Deflowered: My Life in the Pansy Division, by Jon Ginoli
In the early 1990’s— before "Ellen" came out, before "Bound," and before congress passed DOMA— Jon Ginoli founded Pansy Division, the first openly gay punk rock band.
Even in a movement built on questioning the power structure, in a town like San Francisco, this was a radical move.
Pansy Division faced the kinds of violent reactions The Sex Pistols faced when they toured the South. Audiences spit at them from the pit and assaulted them outside.
But like the Sex Pistols, Pansy Division spit and fought right back.
The Pansy Division was part of a flowering of queer culture that led to the Queercore movement, ACT-UP, and Queer Nation. They toured with Green Day and won passionate devotees all over the world
Jon Ginoli himself narrates, with PANACHE!
--Willow Pennell
