Digital Transgender Archive Is Now Live

We at the Hormel Center received word today that The Digital Transgender Archive (DTA) has just launched its website!

The purpose of the Digital Transgender Archive (DTA) is to increase the accessibility of transgender history by providing an online hub for digitized historical materials, born-digital materials, and information on archival holdings throughout the world.

Please visit the site and explore the materials that are already online. The DTA has a number of items available via the Internet Archive, which will be incorporated into the site in the coming months. 

Note that this is a preliminary launch and the DTA is just beginning to grow its collections. Please check back often to see what's new! Feel free to contact them with any comments, suggestions, or feedback. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Stafford and Jordy (Photographer: Chloe Atkins)

The Hormel Center is thrilled to be one of the 9 institutions represented in the DTA from the outset. Finding aids for several of our collections with trans content are posted on the DTA. One of those is the Chloe Atkins Photographs Collection (GLC 38). 

Drag Kings: BJ
(Photographer: Chloe Atkins)

Chloe's images feature individuals who explore different facets of gender expression. The Atkins Photographs Collection (GLC 38) is available during Photo Collection hours through the San Francisco History Center, 6th floor, Main Library.

Trannyshack's David Bowie Tributes

David Bowie Tribute, June 2008

Bowie Night flyer, June 2002

Since his death on Sunday, there have been many loving tributes to the life and music of David Bowie (1947-2016). His performances were unforgettable. And his fluid approach to gender made him an icon in the LGBT community.

The club Trannyshack, founded by Steven Grygelko a.k.a. Heklina, was staged every Tuesday at midnight at the Stud, a South of Market gay bar in San Francisco. It ran from 1996-2008 and had occasional tribute nights that celebrated the music of a single performer such as Madonna, Annie Lennox, Blondie and Cher.

Club Gossip vs. Trannyshack! September 2006

Naturally David Bowie was in that number. In fact, between 2002 and 2008, there are four flyers featuring Bowie--more than any other musician! (Don't worry. Madonna, Cher, and Annie Lennox ran a close second.)

We've included the four Bowie flyers as our own tribute. Two of the events were birthday celebrations for club founder Heklina. Who wouldn't want to be part of the Bowie lip-synch war? And I just wish I'd been there for the "Trannyshack! Interpretation of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars."

Trannyshack! Interpretation of Ziggy Stardust
& the Spiders from Mars, July 2007

You can find these flyers/posters (and many more) in the Trannyshack Collection (GLC 58) which is available through the San Francisco History Center, 6th floor, Main Library. So go ahead. Put on your red shoes and dance the blues away by visiting the archives.