Black Cat, the incident “boosted the modest PRIDE newsletter into The Advocate.”