About the Symposium
Join us for a talk by Dr. Elyssa Ford about the history and position of lesbians in gay rodeo. Gay rodeo offered LGBTQ+ people a place to compete, build communities, and enjoy cowboy culture. However, traditional expectations about cowboys and masculinity sometimes made lesbians feel less welcome. This talk will examine the participation and representation of lesbians within the gay rodeo community.
Dr. Elyssa Ford is an Associate Professor of History at Washington State University. Much of her research looks at gender and sexuality in the American West, particularly rodeo culture. She is the author of Rodeo as Refuge, Rodeo as Rebellion (2020) and co-wrote Slapping Leather: Queer Cowfolx at the Gay Rodeo (2023) with Rebecca Scofield.
Third Annual Texas Gay Rodeo program, 1986.