This year’s theme is “Building Belonging: Celebrating the power of our social connections”. 

Each year on 1 October, people across the world mark United Nation’s International Day of Older People to raise awareness of opportunities and challenges faced by ageing populations, and to mobilise the wider community to address difficulties faced by older people. 

Communities and organisations are welcome to mark the day in a way that’s right for them – it could be bringing people together through food and fun, to hear how your place might take action to be a better place to age. 

However you choose to mark International Day of Older People this year, your activities will be helping to change the narrative on ageing, and get more people talking about the changes needed, so that everyone can enjoy a good later life, now and in the future. 

These celebrities came out publicly after 60

Take inspiration from these eleven brave men and women who came out later in life.

It’s never too late to come out. You can do it at any age.

That’s the message from this group of celebrities, newsmakers and one music executive, who shared their true selves with the public in the seventh, eighth, ninth – and even tenth! – decades of their lives. Whether you’re out and proud or curious and questioning, take inspiration from these brave men and women who came out later than most.

Meredith Baxter, 78

• Age she came out: 61
• Where she came out: On The Today Show, in the Advocate and People magazine

When the thrice-married and three-time Emmy nominee and mom from Family Ties learned the tabloids got hold of a lesbian cruise story about her, Baxter took matters into her own hands. “I didn’t want some tabloid to take the story and make it up,” Baxter said during an interview on the Today Show. “I wanted it to be in my own words.”

Two years later, she told Oprah: “After coming out on national television, I felt unburdened and that’s the way I feel now,” she says. “I don’t have anything I’m trying to hide.”

Victor Garber, 76

• Age he came out: 63
• Where he came out: In a TV Critics Association press tour interview

You know him as the man who designed the Titanic and went down with the ship, and from dozens of roles in movies and on TV. Less known in 2013 was Garber’s sexual identity, publicly revealed when the blog Greg in Hollywood asked if a Wiki entry on Garber’s page about his “partner” was “something that’s public, that you’ve confirmed.”

Garber was surprised but answered: “I don’t really talk about it, but everybody knows.” And he was out.

Garber and Rainer Andreesen married in 2015.

Caitlyn Jenner, 75

• Age she came out: 65
• Where she came out: During a television interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer

“I’ve been thinking about this day forever,” the one-time Olympian and Kardashian dad said to Sawyer at the start of their interview. “My brain is much more female than it is male,” the 65-year-old explained.

“I’m not gay. I’ve never been with a guy,” Jenner added, before identifying as asexual. “For all intents and purposes, I am a woman.”

George Takei, 88

• Age he came out: 68
• Where he came out: In an interview with Frontiers magazine

Asked by the now-defunct magazine why he decided to come out at that moment, Star Trek’s Mr. Sulu responded: “I think it was more the political climate. Society has been changing. Today gay teens are now feature stories in Time Magazine – that generation thinks being gay is just a part of society. The world has changed dramatically.”

In a recent interview, Takei says he was also prompted by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s rejection of a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the state. “I was so angry that I spoke to the press for the first time as a gay man at the age of 68.”

Richard Chamberlain, 90 (died 29 March 2025)

• Age he came out: 69
• Where he came out: In his autobiography

In Shattered Love: A Memoir, The Thornbirds actor and Dr. Kildaire heartthrob said he hid his sexuality to protect his privacy and career, but while he was writing the memoir, it “was as if an angel came in and put his or her hand on my head and said, ‘Richard, you’ve been barking up the wrong tree here. All your self-dislike of having grown up during the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s, that was when being gay was totally verboten.’ Suddenly, deep, deep within my bones, I realised that I had been lying to myself, like society had been lying to me, and that there was nothing wrong at all, nothing wrong with me.”

Holland Taylor, 82

• Age she came out: 72
• Where she came out: An interview on WNYC radio in New York, In the interview, the Two and a Half Men star wanted to avoid labeling the conversation a “coming out.”

“‘So have you come out?’” Taylor asked rhetorically. “No, I haven’t come out, because I am out. I live out.” Taylor did reveal she was in a relationship with a much younger woman, whom she didn’t name but the world would later learn is actor Sarah Paulson, 32 years her junior.

“There’s a very big age difference between us, which I’m sure shocks a lot of people, and it startles me,” Taylor said. “But, as they say, ‘If she dies, she dies.’”

Lily Tomlin, 86

• Age she came out: 73
• Where she came out: In People magazine

Tomlin refused to buy into the orthodoxy of “coming out” for years, plus, she says, “My mother would have died. Literally.” So the Grace and Frankie co-star waited until 2013 to officially tie the knot with her longtime partner Jane Wagner at a courthouse in the San Fernando Valley, followed by an intimate ceremony with friends a few days later.

Of her mother, who died in 2010, Tomlin told the Telegraph: “Bless her heart, she was Southern, basically fundamentalist, but she was very witty and sweet and kind, and she adored Jane.”

Susan Sarandon, 78

• Age she came out: 75
• Where she came out: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Forever young Sarandon’s admission in 2017 that she is “open” was followed in December 2022 to Jimmy Fallon: “I’m bi, so…”

The blurt came with a side-eye to the audience and a not-so fresh joke

from Fallon: “You mean you like dogs and cats,” to which Sarandon replied, “I’m fluid. I’m very fluid, where animals are concerned.”

The gag preceded the premiere of Sarandon’s latest role in NBC’s Monarch, so the moment was likely far from spontaneous, but the cat, as they say, was out of the bag.

Clive Davis, 93

• Age he came out: 80
• Where he came out: In his autobiography

In legendary record executive Davis’s memoir, The Soundtrack of My Life, the producer for Whitney Houston and Billy Joel, among countless others, revealed his “bisexual life” for the first time. His first sexual encounter with a man went down during “the era of Studio 54.”

“On this night, after imbibing enough alcohol, I was open to responding to his sexual overtures,” writes Davis, who describes the same-sex encounter as “welcome relief.”

He is divorced and has had multiple relationships with both sexes.

Joel Grey, 93

• Age he came out: 83
• Where he came out: People magazine

Broadway and Cabaret legend Grey fathered two children, including actress Jennifer Grey, but had known and acted on his attraction to men since he was young. But like many in his generation, Grey doesn’t “like labels.”

“But if you have to put a label on it, I’m a gay man,” he admitted.

The fact wasn’t a secret to family and friends: “All the people close to me have known for years who I am,” Grey told People, yet “it took time to embrace that other part of who I always was.”

Maybelle Blair, 98

• Age she came out: 95
• Where she came out: The Tribeca Festival in New York

The woman who inspired Madonna’s character in Penny Marshall’s 1992 hit A League of Their Own took the opportunity to reveal her sexual identity at the premiere of the TV version of the story.

The real-life “All The Way Mae” said, “I hid for 75, 85 years, and this is basically the first time I’ve ever come out.” She added: “In our day, you wouldn’t dare tell your family or hint to anybody that you were gay. It was the most terrible thing in the world.”

But the All-American Girls League changed her life, said Blair. “I went back to Chicago, and I got on the team, and I’ll tell ya, it was the most amazing time of my life, because they asked me to go out to a bar,” she recalled with apparent glee. “Well, it turned out to be a gay bar, and I was never so happy in my life.”

We have received the following message:

“I’m reaching out on behalf of The Dyke Agenda, a non-profit, queer collective. 

We are a group of queer women, non-binary and trans folk who want to help keep our crucial queer spaces open in Manchester. Our goal is to run pop up events tailored to our beautiful community, who we know are hungry for safe spaces. 

We are also really interested in documenting the current happenings of and history of queer spaces within Manchester. Our plan is to conduct interviews with those involved in Manchester’s current and past queer community, events, and venues. We would love to interview a member/s, who identify as queer women, non-binary and/or trans. The interview would be shared on our social media accounts. 

Please let me know if this is something you would be interested in.”

If interested, please contact us and we will forward your message. 

Afternoon Cream Tea at Rochdale Town Hall: A Delightful Experience

Nestled within the stunning Gothic architecture of Rochdale Town Hall, the afternoon cream tea experience at The Martlet Kitchen is a delightful treat for the senses. The grandeur of the Grade 1 listed building, with its ornate carvings and sweeping staircases, sets the perfect backdrop for a leisurely afternoon.

We started with a small bowl of tomato soup, accompanied by a samosa and onion bhaji. The afternoon tea menu offers a selection of traditional finger sandwiches, including egg mayo and watercress, local honey roast ham and pickle and cream cheese and chive. Each sandwich is crafted with care, providing a delightful balance of flavours.

The highlight of the tea experience is undoubtedly the freshly baked fruit scones, served with seasonal fruit jam and clotted cream. The scones are light and fluffy, making them the perfect accompaniment to the rich and creamy clotted cream.

For those with a sweet tooth, the selection of desserts is sure to impress. The carrot cake and chocolate cake are standouts, offering a delightful combination of sweetness and texture. The macaroons with vanilla butter cream are equally delightful, providing a perfect ending to the meal.

The service at The Martlet Kitchen is attentive and friendly, ensuring that guests feel welcome and well-cared for. The staff are happy to accommodate dietary requirements, making the experience enjoyable for everyone.

Overall, the afternoon cream tea at Rochdale Town Hall is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. The combination of delicious food, beautiful surroundings, and excellent service makes it a must-visit for anyone in the area.

More photos can be seen here.

Who was thong inventor Rudi Gernreich?

The first leaves are falling and autumn is coming, so it must be time for an article on those two narrow straps that sit just above the hipbone, their edges cutting into sun-tanned flesh: the thong. 

These days, thanks to the revival of fashion from the 2000s, it seems to be everywhere: sticking out of low-rise jeans, shimmering underneath transparent beach dresses or revealing derrieres on the beach. 

But what many people might not know about the thong bathing suit is that its creation was political – and its creator a gay man. 

July 1974: Los Angeles’ last summer of nude bathing 

“Everyone was nude,” a lifeguard recalls in the newspaper LA Times. In the summer of 1974, Venice Beach became a sea of bare bottoms. Nobody knows exactly how the famous beach in Los Angeles became a popular location for naturists, but hippies readily popularised the nudist craze, taking advantage of the fact that there was no explicit ban on nudity yet. 

But the naked summer dream didn’t last long: First came the press, then the police. After nudity made headlines, Los Angeles promptly banned it altogether. 

What does this have to do with the thong?

Rudi Gernreich, an Austrian-born designer who lived in LA, rebelled against the ban by creating a tiny piece of fabric for all genders that covered only the bare minimum.  

The designer was not interested in sexualising bodies. On the contrary: He wanted to set them free.

“The liberation of the body will cure society of its sexual hang-up,” Gernreich once said.

It wasn’t the first time he broke taboos with fashion. 

Gernreich was born into a Jewish family in Vienna on 8 August 1922. He was 16 years old when he fled the Nazis with his mother in 1938, and they settled in Los Angeles. His father had taken his own life shortly before. To survive, his mother sold baked goods door-to-door and young Rudi washed corpses that were to be autopsied. 

“I do smile sometimes when people tell me my clothes are so body-conscious I must have studied anatomy. You bet I studied anatomy,” Gernreich said, referring to this job, in an essay in Moffitt and Claxton’s “The Rudi Gernreich Book.” 

His actual studies, however, were in art; he went on to work as a costume designer and a dancer. His designs often show his fascination with bodies in movement.

‘Winter or summer, male or female, everybody will dress alike’

Gernreich was ahead of his time. While homosexuality was still a criminal offence in the US, he co-founded the Mattachine Society, one of the first organisations for LGBT+ rights in the US.

For Gernreich, the future of fashion was unisex, and he promoted queer styles long before they became an established concept. 

“Clothing will not be identified as either male or female … women and men will wear skirts interchangeably … the aesthetics of fashion are going to involve the body itself,” he predicted back in the 1970s.

Gernreich freed the nipple

In 1964, Gernreich presented a design that went down in history as women’s first topless swimsuit: the monokini. The provocative piece, which covered the bottom up to the midriff, featured two straps that left the breasts completely exposed.

Gernreich believed that women should be allowed to show their nipples just as men do, and above all, that they should be the ones calling the shots when it comes to their clothing.

“I don’t like to dictate women what to wear,” he said in an interview in 1966.  

The designer, who died in 1985, remains a pioneer of body positivity, and his legacy marks how little has changed surrounding prudery – as today Instagram censors images of female nipples, and society still sexualises nudity.

Detention

One of our members will be performing in Gary Clarke Company’s DETENTION on Wednesday, 8 and Thursday, 9 October at Blackpool’s Grand Theatre at 7.30pm.

DETENTION explores the impact of Section 28 – a piece of largely hidden legislation from Thatcher’s Conservative Government which “prohibited the promotion of homosexuality”.

As part of the community cast, she will be performing alongside the professional cast and other local participants to explore the effects of this legislation through movement and dance.

DETENTION is a bold and moving exploration of the violence, loneliness, protests, debates, unlikely allies and the remarkable individuals / organisations of the time amidst the political and social upheaval.

If you would like to come and show some support, you can book your tickets here from £15.00.

Hope to see you there!

Timeline of same-sex marriage in Europe

Year in which same-sex couples are allowed to marry

The Netherlands introduced same-sex marriage 16 years before Germany and 24 years before Liechtenstein.

Play the Rainbow Lottery and support Out In The City

The UK’s first and only lottery supporting LGBTQ+ good causes.

Welcome to the Rainbow Lottery, the exciting weekly lottery that raises money for the full spectrum of LGBTQ+ good causes totally, openly and exclusively.

The hope is to make a difference to good causes so they can carry on their vital work – which helps us all. Play the lottery, support the community – it’s fun, it’s simple and everybody wins!

How the lottery works:

• £1 per ticket – that’s right, unlike many other lotteries, the lottery tickets are only £1 per week.
• For every ticket you play, 80% goes to good causes and prizes.

£25,000 jackpot prize

• Match all 6 numbers and you win the JACKPOT!
• Every month there is a Super Draw. On Saturday, 27 September one person will win a £1,000 Aldi gift card (or £1,000 cash or plant 1,000 trees!)

Buy tickets here.

Bridgewater Hall

We’re delighted to advise that The Bridgewater Hall has again offered us FREE tickets to various performances from the International Concert Series, BBC Philharmonic and The Hallé.

We really appreciate the support of Bridgewater Hall. Last season 67 different people enjoyed 35 concerts.

Last Saturday, despite a bus strike and atrocious weather, eleven of us made our way to the Bridgewater Hall to see the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert was recorded by BBC Radio 3 for broadcast in Radio 3 in Concert on Tuesday, 28 October at 7.30pm.

The performance was the season opener and included a pre-concert performance of Julia Wolfe’s LAD – nine bagpipers playing drones. She is the Composer in Residence this season.

The concert proper opened with Julia Wolfe’s Fountain of Youth.

Augustin Hadelich brought his incredible artistry to one of Sergey Prokofiev’s most celebrated works – Violin Concerto No 2. The first piece brought blocks of orchestral sound, whereas this work was more precisely expressive with ravishing melodies.

After an interval, the concert ended with Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony with huge emotions and passionate melodies painted on an epic musical canvas, which could only have been written by a gay man.

International Celebrate Bisexuality Day

International Celebrate Bisexuality Day is on Tuesday, 23 September 2025.

Also known as Bi-Visibility Day, it is a global annual event celebrated on this date since 1999 to recognise bisexual people, their community and the history of bisexuality. 

The day serves as a grand finale to Bisexual Awareness Week, which runs from 16 to 23 September. 

While records have shown that several cultures throughout history openly embraced bisexuality, in recent years the LGBT community and especially the bisexual community has been marginalised.

What it is: 

• A day for celebrating bisexuality and promoting cultural acceptance of the bisexual community.
• A day to advocate for bisexual rights and raise awareness about unique challenges, such as biphobia and bisexual erasure.

Key aspects of the day:

• Visibility: 

It increases the visibility of bisexual individuals and the broader bisexual+ community. 

• Community: 

It creates platforms for bisexual people to connect with others and build community. 

• History: 

It highlights the history of the bisexual rights movement and the journey towards greater acceptance. 

Other Names and Languages:

English	International Celebrate Bisexuality Day
Arabic	يوم ثنائية الجنس الدولية
German	Welttag der Bisexualität
Hebrew	ום ביסקסואליות הבינלאומי
Korean	국제 양성애 일
Norwegian	Verdensdagen for biseksualitet
Spanish	Día Internacional de la Bisexualidad

Your Story Matters – Take Part in This Research

Cesar Augusto Kampff, a psychologist and PhD candidate in the Graduate Programme in Cultural Diversity and Social Inclusion at Universidade Feevale, Brazil is conducting groundbreaking research in Brazil, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.

The study is on the psychological aspects involved in the processes of recognising and sharing one’s sexual orientation (coming out) among cisgender lesbians and gay men aged 50 and over.

He is kindly requesting your participation in this research, which is essential to better understand the experiences of the mature lesbian and gay population, give visibility to these life stories, and build knowledge that helps combat violence, prejudice and discrimination.

Research like this is only possible with the support and voices of those who have lived and continue to live these experiences. Your contribution will help strengthen public policies, support practices and initiatives that promote respect for diversity.

The interview can be conducted via a questionnaire, which can be sent by e-mail so you may answer it at your own pace.

Thank you in advance for your trust and for sharing your story.

To participate or learn more, please email cesarkampff@gmail.com

Rainbow Train

On Wednesday, 17 September Out In The City members took over the East Lancashire Railway to mark the end of the Pride season in Greater Manchester. We decorated our carriage with rainbow tablecloths and flags to make the “Rainbow Train”.

The train journey covers 12 miles through stunning scenery from Bury to Rawtenstall. We all enjoyed travelling on the “Rainbow Train” and visiting the town of Rawtenstall. During the journey we chatted with our steward – Maureen – who pointed out some of the sights such as the Peel Tower.

More photos can be seen here.

Brian Epstein

Brian Samuel Epstein (19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was an English music entrepreneur who managed the Beatles from 1961 until his death in 1967.

Epstein was born into a family of successful retailers in Liverpool, who put him in charge of their music shop, where he displayed a gift for talent-spotting. He first met the Beatles in 1961 at a lunchtime concert at Liverpool’s Cavern Club. Although he had no experience of artist management, Epstein put them under contract and insisted that they abandon their scruffy image in favour of a new clean-cut style. He also attempted to get the Beatles a recording contract, eventually securing a deal with EMI’s Parlophone label.

Within months, the Beatles were international stars. Some of Epstein’s other young discoveries had also prospered under his management. They included Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas, Tommy Quickly, Cilla Black and The Big Three. In 1967, he died of a combined alcohol and barbiturate overdose, ruled as accidental, at the age of 32.

Epstein’s homosexuality was not publicly known until some years after his death, although it had been an open secret among his friends and business associates. While Epstein was in the British Army, he commissioned a tailor to make him an officer’s uniform. He wore the uniform when cruising the bars of London, but was arrested one night at the Army and Navy Club in Piccadilly by the military police for impersonating an officer. Epstein managed to avoid a court martial by agreeing to see an army psychiatrist, who learned of Epstein’s sexuality. After ten months he was discharged from the army on medical grounds for being “emotionally and mentally unfit”. Epstein later stated that his first homosexual experience was when he returned to Liverpool after being discharged.

Epstein spent a year studying acting at RADA, but dropped out shortly after his arrest for “persistent importuning” outside a men’s public toilet in Swiss Cottage, London. Cottaging, as it was called, was one of the few public ways that gay and bisexual men could meet, especially if they were closeted.

McCartney said that when Epstein started to manage the Beatles they knew that he was homosexual but did not care, because he encouraged them professionally and offered them access to previously “off-limits” social circles.

Although the group, Lennon in particular, often made sarcastic comments about Epstein’s homosexuality to friends and to Epstein personally, no one outside the group’s inner circle was allowed to comment. Epstein went on holiday to places such as Amsterdam, Torremolinos and Barcelona or Manchester at weekends, as the attitude towards homosexuals there was more tolerant than in Liverpool, even though Liverpool did have several gay bars.

There were reports of a brief sexual encounter between Lennon and Epstein during a four-day holiday in Barcelona in April 1963. Lennon admitted in a 1971 Rolling Stone interview that he knew Epstein was a “fag” and that he (Lennon) enjoyed “playing a bit faggy and all that”. Addressing the rumours again later, Lennon told Playboy in 1980, “Well, it was almost a love affair, but not quite. It was never consummated … but we did have a pretty intense relationship”.

Soni Wolf

Soni S H S Wolf (19 September 1948 – 25 April 2018) was an American lesbian activist. She described herself as a dyke, and was also a motorcycle enthusiast and former US Air Force Vietnam-era veteran.

She co-founded the Dykes on Bikes (DOB) after their 1976 San Francisco Pride parade debut, and rode with them each year from 1978 until her death in 2018.

The group is a highly visible symbol of empowerment and LGBTQ pride. Wolf nurtured DOB’s worldwide chapters and fought for their right to use the reclaimed term dyke, they fought and won two lawsuits against the US Patent and Trademark Office so they could trademark their name and logo.

DOB does philanthropic work for LGBTQ causes and organisations around the world. In June 2019, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, Wolf was one of fifty inaugural heroes to be named on the National LGBTQ Wall of Honour placed inside the Stonewall Inn, and within the Stonewall National Monument.

Dykes on Bikes

In June 1976, a group of 20 – 25 lesbians decided to ride their motorcycles in the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade which had started in 1970. They led the parade to prevent their bikes from overheating due to idling behind the slower-moving walking contingents. Some motorcyclists had done the parade before then, but it wasn’t as organised.

One of the riders noted them as being “dykes on bikes” which was overheard, and reported in the city’s main newspaper, the San Francisco Chronicle. The Dykes on Bikes (DOB) formalised within a week of the parade. Although the name originator isn’t known, Wolf, who started riding with the group in 1978, embraced the name, and helped the new group become one of the most visible, and empowering symbols of the LGBTQ communities.

In 2016 she was sainted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence as someone who “dedicated their life to fundraising, activism and human rights”.

Queer Poetry Upfront Performance Night

The Queer Poetry Upfront Performance Night at Queer Lit, Manchester was a vibrant celebration of LGBTQ+ voices, offering an intimate platform for both emerging and established poets. The atmosphere was electric from the outset, with the bookshop’s cosy setting fostering a sense of community and inclusivity that made everyone feel at home.

Performers took to the stage with a diverse array of poetic styles, ranging from deeply personal confessions to sharp, witty social commentary. The raw honesty and vulnerability displayed captivated the audience, who responded with enthusiastic applause and heartfelt cheers. Standout performances included moving pieces on identity, love, and resilience, all delivered with a remarkable blend of passion and poise.

What set this night apart was the open-mic segment, which encouraged audience participation and showcased the breadth of talent within Manchester’s LGBTQ+ community. The event was expertly hosted by Jide Macaulay and Lauren Temple (standing in for Rachael Hill), ensuring a supportive environment where every voice was valued.

Overall, the Queer Poetry Upfront Performance Night at Queer Lit proved to be a powerful and uplifting experience – one that highlighted the importance of queer spaces in amplifying underrepresented stories. It was a night brimming with creativity, courage, and connection, leaving attendees eagerly anticipating the next gathering.

Ann Bannon

Ann Weldy (born 15 September 1932), better known by her pen name Ann Bannon, is an American author who, from 1957 to 1962, wrote five lesbian pulp fiction novels known as The Beebo Brinker Chronicles. The books’ enduring popularity and impact on lesbian identity has earned her the title “Queen of Lesbian Pulp Fiction”.

Bannon was a young housewife trying to address her own issues of sexuality when she was inspired to write her first novel. Despite her traditional upbringing and role in married life, her novels defied conventions for romance stories and depictions of lesbians by addressing complex homosexual relationships.

Her books shaped lesbian identity for lesbians and heterosexuals alike, but Bannon was mostly unaware of their impact. She stopped writing in 1962. Bannon has received numerous awards for pioneering lesbian and gay literature. She has been described as “the premier fictional representation of US lesbian life in the fifties and sixties”, and it has been said that her books “rest on the bookshelf of nearly every even faintly literate Lesbian”.

Her first book, Odd Girl Out, was published in 1957, and became Gold Medal Books’ second best-selling title of the year. Based on Bannon’s own experiences, the plot involved a lesbian relationship between two sorority sisters in a fictional sorority at a fictional midwestern university. As was custom with pulp fiction novels, neither the cover art nor the title were under the control of the author. Both were approved by the publisher in order to be as suggestive and lurid as possible.

Lesbians depicted in literature were relatively rare in the 1950s. It was the publisher’s policy in any novel involving lesbianism that the characters would never receive any satisfaction from the relationship. One or both usually ended up committing suicide, going insane, or leaving the relationship.

Bannon’s books were popular because they were so different from anything else being published at the time. Bannon insisted on the continuity of lesbian love, while everything in her culture was speaking of its quick and ugly demise.

Greta Garbo (Greta Lovisa Gustafsson) born on 18 September 1905 was a Swedish and American actress. She was a premier star during Hollywood’s silent and early golden eras. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses of all time, she was known for her melancholic and sombre screen persona, her film portrayals of tragic characters, and her subtle and understated performances.