Queer Actors and Film

Queer Actors and Film

Author: Al Preston February 13, 2026 Duration: 14:04

Films and the actors the perform in them have hidden and pulled into the spotlight queerness for decades. For good and for bad.

Richard Burton

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Burton#Personal_views

Jon-Erik Hexum

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon-Erik_Hexum

Tim Curry

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Curry

Judy Garland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Garland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friend_of_Dorothy

Rock Hudson

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Hudson

Liberace

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberace

David Bowie

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bowie

Prince

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_(musician)

Laverne Cox

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laverne_Cox

The Gay Book of Lists by Leigh Rutledge (copyright1987) pages: 24-28, 27, 96, 98-99, 107-108, 109-110


Al Preston hosts The Holiday Pride: A Pittsburgh LGBT+ Community Museum Podcast, a series that explores the rich and often overlooked history of the local queer community. This isn't a broad overview, but a deep, personal look at the stories, people, and places that have shaped Pittsburgh's unique LGBT+ identity. Each episode functions like an audio exhibit, drawing from the museum's archives and featuring conversations with community elders, activists, artists, and historians. You'll hear firsthand accounts of pivotal moments, from the early gathering places and the fight for civil rights to the vibrant cultural expressions that define the community today. The podcast aims to preserve these narratives, ensuring they are passed on with the nuance and dignity they deserve. It’s an educational journey that connects the past's struggles and triumphs directly to the present, offering listeners a profound sense of place and legacy. Tune in for a thoughtfully produced history podcast that honors where this community has been, providing essential context for understanding its ongoing story.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Holiday Pride: A Pittsburgh LGBT+ Community Museum Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Pittsburgh Queer History [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:14
Welcome to season 2! This season is all about Pittsburgh's queer history. Tune in for some exciting stories!
Gender as Construct [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:34
This episode explores gender as a creation of society. This is a very theory heavy episode that may be hard to digest for some. Below are the more specific sources that I utilized throughout this episode.https://www.merr…
The Mattachine Society [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:16
Learn about one of the first successful gay organizations in the nation, the Mattachine! SourcesGay American History by Crowell Publicationhttps://guides.loc.gov/lgbtq-studies/before-stonewall/onehttps://www.sl.nsw.gov.a…
The Hijra of India [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:54
This episode is about the Hijra of India and the differing gender norms of India versus Western Europe.Also, special guest, my cat BellaBibliographyArondekar, Anjali. For the Record: On Sexuality and the Colonial Archive…
Transgender Saints and Transcending Gender [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:07
The stories of saints in this episode are from research I did a few years ago. I'm super excited to share them! I read the translations of the medieval text, the Aelfric Lives of Saints.BibliographyAelfric. Aelfric’s Liv…
DC History Center Talk [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:00
This is a recording of the talk Al Preston gave at the DC History Center.If you want to see the presentation that goes with this talk, check out our youtube page here.
Oral History: Thomas Rainbolt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:53
Listen in to my conversation with Thomas Rainbolt, Chatham University Alumnus. This episode is a little more conversational than the other oral histories we have presented thus far.You can also check out Thomas's thesis…
Supporting Local Organizations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:28
This episode covers some LGBT+ organizations that are in Pittsburgh. Check out our resource page on The Holiday Pride directly to know more!
Why Oral History? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:50
This is just a brief talk about why we focus so much on oral history within the queer community.
Colonialism and the Queer Identity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:24
Colonization, in all of its forms, has changed the world since it began. It's a complicated historical presence and here is a quick understanding of how it has effected the Queer community.