This Day In Gay Utah History May 20th
20 May
1782-Deborah Sampson joined the American army under the name Robert Shirtliff. She had previously fought in the Continental Army. Her true sex was discovered the following year.
1888 Ogden Standard Examiner First District Court page 6 May 19th Charles Thomas convicted on his guilty of housebreaking was called for sentence. He had eleven months and ten days to serve under previous sentence for a crime against nature. He had escaped from the penitentiary and while at liberty had stolen a pair of shoes by breaking into a store. After being admonished to do better by the judge he was sentenced to six months imprisonment
1889 Teenagers William Paddock, William Rooney and Henry Fisher pleaded guilty to having burglarized Pembroke’s store, the amount of the complaint as having been taken was $5 but Paddock said only they only got $1.25 They were held to await the action of the grand jury. The trio pleaded not guilty to charge of petit larceny and were sentenced 30 days in jail. When they were disposed of Paddock turned to an officer and said, “Are going to use anymore of the charges?” The officer answered in the negative where young Paddock remarked “I don’t think you ought to for you’ve got enough to send us up fo six years now”. Deseret News [Paddock was institutionalized in the state mental hospital for sodomizing a jail prisioner]
1899 Moses Jones sentenced at Provo to ten months for sodomy, was taken to the penitentiary yesterday. [ Deseret News]
1891 MORE JURORS NEEDED Assistant United States Attorney Stephens stated that the case of James Hamilton charged with the crime against nature was set for trial next week This case had been tried before and twelve of the jurors on the regular panel were disqualified. He therefore asked that a venire for additional jurors to try this case be issued and made returnable next Monday. The request was granted and the following venire was Issued J Barnett, C T Stevenson, George Roberts, G M Onion, R H Nichols, James Young, Henry Booth, J H Rogers, Jabez Birkenhead, L Buckland, Walter Scott, E E Casady, Felix Riley,,David John, J W Donnellan, Charles V Jenkins, A Gebhardt, J M Ricketts salt Lake herald
1968 Police Chief Dewey J. Fillis reported that lesser crimes in SLC including sex crimes, vice, and gambling were showing an increase over last year. (05/20/68 SLTribune pg. 22)
1969 Committee For Homosexual Freedom picketed Tower Records in San Francisco because they fired a Gay employee.
1971-Try catching the Boys In The Band at 11:30 p.m. The Marc Crowley play is directed by Douglas Dutton. The story centers around a Gay birthday party for Gay boy Harold played by Lare Shultz. The party is somewhat interrupted by visit of supposedly “straight” Alan (Craig Cook) to his friend Michael (K. Brandford Miller) as Theater 138. Co-hit with Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. (05/20/1971 Utah Daily Chronicle pg. 6)
1976 The Young Gay Association held a private skating party and had the whole rink to themselves. Afterwards they met in a member’s home and had refreshments, and rapped and played games. Youth Group met every Thursdayand was the first Gay Youth group.
![]() |
Marita Gayle aka Marty Pollack |
![]() |
Bob Stevens |
1982 The 7th Coronation of the Royal Court was held with Bob Stevens and Marita Gayle stepping down. The new elected officers were The Stallion Emperor, Emperor VII Michael Ball and Empress VII Wilma Empress. In December Wilma resigned and Princess Royale Tina Sinclair succeeded her to finish out the reign. Wilma later gave the title The Mad Woman Empress. The Star Empress, Empress VII Tina St. Clair is the official Enpress of the VII reign. The Madwoman Empress,who was the 7th Elected Empress was recognized as by proclamation. The 7th
reign was one of firsts, traditions and turmoil. The late Michael
Ball and Wilma were lovers when they ran and won. They did not run as a ticket, that was not allowed, but won together just the same. Michael started the Gay Bowling League and it is still in place today. In December of 1982, at a court function, Wilma called Marita Gayle, President of the Board at the time, up on stage, and had her read Wilma's resignation speech which she had notarized by a Notary Public. The audience and Marita went into shock. An immediate meeting was held in the office of The Sun Club to dismiss and ignore the resignation, but because of it being notarized, nothing could be done. The community was outraged, Wilma was a very popular empress and a rally was soon sponsored to
show support for Wilma not to resign her duties. To no avail, she stuck to her guns and in January of 1983, the reigning Princess Royale, Tina Sinclair, was crowned Empress VII Regent. Prince Royale VII was Brett and Princess Royale VII was Phoenix .
![]() |
Wilma |
![]() |
Michael Ball |
![]() |
Tina Sinclair |
![]() |
1995 HOMOSEXUALITY COMES OUT DESPITE MORMON DOCTRINE HOMOSEXUALITY EMERGES DESPITE RELIGIOUS FAITH Byline: By Peggy Fletcher Stack Page: D1 THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Steve, a Mormon professional in his 40s and former bishop, was married for 20 years before he acknowledged to his wife that he was gay. He first experienced same-sex attraction as a teen-ager, but a well-meaning Mormon bishop urged him to go on a mission and marry. Such feelings, he was assured, naturally would evaporate in the midst of heterosexual union. After his mission, Steve met Allison in college. They became friends, fell in love, married, and had four children. But after the diapers disappeared, so did their
sex life. Allison ``launched into an aggressive campaign to fix everything in the world there was wrong with me,'' she said. When that failed, she started a ``slow and sad descent into self-loathing.'' Eventually, Allison learned of Steve's sexuality. He had thought that if he were faithful enough, prayed enough, tried enough, he would be transformed into a heterosexual. It didn't happen. ``God isn't going to rescue us,'' Allison told Steve. ``We have to play the hand that we've been dealt.'' Theirs is a story told again and again in Mormon circles. And it was one of several such tales at Thursday's quarterly B.H. Roberts Society lecture at the
![]() |
Mille & Gary Watts |
![]() |
Kody Partridge |
1996-The US Supreme Court voted 6-3 in favor of declaring Colorado's anti-Gay Amendment 2 unconstitutional. Opponents of Amendment 2 gathered that evening at the state capital to celebrate the victory.
1998- Franklin Covey Company has changed the wording of its nondiscrimination policy to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. The move was praised by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest Gay and lesbian organization, which earlier had criticized the company's co-chairman, Stephen R. Covey, for speaking at a fund-raiser for a Hawaii group fighting same-sex marriages
![]() |
Mark Swonson |
- CHAD TO MARK But I never tore you down. So why blast me. As I pointed out it was
odd that Mike was not responding, and he finally did, through another site. How was I to know that he was banned from Nelson's site?? As for the forum it doesn’t happen because people don’t want to communicate with each other, They might have to accomplish something greater if theydid. The Forum is not seen as valuable, I am not seen as valuable because of the acceptability factors placed on us by the self appointed grand councils. Loud and brazen. I may be wounded, but am not out, and will go down fighting if I am to be taken out. The UGRA crap, truly you don’t know the factors. 18 months and no news letter? Membership at its most low on record? I have not really expressed anything to you on it, other than I was angry that for the third time I got take to the woodshed and screwed by them, socially and politically. I you choose to abandon ship, then that is your choice. I will state that nothing is accomplished by sitting silent. By sitting silent, the rules and agenda get written, and then it is often too late to get things corrected, or make comment later. This may be just your majority side speaking Personally Mark, I think that the battle between Piccardi and Nelson has gone on long enough. Like the Hatfields and McCoys, I think that the parties involved really don’t remember what exactly caused it all to happen. If we are to establish ourselves at society's table, then we must often work with those that we might not always see eye to eye with. Everyone is both Asset, and Liability. Unfortunately we more often than not only the Liability. Encourage the issues to be set aside, and welcome David to the table. Yeah he is a pain in the butt on many things, but there is knowledge there that should be used to it fullest. Political and social fall out will be what it will be. I have learned that it would have happened even if I was taking the other stance. I would hope that friends would stay objective rather than cave to peer pressure from the ruling community parties CKChad Keller
![]() |
Toni Palmer |
2006 PWACU held their Food for Life Garden Party
![]() |
Chuck Whyte |
2009 Logan Brueck: Before the Pride Parade Passes By QSalt Lake In a matter of weeks,
![]() |
Logan Brueck |
![]() |
Michael Sanders |
2018 Kink up your boots for the inaugural Utah Leather Pride Festival. Michael Sanders, a chief organizer of the Utah Leather Pride Festival said the idea of a leather pride fest surfaced three years ago following a disruption by some “uptight gay men” over the Utah Pride Committee allowing a smaller leather festival within Utah Pride. Sanders also said the “uptight” men emailed the Pride Festival donors, calling the inclusion of a leather section would be inappropriate and like a “Folsom Street Fair exhibition.” The idea subsequently was yanked. Though the Pride Committee offered to try to get it in the next year, Sanders said, “No thank you. I’ll do this myself.” “I believe this segment of LGBTQ population is misunderstood and misrepresented, though a lot of our traditions have intersected with the gay community,” he said, then added, “Our community does have its problems but the openness of our sexuality is kind of a big deal here in Utah.” Hence, May 20, 2018, launches the First Annual Indoor/Outdoor Utah Leather Pride Festival, celebrating the diverse LGBTQ and pansexual leather/kink/BDSM community in Utah. The one-day celebration features leather/kink/BDSM and LGBTQ groups, local/ national vendors, full bar, entertainment, a sandbox, Bootblacks, giveaways/prizes, and more. MR. LEATHER SL❤UT TITLE AND MS. LEATHER SL❤UT TITLE COMPETITIONS
![]() |
Following the festival, the annual Mr. and Ms. SL❤UT competitions commence at 8:30 p.m. The mission of the Mr. and Ms. Leather SL❤UT contests is to promote leather culture among the Salt Lake City community. We are looking for leather men and women that will act as ambassadors to work with various segments of both LGBTQ community and multiple layers of the radical sex communities. Additionally, titleholders are passionate about activism, charity, and community building. They can articulately express their platform and excite those around them to get involved. Sanders is the current Mr. Leather SL❤UT master, and though stepping down in May, he will participate in the IML event this year in Chicago. His legacy as Mr. Leather, includes but not limited to being a dynamic HIV/AIDS prevention crusader, including the testimonial of PrEP, which helps prevent HIV infection — he currently manages PrEP Talks, an initiative dedicated to educating on the wonder treatment. Over the last year, he traveled the state speaking about the leather community and HIV/AIDS, including twice at a BDSM symposium to Westminster College students. Sanders also is co-founder of the Urban Flea Market in downtown Salt Lake, opening its 8th season on May 6.
- Michael Sanders "Uptight" is an understatement for the main cause of that "disruption" I am grateful though, we are autonomous and the UPC have been very supportive. Additionally, my work educating our community and creating sex positive programming have lead to a rethinking of sexual health and well being issues all the way up to the State level so I guess I should say thank you for lighting the fire.
- blackBOOTS is a sex-positive social and educational group for men in Utah withLeather, Kink, BDSM and Fetish interests since 2013. blackBOOTS hosts social events, munches, workshops/classes and an award winning bar leather gear night CODE on the SECOND FRIDAY of each month at Try-Angles in Salt Lake City all for adults only 18+ For three years in a row, 2015/2016/2017, blackBOOTS was awarded two QSaltLake Fabby Awards: Best Social Group and Best Monthly Bar Night (CODE) blackBOOTS strives to unite the men's Leather/BDSM/Kink community through creating safe places to meet, network, learn and share experiences with other men. The curious are welcome, as well experienced kinksters. In order to help achieve our mission to help men learn, communicate more effectively and play more safely with each other, blackBOOTS has created blackBOARD, our educational program. blackBOARD hopes to create a stronger sense of fellowship and camaraderie in the Utah men’s Leather/Fetish/Kink community, foster ‘Leather’ ideals and values; and promote the core belief that BDSM play should always be Risk-Aware and Consensual. Our classes/workshops strive to help men better understand the wide varieties of physical and mental play, increase safety by improving BDSM play skills and risk assessment aptitude, refine communication/negotiation abilities, as well as encourage the proper etiquette and protocols of our Leather/BDSM culture.
No comments:
Post a Comment