Time Line 1996

Time Line 1996 (Time Line 1995) -- (Main Index) -- (Time Line 1997)

Books published in English

• "Leathersex Q & A" by Joseph Bean
• "The Second Coming" - A Leatherdyke Reader, edited by Pat Califia and Robin Sweeney
• "My Private Life - Real Experiences of a Dominant Woman" by Mistress Nan.
• "Defending Pornography": Free Speech, Sex, and the Fight for Women's Rights, by Nadine Strossen.
• "Ritual Sex", by Tristan Taormino and David Aaron Clark
• "The Gay Almanac," compiled by the National Museum and Archive of Lesbian and Gay History.
• "Who's A Pretty Boy Then?", One Hundred and Fifty Years of Gay Life in Pictures by James Gardiner
• "The Only Reason I Mention This", A Collection of the Best of The Wearing The Hides Columns by Daddy Bob.
• "Hard to Imagine", gay male eroticism in photography and film from their beginnings to Stonewall by Thomas Waugh
• "Valentine's Shanghaied" by Valentine Hooven

Clubs and groups formed

Formation of Men of Rubber, Chicago; and Wisconsin Leathermen, Milwaukee.

1996

The National Leather Association of Canada (Vancouver), after years of no contact with any other part of NLA, changes its name to VantaSM.

1996

South Africa adopts a new constitution which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation, the first instance of such laws being incorporated into a constitution. [TOL]

1996

The German activist Matthias Grimme publishes the "SM-Handbuc"h. This is the first SM safety book written in German. [wd]

1996

Daniel Sonnenfeld is named International Mr Deaf Leather and Cool Cat is named the first International Ms Deaf Leather.

1996

Morgana and michael, from Denver, are named International Master and slave 1996.

1996

Kevin Watson selected as Internatioal Mr. Fantasy 1996.

1996

The James C. Hormel Gay and Lesbian Center in the San Francisco public library opens as the first separate lesbian and gay collection in a US public library. [TOL]

1996, Jan.

Astride Indricane and Birgita Bohvinger, a lesbian couple, are legally united under new laws allowing same sex marrages in Latvia. [TOL]

1996, Jan.

Performance Artist [[|Bob Flanagan|Bob "Supermasochist" Flanagan]] dies at age 42 of cystic fibrosis. [wd]

Events

1996

Homosexuality is decriminalised in Bosnia and Herzegovina, although Republika Srpska wont remove homosexuality from its criminal code until 1998.

1996, Jan.

New York's White Columns mounted a show of bright color photograps of duo John Lovett and Alessandro Codagnone with their inlaws. Lovett's parents are all about American suburbia, Codagnone's live in a respectable home outside Milan, Italy. The partents smile, the boys are smiling too -- and draped in leather and bondage gear. "We're a couple, just as they're a couple, and yet who is normal or abnormal?", says Codagonone.

1996, Feb.

The Salt Lake City school board votes to ban all nonacademic clubs in order to quash the student's Gay-Straight Alliance. [TOL]

1996, Feb

"Beasts & Beauties, The Erotic art of Olaf" is published

1996, Feb. 10

The Leather Journal holds it's first Mr. and Ms Olympus Leather during the Pantheon Of Leather weekend. Ron Hendon and Daddy Flo are named to the titles.

1996, Feb. 11

Pantheon of Leather IV is held in New Orleans. Woody Bebout and Sarah Humble are Man and Woman of the year. Cindy Bookout and Frank Nowicki receive the Reader's Choice awards. Lifetime Achievement to Don Thompson. Forbearer to Judy Tallwing-McCarthy, Publisher's award to Walter Klinger and Gerald LeGault, Club of the Year to The 15 Association; Club Event of the Year - 25th Anniversary /ECMC Weekend, Motor Sport Amsterdam, NonProfit Organization of the yearCountdown on Spanner National Effort, Business of the Year to Gauntlet, Inc., Business person of the year to Jim McGlade and Chuck Renslow, International to Dom Bastian and Mary Dante; Regional awards are: Southeast

Bill Costomiris and Jack Stice, South Central: Dean Walradt, Rocky Mountain

Greg Lowe, West Coast: Jeff Henness, Midwest: Jan Hall, Canadian: Paris Elizabeth Sea. Local Community Service to Aubrey Hart Sparks.

1996, April

Companions on a Journey hold the first gay conference in Sri Lanka. [TOL]

1996, May

"The Alternate Sources Guide" by Trevor Jacques is published.

1996, May 8

Death of Alan Oversby, a.k.a. Mr. Sebastian, Britain's master piercer.

May 8

South Africa becomes the first nation in the world to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in its constitution.

1996, May 9

The Canadian House of Commons passes landmark legislation banning discrimination against homosexuals. [TOL]

1996, May 9

The US Postal Service announced that it operated a mail order pornography company for nearly two years as part of an undercover investigation aimed at people who purchased illicit materials depicting children in sex acts.

May 21

Hungary legalized same-sex civil union, first among the ex-communist countries, and as 5th country worldwide. The Parliament voted 207-73 in favor for the Bill.

1996, May 24

Denmark provides protection from employment discrimination for lesbians, gay men and bisexuals. [TOL]

1996, May 24-27

International Mr. Leather weekend in Chicago. The Contest at the Congress Theatre is won by Joe Gallagher of New York City

1996, May 26

Todd Nelson is named International Boot Black at the IML contest in Chicago.

1996, June - Aug.

New York's Whitney Museum of American Art features a show including three of Pal Cadmus' most controversial (at least in the 1930's when they were painted) works: The Fleet's In!, Sailors and Floosies, and Shore Leave, all of which feature ripe male sailor bodies interacting with prostitutes, and each other.

1996, June 4

Iceland becomes the fourth country to create a domestic partnership registry for same sex couples. Denmark was first in 1989, followed by Norway and Sweden. [TOL]

1996, June 22

Beyond the Edge Cafe in Seattle hosts the first in it's series of Fetish Nights.

1996, July

SMart Bremen-Oldenburg becomes the second German SM group to be awarded the legal status as an eingetragener Verein (e.V.). [e.V. = Inc.] [wd]

1996, July

At the Republican National Convention there are four openly lesbian, gay or bisexual delegates. Later, at the Democratic convention there are 142. [TOL]

1996, Aug.

Republican Congressman Jim Kolbe (of Arizona) is forced out of the closet after he votes to allow states to ban same sex marrage. [TOL]

1996, Sept 6

Karl Watkins is found dead in his cell after being convicted of gross indecency at Wolverhampton Crown Court (England) His crime? Outraging public decency by trying to make love to pavements and, in one case, an underpass. Despite psychiatric help he hadn=t been able to shake off his strange fixation.

1996, Sept.

Chicago Hellfire Club hosts Inferno 25 in Douglas Michigan. Peter Fiske receives the Caligula award and Jon Baumgartner the J. Paul Eaton award.

1996, Sept.

San Francisco Leather Pride Week.

1996, Sept

International Mr. Drummer Contest is won by Kyle Brandon, Mike DeNisco is named International Drummer Boy.

1996, Oct.

Jean Beland and Joey Zocher, two lesbians, are elected Homecoming King and Queen by the student body at University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. [TOL]

1996, Oct. 3-6

Living In Leather XI is held in Portland OR. Jan Hall becomes female co-chair. Lifetime Achievement Awards are presented to Bob Flanagan and Sheree Rose, and to Jo Arnone. The International Mr. and Ms NLA titles are terminated, though Stacey is designated to continue as an Ambassador of NLA until further notice.

1996, Oct. 10

The Austrian SM-group Eat Me, Beat Me, is founded in Vienna based on the model of American Munches. [wd]

1996, Oct. 18 - 20

Leather University's Dungeon 101, held in Ft. Lauderdale FL, brings two days of SM instruction by a naturally recruited faculty. Small class sizes allow hands-on laboratory participation. And nightly homework assignments are given.

1996, Nov.

The German lesbian SM group SMacht! -- "Autonomes Netzwerk lesbischer und bisexueller Frauen" is founded. This is the first known lesbian SM group in Germany. [wd]

1996, Nov.

Matthew Bourne's new production of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" opens in London. Rewritten to feature an all male cast of swans and a prince who falls in love with the with the Swan King, who is dressed in black leather, the production is a hit in London and later in Los Angeles. It openes on Broadway in Nov. 1998.

1996, Nov.

"Euro Bear" magazine is launched in Cologne, Germany

1996, Nov. 12

Death in New York City of leather community activist Barry Douglas. He served four years as Chairman of GMSMA, was on the steering committee for the 1987 March on Washington, co-chaired the National Leather Conference held at that event, Served on the executive committee for the 1993 March On Washington and on the board of the International Stonewall 25 commemoration in 1994. In 1988 he was the first person to be honored as "Man of the Year" by The Leather Journal. (born 1949)

1996, Nov. 18

Death of Phillip Miller, coauthor with Molly Devon of "Screw the Roses, Send Me the Thorns".

1996, Dec. 14

Marrage in Portland, OR of Sharon Contreas and Lori Michelle Buckwalter. Buckwalter, still legally a male at the time of the ceremony, is in the last stages of gender change, which will be completed shortly after the ceremony. Then two legally recognized women will be partners in a legally recognized marriage.

1996, Dec. 16.

Mach #34 is published by Brush Creek Media. The magazine originated as "Drummer's Big Brother" at Alternate Publications, becomes International Leatherman's adopted brother after Desmodus Inc. sells the title to the Bear family of magazines. [JWB]

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