“L.A. A Queer History” Makes Its Pacific NW Debut On July 30th

July 21, 2022• byMichael Strangeways

There’s a must see film making its Pacific Northwest debut on Saturday, July 30th…it’s L.A. A QUEER HISTORY a new documentary film about Los Angeles and its importance as a center for the LGBTQ community and for the major role the city played as part of the long battle for LGBTQ+ rights over the last 70+ years.

The Stonewall Riot in New York City in June of 1969 has become the “star player” in the history of that battle but other cities also played a huge role, especially Los Angeles where the Gay and Lesbian Equality movement really first took flight with the founding of the Mattachine Society in 1950, the first publication of The Advocate in 1967 and the creation of the Metropolitan Community Church in 1968 being just three examples of the major role Los Angeles played in the equal rights movement.

Director Gregorio Davila, a former Seattle resident, thought that the rich history of Los Angeles and its LGBTQ+ residents was a story that needed to be told and exposed to a larger audience. Eight years in the making, the film debuted this year to accolades and a roll out nationally at film festivals and special screenings including the Seattle debut on July 30th at Broadway Performance Hall on Capitol Hill.

Via press release:

“New York and Stonewall often receive the most attention when it comes to the history of the modern LGBTQ rights movement, but Los Angeles played an integral role in LGBTQ history,” said Gregorio Davila, director of L.A. A QUEER HISTORY. “I wanted to tell the story of the brave people who were on the frontlines of LGBTQ liberation, their hard-fought battles, and how Los Angeles laid the groundwork for change.”

Through dozens of interviews, rare archival footage, and photos, L.A. A QUEER HISTORY reveals the critical role Los Angeles played in the battle for LGBTQ rights and the many LGBTQ firsts that happened in L.A., including the founding of the first PRIDE organization, the first gay magazine, and the largest demonstration in the U.S. protesting police brutality against the LGBTQ community.

Another pivotal Los Angeles first is the earliest documented use of the term Pride within the context of the gay community. A 1967 protest at the Black Cat against the Los Angeles police department’s brutality, routine harassment, and repeated raids of gay bars was organized by a gay activist group called Personal Rights in Defense and Education, also known as P.R.I.D.E.
A star-studded list of talent provides narration for the film, including Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire, 30 Rock,) Rosario Dawson (Rent, Luke Cage,) Traci Thoms (Rent, 911,) and Daniel Franzese (Mean Girls, Looking.)

“The LGBTQ civil rights movement didn’t start at Stonewall; it started in Los Angeles,” said Davila. “There have been queer activists, artists, and innovators in L.A. since the turn of the 20th century and our community stands on their shoulders. L.A. deserves to take its rightful place in LGBTQ history and how it gave rise to the movement still fighting for change today.”

Tickets are $20 and available online at https://tinyurl.com/yc3zanb7. The screening is at 7 pm with an after party at Saint John’s on Pike Street.

About the Author: Michael Strangeways

As the Editorial Director/Co-Owner, Michael Strangeways writes, edits and does about a million other jobs for Seattle Gay Scene, Puget Sound's most visited LGBTQ news, arts and entertainment website now celebrating its 14th year as a media outlet. A semi-proud Midwesterner by birth, he's lived in Seattle since 2000. He's also a film producer who would like you to check out the Jinkx Monsoon documentary, "Drag Becomes Him" now available on Amazon.com. In his spare time, he gets slightly obsessive about his love for old movies, challenging theater, "otters", vodka, chocolate, "I,Claudius", Lizzie Borden, real books made out of paper, disaster films, show tunes, Weimar era Germany, flea markets, pop surrealistic art, the sex lives of Hollywood actors both living and dead, kitties, chicken fried steak, haute couture and David Bowie. But, not necessarily in that order.