You know me. In one way or another you’ve seen me. I was the Homecoming coordinator for 2002. I was in dozens of Pioneer Players Productions and I’m the guy with the pink hair. I’m also gay. Some of you might be thinking, “Well, duh.” Still others, and I hope it’s a small minority, might be thinking, “Fricking queer.” Well, I’m here to hopefully change people’s opinions, not only of myself, but of homosexuality, and if I can’t do that, I hope to entertain you a little, because we all know this paper can be a little dry sometimes.

Speaking of the Exponent, I was a little upset at the staff for the article titled “Everything You Need to Know about Sex.” I’m upset about the graphic that was placed with the article of the guy and the girl holding hands. This might come as a big shock to all of you, but sex isn’t just between a man and a woman. I understand you can’t actually put in a picture of people having sex, but if you can’t find a picture that best represents all your readers, how about no picture at all? Or, since the article was mostly about getting tested, why not a person sitting in a hospital gown? A hot guy would be preferable.

So here’s my lesson for the week. Paying homage to my Homecoming roots, and this year’s theme being “Decades of Rock,” here are a few rock stars you might not have known are of the gay persuasion.

In the ‘50s, Little Richard wore shiny, sequined outfits and everyone called him a “showman.” I guess showman was just another word for homo back then.

In the ‘60s came the sexual revolution, and Janis Joplin wasn’t afraid to take a piece of both boys and girls back then.

The ‘70s gave birth to the glam rocker and men like Elton John, David Bowie and Queen’s Freddie Mercury hit the stage and strutted their stuff in outfits that left nothing to the imagination. Elton John and
David Bowie have had careers that have spanned the decades, but they will always be famous for their outrageous costumes and makeup. Freddie Mercury, brought life to some of the greatest love anthems, and his androgyny kept everyone guessing until his death in 1991 of AIDS, bringing attention to a disease that until then was still ignored.

Following the androgyny trend, the ‘80s brought the world Boy George. No one could tell if he was a boy or a girl, let alone if he was gay or straight. Also, George Michael had several hits, first with WHAM and then his own solo career.

The ‘90s introduced grunge and folk rock and Melissa Etheridge was the first lesbian rocker whose career didn’t end in disaster after coming out in public. Michael Stipe of R.E.M. came out as a “queer artist” and has been linked to having an affair with Kurt Cobain.

So, next time you’re listening to your favorite music, take a second and wonder, could who I am listening to be gay? You might never know; the way the world is now, most musicians are forced to stay in the closet just to maintain their careers. If you do have any questions for me or any ideas for future submissions, you can contact me at dans.big.gay.box@gmail.com.