That Was Ray

Come watch the incredible true story of Rev. Raymond Broshears in this short-documentary about his life and the founding of the Lavender Panthers, a gay vigilante group in the 1970's in San Francisco.





Facing violence and anger from both police and thugs, San Francisco's gay community was assaulted and unprotected during the 70's Gay Liberation Movement. After years of seeing his friends, youth and community abused and attacked, Ray became determined to offer protection.





Forming the Lavender Panthers, an armed self-defense group, Ray took to the streets to do the job the police wouldn't. Ray was met with criticism, curiosity and fear as he roamed the streets wearing his cleric's collar and brandishing a shotgun.





In interviews with Ray's friend, Elisa Rleigh, and author Jim Van Buskirk, the nearly 20-minute documentary shows how violence was met with violence to defend the community that many fought and died for. That was Ray uses historical footage, first-hand accounts, and animation to portray the controversial and forgotten figure, Reverend Ray Broshears, dangerous activist and honored leader of American's Gay Rights movement.





The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with the filmmakers Jordan Gorman, Brenten Brandenburg, Kaustubh 'Vick' Singh, along with Susan Stryker (director of the award-winning documentary "Screaming Queens"), Jim Van Buskirk (co-author of "Gay by the Bay: A History of Queer Culture in the San Francisco Bay Area"), and community historian Paul Gabriel.