OSU annual drag show shows progress since Stonewall

PHOTO: front page of the OSU Student newspaper, Oct. 30, 2012, featured a photo captioned, "Performers dance during this year's annual drag show this past Friday. The show, which took place in the Memorial Union Ballroom, drew quite a crowd and elicited much laughter and enjoyment from the audience." Liki Minaj" stands on stage collecting ballots during the voting for the Drag Show's king and queen. Liki was later crowned the queen of the show." As I mentioned before, drag performance art was common at gay bars until it became politically incorrect when Stonewall era gay liberation leaders wanted to dispel the stereotype that gay men were all swishy girlly men. It is a sign of progress that drag performance art can be enjoyed again without it being confused with the gay student group sponsoring the event. See previous post OSU students support drag, gay marriage and anti-gay newspapers (10/25/12).

PHOTO: newspaper display advertisement for the annual Oregon State University "Night of the Living Queers" drag show in the Memorial Union Ballroom Oct. 26, 2012 as it was printed in "The Barometer" Oct. 24, 2012, p. 7. See previous post OSU students support drag, gay marriage and anti-gay newspapers (10/25/12).

How ironic -- I just noticed this is my 69th post of my new (this year) Tom's OSU Blog at tomsosu.blogspot.com -- I don't need to say anything more!

Letter on OSU free speech ruling for anti-gay student newspaper

PHOTO: (click photo to enlarge) Oregon State University conservative student newspaper "The Liberty" front page from April 6-24, 2005 featured articles to politically agitate students about their student fee money being used to support things they opposed, such as the Women's Center and the Pride Center, which the paper carefully noted was called the Queer Resource Center. A conservative OSU Professor Fred Decker sponsored the newspaper to further Republican causes, including opposing marriage equality and amend the Oregon Constitution to forbid same-sex marriages. The students claimed to be victims of political correctness and they successfully sued after their newspaper boxes were removed by OSU under a then unwritten policy against non-campus approved newspapers.

PHOTO: Jan. 9, 1976 feature article by Anne Wood, "Gay women: Coming out of the closet in Corvallis, 'Now I want to marry this woman,' " on p. 7-8 of (Corvallis, Oregon) Gazette-Times. One of the women profiled in the article came out in a letter to the editor of her student newspaper and she was active in early gay women's groups at Oregon State University. See previous post Gay 1976 newspaper controversy (5/3/06) on gay women in Corvallis wanting to get married and my opinion piece by Thomas Kraemer, "As I See It: 30 years later, views of gay issues same, Gazette-Times, Sept. 13, 2005.

Below is my letter to the editor in response to the news stories by the Associated Press, "OSU loses court decision about student newspaper," Gazette-Times, Oct. 24, 2012, p. A3 and Joce DeWitt, "OSU responds to court decision about student newspaper," Gazette-Times, Oct. 25, 2012, p. A3 (Associated Press contributed to this report), which said, "Oregon State University officials on Wednesday said they were surprised by a federal appeals court ruling to revive a complaint by the creators of a conservative-leaning student newspaper who say OSU officials arbitrarily restricted the paper's distribution." I note that this was an anti-gay Christian Republican student newspaper funded by the late OSU Professor Fred Decker. This court decision was also covered in the student newspaper article by Gabriella Morrongiello, "Appeals court finds OSU at fault," Barometer, posted Oct. 25, 2012 See previous post OSU students support drag, gay marriage and anti-gay newspapers (10/25/12).

I agree with the court ruling against OSU's restriction of the free speech rights of a conservative student newspaper. ("OSU loses court decision about student newspaper," Oct. 24 and "OSU Responds to court decision about newspaper," Oct. 25.)

I believe OSU should respond by continuing to support marriage equality, which the late OSU Professor Fred Decker opposed by sponsoring "The Liberty" newspaper and helping Republicans amend the Oregon Constitution to prohibit gay marriages.

Freedom of speech protects all. Many angry Gazette-Times readers threatened to cancel their subscriptions because the G-T, as a "family newspaper," did not censor the Jan. 9, 1976, feature article by Anne Wood, "Gay women: Coming out of the closet in Corvallis; 'Now I want to marry this woman.' "

Coincidentally, "The Daily Barometer" student newspaper at OSU recently published an editorial titled, "Join the majority, legalize same-sex marriage," on Oct. 23.

Apparently, many conservative students now support marriage equality.

Thomas Kraemer, Corvallis

(Quoted from Thomas Kraemer, "Support of free speech always the right thing," Gazette-Times, Oct. 27, 2012, p. A7 published online Oct. 26, 2012)

I find it to be an interesting coincidence that one of the early gay rights activists in Corvallis, Dunbar Aitkens, was part of the University of California Berkeley Free Speech Movement protests in the 1960s. While there he was arrested for doing with another man in public what heterosexual couples regularly do without being arrested. (Meredith May, "40 years on, Free Speechers talk all they want," San Francisco Chronicle, Oct. 11, 2004, p. B-5) This is why I made this the first entry in my timeline of the history of OSU gay activism, which the gay history Professor Wayne Dynes noted was the first time he had seen a gay history timeline start with free speech. Read the local history, leading up to the Oregon State University Pride Center by Thomas Kraemer, "Corvallis, Oregon State University gay activism 1969-2004," posted April 30, 2010 on the Web site OutHistory.org produced by The Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies (CLAGS), located at the City University of New York Graduate Center. The site is and now hosted at the University of Chicago. The shortened URL goo.gl/BQhv2 will also go to it more easily if you are text messaging or hand typing the link.

OSU students support drag, gay marriage and anti-gay newspapers

PHOTO: newspaper display advertisement for the annual Oregon State University "Night of the Living Queers" drag show in the Memorial Union Ballroom Oct. 26, 2012 as it was printed in "The Barometer" Oct. 24, 2012, p. 7. During the 20th Century, old fashioned gay bars had a long tradition of providing drag entertainment, especially on Halloween night. However, during the post-Stonewall gay liberation period of the 1970s, many gay rights leaders tried to hide the drag tradition in an attempt to debunk the stereotype that gay men were all a bunch of swishy girlie men. Gay leaders also wanted to further the political goal of establishing that gay people were the same as everyone else and therefore deserving of equal rights. While drag was deemed politically incorrect in the 1970s, the above ad shows the new form of political correctness that is expected in a university environment, such as the American with disabilities Act or ADA accommodations offered along with a disclaimer that says, "Warning: Show may include crude humor, foul language and vulgar choreography. Attend at own discretion." This annual event has become the biggest fund raiser for the gay student group on campus. Entire fraternities have attended and enjoyed the show in the past.

Some other interesting news items:

• Gay marriage is supported by the OSU student newspaper editorial by Brad Alvarez, "Join the majority, legalize same-sex marriage," Barometer, Oct. 23, 2012, p. 3 posted online Oct. 22, 2012
• Associated Press, "OSU loses court decision about student newspaper," Gazette-Times, Oct. 24, 2012, p. A3
• Joce DeWitt, "OSU responds to court decision about student newspaper," Gazette-Times, Oct. 25, 2012, p. A3 (Associated Press contributed to this report) -- "Oregon State University officials on Wednesday said they were surprised by a federal appeals court ruling to revive a complaint by the creators of a conservative-leaning student newspaper who say OSU officials arbitrarily restricted the paper's distribution." This was an anti-gay Christian Republican student newspaper funded by the late OSU Professor Fred Decker.
• Arthur S. Leonard, "2nd Circuit Panel Declares DOMA Section 3 Unconstitutional; Final Reckoning in the Supreme Court Is One Step Closer," newyorklawschool.typepad.com posted October 18, 2012 -- gay marriage legal decision is explained by a Professor of Constitutional law
• Joce DeWitt, "OSU Women Studies celebrates 40th year," Gazette-Times, Oct. 24, 2012, p. A2 - Oregon State University's Women's Center and Women Studies program marked its 40th anniversary -- the Women's Center was where the first officially recognized gay student group at OSU was formed and it remains a favorite meeting location for gay students.

Student newspaper article, "Center orients women to man's world," Oregon State University Barometer, Sep. 25, 1975, p. 33, recounts history of the Women's Center. The headline appears to be unintentionally sexist. The OSU Women's Center was formed in 1973 and an informal women's group in Corvallis led to the formation of the first gay student group to be officially recognized by OSU in 1976. The central role of the OSU Women's Center in starting the first gay student group at OSU in 1976 is documented in the history I wrote about gay activism in Corvallis, which is available on a site hosted by the City University of New York Center for gay and lesbian studies: Thomas Kraemer, "Corvallis, Oregon State University gay activism 1969-2004," outhistory.org accessed Sep. 28, 2011. See previous posts Gay OSU Beavers history (1/28/09) and OSU queer history month speech (9/30/06).

PHOTO: Jan. 9, 1976 feature article by Anne Wood, "Gay women: Coming out of the closet in Corvallis, 'Now I want to marry this woman,' " on p. 7-8 of (Corvallis, Oregon) Gazette-Times. One of the women profiled in the article came out in a letter to the editor of her student newspaper and she was active in early gay women's groups at Oregon State University.

See previous post Gay 1976 newspaper controversy (5/3/06) on gay women in Corvallis wanting to get married. Also see OSU Women's Center About Us and OSU Women's Center Resources - Sexual Orientation, both accessed Sep. 24, 2011 for an example of the current Web site.

OSU Coming Out Day 2012 meets preacher in the quad

PHOTO: (click on photo to enlarge) Jarod Sleet, external coordinator for SOL (one of Oregon State University's LGBT student groups) demonstrated coming out in the public quad to celebrate National Coming Out Day for 2012, as shown in the student newspaper's front page coverage (center) and discussed in an opinion page piece and comments about the anti-gay preacher who was asked to step away by the campus cops after a confrontation. Curiously, as of 10:44AM today, the front page story had not been posted on the newspaper's Web site even though the editor had promised to post stories as they were written and not after printed -- I hope this is not because of some negative problem. The student newspaper's gay friendly editorial comments are an example of the tremendous progress that has been made since Stonewall, despite the stereotypical Jesus freak who forty years ago would have represented the mainstream views of society. (See the related opinion piece and editorial comments by Editorial Staff, "Yeas & Nays," Barometer, Oct. 12, 2012, p. 3 and Finn Van Order, "God is in the quad exercising First Amendment rights," Barometer, Oct. 12, 2012, p. 3)

"Nay to hateful fire-and-brimstone preachers in the Memorial Union Quad yesterday. We continue to support your First Amendment right to say what you want. However, everything you said was wrong.

"Yea to National Coming Out Day yesterday. If you came out, congratulations. What was a hard decision was made harder by the fact there was a nasty person shouting mean things with a cross at the same time. We support your decision, and rest assured that the Barometer as well as many other campus organizations have got your back.

"Nay to screaming your messed up theology in the quad. Even the people you may have swayed were turned off by your delivery. Go back to whatever hateful hollow you sprung from. Oregon State University is no place for it.

"Nay to invoking the name of whatever deity you believe in to justify your hate for other human beings. From what we can tell, Jesus liked to party, wore sandals, had long hair, turned water into wine and generally stood up for the oppressed. He also said to love your neighbor as yourself. Smart words.

"Nay to invading our quad with your mean words. Step foot here again and see what happens."

(Quoted from Editorial Staff, "Yeas & Nays," Barometer, Oct. 12, 2012, p. 3)

See my history of gay student groups at OSU and my previous posts:

• Thomas Kraemer, "Corvallis, Oregon State University gay activism 1969-2004," outhistory.org posted 2010
• OSU gay party Facebook event vs. gay bars of past (10/7/12)
• Dan Choi speech, ex-gays and OSU multicultural gays in student paper (10/5/12)

OSU gay party Facebook event vs. gay bars of past

PHOTO: (click photo to enlarge) screen shot of a 21st ad for the gay party near Oregon State University titled "Rainbow goes back to Catholic School" public event announcement posted on Facebook.com Oct. 5, 2012. Joshua Mayer posted a reply ironically asking the stereotypical gay question, "What should I wear if I do go??" Students of the theory of gay "camp" will recognize this party theme and response as being the epitome of camp. The Rainbow in the Clouds Corvallis, Oregon Facebook page says, "Every First Friday, we gather together to celebrate diversity! Each month is themed and deliciously diverse with DJs, a photo booth, donated freebies and goodies, and best of all, filled to the brim with PRIDE! Part of the proceeds from each event is donated to a specified organization that supports equal rights and opportunities." The gay party this time was held at Cloud & Kelly's Public House 126 Sw First St. Corvallis, Oregon

PHOTO: (click photo to enlarge) screen shot of Craigslist ad for "Rainbow in the Clouds - 21 (Cloud and Kelly's)," corvallis.craigslist.org/m4m/ (section for men looking for sex with men) posted Oct. 4, 2012. The campy party ad says, "Okay kids, Check your guilt at the door. Salvation will have you dripping with holy water at this month's Rainbow in the Clouds. We need all you ex-altar boys (and girls) to come get righteous on the dance floor. Listen to the confessions of your box and pull out that rosary bead by bead. Dancing is a beautiful vertical expression of horizontal desires. Priests and nuns are also welcome but you might need to strap on the chastity belt! Friday Oct 5th!! Starts at 10. $3. . . Get more details on Facebook: Search for Rainbow in the Clouds and look under our events page. This is big gay dance party held on the first Friday of every month in Corvallis. This event is a fundraiser for the gay community. This month's beneficiary is the Rainbow Continuum group from OSU." The party organizers wisely knew a posting on Craigslist would catch many new Oregon State University students looking for gay sex (before they figure out that going to a party like this one is a better way to hook up than using Craigslist!). Gay party organizing has become much easier today with social media technology compared to having to use coded classified newspaper ads in the past. The only thing that hasn't changed is the campy gay party themes that can only be fully appreciated by students of theater and gay camp history.

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PHOTO: the gay party was held at Kelly's Public House near 126 SW 1st St, Corvallis, OR (Google Maps). Typical of a small town that can't support a dedicated gay bar, this restaurant brags about their "family friendly" menu, including opening for lunch service, something you would have never seen at a 20th Century gay bar.

I've written before on the ethnography of gay male MSM craigslist ads by OSU college students. See my previous posts:

• OSU back to school Craigslist postings rise (9/16/12)
• Gay relationship ads 1987 vs. 2012 at OSU (3/27/12))
• OSU Valentines Day pride and lonely hearts on Craigslist (2/15/12)
• OSU gay student seeks love on craigslist (5/1/10)
• OSU Craig's List ethnography (5/5/09)
• OSU Craig's List gay romance? (2/21/08)
• OSU Craig's List gay hookups (10/3/07)

Dan Choi speech, ex-gays and OSU multicultural gays in student paper

PHOTO: Examples of gay student group marketing efforts in the Oregon State University student newspaper include the same small, 6 point type, campus calendar listings used in 1976 (left), but also today it includes paid advertisements, for example, the above ad run Oct. 2, 2012, p. 2 and 7, for a speech by gay activist Lt. Dan Choi who fought the anti-gay military policy "don't ask, don't tell." The speech was supported by the Editorial Board, "We salute Lt. Choi," Barometer, Oct. 3, 2012, p. 3 and Staff, "Editorial: Yeas and Nays," Barometer Oct. 5, 2012, p. 3, which said, "Yea to Lt. Dan Choi speaking at OSU this week. Nay to gay marriage still being against the constitution in Oregon. We're glad that instead this election we are voting on more substantive issues like legalizing pot and casinos." A follow up article was written by Don Iler, "Rights activist, former soldier talks about life as part of Queer History Month," Barometer, Oct. 4, 2012. The article quotes Rylan Wall, the internal coordinator for the OSU Pride Center. (See previous post OSU gay student groups evolve from newspaper to Facebook Age marketing (10/1/02)) Also, coincidentally on page 7 of the Oregon State University student newspaper was a syndicated wire news story about California banning ex-gay therapy. (for more background see Wayne Besen, "The Convoluted Legal Case For Reparative Therapy," posted Oct. 3, 2012 and Jim Burroway, "NARTH, Liberty Counsel to Challenge California's Ex-Gay Ban for Minors in Court," boxturtlebulletin.com posted Oct. 1, 2012)

PHOTO: (click on photo to enlarge) SOL "the multicultural lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender support network at Oregon State University" is featured in a photo spread in the student newspaper with Photos by Neil Abrew, "Bowl with SOL," Barometer Oct. 5, 2012, p. 8. The caption quotes Erin Cahill, the internal coordinator for SOL saying, "There's a lot of people getting something from this event besides just free pizza and bowling." The marketing techniques of free pizza, along with manning a table in the quad, has proven to be effective along with the same old 6-point type notices in the campus calaender section of the student newspaper that were use to start the first OSU gay student group in 1976. (See previous post OSU gay student groups evolve from newspaper to Facebook Age marketing (10/1/02))

PHOTO: Student newspaper article by Don Iler, "Officials abandon "wear black" campaign," Barometer, Oct. 2, 2012, p. 1 documents the objections to asking students to all wear the official school color of black at football games because many perceive it as being racially offensive, especially after somebody came made up in black face with an afro wig a few years ago. Of course, many conservatives and others outside of the university see this type of ban as an example of typical college campus "political correctness" that is not productive and infringes freedom of speech rights. The free speech crowd needn't worry because before game day, the University President Ed Ray lifted the ban and asked everyone to prove OSU students can behave properly while showing school spirit. See the article by Don Iler, "Back in black," Barometer Oct. 5, 2012, p. 1. Also see Editorial Board, "Missed opportunity with blackout decision," Barometer, Oct. 2, 2012 and Letters to editor, Oct. 3, 2012.

It is amazing to think that a few years ago a few anti-gay Republican students started a competing student newspaper, "The Liberty." It is heartening to see things at OSU are moving in a more positive direction. See previous posts OSU 'The Liberty' plays victim card (9/26/10) and OSU antigay professor dies (4/11/09).

Gay Blade magazine competed with Playboy for straight men in 1956

PHOTO: The "Gay Blade" magazine was started in 1956 to compete with the then several years old, but very successful, Playboy magazine that catered to heterosexual male readers who were interested in sex. Although the term "gay" had been used in underground circles of homosexual men prior to the 1969 Stonewall riot, the word gay was not associated by the general population with homosexuals until in the 1970s. The above screenshot is from the very interesting TV documentary, "How Playboy Changed the World," History Channel program first aired Oct. 2, 2012, 6-8PM PT. It discusses the fight that Hugh Hefner, Playboy's publisher, led to repeal sodomy laws, which were putting even heterosexuals into prison for years just for having performed oral sex. Also, the show talks about the successful fight Hefner and several attorneys led to overturn Victorian era obscenity laws. Ironically, the last shot of the documentary shows the article written for Playboy magazine by the gay writer Dan Savage, which advocated why straights should be supporting gay marriage: "Gay Marriage, what's in it for you? Why straight guys should care about homosexual unions." (Note: I was unable to find a date or link to it, but I did find a short piece by Staff, "Playboy's Hugh Hefner: Gay Marriage Is A Fight For All Of Our Rights," ontopmag.com posted Aug. 21, 2012.) Dan, who is gay, starts out his Playboy article by saying he read Playboy more than did his straight brothers. Eerily, the show also mentions that Hugh Hefner had a stroke at the age of 58, but recovered like me.

PHOTO: See previous post the Gay Blade Clothes for men store (7/27/06) and history article by Thomas Kraemer, "Corvallis, Oregon State University gay activism 1969-2004," outhistory.org where I show an example of a clothing store and ice cream parlor in downtown Corvallis, Oregon that used the word gay in their name before dropping the gay part in the 1970s.

Also see these previous posts about how the word gay became widely associated with homosexuals:

• Andy Griffith "Gay Deceiver" 1962 (5/24/08)
• Gay ad "moral" clauses are silly (2/4/09)
• the Gay Blade Clothes for men store (7/27/06)
• OSU gay student group history (5/3/06) -- draft of article by Thomas Kraemer, "Corvallis, Oregon State University gay activism 1969-2004," outhistory.org

OSU gay student groups evolve from newspaper to Facebook Age marketing

PHOTO: (click to enlarge) Oregon State University gay student groups are still using the same student newspaper's Campus Calendar section to advertise meetings just like when the first OSU group formed in 1976. However, today it is also possible for an article to be run (Barometer, Sept. 25, 2012, p. 2) announcing "OSU Cultural Centers holding open houses this week," including the OSU Pride Center open house on Mon. Oct. 1 from 5-7PM. (see OSU Pride Center Fcebook page events for "Queer History Month," facebook.com accessed Oct. 1, 2012 ). Also, similar to how the first gay student group in 1976 advertised meetings, the SOL LGBT Multicultural Support Network or OSU Queer People of Color Meeting was announced in tiny 6 point print in the Campus Calendar section of the student newspaper. (See my history of OSU gay student groups: Thomas Kraemer, "Corvallis, Oregon State University gay activism 1969-2004," outhistory.org accessed Oct. 1, 2012 )

As somebody who has watched the evolution of gay student groups at OSU, from the first officially recognized gay student group in 1976, to today, and also the evolution of computer technology and communication since the 1950s, I find it interesting to watch how the internet has been slowly been replacing the old school methods of announcing meetings in so-called "dead tree" physical newspapers. Likewise, the old school Web page and RSS feeds that were implemented just a few years ago by the OSU Pride Center website are being trumped this year by social media technology, such as the OSU Pride Center Fcebook page. I guess this makes sense, given this function is social in nature, however, I am having a hard time fully seeing it because the Facebook Web pages are not designed well for low vision accessibility, which makes it hard for me to fully understand how it is being used and evolving over time. However, given my decades of knowledge, I can make a good guess about how it could be used effectively for social media purposes.

Some other interesting things I've read recently include:

• the OSU Pride Center Advisory Board (updated July 2011) included the faculty or staff member and Director of Undergraduate Programs Brett McFarlane, College of Engineering, 541 737 8765 151 Batcheller Hall, Oregon State University, 101 Covell Hall Corvallis, OR 97331-2409 email Brett.McFarlane@oregonstate.edu. I would like to know if this was a task assigned to him or if Brett volunteered for this assignment. Either way, he should be commended for helping out. In 1976 there were only one faculty member who was willing to be the required sponsor of the first officially recognized gay student group at OSU. (He signed the forms required by OSU administrators.)
• Jack Lammers, "Campus remains in midst of building boom," Barometer, Sep. 25, 2012 -- "The Native American Longhouse, located south of Moreland Hall, is under construction and scheduled to be completed in November of this year." I mentioned the opening of this cultural center in March 1976 with a blessing ceremony by Gilbert Walking Bull in my history of OSU gay student groups: Thomas Kraemer, "Corvallis, Oregon State University gay activism 1969-2004," outhistory.org accessed Oct. 1, 2012
• OSU mobile sites and apps and OSU's mobile website, m.oregonstate.edu are the next frontier to be explored by OSU gay student groups. I am sure that iPone or the Smartphone and tablets will be the preferred interface by future students, if it isn't already the case.