Esther Newton Made Me Gay poster

Esther Newton Made Me Gay

2022 · 92 min

Documentary

1.0
not streaming

Trailer

Esther Newton was drawn to the drag scene as a student in the 1950s. Identifying as both butch lesbian and between genders, she felt a kinship with the queens; what the feminine clothing society expected her to wear felt like a form of drag. Her 1972 book ‘Mother Camp: Female Impersonators in America’ is noted as the first rigorous study of its kind. Now entering her sixth decade writing about queer communities, Newton exudes wisdom and a healthy dose of New York no-nonsense. The film’s amazing archive footage encompasses gay liberation, the feminist sex wars, AIDS activism and life on the safe haven of Fire Island. Her other main passion is dog training, so this illuminating history lesson is peppered with poodles!

Crew

  • Director Jean Carlomusto
  • Writer Jean Carlomusto
  • Director of Photography Alex Rappoport
  • Director of Photography Jean Carlomusto
  • Director of Photography David Sampliner

Cast

Crew

External reads

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🔥 Hot takes

warming up the wall…

Intermission

GO DEEPER

Turn the obscurity dial up. There's a lot further down to go.

Deal me more

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