SEX VARIANTS

In the 1930s, lesbian activist Jan Gay set out to document the life experiences of her peers, ultimately conducting over 200 interviews. Hoping that this detailed archive of queer lives might counterbalance the stigma and ignorance of the time, Gay sought a publisher, only to be told that such subject matter needed to be shared under the auspices of a medical authority. That effort eventually led to formation of The Committee for the Study of Sex Variants, the documentation and analysis of 80 “case studies,” and the eventual publication of the study in 1941 under the name of psychologist Dr. George Henry. Gay’s contribution was almost fully erased. The Civilians’ project excavates the 1941 publication, and—with a mix of fact and fiction—gives life to what Gay’s project could have been. The Civilians’ show will also use the first-person testimonials, drawings, diagrams and family trees included with each case study, to create a multi-faceted portrait of Depression-era queer America.

Written by Steve Cosson and James La Bella, co-conceived with Jessica Mitrani, and directed by Steve Cosson.
Original songs by multiple composers.

The development of Sex Variants is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and in residency at PS21, a vibrant center for contemporary performance on 100 acres of orchards and meadows in New York’s Hudson Valley.