SAN DIEGO—Next weekend, the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus brings to life the songs that made the 1990s so mega-spectacular with their show Wow! The Chorus Sings the ‘90s. It was a pivotal time in gay history as the AIDS crises forced American culture to cartwheel out of the closet and into a new era of openness.
There were a few bumps in the road and a lot of kicking and screaming! So, in honor of that momentous decade and the people who made it so extraordinary, we present the top 10 gayest moments of the decade, The Gay ‘90s:
1. MTV bans video for Madonna’s “Justify My Love,” because of same-sex kissing, nudity and sexual content. Watch it now anytime on YouTube! (Nov. 6, 1990)
2. Despite his 1990 hit song “Freedom ’90,” George Michael lost some of his freedom when he was arrested in a Beverly Hills public restroom for “engaging in a lewd act” with an undercover policeman. (April 7, 1991)
3. The red ribbon used to symbolize AIDS awareness is first worn publically by Jeremy Irons at the Tony Awards and is everywhere by the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert a few months later in London. (June 2, 1991)
4. San Diego born 6’ 4” model and drag queen RuPaul releases the super smash “Supermodel (You Better Work)” helping launch a career of fame, fortune and runway projects! (June 8, 1993)
5. The U.S. Department of Defense institutes its ill-fated “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy forcing gay service members to serve in silence. Boys across America held their G.I. Joes a bit more tightly that night. (Dec. 21, 1993)
6. President Bill Clinton signs into law “The Defense of Marriage Act” restricting marriage to one man and one woman. Hillary learns to perfect her icy stare. (Sept. 21, 1996)
7. After months of joking that she was Lebanese, Ellen DeGeneres comes out on her TV show before 42 million viewers causing national shockwaves and making the cover of Time magazine. (April 30, 1997)
8. HBO’s Sex and The City premiers, giving everyone a hankering for Cosmopolitans, high-heeled Manolos and their own “Mr. Big.” As an added bonus, we’re introduced to Samantha, TV’s first gay man in a straight woman’s body. (June 6, 1998)
9. Will & Grace premiers on NBC becoming the gayest show ever on network TV. The best episode—“A Chorus Lie”—features Matt Damon as a closeted straight man trying to sneak into the Manhattan (LA in real life) Gay Men’s Chorus. (Sept. 21, 1998)
10. Cher releases “Believe,” her first number one hit since 1974’s “Dark Lady.” The auto-tuned masterpiece becomes Billboard’s number one song of 1999. Gay boys around the world rejoiced the return of the 52 year-old diva. (Oct. 19, 1998)
Tickets to Wow! The Chorus Sings the ‘90s are now on sale at sdgmc.org or by calling the Garfield Theatre in La Jolla at (858) 362-1348. Shows are Saturday April 5 at 8 p.m. and Sunday April 6 at 3 p.m.
