Mattachine Society, Inc.

The name MATTACHINE is singularly appropriate to the organization and its purpose. The word (from the language of Provence in southern France, also found in the Italian) means "little fool", The Mattachines were court jesters in the Middle Ages. These were the clowns, prophets and teachers who could speak the truth in the face of consequences too stern for ordinary citizens, because they stood behind the thrones of princes. In commemoration of this derivation, Mattachine Society has adopted the Court Jester as a symbol, and set its anniversary date on April First All Fools Daysince it approximately coincides with the founding date of the Mattachine Foundation in Los Angeles, California in 1950. The present Society was founded in April 1953 and chartered in March 1954 as a non-profit, non-partisan, educational, research and social service corporation working in the public interest to provide accurate information and informed opinion leading to the solution of sexual behavior problems. Mattachine seeks to answer questions and situations which alienate many from the mainstream of society. To these ends the Society employs accepted techniques for social and legal reform in areas that involve many people with sexual conflicts and the question of identity.

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