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Strange Fruit: Inside The Lives Of Gay Gang Members

NY Press

"A house is a gay street gang,” Dorian Corey explains in our favorite movie, "Paris is Burning."

"Where street gangs get their rewards from street fights, a gay house street-fights at a ball."

The House of Corey founder was speaking in metaphor, but as it turns out, there really are gay street gangs. And criminology professor Vanessa Panfill interviewed over 50 of them for her book, "The Gang's All Queer."

Her book focuses on how they formed their gay identity, how (and whether) they came out, and what factors lead them to join or form a street gang. Panfill joins us on this week's show to share what she learned about this part of the gay community, and how they negotiate their lives as gay men in gangs.

Laura is LPM's Director of Podcasts & Special Projects. Email Laura at lellis@lpm.org.