Chuck Renslow

{{Short description|American businessperson and gay culture pioneer (1929 – 2017)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Chuck Renslow

| image = Chuck_Renslow_In_Loving_Memory.jpg

| caption = Man's Country tribute (the flag behind Renslow is a leather pride flag){{Cite web |last=Lenius |first=Steve |date=2021-07-29 |title=Leather Life: Leather Pride Flag 101 |url=https://lavendermagazine.com/featured-home-page/leather-life-leather-pride-flag-101/ |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=Lavender Magazine |language=en-US}}

| birth_name = Charles Renslow

| birth_date = {{birth date|1929|8|26}}

| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois

| death_date = {{death date and age|2017|6|29|1929|8|26}}

| death_place =

| nationality = American

| other_names =

| citizenship =

| occupation = Businessperson

| known_for = Gay activism and institution-building

| partner = Dom Orejudos, Ron Ehemann

}}

Charles "Chuck" Renslow (August 26, 1929 – June 29, 2017){{cite web|url=http://www.imrl.com/|title=Chuck Renslow|website=www.imrl.com|language=en|access-date=2017-06-30}}{{cite web|url=http://www.leatherarchives.org/renslow.html|title=Chuck Renslow|last=Museum|first=Leather Archives &|website=www.leatherarchives.org|language=en|access-date=2017-06-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107024003/http://www.leatherarchives.org/renslow.html|archive-date=2017-11-07|url-status=dead}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagogayhistory.com/biography.html?id=772|title=Chicago Gay History|website=www.chicagogayhistory.com|access-date=2017-02-03}} His accomplishments included the cofounding with Tony DeBlase of the Leather Archives & Museum,{{Cite journal|last=Shapiro|first=Gregg.|date=2011|title=Leatherman's man: an interview with Chuck Renslow's biographer Owen Keehmen|url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=qth&AN=62807228&site=ehost-live|journal=Outlook: Columbus|publisher=LGBT Life with Full Text, EBSCOhost|volume=16|issue=1|page=48|access-date=2016-06-18}}{{cite web |url=https://leatherarchives.org/about/about-the-la-m |title=About the LA&M - Leather Archives & Museum |publisher=Leatherarchives.org |access-date=2019-12-16 |archive-date=2023-07-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703144039/https://leatherarchives.org/about/about-the-la-m |url-status=dead }}{{Cite journal|last=Ridinger|first=Robert|date=2005|title=Founding of the Leather Archives & Museum|journal=LGBT History, 1988-1992 [serial online]|publisher=LGBT Life with Full Text, EBSCOhost|pages=33–36}} the co-founding with Dom Orejudos of the Gold Coast bar, Man's Country bathhouse,{{cite web|url=http://gayinfluence.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html|title=Gay Influence|website=gayinfluence.blogspot.com|access-date=2017-01-31}} and the International Mr. Leather competition, and the founding by himself alone of Chicago's August White Party, and the magazines Triumph, Rawhide, and Mars.{{Cite book|title=Out and Proud in Chicago: An Overview of the City's Gay Community|last1=Baim|first1=Tracy|author-link1=Tracy Baim |last2=Ehemann|first2=Ron|publisher=Agate Publishing|year=2008|isbn=978-1572841000|location=Chicago|page=73}} He was a romantic partner of Dom Orejudos as well as Chuck Arnett, Samuel Steward, David Grooms, and Ron Ehemann.

Career

Renslow was a photographer, and in 1952 met Dom Orejudos on Chicago's Oak Street Beach, asking him to model for him. The two began a lifelong personal and professional relationship;{{Cite web |title=Visual AIDS {{!}} Dom Orejudos aka "Etienne" |url=https://visualaids.org/artists/dom-orejudos-aka-etienne |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=Visual AIDS |language=en-US}} in the 1970s, they lived together in the Francis J Dewes mansion.{{Cite web |date=2000-07-26 |title=Chicago Whispers - Windy City Times News |url=https://www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/Chicago-Whispers/28468.html |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=Windy City Times}}

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.{{Cite book|title = Leatherman: The Legend of Chuck Renslow|last1 = Baim|first1 = Tracy|author-link1=Tracy Baim|publisher = Prairie Avenue Productions|year = 2011|isbn = 978-1-46109602-3|page = 36|last2 = Keehnen|first2 = Owen|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NuxT6dPRfJYC&q=Dom+Orejudos&pg=PA46}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/obituaries/ct-chuck-renslow-obituary-20170630-story.html|title = Chuck Renslow, Chicago gay community icon and International Mr. Leather contest founder, dies at 87|website = Chicago Tribune| date=30 June 2017 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/10/remembering-transgender-pioneer-christine-jorgensen/|title = Remembering transgender pioneer Christine Jorgensen| date=7 October 2019 }}{{cite web |author=Materville Studios - Host of Windy City Times |url=http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/m/APPredirect.php?AID=18426 |title=Kris: The Physique Photography of Chuck Renslow - 12839 - Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News - Windy City Times |publisher=Windycitymediagroup.com |date=2008-05-21 |access-date=2020-04-28 |archive-date=2020-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629075859/http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/m/APPredirect.php?AID=18426 |url-status=dead }} 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.{{cite book|author=Tracy Baim|author-link=Tracy Baim|title=Out and Proud in Chicago: An Overview of the City's Gay Community|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rJEU4xYiWEEC&pg=PA72|date=1 March 2009|publisher=Agate Publishing|isbn=978-1-57284-643-2|pages=72–}}{{Cite news|url=http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/87082929|title=Chicago gay pioneer and legend Chuck Renslow dies|last=Forman|first=Ross|work=ChicagoPride.com|access-date=2017-06-30|language=en-US|archive-date=2017-06-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630004340/http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/87082929|url-status=dead}} In 1965, Renslow helped found the Second City Motorcycle Club.{{cite web |last=Baim |first=Tracy |author-link=Tracy Baim |date=29 June 2017 |title=Legendary Chicago businessman, activist Chuck Renslow dies |url=http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Legendary-Chicago-businessman-activist-Chuck-Renslow-dies-/59676.html |access-date=2017-06-30 |website=Windy City Times}}

File:Mans-Country-Bathhouse.jpg founded the Man's Country/Chicago bathhouse in 1973 (pictured here in 2016).]]

Man’s Country/Chicago, founded by Renslow and Orejudos, opened at 5015–5017 North Clark Street in Chicago on September 19, 1973, and held the title of Chicago's longest-running gay bathhouse when it closed in 2017. It was the third bathhouse co-founded by Renslow, whose previous two clubs were forced to shut down due to homophobia-fueled pressure from the police. Before opening Man's Country/Chicago, Renslow co-owned locations of the Club Baths chain in Chicago, Kansas City, and Phoenix with Chuck Fleck.{{Cite web |last=Miles |first=Bryan |date=2017-08-06 |title=Chicago Bathhouses: Sanitation, Sex And Sweat |url=https://www.wbez.org/stories/chicago-bathhouses-more-than-a-century-of-sanitation-sex-and-sweat/375cfc2d-0363-481b-992f-55b415bfd581 |access-date=2023-09-18 |website=WBEZ |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Keehnen |first=Owen |title=Man's Country: More Than a Bathhouse |publisher=Rattling Good Yarns Press |year=2023 |isbn=9781955826419 |edition=1st |location=Cathedral City, California |pages= |language=English}}{{Cite web |last=Keehnen |first=Owen |date=2016-10-19 |title=Man's Country for sale: Not your everyday piece of real estate - Windy City Times News |url=https://www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/Mans-Country-for-sale-Not-your-everyday-piece-of-real-estate/56878.html |access-date=2023-09-18 |website=Windy City Times}}{{Cite web |last=Keehnen |first=Owen |date=2012-09-13 |title=If These Walls Could Talk: Man's Country anniversary - Windy City Times News |url=https://www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/If-These-Walls-Could-Talk-Mans-Country-anniversary/39510.html |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=Windy City Times}}

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.{{cite book|last=Baim|first=Tracy|author-link=Tracy Baim |title=Leatherman: The Legend of Chuck Renslow|year=2011 |publisher=CreateSpace|isbn=978-1461119081|page=414|author2=Keehnen, Owen}}

The forerunner of the International Mr. Leather competition was the 1970s "Mr. Gold Coast" contest held at Chicago's Gold Coast leather bar, owned by Renslow and Dom Orejudos.{{Cite web |last=Goldsborough |first=Bob |date=2017-06-30 |title=Chuck Renslow, Chicago gay community icon and International Mr. Leather contest founder, dies at 87 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2017/06/30/chuck-renslow-chicago-gay-community-icon-and-international-mr-leather-contest-founder-dies-at-87/ |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite book |last=Leather Archives & Museum |title=International Mr. Leather: 25 Years of Champions |date=2004 |publisher=Nazca Plains |isbn=1-887895-38-8 |editor-last=Bean |editor-first=Joseph W. |edition=1st |location=Las Vegas, Nevada |pages=206–207}}

File:Leather Archives & Museum 03.jpg founded the Leather Archives & Museum in 1991 (its entrance is pictured here in a 2023 photo).]]

In 1991 Renslow and Tony DeBlase founded the Leather Archives & Museum "as a community archives, library, and museum of leather, kink, fetish, and BDSM history and culture." Its mission is making “leather, kink, BDSM, and fetish accessible through research, preservation, education and community engagement."{{cite web |title=About the LA&M |url= https://leatherarchives.org/about-the-lam/ |access-date=2022-07-10 |publisher=Leather Archives & Museum}}{{cite journal |last=Ridinger |first=Robert |date=2005 |title=Founding of the Leather Archives & Museum |journal=LGBT History, 1988-1992 [serial online] |publisher=LGBT Life with Full Text, EBSCOhost |pages=33–36}}{{cite journal |last=Shapiro |first=Gregg. |date=2011 |title=Leatherman's man: an interview with Chuck Renslow's biographer Owen Keehmen |url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=qth&AN=62807228&site=ehost-live |journal=Outlook: Columbus |publisher=LGBT Life with Full Text, EBSCOhost |volume=16 |issue=1 |page=48 |access-date=2016-06-18}} Renslow and DeBlase founded the museum in response to the AIDS crisis, during which the leather and fetish communities' history and belongings were frequently lost or intentionally suppressed and discarded.{{Cite web |last=Keehnen |first=Owen |date=2008-05-21 |title=The Leather Archives and Museum: To protect and serve |url=http://windycitytimes.com/2008/05/21/the-leather-archives-and-museum-to-protect-and-serve/ |access-date=2024-06-12 |website=Windy City Times |language=en-US}}

Honors and legacy

Renslow is listed as the Chairman In Memoriam of the Leather Archives & Museum. The museum also gives out the Chuck Renslow President's Award to honor individuals and organizations for their contributions to it.{{cite web |date=1999-06-28 |title=Staff and Board - Leather Archives & Museum |url=https://leatherarchives.org/about/staff-and-board |access-date=2019-12-29 |publisher=Leatherarchives.org}}{{cite web |date=1987-03-21 |title=President's Award - Leather Archives & Museum |url=https://leatherarchives.org/support/president-s-award |access-date=2019-12-29 |publisher=Leatherarchives.org}}

According to cultural anthropologist Gayle Rubin:{{Cite web |last=Bannon |first=Race |date=2017-07-09 |title=A Hero Leaves Us :: Leather Folk on the Passing of Chuck Renslow |url=https://www.ebar.com/story.php?ch=news&sc=news&id=217934 |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Bay Area Reporter}}

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.

In 1990, Renslow received the Steve Maidhof Award for National or International Work from the National Leather Association International.{{cite web |url=https://www.nla-international.com/list-of-winners-2.html |title=List of winners |publisher=NLA International |date=2019-03-14 |access-date=2020-05-08 |archive-date=2020-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103035305/http://nla-international.com/list-of-winners-2.html |url-status=dead }}

In 1991, Renslow was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame.{{cite web|author=Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame |url=http://chicagolgbthalloffame.org/category/1991/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180606005057/http://chicagolgbthalloffame.org/category/1991/ |archive-date=2018-06-06 |title=1991 – Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame |date=2018-06-06 |access-date=2019-12-28}}

In 1992, he received the President's Award as part of the Pantheon of Leather Awards.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theleatherjournal.com/pantheon-awards/recipients|title=Pantheon of Leather Awards All Time Recipients - The Leather Journal|website=www.theleatherjournal.com|access-date=2020-09-22|archive-date=2020-12-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201228055005/https://www.theleatherjournal.com/pantheon-awards/recipients|url-status=dead}}

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

In 1995, "Chuck Renslow – IML" was one of the recipients of the International Deaf Leather Recognition Award.{{Cite web|url=http://internationaldeafleather.org/awards.html|title=International Deaf Leather | AWARDS|date=July 4, 2021}}

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.

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

In 2009, he was inducted into the Leather Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=https://leatherhalloffame.com/index.php/inductees.html |title=> Inductees |publisher=Leatherhalloffame.com |access-date=2019-12-31}}

On May 25, 2018, the Chicago City Council voted to honorarily designate the eastern stretch of Clark Street between Winnemac Avenue and Ainslie Avenue as "Chuck Renslow Way."{{Cite web |title=Record No. O2018-3236 - Office of the City Clerk |url=https://chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov/Matter/?matterId=5F18AB4A-E10D-ED11-82E3-001DD80693B4# |access-date=2023-09-18 |website=City of Chicago, Office of the City Clerk}} (That stretch of Clark Street was previously home to many of Renslow's businesses, including the Gold Coast and Man's Country.{{Cite web |date=2018-05-07 |title=Chuck Renslow street dedication May 19 - Windy City Times News |url=https://www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/Chuck-Renslow-street-dedication-May-19/62799.html |access-date=2023-09-18 |website=Windy City Times}}) The new street sign was unveiled on the anniversary of IML.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-31 |title=Chuck Renslow Way |url=http://www.honorarychicago.com/blog/chuck-renslow-way |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=Honorary Chicago |language=en-US}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.metro.us/news/local-news/new-york/stonewall-inn-lgbtq-wall-honor|title=National LGBTQ Wall of Honor unveiled at Stonewall Inn|last=Glasses-Baker|first=Becca|date=June 27, 2019|website=www.metro.us|access-date=2019-06-28}}{{cite web |last=Rawles |first=Timothy |date=2019-06-19 |title=National LGBTQ Wall of Honor to be unveiled at historic Stonewall Inn |url=https://sdgln.com/news/2019/06/19/national-lgbtq-wall-honor-be-unveiled-historic-stonewall-inn |access-date=2019-06-21 |website=San Diego Gay and Lesbian News |language=en}} The SNM is the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ rights and history,{{cite web|url=https://www.ebar.com/news/news//272833|title=Groups seek names for Stonewall 50 honor wall|website=The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc.|language=en|access-date=2019-05-24}} and the wall's unveiling was timed to take place during the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.{{cite web|url=http://sfbaytimes.com/stonewall-50/|title=Stonewall 50|date=2019-04-03|website=San Francisco Bay Times|access-date=2019-05-25}}

In 2021, the Leather Archives & Museum gave out the Chuck Renslow & Tony DeBlase Founders’ Award.{{Cite web|url=https://leatherarchives.org/support/30-30-anniversary-campaign/|title=30 30 Anniversary Campaign – Leather Archives & Museum}}