Rikki
Streicher (1922 – August 21, 1994) was a leader in San Francisco's gay rights movement and a creator of the Federation of Gay Games, an organization that oversees the athletic contests.Partner Mary Sager
Queer Places:
Maud’s Study, 937 Cole St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Amelia's, 647 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
The Rikki Streicher Field, 100 Collingwood St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Rikki
Streicher (1922 – August 21, 1994) was a leader in San Francisco's gay rights movement and a creator of the Federation of Gay Games, an organization that oversees the athletic contests.
Streicher was the proprietor of two local bars for lesbians, Maud's and Amanda's. Maud's, which opened in 1966 and became a popular hangout in the Haight-Ashbury district, is remembered as a gathering place for a generation of lesbians. It closed in 1989 but inspired a documentary film, "Last Call At Maud's," which depicted the bar's role in the fight for gay and lesbian civil rights. She was active in helping organize the Gay Games in San Francisco in 1986 and later helped create the Federation of Gay Games. At the fourth annual games in New York two months ago, she was given an award for her contributions to gay athletics.
Streicher died on August 21, 1994, at Garden Sullivan Hospital. Streicher, who had contracted cancer four years ago, was 68. She was survived by her partner of many years, Mary Sager. Upon her death, the mayor of San Francisco lowered the city flags to half-mast.[28] The Rikki Streicher Field, an athletic field and recreation center in San Francisco's Castro District, was named after her. Scholars of LGBT history have speculated that the lesbian bars of Streicher's era, which served an important purpose at that time, have closed as the result of gentrification, greater acceptance of lesbians in mainstream society and the popularity of online dating and social media.[29][30] One writer looking back on the era noted that Streicher and her lesbian bars were instrumental in creating a protective space where lesbian women could come of age and help others do the same: "Women would call Maud's and say, "I've got a friend who's been abused, can you help?" And everyone would put their heads together to solve the problem. People were very protective of people. That doesn't exist anymore. Rikki Streicher, the owner of Maud's and Amelia's on Valencia, created that environment for 20 years. She was always conscious of being there for the community. Every few months, a new crop would come in and try to figure out how to be, and it felt like we were bringing them up."[31]
My published books:
