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THE GAYS OF THE MIDWAY
‘Gay Day’ at the State Fair of Texas may be all but fotten, but you’ll still fd plenty of queer attractns at this year’s event, which starts Friday. Longtime lbian activist San Gore rells tryg to make the LGBT muny visible at the State Fair of Texas when the thought of a gay-themed day was still sndalo.
While planng the first Gay Day at the State Fair 1994, Gore said she had to jump through a lot of hoops before fair officials fally allowed unr multicultural events. Gay Day wasn’t a sanctned event like Czech Day. Some the LGBT muny have suggted that the fair did away wh ethnic days to get rid of Gay Day, but Gore said she feels was a bs cisn bee ethnic days were losg money.
Gregory Pyn, -ordator of the Gay Day events, said he and Gore worked wh the lol Human Rights Campaign steerg mtee to brg about the first two Gay Days. But fair officials would not place Gay Day on the lendar, Pyn said, bee they didn’t nsir on the same sle as multicultural days.
‘GAY DAY’ AT THE STATE FAIR IS SATURDAY
Even after the days were ncelled, Pyn said anizers ntued rmal Gay Days until 1999. There would be speakers and cy uncil members would read rolutns clarg State Fair Gay Day. Haltom Cy rint Mike Weaver is tryg to brg back the State Fair Gay Day this year.
He’s created a “Gay Day State Fair of Texas” event on Facebook for Natnal Comg Out Day on Thursday, Oct. Weaver created a State Fair Gay Day 2010 and said he liked seeg same-sex parents brg children and wear T-shirts celebratg their inty.
Gore said the end of ethnic days cid wh the begng of Gay Day at Six Flags Over Texas, g the annual theme park event to grow populary. She said she’s glad to see the rmal Gay Day at the State Fair return and enuraged people to attend. But even whout a formal Gay Day, there’s still plenty that’s queer about the State Fair of Texas.