KNOWhomo

LGBTQ* Plays, Monologues and Theatre

Bent by Martin Sherman

(check local theatres for productions of play — also a film staring Clive Owen, Mick Jagger, Jude Law and Ian McKellen)

Bent is an award-winning play about the persecution of homosexuals by Nazis during World War II. In Germany, the Nazi party’s program of genocide against any and all perceived “enemies” is coming into full swing when the party begins a violent purge of homosexuals in its membership. Max, a bisexual playboy, is attending an orgy thrown by drag queen “Greta” and featuring a number of party members when the festivities are raided by the police; Max and his lover Rudy escape, but they are later arrested and sentenced to a concentration camp. En route to the camp, Max betrays Rudy and arranges to be given a yellow identification star, marking him as a Jew, instead of a pink triangle, which would signify him as gay; while the Jews are destined to be executed, gay prisoners receive even more brutal treatment from the guards. While incarcerated, Max meets Horst, an inmate who proudly wears the pink triangle. Max and Horst fall in love with each other, and Horst’s bravery leads Max to accept his sexual identity.(from MoviePhone)

LGBTQ Slang/Terms

(and a brief breakdown of light)

BENT - Term for homosexuals (British origin). Term used throughout the early 20th century as a negative term. “Bent” was reclaimed during the early queer rights movement as a positive term within the community.

Bent Science

When light travels and hits glass (or a prism) the direction moves from a straight line to a bent line. Red is the least bent, violet/lavender the most.

Lavender

Color of Pride/Homosexual Empowerment in the 1960s/1970s.

Art from deviant artist: Sudden2 (quote added by KH)