Out in Oak Lawn: A Queer History of Dallas
Out in Oak Lawn: A Queer History of Dallas is a student-produced podcast series focusing on the history of the Oak Lawn neighborhood in Dallas, Texas. Using archival sources and interviews with past and present queer icons, we are telling the stories of how Oak Lawn became a queer hotspot. Season 1, released in 2023, explores the early history of Oak Lawn, queer cowboy culture, businesses and nightlife, the lesbian experience, political activism, and the what the neighborhood is like today. Season 2, released in 2025, explores AIDS activism, trans history, public art, drag culture, the Cathedral of Hope, and the Dallas Voice. Our hope is that this series ensures that Oak Lawn’s history will not be lost due to the passage of time.
Episodes
Introducing Out in Oak Lawn: A Queer History of Dallas, a podcast about one of the largest gayborhoods in the US.
Oak Lawn Today discusses the current state of Dallas's gayborhood, as well as current issues within it. We discuss gentrification, Drag Bans, and restrictive laws that affect the LGBTQ+ community. We also explore the potential birth of a new gayborhood in North Oak Cliff.
Select Sources for this Episode:
City of Dallas Office of Historic Preservation
Acting Out shows the history of Texan activism in the Oak Lawn Neighborhood. This episode discusses the history of HIV/AIDS in Dallas, the “Gay Robin Hood,” and prominent activists in the queer community.
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Conversation/interview between Chance West, Louise Young, and Don Baker on DGPC
Dick Peeples Interview with Dr Phelps
Girl’s Night Out discusses the disappearances of lesbian bars throughout the country and explains why Sue Ellen’s, the lesbian bar in Oak Lawn, has remained open and thriving. In this episode, the listener will understand the inclusivity of lesbian spaces and learn the histories of male privilege and lesbian history.
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Proudly Open for Business takes the listener on a journey through the businesses of the Oak Lawn neighborhood. It will inform the listener of past and present queer businesses within the neighborhood, including the Station 4 nightclub, the Curious Times bookstore, and the Crossroads Market general store.
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Out in the West asks us to ponder, what is the significance of Oak Lawn’s location within Texas? By taking the listener inside the Round-Up Bar and Saloon, and to patrons who frequent Vaquero bars, the listener will become more knowledgeable about the relations and similarities between queer and western culture.
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Oak Lawn: The Formation of a Queer Community, discusses the early history of the Gayborhood. With the running theme of community, the listener will hear what Oak Lawn was like pre-community with regular police raids and attacks on queer individuals. The listener will then hear about the creation of the community. By highlighting the the first gay support group, the Circle of Friends and the queer church the Cathedral of Hope, the l...
This episode covers the history of activism in Oak Lawn during the AIDS Crisis, spanning from the early 80s to the late 90s, and how the efforts and organizations created during this dark period of time for the community are still impacting the neighborhood and greater Dallas today.
Select Sources for this Episode:
AIDS Arms Network Documents, The Portal to Texas History
Black Tie Dinner - 1998 Main Event Second Half Video, The Po...
In this episode, we explore the historic first appearance of transgender icon Christine Jorgensen in the media and the lasting impact she had on the Dallas community. We highlight organizations providing vital healthcare and resources for transgender individuals, including The Resource Center, and examine the current statistics on hate crimes against transgender people in Texas. Finally, we amplify the voices of local transgender a...
Let’s Get Creative explores a few of the different kinds of art within Dallas’s gayborhood. Throughout the episode, we talk about some of the ways the LGBTQ community has used creative expression to instill a sense of belonging and showcase queer joy in Oak Lawn.
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AIDS QUILTS:
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1584434/m1/6/?q=aids%20quilts%20dallas
As the art form of drag is undergoing scrutiny from politicians and the media, we dive into the history of both drag in the United States and the local drag scenes in Dallas and Denton. We get insight into how drag became what it is today, how Dallas' own Rose Room achieved its iconic status, and what the work of past Queens and Kings has enabled the newer generations to achieve.
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The Cathedral of Hope, located in the heart of Dallas, is the largest LGBTQ+ church in the United States. From its beginning to modern day, the Cathedral of Hope has been and continues to be a valuable resource for the community. This episode takes the listener back to the beginnings of Oak Lawn, the history of the cathedral, and the impacts the church has left on the neighborhood along the way.
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In this episode, we explore how The Dallas Voice evolved from just a newspaper into the central thread weaving together a growing queer community in Oak Lawn. Through its reporting and community coverage, the Voice helped residents find one another, organize, and define a shared identity. This is the story of how a neighborhood found its voice in print.
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