Early lesbian films did not have it easy to say the least.  Simply put, public sentiment towards homosexuality was negative and censorship was common. Even if you did manage to find enough crew to make the film, it was just going to get banned or edited so heavily that the message was almost entirely lost. In addition, lesbians were viewed as deviants, criminals, mentally ill, and wayward girls. Generally, any sort of Sapphic relationship had to be implied and physical affection was mostly limited to longing glances, hugs, caresses, or friendly hello or goodbye kisses.

For example, Sex Madness in 1938 shows the general feeling towards lesbianism – only a perverted and sex-crazed woman would desire another woman over a man. Unsurprisingly, actors, actresses, producers, directors, and studios didn’t want to dive into those shark-infested waters and so few films were made. On the other hand, some ground was broken and these early movies serve as a testament to the great progress that has been made. As a result of their struggles, the end of censorship wasn’t far ahead and lesbian cinema and fans of this genre all owe a great debt to these trailblazers. To sum up, none of what we have would be here without their sacrifices.

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