Gay cowboys history
Gay Cowboys? Sure, Pardner.
But real-life gay cowboys and Wild West historians say that the plot of Brokeback Mountain -- an Oscar favourite after topping the Golden Globes nominations -- is nothing new.
And in a claim that is likely to outrage many rural conservatives, they utter that homosexuality was an unspoken norm on the American frontier, where men were close and women were scarce.
''There they were, a couple of men, alone together in isolated frontier country, for weeks or sometimes months at a time,'' says Randy Jones, 53, who was the stetson-wearing, lasso-throwing gay cowboy in the Village People and who acted as an adviser on the film.
''The thought must have passed through their minds, even if they didn't act on it, because men are sexy animals. If that wasn't the case, there wouldn't be so much homosexual sex in prison.''
There is growing evidence to support Jones's theory. As far assist as 1882, the Texas Livestock Journal wrote that ''if the inner history of friendship amon
Deborah Hufford is an award-winning writer and magazine editor with a passion for history. Her widespread NotesfromtheFrontier.com blog with 100,000+ readers has led to an upcoming novel! Growing up as an Iowa farmgirl, rodeo queen and voracious reader, her love of land, lore and literature fired her writing muse. With a Bachelor's in English and Master's in Journalism from the University of Iowa, she taught students of Iowa's Writer's Workshop, then at Northwestern University, Marquette and Mount Mary. Her extensive publishing career began at Better Homes & Gardens, includes credits in New York Times Magazine, Recent York Times, Connoisseur, many other titles, and serving as publisher of The Writer's Handbook.
Deeply loyal to social justice, especially for veterans, women, and Native Americans, she has served on boards and donated her fundraising skills to Chief Joseph Foundation, Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), Homeless Veterans Initiative, Humane Community, and other nonprofits.
Deborah's soon-to-be released historical novel, BLOOD TO RUBIES weaves indigenous and pioneer history, strong women and clashing wo
University Writing Program
Out West: The Queer Sexuality of the American Cowboy and His Cultural Significance
by Hana Klempnauer Miller
Research Paper | UWS 53b Mythology of the American West | Eric Hollander | Fall 2021
About this paper | This paper as PDF | MLA format
Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in a scene from Brokeback Mountain.
Ask anyone who’s seen BrokebackMountain(2005) to characterize the film in three words, and you’re almost certain to catch some variation of “gay cowboy love-story.” While many have lauded the production, directed by Ang Lee, for its nuanced portrayal of two men’s complicated love for each other, the film was subject to scathing criticism at the time of its release. Detractors, largely spearheaded by right-wing and religious groups, quickly and fervently deemed the film’s depiction of a homosexual couple immoral, evidence of an attempt to feminize men, and even anti-American. In many cases, critics honed in on the two leads ’ occupations as cowboys, challenging the life of a “gay cowboy” in American history. One critic wrote that the film was
Queering the Cowboy And Other American Institutions
Stefanie Cuthbert
Rainbow Rodeo is thrilled to offer another brilliant essay about the history of cowboys in queer country by Stefanie Cuthbert!To interpret the entire list of queer cowboy songs Cuthbert covers — and its companion playlist — subscribe to the Rainbow Rodeo Patreon today!
“Cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other”, or so Ned Sublette sang back in 1981. Although Sublette himself was vertical, the song is purported to be inspired by homosexual cowboy iconography of the seventies (think Tom of Finland and the Village People). In the years since, the song’s taken on a wonderfully gender non-conforming second life, covered by Willie Nelson in 2006 for the soundtrack of Brokeback Mountain, that most quintessential of gay cowboy movies, and, more recently, by Orville Peck (but more on him later).
Although it’s easy to fantasize this unsubtle anthem as being the first instance of a recording creator putting to melody what many strongly suspected about hyper masculine subcultures, ‘The Lavender Cowboy’ of 1930 has it beat by fifty years. There’s no denying the clearly homophobic l