SIMPLER TIMES

This Delightfully Offensive Clip From A 1950s Antigay Documentary Is A Must-Watch

By · 17 comments · Updated on June 8, 2016

UPDATE: 

This is apparently from Women of the World (original title La donna nel mondo), a 1963 Italian mondo film, also described as a “shockumentary”, written and directed by Gualtiero Jacopetti.
In other words, it looks like an Italian filmmaker found the footage, and added the creepy voice over, more as a parody than anything else.
Shockpoitation films like Mondo Kane were big successes in the 1960s, but were often edited in the manner of freak shows, with some titillating moments to bring in the crowds.  Individual scenes might have images that might work as straight documentation, combined with VO that sends it in the horrified direction, to satisfy the fears of the perceived youthful middle-class straight audiences.

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The bitchy narrator of a recently-recirculated, stunning 1950s documentary clip on homosexuality has a few things to say about lesbianism:

“What are the deep-rooted emotions that remove them completely from the company of men, yet at the same time cause them to emulate the masculine appearance, to such pathetic results? Even though these emotions are covered up by a blasé attitude, one is still aware of their underlying sadness.”

Harsh! Perhaps he never considered whether that “underlying sadness” might have been caused by people telling lesbians that they’re pathetic.

Just a thought.

And if you thought that was bad, just wait until you hear his thoughts on gay men, or as he so disdainfully refers to the men on screen — “Them” :

“But while literature and tradition condone the weakness of woman, man receives only the heavy weight of ridicule.”

Watch below, and feel extra grateful for all the pioneering queer people who fought on our and future generations’ behalf:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLr7p7MfZzA

What about today will people look back on in 60 years and think “Thank God things have changed”?

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