More Articles | WI LGBTQ History Project

News Articles:

June 02, 2025

Celebrating our 2025 BeSeen Award winners

Three Wisconsin trailblazers honored for 150+ years of community service

May 19, 2025

"Living, Not Just Surviving" honors Cass Marie Domino

Art exhibition runs June 2 - September 12 at the Wisconsin Union

March 09, 2025

Saying goodbye to This Is It

Wisconsin's oldest gay bar -- and one of the ten oldest in the USA -- closed March 9 after six decades of service.

VIEW ALL NEWS

Blog Articles:

May 27, 2025

Ricardo Galaviz: no more sacrificing my authenticity

Growing up within conflicting cultures and identities, Ricky found friends, family and a path forward at Project Q.

May 05, 2025

"Packer" Chad Bowman: from Two-Spirit roots to Milwaukee's rainbow

From wrestling rings to drag stages, Chad reflects on his wild ride through identity, community, and crisis.

May 04, 2025

Diana Mixalakopoulou: gorgeous glimpses of the Golden Age of Drag

Forty years ago, she photographed the legendary Club 219 showgirls for a film school project. Now, the Diana Diary has become living history.

April 22, 2025

Annie Hindle: America's first celebrity drag king

When actresses could be seen but not heard, Annie Hindle conquered the American stage not as a woman -- but as a man.

February 06, 2025

Didi Darnell: celebrating the last showgirl

As a lifelong artist, costumer, and drag performer, Ken was the last survivor of a legendary cast of characters.

November 30, 2024

Del Slowik: celebrating the Golden Age of Club 219

A chance encounter on a Milwaukee beach ignited the romance of a lifetime -- and launched a legendary gay nightspot's 25-year reign.

November 16, 2024

Goldie Adams: never take freedom for granted

After forty plus years of drag performances, Goldie shares her colorful story for the first time.

October 28, 2024

Honey LaBronx: an unstoppable force for social change

After a lifetime of self-acceptance, resilience, and activism, Ben made his childhood dreams come true in New York City.

October 18, 2024

Kenya Black Dupree: give yourself a chance to live

As a high school sophomore, she was the first out trans girl to attend Milwaukee Public Schools. Decades later, she shares her triumphant story.

October 13, 2024

Samantha Stevens: the mother of Milwaukee drag

Producing sensational shows with top-tier talent, Samantha ushered in a Golden Age of Milwaukee drag.

July 01, 2024

Janice Toy: living her truth

Growing up in 70s and 80s Milwaukee, Janice triumphed over the challenges in her journey. Now, she wants to pass along what she has learned to others.

June 17, 2024

Shannon Dupree: breaking barriers to be seen

She was told to "stay in her lane." Instead, she chose to break all the rules -- and became a drag legend.

April 12, 2024

Les Petites Bon Bons: the surprise in your Cracker Jacks

Skyrocketing from Milwaukee's South Shore to the Sunset Strip of the '70s, Les Petites Bon Bons became artists in residence in the glitter rock scene, court jesters for rock and roll royalty, and masterful manipulators of mass media.

March 31, 2024

Candi Stratton: confronting the hidden dangers of body work

After life-changing surgery, Candi speaks out against the medical black market and the cultural pressures trans women face.

March 25, 2024

Jerry Dreva: shattering the status quo

Jerry Dreva was a brilliant artist who never owned a gallery. His canvas was the life around him.

March 23, 2024

Eric Wynn: my life as a Club 219 girl

Erica Stevens was one of Milwaukee's most electrifying drag superstars of the early '80s -- until she walked away at the height of her fame.

March 01, 2024

Nik Santilli: rewriting the rules of gender expression

For most of the 20th century, gender expansive people lived in fear of sexual harassment under the mythical "three piece rule." In 1971, the Santilli case changed everything.

VIEW ALL BLOGS