PUNK PUNK PUNK
Talking about Our G-G-G-Generation(s) by Granny Anarchy
I generally try to stay off most social media, partially because I can be prone to doomscrolling. This weekend, however, I did get distracted by some relatively irrelevant feedery: yet another post about which generation has had it the worst. (Sometimes it is which generation is the worst, which is the flip side of the same coin.)
This post argued that the Silent Generation, born between 1928 and 1945 (about 16.5 million in 2023), had childhoods shaped by the Great Depression and suffered devastating trauma from World War II drafts and deaths, plus reintegration and rebuilding afterwards. The Silent Generation also made up the largest number of troops serving in the Korean Conflict...all without the benefit of modern awareness or therapy.
Baby Boomers, 1946-1964 (70.1 million in 2023), were also drafted for Vietnam and saw great societal upheaval through the Civil Rights era, sexual liberation, political scandals, and economic downturns. This cohort saw such events as the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King; the Cuban Missile Crisis; Jonestown; Kent State; the Stonewall Riots; Watergate; the 1973 gas crisis and a later energy crisis in 1982-1983 - both of which led to recessions.
Generation X (which includes Granny Anarchy) is the generation that emerged between 1965-1980 (65.35 million in 2023) and often self-identifies as the forgotten generation. They experienced a high rate of parental divorce and absent parents, thereby creating a nation of "latchkey kids" who saw themselves home from school
and supervised themselves. Those kids now also take care of their own children and their aging parents. Gen X grew up during the Cold War - they were not drafted, but absorbed the message that they could be annihilated via nuclear bomb at any moment.
Generation X remembers AIDS, a crack epidemic, the Challenger disaster, the Iranian hostage crisis, the Oklahoma City Bombing, Rodney King, stagflation, and Three Mile Island - not to mention school-sanctioned dodgeball games and odd media fears of quicksand.
Millennials, 1981-1996 (72.7 million in 2023), faced high student debt and a disappearing American Dream as home ownership became less affordable. A large cadre entered the workforce around the time of the 2008 Great Recession. (They were not, of course, the only generation who dealt with that).
Millennials grew up as school shootings became more and more common. Their generation - as well as those before - saw 9/11, COVID, and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
This doesn't even take into account Gen Z, born 1997-2012 (69.3 million in 2023), and Gen Alpha (42.75 million so far). These generations are facing stagnant wages in a gig economy without benefits and increasing wealth inequality. Gen Z is also experiencing cults of personality, the dismantling of social systems such as rural health care and national weather monitoring, political instability, resource depletion and supply chain disruption.
I think it's pretty clear that each generation is dealing with its own trauma - and I don't believe in competing for how deep or infected each wound is. There's little benefit in comparing grief. None of these lists include the benefits or accomplishments of each generation.
Eleven of the twelve men who walked on the moon were from the Silent Generation, which also includes John Lewis, Gloria Steinem, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash.
Baby Boomers include Freddie Mercury, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Wozniak, Ray Kurzweil, and Gail K. Naughton (inventor of synthetic skin). They also include Dean Kamen (who invented the implantable insulin pump and portable dialysis machine), and Robert Jarjik (the inventor of the artificial heart). Boomers invented the microwave oven and digital camera.
Generation X includes Kurt Cobain, Trent Reznor, Spike Jonze, Kevin Smith, Douglas Coupland, Elizabeth Wurtzel, Hakeem Jeffries, and Tammy Duckworth. This generation developed the public World Wide Web and early social media as well as participating in the heyday of DIY punk and zine culture. Both Gen X and Millennials have pushed for ethical consumerism.
Prominent Millennials include Serena Williams, Alexandria OcasioCortez, Janelle Monae and Donald Glover. They have given us rideshare apps, streaming services and social media. They are also known for prioritizing social diversity and work-life balance. (I will always thank Millennials for turning me on to avocado toast and matcha lattes - and how to not feel guilty when I enjoy them).
Gen Z is rediscovering "retro" hardcopy ownership and sustainability, and includes spectacular young innovators such as Easton LaChappelle, who developed more affordable and customizable 3Dprinted robotic limbs. Gen Z includes Zendaya, Malala Yousafzai, Greta Thunberg, Lil Nas X, David Hogg, Billie Eilish, and Simone Biles.
Instead of focusing on faults, Granny suggests that, for the most part, we are all in this crazy world together, and it might behoove us to remember that "everyone is suffering from something.” We all have something unique to offer, and when we unite in a common goal our actions can be quite powerful.
PrideThenandNow
The first recorded Queer Pride event in Oklahoma City was an informal gathering of people taking part in the local tradition of painting what was known as the “Graffiti Bridge.” Many people painted the bridge for graduations and various celebrations, so why not make some community art there to celebrate Pride? Others were not happy about it.
Several folks claimed that the police would arrest anyone who was involved, leading to some worrying that this would be the end of the Graffiti Bridge. (Spoiler alert, it was not; the Graffiti Bridge tradition lasted a while longer).
The first OKC Pride Parade came a few years later. As soon as the plans became known, with the required permits submitted and so on, a handful of religious communities and the Ku Klux Klan loudly complained about the idea. Anti-gay protestors were annoyed to find that they had to stay in designated areas along the parade route. The Klan were dismayed to find that, while they had boasted about assaulting those who were taking part in the parade, there were more attendees than they anticipated. They ended up leaving without further incidents.
(animated video with original audio from a personal history interview)
In 1989, a tradition of displaying banners around the city began with designs related to the Olympics. According to contemporary sources, there were no issues around the banners – just one application that was almost approved –until 2001, when an intense legal battle ensued over banners referencing Gay and Lesbian Pride. The city had initially approved the banners but then took them down and instituted new policies about what kinds of content would be allowed. The uproar was only calmed by the eventual involvement of the American Civil Liberties Union and a federal judge’s ruling that the newly implemented policies were unconstitutional. Even then, the grumbling went on for a couple of years longer. Those against the Pride banners compared them to similar signs being made to promote bestiality, the Ku Klux Klan, Neo-Nazis, or illegal activity.
Thanks to James Nimmo and his late partner, Donald Chabot, we now have one of those banners in our collection: Number 36, according to the small red print on the top right corner (although it’s unknown exactly how many were made or used in 2001). Now it serves as a tangible reminder of the struggle for representation and visibility.
There are, of course, many more stories that could be told about queer identity and pride in Oklahoma. Many of the problems of yesteryear continue today – assumptions and stereotypes, unaccepting or downright hostile reactions, hate crimes, biased child custody battles and more. But that's part of why at least once a year we gather and celebrate that, in spite of everything, we’re still here...loving each other, creating community and making history every day.
Remember, there is no measure of “you must be this queer” to attend, but allies are guests of the community. If something is not to your taste or causes you to clutch your metaphorical pearls, instead of making a fuss, take a breath, and remember the wise words of Dr. Frankenfurter: it’s not made for you.
89thStreet
8911NWesternAve(OKC) 89thstreetokc.com
BeerCityMusicHall 1141NW2nd(OKC) beercitymusichall.com
BlueDoor
2805NMcKinleyAve(OKC) bluedoorokc.com
BlueNote
2408NRobinsonAve(OKC) okcbluenote.com
Bookish
1005NW36thSt(OKC) shop-bookish.com
Criterion
500EastSheridanAve(OKC) criterionokc.com
Core4Brewing 7NLeeAve(OKC) core4brewing.com
DiamondBallroom
8001SEasternAve(OKC) diamondballroom.com
FactoryObscura 25NW9thSt(OKC) factoryobscura.com
GrandRoyale 1749NW16thSt (OKC) instagram.com/grandroyaleokc
JonesAssembly 901WSheridanAve(OKC) thejonesassembly.com
VENU
OKCider
705W.SheridanAve(OKC) okciderco.com
Opolis 113NCrawfordAve(Norman) opolis.org
ThePetShop 1529LinwoodBlvd(OKC) thepetshopokc.com
Ponyboy 423NW23rdSt(OKC) ponyboyokc.com
ResonantHead 400SW25thSt,SuiteA(OKC) resonanthead.com
Resonator 325EMainSt(Norman) resonator.space
TheSanctuary 1012NIndianaAve(OKC) facebook.com/thesanctuaryok 51stStreetSpeakeasy 1114NW51stStreet(OKC) 51stspeakeasy.com
TowerTheatre 425NW23rdSt(OKC) towertheatreokc.com
ZooAmp 2101NE50thSt(OKC) okczooamp.com
Movies You Probably Haven’t Heard About
(that are free via the library)
Holiday (1938)
Queer icons Katherine Hepburn + Cary Grant
The most Millennial plot ever, straight from the 1930s
Ignore the summaries, they’re not worth it
The Linguini Incident (1991)
Bicon David Bowie, a former child prodigy escape artist obsessed with the Houdinis, and her bff who designs self-defense bras decide to rob the schmaltzy restaurant where they work.
Oscar (1991)
Tim Curry!
Marisa Tomei!
Technically about Sylvester Stallone as a mafia boss attempting to make an honest living for the first time. Slapstick hijinks ensue.
Matinee (1993)
A thoughtful look at the ways that horror movies help us cope with fear and the unknown IRL, and A movie about a b-movie creature feature overflowing with gimmicks opening in a small Florida town holding its breath during the Cuban Missile Crisis
Undertaking Betty (2002)
Second chance romance
Christopher Walken as a man who wants to put the FUN back in funeral
The Jerry Springer Show kinda serves as a Greek Chorus for all of the drama
The Fall (2006)
Lee Pace
GORGEOUS (not just Lee Pace – all of it)
An early-Hollywood stuntman tells the story of a western movie he was just in, seen via the eyes of his audience (the young daughter of orange pickers) as an epic global fantasy starring the people around them Bring tissues, you will probably cry
From Our Inbox
Hello, I read your last edition of UMAmi and on the venue page it has the Sanctuary listed as 21+. I’ m one of the volunteers there. We are an all ages venue and always have been. -Sabine
Thanks for the correction, Sabine! We eventually figured out this was an oops made in the process of updating the Venues page (the 21+ from the Speakeasy stayed put when we moved the rest!), and it should now be fixed.
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Monthly Collaborative Playlist
Ask for a collaborator link, send us your picks for either playlist, or drop us a line via IG (@MetroSpecialCollections), FB (the OK UMA group & Metro SCR page), or email at Oklahoma.UMA@gmail.com
AMA Roadies Edition
What’s one random song that’s been stuck in your head recently?
“Movin’ Right Along” from The Muppet Movie lol...but also “Dance” by Slayyyter. -Zoe
Right now "Saturday Savior" by Failure is resonating in my brain because we rewatched the documentary "Every Time You Lose Your Mind" on Hulu. Failure ALWAYS makes me think about the criminally underrated and underplayed band Hum; my favorite song of theirs "The Pod" kind of encapsulates the more noise-oriented shoegaze (rather than the more ethereal dreampop gothy 80s shoegaze oldsters often define.) I'm always listening to Skating Polly, so that's often in my head, especially "Little Girl Blue and the Battle Envy" or "Lost in Outer Space". (I've also been listening the HECK out of Dehd, DIIV, Holy F*ck, Momma, and Swervedriver.)
My earworms change over the course of the day, but my current frequently played list includes: “Bad Indian” - Dead Pioneers / “Miracle Drug” - Draag / “Carcinogenic” - IDLES / “Look How Far We Haven't Come” - Modest Mouse / “Descartes, Rage” - Sprints / “Got Nuffin'” - Spoon -Granny Anarchy
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Saturday Night Special.” -la pêche punkette
“I Love Other People Even When I Don’t Know Them,” by Boy Jr. -Jackalope
Artemas dropped his most recent mixtape “getting up to no good” in March. I am just getting around to listening to it, and it is in my head nonstop!! Top songs are “i kinda like how u know just how beautiful u are,” “psychokiller,” “time alone w u,” “other lovers,” and “i’d like to crawl inside your mind.” -Primal Oppossum
Got a question? >>> Oklahoma.UMA@gmail.com