LGBTQ Travel and Community Networks Gay and Lesbian Guidebooks and Maps Across North America and Europe 1987 to 2003

LGBT Travel Guides

Collection

Damron, Bob, Lindsy Van Gelder, Pamela Robin Brandt, Hanns Ebensten, and others, archive of seven travel publications and related materials dating from 1987 to 2003, documents the development of queer travel infrastructure and the circulation of information necessary for LGBTQ individuals to navigate public space safely in the late twentieth century. Produced during and after the AIDS crisis, these guides provided listings of bars, hotels, medical resources, and social organizations at a time when visibility and safety varied widely by region. The publications extend a tradition of minority travel guides comparable in function to The Negro Motorist Green Book, offering practical tools for identifying supportive environments and avoiding hostile ones. Early editions of the Damron guides, compiled through firsthand travel by Bob Damron, established a model for cataloging queer friendly spaces across North America and beyond, while later publications expanded coverage to Europe and incorporated broader cultural and political resources.

Archive of seven items comprising five travel guides, one fold out map, and one volume of travel writing, published between 1987 and 2003. Items include:
[1] Damron, Bob. Damron Address Book. San Francisco, 1987. Approximately 3 x 6 inches. Contains over 6,000 listings across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with extensive coverage of U.S. locations.
[2] Van Gelder, Lindsy and Pamela Robin Brandt. Are You Two…Together? A Gay and Lesbian Travel Guide to Europe. 1991. Approximately 345 pages. Covers accommodations, dining, and travel sites across multiple European countries. Signed by both authors.
[3] The Gay and Lesbian Handbook to New York City. 1994. Approximately 277 pages. Includes listings for cultural venues, social organizations, and medical resources including AIDS related services.
[4] Columbia Fun Maps: Mapping the Gay and Lesbian World. San Francisco, 1995. Fold out map with directory of businesses and resources in San Francisco.
[5] Damron, Bob. Damron Address Book. 1998. Expanded edition with hundreds of pages of listings across North America, the Caribbean, and Europe.
[6] Ebensten, Hanns. The Seals on the Icepack and More Gay Travel Adventures. 1999. Signed and inscribed. Travel narratives documenting experiences in multiple global locations.
[7] Frommer’s Gay and Lesbian Europe. 2003. Comprehensive guide to travel across the United Kingdom and continental Europe.

These materials document how LGBTQ travelers relied on print networks to construct routes of movement, community, and safety prior to the widespread availability of digital resources. The guides reveal the geographic distribution of queer spaces, the integration of medical and social support listings during the AIDS crisis, and the expansion of international travel opportunities in the late twentieth century. Ebensten’s travel writing provides a narrative counterpart to directory based guides, offering firsthand accounts that complement the logistical frameworks of the other publications. Together, the archive provides evidence of how queer communities mapped social belonging across cities and nations, contributing to the study of LGBTQ history, tourism, and spatial politics. Light handling wear across volumes with typical age toning; overall clean and stable. Overall very good condition.

Item #20982

Price: $950.00