UNC Story Archive recording with Kent Parks: The Story of Us7 items
Date Deposited: 2021-02-24
Collection: UNC Story Archive (70096)
Collection Number: 70096
Finding Aid: https://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/70096/
During two remote recording session, Kent Parks (Class of 1985, MSIS class of 1997), describes how he found, and flourished in, Carolina’s LGBTQ community. The social gatherings, nights out, and philosophical discussions were “a necessary part of growing up and coming Out” because “all these people who had hidden a part of themselves...[were]…... Read more
During two remote recording session, Kent Parks (Class of 1985, MSIS class of 1997), describes how he found, and flourished in, Carolina’s LGBTQ community. The social gatherings, nights out, and philosophical discussions were “a necessary part of growing up and coming Out” because “all these people who had hidden a part of themselves...[were]…suddenly finding each other”. Parks recounts how “Blue Jeans Day” was one of the highlights of the Carolina Gay Association’s (CGA) “Gay Awareness Week” activities, how “The Queen Mother” and others would leave cryptic messages in the Daily Tar Heel (DTH) personals, how the Sigma Alpha Gamma’s “campy fun drag pageants” continue to this day, and how certain phrases were used in his circle of friends. The threat of homophobia persisted on campus and Parks explains how “the biggest homophobic incident I experienced in college, which was actually quite devastating” affected him and a service fraternity pledge he befriended. Parks also shares how “homophobia really reared its head again [because of AIDS]”.Read less