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Chuck Renslow

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Chuck Renslow
Man's Country tribute
Born
Charles Renslow

(1929-08-26)August 26, 1929
Chicago, Illinois
DiedJune 29, 2017(2017-06-29) (aged 87)
NationalityAmerican
OccupationBusinessperson
Known forGay activism and institution-building
Partner(s)Dom Orejudos, Ron Ehemann

Charles "Chuck" Renslow (August 26, 1929 – June 29, 2017)[1][2][3] was an American businessman, known for pioneering homoerotic male photography in the mid-20th-century US, and establishing many landmarks of late-20th-century gay culture and leather culture, especially in the Chicago area.[4] His accomplishments included the cofounding with Tony DeBlase of the Leather Archives and Museum,[5][6][7] the co-founding with Dom Orejudos of the Gold Coast bar, Man's Country bathhouse,[8] and the International Mr. Leather competition, and the founding by himself alone of Chicago's August White Party,[9] and the magazines Triumph, Rawhide, and Mars.[9] He was a romantic partner of Dom Orejudos as well as Chuck Arnett, Samuel Steward, David Grooms, and Ron Ehemann.[4][10]

Career

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Renslow was a photographer, and in 1952 met Dom Orejudos on Chicago's Oak Street Beach, asking him to model for him.[11] The two began a lifelong personal and professional relationship;[12] in the 1970s, they lived together in the Francis J Dewes mansion.[13]

Renslow and Orejudos founded Kris Studios, a physique photography studio that took photos for gay magazines they published. The studio was named in part to honor transgender pioneer Christine Jorgensen.[11][14][15][16] In 1958, they bought a gym which they renamed Triumph Gymnasium and Health Studio. That same year Renslow and Orejudos bought Gold Coast Show Lounge, and transformed it into the country's first gay leather bar, called the Gold Coast bar, with a uniform/western/leather dress code, a backroom, and homoerotic art (by Orejudos) on the walls.[17][18][1]

Renslow co-founded Man's Country bathhouse in 1973 (pictured here in 2016).

In 1965, Renslow helped found the Second City Motorcycle Club.[10]

Renslow founded Chicago's August White Party on August 8, 1974, when he hosted a party to celebrate his birthday and thank his patrons. It was then held for the next 36 years until 2010. The largest party was held in 1979 at Navy Pier with 5,000 participants.[19]

The forerunner of the International Mr. Leather competition was the 1970s "Mr. Gold Coast" bar contest held at the Gold Coast bar owned by Renslow and Orejudos. The "Mr. Gold Coast" contest became one of the bar's most popular promotions causing the need to locate the competition to a larger venue (in 1979), upon which the title was changed to International Mr. Leather.

In 1991 Renslow and Tony DeBlase founded the Leather Archives and Museum "as a community archives, library, and museum of leather, kink, fetish, and BDSM history and culture."[5][6][7]

Honors and legacy

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Renslow is listed as the Chairman In Memoriam of the Leather Archives and Museum. The museum also gives out the Chuck Renslow President's Award to honor individuals and organizations for their contributions to it.[20][21]

According to cultural anthropologist Gayle Rubin:[22]

Chuck was one of the most consequential leathermen of the long 20th century; his impact was vast and spanned many decades. He left indelible marks on so many areas of leather social life, among them: producing iconic gay male erotica, running one of the earliest and longest lasting leather bars, and building the leather contest system from a big but mostly local party into a major international institution. But to my mind, his most significant contribution was his role in establishing and maintaining the Leather Archives and Museum. Chuck gave the LA&M its legal corporate structure, but in addition he quietly made sure it had enough funds to operate for many years. He also made the LA&M the ongoing beneficiary of IML. Although many others, such as Tony DeBlase, made key contributions to the LA&M, Chuck did more than any other single individual to grow the LA&M and to secure its future. In doing so, he made it possible to secure a future for the leather past.

Renslow co-founded the Leather Archives & Museum in 1991 (pictured here in 2015)

In 1990, Renslow received the Steve Maidhof Award for National or International Work from the National Leather Association International.[23]

In 1991, Renslow was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame.[3]

In 1992, he received the President's Award as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards.[24]

In 1993, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards.[24]

In 1995, "Chuck Renslow – IML" was one of the recipients of the International Deaf Leather Recognition Award.[25]

In 1996, he and Jim McGlade received the Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards, and in 2007 Renslow received it alone.[24]

In 1998, he received the Forebear Award as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards.[24]

In 2009, he was inducted into the Leather Hall of Fame.[26]

On May 25, 2018, the Chicago City Council voted to designate the eastern stretch of Clark Street between Winnemac Ave and Ainslie Ave as "CHUCK RENSLOW WAY."[27] (The stretch of Clark st was previously home to many of Renslow's businesses, including the Gold Coast and Man's Country.[28]) The new street sign was unveiled on the anniversary of IML.[29]

In June 2019, Renslow was one of the inaugural fifty American "pioneers, trailblazers, and heroes" inducted on the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor within the Stonewall National Monument (SNM) in New York City's Stonewall Inn.[30][31] The SNM is the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ rights and history,[32] and the wall's unveiling was timed to take place during the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.[33]

In 2021, the Leather Archives & Museum gave out the Chuck Renslow & Tony DeBlase Founders’ Award.[34]

Further reading

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Baim, Tracy; Keehnen, Owen (2011). Leatherman: The Legend of Chuck Renslow. CreateSpace. ISBN 978-1461119081.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Chuck Renslow". www.imrl.com. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
  2. ^ Museum, Leather Archives &. "Chuck Renslow". www.leatherarchives.org. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
  3. ^ a b Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame (2018-06-06). "1991 – Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 2018-06-06. Retrieved 2019-12-28.
  4. ^ a b "Chicago Gay History". www.chicagogayhistory.com. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  5. ^ a b Shapiro, Gregg. (2011). "Leatherman's man: an interview with Chuck Renslow's biographer Owen Keehmen". Outlook: Columbus. 16 (1). LGBT Life with Full Text, EBSCOhost: 48. Retrieved 2016-06-18.
  6. ^ a b "About the LA&M - Leather Archives & Museum". Leatherarchives.org. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
  7. ^ a b Ridinger, Robert (2005). "Founding of the Leather Archives & Museum". LGBT History, 1988-1992 [serial online]. LGBT Life with Full Text, EBSCOhost: 33–36.
  8. ^ "Gay Influence". gayinfluence.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  9. ^ a b Baim, Tracy; Ehemann, Ron (2008). Out and Proud in Chicago: An Overview of the City's Gay Community. Chicago: Agate Publishing. p. 73. ISBN 978-1572841000.
  10. ^ a b Baim, Tracy (29 June 2017). "Legendary Chicago businessman, activist Chuck Renslow dies". Windy City Times. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
  11. ^ a b Baim, Tracy; Keehnen, Owen (2011). Leatherman: The Legend of Chuck Renslow. Prairie Avenue Productions. p. 36. ISBN 978-1-46109602-3.
  12. ^ "Visual AIDS | Dom Orejudos aka "Etienne"". Visual AIDS. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  13. ^ "Chicago Whispers - Windy City Times News". Windy City Times. 2000-07-26. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  14. ^ "Chuck Renslow, Chicago gay community icon and International Mr. Leather contest founder, dies at 87". Chicago Tribune. 30 June 2017.
  15. ^ "Remembering transgender pioneer Christine Jorgensen". 7 October 2019.
  16. ^ Materville Studios - Host of Windy City Times (2008-05-21). "Kris: The Physique Photography of Chuck Renslow - 12839 - Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News - Windy City Times". Windycitymediagroup.com. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
  17. ^ Tracy Baim (1 March 2009). Out and Proud in Chicago: An Overview of the City's Gay Community. Agate Publishing. pp. 72–. ISBN 978-1-57284-643-2.
  18. ^ Forman, Ross. "Chicago gay pioneer and legend Chuck Renslow dies". ChicagoPride.com. Archived from the original on 2017-06-30. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
  19. ^ Baim, Tracy; Keehnen, Owen (2011). Leatherman: The Legend of Chuck Renslow. CreateSpace. p. 414. ISBN 978-1461119081.
  20. ^ "Staff and Board - Leather Archives & Museum". Leatherarchives.org. 1999-06-28. Retrieved 2019-12-29.
  21. ^ "President's Award - Leather Archives & Museum". Leatherarchives.org. 1987-03-21. Retrieved 2019-12-29.
  22. ^ Bannon, Race (2017-07-09). "A Hero Leaves Us :: Leather Folk on the Passing of Chuck Renslow". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 2024-06-15.
  23. ^ "List of winners". NLA International. 2019-03-14. Archived from the original on 2020-01-03. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
  24. ^ a b c d "Pantheon of Leather Awards All Time Recipients - The Leather Journal". www.theleatherjournal.com. Archived from the original on 2020-12-28. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  25. ^ "International Deaf Leather | AWARDS". July 4, 2021.
  26. ^ "> Inductees". Leatherhalloffame.com. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
  27. ^ "Record No. O2018-3236 - Office of the City Clerk". City of Chicago, Office of the City Clerk. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
  28. ^ "Chuck Renslow street dedication May 19 - Windy City Times News". Windy City Times. 2018-05-07. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
  29. ^ "Chuck Renslow Way". Honorary Chicago. 2020-10-31. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  30. ^ Glasses-Baker, Becca (June 27, 2019). "National LGBTQ Wall of Honor unveiled at Stonewall Inn". www.metro.us. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  31. ^ Rawles, Timothy (2019-06-19). "National LGBTQ Wall of Honor to be unveiled at historic Stonewall Inn". San Diego Gay and Lesbian News. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  32. ^ "Groups seek names for Stonewall 50 honor wall". The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  33. ^ "Stonewall 50". San Francisco Bay Times. 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2019-05-25.
  34. ^ "30 30 Anniversary Campaign – Leather Archives & Museum".
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