December 5, 2024 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

GAY L.A. – In 1958, Gay Rights Won For the First Time

When the Supreme Court sided with a gay magazine, history was made.

Before the 1950s, America didn’t have any gay publications. While there may have been pulpy Gay and Lesbian fiction for folks to read and a few movies about gay life playing in cinemas (1936’s “These Three” and 1944’s “Laura” come to mind,) there weren’t any magazines or even pamphlets that queer folks could pick up to read about gay life. To put out an out-and-out gay magazine was just too risky, and while Lisa Ben, the RKO staffer who put out the country’s first lesbian magazine-cum-newspaper in the 1940s, was responsible for penning entire issues of “Vice Versa,” she had to keep it quiet.

Then the 1950s happened. The Mattachine Society, started up by Harry Hay and a few other prominent gay men in Los Angeles in 1950, decided to start up its own publication: Something that would cover serious political issues concerning LGBT rights as well as topical subjects and happenings. The first issue of ONE magazine came out in January 1953, and while the Los Angeles gay community was happy about it, law enforcement was not.

To put things in a bit of context: This was before Stonewall, before the Black Cat protests in Silverlake, even before the Cooper’s Donuts riot in 1958 where rent boys and drag queens headed off the cops at a late-night hangout in L.A.’s “gay ghetto.” The world may have been ready for ONE magazine’s frank treatment of civil rights, social justice and gay life, but the U.S. Postal Service was not. A magazine boasting the headline “Something About Sailors” simply wasn’t going to go unnoticed by the world at large.

According to Matt Baume, who hosts the podcast “The Sewers of Paris,” ONE tried to come out quietly in the early years, featuring:

“No matchmaking ads; no racy photos; no descriptions of physical intimacy—even cuddling. But the following year, an issue contained ads for sheer pajamas and a short story that involved some touching, which led the Post Office to seize the issue.”

The Post Office refused to mail issues of ONE through the mail. While issues were mostly sold in bars, it was being mailed enough to get under the skin of Los Angeles Postmaster Otto Olesen. ONE found itself on the wrong side of the law, with no one, not even the L.A. ACLU to help out. ONE’s attorney Eric Julber had a long journey ahead of him. He not only had to convince the Supreme Court that ONE wasn’t “filthy.” He had to make a strong case that a publication dealing frankly with homosexuality isn’t the same thing an obscene or pornographic publication.

And miracle of miracles, he won. After losing out in court the first time, Julber got a swift reversal in 1958, thanks to the fact that previous cases dealing with nudity and “polygamy” had eventually won. While this victory might seem small to us, it set an important precedent. Even before the official start of the Gay Rights Movement, ONE was making history, right here in L.A.

Related Posts

Suspect Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Sell Stolen Warhol Artwork in Beverly Hills Auction House

October 1, 2024

October 1, 2024

The Warhol Print Was Originally Sold by a West Hollywood Gallery  Brian Alec Light, 58, of Hudson, Ohio, is expected...

Santa Monica Artist Dave Quick’s “Return from the Burn” Exhibition to Open at Bergamot’s Lois Lambert Gallery

July 10, 2024

July 10, 2024

Pre-Burning Man Showcase Features Kinetic Art and Sculptures Coated with Playa Dust, Opens July 13 With upwards of 80,000 attendees,...

Film Review: Down Low

July 30, 2023

July 30, 2023

FILM REVIEWDOWN LOWRated R90 MinutesReleased March 11, 2023 By Dolores Quintana “Down Low” is funny. It’s a lean 90 minutes...

Film Review: The People’s Joker

July 23, 2023

July 23, 2023

FILM REVIEWThe People’s JokerUnrated92 MinutesReleased September 13, 2022 (Toronto Film Festival) By Dolores Quintana “The People’s Joker” is a heartfelt...

Skin Laundry Laser Focuses On Rejuvenating Skin

July 12, 2023

July 12, 2023

Facials don’t have to be invasive. That’s why Skin Laundry has taken a revolutionary approach to skincare technology, making the...

The Problem with Pride Outfits and How You Can Change It

February 20, 2023

February 20, 2023

Since pride month’s official declaration in 1999, we’re reminded every June of how far America has come following New York...

Happening Now: West Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ Arts Festival

May 23, 2022

May 23, 2022

By Susan Payne Happening now through the end of June, WeHo Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival celebrates the artistic contributions of...

California Trans Child Molester Gets 2 Years In Juvenile Facility

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

A Los Angeles County judge ordered Hannah Tubbs, a transgender California woman, to serve two years in a juvenile facility...

Homeless Initiative Meeting In West Hollywood

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood’s Homeless Initiative works to address homelessness with a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency, collaborative response. It’s estimated that...

WeHo Premieres the ‘Moving Image Media Art’ Exhibition Series

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood announces the premiere of the Moving Image Media Art (MIMA) program and the worldwide debut...

LA Street Will Potentially Be Named After Anti-LGBTQ Singer

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

A portion of Bailey Street may be renamed to the late Mexican Mariachi singer ” Vicente Fernandez Street’ – a...

WeHo Spreads Word About Free Covid Testing

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood is reminding residents that free COVID-19 testing is available for them.  Demand for COVID-19 testing...

Green Qween New Queer-Owned Cannabis Shop Will Open Downtown

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

Green Qween, a new queer-owned and queer-driven cannabis shop, will open in downtown on April 20th.  The shops owners, Andrés...

2022 ‘WeHo Reads’ Series Celebrates the ‘Road to Joy’

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood invites community members to celebrate literature and local authors with its 2022 WeHo Reads literary...

New CA Law Helps With Transgender Deadnames

January 18, 2022

January 18, 2022

A new California law requires public colleges to update diplomas and records for transgender students who have changed their names....