Rainbow Motorcycle Club

Rainbow Motorcycle Club patch, or "colors," as worn by members.

The Rainbow Motorcycle Club (sometimes abbreviated as the Rainbow MC or RMC) is a gay men's motorcycle club based in San Francisco, California. The club was founded in San Francisco in 1971 by Ron Johnson and Mario Pirami.[1][2] Some commentators have credited the RMC as being instrumental in the creation of the bear subculture among gay men during the 1980s and 1990s.[3][4][5]

Organization

The RMC has one credo: "No Rules, No Committees." It is unusual in the world of motorcycle clubs for having no charter or constitution, no officers and no membership dues.

Membership

Initiated members of the club are sometimes referred to as "Rainbows," or (using a portmanteau of "Rainbow" and "brothers") as "Rainbros." Although the club is based in San Francisco, there are also members in Santa Cruz; Los Angeles and Palm Springs; Gulfport, Florida; and in Georgia. One needn't ride a motorcycle to be part of the club. Rainbows are born Rainbows, and then recognized by existing members of the club.

Unlike many motorcycle clubs where someone who aspires to membership must first serve a term as a "prospect" or "probate" before being granted full membership, the RMC uses the "hangaround" period to determine suitability. Once patched in, the new member serves an indefinite period (generally until the next new member is inducted) as the club "Baby," a status not unlike that of a prospect in other clubs.

Activities

RMC members have engaged in a number of activities, including:

In popular culture

References

  1. Fritscher, Jack (2001). Wright, Les, ed. "Bear Book II: Further Reading in the History and Evolution of a Gay Male Subculture". jackfritscher.com. Harrington Park Press.
  2. "Conversations With Leather: Jack Fritscher". The Leather Journal. Dave Rhodes. 24 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-06-11. Retrieved 2016-06-11. In 1972, the brilliant poet Ron Johnson and a group of us started the Rainbow Motorcycle Club (RMC) founded in that notoriously sleazy No Name Bar which Ron managed on Folsom Street.
  3. http://ronsuresha.com/?p=1180
  4. http://www.jackfritscher.com/Drummer/Drummer%20Annotated%20Bibliography.html
  5. http://ultimatebearlinks.pbworks.com/BearHistory?SearchFor=rainbow&sp=5

External links

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