The Outcasts was a social and educational organization for women interested in BDSM with other women that was founded in San Francisco in 1984.[1] It grew partly from earlier groups, the Society of Janus and Samois. Gayle Rubin was a co-founder of the organization.[2][3] Other members included Dorothy Allison, Pat Califia,[4][5] and Dossie Easton.
In the 1980s and 1990s, The Outcasts sponsored community events such as Butch Fashion Shows, the first SF Dyke Daddy contest, many dances, and even a night to “take the perverts bowling”. They began promoting safer sex in 1985. By 1986 they were having newcomer orientations, had officers, bylaws and a logo as well as a newsletter, The Lunatic Fringe. In 1986, The Outcasts joined Society of Janus and other groups in the San Francisco Pride Parade's first leather contingent.[6]
The Outcasts was disbanded in the mid-1990s; its successor organization The Exiles is still active.[7] In 2012, The Exiles in San Francisco received the Small Club of the Year award as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards.[8]
References
edit- ^ "Outcasts records". oac.cdlib.org. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
- ^ Society of Janus: 25 Years (Archived at Archive.org.)
- ^ Scupham-bilton, Tony (2015-04-10). "The Queerstory Files: The Leather Women Return". The Queerstory Files. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
- ^ Dorothy Allison, interviewed by Kelly Anderson. Voices of Feminism Oral History Project. Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College. 2007. https://www.smith.edu/libraries/libs/ssc/vof/transcripts/Allison.pdf[permanent dead link]
- ^ Newell-Hanson, Alice (2016-02-10). "catherine opie on documenting san francisco's lesbian leather scene". i-D. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
- ^ Paternotte, David; Tremblay, Manon (2016). The Ashgate Research Companion to Lesbian and Gay Activism. Routledge.
- ^ "History of Our Leather Women's Group in San Francisco". The Exiles. 2015-05-25. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
- ^ 🖉"Pantheon of Leather Awards All Time Recipients - The Leather Journal". www.theleatherjournal.com. Archived from the original on 2015-03-25. Retrieved 2020-12-26.