Being gay, dressing up in your little trousers and suit, you could easily get yourself murdered.
The Mafia protected them.
For my Film Still I took inspiration from my extensive research into subcultures within the period of the 1920’s. In my findings I came across a history that is not well represented or known of, which is the history of the Queer community and that of Drag Kings in that time. Drag Kings is a name given to the members of the LGBT+ community of the time, whom dressed in masculine drag as performance artists. These individuals would dress in drag to personify male gender stereotypes as part of an individual or group routine. However, this was not the only reason, many members would dress in drag as a way of passing as a male gendered individual.
I drew my stills inspiration from this community and their relationship with the Mafia. In the 1920’s members of the LGBT+ were subject to discrimination, violence and rejection from society. Thus, the Mafia formed a relationship with the Lesbian Community and offered them protection and in return they would perform in their clubs.
I was inspired and touched by this history and the unexpected coexisting relationships of the Mafia and the LGBT+ Community. I felt that I wanted to recreate a moment from that time and create a form of representation which depicts this lifestyle which has already been so heavily unrepresented.
Featuring life partners; Carla Meyer-Kleynhans and Lee Kleynhans.
