Events › 2025 Arizona Virtual Author Series

Join on Zoom for a virtual author talk! Dr. Nicholas Villanueva, Jr. will speak about his book, Rainbow Cattle Co.: Liberation, Inclusion, and the History of Gay Rodeo.

At first glace, the rodeo may not seem like a critical space for gay liberation; yet, Villanueva argues just the opposite. While the gal liberation movement is associated with urban areas, the rodeo has long been overlooked as an essential site for expression, particularly when it comes to questioning assumptions about gender, heterosexuality, and Western culture. The rodeo became a space for insisting on full participation in sports and a platform to fight against the AIDS epidemic.

Interested in viewing other Arizona Author talks? Follow this link to see recorded presentations. 

This program is provided by the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State.