Jan Lyon [Edit]

Jan Lyon, also known as Janean Lorene Heck, Janean Heck, and Jan Heck (1950-2006), was a leather activist and titleholder.

Name

Jan’s birth name was Janean Lorene Heck. She used the name Janean Heck in her early professional life, later shortening it to Jan Heck. She used that name in her leather and professional life until she won Ms. NLA, after which she adopted her leather scene name of Jan Lyon, which she kept separate from the name she went by in her professional life. Later, she legally changed her name to Jan Lyon.

Involvement in Leather

In 1986 she co-founded the National Leather Association (NLA).

She was Ms. NLA 1989.

In 1991 she served as one of three on the first Pantheon of Leather Awards Committee.

From 1991 to 1992 she was the female co-chair for the NLA (which at the time required one female and one male co-chair for the sake of gender equality).

Notable Honors

1990: Pantheon of Leather Woman of the Year Award

1991: NLA Lifetime Achievement Award

The NLA’s Jan Lyon Award is named after her.