Mae West: Queer Politics

MAE WEST wrote “The Drag” and was proud to put “seventeen fairies on stage.” Banned in her era, the play has been making the rounds anew. This is Part 3 of 4 parts.
• • “The Drag” by Mae West in D.C. on Friday, 7 June 2019 • •
• • Mae West's progressive queer politics • •
• • Sarah Hookey wrote: “The Drag” was written in collaboration with West's cast of gay male actors and expresses Mae West's progressive queer politics. After previews in Connecticut and New Jersey, "The Drag" was Broadway-bound but was banned by the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice. West and her cast were arrested on charges of obscenity for her Broadway production of "Sex," a sentimental drama about a self-sacrificial sex worker.

• • Sarah Hookey wrote: The gay community in 1920s New York was quite visible and integrated with thriving drag and ball scenes, but Broadway remained leery about police enforcement, denying openly gay actors principal parts. Because of "The Drag" and "The Captive" (a slightly earlier lesbian drama by Edouard Bourdet that appeared on Broadway), New York State passed a law prohibiting the representation or discussion of homosexuality on the stage.
• • Mae West's work challenges the silencing of gay voices • •  . . .  
• • “The Drag” by Mae West in D.C.  will be concluded on the next post with Part 4.
• • Source: Broadway World; published on Tuesday, 21 May 2019.
• • On Thursday, 28 June 1934 • •
• • On Thursday, 28 June 1934 this article appeared in the Nevada State Journal as well as other newspapers in the USA and abroad.
• • "It Ain't No Sin," starring Mae West, Hit by Churchmen • •
• • NEW YORK, June 27, AP — — A Mae West movie of the same type that established the swaggering actress as the premier screen siren and one featuring Dolores Del Rio as the French Madame du Barry became the first victims of a militant church campaign for decency in pictures. ...
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Jennifer Jones is stealing Mae West's switchy walk.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I'd like to be on television. It would give me a chance to come up and see you some time."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Forbes mentioned Mae West.
• • Beth Bernstein wrote: On screen, legendary actresses from the early 20th century until the present day have peaked our fascination with diamonds.
• • Beth Bernstein wrote: Mae West dripped in diamonds in real life and on celluloid. As the burlesque, bejeweled ‘Lady Lou’ in “She Done Him Wrong” (1933) based on her stage character of Diamond Lil, West wore her diamond bracelets stacked and her necklaces layered.  …
• • Source: Forbes;  published on Wednesday, 3 April 2019
• • The evolution of 2 Mae West plays that keep her memory alive • • 
• • A discussion with Mae West playwright LindaAnn LoSchiavo — — 
• • http://lideamagazine.com/renaissance-woman-new-york-city-interview-lindaann-loschiavo/

• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 14th anniversary • •  

• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past fourteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 4,200 blog posts. Wow!  

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fourteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4245th blog post. Unlike many blogs, which draw upon reprinted content from a newspaper or a magazine and/ or summaries, links, or photos, the mainstay of this blog is its fresh material focused on the life and career of Mae West, herself an American original.

• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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• • Photo: • • Mae West • • "The Drag" was raided in 1927 • •
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