🏳️‍🌈 Queer History Lessons | 1920s, 1930s, 1940s

Austin Roundup
9 hours ago
2 min read

Before the protests.

Before the headlines.

There were pioneers who refused to be anything but themselves.

Meet Gladys Bentley, a powerhouse of the 1920's Harlem Renaissance who broke every rule, blurred every line, and did it all while being herself.

She didn’t just perform… she challenged what the world said was possible.

And this is just the beginning.

🎬ACT UP: A Queer History Lesson is bringing these stories to life in a way you’ve never seen before, through drag, music, and a cast of over 50 voices honoring the moments that shaped our community.

📍 The Dougherty Arts Center

📅 April 24 & 25, 2026

Come for the show.

Stay for the history.

The 1930s didn’t quiet queer culture… it just made it pushed it in the shadows.

Check out Gene Malin — one of the first openly gay performers in Hollywood, taking the stage with wit, charm, and zero intention of blending in.

During the height of the “Pansy Craze,” queer performers were filling nightclubs, bending gender norms, and daring audiences to see something different… even as the world around them tried to shut it down.

This wasn’t just entertainment.

It was resistance. It was visibility. It was audacity.

And this is just one chapter.

The 1940s… a time of secrets, surveillance… and rumors that just wouldn’t die.

History has always had its whispers and some of them wore heels.

This number takes a tongue-in-cheek look at one of the most talked-about figures of the era, blending satire, storytelling, and just the right amount of side-eye.

A nod to the rumors

A wink at the contradictions

And a tribute to The Vivienne’s iconic “A Bitch on Heels”

Because queer history isn’t always neat, clean, or confirmed…

but it is powerful, messy, and worth talking about.

And trust — we’re telling it our way.

🎭 ACT UP: A Queer History Lesson

This is not your average drag show.

This is history… with a little attitude.

🎟️ Tickets are moving — come see what everyone will be talking about.

🎟️ Grab your tickets + bring someone who needs to experience this with you.

Leave knowing your voice matters.