Land of 10,000 Loves: A History of Queer Minnesota

Contents

vii Contents Preface xi Acknowledgments xv Introduction 1 1 What Is Queer Here? Looking for Experiences in Early Minnesota 13 Ozaawindib of Leech Lake 15 Lucy “La Roi” Lobdell 18 Was Alexander Ramsey Queer? 22 Oscar Wilde’s Visit 24 The Death of William Williams 27 The Emporium and Golden Rule Department Stores 28 Good-time Parties on Rondo Avenue 32 Josephine Baker at the Metropolitan Theater 35 Drag at the Nicollet Hotel 36 Gertrude Stein Visits the Women’s City Club 39 Clement Haupers 40 Fort Snelling 43 2 How We Kept Warm: Queer Life in the Vice Districts of the Twin Cities 47 Rice Park 49 The James Montague Murder 52 The Coney Island 54 The Hennepin Baths 56 Union Bus Depot 59 The Garrick Theater 60 Kirmser’s Bar 62 The Dugout 65 The Onyx Bar 67 The Bremer Arcade 69 The Gay 90’s Complex 71 Directory Services, Incorporated 75 The Hotel Andrews 77 The Brass Rail 79 3 Act Up Here: A Legacy of Activism 83 Jack Baker and Michael McConnell’s Marriage License 86 Allan Spear 88 The Lesbian Feminist Organizing Committee 91 The Minnesota Committee for Gay and Lesbian Rights 93 Lutherans Concerned 95 Dignity Twin Cities 97 St. Paul’s Equal Rights Ordinance 99 The GLC Voice 101 The Guardianship of Sharon Kowalski 103 Brian Coyle 105 The Minnesota Family Council 107 Gay Community Services, the GLCAC, and OutFront Minnesota 109 ACT-UP Demonstrates in Mora 111 The Bisexual Organizing Project 114 Paul Koering Votes against Gay Marriage 116 The Two Spirit Press Room 117 Twin Cities Trans March 119 4 Erotic Cities: Urban Sexuality Explored 121 The 19 Bar 124 Honey Harold’s Many Ventures 126 Sutton’s 129 Queer Warehouse Parties 131 Foxy’s 133 The Rossmor Building 134 The Town House 136 The Sandbox/Club Cabaret 138 The Noble Roman 141 The Saloon 142 The Locker Room 145 Bare Ass Beach 147 The Adonis Theater 149 The Main Club 152 The Minneapolis Eagle 155 Margarita Bella 157 Pi Bar 158 The Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport 160 5 Come Outside: Queer People Out in the Open 163 A Death in Loring Park 165 Twin Cities Pride 166 The State Fair 168 Rising Moon and the Pioneer Farm 169 Twin Cities Goodtime Softball League 171 The 1986 Winter Gay Games 172 Twin Ports Pride 174 The AIDS Trek 176 The North Star Gay Rodeo 177 Outwoods 180 North Country Bears/ Minnesota Bears 181 The Queer Street Patrol 183 Capital City Pride 184 The 1997 Two Spirit Gathering 187 Twin Cities Black Pride 189 Pine City Pride 191 The 2008 Two Spirit Gathering 192 6 The Lavender Tower: Institutions of Art and Education 195 The Transsexual Research Project 197 Fight Repression of Erotic Expression 200 The Amazon Feminist Bookstore 203 The Club 205 The Northfield Gay Liberation Front 207 At the Foot of the Mountain Theater 209 Jim Chalgren LGBT Center 210 A Brother’s Touch Bookstore 212 Patrick’s Cabaret 214 The Quatrefoil Library 216 Philanthrofund 219 District 202 220 Angels in America at the World Theater 223 The Anoka–Hennepin School District 224 UMD GLBT Services 226 People Representing the Sexual Minority (PRiSM) 227 Straights and Gays for Equality (SAGE) 228 The Transgender Commission 229 7 Building Community: Life beyond the Gay Ghetto 233 Gay House 236 The Lesbian Resource Center 238 Christopher Street 240 A Woman’s Coffeehouse 242 Dyke Heights 244 All God’s Children Metropolitan Community Church 246 Equal Time 248 The Minnesota AIDS Project (MAP) 249 Out to Brunch 252 The Aurora Lesbian Center and the Northland Gay Men’s Center 254 The NAMES Project Memorial Quilt 255 The Basket and the Bow 258 Gay and Lesbian Elders Active in Minnesota (GLEAM) 259 The Bisexual Connection 260 The BECAUSE Conference 261 Minnesota Men of Color 263 BiCities! 265 Lavender Hills and the Swish Alps 267 Homo Heights 270 Shades of Yellow 273 The Iron Range GLBTA 275 Epilogue: Dust on the Weathervane 277 Note on Sources 283 Notes 285 Index 317 ...