Singing the Gender-Bending Blues

Object Details

Copyright

© Smithsonian 2016

Description

Gladys Bentley loved women, wore men's clothing, and sang bawdy songs that would make sailors blush...and did it openly in the 1920s and 1930s. This was long before the gay rights or the civil rights movements, yet Bentley became a darling of the Harlem Renaissance alongside icons like Langston Hughes and Josephine Baker. While her provocative performances kept her from becoming as well-known as her peers, they are exactly why she is being rediscovered—and admired—today. In celebration of Women's History Month, we follow the life of a trailblazer who was unapologetically herself at a time when she would’ve been acutely aware of the risks.

Duration

26:58 MINS

Author

Smithsonian Institution

Subtitle

Gladys Bentley loved women, wore men's clothing, and sang bawdy songs that would make sailors blush...and did it openly in the 1920s and 1930s.

Size

38.9 MB

Data Source

Smithsonian Institution

Uploaded

Wed, 13 Mar 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Creator

Smithsonian Institution

Type

Sound recordings

Podcast

MIME Type

audio/mpeg

See More From Collection

Sidedoor

Topic

Smithsonian Sidedoor

Record ID

podcasts_2e343b555132cd9b3443fe9ef3fa2fc9

Usage

Usage conditions apply