Media Ethnography, Living Archives: Collaborative class: IML423 and ANTH327

Queer Liberation & Gay Clubs: Creting Community in Crisis by Peyton Dacy

During the AIDS epidemic queer clubs were spaces of letting off steam, community  building and activist organizing. This video essay explores the ways in which queer clubs  have been used to allow queer people to explore various artforms such as ballroom and  whacking as well as fight against the death in their community. I have chosen to use  repeating visuals throughout the essay to highlight the circularity of the news coverage  during the AIDS epidemic, as wells as the circularity of the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights  currently. During the AIDS epidemic, those who were fighting against the virus were often  having the same fight over and over again, with every friend’s death and protest beginning  to look the same. To give the viewer a sense of this circularity I used repeated visuals  including repeated images of AIDS patients and protests to give them a sense of repetition of events. I then contrasted the repeating visuals throughout the essay, I then use different  footage accompanied with the repeating audio, “Good gay fun trouble,” to highlight that  there is continued hope. As if to say the conversation and actions around AIDS changed, so the current conversations around queer liberation can also change. That nowadays we can  also use “good gay fun trouble,” to help us liberate ourselves from our current anti-LGBTQ  pandemic sweeping the United States. 
 

Works Cited  

1970s, 1980s gay club, disco, San Francisco, LGBTQ+, HD from 16mm. (2019a). Retrieved  from https://youtu.be/smbrx-ZSEIk?si=l6pXO_uCv65sgnnD  

Activists look back at 30th anniversary of historic san francisco act up protests. (2019b).  Retrieved from https://youtu.be/mcrTG8DEStc?si=PeuecDAQUuxxe5ck  

Bromberger, S., & Hoover, S. (n.d.). Prayer Circle . photograph, Seattle, Washington .  Clary, T. (1989). ACT UP protest . photograph, New York City, New York .  

Classic vogue. (2019c). Retrieved from  

https://youtu.be/Yx7OXO3MUwI?si=ePcI9eWHVDozPNUT  

Dacy, P., & Corbin, P. (2024, March 28). Interview with Professor Patrick Corbin . personal.  

Faces, D. (2012). Vogue supremacy 90’s ballroom style. Retrieved from  

https://youtu.be/hcjWmYFWz3Y?si=T51C-YfsefoYa-yR  

Frare, T. (1989). A father comforts his son, David Kirby, on his death bed . photograph, Stafford,  Ohio.  

Frare, T. (n.d.). David Kirby’s mother, Kay, administers medication to Peta. . photograph,  Stafford, Ohio .  

From the archive: Early coverage of AIDS epidemic on ch. 5. (2021). Retrieved from  https://youtu.be/wVx0DDnGTkY?si=VZxjxYNmGuyWrGNk  

Kobre, K. (n.d.). San Francisco General Hospital’s Ward 5B caregiver Rita Rockett visits with a  Patients . photograph, San Francisco, California .  

Krulwich , S. (1989). At Coming Home Hospice in San Franciso, David Brewster. photograph,  San Francisco, California.  

LGBTQ+ Rights Movement and the AIDS epidemic: Fight the power: The movements that  changed America. (2023). Retrieved from  

https://youtu.be/kWPQ_ArREKo?si=rmHjkQgg1_a7SoA6  

Living the last days: Chris Brownlie L.A. hospice – PBS (1989). (2022a). Retrieved from  https://youtu.be/MakNwKQch8k?si=muIopeP_Mo_sAwEZ  

Maiman, R. (n.d.). AIDS DIE IN . photograph.  

Nagle , M. (2007). ACT UP 20th anniversary die-in . photograph, New York City, New York . 

A night at arena in the mid 90’s! (2 of 13) west hollywood gay club. (2011). Retrieved from  https://youtu.be/-RtKN2GbdmM?si=v-JsGQsWBV0iE-9s  

Ray , G. (1984). Diane Jones treats an early AIDS patient at San Francisco General.  photograph.  

San Francisco gay bar, 1970s, 1980s, LGBTQ+, HD. (2019d). Retrieved from  https://youtu.be/rVuWsMQGyVA?si=NnQhXNe-9cNhK8DT  

San Francisco gay community, Summer 1979, LGBTQ+, HD. (2019e). Retrieved from  https://youtu.be/5HDD_navvmY?si=kpYZ6EMD6uscvs72  

Schwarz , M. A. (1989). When AIDS Comes Home . photograph, Atlanta, Georgia .  

Shanti staff counselor Mesha Irizarry comforts 5a patient Lee Bossel. (1993). photograph, San  Francisco, California.  

Unknown. (n.d.). Man dying of AIDS. photograph, South Africa .  

Vandenberg , G. (1988). Nurse taking care of man in wheelchair . photograph, San Francisco,  California .  

Vandenberg, G. (1988). Two men embrace in bed. photograph, San Francisco, California .  

When AIDS first emerged, local TV news made a Difference. (2022b). Retrieved from  https://youtu.be/pFEHpWl7UZ8?si=hV2iE2YArLml6QIB 


 

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