Gay Sex in the 70s
Encyclopedia
Gay Sex in the 70s is a 2005
American documentary film
about gay sexual culture in New York City
in the 1970s. It illustrates the twelve years of sexual freedom bookmarked by the Stonewall riots
of 1969 (which largely removed the threat of police repression) and the recognition of AIDS
in 1981 (the dawning of the consequences of unprotected sex with multiple partners). The film uses archival footage and interviews to describe the world of gay anonymous
and casual sex
in the settings of discotheques, bathhouses
, bars
and dark rooms
, Fire Island
and more.
The film was directed by Joseph Lovett and features interviews with Larry Kramer
, Tom Bianchi
, Barton Lidice Beneš
, Rodger McFarlane
, and many others.
The film was awarded the GayVN Award for Best Alternative Release of 2006.
2005 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
American documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about gay sexual culture in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the 1970s. It illustrates the twelve years of sexual freedom bookmarked by the Stonewall riots
Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...
of 1969 (which largely removed the threat of police repression) and the recognition of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
in 1981 (the dawning of the consequences of unprotected sex with multiple partners). The film uses archival footage and interviews to describe the world of gay anonymous
Anonymous sex
Anonymous sex is a form of one-night stand or casual sex between people who have very little or no history with each other, often engaging in sexual activity on the same day of their meeting and usually never seeing each other again afterwards. The term "cruising for sex" is used to refer to...
and casual sex
Casual sex
Casual sex or hooking up refers to certain types of human sexual activity outside the context of a romantic relationship. The term is not always used consistently: some use it to refer to any extramarital sex, some use it to refer to sex in a casual relationship, whereas others reserve its use for...
in the settings of discotheques, bathhouses
Gay bathhouse
Gay bathhouses, also known as gay saunas or steam baths, are commercial bathhouses for men to have sex with other men. In gay slang in some regions these venues are also known colloquially as "the baths" or "the tubs," and should not be confused with public bathing.Not all men who visit gay...
, bars
Gay bar
A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT and queer communities...
and dark rooms
Dark room (sexuality)
A darkroom or dark room is a darkened room, sometimes located in a nightclub, gay bathhouse or sex club, where sexual activity can take place...
, Fire Island
Fire Island, New York
Fire Island is one of the outer barrier islands adjacent to the south shore of Long Island, New York. It is approximately long and varies between broad. Fire Island is part of Suffolk County. It comprises a number of hamlets, census-designated places , and villages, all of which lie within the...
and more.
The film was directed by Joseph Lovett and features interviews with Larry Kramer
Larry Kramer
Larry Kramer is an American playwright, author, public health advocate, and LGBT rights activist. He began his career rewriting scripts while working for Columbia Pictures, which led him to London where he worked with United Artists. There he wrote the screenplay for Women in Love in 1969, earning...
, Tom Bianchi
Tom Bianchi
Tom Bianchi is an American writer and photographer who specializes in male nude photography.-Career:His nineteen books of photographs, poems, and essays primarily cover the gay male experience....
, Barton Lidice Beneš
Barton Lidice Beneš
Barton Lidice Beneš , an artist, lives and works in New York City. Studied at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York and Beaux-Arts, Avignon, France....
, Rodger McFarlane
Rodger McFarlane
Rodger Allen McFarlane was an American gay rights activist who served as the first paid executive director of the Gay Men's Health Crisis and later served in leadership positions with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Bailey House and the Gill Foundation.-Biography:McFarlane was born on February...
, and many others.
The film was awarded the GayVN Award for Best Alternative Release of 2006.