Friends of HOIST

HOIST is a Proud Member of the Mid-America Conference of Clubs (MACC). Founded in 1974, the MACC serves as an informational, educational, and social forum for discussion of issues affecting the region’s Leather and Levi clubs. We strive to promote the standards of fellowship, mutual support, and cooperation among member organizations to foster the unity and diversity of the leather community regardless of race, creed, religion, gender identity, or orientation.

HOIST would like to give special recognition to Blue Max CC for being a great mentor in the formation of HOIST. They were an immense wealth of information and provided great support to our founding members.

Blue Max promotes Leather-Levi traditions throughout the Greater St. Louis area and offers educational, social, and charitable activities serving the LGBT+ community. The club was founded in 1975. The original home bar was the Red Bull in East St. Louis, Illinois. Their home bar is JJ’s Clubhouse, located in the Grove Neighborhood of Saint Louis. In the early years, Blue Max joined other clubs in holding joint runs. Those clubs included Gateway M.C., Spirits of St. Louis, and Bacchus. Now Blue Max is the only surviving leather club in St. Louis. In 1992, Blue Max became the first St. Louis leather club to admit women. Blue Max has always been committed to charitable causes. Blue Max focuses on building relationships in the Leather and LGBT communities while providing charitable and educational resources for the community.

(formerly DRUS Place)

In 2008, Tami sat out on the adventure of a life time, by purchasing a bar. Previously voted as the person least likely to own a bar, Tami didn’t let her lack of knowledge stand in the way. Because what do most people do after spending a small fortune on a master’s degree? They open a bar of course! In a matter of days the decision was made and work began. The work has never stopped since that 1st day! Constantly improving the physical space and evolving the entertainment is a full-time job! Dru’s has become mainstay in community through its commitment to helping make Memphis a better place! Tami’s favorite word is GRATITUDE, because each day she is grateful for the opportunity to serve!

(formerly The Pipeline—one of the oldest continuous gay bars in the Southeast United States)

On February 11, 2001, The Pumping Station was born. For the past 18 years, they have become a staple in Midtown Memphis. Their location, in the Crosstown neighborhood, has been a host of diversity throughout the years. They continue to be a place that not only caters to our community but also gives back to it. Their colorful history,the Pumping Station, follows a tradition of businesses overcoming prejudice. The building located at 1382 Poplar Avenue was built for a Jewish couple who owned a liquor store. They were evicted from a previous location by a landlord who was afraid of what his preacher would say. After they retired, the landlord rented to two lesbian bars, The Pipeline and since February 11, 2001, The Pumping Station. The Pumping Station has been a host to diversity throughout the years and continues to be a place that not only caters to the community but gives back to it also.

(Honorary HOIST Member & Emcee Extraordinaire)

As a native Memphian, Pat McCooter has over 20 years of experience as a talent judge in the Memphis area and has been judged in the “real girl” Miss America System for more than 20 years. Pat has judged in the Miss Gay America System at the local, state, regional, and national levels, as well as judging for several local Memphis pageants. She also assists in producing Memphis area scholarship pageants and fashion shows. She works as a Customs Broker with FedEx – the world’s largest express transportation company. Pat McCooter has earned the titles of Miss Gay Tennessee International FFI, Miss Tennessee Vintage ANS, Miss Arkansas Vintage ANS, Miss Queen of Hearts Vintage ANS, Miss River City, Miss Gay Tennessee America 2011, Miss Gay Memphis America 2011, and Miss Antebellum 2009.

The agency helps to provide assistance to victims of Domestic & Sexual Violence in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community to provide emergency shelter, transportation, food, clothing and relocation for those in Shelby County area. Through the assistance of our partner agencies we have been able to reach out and educate those in the community of the impact that domestic violence has taken on the Mid-South. We hold an annual event to help fund the Love Doesn’t Hurt Fund but donations can also be given at any time to help assist our clients. If you have any questions about how you can help please email info@lovedoesnthurt901.com.

For more than three decades, Friends For Life has been preventing the spread of HIV and helping those affected by HIV/AIDS live well. Their holistic, client-centered approach provides a variety of services coordinated through one centralized model. They strive to address the roots of need—including stigma and inequality—to improve health and wellness for everyone they serve. Their goal is to eliminate new transmissions of HIV in Memphis and the Mid-South and empower those living with HIV to become their healthiest, happiest selves.

Mid-South Pride is a 100% volunteer-based, community-driven organization dedicated to serving the needs of the LGBTQ+ community and its partners through community events, activities, entertainment, and celebrations of diversity. Mid-South Pride produces several events throughout the year and coordinates official Pride-related events in order to inspire, educate, commemorate and unify the diverse communities that make up the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Their mission is to produce events and celebrations that unify our communities, preserve our history, advance our pursuit of equal rights, and promote a better quality of life for current and future generations. They are inspired by those who led before us and motivated by our vision of a future where all LGBTQ+ citizens can proudly express who they are without fear of discrimination, and where social, cultural, and legal equality is guaranteed to all humankind.

OUTMemphis strives not only to provide services but to support LGBTQ+ issues and individuals to become a part of every aspect of civic life for every demographic. They host social support groups, peer-led projects, and social activities specific to trans men and women of color, seniors, parents of queer youth, Latinx individuals, men of color, and every intersection of the LGBTQ+ community and our allies. Their international queer film festival, OUTFlix, celebrated its 22nd year in 2019. They are a proud, local partner of many regional organizations including churches, schools, libraries, health-care providers, major arts institutions, advocacy organizations, media, entertainment, and more.

The MidSouth’s premiere BDSM community space.