Ray Broshears and the Lavender Panthers: A Forgotten Chapter in Queer History

In 1973, Ray Broshears, a gay preacher in San Francisco, took an unusual step to protect the LGBTQ+ community in the Tenderloin neighborhood. He formed a street vigilante group called the Lavender Panthers. Broshears told a reporter that his intention was to instill fear in those who assaulted members of the gay community. Despite his controversial reputation and militant approach, Broshears’ initiative highlighted the gaps in safety and care within a homophobic society.

The Lavender Panthers set a precedent for future mutual aid movements within the queer community. While still relatively obscure today, the group has been documented in a few comprehensive sources. One such source is a 2018 article in Newsweek by Eric Markowitz titled “The Most Dangerous Gay Man in America Fought Violence With Violence.” At the time, neither the Lavender Panthers nor Ray Broshears had Wikipedia pages, but this has since changed.

Reverend Ray was known for seeking publicity to advance his cause. He contributed articles to local newspapers and orchestrated dramatic stunts, like a fake crucifixion outside a business accused of anti-gay discrimination. These actions alienated him from mainstream gay rights activists of the time but ensured the Lavender Panthers’ place in historical records.

Many other queer defense organizations, including those for lesbians, trans individuals, and people of color, operated discreetly to avoid adverse attention. Consequently, much of their history has been lost.

For those interested in further details about the Lavender Panthers, Sonja Anderson’s article “The Controversial Gay Priest Who Brought Vigilante Justice to San Francisco’s Streets” in Smithsonian Magazine is an excellent resource, along with Eric Markowitz’s Newsweek article.

Abi Inman, a comic artist and animator, is part of NPR’s Visuals team. Her work can be found on Instagram at @abiinman or on her website, abiinman.com.