It’s rare to find a reference to “pretend” gay weddings and dress ups in newspapers from over a hundred years ago, but when I read this gem, I knew I just had to share it.
I’ve already covered female husbands and women who were punished for wearing pants. It is about time I take a look at what men suffered at the hands of rigid societal views.
Judge Doesn’t Believe In Fairies – Fines Heavily
Evidently Judge Ryan doesn’t believe in fairies. Yesterday the judge, the horrid judge, soaked twenty-four young fellows who had attended a party in Fairyland with $200 and $100 fines.
According to the testimony of the police, the men, all dressed as ladies, were holding a “marriage” feast in “Lake Front Cathedral style” in the home of G. Benson, an evangelist of some sort.
Alfred Leonard, an employee of the government reclamation service in Chicago, who took the part of the minister at the “wedding;” H.A. Tiekotter, a clerk at Marshall Field & Co., a “wedding” guest, and Frank Schinky who was “Countess Schinky,” a “flower girl,” were fined $200 and costs each.
Among the others were [a list of names and their occupations as a means to humiliate the party goers]….
Indecent literature was produced in court. The judge doesn’t believe his decision will lose him the suffrage vote.
Source: The day book. (Chicago, Ill.), 07 Oct. 1914.
