Interview with Ray Cunningham

Ray Cunningham was one of eight cast members on season 3 of BET's College Hill reality series. Cunningham is the first openly gay personality to be featured on BET in its 25 year history. Ray gave us an exclusive on gay life at a Historically Black University, old drag phobias and his plans for a gay pride float.

What's the one thing viewers just didn't get about you on College Hill?

The show gave me character and a very positive image at school. The main thing people didn't get about me was why I wasn't more noticeably gay. It wasn't that I was trying to hide anything, but I was being respectful to my family and more importantly, my father. I can still be 'Gay Ray' but be polished and have some dignity. Because I honestly feel that had I fa**ed out on the show I wouldn't have made as much as an impact as I did.

Why did you audition for the show?

Growing up, I always wanted to go on MTV's The Real World but College Hill came along first. I've always dreamed big and always knew in the back of my mind I was going to be on TV. Doing what? That I didn't know. College Hill was my chance to live up to that 'Most Likely to Succeed' superlative I had in high school. Plus, the show's executive producer Tracey E. Edmonds urged me to try out after she meet me on campus one day. That was a sign right there!

What was gay life like on the campus of a historically black university?

Honestly, I wasn't involved in the gay aspect of college life. We had a GLAAD program, but I didn't participate in it. It was mostly lesbians. People knew I was gay. I was known and it wasn't really a secret. People respected me for being a leader and a hard worker, I was in more than five organizations at one time with officer titles. One thing a lot of the other gay guys on my campus strive for, as I did too, was to not let our personal [life] define who we were or what we were capable of doing.

If you could design your own gay pride float what would it look like?

It would be something symbolic of education and promoting the existence of HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). More like a tribute to HBCUs with various pictures of successful gay and lesbian African Americans who are alumni of HBCUs.

Have you ever performed in drag? When and where?

Here's something a lot of people didn't know, I used to be terrified of drag queens! I've gotten comfortable and used to them now with all the traveling I do attending various shows at clubs. But no, the most I've done was put on a heel at a shoe store, just playing around with friends. A man in a size 12 heel is not cute!

What's the one thing you want that you know you just can't have?

Financial freedom! I'm glad to have had the opportunity to attend a wonderful black college and thankful for my father allowing me the best four years of my young adult life, but... Sallie Mae is on me! I owe her money. She's impatient and will not wait! So, once she gets her cash and she's out of my life, I will sleep a lot easier.

Ray Cunningham was one of eight cast members on season 3 of BET's College Hill reality series. Cunningham is the first openly gay personality to be featured on BET in its 25 year history.