Luke W.P. Lutz (Brigham Young University)
The cowboy is a figure that has long-held roots to the cultural history of America. Historically oppressed groups such as the LGBTQ+ community have used the legend of the cowboy to graft themselves to the tree of American culture and history. The legend of the queer cowboy is well known throughout America these days with stories such as Brokeback Mountain, but how did the roots of queer cowboy stick? Looking through the folk history and transmission of the legend of the queer cowboy, we better understand how oppressed groups find branches to hold onto on the tree of American history.
Part of 05-14 Gender, Folklore, and Identity, Friday, November 03, 10:30 am–12:30 pm