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In the middle of the twentieth century, urban areas in the United States of America went through some drastic changes. Urbanization had created multiple homosocial spaces in addition to bringing several different groups of people together in major cities. “Since the 1950s, organizations in San Francisco have transformed from underground bars to a set of outspoken, politically engaged organizations reflecting all of the growing communities within the city.” [1] The LGBTQ organizations had growth at different points through time and the types of organizations were quite different. “Organizations accumulated slowly in the 1950s and 1960s, accelerated in the 1970s, exploded in the 1980s, and declined slightly in the late 1980s and early 1990s.” [2] These organizations aimed to create a place for LGBTQ people to meet and support each other. These movements created opportunities for groups of people in other places to start organizing, this section will look into some of the organizations that emerged in Monterey County.
During times where having a different sexual identity could lead to discrimination and harassment, one way of effective organizing was to remain discreet. In 1948, Merton L. Bird, an African man, and his lover, W. Dorr Legg, started the Knights of the Clocks. (“Clocks” was an acronym for “Cloistered Loyal Order of the Conclaved Knights of Sophisticracy.”) The Knights existed for three or four years, hosting dinners and socials. [3] Using acronyms and vague terms was an effective strategy to minimize the possibility of being harassed by people outside of the organizations. Peninsula Professional Network (PPN) was started by a restaurant owner named Bob Canon in 1983. He invited friends and acquaintances to gather in The Barn at Mission Ranch in Carmel.” [4] Considering we know there were gay and lesbians in this group, formulating themselves in a discreet way was likely for protecting individuals whom did not want to jeopardize their personal life through being a part of the organization. There is a considering amount of collected information about this organization today, which most likely would not have been made accessible if society’s perception of gays and lesbians had not changed in the past decades. In year 2000, the organization had grown to well over 400, with a mix of about 65% men and 35% women. Bob Canon, the founder of PPN, was the owner of both The Clock Garden Restaurant and The After Dark. [5] PPN operated by hosting socials and events in Monterey throughout the 1980s-2000s as essentially an invisible community for most of the public. In a newsletter from January 1, 2000, we get further details into how PPN communicated in an organization. The document discusses what events had taken place in the year prior; reminiscing about social celebrations, welcoming new members, and future plans. [6] Mainly focusing on maintaining a safe social space for the members, may have limited their ability to engage politically, but it was likely a contributing factor towards how long PPN was able to successfully operate in Monterey.
In “Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Monterey County Chapter”, from 26th of June in year 2000, it is stated that the purpose of the chapter is to support the mission of the PFLAG organization. Archives of the PFLAG organization meeting guidelines from June 2000, gives us insight into what the organization’s goals were in Monterey County; to fight discrimination and pursue equal civil rights, create a dialogue about sexual orientation and form a healthy and respectful relationship between all individuals. [7] They clearly stated to not operate as a therapy group, but rather a support group. PFLAG incorporated these goals through the platform of education. They traveled to remote areas in the county in an attempt to inform and support schools, families, and work sites about LGBTQ issues. [8] PFLAG was founded in New York in 1973, a time where gay communities were being heavily threatened by Anita Bryant’s political crusade throughout the country. In 1977 Morris Kight organized a march of 9,500 people including middle-aged straight men and women, influenced by Jeanne Manford’s founding of a group of mothers and fathers of lesbians and gays. “We need to be ready for the Orange Juice Lady when she comes.” [9] Around that time, PFLAG emerged in Monterey as a political response for people to show support for gays and lesbians in the county. During the 1990s, PFLAG worked extensively on securing equal marriage rights for LGBTQ people.
"There are certain cities around the world that have been places of sanctuary for queer people, none more so than San Francisco”[10]. In the 1980s and 1990s, individuals with experience from these organizations sought to bring their political messages into rural areas. [10] PPN consisted of a group of mostly homosexual men and women which successfully protected their sexual identities by discreetly communicating through newsletters and gathering in private locations. PFLAG was heavily inspired by straight people wanting to serve as allies for LGBTQ communities, focusing on changing the community through educational and political means.
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References
[1] Elizabeth A. Armstrong, Forging Gay Identities: Organizing Sexuality in San Francisco, 1950-1994, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press: 2002)
[2] Ibid
[3] Michael Bronski,A Queer History of the United States (Boston: Beacon Press, 2011): 176.
[4] Del Neel, “Special to the Paper” The Paper,November 1, 2000. [CITATION]
[5] Ibid
[6] PPN. Dear Members and Friends of the Network. January, 2000. [CITATION]
[7] PFLAG. PFLAG Mission Statement. [CITATION]
[8] PFLAG. What’s happening in Salinas? [CITATION]
[9] Lillian Faderman, The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle, (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2016): 366.
[10] Brenden Shucart, "This Land is My land: Preserving LGBT History Means Saving Queer Spaces: San Francisco Activists Start a New Revolution," The Advocate, September 2017.