Henley, Jesse Clark (sold)
Jesse Clark Henley (May 10, 1950 - August 20, 1988) was an American writer, model, and artist active in Los Angeles and San Francisco in the mid to late 20th century. Henley was born in San Francisco, but relocated to LA in 1979, living there until 1986, when he was diagnosed with HIV. Henley then returned to San Francisco to be with his family. He died of AIDS-related causes in San Francisco in 1988. Among his other work, Henley produced the 'Alligator Oz' map of San Francisco, 'A Butch Look at America' map, and his iconic book, The Butch Manual.
San Francisco as Ali'gay'tor heaven!
A rare and most humorous 1976 J. Clark Henley pictorial map of San Francisco as the 'gay' paradise, 'Alligator Oz'. The cartography roughly mirrors the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, with the San Francisco Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and the Bay Bridge clearly recognizable. Most structures have been transformed into penis-shaped towers, with the Transamerica Pyramid, the Palace of Fine Arts, the Painted Ladies, and City Hall recognizable. Throughout, homosexual alligators, some in drag, frolic and enjoy themselves, their notably salacious thoughts on clear display. In what would be Golden Gate Park, a parade of happy alli'gay'tors sing,
Oh happy day, we don't have wives who need their hair done, or children who need their stocking filled, so we can need Bill Blass, Vidal Sassoon, Elsa Peretti, and Wilkes Bashford, not to mention a complete collection of toys from Leather Forever…(more details)
San Francisco as Ali'gay'tor heaven!
A rare and most humorous 1976 J. Clark Henley pictorial map of San Francisco as the 'gay' paradise, 'Alligator Oz'. The cartography roughly mirrors the northern top of San Francisco Peninsula, with the San Francisco Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and the Bay Bridge clearly recognizable. Most structures have been transformed into penis shaped towers, with some, such as the Transamerica Pyramid, the Palace of Fine Arts, Painted Ladies, and City Hall recognizable. Throughout, homosexual alligators, some in drag, frolic and enjoy themselves, their notably salacious thoughts on clear display. In what would be Golden Gate Park, a parade of happy alli'gay'tors sing,
Oh happy day, we don't have wives who need their hair done, or children who need their stocking filled, so we can need Bill Blass, Vidal Sassoon, Elsa Peretti, and Wilkes Bashford, not to mention a complete collection of toys from Leather Forever…(more details)
Mapping 'butchness' in America.
A rare and humorous 1982 J. Clark Henley pictorial map of the United States as a 'butch' alli-GAY-der paradise. The map follows on Henley's 1976 'Alligator Oz' map of San Francisco (SanFranciscoAlligatorOz-henley-1976), in which he first introduced the alligator as a symbol of gay America. Here, homosexual alligators, some in drag, frolic and enjoy themselves, their notably salacious thoughts on clear display - and as such, it is one of the few maps picturing any aspect of gay life. The map emerged during a period of LGBTQ+ awakening, after the 1969 Stonewall Riots, but before the full extent of the AIDS Epidemic became evident. It was a period of positivity and widespread expectations of emerging acceptance. (more details)
Mapping 'butchness' in America.
A rare and humorous 1982 J. Clark Henley pictorial map of the United States as a 'butch' alli-GAY-der paradise. The map follows on Henley's 1976 'Alligator Oz' map of San Francisco (see Geographicus: SanFranciscoAlligatorOz-henley-1976), in which he first introduced the alligator as a symbol of gay America. Here homosexual alligators, some in drag, frolic and enjoy themselves, their notably salacious thoughts on clear display - and as such is one of the few maps picturing any aspect of gay life. The map emerged during a period of LGBTQ+ awakening, after the 1969 Stonewall Riots, but before the full extent of the AIDS Epidemic became evident. It was a period of positivity and widespread expectations of emerging acceptance. (more details)