Butch in Progress

Alice’s Wonder Land

[K] Alice Austen (1866-1952): one of America’s first female photographers and long overdue to be mentioned on this blog, because the lady was a badass. Not only did she take quasi-photojournalistic pictures of not just her family and friends, but also the city of New York before most of the rest of the world thought of using the new medium like that, she also defied Victorian ideals of womanhood throughout her life - and dared documenting it. Instead of taking pictures of flowers and “womanly stuff”, Austen documented the city life and the life of what today might becalled ‘gender outlaws’, instead of being an “angel of the house”, she spent her time travelling (as well as playing tennis, cycling, hiking etc) and following her passion for photography, and instead of choosing a fake marriage, she lived with a woman - Getrude Tate. 

The couple met in 1899  - though it took another 18 years before Tate moved in with Austen. The two women lived and work together, supported each other until poverty forced Tate to go back to her family. Their wish to be buried together was sadly denied by the surviving relatives. Yet at least professionaly, Austen’s life offered a happy ending: shortly before her death, her work was rediscovered and featured in LIFE magazine, which allowed Austen to life off her art for the first time in her life at age 85.

Sidenote: We know Alice Austen must have been gay, because there is a musical about her life. Plus: You know finally have a reason to visit Staten Island - her home is open to the public as a museum.

Recommended Reading: Alice’s World.

[Edit:] For a modern spin on Austen’s pictures, have a look at Steven Rosen’s contemporary reproductions of two of her most iconic pictures.

I was the Marlon Brando of my Generation - Bette Davis

(Image Source: Old Acquaintance @ Dr. Macro’s)

Elvis is alive…

and she is beautiful!

[K] Madonna on k.d. lang

(Picture credit: kroeja.de)

Treasures from Mercedes de Acosta’s Bequest - Greta Garbo

[K] After portraits of Mercedes de Acosta herself - most envy-worthy butch ever - and pictures she took of one of her most famous lovers, Marlene Dietrich, part three of the “Treasures from Mercedes de Acosta’s Bequest”-series shows intimate snapshots of Mercedes’ other famous lover, Greta Garbo.

Enjoy these rare glimpses into the private (and sporty) life of one of Hollywood’s most elusive - and yet biggest - stars.

(All pictures courtesy of the Rosenbach Museum and Libary.)

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!

From Butch in Progress via (the very subtextual) Thelma Todd - enjoy whatever you do to celebrate/not celebrate these days.

Maybe this is also a good opportunity to say: Thanks For Following!

Hats! Vests! Uniforms!

[K] Random pictures of vintage actresses in drag.

Why? Because I can, because they look damn fine, and because I think today’s movie landscape could use some more gender-bending/cross-dressing/girls in suits, and because I am sure I would have collected those postcards with avid devotion. Consider it a pre-holiday-gift for your eyes.

Sources: Flicker - Truus, Bob and Jan, too!

Have you ever met Garbo?

[K] Screen legend Joan Crawford questioned by an interviewer about her stories of being over-awed when she met stars like Greta Garbo… even 30 years later she still seems quite smitten with the Swedish Sphinx:

“Oh, you’d be breathless.”

Treasures from Mercedes de Acosta’s Bequest - Portraits

[K] If you’re following this blog, you are already away of the many reasons Mercedes de Acosta is worth remembering/the many ladies laid which earned her a bright spot in lesbian herstory.

If not, a quick reminder by celebrity photographer (and friend of Greta Garbo) Cecil Beaton:

“She was one of the most rebellious & brazen of Lesbians”.

(Another gay male fan would be Truman Capote, who assumed her to be the joker in his “International Daisy Chain” card game - think “6 degrees of separation”.)

Still, so far, we haven’t had the photographic evidence to proof her awesomeness and swagger. This is about to change, as it finally occurred to me to have a look the the Rosenbach Museum and Library’s online collection, to which Mercedes de Acosta had sold all her pictures and letters in 1960 (Good things come to those who wait… until it finally dawns on them.). Among them the much-hyped letters from Greta Garbo, which the museum was by de Acosta’s request not allowed to publish until 10 years after Garbo’s death. (Even though they weren’t by far as racy as some had hoped them to be.)

Focusing not on Garbo for a change, we proudly present portraits of one of my favorite vintage butches of all time, Mercedes de Acosta herself, as well as some of her celebrity friends such as Alfred Stieglitz and Getrude Stein.

All pictures courtesy of the Rosenbach Museum and Libary.

LESBIANS SEEING LESBIANS: Building Community in Early Feminist Photography

An exhibition at the The Leslie/Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, showing until October 22nd. So, if you’re living in/near NY, hurry!

Best of: Women in Suits (Black and White Edition)

[K] There just were just too many attractive women in suits, so I had to split:

stay here for the classics, go there for color (and more overt gayness).

In order of appearance:

• Louise Brooks in Beggars of Life
• Marlene Dietrich in Morocco
• Renate Müller in Viktor und Viktoria
• Katharine Hepburn in Sylvia Scarlett

HAUS OF Ü ft. BRIDE

[K] From the new fashion video for Yoü and I.

Seems like Gaga’s swagger doesn’t depend on Jo’s presence…

(Credits for single stills: iandamonfan)

Hair Crush: Ash Stymest

[K] Yes, he’s a dude (a male fashion model to be precise), I noticed. But hair crushes know no gender and that cut is flawless.

(Source: thefashionisto.com)

Mirror, Mirror on the wall…

From the Texas-Greatest Hits Tourbook

[K] Just in case anyone was still wondering, why Sharleen Spiteri is so popular with the gay girls.