Pride in Grit City: An LGBTQ Retrospective
Presented by John Reed, Tacoma LGBTQ Activist
Join us for the second installment of the McMenamins Elks Temple
Virtual History Pub! We will be joined by John Reed all the way from Sacramento
for a special retrospective on LGBTQ history in Tacoma.
John is featured with Kenny (Lisa) Olson in the history of the
McMenamins Elks Temple, commemorating the Barony Ball taking place on site in
1975 and 1976. Not only was John instrumental in coordinating and hosting these
major events in the Grit City, but was also active in the pioneering LGBTQ
activism group, “The Tacoma Committee” before ultimately relocating to
California.
Join us for a casual conversation about the early history of
openly gay events in Tacoma as well as an overview of LGBTQ related materials
preserved at the Washington State Historical Society.
About the Speaker:
John Reed was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington and graduated
from Lincoln High School in 1972.
John became Vice President of the Gay Social Group "The
Tacoma Committee" in the summer of 1975. The group nominated John to work
with and support the organizing activities for the newly formed "Barony of
Tacoma," assisting in the planning of their first "Barony Ball,"
scheduled for November 1975. In addition to facilitating the event, John also
ran for the position of "Baron of the Barony of Tacoma," in the hopes
of being elected co-monarch of the Court of Tacoma. John successfully won
the title, and along with his friend Kenny Olson (who performed and dressed in
drag as "Lisa",) they were crowned “Their Royal Highnesses Marquis
& Marquise I of the Barony of Tacoma.” John and Lisa went on to
create the Gay Washington Pageant and completed their reign with the
"Chinatown" Barony Ball in November of 1976.
John retired from AT&T in 2013 after 35 years. He has lived in
Northern California with his husband, Michael, since 1999.