LGBTQ Breaking News Service

Texas A&M’s campus is currently home to the LGBTQ+ Cultural Center, along with various LGBTQ+ student organizations and has become a safer place for students of any sexuality to celebrate themselves. This environment has drastically changed over the years, and was forged in large part by the Gay Student Services starting in the 1970s. 

Kevin Bailey, former member, historian and vice president of Gay Student Services, or GSS, found the group via their political presence at on-campus events. Bailey said their activism inspired him to look further into the mission of GSS.

“Jerry Falwell came to speak on campus, and so I went to that just to see what he was going to say,” Bailey said. “There were some students from GSS who asked some challenging questions, which he didn’t really answer, but I was aware of them from that.”

As Bailey began his sophomore year, he started the search for a roommate. Bailey said one particular roommate in his search stood out, which led him back to GSS.

“They had boxes of 5×8 index cards and people … So as I was going through that, I found one card that said ‘I’m gay and know other people who are also gay who need roommates, so call this number,’” Bailey said. “So I wrote down the number and called it… The guy that called me back was actually the president [of GSS] at the time. His name was Eric.”

Having frequently connected with GSS, Bailey began to attend meetings and learned more about the organization. Initially, the reaction to the organization was hostile, Bailey said. 

“[GSS] originally met off campus, but they wanted to be able to put their signs up on campus to advertise the meeting,” Bailey said. “That’s basically where the court case came in, because when they started putting [the flyers] up, there [were three] Corps guys who they got into an argument with. One of them pulled a knife out and made them go back around and take the signs down.”

The group continued to face controversy, culminating in the organization requesting recognition from the university, with the hopes of protecting its members. Administrators delayed in responding, but eventually denied the organization’s request. Bailey said the process of Gay Student Services v. Texas A&M was a long one, involving many appeals.

“Basically, the original judge had thrown it out, and the circuit court reversed his throwing out, and then the Supreme Court refused to hear it. So that sent it back to the original judge who then ruled against GSS on the grounds that GSS was a social organization and A&M at the time, didn’t have fraternities,” Bailey said. “But the name of our group was Gay Student Services, and we had really tried to make sure that we were providing services. That’s why we had the Gayline and the roommate service.”

As the court case was coming to a close, the GSS was busy planning a Gay Week event on campus, with political forums, debates, booths, movies and a night out at a local gay bar. While this was in the works, it was announced that the Supreme Court refused to hear A&M’s appeal of the case. Bailey said this time was hectic, but extremely celebratory, and shared an entry from his journal about interviews the GSS president Marco Roberts underwent.

“Reporters were everywhere, Marco was interviewed by Channel 3 by Mark Metters again. Channel 13 from Houston showed up also. After Marco went to work, the Gayline was transferred to my phone,” Bailey wrote. “I was interviewed by the Austin American Statesman and a local radio station. When Channel 11, CBS Houston called, I gave them Marco’s number at work. Marco took a 15-minute break so they could interview him in the Safeway parking lot.”

While this interview was monumental, Bailey said as time has gone on, he looks back on the progress in a new light.

“When we had the 25th anniversary of the GSS court case … there was a lot of difference in the way people remembered the time,” Bailey said. “I didn’t have any ideas about same-sex marriage or out politicians. There were some politicians at the time, but, you know, it seemed like we had already arrived. When I look back on it, I realized how far there was still to go.”

Though Bailey and his peers were part of a key event in LGBTQ+ history of A&M, Bailey said living through this didn’t feel as significant as it actually was.

“It was kind of normal for me,” Bailey said. “I didn’t feel at the time that we were living through a special time. I just thought it was, that’s just where we were.”

Jeffrey Sanker, who revolutionized the gay party scene with extravagant bashes that provided an escape from the devastation of the AIDS epidemic, has died at age 65.

The owner of the Los Angeles-based White Party Entertainment company died of liver cancer Friday at Cedars-Sinai Hospital.

Chris Diamond, a member of Sanker’s White Party Foundation, confirmed Sanker’s death, describing him as the “Godfather of Parties.”

Sanker’s largest music festival, White Party Palm Springs, is a multiday celebration and a haven for generations of gay men. Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez performed there for audiences of over 30,000. White Party events spread to Mexico and Thailand, and the West Hollywood resident became the gay community’s most recognizable showman.

The parties began small, in the late 1980s — just some guys hanging out by hotel pools in Palm Springs, said James Duke Mason, a West Hollywood LGBTQ activist.

For gay men of that era, the dance floor was a respite from reality, as friends died of AIDS one after the other and the world often shunned them because of their sexuality.

Whitney Houston, Taylor Dayne and other “divas of the dance floor” sang of love and life and spirit, former West Hollywood Mayor John Duran said.

“It was very much like: ‘Our days are numbered. I’ve been told I have less than a year to live, and I’m dancing with my friends. I’m going to party like there’s no tomorrow,’” Duran said.

Sanker’s parties ballooned into enormous events. The scale and quality of the production far outshone previous gay parties, said Mark Lehman, a longtime friend.

“He was a visionary,” said Sandy Sachs, the chief operating officer of Sanker’s business. “He was the P. T. Barnum of the gay world … He didn’t care about the money. What was more important to him was the spectacle, the wow factor, that when people came to his events they walked out of there going, ‘Oh, my God.’”

Duran remembers Sanker as warm, funny and frenetic — someone who talked relentlessly.

Sanker often used the money he earned to advocate on behalf of the gay community, Mason said. He has supported organizations such as Desert AIDS Project, The Trevor Project and Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing.

Sanker was born Dec. 2, 1955, in Bethesda, Md. Growing up, he was interested in pottery and silk screening. He majored in art history at American University, his sister Diane said.

In New York City, he started a magazine focused on the ’80s club scene. That fizzled out, but it gave him access to clubs, where he began his first gig as a promoter for places like Studio 54, Palladium and Private Eyes.

In 1987, he moved to Los Angeles, where he formed his entertainment company.

Not all approved of Sanker’s raucous festivals, however. Some denounced the widespread use of drugs.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented a new challenge. Sanker was criticized for hosting a large New Year’s Eve party in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.

Last year, the White Party Palm Springs was streamed over Facebook. This year, it has been rescheduled to Halloween.

Lehman believes Sanker will be remembered most for bringing people together. The parties weren’t just about flashy lights and famous singers. They offered gay men a sense of camaraderie and the freedom to be themselves.

“To be out on that dance floor, shirtless and sweaty and a little drunk and a little high, but to be with my tribe, it was such a reaffirming experience for so many gay men to feel like we belonged,” Duran said. “We built a community on a dance floor.”

Sanker is survived by his mother, Renee, and his sister Diane.

Brian Gay hit 13 of 18 greens in regulation during his first round at the Palmetto Championship at Congaree, finishing at 1 over for the tournament. Gay finished his day tied for 75th at 1 over; Wes Roach is in 1st at 7 under; Erik van Rooyen, Chesson Hadley, Dustin Johnson, and Doc Redman are tied for 2nd at 6 under; and Jhonattan Vegas is in 6th at 5 under.

After a 286 yard drive on the 595-yard par-5 second, Gay chipped his third shot to 9 feet, which he rolled for one-putt birdie on the hole. This moved Gay to 1 under for the round.

After a drive to the right side of the fairway on the 360-yard par-4 third hole, Gay had a 130 yard approach shot, setting himself up for the birdie. This moved Gay to 2 under for the round.

After a tee shot onto the 170-yard par-3 green fifth, Gay suffered from a tough three-putt for a bogey putting him at 1 under for the round.

On his tee stroke on the 520-yard par-4 sixth, Gay went into the native area and proceeded to hit his next shot to the native area leading to his bogey. He hit his third onto the green and had a two-putt to finish the hole. This moved Gay to even for the round.

At the 205-yard par-3 10th, Gay hit a tee shot 183 yards at the green, setting himself up for the 13-foot putt for birdie. This moved Gay to even-par for the round.

After hitting his third shot into the native area, Gay hit his next shot to the green and got down for bogey on par-4 13th. This moved Gay to 1 over for the round.

After a tee shot at the green on the 230-yard par-3 14th, Gay missed a birdie attempt from 8-feet taking a par. This left Gay to 1 over for the round.

Gay hit his tee shot into the native area, he hit his next shot to the green and got down for birdie on par-4 15th. This moved Gay to even for the round.

On the 445-yard par-4 18th, Gay had a bogey after hitting the green in 3 and two putting, moving Gay to 1 over for the round.

Like a lot of other pop culture — and society as a whole — comic books haven’t always been a welcoming place for LGBTQ+ people. But this Pride Month,DC Comics has released “DC Pride,” an anthology featuring queer characters from queer creators.

Be Gay, Do Crimes

Comic book writer Sina Grace found out this book was in the works and begged to be a part of it, Grace told us. He contributed the story “Be Gay, Do Crimes,” using the popular queer anarchist catchphrase to tell a story about how different generations look at the problems affecting LGBTQ+ communities.

Grace’s story features reformed Flash supervillain Pied Piper and an upstart criminal following in his footsteps, Drummer Boy. Pied Piper, who uses a flute with hypnotic powers, comes up against the new character and his superpowered electronic drum pads.

“I had been asked about [Pied Piper] before and didn’t feel like I had anything to say then,” Grace said.

He found a way into the character with a story about the way perspective can shift from one generation of queer activists to another, as well as how that perspective shifts as you get older.

“It was just a conversation with myself about how a younger version of me would see me,” Grace said.

Queer activist Drummer Boy faces off against reformed super-criminal Pied Piper in “Be Gay, Do Crimes.”

(Courtesy DC Comics)

New character Drummer Boy is someone who has an aggressive, forward-thinking, Gen Z approach to heroism, according to Grace. He resorts to crime as a landlord raises rent on a gay neighborhood, ranging from bars to homeless resource centers and trying to force everyone out.

“While [Drummer Boy] doesn’t believe in the binaries, he does believe that if you boil something down, there’s always a right and a wrong, and that you should just do the right thing,” Grace said.

Supporting queer-owned businesses is important to Grace. As Drummer Boy tells Pied Piper, “Poor people can only GoFund each other so much.” Ouch.

“I felt that way too over the last year. All of these businesses I love just being like, ‘We need money.’ And you reach a point where you’re like, ‘I actually don’t have any more money to give right now,’” Grace said.

But Pied Piper gets to present another view, with progress being made without going outside the law.

“You see folks are making strides within the system, and not just with the LGBTQ community,” Grace said.

He sees Drummer Boy as representing a new generation that has the ability to find who they are in entirely new ways. Drummer Boy has a punk attitude, pulling from the Japanese magical girl trope as well as turning himself into his own Power Ranger, according to Grace.

“There’s so much more language now than there’s ever been, which is really exciting. To have words for every aspect of your identity,” Grace said. “‘I thought I was just this thing, but actually, there’s a whole darned spectrum, and I can find a better fit for myself.’”

Pulling His Influences Into The Work

Grace is an artist in his own right, having illustrated a number of comics and continuing to do his own pieces of art. He drew the initial design for Drummer Boy before collaborating with artists Ro Stein and Ted Brandt to complete that design and realize it in the pages of “DC Pride.” Grace sent his collaborators links to Instagram accounts and other online personalities who were inspiring him, including dancer Erik Cavanaugh, who became a viral sensation as a tall, plus-size man dancing in stilettos.

“He moves like an angel,” Grace said. “I really wanted the character to just move beautifully and elegantly.”

Grace made headlines when he wrote Iceman of the X-Men for Marvel following the character coming out, one of the most high-profile gay characters in the comic world. As he made the move to DC, following a sense that Marvel wasn’t properly promoting his run on Iceman, Grace was happy to get the chance to write non-gay characters.

“At DC, I was very happy to not be put in a box, or not be hired because of my qualifiers,” Grace said. “I didn’t feel pressure to be like, ‘OK, I’ve got to put a rainbow flag on this Shazam story,’ or ‘Plastic Man needs a gay best friend.’ Although, now that I said that out loud — yeah, Plastic Man needs a gay best friend.”

From a DC Pride story featuring Aqualad.

(Courtesy DC Comics)

The team behind “DC Pride” has given Grace a different experience from what he felt with Marvel, he said.

“The most important thing is that there are folks behind the scenes who reflect the cultures and communities that need the extra TLC in terms of getting these stories off the ground, and embraced, and done well, done right,” Grace said.

DC was part of an LGBTQ+ anthology a few years ago, following the June 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting. But rather than being born out of tragedy, “DC Pride” features more queer joy.

“There is this great demand for joy and respect,” Grace said. “It just made me so happy that they thought about that, and that they were seeking to reflect the spectrum of experiences and moods. For me personally, Pride isn’t just a celebration, but it has to be a reflection, too.”

His independent work included a book set in Los Angeles, “Ghosted In L.A.,” another book that dealt with economic issues and the creative arts.

“The thing that I’d never understood living in this city, and it took going to college somewhere else and making friends with transplants, was that the little fluoride programming in the water in the city tells people you can make money in the arts,” Grace said. “And that’s something I didn’t realize isn’t ubiquitous everywhere. I grew up with a comic book publisher one bus ride away, and I could go intern and watch my favorite comic artist draw, Michael Turner, because of the film industry and because of the animation industry.”

Over the course of that story, Grace wanted to share the message that women and femmes could make money telling jokes, drawing books, acting, directing, and more.

“You can make money making art. And it’s not just one avenue. And that is just so clutch,” Grace said.

Grace continues delivering empowering messages in “Be Gay, Do Crimes,” hoping that his audience finds inspiration in its pages.

“DC Pride” is in stores and available online now, and rival Marvel Comics releases its own “Marvel’s Voices: Pride” on June 23. “DC Pride” is part of a larger Pride Month initiative that also includes the queer-centric book “Crush & Lobo,” as well as alternate Pride Month covers on other books and several new YA books featuring queer characters.

June is Pride Month for the gay community. And this particular Pride comes after a year of pandemic shutdown that has forced a community already adept at fighting for its survival to fight even harder and more creatively than ever. To talk about his struggle and that of the drag performers at his club, John Pepe, owner of Chez Est, joined Connecticut Public Radio’s All Things Considered.

Chez Est bills itself as Hartford’s only LGBTQ restaurant, bar and cabaret — an assertion that seems to check out upon further scrutiny. If you’re business owner, you might just be inspired by the risky gambit Pepe took during the pandemic — against all advice — which ended up being the key to survival for Chez Est.

Pepe also shares his thoughts on why gay bars are disappearing across the country, why this year’s Pride celebrations won’t be as good as next year’s, and the increasing commercialization of Pride.