Episode 7

Lawrence v. Texas Part 1: The Bad Old Days

Published on: 22nd November, 2023

Just how homophobic was America in the 90s? Gay sex was still illegal in several US states until this landmark Supreme Court ruling just 20 years ago. This meant that out gay people in those states were seen as criminals. That would sometimes cost them jobs, housing or even custody and visitation of their children. And, even when it didn't, the threat was always over their heads.

We're celebrating the anniversary of the end of second-class citizenship for gays and lesbians with a four-episode deep dive into the case, its profound impact on American culture, and the wildly diverse team of amazing people it took to change the world forever (hopefully).

Kickass Queers shares the incredible life stories of amazing lesbian, gay, transgender, gender-nonconforming and otherwise queer people. You'll meet many of them in our very first miniseries, right after we set the scene in this installment.

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About the Podcast

Kickass Queers
An LGBTQ+ history podcast.
Kickass Queers explores the lives and achievements of notable LGBTQ+ individuals throughout history. The show delves into the fascinating and often underrepresented stories of queer trailblazers, offering a mix of humor, emotion, and insightful commentary on their contributions to society.

Each episode focuses on a different figure or topic.

Co-host Larry Womack is a journalist with a diverse publication history, and Rachel Stuart is a Communication Studies academic focusing on Critical Intercultural Communication and LGBTQ+ identities online. Together, they bring both academic insight and engaging storytelling to the podcast​.
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About your hosts

Larry Womack

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Larry Womack is a writer and journalist whose work has appeared in publications as diverse as The Independent (UK), Yahoo! News (US), Aftenposten Innsikt (Norway), and others. According to The Washington Post, he wrote the most-engaged news story on Facebook of the 2016 election cycle. His credits as editor includes a tenure at HuffPost, among others.

Rachel Stuart

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Rachel Stuart is a Communication Studies faculty member in the Seattle area. Her area of focus in Communication centers on Critical Intercultural Communication and New Communication Technologies. Her research has examined how members of the LGBTQIAAP+ community use the Internet and social media to negotiate identity, create community, and build social support.