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old hollywood lesbians

First lesbian kisses in movies: four stills from Muybridge's The Kiss

The First On-Screen Kiss Was Between Two Women

For fifty years, women were allowed to kiss on-screen — here are some of the best examples before censorship ended an era.

Lisa Laman —

Jun 19, 2024

lost movie reviews from the Autostraddle archives

old hollywood lesbians

All About Eve queer: Two stills of Anne Baxter and Bette Davis one with a red tint

movie reviews

‘All About Eve’ and the Gay Marriage of Careerism

Audiences have long read queerness onto Eve due to her obsession with Margo and a brief moment when she’s seen walking upstairs with her “roommate.” She fits into the trope…

Drew Burnett Gregory —

Apr 9, 2024

old hollywood lesbians

A still of Katharine Hepburn in Sylvia Scarlett

movie features

How the Academy Museum’s Queer Programmer Planned a Tribute to Sapphic Icons

“The audience perception of these actors can be just as important as their actual personal lives.”

Drew Burnett Gregory —

Apr 4, 2024

old hollywood lesbians

prison-industrial complex

Eleanor Parker pleads on her knees with Agnes Moorehead in Caged (1950)

movie reviews

In “Caged” (1950) Lesbianism Is More Than Another Cruel and Unusual Punishment

When the options are be beholden to the state — or, if lucky, to a man — or live a luxurious life of crime, who wouldn’t become a lesbian?

Drew Burnett Gregory —

Feb 6, 2024

featured

old hollywood lesbians

A sparkly blue background with images of Anna May Wong, Marlene Dietrich, and Ava Gardner

movie lists

Actresses Born Before My Grandma Ranked by How Badly I Want Them to Top Me

I am a sucker for a mid-atlantic accent and a beauty in black and white.

Drew Burnett Gregory —

Jan 4, 2024

#affiliatemarketing

old hollywood lesbians

1. A young Greta Garbo in a fur coat looks forlorn as another woman grabs onto her arm. 2. Greta Garbo laughs at a dining table. 3. A young Greta Garbo lies down in a glamorous pose as John Barrymore kisses her cheek. 4. An older Marlene Dietrich dressed in black sits across a table from Spencer Tracy. 5. Marlene Dietrich holds a baby as one man has a hand on the carriage and another man holds up a flower. 6. A young Greta Garbo in a fur coat looks forlorn as another woman grabs onto her arm.

movie features

Watchlist: “The Girls: Sappho Goes to Hollywood” Reveals the Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich Affair

According to Diana McLellan’s seminal book The Girls: Sappho Goes to Hollywood, Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich did a lot more than meet.

Drew Burnett Gregory —

Oct 3, 2023

old hollywood lesbians

personality quiz

Feature Image of quiz results: Talullah Bankhead, Mercedes De Acosta, Barbara Stanwyck, Marlene Dietrich. Row Two: Hattie McDaniel, Katharine Hepburn, Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford

quizzes

Quiz: Which Actress From Early Hollywood’s Sapphic “Sewing Circle” Are You?

It’s the 1920s – 1950s and you’re a queer actor (or writer) — which of these letter-writing pool-owning trouser-wearing secret-keepers are you?

Riese —

Mar 5, 2023

old hollywood lesbians

A collage of tomboys featured in the article

movie lists

You Can’t Convince Me These Early Hollywood Tomboys Weren’t Gay

In honor of formative crush Connie Allenbury, I present to you: An Incomplete List of Hot Tomboy Characters of Early 20th Century Hollywood Who Either Were Or Should Have Been…

Yashwina —

Jan 4, 2022

janet mock

netflix

tv reviews

Netflix’s “Hollywood” is a Land of Dreams — But Does It Earn the Fantasy?

“There’s a once-in-century virus eating away at the fabric of everything we know about how to live, just let the gays kiss for once! Let women of color win the…

Drew Burnett Gregory —

May 4, 2020

LGBT history

LGBT History Month 2017

lgbt history

BREAKING: Alleged Murder Thrusts Actress Libby Holman Back into Loving Arms of Heiress Ex-Girlfriend and We’re So Here For It

When you’re a Broadway starlet indicted for the murder of your wealthy young boyfriend even though it was a suicide, who’re you gonna call? Your wealthy ex-girlfriend!

Riese —

Oct 23, 2017

herstory list

lesbian history list

celebrities (vapid fluff)

“Hollywood Lesbians”: This 1994 Interview Book Valiantly Attempted To Out Over 31 Legendary Ladies

“Numerous Hollywood actresses — Garbo, Gish, Dietrich, Jean Arthur, um, Kay Francis, Stanwyck, Bankhead, Del Rio, Janet Gaynor, etc., etc., — have enjoyed lesbian or bi relationships. Have you ever…?”

Riese —

Jul 17, 2017

herstory list

lesbian history

lgbt history

The Lesbian or Bisexual Heiress: 22 Women Who Had It Made, In Theory

From Winnaretta Singer to Nats Getty, you’ll learn so much in this post and even meet another Mountbatten!

Riese —

Sep 23, 2016

old hollywood lesbians

Most Popular

The First On-Screen Kiss Was Between Two Women

‘All About Eve’ and the Gay Marriage of Careerism

How the Academy Museum’s Queer Programmer Planned a Tribute to Sapphic Icons

In “Caged” (1950) Lesbianism Is More Than Another Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Actresses Born Before My Grandma Ranked by How Badly I Want Them to Top Me

Watchlist: “The Girls: Sappho Goes to Hollywood” Reveals the Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich Affair

Quiz: Which Actress From Early Hollywood’s Sapphic “Sewing Circle” Are You?

You Can’t Convince Me These Early Hollywood Tomboys Weren’t Gay

Netflix’s “Hollywood” is a Land of Dreams — But Does It Earn the Fantasy?

BREAKING: Alleged Murder Thrusts Actress Libby Holman Back into Loving Arms of Heiress Ex-Girlfriend and We’re So Here For It

The First On-Screen Kiss Was Between Two Women

‘All About Eve’ and the Gay Marriage of Careerism

How the Academy Museum’s Queer Programmer Planned a Tribute to Sapphic Icons

In “Caged” (1950) Lesbianism Is More Than Another Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Actresses Born Before My Grandma Ranked by How Badly I Want Them to Top Me

Watchlist: “The Girls: Sappho Goes to Hollywood” Reveals the Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich Affair

Quiz: Which Actress From Early Hollywood’s Sapphic “Sewing Circle” Are You?

You Can’t Convince Me These Early Hollywood Tomboys Weren’t Gay

Netflix’s “Hollywood” is a Land of Dreams — But Does It Earn the Fantasy?

BREAKING: Alleged Murder Thrusts Actress Libby Holman Back into Loving Arms of Heiress Ex-Girlfriend and We’re So Here For It