History of Gay and Lesbian Life in Wisconsin - Organizations

 
Brady East STD Clinic (BESTD Clinic)
- Sue Dietz Photo Album

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The genesis of this photo album is lost to history (unless someone comes forward to shed more light on it). However it appears to have been a pet project of an early BEST volunteer, Sue Dietz, based on the focus of many of the photos.

Originally one of many volunteers, Sue gradually showed skill and knowledge in various ways. When the clinic formed the "Milwaukee AIDS Project", or MAP, in response to the AIDS crisis, Sue was hired to run MAP.

Within a short period of time, HIV and AIDS became a full blown epidemic, and the Milwaukee LGBT community mobilized to combat it. Governments were reluctant to provide funds to a "gay" Venereal Disease clinic because of the public perception, and as a result, in 1985, MAP was spun off as a separate organization, the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW). Sue transferred to ARCW as its first Executive Director, but maintaining strong ties to the BESTD Clinic.

As her reputation grew due to the great work she did for BESTD and ARCW, Sue was lured away to another opportunity. On her departure, the photos in this album were no longer added to. Thus, this album appears to cover the period from 1976 to approx. 1986. The photos are presented here complete with narrative bubbles that Sue and others attached to the various images.

[We welcome names or descriptions to be added to any of these photos. Submit your additions to Clinic President John George, indicating which "album page" you are referring to (such as "1-a", or "3-b"), AND which photo on the page by position (such as 3 o-clock, 6 o-clock, etc.)]

 

(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 1-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 1-b")
 
 
Center photo: Mark Behaar holding sign
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 2-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 2-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 3-a")
 
 
Photos of Roger Gremminger, Clinic's
second Medical Director, approx 1990
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 3-b")
 
 
Middle photo: Mark Behar
Bottom photo: Roger Gremminger in consultation with client
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 4-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 4-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 5-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 5-b")
 
 

Lower right: ? and Roger Gremminger
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 6-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 6-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 7-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 7-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 8-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 8-b")
 
 
Upper right: ? and Ron Thate ('Rona')
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 9-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 9-b")
 
 
Upper left: on right side of table:
L to R: ?, Roger Gremminger, Mark Behar
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 10-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 10-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 11-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 11-b")
 
 
Bottom photo: top: L to R: ?, Mark Behar; Roger Gremminger seated on far right
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 12-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 12-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 13-a")
 
 
Center photo: Roger Gremminger presenting service award to Sue Dietz
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 13-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 14-a")
 
 
top photo: in the M&M Club bar
L to R: ?, Bob Schmidt (M&M owner), Sue Dietz, ?, ?
Bottom: Wayne Bernhagen on left (owner of Wreck Room bar)
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 14-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 15-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 15-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 16-a")
 
 
upper right: Roger Gremminger, second Medical Director
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 16-b")
 
 
upper right: Roger Gremminger talking
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 17-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 17-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 18-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 18-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 19-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 19-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 20-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 20-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 21-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 21-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 22-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 22-b")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 23-a")
 
 
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 23-b")
 
 
Top photo: taken in M&M Club bar
(Have a caption to add? Submit as "Caption 24-a")
 
 

 
 
 

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Credits: website concept, contents, design and format by Don Schwamb.
Last updated: February-2024.

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