General
Seattle is the 2nd Largest LGBTQ community in the US after San Francisco (12.9%). It is currently lead by our Mayor, Ed Murray who also happens to be family.
Capitol Hill is the official Gayborhood of Seattle. Though the center of gay life started in Pioneer Square with bars such as the Double Header(1934-Current), The Casino (1930-1946) nick named “Madame Peabody’s Dancing Academy for Young Ladies” and The Garden of Allah (1946-1956)
Q Seattle / UW Historic Events
1856 – The University of Washington was established on Denny’s Knoll (downtown Seattle) at the request of Isaac Stevens.
1893-Washington Sodomy Law of 1893 > Sodomy laws repealed by Supreme Court
1930 – the Casino opened. Washington St & 2nd Ave > Allowed same-sex couples to dance.
1934-Double Header opened above The Casino
1950s & 60s were the boom of gay life in Seattle. Though establishments would have to pay cops bribery money to prevent harassment and usage of the Sodomy Law of 1893.
1960- Military made most gay establishments in Seattle off-limits
1967- University of Washington’s Professor Nick Heer founded Dorian Society > First group in Seattle to support gay rights and they had a newsletter about current issues and events in the gay community. It was named after the Doric Hellenic warriors of Ancient Greece who considered Homosexuality glamourous. The Society was modeled after New Zealand’s Dorian Society. Mission was to create a more respectable image of Seattle Gays,
1967 – The Daily did a series on the gay community which was one of the first time that gays were put in a positive light.
1969 – Dorian House began providing counseling services to Gay and lesbian students and non-student on Capitol Hill staffed by UW student. It was spun off and now is called the Seattle Counseling Center.
1969 – Established the Gay Student Association & Gay Liberation Front (More Radical)
1970-Seattle began the trend of courts, public drag clubs with “emperor’ and empresses’
1971 – Gay Community Center – First center opened by Gay Liberation Front with cooperation from Seattle Gay Alliance and Gay Student Organization.
1971- September 20, John Singer & Paul Barwick applied for marriage license in King county. Didn’t really want to get married but wanted to make a point. Refused by county Auditor Lloyd Hara (current County Assessor). Lawsuit. Singer v. Hara 1974 unanimous rejection by the Washington court of Appeals.
1974 – June 24-30 First Gay Pride Week
1981 – The UW Wave created: during the late 1970s and early 1980s started appearing. On October 31, 1981 Dave Hunter, Husky band trumpet player, & visiting alumni cheerleader Robb Weller introduced the wave to Husky Stadium and popularized the wave for the whole world. UW is credited sometimes as the creator of the wave though they popularized it.
1983 – The chicken Soup Brigade (now part of Life Long AIDS Alliance) was created by Josh Joshua to help support those who were ill with HIV.
1983 – AIDS prevention Project (APP) in the Public Health Depts. Regional Division. 2nd City/county funded AIDS program established in the USA
2006 – Charlene Strong became activity after she was denied entrance to the hospital of her dying partner Kate
2011 – Gender Neutral Bathrooms arrives. The Q Center and the Office of Student Life secured capital financing through the Office of Planning and Budget to start a bathroom renovations project.
2012 – Referendum 74 – Legalized same sex marriage in Washington State.
References:
http://kuow.org/post/walk-through-seattles-lgbt-history
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=4266
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave_%28audience%29
http://students.washington.edu/dlppsi/about/dlp-history.htm
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=4154
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=4154