09/18/2008
John Burnside, Partner of Late Gay Rights Pioneer Harry Hay, Dies
Burnside (below, right) was 91, invented a variation of kaleidoscope used in films called the teleidoscope, and had a 39-year relationship with Mattachine Society founder Harry Hay (below, left):
"When they first met at a gay community center in downtown Los Angeles in 1963, Burnside was married with no children. He divorced his wife and moved in with Hay. The two men became a highly visible activist couple, including appearing together on confrontational TV talk show host Joe Pyne's program. In 1965, Burnside and Hay helped form the Southern California Council on Religion and the Homophile. A year later, they participated in one of the country's first gay rights demonstrations: a 15-car motorcade through downtown Los Angeles protesting the exclusion of gays from the military. And in 1969, they participated in the founding meetings of the Southern California Gay Liberation Front, one of which was held at Burnside's teleidoscope factory."
Hay died in 2002 at the age of 90.
More here...
AFTER THE JUMP, a poem by John Burnside — "Learning Yearning Burning"...
John Burnside dies at 91; gay rights activist, teleidoscope inventor [la times]
(image source)
Posted 6:05 PM EST by Andy Towle in Deaths, Gay Rights, Los Angeles | Permalink
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Another hero gone but never forgotten.
Peace
Posted by: Speck | Sep 18, 2008 6:19:11 PM
While it's a sad loss, it must have been comforting to know he made such an impact in this world. That's a beautiful picture.
Posted by: scar2 | Sep 18, 2008 6:32:00 PM
I was fortunate to know and work with John Burnside, and Harry Hay, in the late 90s. John was one of the sweetest men I've ever known, a faerie man with a wonderfully curious and generous spirit. His passing is truly a loss to this world, nevertheless his gifts to those who knew him will be long remembered and appreciated.
Posted by: timothy monk | Sep 18, 2008 6:48:27 PM
I met them both several times in the early '90s, and interviewed them for a local gay rag.
They were marvelous, friendly, obviously in love and a real inspiration to me.
Lucky to have met these dear spirits.
Posted by: joe | Sep 18, 2008 8:48:40 PM
♥
Posted by: 1♥ | Sep 19, 2008 8:10:09 AM