In the 1970s Berlin had a huge leather scene with several leather clubs in the area around Nollendorfplatz. The magazine was originally focused on quality writings about leather but gradually changed into more of a photo magazine. The publication had a major impact of spreading gay leather as a lifestyle and masculinity as a gay ideal.
The novel was the basis for the 1980 movie Cruising, which depicted aspects of the men's leather subculture for a wider audience.ĭrummer is an American magazine targeted at gay men, originally published from 1975 to 1999 during the late 20th century, it was the most successful of the American leather magazines, and sold overseas. Some bands have used leather culture as part of their image beginning in the 1970s see § Representations below.Īspects of leather culture beyond the sartorial can be seen in the 1970 murder mystery novel Cruising, by Jay Green. Leather clubs started in Sydney from 1970. The Stud was also originally a Hells Angels hangout by 1969 it had become a dance bar for hippies on the margins of the leather scene and had a psychedelic black light mural by Chuck Arnett. When the Stud, along with Febe's, opened up on Folsom Street in San Francisco in 1966, other gay leather bars and establishments catering to the leather subculture followed creating a foundation for the growing gay leather community. The article described San Francisco as "The Gay Capital of America" and inspired many gay leathermen to move there. The article opened with a two-page spread of the mural of life size leathermen in the bar, which had been painted by Chuck Arnett in 1962. Life 's photographer was referred to the Tool Box by Hal Call, who had long worked to dispel the myth that all homosexual men were effeminate. It was made famous by the June 1964 Paul Welch Life article entitled "Homosexuality In America," the first time a national publication reported on gay issues. It was a gay bar frequented by gay motorcycle clubs. It opened in 1961 at 339 4th St and closed in 1971. South of Market in San Francisco became the hub of the leather subculture in the gay community in 1961 when the Tool Box opened its doors as the first leather bar in the neighborhood. The first gay leather bar in the United States, the Gold Coast, opened in Chicago in 1958, having been founded by Dom Orejudos and Chuck Renslow. As well, the leather community that emerged from the motorcycle clubs also became the practical and symbolic location for men's open exploration of kink and S&M. Motorcycle culture also reflected some men's disaffection with the cultures more organized around high culture, popular culture (especially musical theater), and/or camp style. Some butch gays began to imitate Brando by wearing black leather jackets, a black leather cap, black leather boots and jeans and, if they could afford it, by also riding motorcycles. The 1953 film The Wild One, starring Marlon Brando wearing jeans, a T-shirt, a leather jacket, and Muir cap, played on pop-cultural fascination with the Hollister "riot" and promoted an image of masculine independence that resonated with some men who were dissatisfied with mainstream culture.
These clubs reflected a disaffection with the mainstream culture of post-World War II America, a disaffection whose notoriety - and therefore appeal - expanded after the sensationalized news coverage of the Hollister "riot" of 1947. Early San Francisco clubs included the Warlocks and the California Motor Club, while early clubs in Sydney included the South Pacific Motor Club (SPMC). Pioneering motorcycle clubs included the Satyrs Motorcycle Club, established in Los Angeles in 1954 Oedipus Motorcycle Club, also established in Los Angeles in 1958, and the New York Motorbike Club. Male leather culture has existed since the late 1940s, when it likely grew out of post- WWII biker culture.