The Story Behind Toy Drives in the LGBT Community

If you should happen by a bar in our community in December, there is a good chance that you'll either hear about a toy drive coming up or see a collection box for toys.

When did toy drives start? Were they a response to AIDS charities? How did the AIDS crisis affect them? Some of the answers are quite surprising. This is a brief summary of that history.

Toy drives have existed at least as far back as the first gay newspaper in the city [of San Francisco]. In 1961 Guy Strait began publishing the L.C.E. News, the newspaper of the League of Civil Education which was a homophile organization (as they were called at the time). It was the first newspaper to be distributed in gay bars.

In the December issue is an article entitled "Toy Party and Buffet" which informs us that The Crossroad (at 109 Steuart Street) was having a buffet on December 21 - the cost of admission was one toy. The article goes on to say "other establishments throughout the city also have a box in which toys may be deposited."

The January issue follows up to say that around a hundred toys were donated and given to the Protestant Orphan Home and that money donated would buy more toys for children at the Sonoma State Hospital.

In 1969 an article in Vector tells us that the tradition was carried on by biker clubs beginning in 1964 and that the event became so popular that it was moved to Maritime Hall (350 Fremont Street). Toys were donated to San Francisco General Hospital and the Hanna Boys Center. In true 1960s fashion, we are told, "Here's your chance to have a swinging time and help bring the true spirit of Christmas to many who might otherwise not enjoy it."

Toy drives made it into the '70s with a rather dissolute-looking bunny on a motorcycle accompanying an article about them in the B.A.R. in 1971. In 1972 Mister Marcus (then Emperor Marcus, first Emperor of the San Francisco Imperial Court) told us that the toys donated that year would be distributed to lesbian mothers.

And in 1974, the B.A.R. featured an article about the 25th annual San Francisco Fire Department toy drive, which had distributed toys to 10,000 children the previous year.

In the 1980s, the spirit of the toy drive reached the South Bay. In both 1981 and '82 the Interlude (4942 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose) held a Toys for Tots benefit which was featured in the B.A.R. with performances by the Diamond Peacock Follies, Reforma and Lucy Manhattan.

When AIDS hit with full force, the community only accelerated their charity programs. In '84 and '85 there were toy drives at Festus (now The Edge) and in '87 the Kokpit (301 Turk Street), the Pendulum (4146 18th Street) and Kimo's (1351 Polk Street) all had toy drives.

In 1991, our knights in shining armor were Amazons. Hell's Belles, an all-lesbian motorcycle club, had a toy run for La Casa de Las Madres, the Elizabeth Frye Center and Florence Crittenton Center. By 1998, Sundance Saloon was having a Holiday Ball where the price of admission was a toy and the donations went to the UCSF Pediatric AIDS/HIV Treatment Center.

By 2002, bars were branching out to dedicate toy drives to specific charities with The Lone Star Saloon doing a toy drive for the Fire Department Kids Toy Drive and Daddy's doing a toy drive with Sandy "Mama" Reinhardt for Camp Sunburst, a camp for children with HIV/AIDS.

In 2004 Maitri AIDS Hospice expanded the concept globally by doing a toy drive for children in Uganda, Zimbabwe and Thailand. In 2005 Best In Show took the concept to other species by doing a Christmas toy drive for pets to benefit Rocket Dog Rescue.

The history of toy drives in the LGBT community goes back more than half a century. It's worth remembering that when the first toy drives were held people risked arrest (and possible loss of their livelihood) when they dropped off that toy.

As the community grew, our charity grew. Not even an epidemic which decimated our community stopped us. Instead, we found more places to give that even left the borders of our country. Perhaps that's because we are a community which is not defined or limited by gender, race, religion or class. And that is truly something to be thankful for and proud of during this holiday season.

In the spirit of the season, I wish my readers the happiest of holidays and a joyful and creative New Year.