The International Gay Rodeo Association is an organization dedicated to the promotion of the vibrant LGBT rodeo scene, sponsoring competitions around North America for its more than 5,000 members. The new documentary "Queens and Cowboys" explores this world of gay cowboys and cowgirls for a complete season, telling the rarely told stories of its participants and their impressive athletic feats in the arena. By highlighting the unique experiences of rural gay men and lesbians, the movie questions common assumptions of what constitutes the LGBT community and obliterates the false dichotomy between tradition and tolerance. The rural West is recast as a vital intersection in a changing America, a place where embracing one's cultural history is a progressive action on the path towards true modernity. Told through the outsider lens of its straight, urbanite filmmaker, Matt Livadary, "Queens and Cowboys" allows its subjects to explain in their own terms what the rodeo means to them as LGBT people, how their lives fit into the context of the greater movement for LGBT rights, and what more needs to done before genuine equality is realized.
The film is currently in post-production and its makers are looking for funds to complete the project. Check out the preview video below and make a contribution on their Indiegogo if you're interested in assisting the filmmakers finish the important work they started.