Straight Cowboys & Gay Rodeos
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From a longish article on gay cowbows, gay rodeos and homophobia.
Straight cowboys come to the gay circuit thinking ‘we’re just gonna clean up and take their money’,” says Helander. “They find out that’s really not the case and in many cases I think they’re humbled to see the calibre of competition that gay people bring to the events.”
Straight cowgirls also enter the gay rodeo because men and women do exactly the same events using the same stock and this equal opportunities ethos appeals to them. There are also cowboys from the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) who officially only compete in straight rodeos but are secretly gay and compete on the gay rodeo circuit using an alias. (IGRA rules also allow competitors to request that no photos are taken.)
