Lea DeLaria on scatting (the jazz sort)

Tell me about your move to San Francisco.

When? Why? How?

Well, it was 1980.

It was because I realized I was queer, so I needed to get out of the Midwest.

I think that's kind of

basically at that day and age

in America, it was illegal to be gay in every state of the union.

I mean, once you realize that you are queer, you get to the coast.

One coast or the other, just get there.

San Francisco had been in the news a lot with a very strong queer movement.

The White Knight riots had just happened.

I thought, San Francisco, that's the place for me.

That's the place.

There was a lot going on.

Harvey Milk was in the news.

All of this was in the news.

You would prick up your ears when you heard something queer.