Pride 2022: Stud Pin Archives
The Stud Bar narrowly escaped inception as a cafe in Las Vegas. The original location, a former biker bar, opened its doors on Folsom street in 1966. Original owner George Matson said, “It quickly became a bar for people, not just pretty bodies. A lot of women also came, and said it was the first gay men’s bar that they felt comfortable in.” The Stud changed many hands in the 70s yet stayed true to its ethos of inclusivity. In the 8os, it was known for being the first bar to cater to the New Wave and punk scenes while still holding court with intimate performances from Sylvester and Etta James. Notable patrons included Siouxsie Sioux who could be spotted at the bar shooting pool and Dianne Feinstein stopped by to shake hands for her campaign.
Stud bartender Paul "Gidget" Sinclair designed a collection of promotional pinbacks for the bar. These spanned from the late 70s until his untimely death due to the AIDS virus in the late 90s. These pinbacks are a visual commentary and response to pop culture, world events, and the vibrant local community of the Stud. The graphics celebrate the culture and events of the bar, especially holidays and annual parties like the Polka Dot Prom which gave many the prom they always wanted in high school but were not able to attend in the ways they wanted. Pins were collected, exchanged, made and lost, and are now being preserved as reminders of the community that created them.
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In 2020, the Stud closed its doors, but not before bartender and longtime patron Chloe Miller unearthed scores of pinbacks and set forth paying homage to Gidget’s ethos and contribution to queer history by establishing the Stud Pin Archives. “It gives us a map of what was before and what is still here,” says Miller. In 2021, the Haight Street Art Center presented a show entitled Queer Visions, highlighting the nightlife and community of San Francisco's LGBTQ+ artists and institutions. Gidget's work was shown alongside other beloved artists from SF’s queer scene. An anthology book featuring Gidget’s pinbacks is also slated for 2023 release. See and learn more on the Stud Pin Archive Instagram account.
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