Key West was transformed from a crumbling Navy town to a gay mecca by Richard Heyman, who arrived in 1973. He bought real estate and opened an art gallery featuring gay artists, including John Kiraly. By 1979, Key West became a popular gay tourism destination. In 1979, fearing an anti-gay movement, gay men convinced Heyman to run for city commission, which he won. He later ran for mayor in 1983, but his campaign sparked an anti-gay backlash.
The Newcomer
Richard Heyman's historic election as America's first openly gay mayor in 1983 in Key West, Florida, marked a major step forward in the nation's path towards greater acceptance and diversity.
