Telling the Story of When LGBTQ+ Activists Fought the Establishment and Won
The Los Angeles-based Bennett Singer and the D.C.-based Patrick Sammon have been making widely acclaimed historical documentaries for many years. Sammon was creator and Executive Producer of Codebreaker, a “superb” (The Telegraph) drama-documentary vividly exploring the life of gay British codebreaker Alan Turing. Singer’s co-directing credits include Electoral Dysfunction, a “frightening and enlightening” (WBEZ Radio) look at voting in America that aired on PBS and won the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel Award, and the GLAAD Media Award-winning Brother Outsider, a “potent and persuasive” (Los Angeles Times) biography of the gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin that aired on PBS’s POV; he was also an associate producer on PBS’s Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning Eyes on the Prize II series.
Together they’ve partnered to make the powerful, eye-opening film Cured. The documentary — which won the American Historical Association’s John E. O’Connor Award for best historical documentary of 2021 — looks into the not-so-distant past, when the psychiatric establishment considered homosexuality a mental illness to be “cured” via talk therapy or, in extreme cases, through treatments that included electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), castrations, hysterectomies, and lobotomies. But Cured is also the rousing story of how LGBTQ+ activists fought back—and won.
“Riveting,” wrote The Queer Review, [it] “deserves its place alongside other seminal documentaries such as How to Survive a Plague, The Celluloid Closet, Before Stonewall and The Times of Harvey Milk.” Adds the Bay Area Reporter: “Suspenseful and furnishing a slam-dunk case about the landmark importance of this event, Cured is probably the best LGBTQ documentary of the year.”
Singer and Sammon talk to us about the making of Cured, including how they found so many astonishing archival treasures; where the still-current topic of gay conversion therapy fits in; how they decided on the people who share their own stories on camera; and the poignant reason they had to hurry up to capture those interviews. They also give very powerful updates on some of the main characters featured in Cured.
On what led the filmmakers to want to make Cured.
We made this film because we are both passionate about LGBTQ equality, visibility, inclusion, and dignity. Our previous films about Alan Turing and Bayard Rustin illuminated the consequences of anti-gay bigotry, as well as the price that Turing and Rustin each paid for daring to be unapologetic and open about their homosexuality during a fiercely homophobic era.
Cured builds on our previous work by illuminating a little-known story from the past that has strong and powerful resonance for the present. This film spotlights a critical moment in LGBTQ history that many people do not know about, and provides valuable lessons that inform today’s fight for social justice.
While Cured is indisputably about science, medicine, and politics, at its core this is a film about activism and the process of creating social change. It features a diverse group of crusaders — outsiders as well insiders—with stubborn dedication and big personalities who came together at a crossroads in LGBTQ history.
These unlikely heroes had a passion for justice and centered their strategy on the argument that psychiatrists’ classification of homosexuality as a “sociopathic personality disturbance” was based not on science but on prejudice. We were honored to meet and interview many of the key participants who put their bodies, careers, and reputations on the line in pursuit of this cause.
On what kind of wider impact they hope Cured will have.
We would like Cured to reach people who are completely unfamiliar with LGBTQ history and help them understand the significance of this moment, which transformed not only psychiatry and LGBTQ people’s perceptions of themselves, but also the social fabric of American society and culture.
We also hope the film reaches members of the LGBTQ community and provides them with an inside look at this pivotal historical moment and at the pioneers who achieved it, while underscoring how powerful it can be when LGBTQ activists and their allies come together to stand up for justice. Beyond that, we hope the film reaches activists who are fighting for social change in a variety of movements, since the strategies and tactics in Cured can serve as a blueprint for social change efforts across movements and communities.
While ECT and lobotomies are no longer used to “cure” gay people, efforts to change sexual orientation and gender identity continue at alarming rates through the use of so-called “conversion therapy.” Although this practice has been discredited by the American Psychiatric Association [APA] and every other mainstream medical organization, it remains legal for minors in a majority of states.
Given that the [PBS premiere] is happening on National Coming Out Day, the film can spark conversations among families and in workplaces about the ongoing importance of coming out and living one’s authentic self, as well as an understanding that coming out to family members, friends, and colleagues represents a powerful form of activism for LGBTQ people.
In addition, October 10 is World Mental Health Day, so there is an opportunity for open, honest conversations about the fact that pathologizing sexual orientation or gender identity does not create healthy people; it destroys the mental health of entire communities. It’s also crucial to remember that despite major progress, LGBTQ people continue to face ongoing mental health disparities — including disproportionate rates of suicidality and homelessness among LGBTQ youth.
Finally, Cured can be inspiring to young people, allies, and viewers with an interest in history because of the universality of a story in which a small band of people joined forces to challenge a seemingly unbeatable foe—and won.
On the challenges of a multi-character story and other obstacles encountered along the way in making Cured.
Unlike our previous films, which focused on one main subject, Cured has ten main characters who played central roles in the story. The victory depicted in the film was achieved because of the efforts of many people, not just one or two leaders. So, we needed to find a way to tell a cohesive story that made sense, while also featuring the voices of many different participants. It was a delicate balance.
Since this is a historical film, it’s likely that viewers are aware of the outcome of the story before they even begin watching the film. However, the activists who participated in this fight had no idea if their efforts would lead to a change in the APA — and they didn’t know what the timeline would look like. We wanted to convey that sense of suspense, so audience members could understand victory was by no means inevitable.
We were thrilled when one reviewer compared the film to a courtroom drama. Major credit for creating that sense of tension and suspense goes to our editor, Steve Heffner. At every step of the process, he encouraged us to focus on the human and emotional elements of the story and to find ways to remind viewers that the storytellers in the film were taking profound risks when they decided to challenge the APA.
After a long and valiant battle with cancer, Steve died in May, at the age of 53. We feel very grateful to have collaborated with him on Cured and can say without hesitation that the film benefited enormously from his talent and passion.
We are also grateful to our two tenacious archival producers, Mridu Chandra and Lewanne Jones, for uncovering a treasure trove of documents, photos, newspaper articles, audio recordings, and film footage to help us tell this story. Much of this material has not been seen for 50 years, and it provides an invaluable complement to our present-day interviews.
On gaining the trust of the subjects to tell their often-painful stories.
Early in the research process, we reached out to our subjects and had in-depth conversations with them to learn about their involvement in this story and to share our vision for the film. Almost to a person, they were thrilled to participate in the film because we were spotlighting a moment whose importance they understood even as most people didn’t know anything about these pivotal events.
They came to trust us because we showed them how committed we were to produce a compelling film that was historically accurate and was propelled by the first-person testimony of those who were involved in this fight.
On things they had to cut out of the final film.
In addition to the PBS cut of the film, which is 52 minutes long, we’ve created an 80-minute feature-length version of the film. The longer cut includes an excerpt from Dr. John Fryer’s journal, written on his flight back to Philadelphia after making his famous speech as “Dr. Anonymous” at the 1972 APA annual meeting in Dallas. It is quite moving, as he discusses his status as the only gay psychiatrist in the United States who has openly discussed his sexual orientation in front of his peers.
Dr. Fryer writes, “The day has passed — it has come and gone, and I am still alive. For the first time, I have identified with a force which is akin to my selfhood… I hope that the effort does not die.” We had to remove this clip from the 52-minute version due to time limitations, but it’s such a powerful statement about the sense of liberation and self-discovery that result from coming out—even when that is done in disguise!
Additionally, the longer version contains clips from a 1973 60 Minutes segment about this fight. Dr. Charles Silverstein describes how he came out to his mother on the very same day that 60 Minutes was going to interview him about being a gay psychologist. It’s a wonderful anecdote we had to cut from the PBS version. In this section, we also witness footage of Dr. Silverstein working with a gay patient and discussing how coming out affected the client’s relationship with his parents.
That’s a great reminder that Dr. Silverstein and the other protagonists in this story were not arguing that gay people should cut all ties with therapists — but rather were seeking to redefine the relationship between mental health professionals and LGBTQ people.
On one of their favorite moments in Cured.
One scene that made an indelible imprint on us is the “zap” that took place in LA in 1970, when activists showed up to protest a presentation on the benefits of aversion therapy. Rather than simply invading the meeting and shutting it down, Don Kilhefner and his fellow activists invited the “shrinkologists” (as he called them) to engage in dialogue. The activists asked the psychologists and psychiatrists to listen with open minds, rather than blindly accepting the premise that homosexuality is a curable mental illness and that gay people were incapable of leading happy, productive lives.
For many of these therapists, this marked the very first time that they had actually spoken to lesbian and gay people who considered themselves healthy and well-adjusted. It was a turning point in our story — and the fact that it was captured in footage is truly remarkable.
On discovering long-buried archival material.
Speaking of archival discoveries, two elements in the film have historical significance. In the spring of 2019, we made a startling find at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. On an unmarked cassette tape in the John Fryer Papers — consisting of 217 boxes — we found an audio recording of the panel discussion in which Dr. Fryer, disguised as “Dr. Anonymous,” offered electrifying testimony about his experiences as a closeted gay psychiatrist. This tape was not known to exist before we discovered it, and having the actual recording of this speech brings an immediacy and authenticity to this pivotal moment.
We also discovered an audio recording from the panel that was held at the 1973 APA Annual Meeting in Honolulu — the only time proponents of removing homosexuality from the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) squared off against opponents of the move. The recordings of these two dramatic moments were thought to have been lost to history, and we are excited to have found them and to be sharing them with viewers.
On how they decided on — and found — the people they ended up talking to and focusing on.
We embarked on this project in the spring of 2015. With so many key storytellers at an advanced age, it quickly became clear to us that time was of the essence.
The first person we interviewed was Ronald Gold. A fierce and outspoken gay rights activist, Gold played a key role in the APA battle. Within months of our interview, he died at the age of 86. His passing highlighted the urgency of securing interviews with surviving participants before time silenced their voices.
Aside from Gold, four other interviewees have passed away since our interviews: Kay Lahusen, Harry Adamson, Dr. Robert Campbell, and Dr. Richard Green. Cured stands as a lasting legacy to the people who brought about this momentous change.
Then there’s the story of how we found Rev. Magora Kennedy. While looking for archival materials, our archival producers, Mridu Chandra and Lewanne Jones, found a segment about homosexuality from The David Susskind Show in 1971 featuring seven out lesbians. This was the first time that out lesbians ever appeared on national television in the United States.
In this segment, Rev. Magora Kennedy challenges David Susskind’s homophobic beliefs. She had such a fierce and vibrant energy and we were interested in seeing if she was available to participate in the film. After doing some research, we located Rev. Kennedy’s contact information on a Stonewall veterans’ website and were able to connect with her. She became an integral part of the story that we tell in Cured, and we are thrilled that we were able to feature her perspective, especially since she was forced to marry a man at the age of 14 rather than be sent to a mental institution in order to be “cured.”
[Note: We learned in early November 2023 that Rev. Magora Kennedy had passed away. The filmmakers shared the sad news on Instagram.]
On “gay conversion therapy.”
By emphasizing that the sickness theory of homosexuality was based on prejudice and not on science, Cured offers a forceful argument against “conversion therapy,” which claims to be able to change sexual orientation and gender identity. Although this practice has been discredited by the APA and every other mainstream medical organization, it remains legal for adults in all 50 states and for minors in a majority of states. Conversion therapy is a cornerstone of the project’s impact and education campaign.
We hope that watching Cured on PBS will inform viewers about the historical background of this vitally important public policy issue.
On a fictionalized adaptation of Cured.
We’re thrilled that the film has been optioned by 20th Century Fox Television as the basis for a limited series to be written and executive produced by Steven Canals, the co-creator of Pose. There are so many moments and characters in Cured that lend themselves to extended scenes!
Updates on the main characters in Cured. [As of Summer 2021.]
- Rev. Magora Kennedy lives in New York City and remains active in the fight for social justice. She is a leading member of National Action Network’s LGBTQ Committee. She is also working on a book about Stonewall.
- Ronald Gold co-founded the National LGBTQ Task Force and GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. In 2015, he married Ali Akbar, his partner of 17 years. Gold continued his activism until his death in 2017.
- Dr. John Fryer revealed his identity as “Dr. Anonymous” at the APA’s 1994 convention. He was one of the first Philadelphia psychiatrists to treat patients who were HIV-positive, and he remained on the faculty of Temple University until his retirement in 2000. He died in 2003.
- In 1969, Don Kilhefner co-founded the Los Angeles Gay Community Services Center, which has grown into the world’s largest LGBTQ center. He continues his work as a community organizer, Jungian psychotherapist, and facilitator of intergenerational dialogue among LGBTQ activists.
- Dr. Charles Socarides died in 2005 at age 83. His view of homosexuality never changed.
- Richard Socarides held a variety of positions in the White House of President Bill Clinton. He served as President Clinton’s principal adviser on LGBT rights issues, and currently works as a communications strategist and commentator.
- Prior to his death in 2011 (on National Coming Out Day), Dr. Frank Kameny spent more than five decades fighting for LGBT equality. In 2009, the U.S. government formally apologized to Kameny for his 1957 firing. In 1960, Kameny sued the government to protest his firing; that lawsuit went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and was the first civil rights claim based on sexual orientation to be presented to the Supreme Court.
- Barbara Gittings and Kay Lahusen continued their activism throughout 46 years together. Barbara died in 2007. Kay Lahusen lived at a retirement home, where she started a group for LGBTQ residents. She died in 2021.
- Dr. Lawrence Hartmann was elected to a variety of leadership positions in the APA, including a term as president. He recently retired after a long career as a psychiatrist and professor at Harvard.
- Dr. Charles Silverstein has written eight books, including co-authoring The Joy of Gay Sex, and continues working as a psychotherapist in New York City.
Their three favorite/most influential documentaries or feature films.
Patrick: Spellbound, Grey Gardens, and Man on Wire.
Bennett: The Times of Harvey Milk, 7 UP (and the later films in the series), and Eyes on the Prize.
On what film/project(s) they’re working on next.
Patrick: I have a file folder full of great film ideas, but not ready to share what’s next.
Bennett: I’ve been developing a project that looks at queerness through history. It’s fascinating to think about why some cultures have persecuted (and continue to persecute) queer people, while others have celebrated them.
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Craig Phillips
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