The 80's proved to be a difficult time for Houston. The AIDS epidemic hit the city at its core. Each week the obituary columns grew larger. A magizine called "This Week in Texas", known as the "twit" provided the state with a very strong realization. Gay men were dying at a very fast rate.

In 1985, Mayor Louis Welch, who while running for re-election, made a famous gaffe by saying inadvertently on microphone that his solution to HIV would be to “shoot the queers.” Once again the GLBT community of Houston spoke out. T-shirts were made with the caption' "Don't shoot me Louie!" and You missed Louie!