Tony, who starred in Andy Warhol’s Pork in 1971, takes listeners backstage as he reveals the creative chaos, the risks, and the high-creativity environment he and others lived in during the gay liberation revolution. His stories offer insight into the dramatic intersection of art and excess and demonstrate how Off Broadway thrived.

Catch Cherry Vanilla, Tony Zanetta, and August Bernadicou in conversation on Zoom on March 29, 2026, at 3 PM ET / 12 PM PT. Register: lgbtqhp.org/intermission.

Aside from music, Cherry Vanilla collaborated with some of the most provocative and culturally important artists of the time, including her work in Pork (a raucous, surrealistic off-Broadway play by artist Andy Warhol). Cherry has continued to be a defining influence on anyone interested in creating daring, performative art and music during this creative era of New York City in the 1970s.

Catch Cherry Vanilla, Tony Zanetta, and August Bernadicou in conversation on Zoom on March 29, 2026, at 3 PM ET / 12 PM PT. Register: lgbtqhp.org/intermission.

The readers for this event included August Bernadicou, Hucklefaery, Mike Payne, Will Shellhorn, Shelby Black, Joe E. Jeffreys, Perry Brass, Jane Held, and more. Each reader contributed their unique voice to a collective moment of remembrance and continuation of his legacy. What came from this evening was not nostalgia but the living history of an individual: chaotic, not yet complete, and very present.

Rumi talks about being a groupie, sex and celebrity, proximity to genius, and life lived entirely on his own terms — including stories that could only come from him. The episode closes with Rumi’s notorious single “White Slavery” and an invitation to keep his legacy moving forward, including Rumipalooza on January 22 at Bureau of General Services–Queer Division in NYC. This is queer history as it actually sounded — unruly, unforgettable, and impossible to sanitize.

This episode highlights not only the effects of renouncing one's notoriety but also how an individual can choose to remain anonymous while having a legacy that continues to grow in his absence. Rumi Missabu truly made the greatest comeback since Lazarus.

Listeners will hear about blood and ink on the streets of New York, experiments in identity and power in Berkeley, and the struggle to redefine what it means to be “us.” This isn’t just history; it’s the heartfelt rhythm of change. Tune in to see how saying “we exist” turned into saying “we will be free."

You’ll hear how a simple act—offering someone a couch—was twisted into a legal weapon against him. His reflections reveal the nightmarish absurdities of entrapment laws, the weight of public outing, and the resolve it takes to push back against a system built on hiding. Tune in to walk beside a pioneer who knew early on that, if even living openly was dangerous, that was precisely the point.

There were fires—literal and metaphorical—that threatened his church, courtroom battles, and protests in the street. Through it all, he held onto something radical: that God loves us all, fully and without apology. Tune in to witness faith as resistance and prophecy as sanctuary.

In this episode, you’ll hear about his fear, his courage, and how he chose writing joy, inclusion, and love over silence. His legacy isn’t just in the pages of a magazine—it’s in every life he lifted up and every unheard voice he amplified.

Adrian’s voice is hopeful, defiant, and deeply personal—equal parts spiritual artist, former Mormon priest, and radical educator. He’ll challenge what you thought you knew about LGBTQ+ history, insisting that youth from the Tenderloin, not just well-heeled homophile groups, helped spark real liberation. Tune in to feel the energy, the stakes, and the stubborn beauty of queer resistance.

We explore her fearless theatrical sprawl—from absurdist extravaganzas featuring surreal props (ever heard of a 12-foot, water-spraying “…?")—to her punk-glam musical mayhem wowing audiences as she shrieked, shrunk teddy bears, and stomped the stage with unapologetic fury. Ruby reinvented queer performance art as an act of joyful defiance, and in this episode, you'll feel every glittery, outrageous second.

From the tumult of the 1970s to the urgent challenges facing LGBTQ+ communities today, Don’s reflections remind us why liberation is never finished—and why queer love, rage, and imagination remain unstoppable forces for transformation.

More than camp and glitter, their stories reveal a revolution in art and identity—where theater was free, gender was fluid, and every show was an act of defiance and love. Step into their kaleidoscopic world and discover how these visionary artists turned performance into liberation.

From underground meetings to brave public declarations, these trailblazers recall the risks, raw emotion, and fierce solidarity that powered the movement and carried queer liberation from the margins to the mainstream.

Many enduring symbols that establish an instant understanding and define a diverse community are intrinsically linked with controversy, confusion, and ill-informed backstories dictated by vested interests and those who tell the story loudest. The LGBTQ+ Rainbow Flag is no different. 

While it was the work of many, the people who deserve credit the most have been minimized, if not erased. A woman named Faerie Argyle Rainbow (as per her driver’s license!) was one of the main movers. During this time, she was a member of the Angels of Light, a free-theater performance troupe whose members were forced to reject credit for their work. She proposed the idea for the Rainbow Flag, was the original dyer, and managed the whole kit and caboodle. After the 1978 flag’s debut, she moved to Japan. When she returned, the flag was everywhere (as it should have been), but the damage was done. There is more than enough credit to go around. We celebrate and respect everyone who played a role. 

This three-part oral history series features Faerie Argyle Rainbow, as well as John Serrian, Paul Langlotz, Lee Mentley, Adrian Brooks, Dan Nicoletta, Randy Alfred, and Bethany the Princess of Argyle. 

Many enduring symbols that establish an instant understanding and define a diverse community are intrinsically linked with controversy, confusion, and ill-informed backstories dictated by vested interests and those who tell the story loudest. The LGBTQ+ Rainbow Flag is no different. 

While it was the work of many, the people who deserve credit the most have been minimized, if not erased. A woman named Faerie Argyle Rainbow (as per her driver’s license!) was one of the main movers. During this time, she was a member of the Angels of Light, a free-theater performance troupe whose members were forced to reject credit for their work. She proposed the idea for the Rainbow Flag, was the original dyer, and managed the whole kit and caboodle. After the 1978 flag’s debut, she moved to Japan. When she returned, the flag was everywhere (as it should have been), but the damage was done. There is more than enough credit to go around. We celebrate and respect everyone who played a role. 

This three-part oral history series features Faerie Argyle Rainbow, as well as John Serrian, Paul Langlotz, Lee Mentley, Adrian Brooks, Dan Nicoletta, Randy Alfred, and Bethany the Princess of Argyle. 

Many enduring symbols that establish an instant understanding and define a diverse community are intrinsically linked with controversy, confusion, and ill-informed backstories dictated by vested interests and those who tell the story loudest. The LGBTQ+ Rainbow Flag is no different. 

While it was the work of many, the people who deserve credit the most have been minimized, if not erased. A woman named Faerie Argyle Rainbow (as per her driver’s license!) was one of the main movers. During this time, she was a member of the Angels of Light, a free-theater performance troupe whose members were forced to reject credit for their work. She proposed the idea for the Rainbow Flag, was the original dyer, and managed the whole kit and caboodle. After the 1978 flag’s debut, she moved to Japan. When she returned, the flag was everywhere (as it should have been), but the damage was done. There is more than enough credit to go around. We celebrate and respect everyone who played a role. 

This three-part oral history series features Faerie Argyle Rainbow, as well as John Serrian, Paul Langlotz, Lee Mentley, Adrian Brooks, Dan Nicoletta, Randy Alfred, and Bethany the Princess of Argyle. 

Rumi was an original member of the late 1960s San Francisco hippie performance troupe, the Cockettes. The Cockettes were high-action, out-front, out-of-the-closet entertainers, and the satiric cutting edge of the first wave of the Gay Liberation. Rumi left the Cockettes after a year and a half, traveled to Canada, moved to New York, and then hitchhiked home to San Francisco. For 35 years, he lived without a government ID, work record, and social security number. His only form of identification was an expired San Francisco library card that said “Rumi Missabu.” Everything had to be done on his own terms. Cue the mystery and rumors. People thought he was in the gutter and then forgot he existed. His legacy was on the verge of being erased by his transient, underground life. 

Episode 4 of Season 2 of The QueerCore Podcast is about how a crazy Cockette wasn’t going to play by any rules, even if that meant he was arrested. 

Side note: You can visit lgbtqhp.org/store to purchase our new book on Rumi. It's whacky and wonderful, with shocking twists and turns. Can you imagine living completely underground? Only in San Francisco can an actor pull off their greatest performance—surviving without a trace.

After her friend nearly died from a botched abortion attempt, Michela threw herself into activism by joining The Redstockings, a group that was fighting to legalize abortion in New York State. She became an early member of the Gay Liberation Front, the pioneering activist group that kickstarted a mass movement after the Stonewall Rebellion. During her time in the Gay Liberation Front, she took on the Mafia. They even put a gun to her head! 

She has also been involved in numerous other activist groups, such as the National Organization for Women and the Radicalesbians. Michela's artistic contributions gained recognition with her iconic poster for the first Gay Pride march in 1970, which boldly proclaimed, “I am your worst fear. I am your best fantasy.”

Episode 3 of Season 2 of The QueerCode Podcast is also about a feisty Italian woman who didn’t care who you said you were. She ain’t even scared of the Mafia!

Perry is an author, editor, and OGL (Original Gay Liberationist) known for his contributions to queer literature, including editing and publishing the Gay Liberation Front’s magazine, Come Out. In 1972, he co-founded the Gay Men’s Health Project, which evolved into the Community Health Project, and then, through the AIDS epidemic, into Callen-Lorde, one of the largest healthcare providers for LGBTQ people in medical need. Through his numerous books, essays, and articles, Perry explores themes of identity, sexuality, and social justice. In addition to his literary work, Perry is actively involved in advocacy, dedicating himself to amplifying queer voices and fostering inclusivity. His efforts have significantly shaped the LGBTQ literary landscape.

Discover the inspiring story of a man on the move who was born into the challenges of being too Jewish, financially strained, and gay. Overcoming assimilation tendencies and intrinsic disadvantages, he manages to advance gay liberation ideologies without losing himself along the way. It is a tale of resilience, self-discovery, and exploring the delicate balance between identity and advocacy.

Inspired by the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements, Martha found herself in the heart of feminist fervor in New York City, actively participating in feminism’s Second Wave and helping create Gay Liberation. In 1967, Martha joined the New York City chapter of the lesbian homophile organization, the Daughters of Bilitis, of which she later became president. However, things quickly changed! She was too brash and radical for a lesbian homophile group. Assimilation? No! In the aftermath of the June 28, 1969 Stonewall Riots, Martha co-founded the Gay Liberation Front, the pioneering gay activist group that kickstarted a mass movement. Folks, Gay Liberation Fronts were everywhere: Europe, Australia, and all across the States! 

Martha Shelley's story is an inspiring testament to the interplay of chance and intentional choices. It demonstrates that life can be shaped by both and dedicated to the relentless pursuit of equality and social justice. Episode One of Season Two of the QueerCore Podcast is all about how a woman stood up to the world and said, no, no, no! I don’t want a piece of your pie. I want to destroy the bakery.