If you were involved in the leather scene here in New York City during the 1970s through 2000’s, you probably ran across the fetish designs of my late partner, Guy Dolen. His accessories and clothing appeared all over, from Drum Magazine to IML to the Mineshaft. His nickel silver jockstrap was a staple at several leather shops around town and turned up in several contests. If you saw him out at the bar, he was a friendly, creatively dressed man with the old-fashioned manners he acquired as a child in 1930s rural Texas. I met Guy in March 1994 at [...]
Bring Home Our LGBT Soldiers to Equal Rights WorldWide
Equal Rights should not be a luxury where only certain people benefit or represent it. In this video you see the beauty of support in coming home to love ones that share the same common thing. Love. Love has no gender, no gender should decide who to love. Homecoming, Courtesy of mikebuonaiuto. Thank You.
1984 Roxy NYC World Breakdance Championship Swatch Keith Haring T-Shirt
The Roxy nightclub in New York City founded in 1978 as a roller skating rink, roller disco by Steve Bauman, Richard Newhouse, and Steve Greenberg. The Roxy was located at 515 West 18th Street in the Chelsea section of Manhattan. During the late 1970′s thru the mid 1980′s, The Roxy housed many different theme nights. In that time, The Roxy hosted a party for the 1980 U.S.A. Olympic gold medal Ice Hockey winners. By 1981 the format of the club was changing from a roller skating rink/roller disco and catering more to the Hip Hop music that was taking hold [...]
Leather Archives & Museum 20 Year History and 20th Anniversary Pin
We first would like to thank The Leather Archives & Museum for preserving our LGBTQIA history. Here we have a little history of LA&M and a Leather Archives & Museum 20th anniversary pin that was contributed to BiTG from LA&M. Thank you guys! The Leather Archives & Museum is a library, museum and archives pertaining to Leather, fetishism, sadomasochism, and alternative sexual practices. The geographic collection scope is worldwide and includes all sexual orientations and genders. The library collection contains published books, magazines, scholarly publications, films and electronic resources related to the subject matter. The museum collection contains original erotic [...]
Memories of a Time Long Gone
It appears that there are just a hand full of people who remembers that magnificent time back in the 80s. Though the neighborhood looks the same. Names of places have changed. Equus is now I-Candy. The Kesmon Hotel is now the Alexander Inn,Key West is closed and my favorite place of all Kurtz is long gone. Going to Cheap Art cafe after the clubs closed on 12th Street and watching all the goings on while eating your meal. Okay the place wasn’t that clean but the action outside was a show in its own! It was a place to go [...]
Nostalgic Wednesdays the Spike NYC 4th Anniversary Pinback
From the BitG vault we have for your eyes to savor an authentic Spike NYC fourth Anniversary button dating back to 1976. This pin comes to us from the estate of Guy Owen Dolen and donated to BackintheGays by Chris Riley. Thank you Spike 4th anniversary pin.
The Spike nYc Employee Pin Made by Guy Owen Dolen RIP 1929-2010
Guy Owen Dolen (1929-2010) was an artist and designer of jewelry and fetish wear whose creations were influential in the NYC leather community from the 1960s to the 2000s. His designs were seen in fashion magazines as well as national fetish publications. A fixture at leather fetish markets and street festivals like Folsom Street East, he worked in nickel, silver, and leather. Guy’s tribal and Gothic/industrial style are continued by his partner and soul mate Chris Riley. Here we have a perfect example of his works. This is a pin that was created by Guy for the employees of the [...]