Ithaca College

The Out of the Closet and Onto the Screen series at Ithaca College will host a free public showing of the documentary “Pansy Division: Life in a Gay Rock Band” on Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. in Textor 101.

One of the most important and influential gay music acts of the last two decades, Pansy Division pioneered the “queercore” genre — without any major record label support or mainstream radio airplay — long before other gay musicians had the confidence to come out of the closet.

From their first days in San Francisco’s underground music scene to a full-fledged stadium tour with Green Day, founding members Jon Ginoli and Chris Freeman overcame increasingly difficult lineup changes, prejudice and near poverty to keep the group together and create music that has truly made a difference. Using original and archival footage, “Pansy Division: Life in a Gay Rock Band” is a fast-paced, intimate and humorous account of one of rock’s most fearless acts as well as an examination of the issues that faced the gay community in the ’90s.

Featuring interviews and appearances by artists including Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys, Alternative Tentacles), Rob Halford (Judas Priest) and Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day), the film provides an essential history of a genre of alternative music that is only now beginning to be appreciated.

Out of the Closet and Onto the Screen is sponsored by the Ithaca College Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Education, Outreach, and Services. The theme of this year’s series is “Music: From A Cappella to Queercore.” For more information, visit www.ithaca.edu/lgbt.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Lis Maurer at lmaurer@ithaca.edu or (607) 274-7394. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.