Posted on Jun 30, 2023
Gay rodeos are queer spaces in rural places
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Curt Westberg sits on the porch of his house in Palouse, Washington. He lives here with his husband, but says growing up gay in a small town wasn’t always easy.
“I got bullied pretty bad when I was in fourth and fifth grade,” said Westberg. “Somehow they just knew I was different.”
Westberg grew up in Pullman but moved to Colfax in high school.
“I didn’t really fit in anywhere. And I kind of fell in with the cowboys,” he said.
He learned how to ride steers, and then bulls. He did rodeo in high school, and again at Washington State University.
When he was 23, Westburg moved to Denver to compete professionally.
“I got bullied pretty bad when I was in fourth and fifth grade,” said Westberg. “Somehow they just knew I was different.”
Westberg grew up in Pullman but moved to Colfax in high school.
“I didn’t really fit in anywhere. And I kind of fell in with the cowboys,” he said.
He learned how to ride steers, and then bulls. He did rodeo in high school, and again at Washington State University.
When he was 23, Westburg moved to Denver to compete professionally.
Gay rodeos are queer spaces in rural places
Posted from kuow.org
Rodeo
LGBTQ+
Pullman
Washington State University
Posted 11 mo ago
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And then you have rodeos where everyone wears pink on Friday night. One rodeo I attended Capt Mike Pompeo was in attendance and he looked around utterly confused and asked why they were wearing pink. I think it was his first rodeo for real. Strong enough to wear pink is a sign of support for those with breast cancer.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel learned something new...
..."What we can’t do is allow histories to be written in such a way that erase the realities of the past and tell people they don’t belong here,” said Scofield.
Many queer people like living close to the land, being around horses, and don’t want to be forced to embrace anonymity as the only pathway to safety, she said.
Westberg lives in a small town with no chain stores and no traffic lights. “There’s a grocery store and a couple restaurants and a post office. And that’s about it,” Westberg said.
He says that’s the way he likes it."
..."What we can’t do is allow histories to be written in such a way that erase the realities of the past and tell people they don’t belong here,” said Scofield.
Many queer people like living close to the land, being around horses, and don’t want to be forced to embrace anonymity as the only pathway to safety, she said.
Westberg lives in a small town with no chain stores and no traffic lights. “There’s a grocery store and a couple restaurants and a post office. And that’s about it,” Westberg said.
He says that’s the way he likes it."
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