The Rodeo Spectator/Bum Steer
Hume, Sandy
Bum Steer by Sandy Hume T he rodeo that came to Washington on October 4 was not your ordinary cowboy affair. "The Atlantic Stampede," as it was called, was a gay rodeo, the first such event staged...
...For a while, they chanted "DON'T BE A MEAN QUEEN...
...Gerry Studds sent his regards in a full-page letter...
...Other books offered advice on how to "come out" or How to Find a Gay Escort in San Francisco (presumably from the publishers of How to Find d Senior Citizen in Florida...
...One of the Eco-Dykes, who opposed the event on the grounds that it was "sexist, offensive, and cruel," asked me: "How would you feel if you were chained up in a ring in front of screaming people and chased down by two men wanting to bind your back legs with a pair of underwear...
...or "Stop That Man...
...T he Clinton-Gore campaign had a prominent display, with buttons, bumper stickers, and other assorted promotional materials for sale...
...Out in the ring, contestants ran through all the usual events: bronco busting, steer wrestling, calf roping, barrel racing, and the like...
...Much of it was anti–Bush/Quayle...
...Come sundown, as the crowds moseyed through a dusty parking lot to their cars, the mood was jubilant...
...In the "drag queen race," a gay and a lesbian attempted to subdue a steer, until a man dressed in drag could jump on its back and ride it across the finish line...
...T-shirts were the main attraction, and they invariably featured some sort of sexual reference: "He's Not My Boyfriend, He's My Ride...
...No event in modern times, it seems, can successfully avoid the wrath of protesters, "The Atlantic Stampede" included...
...We're using blunted spurs and breakaway roping"—where the lasso is pulled taut on the calf or steer and then released—"and no electric prods...
...The raciest item was a T-shirt with a picture of Bill and Al, clad only in their underwear, embracing one another and grinning broadly...
...Point taken...
...exclaimed one man...
...They marched across the bottom row of the bleachers holding a banner that read "Stop Bashing Animals...
...They were promptly bashed themselves...
...A small but vocal collection of homosexual animal rights activists, from organizations like the "Gay and Lesbian Animal Rights Caucus" and the "EcoDykes," stood outside the entrance and chided all who entered...
...The literary section offered a broad range of books by gay authors, like Not All Parents Are Straight and the best-selling Honor Bound, which sat alongside more risque offerings, such as 101/2 Inches...
...The Atlantic Stampede," as it was called, was a gay rodeo, the first such event staged east of the Mississippi...
...HEY QUEEN...
...Plain white shirts with "Cowfag," "Cowdyke," and "Queers on Steers" printed on the front sold briskly...
...Another explained, "It gets gays out of bars and into a constructive activity...
...Those affiliated with the rodeo were irritated by the demonstrators because, in one man's words, "those idiots haven't bothered to find out that we're putting on the most humane rodeo possible...
...I Want to Get Off' or "If You Rope Me You Can Ride Me...
...But hairdressers, no...
...Others reflected that odd modem phenomenon: the adoption of pejorative labels as symbols of pride...
...and Meat Rack...
...SHAME...
...Although most activities were taken from orthodox rodeo, certain events were designed for the gay circuit...
...In the "goat dressing" competition, a team of two tried to grab hold of a goat tethered to a stake, after which they worked to fit a pair of jockey shorts onto its hind legs...
...Sandy Hume is The American Spectator's editorial intern...
...Midway through the calf roping, a pair of protesters, tired of chanting "Shame...
...In overturning stereotypes they had certainly achieved a measure of success...
...Goat-dressers, yes...
...Inside, just past the square-dancing tent, Miss International Gay Rodeo 1992 extended a warm welcome...
...We also break down the oppressive stereotypes that mainstream society pins on us," added a spectator...
...Two thousand rodeo-goers filed past, indifferent to the cries of their indignant brethren...
...We came, we saw, and we kicked some rodeo butt...
...one button read "Hate Is Not a Family Value...
...She wasn't bad-looking, really, just in need of a shave...
...Two men doused them with beer (much of which landed on the hissing fans in the front row...
...SHAME...
...RODEO IS OBSCENE...
...The program listed numerous corporate sponsors, including Pepsi, Dodge/-Chrysler, and Miller Lite ("The official beer of the International Gay Rodeo Association...
...Having grown tired of this, they settled on a simple berating: "SHAME...
...1J The American Spectator December 1992 47...
...ONLY SISSIES ABUSE ANIMALS," and "QUEERS DON'T LET QUEERS BASH ANIMALS...
...Beyond her stood the vending tent, where merchants peddled jewelry, clothing, books, and videos...
...One participant touted the competition as "a chance for gays and lesbians to get together in a non-threatening environment, to celebrate what it means to be gay...
...A bunch of hairdressers they were not...
...You know, it's not like we're all just a bunch of hairdressers...
...Rep...
...in an empty parking lot,brought their appeals inside...
...Wearing a long, white dress and heels, she stood about 6'2", and had a voice as deep as James Earl Jones's...
...A public service announcement reminded readers that "Real Cowboys Always Wear Their Chaps...
...We get to share a sense of camaraderie, of teamwork, and of love...
...Security then ejected the youths, who, as one woman pointed out, were wearing suede boots...
...SHAME...
...Their signs read "GAYBOYS SAY WHOA TO RODEO...
...until someone came up with "HEY DYKE...
Vol. 25 • December 1992 • No. 12
