Published as a Service of the Memphis Gay Coalition Memphis, Tennessee May 1990 Volume 11, Number 6 George's�GDI On The River Ends 20 Year History byvincent Astor George's, Memphis' oldest firstbought the business in 1969, South Baths and the Georgetown and most famous Gay bar, it was called The Famous Door Inn. The hotel and baths was closed suddenly the week of but common practice of refer­ "the grandest thing I ever did," April 8. The reason given was ring to it as "George's" coined said George much later. the great expense to be incurred the name it was to keep for In 1984, the partnership dis­ by replacement of a damaged nearly 20 years. solved and the bar, with its lower level sprinkler system. One of the early bastions of famous name, was sold to Steve Rumors had circulated that drag shows, it was raided in and Frank Cooper. In 1987, the business had decreased signifi­ 1971 by police for violating a Marshall St. locationwas closed cantly but two full page ads in city ordinance against cross­ and in the spring of 1988, GDI Looking for a Spri'!g or Summer get-away vacation? See our Travel page the April issue of Gaze did not dressing. John T. "Buddy" (George's Disco Incorporated) for some nifty_ opt1ons. - foreshadow the closing of the Dwyer represented the five was opened at 287 South Front. bar. performers and the owner and Touted as the most lavish Gay Known as the Twilight obtained dismissal of all charges bar ever to be seen in Memphis, Privacy Ruling a Boon for Lounge as early as 1960, the by Judge Ray Churchill. Drag it opened with a fireworks of original locationat 1786 Madi­ was legal and became the hall­ sequins, production numbers Gay Rights Fight son grew into an institution mark of George's Theatre and high tech special effects. by Sandy Nelson Amendment claim is valid, the whichplayed amajor role in the. Lounge. Much non-Gay presence in the Seattl�. W A-Though the awarding of the case to Snedi­ ea y gh r a d bian Under the co-ownership of employees and some reports of governm nt is now in the busi­ gar by default, without a trial, freedoms in Memphis. George Wilson and Don Ros­ strange attitudesin m anagement ness of collecting urine sampies was out of line, thejustices held. The owners were numerous, signol, the bar expanded until it caused some Gay people to and peeking through bedroom Their decision has enormous including several Lesbians re­ had exhausted the available distrust the bar, but it passed its keyholes to monitor sex and drug implications not only for the membered -by only their first space at the Madison address 20th anniversary in December behavior, counteiVailing winds socialist feminist FSP, but also - names-Blanche & Cookie, and then moved to a1arger, multi of 1989. are also blowing vigorously. for other organizations and Kay & Sarah-and more no­ purpose location at 600 It was written about in the Those who value privacy can movements that rely on privacy table women such as Sharon Marshall. This included large Commercia/Appeal, Gaiety, the breathe a little easier because of to suiVive. Wray. Mike (Michelle) Rollins, dance spaces, a showbar and a Memphis Flyer, thePressScimi­ a recent Washington State Su­ "The Lesbian and Gay move­ owned it when it first made the restaurant. Peripheral bars such tar, Gaze, and Memphis maga­ preme Court decision uphold­ ment wouldn't exist if organiz­ papers when "Twilight Kiss as the Townehouse, the Psych­ zine. It was referred to as the ing the right of organizations to ers couldn't protect the privacy Closes Twilight Lounge"; an . Out II, Sam's, and Club Peaches Queen Mother of Memphis Gay keep meeting minutes and other of men and women who risk innocent peck across the bar bacame part of the effort to Bars. It was called Fantasyland internaldocuments confidential� their jobs, homes, and families between a bartender anda sailor provide something for every­ and Hell in the same evening. In what is known as the Free­ to fight for basic civil rights," <;aused the first public contro­ one, an effortwhich culminated Above all, it was always way Hall Case, the court unani­ said George Bakan, editor of versy. When George Wilson with the opening of the Club George's. And now, it has gone. · mously overturned a lower Seattle Gay News. court's 1987 ruling against the "Even today, people in the Court to Block Amendment on Phone Sex Freedom Socialist Party for its Lesbian and Gay community unbending refusal to disclose hesitate to put their names on In a court order issued in Lawyers for Individual Freedom mer Legal Director for National minutes. Nine justices agreed lists," Bakan said. 'The fear of response to a suit challenging to (BALIF) fl.led a joint amici cu­ Gay Rights Advocates, argued that FSP ex-member Richard having membership lists or government's most recent at- riae (friend of the court) in that "sexuallyexpli<;i t telephone Snedigar hadn't sufficiently minutes made public is real tempt to control dial-a-porn supportof the injunction. Plain­ communications may play a explained why the party should within the labormovement, the companies, U.S. District Judge tiff in the cases are Ramrod positiverole in curbing the AIDS be forced to divulge constitu­ Gay movement, and any con­ Fern Smith declared tliatphone Enterprises, Syncronet Inc., and epidemic... sexually explicit tionally protected information. troversial movement." sex is constitutionally protected Westpac Audiotext. -telephone communications de­ Snedigar sued the party and nine MSU Charters speech. The Helms Amen(lmentcalls seiVe first amendment protec­ individuals for the return of a The suit, filed by three Cali- for FCC regulationsthat would tion if they may help save lives donation he helped make 11 New Gay Group forniacompanies offeringsexu- ' reqUireusers of sex phone seiV­ by deterring or replacing life­ years ago to secure a headquar­ Memphis State Universityhas allyoriented telephone seiVices, ices to be subscribers of these threatening behavior." ters. He then demanded privi­ awarded a charter to GALA (Gay seeks a preliminary injunction seiVices. Because of billing According to the plaintiff's leged information, including and Lesbian Awareness) a new against the Helms Amendment tech!llcalities, such an arrange­ attorney,William Turner,Smith names of members and contribu­ student group.Some funding has to the Communications Act of ment would effectively elimi- is the first judge in the country tors, knowing that his former been secured·through the school. 1934. National Gay Rights Ad- nate dial-a-porn companies. to rule on the issue. Judges have comrades would never surren­ A fullschedule is being planned vocates, the San Francisco AIDS In his brief filedon behalfof yet to rule in similar suits fl.led der the information. for the fall semester, with some Foundation, and Bay Area the amici, Leonard Graff, for- in Texas and New York. Because the party's First events this summer. Th�re are, as some of you have I prefer to express my sexuality withher. Say something to her. noticed,several leather clubs in is. certainly my business, and I There's a Gay personin there­ our area. These usually are try not to force it on anyone just like you. fanned and are peopledby men else .... but the very second I Ladies and gentlemen of and women who have an inter­ condemn someone else fordoing leather-when you see some­ est in leather in common. There it the way theywant to I lose my one come into your club bar are some in Memphis, Nash­ own credibility, and can't begin wearing a polo shirt and a pair ville andLittleRock,andproba­ to call anyone brother of sister. of Adidas, please don't ignore bly more I haven't heard about. This is a time in the history of them, or make them feel they Mr. Tennessee Leather Speaks These clubs usually are not our nation, and the rest of the don't belong there. Try talking exclusively social-they do a world, when the Gay popula­ to them. Explain your leather to great amount of fundraising and tion is being listened to-and them. There's a Gay person in Let me begin by introducing there is much, much more be­ community service work. Clubs heard-but we lose our credi­ there-just like you. myself-my name is Vance hind this new title than you might aren't always right for every­ bility and validity when per­ If we can practice the broth­ Reger. I live in Memphis, Ten­ suppose. one, a greatmany of us are inde­ sonal opinions and actions cre­ erhood and sisterhoodwe all so nessee, and have recently ob­ I won this title not by stand­ pendents, attending club func­ ate barriersbetween one another. highly and readily tout-per­ tained a new title-Mr.Leather ing and modeling (though there tions and events but keeping our We'resoquickto judge theJesse haps add to it tolerance of each Tennessee, 1990. I have lived was some skin shown) but individualities. Helms' and Anita Bryants of other and try some honest com­ in Memphis for six years, and mainly by voicing my thoughts, Those are the basics. My the world and then tum around munication-maybe this could prior to that in Winston-Salem, opinions, and quite a bit of phi­ title implies that I am now to as quickly to ostracize drag help us to function as a true North Carolina, for seven years. losphy for about twenty-five ·represent the leather communi­ queens and leather persons,not community of Gay people.