Glynn Sudbery

Glynn Orville "Sudsy" Sudbery (June 27, 1942 – March 11, 1984) was an American gay activist.^[1][2]

Glynn "Sudsy" Sudbery
Born	Glynn Orville Sudbery (1942-06-27)June 27, 1942 Metairie, Louisiana
Died	March 11, 1984(1984-03-11) (aged 41) Chicago, Illinois

Life

Sudbery was born on June 27, 1942 in Metairie, Louisiana to Glen John Sudbery and Katherine Mayeaux Sudbery.^[3][4] He graduated from East Jefferson High School in 1960 and then enrolled at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.^[5][6][7]

Sudbery served in the United States Navy from 1965 to 1967.^[1] He served as a delegate for Edmund S. Muskie at the 1972 Democratic National Convention.^[8] He worked as campaign manager for Dawn Clark Netsch in 1974^[9] and as the executive director of the Independent Precinct Organization.^[10][11][12] In his free time, he and Dave Vanderah, with whom Sudbery shared a home, were avid gardeners.^[13][14]

Sudbery left politics in the 1970s to devote his focus to Chicago's LGBT community.^[12] He volunteered at Howard Brown Health Center,^[15] co-edited Gay Chicago News,^[16] and was active in Chicago's leather^[2] and fisting scenes.^[17] In 1978, Sudbery co-founded Mid America Fists In Action (MAFIA) and served as its president.^[17][15] In 1982, he volunteered as press coordinator for International Mr. Leather.^[15]

Sudbery educated Netsch about HIV/AIDS and helped inspire her efforts to secure state funding to address the HIV/AIDS crisis.^[18] He died in 1984 from AIDS-related complications.^[1][12] He is interred at Garden of Memories cemetery in Metairie.^[3]

Each year since his death, the IVI-IPO has bestowed the Glynn Sudbery Award to honor activists and leaders who identify with and support the LGBT community.^[19][12][20] MAFIA also established an award in his honor.^[15] Sudbery is also commemorated with two patches in the AIDS Memorial Quilt.^[2]