3 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bob Mizer Foundation Presents:
Friday, July 18 | 7:00–8:30 PM | Free to the Public & via Zoom
San Francisco, CA —
The Bob Mizer Foundation is proud to announce a special speaker series event: “Mapping Queer America: A Conversation with Gina Gatta and Jim Gladstone on the Legacy of the Damron Guides,” taking place on Friday, July 18 at 7:00 PM in the Main Gallery of the Bob Mizer Foundation, located at 920 Larkin Street, San Francisco.
Long before smartphones and social media could point queer travelers toward safe and affirming spaces, the Damron Men’s Travel Guide served as a lifeline—mapping out the hidden networks of gay bars, bathhouses, and gathering places across the U.S. for more than five decades. This landmark event brings together Gina Gatta, who published the Damron guides for over 25 years, and Jim Gladstone, a cultural journalist and author whose forthcoming book explores the history of gay bar culture in America.
Together, Gatta and Gladstone will explore the origins and cultural impact of the Damron guides, tracing their roots from Bob Damron’s handwritten notes on cross-country road trips in the 1960s to their emergence as indispensable resources for queer travelers navigating a hostile landscape. The evening will feature visual materials from the archives, personal reflections, and an open Q&A session with the audience.
“The Damron guides were much more than directories—they were instruments of survival and community,” says Gatta. “They gave people hope, and a way to find one another in a time when visibility could be dangerous.”
This program is part of the Foundation’s ongoing mission to preserve and present underrepresented histories in queer visual and cultural life. Seating is limited, and advance registration is strongly encouraged.
Event Details:
Title: Mapping Queer America: A Conversation with Gina Gatta and Jim Gladstone on the Legacy of the Damron Guides
Date: Friday, July 18, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Bob Mizer Foundation – Main Gallery, 920 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA
Admission: Free (donations welcome) | RSVP encouraged at https://bobmizer.org/calendar/jim-gladstone-gina-gatta
Or join us on Zoom:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83733317475
For press inquiries, photos, or interview requests, please contact Corbin Crable at info@bobmizer.org.
Contact:
Corbin Crable
Communications Director,
Bob Mizer Foundation
info@bobmizer.org
About Gina Gatta:
Gatta, who helmed Damron for over 25 years, guided the publication through the AIDS epidemic, the rise of digital culture, and the growing visibility of LGBTQ+ communities. Her experience as both caretaker and publisher gives her a singular perspective on Damron’s role in shaping queer life across decades. Now actively preserving the Damron archive through institutional donations, she brings a deeply personal and historically significant voice to the conversation.
About Jim Gladstone:
Jim Gladstone, a journalist and author whose work chronicles queer nightlife and print culture, offers a broader cultural context for Damron’s significance. His writing connects the guide to other forms of subcultural expression—from protest zines to physique magazines—placing it within a continuum of underground LGBTQ+ publishing and resistance. Together, Gatta and Gladstone will unpack how the guides operated as tools of survival, socialization, and self-recognition for generations of gay men across America.
About the Bob Mizer Foundation and Research Center:
The Bob Mizer Foundation is dedicated to preserving the legacy of Bob Mizer, one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century. The Foundation houses Mizer’s extensive archive of photographs, films, and publications, and promotes the study of physique photography and its impact on modern visual culture. Through exhibitions, publications, and educational programs, the Foundation continues to foster an appreciation for Mizer’s work and its enduring influence on contemporary art.
Bob Mizer (1922-92) was a mid-century male physique photographer. In 1945, Mizer founded the Athletic Model Guild; in 1951, he began publishing his pioneering zine Physique Pictorial, which would enjoy a press run of nearly 40 years.
During an era in which artists like Mizer could be (and were) censored and silenced by the ongoing threat of heavy fines, exposure to a puritanical public, and even jail time. His work remains a groundbreaking and critical component of LGBTQ+ culture and history, resonating with a global audience even today.
The Bob Mizer Foundation is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Mizer's surviving works, which include photographs, slides, negatives, and films. Based in San Francisco, this nonprofit organization hosts regular art exhibits, in-person/online film screenings, and lectures by experts in male physique culture. Learn more and donate at www.bobmizer.org.
For more information, press inquiries, or to schedule a visit, please contact:
Corbin Crable
Chief Communications Officer
corbin@bobmizer.org
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