Reagan's Rainbow Rodeos: Queer Challenges to the Cowboy Dreams of Eighties America

Collecting visual voices: Understanding identity, community, and the meaning of participation within gay rodeos

“…They initially formed as fundraising events to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association and to challenge negative stereotypes about gay people. In 1979, a man named Philip Ragsdale was looking for an innovative way to raise money for muscular dystrophy and came up with the idea of gay rodeo (Le Coney and Trodd, 2009) as a fun event and a way to reduce negative stereotyping. He had trouble finding competitors or livestock, since the local ranchers would not allow gays the use of their animals, so the event turned into a cowboy-themed party.…”

“…He had trouble finding competitors or livestock, since the local ranchers would not allow gays the use of their animals, so the event turned into a cowboy-themed party. In 1981, gay cowboys who met at the party began to organize local gay rodeos in California, Colorado, and Texas (Le Coney and Trodd, 2009). Gay rodeo associations began forming in various states, and eventually these associations formed an umbrella organization called the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA—formally formed by the states in 1985).…”

“…Gay rodeo associations began forming in various states, and eventually these associations formed an umbrella organization called the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA—formally formed by the states in 1985). The IGRA grew to have member associations across most states and two Canadian provinces (Le Coney and Trodd, 2009), with over 5000 members in 25 local associations in North America that collectively put on 23 rodeos annually (IGRA website, n.d.). By the 1990s, 27 states were involved in gay rodeo, though the number has since reduced to 18 (O’Connor, 2015).…”