Homo on The Range

From TV shows like Bonanza and Gunsmoke to movies like Brokeback Mountain, the idea of a gay cowboy seems foreign to many people. I can easily blame Hollywood for this as their portrayal of the cowboy was hyper-masculine, virile, rugged, and quick with their guns. Anything else was seen as less than a cowboy. Even romance novels play to this trope, not realizing that homosexuality was common in the Old West. When it came to the open range, things weren't so straight when it came to the cowboy's culture.

It's hard to consider the possibility for some that cowboys can be gay. Obviously, there is a huge disconnect in this thinking. There are gay rodeos and historical references that cowboys had no problem shacking up with another man. While some may consider this idea a problem in their history, it seems that it wasn't a problem for those cowboys involved.

It seems that cowboy sexuality was a lot more fluid than many thought. After all, that rugged and manly cowboy you see may prefer the touch of another man over a woman's. It surprised me as to how real it actually was in the culture. Having written a few erotic stories involving cowboys, I've come to realize my fantasy was steeped in historical reality. While I joke about the phrase, Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy," it turns out many were.

While the old folk hero of old was seen primarily as a straight legend, cowboy heritage is often over the rainbow. Hollywood and even regular TV usually portray the cowboy as a passionate man towards women. Whether in the past or today, it seems this wasn't the case.

I've found that it's been proven essential for me to learn about the history of homosexuality, especially in cowboy culture. Since it was considered an all-male society, same-sex relationships were common, even if they weren't spoken about a whole lot. Many would assume another gender role. Even cowboys and miners were seen to have settled into what is considered bachelor marriages.

Even Alfred Kinsey shocked the world by saying there is a higher frequency of homosexuality in rural communities and even remotes the country's areas. Today, you'll find gay cowboys, ranchers, farmers, and others in these areas. They are still the virile and rugged types and deal with nature's wilds, but prefer another man in their lives. For some, sex is sex, but for others, it's more complicated.

Consider this classic western limerick:

Young cowboys had a great fear

That old studs once fill with beer

Completely addle'

They'd throw on the saddle

And ride them on the rear.

While homosexuality has always been there, the western myth of Hollywood has proven detrimental to queer history. It has seemed to use it more for comedy than actual fact. It's hard to say who is more homophobic, the general population, or western movie buffs who grew up with John Wayne. Letting them know of their historic icons I gay could very well possibly get them fired up.

What started as a fantasy about cowboys has become more of an understanding of cowboys' culture and how it has impacted the queer community. When I wrote cowboy Up and Rough Ride, I wrote with fantasy in mine. Even my upcoming story, Rode Hard, is similar. Still, now with this new information, I hope to add more impact to my storytelling. Don't get me wrong, gay cowboys in love and shagging in a stall will still happen, but there will be more meat to the story. See what I did there?