Josh Goyne, a.k.a. “The Gay Cowboy,” is a teenage bull rider and LGBTQ activist from Australia’s Central Coast. He lives in rural Australia, which still has a problem with homophobia, and which he is no stranger to.
“Today I was asked if I thought it was good that gays died of AIDS, and then the guy said he wished it was 1850 so he could shoot me for being a fag,” 18-year-old Goyne said in a recent video posted to his Facebook page.
“Kudos to you mate,” Goyne replied. “You’re a real prick and I hope everything that comes to you is karma.”
Regardless of how you may feel about rodeos, wishing a gay teenager death by AIDS is not OK. Luckily, Goyne, who came out when he was 15, is not letting the threats get the best of him.
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“They think they’re gonna silence me, but there’s no chance in hell,” Goyne says in the video. “They think they’re gonna stop me from riding in this week’s rodeo, not a chance in hell. I will proudly stand up to any homophobe and say right to their face that I’m a proud openly gay cowboy.”
Goyne says he alerted police about the threats and says he will not be intimidated by anyone. In fact, his tagline on Facebook is, “Homophobia. It stops with me.”
“I will happily give a voice to those too scared to speak up,” he says.
In an interview with news.com.au, Goyne says the response to his video has been “99.9% brilliant,” adding, “I’ve even had straight cowboys say they will help me out at the rodeo and stand with if I have any trouble.”
“Rural Australia has a terrible problem with homophobia,” he says. “It needs to stop.”
Watch Goyne’s Facebook video below.
h/t: Outsports
ChrisK
I remember hearing some story on Vice about some rural place in Australia where they routinely killed gay men with no police intervention.
tdnte
https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/gay-panic-is-still-a-murder-defence-in-some-states-of-australia This article?
I know this may be controversial, but the people that say that are really probably just acting out. And although its not our job to educate them, most of them drop that bullshit once you actually talk to them.
mujerado
If it’s not job to educate them, whose job is it? I’ve been a gay activist for almost 50 years, and it sure as hell is our job. Nobody else will do it for us.
wombat
The law in Queensland has just been changed. Quotes from the Queensland Attorney General
MAR 22, 2017 — Dear Father Paul and petitioners,
I am pleased to announced that the Queensland Parliament has just passed legislation which removes the so-called “gay panic” defence from the Criminal Code, honouring a Palaszczuk Government election commitment.
The Criminal Code Law Amendment Bill amended section 304 of the Code, removing unwanted sexual advance as a partial defence of provocation for murder.
Queensland’s criminal code must not be seen to condone violence against the gay community, or indeed any community.
The passing of this legislation sends an important message that discrimination is not acceptable and that we value the LGBTI community.
Bearinphx
Kudos to you mate! I am EXTREMLY PROUD to read your story and watch your video. Don’t ever back down from anyone, and thank you for speaking up for those who are too afraid to speak out, for whatever reason. You will go far in life, because you surely don’t suffer from low self esteem! You are my kind of cowboy! You’re a REAL MAN.
silveroracle
I echo that.
Good for you.
Curtispsf
Keep on fighting the good fight, mate. Go get ’em cowboy. /|\
arcoarconcio_passivy
Good Cawboy it´s Good ! Sorry it´s he ahs he last the last perfil face perfil face cawboy TEXAS Arizonas LasVegas our my the last very last perfil eyes look face it´s ! Byby It´s lol Austrilier Fest Horses Rodeios Music Cauntryd Horses Primier yes the eayah ! He is the like life fan page fan the heart´s the DIVA LÁ DIVA MDNA MADONNA Music it´s your Music . yes no too not no yes .
Felecia
As a 54 year old lifetime lesbian who has experienced violence and hate, it is so thrilling to see young LGBT people stand up and DEMAND that the homophobia stops…my generation and those before me were terrified to be outed; the consequences of losing everything was too frightening for us. Hearing this handsome young cowboy tell the world ‘I’m here, I’m queer…and the only bullshit I will deal with had better be from the steer that I’m riding’ made me laugh with joy, lol…I read Queerty to keep in touch with what our LGBT community is up to, from the gay male perspective…you are my Rainbow Brothers, and I love and support all of you…Josh Goyne, you are incredible…I’ve seen plenty of ‘Marlboro Men’ faux cowboys just wearing the western gear like a costume, in the bars and clubs. You, sir, aren’t just a dressed-up hunk ( I may not be into men, but I know what sells with the guys) making the boys sweat and tingle at your presence, lol…you are a real, live, cowboy and so awesome to hear about; it gives me solace that our fight to be recognized as humans, not freaks, is alive and well all around the world…thank you for standing up to the bullies and the Hating Straights, lol….G’day, mate !!!
arcoarconcio_passivy
My Married Am I Despert my heart´s sweet dont´s mil belevier Am I love you love the for you CawboyCauntry Austriler Face Top it´s Sit Green Florest Austriller Sindeny it´s .
Doughosier
Good for him!
Peter-Michael
This kid is a pain in the neck…he uses the gay cowboy tag for his own advantage and does little or nothing for the gay community. You shoulf ask him how he went about suing a gay bar because he got groped by a barman….he sent screaming to the press and facebook and charged the barman and bar owner with sexual harrassment!!!!! Give me a break!!!
ChrisK
Unfortunately not shocking.
Lvng1Tor
I’m not familiar with the case you are talking about but as far as doing “little or nothing for the gay community” just being out and visible in a sport that routinely not only rejects us but demonizes us is doing as hell of a whole lot. And for that lil gay kid living on a farm…it means the world. We live in a world where where only 3% of gay men actually give to a gay community center…3%! and the rest think that b!tching on facebook or queerty count as activism…No, this kid is doing something.
As for the case, I’ve watched first hand and was even that kid who had older doormen or bar staff, patrons etc…think that they had the right to touch me, push me and try and manuver me into sexual situations as if it was a right of passage. It’s not, it is sexual assault. just beacuase the perps are gay doesn’t excuse or mean that he did something against the community for calling it out. I’m not saying it happened to him…but it happens all too often and is swept under the rug or excused as boys will be boys and it’s not right.
Jim Guinnessey
The USA has rednecks and Australia has its bogans.
jhon_siders
If he wants a bear daddy ILL take him in !!!
He BGB
Australia Must be like Georgia where Atlanta is gay friendly but everywhere outside the city is ignorant and redneck. I mean Sydney has the most popular gay pride in the world.
phallictomato
“I mean Sydney has the most popular gay pride in the world.”
I’ll say! I went to the 2017 Sydney LGBTQIA+++++ mardi gras, and I was so jealous of the huge turnout. It made the Auckland Pride Parade look tiny – and that’s with a population of 1.5M – compared to Sydney’s 5M+ people. It makes me kinda sad that New Zealand doesn’t get such a big turnout, but I think it’s because of our population 🙁 So I guess I’ll have to wait like… 20-30 years before we get something as big as Sydney’s. It was so awesome. And so many sexy men! My god… The lifesavers… they made me want to drown on purpose! And I’m not into sports or anything, but after seeing the gay rugby players, I think I all of a sudden want to watch rugby 😉
judysdad
Love this kid, and he’s adorable to boot.
anthony_valdez
Well This Cowboy will be in the US next weekend and will be bull riding at the Texas Gay Rodeo he has done a bike ride in Australia for Charity and and is still a teen. He has a go fund me page to help him get to the US. We are proud to host him in Texas and make his dream come true to Bull ride with other Gay cowboys. It takes a lot of guts to bull ride and lots of training, we hope he has a great ride a good score and makes his mark in the Rodeo. If your interested in seeing him Ride come to The Rodeo in Denton Texas at the End of the Month. You can find more information on the TGRA website for hotel and rodeo grounds to attend. Its family friendly with food and entertainment.
BriBri
He’s hardly strapping but I wouldn’t kick him out of the barn for eating crackers.
ChrisK
Yeah, I don’t know why the writer felt the need to add “strapping” since it means big and muscular and he’s hardly that.
t
Strapping and studly yes, but more adorable to me. The accent fulfills the fantasy for me. What I wouldn’t do!
charlie_dimaggio
He makes me proud! Good for him. I wish him all of the best, and should he come to America, he can stay with me!
phallictomato
I love gay cowboys 😀 it’s the fantasy of many gay men – including me. You tell those homophobes! The funny thing is, those who are usually the loudest, most anti-gay homophobes, are the ones looking at the most gay porn (be it guys on guys, or girls on girls, either way it’s still gay porn). So keep up the good fight and you tell em’! You sexy cowboy!
Latinoguy00
I ‘d just like to say hello and to Thank this young, proud, strong openly Gay Cowboy and probably a very talented one at that. Being a beautiful man on the inside as well as the outside, young, openly Gay, Proud and well adjusted man
Facing the terrible history of homophobia in Queensland, Australia, and in his daily life can’t be an easy thing for any human being.
He is most definitively a role model for all of the other young Gay men and women, boys and girls in Queensland, Australia and across the world.
He is a shining example for Our Community and he is certainly a tremendous source of pride and admiration for me.
I hope that others who see this will take a moment to let him know just how proud we are of him , as well as letting him Know just how much he is supported. I will continue to follow this strapping young rodeo man sending to him via this medium and all of the good Karma and positive thoughts I can.
And least I forget, I must say to him.
Thank You!
Cheers and good luck in your next rodeo!
Latinoguy00
Glynn
Josh Goyne I think I love you