Happy Lesbian Visibility Week! It’s been so reassuring how each year this week comes around that I feel more confident in my identity than the previous year. While realizing I was a lesbian previously caused me strife (and sometimes continues to), it ultimately altered the way I see and interact with the world. I feel that it has given me a lot of strength and community that is truly irreplaceable, and with that community I have gained more knowledge and insight to the rich history of lesbian identities and queer liberation. In honor of this week I decided that I would talk about some of my favorite older lesbian movies. As someone who loves classic film, I have searched desperately over the past few years to find anything with even a semblance of lesbian undertones in it, and I feel that I have been introduced to many eye-opening and complex depictions of lesbianism that might surprise the modern viewer in how relevant they still feel today. First I should preface that while a lot of these movies are ahead of their time, and are relatively respectful, or at least sympathetic when it comes to this subject matter, many of them still display period-typical misogyny, homophobia/lesbophobia, and racism, of which I do not condone. With all that being said, let's begin!
TW for The Children’s Hour:

Homophobia, Bullying, Suicide

The first film that really inspired this write-up was the 1961 drama The Children’s Hour. An adaptation of the 1934 play of the same name by Lillian Hellman (which I also highly recommend reading), is the story of Martha Dobie and Karen Wright, played by Shirley Maclaine and Audrey Hepburn respectively, who have been best friends since college and have recently opened a girls boarding school with their savings.While once having been respected teachers and members of the community, a single rumor started by a spoiled and conniving student goes on to tarnish their reputations, as well as lead to revelations regarding their feelings towards one another. Frankly, I must confess that this is quite a harrowing story that does not leave one feeling particularly happy. However, it is a story that depicts the harsh reality of grappling with one’s sexuality during a time in which there was rarely any empathy for those who betrayed the system of heterosexuality imposed upon them. Specifically for women, as they were only allowed to do so much within society.

Spoilers:

Martha Dobie is specifically such a compelling character, and while the script is well-written itself, it’s Shirley Maclaine’s performance that leaves an indelible impression on not just me, but many others who have seen this film. While Shirley Maclaine has gone on to say that her and the cast of the film did not take the time to fully acknowledge the implications and depictions of lesbianism, it does not come across that way, at least on her part. She delivers such a passionate and sorrowful performance, of a woman who is in a sense “outed” before she even recognized herself that she was gay. She is forced to now question the feelings she has had for her best friend and business partner for over the past decade all while in the public eye, which alters everything that she has centered her life around. I find it so interesting because Shirley Maclaine has said before in the documentary The Celluloid Closet (1996) that if the movie was made in the present day Martha’s character would not break down, but rather fight the system. However, her original performance resonated so deeply with Martha, even though I am around 60 years removed from the societal context of this film. I, as a lesbian in the 21st century, felt just like Martha when I had the same realization about myself, and I felt “dirty” and “sick” just as she describes. I myself felt resentment towards people who I knew would never like me back, or could show their love for someone without fear of ridicule. It truly eats away at you, and makes you feel miles behind your straight counterparts in romantic experience. I cannot over exaggerate how much Martha Dobie’s character means to me, especially as I see other people my age who have accepting parents and who are proudly out. It leaves me with a sense of shame and resentment that is unjustifiable because now I live in a time where I should be more accepted, yet still feel so trapped. I think that's why I find these older movies so relatable, as I feel that like them I am also hiding such a large part of myself that I am not ready to share.