Spinnboden Lesbenarchiv, the Research Project ‚Queer Human Rights‘ and the Network ‚Queer Contemporary Histories‘ (both Freie Universität Berlin) present the documentary „Esther Newton Made Me Gay“ in cooperation with Kino Central.

We are super excited that Esther Newton will be available for a Q&A after the film. Unfortunately due to illness she can not visit Berlin in person, but we will connect her digitally after the film (with Lara Ledwa from Spinnboden and Andrea Rottmann from FU Berlin).

Tickets available via pre-sale

About the film:

A feature documentary about a pathbreaking cultural anthropologist, dog agility enthusiast and iconic butch lesbian. Now entering her eighth decade writing about queer communities, Esther Newton’s life’s work has influenced generations of activists and scholars.

ESTHER NEWTON MADE ME GAY explores the life and times of cultural anthropologist Esther Newton. Throughout her career, Esther was a pioneer – questioning and challenging status quo assumptions on gender, sexuality and anthropological methods. Her work inspired generations of scholars to pursue research in what would eventually become the field of LGBTQ+ and Gender Studies.

The film tells her story of awakening to gay life in the 1950’s, the women’s liberation movement and lesbian-feminism, drag culture and forging a butch identity which for her is now in conversation with trans-masculinity.

Directed by Jean Carlomusto, 2022, 92 minutes, English