Dorian Society

rdf:langString Dorian Society

rdf:langString The Dorian Society (1962–1988) was the first New Zealand organisation for gay men. It was founded on 27 May 1962 by a group of men including Cees Kooge, John McKay, Brett Rawnsley, and Claude Tanner, the latter of whom would be elected the Society's first President-Chairman. It was primarily a social club that avoided political action. In 1963, it took the first steps towards law reform by forming a legal subcommittee that collected books and other resources. It also provided legal advice to its members. By 1967 it sought advice from the English Homosexual Law Reform Society and Albany Trust on the legislative changes occurring there. This led to a New Zealand society dedicated to law reform. Its first project was a petition, signed by 75 prominent citizens, that was presented to (and rejected by) Parliament in 1968. The name Dorian Society was used in 1965 by an organization in Seattle Washington that was a politically active group of gay men who were originally contacted by Rev. Mineo Katagiri to talk with religious leaders in the city. The first radio interview with openly gay men was broadcast on KRAB radio by members of that group. The Dorian Society was formed and soon split into two factions. The book Gay Seattle goes into detail about this group.