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YEAR
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IN HOUSTON/TEXAS
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OTHER EVENTS in the United States
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1960
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May-The Daughters of Bilitis sponsor a national convention of lesbians, probably the first gathering focused on the topic of lesbianism in the U.S.
Virginia (Charles) Prince begins publishing Transvestia Magazine. She also founds Los Angeles' Hose and Heels Club and another organization that develops into Tri-Ess ("The Society for the Second Self"). These organizations are thought to be the first modern transgender support groups, and the magazine is the first publication for and by transgender people.
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1961
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Openly gay club singer Jose Sarria (founder of the Imperial Court system) ran for the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco by appealing exclusively to the gay community. Though he didn't win, the campaign was historic
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1962
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Illinois is the first state to decriminalize consensual sodomy, owing largely to the efforts of a heterosexual lawyer whose law school roommate had committed suicide because he was gay.
After the Black Cat Raid (have an article to type up) and the "gayola" scandals local bar owners start The Tavern Guild in San Francisco in an effort to fight police corruption. It is the first gay business association in the United States
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1963
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Publication of El Paso native John Rechy’s City of Night. A breakthrough in describing the underside of gay life
Barbara Gittings takes over publication of The Ladder
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1964
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"The Albatross" a homophile periodical (Bob Eddy, Editor) begins publication in Galveston and circulates into Houston as well.
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Council on Religion and the Homosexual founded in San Francisco.
July 2: President Johnson signs the “1964 Civil Rights Act” into law. The act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, but does not cover sexual orientation. Sex is added to the bill at the last minute to "poison" it, but it passes nonetheless. Courts later rule that sex does not include transsexuals.
Society for Individual Rights (SIR), formed in San Francisco by William Beardemphl, Jim Foster, Bill Plath, and others.
The national convention of the American Civil Liberties Union modifies the organization’s position on sexual rights and opposes government interference in the private sex lives of consenting adults
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1965
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Phil Johnson (contact people at Phil Johnson archives in Dallas) starts the Circle of Friends in Dallas. Although only social in nature, it is the first gay society in Texas
With financial backing from El Paso-born trans pioneer Reed Erickson, one of the nation's first trans clinics opens in Johns Hopkins Hospital at The University of Texas Medical Branch, with a stated purpose to care for “gender dysphoric” patients.
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April 25 Dewey's Lunch Counter, a popular downtown hangout spot for African-American GLBT youth in Philadelphia, had begun to refuse service to young patrons dressed in what they called 'non-conformist clothing.' On April 25, 1965, more than 150 people in 'non-conformist clothing' showed up and refused to leave.
May 25, 1965 - First openly gay demonstration for gay rights at the White House
July 4, 1965
A small group of conservatively dressed lesbians and gay men picket Independence Hall in Philadelphia in one of the first public demonstrations for gay rights
July 31, 1965
Lesbian and gay demonstrators picket the Pentagon to protest discrimination in the military
August 28, 1965
The State Department is picketed by gay and lesbian demonstrators for the first time
Virginia Prince is arrested for distributing "Transvestia" through the US Mail, starts public education effort in response.
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1966
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Rita Wanstrom opens the Houston Lesbian club The Roaring Sixties at 2305 S.Shepherd (the location is now covered by a larger building)
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Compton Cafeteria Riot occurred in August
The Society for Individual Rights opens the first gay community center in the United States.
The National Planning Conference of Homophile Organizations holds the first national convention of gay and lesbian groups in San Francisco.
Harry Benjamin Publishes the Transexual Phenomenon
Vanguard, the the first known gay youth organization in the United States organized with the help of radical ministers working with Glide Memorial Methodist Church, a center for progressive social activism in the Tenderloin section of San Francisco
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1967
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Rita “Papa Bear” Wanstrum founds The Tumblebugs, a group of women who raise money to hire legendary lawyer Percy Foreman to defend those among their number who were arrested during a bar raid, for cross-dressing (fly front pants being illegal dress for females).
Promethean Society
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The Student Homophile League of Columbia University becomes the first gay group to obtain a campus charter
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1968
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Rita Wanstrom, Ray Hill, David Patterson and others attend the 4th annual conference of NACHO (North American Conference of Homophile Organizations-originally the North American Homophile Conference) in Chicago. Where the Resolution is passed to adopt "Gay as Good" as the slogan for the homophile movement.
The first Transgender organization in Houston, a branch of The Foundation for Personal Expression (FPE) is established. |
In its official listing of mental disorders, the American Psychiatric Association re-categorizes homosexuality as a "sexual deviation" or a non-psychotic mental disorder" Previously, the group has considered homosexuality a "sociopathic" disorder.
The Rev. Troy Perry founds the Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles. The first branch of the now-international Metropolitan Community Church, which has a primarily gay and lesbian membership.
The Metropolitan Community Church is founded
National Transsexual Counseling Unit founded in San Francisco. The first such peer-run support and advocacy organization in the world.
Boys in the Band the first play to deal with openly gay characters opened on April 14, 1968 at Theater Four in New York where it ran for 1000 performances
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1969
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Miss Camp America founded in Houston
The Texas Conference of Churches formed
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July 4
The Daughters of Bilitis and Mattachine Society members picket Independence Hall in Philadelphia for the fifth and last time
July 27
The Mattachine Society of New York held a one-month after Stonewall rally in Washington Square park. It urged people to be open and to wear a lavender armband. Marshals would wear lavender sashes. Three or four hundred people showed up at what was the first Post-Stonewall gay pride rally
September 3
The American Sociological Association condemns "oppressive actions against any persons for reasons of sexual preference." It is the first national professional organization to voice support of gay and lesbian civil rights
Under the leadership of Fr. Patrick Nidorf, OSA, Dignity begins as a counseling group in San Diego
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