This Month in Wisconsin LGBT History: May 2007
35 years ago-- 1972-- 30 people meet in Church For All People to plan a Gay Pride week for Milwaukee. Madison Gay Liberation Front files brief in defense of Paul Safransky, the first litigation in the history of Wisoncin raising the question of a homosexual's right to hold public employment. James Rusk and Nick Gagalaino hold a marriage ceremony by a Catholic priest at a private home in Green Bay. Businesses popular at this time: Your Place, Factory, Ten Hundred East bars, Rhubarb Books and Ramie's adult bookstore, all in Milwaukee; and the Back Door in Madison.
30 years ago-- 1977-- Patrick Batt, chairperson of the GPU, is fired for being gay (his case is appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court- Patrick now lives in San Francisco). The Down Under Bar in La Crosse, less than a year old, is gutted by fire- arson is suspected. Sugar Shack lesbian bar holds 1-year anniversary, while other popular businesses include "On Broadway" (in the Factory), Beer Garden, Your Place, the Circus, Paradise Books, and Le Club Finlandia baths.
25 years ago-- 1982-- Amazon, the feminist/ lesbian news magazine at various times called "A Feminist Journal" and "The Midwest Journal for Women", celebrates it 10th anniversary.
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35 years ago 1972 GPU News, May-June 1972 |
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30 years ago 1977 GPU News, May 1977 |
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25 years ago 1982 (no resources available from May 1982) |
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20 years ago 1987 In Step, vol. 4 no. 7 (May 14-27, 1987) |
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15 years ago 1992 In Step, vol. 9 no. 9 (May 7-20, 1992) |
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15 years ago 1992 Wisconsin Light, vol. 5 no. 10 (May 14-27, 1992) |
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10 years ago 1997 In Step, vol. 14 no. 10 (May 14-29, 1997) |
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10 years ago 1997 Wisconsin Light, vol. 10 no. 10 (May 8-21, 1997) |
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10 years ago 1997 Quest, vol. 4 no. 7 (May 15-28, 1997) |
Note: The issues appearing above are some of those dated in the featured month. However, relevant news may appear in issues previous to or after that pictured and linked above: earlier issues may have ads or announcements of upcoming events, and later issues may carry actual photos or more extensive coverage of events that occurred after publication deadlines.