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Title: Jerry Jansen papers
Dates: 1984-2002
Collection number: 2003-11
Creator:
Jansen, Jerry
Collection Size:
8 Boxes
Repository:
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society
San Francisco, California 94105
Abstract: The collection of pro-sex activist Jerry Jansen consists of materials from the Committee to Preserve Our Sexual and Civil
Liberties, the 15 Association and the UnCut Parties, including videos, meeting minutes, newsletters, clipping files, conference
materials and ephemera.
Physical location: Stored at the Archives of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society in San Francisco, California.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection open for research.
Copyright to unpublished manuscript materials has been transferred to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society.
Jerry Jansen Papers, 2003-11, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society.
Donated by Jerry Jansen on April 18, 2003.
Jerry Jansen was born in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. He received his B.A. from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota,
and was a candidate for an advanced degree in Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He moved to San Francisco
in 1976.
Jansen was involved with a number of significant San Francisco organizations that worked to preserve and promote sexual freedom.
These included the Committee to Preserve Our Sexual and Civil Liberties (CPOSCL), The 15 Association and the Knights Templar.
Jansen’s participation in the Committee to Preserve Our Sexual and Civil Liberties started in 1984, as the group fought bathhouse
closures. He did administrative work, completing the group’s corporate filing, wrote its by-laws as a not-for-profit California
corporation. Jansen also served as treasurer and editor of the Committee’s newsletter, The Journal of Sexual and Civil Liberties.
Jansen got involved with The 15 Association shortly after David Lewis founded the organization, around 1980. The Association
was organized as a "fraternal organization" whose purpose was to provide activities for people interested in gay male "SM
Identity." Classified as an "educational" non-profit, its goal was to teach by example. Jansen was a member of The Fraternal
Committee when it became "The 15" – full members that served as governing directors. He produced and filed the Association’s
constitution and by-laws and held various positions, including Chair and treasurer. Jansen helped arrange two video projects
that documented The 15’s social, privately-produced SM events. After the "clubhouse" closed, Jansen and Alexis Sorel provided
the physical party space used by The 15 on a regular basis. Jansen also worked on the club’s newsletter and produced internal
communications.
Jansen was involved in the formation of the Knights Templar as a social gay male SM organization. This included preparing
corporate filings and writing the organization’s constitution and bylaws.
Around 1988, the Uncut Club was formed in response to the city of San Francisco’s crackdown on gay male sex clubs. The club
began twice-monthly parties, social gatherings designed for me interested in foreskin. Jansen worked on making videos available
to document these events. The Uncut Club’s parties lasted until 1993.
Scope and Content of Collection
This collection contains materials from Committee to Preserve Our Sexual and Civil Liberties (CPOSCL), which include their
newsletter, "The Journal of Sexual Liberty," clippings files, minutes, fliers, conference materials, t-shirts, buttons and
banners. Jansen was also involved with the 15 Association, a gay male SM group, and the UnCut Parties. Material from these
groups includes videos, meeting minutes and other ephemera.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Gay men
Leather
Nightlife