Kris Kovick
Encyclopedia
Kris Kovick was a California-based writer, cartoonist and printer.
and attended California State University
in the early 1970s, moved to Seattle for five years, and then settled in San Francisco in 1980. In San Francisco, she lived in the Bernal Heights neighborhood, where she became known as "The Mayor of Norwich Street", a take-off on assassinated San Francisco gay activist Harvey Milk
's nickname "The Mayor of Castro Street." Throughout her time in San Francisco, she worked as an etcher and scanner operator for a printing company—and was the first woman to become a member of the printing trade union in the Pacific Northwest.
publications such as the San Francisco Bay Times
and Gay Comics. Kovick was friends with other writers and cartoonists such as sex columnist Susie Bright
, and cartoonist Alison Bechdel
, the artist behind the popular "Dykes to Watch Out For" series who memorialized Kovick in cartoon form in 2008.
Kovick was also known as a writer and performer. She is credited with launching the lesbian spoken-word scene in San Francisco. She hosted a monthly performance night at Red Dora's Bearded Lady Cafe from 1991 to 1993, and continued to perform for years afterwards. In one locally famous performance, she officiated at the mock-wedding of drag performers Elvis Herselvis
and Justin Bond
.
She toured nationally with Sister Spit
, a group of women writers that also included such well-regarded authors as Michelle Tea
, Eileen Myles
, Lynn Breedlove
, Sini Anderson and others. In 2000, she founded a reading series at the Jon Sims Center for the Performing Arts, called "San Francisco in Exile." Selected performances from the San Francisco in Exile series are archived on the internet.
Early years
Kovick was born in Fresno, CaliforniaFresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
and attended California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
in the early 1970s, moved to Seattle for five years, and then settled in San Francisco in 1980. In San Francisco, she lived in the Bernal Heights neighborhood, where she became known as "The Mayor of Norwich Street", a take-off on assassinated San Francisco gay activist Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk
Harvey Bernard Milk was an American politician who became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors...
's nickname "The Mayor of Castro Street." Throughout her time in San Francisco, she worked as an etcher and scanner operator for a printing company—and was the first woman to become a member of the printing trade union in the Pacific Northwest.
Artistic influences and works
Kovick was well known as a cartoonist in lesbian and feminist publications. Her book of essays and cartoons, "What I Love About Lesbian Politics Is Arguing With People I Agree With", was published in 1991 by Alyson Books. Her writings and cartoons were also published in such anthologies as "Glibquips: Funny Words by Funny Women," and in LGBTLGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
publications such as the San Francisco Bay Times
San Francisco Bay Times
The San Francisco Bay Times is a free weekly LGBT newspaper in San Francisco, California that started as COMING Up! in October 1979 as "the gay lesbian newspaper and calendar of events for the Bay Area."...
and Gay Comics. Kovick was friends with other writers and cartoonists such as sex columnist Susie Bright
Susie Bright
Susannah "Susie" Bright is an American writer, speaker, teacher, audio-show host, and performer, all on the subject of sexuality....
, and cartoonist Alison Bechdel
Alison Bechdel
Alison Bechdel is an American cartoonist. Originally best known for the long-running comic strip Dykes To Watch Out For, in 2006 she became a best-selling and critically acclaimed author with her graphic memoir Fun Home.-Early life:...
, the artist behind the popular "Dykes to Watch Out For" series who memorialized Kovick in cartoon form in 2008.
Kovick was also known as a writer and performer. She is credited with launching the lesbian spoken-word scene in San Francisco. She hosted a monthly performance night at Red Dora's Bearded Lady Cafe from 1991 to 1993, and continued to perform for years afterwards. In one locally famous performance, she officiated at the mock-wedding of drag performers Elvis Herselvis
Elvis Herselvis
Elvis Herselvis is the stage name of the American actor and singer Leigh Crow, whose rise to international exposure was performing as a female Elvis Presley impersonator...
and Justin Bond
Justin Bond
Justin Vivian Bond , formerly simply Justin Bond, is an American singer-songwriter, performance artist, occasional actor and Radical Faerie. Described as a "fixture of the New York avant-garde", Bond arose to notability playing the role of Kiki DuRayne in the drag cabaret act Kiki and Herb from the...
.
She toured nationally with Sister Spit
Sister Spit
Sister Spit is a lesbian-feminist spoken word and performance art collective based in San Francisco, signed to Mr. Lady Records. They formed in 1994 and disbanded in 2006. Founding members included Michelle Tea and Sini Anderson, Other members included Jane LeCroy and poet Eileen Myles...
, a group of women writers that also included such well-regarded authors as Michelle Tea
Michelle Tea
Michelle Tea is an American author, poet, and literary arts organizer whose autobiographical works explore queer culture, feminism, race, class, prostitution, and other topics. She is originally from Chelsea, Massachusetts and currently lives in San Francisco...
, Eileen Myles
Eileen Myles
Eileen Myles is an American poet who has also worked in fiction, non-fiction, and theater.She won a 2010 Shelley Memorial Award.-Early life and career:...
, Lynn Breedlove
Lynn Breedlove
Lynn Breedlove is an American trans man musician, writer, and performer.Breedlove was a founding member and lead singer of the San Francisco dyke screamcore band Tribe 8. The band's first single, Pigbitch, was released on Harp records, run by Gina Harp in 1991...
, Sini Anderson and others. In 2000, she founded a reading series at the Jon Sims Center for the Performing Arts, called "San Francisco in Exile." Selected performances from the San Francisco in Exile series are archived on the internet.