Allan Bérubé: Queer Media Pioneers | This Way Out Radio Episode #1954
- This Way Out
- 59 minutes ago
- 8 min read
The late historian Allan Bérubé documented in Coming Out Under Fire (1990) how queer soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines have always been a vital part of military readiness. He revealed in a 1983 talk that the first queer news source in the United States was published at an airfield in the deep South more than 80 years ago (produced by David Hunt).
And in NewsWrap: Burkina Faso’s military junta outlaws same-gender sex for the first time in the nation’s history, Pope Leo XIV intends to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps when it comes to the queer community, Moroccan feminist/human rights activist Ibtissame Lachgar is heading to jail for more than two years for wearing a “Allah is Lesbian” t-shirt, four people arrested for attempting to restore the rainbow crosswalk near the Pulse Nightclub Memorial in Orlando, Florida are released as others continue to chalk the street, world-famous diving champ Greg Louganis plunges into a journey of self-discovery in Panama, and more international LGBTQ+ news reported this week by Lucia Chappelle and Michael LeBeau (produced by Brian DeShazor).
All this on the September 8, 2025 edition of This Way Out!
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Complete Program Summary
for the week of September 8, 2025
Allan Bérubé: Queer Media Pioneers
NewsWrap (full transcript below): The West African nation of Burkina Faso criminalizes same-gender sex for the first time … high-profile Jesuit Reverend James Martin says after meeting with Pope Leo XIV that the current pontiff intends to continue his predecessor Pope Francis’ supportive outreach to LGBTQ people … Moroccan feminist/queer rights activist Ibtissame Lachgar is sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined the equivalent of 5,000 U.S. dollars for a “blasphemous” photograph she posted online of her wearing a t-shirt that reads “Allah is Lesbian” … four activists are arrested for restoring the rainbow to the crosswalk near Orlando, Florida’s Pulse Memorial … proudly out multi-medaling Olympics diver Greg Louganis sells some of his medals, his home, and most of his other possessions after he decides to move from Southern California to Panama to “start anew” [with audio excerpts from his Instagram posts] (written by GREG GORDON and LUCIA CHAPPELLE, produced by BRIAN DeSHAZOR, and reported this week by LUCIA CHAPPELLE and MICHAEL LeBEAU).
Feature: The obscure 1983 British dramedy Privates on Parade tells one story of World War II-era drag performers in the military. The late gay historian Allan Bérubé told another one. This Way Out’s DAVID HUNT recalls a presentation by Bérubé coincidently around the same time that movie came out, and he was fascinated to learn that the modern queer press actually began with a couple of soldiers known for their hit drag shows in the early 1940s. It was 14 years ago this month that the U.S. government repealed its “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” prohibition against out active-duty gay and lesbian service members. As we speak, transgender service members are being eliminated by the Trump administration — an administration also bent on erasing any trace of minority representation in history. So it’s a fine time to document the legacy of LGBTQ+ people in the military and their role in building a foundation for queer journalism (intro’d by an excerpt from the trailer for Privates on Parade, and with internal music by ADAM DIB and ANTHONY LAZARO).
NewsWrap
A summary of some of the news in or affecting
LGBTQ communities around the world
for the week ending September 6th, 2025
Written by Greg Gordon and Lucia Chappelle,
reported this week by LUCIA CHAPPELLE and MICHAEL LeBEAU,
and produced by BRIAN DeSHAZOR
Burkina Faso is outlawing same-gender sex – the signature of military junta President Ibrahim Traoré is a foregone conclusion following the unanimous vote of the unelected 71-member transitional parliament. The ban on queer sex is a first for the Northwest African former French colony. Amendments to the Persons and Family Code passed on September 1st prohibit what Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala called “homosexuality or similar practices, as well as bizarre behavior.” The punishment is up to five years in prison and fines of up to the equivalent of 17,800 U.S. dollars. Bayala also said that foreign repeat offenders would be deported.
Amnesty International Regional Director for West and Central Africa Marceau Sivieude welcomed some of the Family Code reforms. The minimum age for marriage is set at 18. Gender discrimination in inheritance rights is eliminated because consent between two parties is established as the basis of marriage. However, Sivieude called the inclusion of the criminalization of same-gender sex “alarming.” He says that the ban violates the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that the country has previously ratified.
Human Rights Watch has also expressed concerns ever since the junta took power three years ago. The international organization charges the new government with what it calls, “serious abuses, further degrading [the country's] human rights and humanitarian situation."
African LGBTQ activist actor, playwright and poet Frank Malaba finds it typical for a government he says is “facing insecurity, poverty and displacement due to conflict with armed groups” to target LGBTQ people as scapegoats. Malaba says, “Today it’s queer people, tomorrow it could be women’s rights, journalists, or dissenters. A government that dictates whom you can love will not stop there.”
Pope Leo XIV intends to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps when it comes to the queer community according to Father James Martin. The New York Jesuit author, editor and advocate had a 30-minute audience with the Pope at the Vatican on September 1st. Father Martin writes on his Outreach blog, “The message I received from him, loud and clear, was that he wanted to continue with the same approach that Pope Francis had advanced, which was one of openness and welcome.” He described the pontiff as “warm, relaxed and serene (and funny).”
Recognizing that Leo’s current priorities include major issues such as peace in Gaza, Ukraine, Myanmar and other hotspots, Martin says he offered five steps for dioceses and parishes to take to welcome LGBTQ Catholics. He suggested that congregations can acknowledge their existence in the church, listen to their testimonies and needs, establish outreach efforts, include them in programs and advocate for them when incidents of violence, bullying and harassment occur.
While some of the meeting was “off the record,” Father Martin could say, “[M]y overall sense is that he ‘gets it’ and that he is ready to continue Francis’s legacy of openness, and that is surely good news.”
Moroccan feminist/human rights activist Ibtissame Lachgar is heading to jail for more than two years for her “Allah is Lesbian” t-shirt. The Rabat Primary Court also imposed a fine equivalent to 5,500 U.S. dollars for violations of the country’s laws against blasphemy. Defense attorney Mohamed Khattab says an appeal is forthcoming to challenge the 30-month sentence handed down on September 3rd.
Moroccan Association for Human Rights president Hakim Sikouk found the sentence "shocking" and called it an "attack" on free expression. The case has also drawn condemnation from several global human rights groups.
Lachgar is a 50-year-old psychologist/criminologist. Co-founder of the Alternative Movement for Individual Freedoms, she’s well known in Morocco for her activism on behalf of the rights of women and LGBTQ people. She was arrested for “offending Islam” on August 10th, about a week and a half after she posted a picture of herself on social media wearing the “Allah is Lesbian” t-shirt. She’s been behind bars ever since.
Lachgar described the message on her T-shirt to one judge during the proceedings as a "feminist slogan which has existed for years, against sexist ideologies and violence against women... and has no connection to the Islamic faith.”
Lachgar is reportedly being treated for cancer and needs critical surgery on her left arm, but the judges have rejected repeated requests for temporary release. One of her attorneys told Morocco World News, “She could die at any time in prison. We explained this to the court.”
Four people arrested for attempting to restore the rainbow crosswalk near the Pulse Nightclub Memorial in Orlando were quickly released. Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis wrote on social media, “We will not allow our state roads to be commandeered for political purposes,” and ordered all rainbow crosswalks in the state turned back to standard black and white markings. Cities are being threatened with the loss of state funding if they don’t comply.
Activists have been using chalk to restore the rainbow colors to the Pulse-adjacent crosswalk ever since Trump administration officials ordered it painted over on August 20th. Some inscribed phrases like “Right to free speech,” “You can’t erase us” and “Love wins” in spaces between the rainbow colors. Supportive protestors chanted “Shame Shame Shame” as Highway Patrol officers arrested the chalkers. Some supporters then marched about a mile from the Pulse Memorial to Orlando City Hall and chalked rainbows outside the municipal building. A judge refused to pursue charges of criminal mischief and felonious interference with a traffic control device against the four who were detained.
Despite the rain repeatedly washing away the chalked rainbows and the police posting warnings that read “defacing sidewalk prohibited,” the protesters show no signs of giving up.
Finally, world-famous diving champ Greg Louganis is taking the plunge on a journey of self-discovery. He’s auctioned off three of his five Olympic medals, sold his Southern California home, parted with most of his possessions and left the United States for Panama.
A record-breaking Olympian from 1976 and 1988, Louganis publicly came out as gay in 1994 and announced that he was HIV-positive in 1995. He wrote on Facebook that this new chapter in his life was motivated by the recent devastating fires in the Los Angeles area. In his words, “I had many friends, people I was close to, lost everything … I know I am choosing to do this, but their resilience is an inspiration for me to start anew, with an open heart and an open door.” At 65 he also admitted, "I needed the money. While many people may have built businesses and sold them for a profit, I had my medals, which I am grateful for. … If I had proper management, I might not have been in that position, but what is done is done; live and learn."
Louganis went on to explain his decision in Instagram live posts before and after his departure:
[SOUND: Louganis]
Oftentimes, we don't realize how much we hang onto. You know, what I'm also learning now in this process is how much oftentimes we don't realize they weigh us down. Actually, I was discussing that with Michael Phelps, you know, because he heard I auctioned my medals. He said, “How was that?” I said, “You know what? It was, it was, it was a relief.”
I made it to Panama City! I know a lot of friends are wondering if I lost my mind. (laughs) Yeah, it's true, I finally did lose my mind, but I’m trying to find it. I remember last year I was in Paris at the Olympics … it was like, I didn't want to be here -- not that I didn't want to be in Paris, I didn't want to be on this Earth! But now I'm realizing I have things to offer. What that is and what that looks like I have it figured it out and I think that that's what this is kind of about.
World-famous diving champ Greg Louganis.
I'm just embracing the ‘I don't know’ and also staying open for discovery.