24 April
 |
| Utah State Penitentiary |
1893 Ogden Standard Examiner page 4 To Governor
Thomas In yesterdays Salt Lake Herald prosecuting Attorney C S Varian
comes out in the following open letter to governor Arthur L Thomas: But let us
resume the discussion of pardons granted by you. The record shows that you have
pardoned from the penitentiary since July 4 1889 eighty- five convicts who had
been convicted of murder, manslaughter, assault to murder, assault to do bodily
harm, robbery, rape, burglary, forgery, embezzlement, house breaking, grand
larceny, riot, arson, and “Crime Against Nature”. A goodly list showing an
average of about or nearly two a month.
1951 Claude Schulte, 32, in
city court today waived a preliminary hearing on a sodomy charge, a felony. The
defendant allegedly committed the crime February 9. Bail was set at $1000
Charged with committing sodomy with a juvenile youth.
1982- Salt Lake Chapter of Affirmation sponsored
a "Dionysus Soiree" with Wine-Cheese-& and a guitar.
1983 Golden Spike Humanitarian Award given to
Bob Mandrake and Jack Nyland by the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire of
Utah
 |
| Jim & Tammy Faye Bakker |
1988 - John Reeves told me some
horrible news today, his friend and therapist Dr. Michael Elliott has AIDS.
John said that Dr. Elliott had the same lover for the last ten years and never
had been unfaithful and his lover in HIV negative. How very sad. This disease
is so scary the way it almost hits at random.Becky Moss and I taped a radio
program on the "steps of Coming Out” for Concerning Gays and Lesbians. [Journal of Ben Williams]
.jpg) |
| Sister Linda Bellemere |
1990 Tuesday- BEYOND STONEWALL Chuck Whyte
and I went over to see Bobbie Smith and I asked if he would be a facilitator at
Beyond Stonewall again this year and teach a work shop on Gay literature. He
said sure. I've already asked Luci Malin to do one on the Goddess in Gay
culture. I need to see if Mike Pipkim will do one on Metaphysics and the New
Age.
1994 The Madeleine Award for
Distinguished Service to the Arts and Humanities was given to Ariel Ballif --
designer, director, teacher, producer – in recognition of his contributions in
Utah
1999 Gay Activist Blair Lewis wrote to the
SLTribune: In typical knee jerk fashion, the parents of some East High students
have misunderstood the presentation made by the Gay Straight Alliance at East
High. Exposure to anything Gay does not make you Gay. Exposure to things like a presentation from
the Gay Straight Alliance can only inform and prepare our children for the
world. Ignorance of life is usually what proves to be our undoing. Sheltering
our children from the world only makes them weak. The tree that weathers the
storm becomes stronger; we human beings are the same. Knowledge is life.
Ignorance is death.
- 1999 Ella Fawcett wrote to the SLTribune: My 14-year-old son came home from East High recently feeling very disgusted. The mandatory multi-cultural assembly presented homosexuality as an ethnic group to learn from and appreciate. Everyone booed and many students tried to leave because they were so disturbed and offended by the presentation. They were told they could not leave. Did I miss something somewhere? Deviant Gay and lesbian behavior is now a culture we can benefit from? Perverted behavior is now a required course of study to further my son's education and prepare him for the future? It's a sorry day when a few snot-nosed teen-agers can manipulate the system into thinking that matters of personal and private practice should be viewed in a public institute of learning. There are many adults trying to be politically correct that can learn something from last week's assembly. Children have a natural sense of right and wrong. Everyone in that auditorium should have been allowed to leave.
2000 Hi there, The Lesbian Avengers are trying to organize a local march to support the national march for womens rights in April. The march and rally will be on April 24th at 10:00 am. We are trying to get local organizations to help, attend, and possibly speak at the march. Any ideas?
 |
| Chad Keller |
 |
| Teinamarie Nelson |
• From:
Adam Frost To: Chad C Keller; Teinamarrie Nelson Subject: Re: Grand
Marshal
Reception and Pride Awards PRIORITY 2
Chad / Board Members / Committee Members, Let me start by saying that I
understand I am a committee member, not a board member and therefore do not
have a vote. However, I always have an opinion (as those of you who know me
well can attest). =) I have a concern regarding the awards listed below. I
understand that The awards are new this year and have not been given out before.
Have they been voted on by the board? [This is the process that we are in right
now] Were the awards conceived by the board? [Yes these were created by members
of the board] The reason for asking is I think we are deflating the value of
Existing awards by creating more and more. The Kristen Reis is a wonderful
award and well deserved; It was until the last few years when its selection and
dignity was compromised by Russo and others.
It is one award that yes is the biggie, that all members of the Utah Gay
Community should aim for....To be quite honest there has been a call to have it
disband in the community and by past recipients. however, if you ask the
community at large what the award is or if
they've heard of it, my hunch tells me they would not know. I didn't
know of it until I served on the Pride Committee The biggest problem is that
the award for years has been lost it the chaos of the festival. The recipients are often not as well known as
they should and again the procedure of selection has become corrupt. (and I had been in the community for a good 5
years before that). My opinion is that we should give more emphasis on the
existing awards. We only have one award
rather than create a bunch of new ones.
To get the Grand Marshal Reception on Track and give the award the honor
it or they deserve it was essential to bring them together. The ones we have been suggested are our way
to encourage better civic leaders, honor a fellow organization to encourage
greater support of pride, Honor Utah Companies for making the often difficult
stride for diversity in the work place and straight people or organizations
that reach our and give all gay groups great support. They are meant to
compliment the Community Service Award.
And the Award by itself is not a draw.
It has lost long ago it shimmer because of questionable practices by
past chairs. I equate it to the 'Best Of' awards given by City Weekly. This is
far from that and even farther from being a golden spike.....It seems as though
there are categories they have made up to suit one particular company. What are you referring too....There are a
potential of 9 Utah companies that could win the award for Pride at
Work...honestly, I would rather be nominated for an Oscar and not receive it
than win the "Best Decorated Sun Hat and Matching Shoulder Wrap"
award at Sundance. My two cents on the
issue. As for the Russo issue, I agree
with all sentiments so far. However, before the Pride Board of Trustees makes
any sort of official "we-turn-our-back-on-you" move, it is important
that Kim get indicted or prosecuted. Otherwise everything is
"alleged" even though we know for a fact what happened. Sorry for the length. Adam PS....as our favorite past chair has
been nominated for RCGSE Woman of the Year....Billy and I wonder how you feel
about Man and Women of the Year Awards......
 |
| Adam Frost |
•
"Chad C Keller" See notes and clarification below in Adams
note.....as Adam is not a Voting Board Member....I will insure it is taken
under advisement when the final decision is made....please again see notes that
follow
 |
| Craig Miller |
 |
| Kathryn Warner |
•
From: "Sherry Booth" Subject: Re: Grand Marshal Reception and Pride
Awards PRIORITY 1Absolutely and positively. If the court does this, they are
making a clear statement on their position within this community and where
Pride is concerned. They are condoning the very behavior that we have fought
against. I certainly feel that we have little need to keep building bridges as
they quite blatantly keep burning them down. I am really tired of all their
complaining, criticism and inability to put in check the destructive behaviors
that are running rampant. After all Kim and Monica had their pictures in their
newsletter, didn't they? As couple of the Year or something?
 |
| Darin Hobbs |
2003 Ben Williams Subject Gay pride Day
misinformation; There are several errors in the program. Ray Henke was not the
editor of the first Gay Newspaper. The Open Door came after the Gayzette and
the Salt Lick. The other error is the Marshall Brunner one. Either Brunner
misinformed Kevin [Hillman] or Kevin assumed the 1983 was the first one. I know
when Kevin and Debra Rosenberg were co-chairs they promoted 1983 as the first
Pride Day..but out of ignorance not malious. I was not privy to the documentation
myself at the time until I actually did some research. The old fashion way! ha!
2003 Chad Keller to Ben Williams - Did you know John Bennett has moved back to SLC? Ben Williams to Chad Keller- You were out of it Sunday when I told you that I had a long visit with John Bennett and Val Mansfield at the Try-angles last Saturday.
2003 Chad Keller to Ben Williams - Did you know John Bennett has moved back to SLC? Ben Williams to Chad Keller- You were out of it Sunday when I told you that I had a long visit with John Bennett and Val Mansfield at the Try-angles last Saturday.
2003 Chad Keller Subject: Calendar Doug
[Fadel], Recently the decision was announced pertaining getting a master
calendar off the ground for the community. It seems that the decision of the
location of the master off line calendar has lit up the email tree. A great
positive response is coming in, but a small fire is burning because, to quote
"its one more jab at the Center."
We agreed that we would find ways to help make a positive difference and
rally the community for the best of both.
(my interpretation) I want to share with you why the selection was made
to work with the Downtown Alliance in hopes of stopping a few conversations in the
community before they get out of hand.
Political Neutrality. The
Downtown Alliance has no stake in our events.
They have only vested interest in Downtown. Knowledge. The staff at the
Downtown Alliance stays up to date to the various other events around Salt Lake
and the Valley. They also receive
information on events throughout the state.
I would also add that when it comes to planning events, meetings, and
what not, they are wealth of information and experience in every area that
involves the creation and implementation of many types of events Location. The Downtown Alliance is located on a major
TRAX stop. There are many planners and
leaders who have given up cars for the benefit of the planet. Greedily, for now, its just me working on the
calendar, and it is near my office, which will allows for a more immediate
response until the online version is finished in the next few months. While I
am confident that eventually life will sort itself out, and life will be better
for all of us, and the dust from growth spurts will settle, I have often sought
advice from people who have been the backbone of our community for years. A
comment from two of them sticks in my mind.
Why are the wagons always circled?
You have explained to me that the Center is not and cannot be everything
for everybody. So then why is there a
concern or care where the calendar is or isn't.
I highly considered and event drafted a proposal to send to the Paula
[Wolfe] and the Center Board. But as I
had it proofed small items manifested themselves that made me an advisors to
the project stop and say that we needed to seek out other options. I did, and, under the counsel of many great
people, saw a greater opportunity. If this decision has offended anyone at the
Center or on the Center's board, please extend my apologies and explanation.
The decision was not intended to be a jab, nor a slam to the Center. The assimulation center never has an Idea of
their own and I grow tired and cranky with all its institutional Ignorance.
2003 LETTER TO EDITOR Salt Lake Tribune-I would
like to thank Boyer Jarvis for his
recent Utah Voices item on his being a
recovering homophobic. There is, however, more which must be done toward
eliminating the basic cause of the hateful stigmatizing of those for whom he
urges acceptance. There is a large and growing consensus among medical and
nuclear biological researchers at major universities that sexual orientation
and gender ambiguity are as much a common factor in human diversity as left
handedness, mental retardation, fingerprints and the myriad of other variations
that make humans different. A huge bank of relevant data is available on a
number of Web sites. You can begin more fully to understand this condition by
using these suggested search criteria phrases: "Roger Gorski," "sexual
ambiguity" and "sex determination and sexual differentiation."
Investigation into the subject should clearly indicate the catch phrase
"life style" to be completely fallacious. If enough people inform
themselves of the facts being developed, the parochial attitude toward sexual
orientation could be changed. It would be nice to think we have had enough of a
savagely beaten gay man left to die on a barbed wire fence, or of teenage
school students cheering while one of their classmates uses a school assembly
PA system to suggest that gay men be crucified, and lesbians be burned at the
stake, or the harassment of a very nice woman teacher in Spanish Fork because
she is lesbian. This senseless behavior clearly stems from ignorance, most
likely institutionalized ignorance.
James J. Pangburn Provo
 |
| Boyer Jarvis |
2003 Chad Keller to Mary, [Lassalle] Perhaps
it is how things are being written, but I am taking a lot of offence in your
email. The things being created by the Pillar Services team have been
requested,and are much needed. The
Center has not nor have they every shown one bit of interest in creating a
Business Guild, A Leadership forum, or a Sports authority, UNTIL someone else
starts doing something, and then the $$ signs start rolling in their eyes. We
have not asked, nor would we ask people to stop being an affiliate with the
Center. But it is really damn funny that
every freak'n affiliate always have the same conversation when we present an
opportunity to participate in building a dynamic and colorful community. The
bad mouthing that has and continues to go on from the Affiliates is more
interesting then it is annoying. I too have volunteered at the Center, and got
royally screwed, and further took offence by the appointment of how the board
is appointed and who is appointed. You
have to have money to play with or for the Center. To appoint Sherri Booth and Craig Miller is a
slap in many peoples face, due to comments that have publically been heard
about people who work their butts off for the community. I do think however
that it is pretty lazy not to file the paper work to be independant, non profit
organization. I completed the process
with BenWilliam for the USHS. Not being that word and detail oriented it was a
breeze. Further, theft from our
organizations is made possible when well meaning people have too many
signatures or only one. You nor any
board member should ever audit your own books, but should have them audited by
an independant professional auditor. Unity does not mean that we should put all
of the assets in to one organization.
Nor should we when the organization represents only a small percentage
of the community. The Center is more representative of Lesbians,
Transgendereds, and youth. I hope that you choose to join us in building a
stronger community. By doing so is not an act of treason to the Center, but
will be an act of strengthening the sports minded or who want to be sports
minded people in ourcommunity. I nor the Pillar have ever asked that you not
support and be proud in the Center. I
can bring a hoard of email forwarded to me by member of the center staff, Board members, present and recent past, and affiliate boards
bad mouthing the efforts of the Pillar Services team to bring the community
together to find a stonger voice for each of the many areas of interest in our
community. I reflect on words of a group of community elders who celebrateded
the efforts of my tream when we were ready to call it quits. I share them with you now. "The Center
is only the Gay and Lesbian Community Center, not the Center of the Gay and
Lesbian Community. They and their
funders are out to impress a nation, but are loosing their own community. Keep thinking, keep growing, and keep
indendence, and it protects and enhances the diversity andcolor of our
community."
2005 Hi everybody. Please be advised that the
location for gay soccer has been switched to SUGARHOUSE PARK. Enter Sugarhouse from the North Side off of
2100 south. Follow the main park road
around and down the hill until you see the first road on the left. The soccer field is at the end of that
road. We will still be playing at 2:30
p.m. Everybody is invited to play or
watch. Don't hesitate to email me if you
have any questions. Hope to see you all there! Kirk
2009 Shurtleff says guv is wrong on civil
unions Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said Friday that Utah's constitutional
amendment banning gay marriage also prohibits civil unions, and that Gov. Jon
Huntsman Jr. is wrong when he says it's open to interpretation from the courts.
"When it comes to civil unions, it's absolutely clear. There is no doubt,"
Shurtleff said in an interview. "That's in the Constitution."
Author: Robert Gehrke The Salt Lake
Tribune
2009 Queer Student Union Gaybutante Ball
Friday, April 24 By
Princess Kennedy Salt Lake City Weekly Every city this time
of year needs a good social ball to get the season going. Salt Lake City,
staying true to the “ab-norm,” is no exception. The Gaybutante Ball, thrown by
The University of Utah’s Queer Student Union, comes at the end of “Allies
Week,” five days of fetes, discussions, films and events designed to help gay,
transgender and straight students with a more accommodating and safe learning
environment. This year’s theme “Magnificent Creatures” promises to be the best
party in its seven years of existence. Usually held on campus, it’s moving this
year to the Gallivan Center so the broader community can come together
regardless of sexual orientation or relationship to the ever-evolving and openly
welcoming world of the LGBT community. Performances will feature the Salt City
Kings, Avenue and the Slippery Kittens. Due to the content of some
performances, the party is for people age 18 and over. Gaybutante Ball @
Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main, Friday, April 24, 8-11 p.m. $5 donation
suggested.
 |
| Princess Kennedy |
2012 To: info@qsaltlake.com Subject: My brother - formerly of SLC I am seeking some
 |
| Gordon Steele |
- Candy, this is Ben Williams. I don't know if you remember me. My ex-wife Fran knew you when you lived in Salt Lake back in the mid 1980's. I think you introduced her to Puss N Boots LOL I also worked with your ex-sister in law Susan McCoy when she was married to Floyd and I first began teaching. Michael Aaron forwarded you email about your brother. I never knew Gordon because he left the SLC scene before I became active in it. I have been collecting articles and newspapers on SLC Gay History and its early organizations for nearly 25 years. I write a column for the Michael Aaron' paper the Q. I recently wrote an article on the break up of the Imperial Court which has not yet been published. This was before my time and haven't no dog in the fight I tried to be objective but of course my only information was from members of the Royal Court of that time and they did not give me a flattering opinion of your brother. As a historian I know that there's always two sides to every story but alas I did not have a way to contact you and your brother passed away nearly 20 years ago. I am sending my article and told the editor not to publish it until I get a response from you. I would like to include your perspective also and make attributions to your recollections. PS Do you have any pictures of your brother from this period you could scan and send to me for my files? Sincerely Ben Williams
- Hi Ben, It must be some sort of kismet that I wrote to the Q magazine when I did. There must be another Candi Steele, because the one that you met was not me. She may have been living under an assumed name or something... Gordon lived under an assumed name for the final year or so that he was in SLC. He actually stole our brother's name and SSN and got our brother into huge legal trouble before the Feds and IRS nailed Gordy. I moved to Alaska in early 1981 and lived in Juneau where I worked for the Governor of Alaska. I saw Gordon shortly before I moved there. And this was not too long before Gordon moved to the Chicago area. He moved there with our sister Holly Steele. She still lives in that area. I did not see Gordon again until he was terminally ill. That this Candy Steele that Gordon claimed was his sister is a blatant fabrication. I was married and moving to Alaska at the time this occurred. This person who impersonated me?? must have had a name change in order to pass herself as Gordon's sister. He also falsely claimed that my sister's son Danny was his son. Not true and in fact Danny lived in Ogden with his own father and sometimes in Chicago with his own mother. Gordon was certainly not beyond stretching the truth when it suited him to do so. He even had our brother beat up when (J) discovered his identity had been stolen and he was filing charges against Gordon. Good Lord, it pains me to think Gordon was capable of such fabrications and lies. When he did not get his way, he would pay big males to take his "enemies" back into a dark alley and beat the crap out of them... I am now wondering if some of these big males went beyond merely beating these guys half to death. This thought really frightens me. He continued this pattern of controlling events after he moved to Chicago as well. When I was caring for Gordon at the end of his life - he would sometimes fly into horrible rages for no seeming reason. Often times the hospital in Tampa had to call me in the middle of the night to come and try to get control of Gordon. They would have to truss him up in a straight jacket to keep him from harming both himself and others. In the late 80's I left Alaska and moved to Seattle to attend grad school at UW. Then I returned to Alaska, a very depressed area at that time. I got a call from Gordon and he asked me to come to Florida and help him. A friend of his had stolen thousands of dollars from him, which I was able to get back - and he weighed about 85 pounds. I about died when I saw the condition he was in. No one should have to die from such a devastating illness. So I ended up staying for several months. Learned more than I ever wanted to know about the ravaging effects of the disease. He not only had AIDS but also very advanced syph. Both diseases cause dementia and he got to be very far mentally gone due to this. Gordon had changed drastically from the way he had been as a younger man. Yes, I suppose he was arrogant, but I saw him as more cocky than anything. He loved the attention he got and I think he played it very hard. Whatever was left of Gordon's sweetness was destroyed by the lifestyle he chose to live in Chicago. Incredibly self destructive. He evolved into what I would term as a sick trick. Hard core stuff. I found boxes of photos and I destroyed them so that other members of our family would not find them. Gordon wanted the reality of what he had changed into hidden from the rest of the family. And I honored his wishes. To tell you the truth I do not know a whole lot about Gordon and his ethical/political activities. I lived in Boise then and only saw Gordon 3-4 times a year. My kids adored him, he always bought them gigantic milkshakes. Our dad was dying and Gordon financially helped my dad and his wife a lot. I wonder where he got the money for such an expensive campaign???? I was told by him that he was the Emperor and was told this for several years. He was seemingly very proud of this. I never had any indication that he had manipulated his way in. I could be charitable and say that maybe he was trying to be "inclusive" in campaigning with "outside" funds. That does not seem to be correct. He stated that he went all over the West Coast attending Court functions all over. Inflexible??? Total control freak was more like it. When in his early 20's Gordon "found" himself and went from the puny bullied little kid into someone who felt desired and powerful, it turned him into an entire different personality. I think I will close for now and write to someone else who knew more about Gordon during this time period than I do. I will forward the response to you if there is anything usable. At least now I know why I could not find any reference to the court on the net except the IV year... Thank you agin for responding. If you have any specific questions please do not hesitate to write... Candy L Steele Griffin
- Thank you for a more well rounded picture of Gordon... the 1970's was a tough time to be out as a Gay man. Everyone carried baggage of some sort or another especially if raised Gay. Gordon sounded like he liked to make people think he was important by the men he said he associated with... Curtis supposed son of a Governor, an affair with a Senator, and now an affair with an LDS Apostle. I heard rumor of the same about Gordon B Hinckley from Charles Van Dam who died of AIDS in 1988. My article for the Salt Lake Q is simple a bi-monthly column called Lambda Lore which is only suppose to run 800 words but I know the owner really well and he lets me get by with 1200-1300 words. I am already at the rate but I want to tweak it some with this new info especially about Candi Steele the imposter. However I do keep an extensive file which I will keep this info about Gordon. Whether people liked him or not he was the last Emperor of the Imperial court and that is history. Sincerely Ben.
- Good Morning Ben, I have been working on a written response to my inquiry about Gordon. He was a very complicated young man. Not much I can write that might help you with your piece - but maybe you can mine something from what I write. I was surprised to see that you had information regarding his death!!!!! I did not think anyone in SLC knew about it. Gordon wanted it kept secret... I wanted to find someone somehow that knew Gordon and could get the information out to the community. He was interred in Florida. I hope to have the money to have him disinterred someday and have him moved to SLC to be buried next to my grandparents. He dearly loved them. They are buried at the top tier of the old cemetery on the avenues. Since time is of the essence for your article I will get it done ASAP. I truly appreciate you taking your time to write to me. So much of what I knew about Gordon's activities came second hand from Gordon himself and that was about all I truly knew. I left Utah when I was 18 and never moved back.. Too much remembered pain.. I was the oldest of 5 children and Gordon was the youngest. We lived a difficult and sometimes brutal life. It scarred all of us in some way. Gordon the worst.... He was puny - Doctors called it failure to thrive. He was eventually sent to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for Human Growth Hormone treatment. He was always quite thin, but he did grow to be about 5'9". I did not know what "gay" was when I was a child - but I always knew Gordon was somehow "different". Like many so called experts, I have puzzled the question of "chose this orientation" or was "born this way". I sort of think that another category needs to be considered - "patterning" life experiences that shape our behavior along the way... Whatever - all I know is the Gordon was so afraid of not being loved by his family and others. He told me via letter so that if I was angry or hateful, it would not hurt him so much. Gordon was brilliant - his IQ was in the high 150's. He also had a photographic memory. People that I have known throughout my life who are extremely intelligent - also skate along the edge of mentally ill. I keep puzzling over this woman named Candi Steele. When I was in high school I altered the spelling of my name to Candi. My legal name is Candy Lou Steele. That is just too strange. My cousin Bobby Steele was the prison psychologist at point of the mountain. He might have known this Candi. Anyway, I will send this and get to work on finishing what I started writing last night. I am also going to look up this candi steele and see what I can find on-line about her... Most Sincerely Candy Steele Griffin
- From my former sister-in-law today... Her brain fog (forgetfulness) is caused by extensive chemo. I too have been suffering from colon cancer and chemo after affects. My cancer is caused from a genetic mutation. Like my brother I guess I am a mutant too.... Oh, I would publish your research project with some minor changes. If you want me to look over the revisions I would be happy to, and you can get this off your plate! I used to write for two governors so I can be a fairly decent writer..... When I started my hunt for people who may have known Gordy, I came upon a blog series that I read some of... When I began hearing from you, something rang a bell and I went back to your blogs and found the one where you were writing about the other Candi Steele. Wow! I was already on your trail.
- Jodie could you read this and respond what you remember about this time period in Gordon's life???? Some of it is shocking to me, but I don't think Jesse would be too shocked to read it..... I really love the part where I was a wilfull lesbian and Gordon's sister who was on the court with him....
- Subject: Re: Gordon Steele my memory is so shot, especially of that part of my life & Jayson wouldn't remember because we pretty much kept him from knowing anything about. Some of this info has jogged a few memories loose. Gordon was here at least a year & a half to 2 years after his election. He did leave (according to him) because of threats on his life. There were a lot of dirty politics prior to the coronation and election (were they one in the same? I don't remember), the majority (as I recall) were for Gordon but his opposition did a real smear job on him. the particulars, I don't recall. Jess and I went to all the places their campaigning went on (gay night clubs)... reminded me of a bunch of women with PMS. Virginia went to several of them with us as well. We were trying to support him. One thing is for sure, he was full of himself, but seemed they all were, I think they had to be. His opposition claimed the ballots were stuffed and continued to try to smear him even after the election. My thought was they were sore losers. Wow! I forgot about him using Jesse's name. I was the one who answered our door when they came to arrest Jesse. I 'bout peed my pants!! Making it worse, Jesse was still at work & I was home alone. I didn't deal well with stuff like that back then. LOL. But Gordan was always so good to me and Jayson, very sweet... so this article kinda took me back how they painted him. Stubborn? You bet! He stood his ground for what he thought was right. Self centered? Yes, but not so much to forget about others. He was always doing something for others. Funny you mentioned he helped your dad & Virginia out financially, I know Jesse did too, so maybe he didn't give as much as he said he did & took credit for Jesse's contributions too.... I don't know, doesn't sound like the Gordan I think I knew. The only "affair" that I ever heard of from Gordan was that one of the LDS "apostles" used to hire him & another guy for pleasure, but that's not an affair, is it. He never revealed the "apostles" name. I do remember after all those events we went to, we always went to the Denny's on No Temple & 3rd West to hang out & sober up to drive home. After Gordon left, Jesse would never go back to that place LOL. He loved his brother. & BTW, according to Jesse and Gordon, it was Jess who was always beating the bullies up that picked on Gordan. That was in high school. I never heard of Gordon having anyone beaten who picked on him... but, who knows? What he told some, he didn't tell others etc. Walk down memory lane eh? That's about all that got jogged. I remember Gordon talking about power struggles and people protesting votes that won him the election. There seemed to be a lot of people against him. I also remember it was short lived for him here. I understood that he left here because there were threats against his life. I knew he went to Chicago, but don't remember him moving to Florida, perhaps after Jess & I divorced. News to me that you were/are gay and appointed by him as empress. News to me you worked in the State corrections facility for many years... LOL. Holly was still here I believe, but she wasn't named empress and certainly did not work at the State Corrections facility. Neither was Mary Jo or Tonya. Where on earth did you find this article anyway?
- To: Seth Bracken Subject: Column Court in Crisis Seth hold off on the column court in crisis. I have been corresponding with Gordon Steele's sister who has given me a clearer picture of Gordon but most shocking of all is that the person Gordon was passing off as his sister and who I knew as his sister WAS NOT his sister but an imposter! So I have to tweak the article with more intrigue. I will try and have all the revisions down by this weekend but I said I'd send the column to his sister first who lives in Washington.... really really strange. Michael can tell you all about it. Try as I might I cannot edit this down any more without ruining the context of the subject matter... Michael you opened a can of worms for me by forwarding Candy Griffin's inquiry. It blew me away that the person who I thought was the IV Empress of the Imperial Court, was an impostor since I actually met her and knew her fairly well. You can split it into two parts if you need too. Sorry for the length but I think its a very intriguing story and a part of our history. I tried to be very objective over a subject that is still contentious to some in the community and I wanted Gordon to be more fully developed and not just the villain who destroyed the Imperial Court.
- The Last Emperor of an Imperial Court in Crisis by Ben Williams A deposed emperor, a mysterious sister, alleged affairs with a Utah state Senator and Mormon Apostle, death by AIDS. God, I love living in Utah. Who said history is boring? On Saturday night, 5 May 1979, at the fourth Coronation held in the old kettle drum Salt Palace, Carole Martindale and Weldon Young stepped down as reigning monarchs of the Imperial Court of the Wasatch Empire of Utah. As the newly elected monarchs took their new positions as Empress and Emperor no one could have fore seen that they would set in motion the dissolution of the Imperial Court and the formation of the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire. The 1979 spring campaign for the offices of Empress and Emperor was one of the most heated and controversial campaigns in the history of the Utah court. Running for the office of Emperor was 26 year old Gordon William Steel, an incredibly handsome “pretty boy” and complicated man. Gordon was the youngest of five children and cousin of the renowned Utah artist Anton Rasmussen. As a child he was puny, “what doctors called a failure to thrive”. He was eventually sent to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for Human Growth Hormone treatments and although always quite thin, he did grow to be about 5'9". His family always knew Gordon was somehow "different’. He lived a difficult and sometimes brutal life in Utah, fearful of not being loved by his family and others. In high school Gordon was constantly bullied but he did have an older brother who would beat up his tormentors. In his early 20's Gordon "found" himself and went from being “the puny bullied little kid” into someone who felt desired and powerful. He turned into an entire different personality and changed drastically from the way he had been as a youth. He became cocky and arrogant. Youth and beauty will do that. Gordon also had a photographic memory, and his IQ was in the high 150's. However as his sister commented, “people who are extremely intelligent - also skate along the edge of mentally [illness].” Gordon was brilliant but certainly was not beyond stretching the truth when it suited him. As a young man Gordon appeared to have a narcissistic need to be recognized in the burgeoning Gay community. He loved the attention he received. About 1976 he married in the Salt Lake City Metropolitan Community Church a man named Curtis who he claimed was the son of a former governor of Utah. He boasted that his paramours were prominent closeted men, one being a Utah State Senator and another an LDS General Authority. His sister in law however stated, “The only "affair" that I ever heard of from Gordon was that one of the LDS "apostles" used to hire him & another guy for pleasure, but that's not an affair, is it. He never revealed the "apostles" name.” In April 1979, Gordon Steele was determined to become Emperor of the Imperial Court which at the time was the most influential organization in Utah's Gay community. Court campaigns can be messy and depending on the personalities can also be dirty. Beyond campaigning at the local Gay night clubs, Gordon went so far as to purchase actual full size bill boards throughout Salt Lake City to promote his candidacy. Where he got the money for such an expensive campaign was a question no one seemed to know. As the campaign heated up, Gordon’s straight family and friends came out to support him and claimed that his opposition did a “real smear job” on him like a “bunch of women with PMS”. While Gordon may have been trying to be "inclusive" in campaigning outside the Gay community, with "outside" funds, it alarmed some and frightened others. Just recently several Gay men had been murdered including the unsolved murder of Gay activist Tony Adams. Many felt it was safer now to be on the “down low” what with Anita Bryant’s anti-Gay national crusade and the conservative backlash which was stripping away civil rights gains made earlier in the decade. The truth is that Gordon’s personality just rubbed people the wrong way, his self promotion and some said arrogance and inflexibility was off-putting to some. His sister in law recalled, “One thing is for sure, he was full of himself, but seemed they all were, I think they had to be.” The campaign for Empress was just as heated. Lawrence (Larry) Kasper, aka Lois Lane, campaigned against Marty Pollock, aka Marita Gayle, for the office of Empress. Pollock wanted to be the chief executive of the organization because he felt that the organization was going in the wrong direction and wanted to shift course. Both Kasper and he were founding members of the court. When the ballots were counted Gordon Steele and Larry Kasper aka Lois Lane were declared the winners. To Pollock’s great disappointment, he learnd that he had lost to Kasper by one vote! Steele’s opposition protested his win, claiming the ballot box was stuffed and according to Steele’s supporters “they continued to try to smear him even after the election”. A sister in law commented, “My thought was they were sore losers.” While Steele’s canvassing outside the Gay community paid off, however since then, a campaign rule has been added to the court’s by-laws that there would be no campaigning outside of the Gay community and Gay owned businesses due to “unfair practices”. Gordon Steele and Larry Kasper, aka Lois Lane, were both twenty-six years old when they were crowned the fourth Emperor and Empress of a divided Imperial Court of the Wasatch Empire of Utah. Immediately after that celebratory night of Coronation everything went south for the reigning monarchs. While technically, Empress Lois Lane was president of the charitable organization and Gordon was its vice president, the Emperor began to usurp the Empress’ prerogatives and authority. He also held grudges against his detractors who saw him as a “total control freak”. In the summer of 1979, the Princess Royale and Prince Royale Ball (PR Ball for short) was held. Fred Sexton, aka Dusty LeManns, and Joe Conti were installed as the fourth Princess Royale and Prince Royale. Little did they know that before their reign was through, they would be elevated to the positions of Empress and Emperor of the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire. A month later in August 1979, Empress Lois Lane resigned. She stated that her reasons for her resigning was her inability to work with the Steele. However, Lois Lane was a bit of a “Prima Donna” herself and could be petulant about not getting her own way also. When Kasper resigned, he went to Marty Pollock’s apartment feeling guilty about his own chicanery in the 1979 election. He confessed that three of his votes came from underage party boys who had illegally voted for him. The revelation that Pollock had actually won by two votes, made him furious and said that Kasper was lucky to leave the his apartment alive. As the court members recovered from the shock of losing its Empress, they soon realized that the organization was becoming dysfunctional. The board felt that Steele was over reaching his prerogatives by using unauthorized funds to promote his pet projects. He ignored them and went all over the West Coast attending Court functions as Emperor of which he was proud to be. As Gordon’s reign continued more and more court members became disgruntled. He grew increasingly stubborn and would not take advice nor listened to the complaints of others. What was finally a tipping point was when Gordon appointed his sister “Candi Steele”, as Empress. This Candi Steele was a large, husky, strong willed, formidable Lesbian; and she and her unpopular Gay brother set out to remake the Imperial Court in an image contrary to what the founders had intended. They simply dismissed people’s concerns about how money was being spent as personality conflicts and not real issues. The court dissidents knew legally there was no procedure in the court’s by-laws to remove a monarch from office even for malfeasance. However the board of trustees came up with a secret plan- Independence from the Imperial Court! This was decided upon only as the last option if the Emperor and Empress would not acquiesce to the demands of the majority for reform. The lessons of history were lost on these autocratic monarchs sealing their fate. It was not quite the Ides of February, when on Tuesday, 12 February 1980, the Imperial Court of the Wasatch Empire of Utah held its last board meeting. While no daggers in togas were present at the Denny's Restaurant, located at 300 West and North Temple, resistance to tyranny was on the agenda. The Emperor, wary of the danger of impeachment, brought his attorney/bodyguard to the meeting. After a vote of no confidence in the Emperor and his consort and their refusal to abdicate, there was no other course of action. The entire Imperial Court pulled out their membership cards, turned them in and resigned in mass. The meeting lasted 10 minutes. The members walked out leaving Gordon and Candi to preside over a phantom court. Unbeknownst to Gordon, the jubilant rebels had already filed new papers with the state to form the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire. They had reworked their charter and by-laws and had submitted Articles of Incorporation. Fred Sexton, aka Dusty LeManns, and Joe Conti were escalated to being the first monarchs of the new Royal Court. However to honor all the former monarchs, the pair retained the titles of the fourth Empress and Emperor. Bill Lanning and Herman Moore aka Donnie Marie assumed the vacant positions of Prince Royale and Princess Royale. On March 25, 1980 the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire was officially registered in the state of Utah. With all the turmoil behind them, the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire, held their first charitable event, their annual Golden Spike Awards Banquet. It was held April 1980 and the Humanitarian Award was given to honor Stephen Holbrook’s creation, KRCL FM 91, for its commitment to local Gay programming. One of the changes instituted by the new Royal Court was to move Coronation to Memorial Day Weekend. This move made Salt Lake City’s Coronation a popular venue due to a long weekend of partying. On May 25, 1980 Emperor IV Joe Conti, “The Memory of the Spike” and Empress IV Dusty LeManns, “The Balance of the Spike” stepped down at the court’s fifth Coronation. It was the end of a year of discontent. Larry Kasper, aka Lois Lane, would later rejoin the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire and was given the honorary title of “The Liberty Empress”. On 1 Jun 1987, Larry Kasper died of AIDS at the age of 34 years old. A darker side of Gordon Steele emerged after he lost control of the Imperial Court. He told his family that he was involved with a certain Senator who was deep in the closet and threatened his life if he told anyone. Due to this relationship, he said he was burned out of two apartments and had numerous threats against his life. He went "underground" then, living under an assumed name for the last year or so he spent in Utah. One of the assume names was that of his older brother from who he stole his Social Security Number and got him into legal trouble “before the Feds and IRS nailed Gordy”. When he did not get his way, his sister wrote, Gordon, “would pay big males to take his ‘enemies’ back into a dark alley and beat the crap out of them... I am now wondering if some of these big males went beyond merely beating these guys half to death. This thought really frightens me… He even had our brother beat up when (J) discovered his identity had been stolen and he was filing charges against Gordon.” At that point Gordon was literally fleeing for his life. He moved to Chicago in 1981 where he had another sister living. However there he continued his pattern of trying to control all events. His sister wrote of his time in Chicago, “Whatever was left of Gordon's sweetness was destroyed by the lifestyle he chose to live in Chicago. Incredibly self destructive. He evolved into what I would term as a sick trick.” This sister did not see Gordon again until he was terminally ill in 1994. “I got a call from Gordon and he asked me to come to Florida and help him. A friend of his had stolen thousands of dollars from him, which I was able to get back - and he weighed about 85 pounds. I about died when I saw the condition he was in. No one should have to die from such a devastating illness. So I ended up staying for several months. Learned more than I ever wanted to know about the ravaging effects of the disease. He not only had AIDS but also very advanced syph (syphilis). Both diseases cause dementia and he got to be very far mentally gone due to this.” “When I was caring for Gordon at the end of his life - he would sometimes fly into horrible rages for no seeming reason. Often times the hospital in Tampa had to call me in the middle of the night to come and try to get control of Gordon. They would have to truss him up in a straight jacket to keep him from harming both himself and others.” Gordon Steele died in Tampa, Florida, 13 March 1991 at the age of 38 of AIDS. He was interred in Florida although his sister hopes to someday have him moved to Salt Lake City to be buried next to his grandparents. She wrote of Gordon, “My kids adored him, he always bought them gigantic milkshakes.” Gordon’s sister in law wrote of Gordon, he “ was always so good to me, very sweet... Stubborn? You bet! He stood his ground for what he thought was right. Self centered? Yes, but not so much to forget about others. He was always doing something for others.” As for Candi Steele, the woman Gordon passed off as his sister and claimed to be the Empress IV of the Imperial court, she was a fraud. This woman was not his real sister, who was married and living in Alaska during this time. The phony sister fooled people into thinking she was Gordon’s sibling and kept up the ruse for years. She remained in Salt Lake City, to the annoyance of many people, and worked as a prison guard in the Utah’s state correction facility for many years. When I met her in 1986 she always treated me kindly and I even worked with a woman who said that this person was her sister in law so you can imagine my surprised when Michael Aaron forwarded me an email from the real Candy Steele. The real Candy Steele was just as surprised to find that some woman had passed herself off as her. However she informed me that Gordon Steele also falsely claimed that a nephew of his was his son and that “Gordon was certainly not beyond stretching the truth when it suited him to do so.” So who was this mysterious woman who posed as Gordon’s sister? No clue. Its an enigma.
 |
| Carol Gnade |
 |
| Kate Kendall |
The Utah Queer Historical Society (a program of the Utah Pride Center) invites the public to attend our free, monthly "Oratories", a videotaped oral history project featuring community leaders with a Utah connection. For April, we are pleased to have with us two great guest speakers: Carol Gnade, the former Executive Director of the Utah Pride Center and former Executive Director of ACLU of Utah; and Kate Kendall, the recently retired Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights who was also the first staff lawyer of the ACLU of Utah, is a native Utahn, a graduate of the University of Utah, and in 2009 Kate was named a "hero" for National GLBT History Month. Gnade and Kendall will recount stories on the legal gains of the LGBT community in the past 25 years. This free event is on Wednesday, April 24th, 6:30-8:00 pm at the Utah Pride Center, 1380 So. Main in Salt Lake. Ben Williams Journal Excerpts “I spent much of the day at the Utah Pride Center between the Gay men’s sack lunch, helping set up the place for the Historical Societies Oratory presentation and attending it to listen to Carol Gnade and Kate Kendall share their amazing legal adventures together. I knew it was going to be a busy day but I wanted to see the guys at the Gay men’s lunch because I hadn’t been there for two weeks. I saw that Roy Zhang had brought in three $15 Costco trays of cookies, two cases of sodas, and a case of water so I put the drinks in the refrigerator and after lunch, I helped Brandon Devlin and Katie Webinger, the day volunteer, and their volunteer helpers set up the downstairs for the program tonight. Moving the front desk was the only real pain because it was so heavy but we managed to put out 90 chairs in both the Ancestry room and the main central area. Since Devlin had everything under control, I left and said I’d come back at 5 this afternoon. I returned to the Center just to make sure all was still okay and it was. Randy Hoffman and Terry Gillman were down early also. Rich Kane came in to video record and I gave him $30 for his efforts. He wasn’t paid by Connell for the Brenda Voisard presentation. As people started coming in, I could see that Connell had really over estimated how many people were coming tonight. Most of the chairs we set up in the lobby weren’t even used. But it was a fabulous evening with Carol Gnade, former Executive Director of the Utah Pride Center and former Executive Director of ACLU of Utah and Ogden's own Kate Kendell who had just recently retired Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. Kate was also the first staff lawyer of the ACLU of Utah. Even though the turnout was less than expected I think everyone who was there enjoyed themselves and learned a lot. This one woman asked if I would speak at the Interfaith Pride Celebration on Stonewall, and Tonya, this woman of color, asked if I would send her information I might have on lynching of black people in Utah. I said I would. Cristi Hebert was there with her son Parker and I introduced her to several people about the writing workshop she is doing for the Utah Queer Historical Society. I stayed until 9 at night helping put the Center back together again and then went home very glad this event was over.” Tracey Johnson-Faulkner from Ogden wrote: “The audience was full of people that I consider heroes or Queer Pioneers if you will. Becky Moss and Benedgar Williams are two of those pioneers as well as Connell O'Donovan, and Beau Chaine."
No comments:
Post a Comment