MOMENT: EASIER SAID THAN DONE

CATHERINE CONNOLLY: My understanding when I first came here …

NARRATOR: Catherine Connolly:

CATHERINE CONNOLLY: … is that I was the first “out” lesbian or gay faculty member on campus. And that was in nineteen ninety-two. So, that wasn’t that long ago. Um, I was asked at my interview what my husband did, um, and so I came out then.… Do you want a funny story?

When you first get here as a new faculty member, there’s all these things you have to do. And so, I was in my office and I noticed that this woman called.… I was expecting, you know, it was a health insurance phone call, something like that, and so I called her back. And I could hear her, she’s working on her keyboard, clicking away. I said, you know, “This is Cathy Connolly returning your phone call.” And she said, “Oh. It’s you.” And I thought, “This is bizarre.” And she said, “I hear—I hear—I hear you’re gay. I hear you are.” I was like, “Uh huh.” And she said, “I hear you came as a couple. I’m one too. Not a couple, just a person.” And so—she was—a kind of lesbian who knew I was coming and she wanted to come over and meet me immediately. And she later told me that there were other lesbians that she knew who wouldn’t be seen with me. That I would irreparably taint them, that just to be seen with me could be a problem.

JONAS SLONAKER: When I came here I knew it was going to be hard as a gay man.

NARRATOR: Jonas Slonaker:

JONAS SLONAKER: But I kept telling myself: People should live where they want to live. And there would be times I would go down to Denver and I would go to gay bars and, um, people would ask where I was from and I’d say, “Laramie, Wyoming.” And I met so many men down there from Wyoming. So many gay men who grew up here, and they’re like: “This is not a place where I can live, how can you live there, I had to get out, grrr, grrr, grrr.” But every once in a while there would be a guy, “Oh gosh, I miss Laramie. I mean I really love it there, that’s where I want to live.” And they get this starry-eyed look and I’m like: If that’s where you want to live, do it. I mean, imagine if more gay people stayed in small towns. But it’s easier said than done of course.

MOMENT: JOURNAL ENTRIES

MOISÉS KAUFMAN: Today we are moving from our motel and heading for the Best Western.

NARRATOR: Moisés Kaufman:

MOISÉS KAUFMAN: My hope is that it is a better Western.

NARRATOR: Amanda Gronich: