“The Lavender Panthers are an early example of queer mutual aid and defense organizations.”
The Lavender Panthers, a militant LGBTQ+ rights group, was founded in 1973 by Reverend Ray Broshears in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood. The group aimed to protect LGBTQ+ individuals from physical attacks.
Broshears was a controversial figure who actively sought publicity, including staging a fake crucifixion. The group is considered an early example of queer mutual aid and defense organizations, though many similar groups from that era remain undocumented.