19 photos from 1990s San Francisco show the roots of butch and femme culture

Forging a new path

Queer women and transgender people had a thriving underground culture in 1990s San Francsico — and luckily, Chloe Sherman was there to capture it.

The renowned photographer is showcasing her series, RENEGADES San Francisco: the 1990s, at the Von Lintel Gallery in Los Angeles. Open until August 2, the exhibit offers viewers a glimpse into the roots of butch and femme identities as well as the city's unique queer history.

“In the early 1990s, I began documenting a generation of young, self-identified queers in San Francisco's Mission District. Rent was affordable, community was palpable, and gay youth, artists, and free spirits migrated to the city to find each other," Sherman said in a statement. "Women-owned bars, clubs, tattoo shops, galleries, and cafés proliferated, and cultural norms were eschewed in favor of a vibrant and resilient lifestyle. I was there as a new wave of feminism embraced gender-bending, butch/femme culture flourished, and transgender pioneers forged anew path.”

Sherman’s work has been exhibited in galleries internationally, including a current Group show at SFMOMA. Her work is also held in public collections such as The National Portrait Gallery and The Addison Gallery of American Art. She has been published in the books Nothing But the Girl, RESEARCH: Angry Women in Rock, and Out in America and featured in magazines such as Rolling Stone, Interview, and The Advocate.

Keep scrolling to see some of Sherman's historic and sapphic shots.

Young Love On The Beach, Asia & Quijas, San Francisco, CA

Wedding Dance, San Francisco, CA

Ulla's Room, San Francisco, CA

In My Chevy Nova, San Francisco, CA

Fort Funston Glam, San Francisco, CA

Coffee in Bed

Love Hate, Leslie Mah with Christopher Lee, San Francisco, CA

Corner Store, 14th at Guerrero St, San Francisco, CA

Tai In The Mirror, San Francisco, CA

Before the Gig

Picnic Near Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA

View From The Back Seat, San Francisco, CA

The Mission, San Francisco, CA

Pink Wig and Duct Tape at Hole in the Wall, San Francisco, CA

The Glamorous Juanita MORE and Mr. David, Hole in the Wall, San Francisco, CA

The Heist, San Francisco, CA

Elitreo in the Desert

Dusty and Mary, San Francisco, CA

Asia's Room, San Francisco, CA

You're Invited!