Montrose Star celebrates 50 years of LGBTQ+ entertainment, arts and cultural events

1976-2026: FIFTY & FABULOUS

By Johnny Trlica, Nancy Ford and SA Tripi

In challenging times, we may be navigating personal struggles, economic shifts or simply feeling overwhelmed by daily stress. Many people find stress relief by picking up a newspaper. There is still something special about holding one in your hand and getting a little black ink on your hands, perhaps while sipping on a cup of coffee or sitting at a table or bar waiting on a friend or date to arrive.

Holding a physical newspaper offers a tactile, focused, and immersive experience that contrasts sharply with digital consumption. For fifty years, The Montrose Star has been offering its readers a way to boost their knowledge, improve their mental health, and connect to their community.

Here is a brief synopsis of the Montrose Star’s past, present, and future.

PART I: THE PAST

In the summer of 1976, if you were at home on a Tuesday night, you were watching Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley, the top two shows on television that year. Ruling the radio airwaves was Elton John and Kiki Dee’s “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” which held the #1 spot for much of July and August.

In the White House was President Gerald Ford, who had replaced scandal plagued Vice-President Spiro Agnew and then replaced Richard “I am not a crook” Nixon as U.S. President. In Austin, Dolph Briscoe, a Democrat, was Governor and, in Houston, Fred Hofheinz was mayor.

We got our news from broadcast network evening newscasts, local TV and radio stations, and newspapers like the Houston Post and Houston Chronicle. Cable TV, the internet and smart phones were still several years away.

In an effort to fill a void of LGBTQ+ news and information, a brand-new newspaper appeared in July: The Montrose Star, founded by publishing legend Henry McClurg. A few other publications were around before 1976, most notably TWT. This Week in Texas was a statewide publication that rolled out its first issue about three months before the first Montrose Star. In that first issue, editors described TWT as “a Gay business and entertainment guide, published weekly and distributed free of charge in gay businesses throughout the state of Texas.” TWT was well known throughout the community for their distinctive bumper stickers. In 2013, TWT published its final edition.

The first issue of Montrose Star published in July 1976

The first issue of Montrose Star dated July 16-22, 1976, featured recording artist D.C. LaRue on the cover. His music was successful in clubs and on dance music charts worldwide during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Also featured on the front page was a story about a retired Army Major General, conservative politician and gubernatorial candidate charged with making sexual advances toward a plainclothes park patrol officer at a park in Dallas. The more things change the more they stay the same.

Inside the paper was an article titled, “Syphilis Among the Gay Community is Put at Around 4%.” Part of the article said, “Figures released Tuesday, July 13, (1976), by the City of Houston Health Dept. showed that 4% of gay people tested over the past four months through blood test tables at bars, baths and bookstores, unknowingly had syphilis.”

Looking at the article through post AIDS crisis eyes, it is easy to see that this may have been a precursor of dark days ahead for our community.

A few of the advertisers in that issue were gay bars Mary’s, Venture-N, Briar Patch, and leather bar The Filling Station, Mini Park All Male Theatre, R.U.1.2. (a bookstore) and Union Jack (a clothing store).

The first Montrose Star even had a Television Log. One listing of note was for 10 p.m. on Saturday night on KHTV, channel 39. It reads, “[39] Houston Wrestling: this program not recommended for 5-year-olds, but is recommended for adults with 5-year-old minds.” The Star had attitude from the start!

Henry McClurg started and published several LGBTQ+ newspapers throughout the years and is credited with having contributed the most to bringing gay and lesbian news to Houston.

In an interview for a Rice University Oral History Project in 2012, McClurg summed up why publishing was so important to him.

“I figured my publications had a purpose, to do good, to educate people and to educate our community,
let them know what is going on and be proud…not be ashamed that you’re gay.”

The Montrose Star was Houston’s first “gay newspaper” with a focus on news. McClurg always considered himself a newsman and took great pleasure and pride in starting several papers and internet projects.

In March of 2010, McClurg sold the Montrose Star to the current owner and publisher of the Gay & Lesbian Yellow Pages, Laura Villagran. The paper added a focus on LGBTQ+ entertainment, arts, and cultural events and expanded coverage to Galveston, the Bay Area, and Houston.

(On a personal note, it was Henry who encouraged me to write for the paper. We were sitting next to each other at the 611 Hyde Park Pub when I mentioned to him that I had written a series of short stories about my mother, who had passed away a few years earlier. He asked to read one and, upon doing so, asked if he could print it. I was flattered, so of course, I agreed. That led to an invitation to write a regular column for the Montrose Gem, another one of his publications, and eventually, the Star. The rest is history.)

Under Villagran’s leadership, The Montrose Star continued to offer the Houston area’s LGBTQ+ community its very own source for entertainment news and articles of interest on a bi-weekly basis. Beginning in the 1990s and accelerating in the 2000s, LGBTQ+ print newspapers and magazines began to disappear, due to a shift to digital publishing and declining print ad revenue.

Covid dealt a blow to the Star, as it did to many other businesses, and the Star missed a few issues. With hard work, hand-wringing, and lots of determination, the Star returned as a monthly news magazine and continues with that format to this day.

In the 50 years since the first issue of The Montrose Star hit the streets, no less than 30 Houston based LGBTQ+ publications have come and gone. Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley both ended production over 40 years ago. Agnew, Nixon, and Briscoe are long forgotten.

And The Montrose Star still hits the streets on the first Wednesday of every month.

PART II: THE PRESENT

Still, she persisted

Laura Villagran reflects on a lifetime of entrepreneurship, publishing, and community connection.

It’s unusual to describe a child as an entrepreneur, but that description fits Laura Villagran like a glove. She was an entrepreneur long before she ever started her first business.

Born in Chihuahua City, Mexico, Villagran moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico, after her mother married an American and the family relocated to the States. When she was only six years old, Villagran began displaying that entrepreneurial spirit: One of her favorite games was pretending to be a store owner, serving customers and managing her imaginary company.

By the age of nine, Villagran was helping with small production jobs in her family’s printing company, including finishing wedding invitations and assisting with various printing projects. Those early experiences instilled a strong work ethic and provided a firsthand understanding of customer service, deadlines, and the value of quality work.

An exceptional student, Villagran graduated from high school at just 16 years old. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from New Mexico State University by age 20, then completed a Master of Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign at 23.

After moving to Houston in August 1985, Villagran quickly embraced the city’s vibrant and diverse communities, developing a special appreciation for its LGBTQ+ community and the
entrepreneurial spirit that characterized the city’s growth during that era.

“When I arrived in Houston, the community was in the midst of the AIDS crisis and faced widespread discrimination,” she said. “Today, LGBTQ+ people are far more visible in business, government, media and everyday life. While challenges remain, the progress has been remarkable.”

A pivotal chapter in her professional development came in the late 1980s when she joined a public relations firm. There, Villagran learned the fundamentals of effective sales and relationship-building while gaining valuable experience in public relations, media relations, marketing, community outreach, and client communications.

“Those skills have served me throughout my career,” she said. “That position taught me that successful selling is about more than just closing a deal — it is about understanding people, building trust and creating mutually beneficial opportunities.”

Creating tools, saving lives Armed with the skills she gained through her education and that first
job, Villagran launched her publishing career, founding the Gay & Lesbian Yellow Pages (GLYP) in 1990. For nearly three decades, GLYP provided advertising, marketing and promotional services to clients throughout Texas, then the U.S. and eventually worldwide. It also provided the community with a tool to identify and financially support gay and gay-friendly merchants and services.

“GLYP was born out of necessity,” Villagran said. “During the AIDS crisis, I saw firsthand how difficult it could be for LGBTQ+ individuals to find doctors, businesses and service providers who would treat them with dignity and respect. I wanted to create a resource that connected people with welcoming businesses and caring professionals.”

GLYP’s impact on a community devastated by disease, fear and homophobia became clear when a mother from San Antonio called the GLYP office in tears to thank Villagran.

“Through the directory, she found professional help for her struggling gay son,” Villagran said. “Knowing that our publication may have helped save a life confirmed that we were doing important work.”

Even though Villagran had been actively involved with the LGBTQ+ community as publisher of GLYP, she chose to wait until 1995 to come out to family and friends.

“It wasn’t easy,” Villagran recalled. “Some people accepted me, while others distanced themselves. But living authentically was one of the most important decisions I ever made, and it strengthened my commitment to serving the LGBTQ+ community through my work.”

Catching a falling ‘Star’

In 2010, Villagran expanded into the newspaper industry by purchasing the Montrose Star. Henry McClurg, the local paper’s owner/publisher, had revived the publication after the closure of the Houston Voice, another LGBT weekly newspaper.

“It was important to preserve one of Houston’s oldest LGBTQ+ media institutions,” she said. “Publishing the GLYP had shown me how important community-based media could be. The Montrose Star already had a rich history dating back to 1976, and I did not want to see that legacy disappear. I believed Houston’s community deserved a publication that celebrated its culture, promoted its businesses and connected people to events and resources, and to one another.”

Asked to pinpoint a favorite story that stood out with her in 16 years as publisher, Villagran said there are too many to count.

“There have been many memorable stories in the Montrose Star over the years, but the stories that stay with me most are those highlighting ordinary people making extraordinary contributions to our community,” she said. “The Star has always been about preserving our history and giving a voice to people whose stories might otherwise go untold.”

Reflecting on her decades of publishing, Villagran said the biggest change has been transitioning both the resource directories and the Montrose Star from exclusively print media
to a combination of print and digital communication.

“Readers now consume information differently, and publications must adapt while still maintaining the community connection and local focus that make them valuable,” she said.

The beat goes on

Ultimately, Villagran’s greatest triumph, she said, has been helping build resources that genuinely improved lives.

“Whether through the Gay & Lesbian Yellow Pages or the Montrose Star, we’ve connected people with businesses, healthcare providers, community organizations and support services. Knowing that our work has helped individuals and families is incredibly rewarding.”

That legacy of connection has also come with its share of frustration, as many LGBTQ+ publications across the U.S. have disappeared due to economic pressures and changes in the way readers access information. Optimistically and realistically, Villagran said she recognizes that community journalism “remains essential, but it faces tremendous challenges.”

Despite the ups and downs, the professional isappointments and personal betrayals, she said she wouldn’t hesitate if she had it to do all over again.

“Publishing has allowed me to serve communities I care deeply about,” Villagran said. “Our greatest strength is resilience. The LGBTQ+ community has faced enormous obstacles and yet continues to build supportive networks, create opportunities, and advocate for equality.”

Villagran noted that our community’s “weakest link” may be complacency.

“It’s important that younger generations understand the struggles and sacrifices that came before them. We all must continue working to protect the rights and progress that have been achieved,” she said.

After nearly five decades of professional leadership, when most people might welcome retirement, Villagran said she plans to continue publishing, promoting businesses, supporting community organizations and preserving LGBTQ+ history.

“There are still many stories to tell, many people to connect with, and many opportunities to strengthen the communities I serve,” she said.

That little girl from Chihuahua. has reason to be proud.

Publisher Laura Villagrán

III THE FUTURE

50th Anniversary – WHERE WE ARE HEADED

As we celebrate 50 years of the Montrose Star, it is only natural to reflect on where we have been, where we are today, and, most importantly, where we are going. The history of this publication is deeply intertwined with the history of Houston’s LGBTQ+ community—a story of resilience, courage, perseverance, and hope. Looking ahead, we see even greater opportunities to inform, inspire, and connect people in ways that strengthen both our community and our nation.

Recently, I heard a familiar song from La Cage aux Folles—Jerry Herman’s powerful anthem, I Am What I Am. Listening closely to the lyrics reminded me why this newspaper has endured for five decades. Its message is timeless: dignity, authenticity, strength, and belonging. Those values have guided the Montrose Star since its first issue in 1976, and they will continue to guide us into the future.

The next chapter of the Montrose Star will be louder, stronger, and bolder. We will continue bringing our readers the stories that matter—community news, arts and entertainment, health and wellness, business, culture, history, and the voices that too often go unheard. Sometimes we will celebrate with humor and joy. Other times we will confront difficult issues with honesty and determination. Through it all, our purpose remains unchanged: to serve people and strengthen communities.

We envision a future where the Montrose Star not only reports on progress but helps create it. We want to shine a light on those who are making a difference, support local businesses and organizations, preserve our history, and provide a platform for meaningful conversations. We will continue exploring new ways to reach readers through print, digital media, social platforms, podcasts, and emerging technologies, while never losing the personal connection that has always been at the heart of community journalism.

As we move forward, our commitment extends beyond informing our readers. We aspire to be part of the solution for those facing hardship—the hungry, the unhoused, the isolated, and those searching for acceptance, opportunity, and hope. We believe that strong communities are built when people care for one another, and we intend to use our voice to encourage compassion, understanding, and positive change.

The LGBTQ+ community has come a remarkable distance over the past fifty years. Rights once thought unattainable have been secured. Voices once silenced are now heard.

Yet the work is not finished. The future calls upon us to remain vigilant, engaged, and united. It also calls upon us to celebrate our victories, honor those who came before us, and inspire future generations to continue building a more equitable world.

We are optimistic about what lies ahead—not only for the LGBTQ+ community but for America itself. Our nation has always moved forward through the efforts of people willing to stand up, speak out, and work together for a better future. Diversity, inclusion, innovation, and opportunity make our communities stronger and our country more vibrant.

As we begin our next fifty years, we do so with gratitude for everyone who has been part of this journey—our readers, advertisers, contributors, community leaders, volunteers, and friends. You have helped sustain a publication that has informed, entertained, advocated, and connected people across generations.

The story of the Montrose Star is still being written. There are new voices to amplify, new milestones to celebrate, new challenges to overcome, and new dreams to pursue. We invite you to join us as we continue this journey together.

The future is bright. The future is diverse and inclusive. And the best chapters are yet to come.

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