The Captive, The Virgin Man, and Sex in 20's NYC
- Artist/Author/Producer: Three plays; "The Captive," "The Virgin Man," and "Sex"
- Confronting Bodies: New York Police
- Dates of action: 1927
- Location: New York City
- Description of the Art Work
- The three plays, running at separate theaters, dealt with either
homosexuality or lesbianism.
- Description of incident
- "Early in 1927 the New York Police stopped three plays: "The Captive," "The
Virgin Man," and "Sixth Captive" had been running without interruption for
five months, and "Sex," for eleven months. The former was a sensitive
study of sexual deviation in women. It would probably have continued to
run unmolested if its success had not precipitated a succession of plays
about abnormality. "The Hymn to Venus," and "The Drag," dealing with
lesbianism and homosexuality, were about to open in New York. The
authorities felt they had to stem the tide. The good had to go the way of
the bad. It is said that one of the people responsible for closing "The
Captive" was Walter Lippmann, who had for years, ostensibly at least,
espoused the cause for free speech."
- Results of incident
- "The defendants in Virgin Man were tried, and all but one found guilty.
'The Captive' was voluntarily withdrawn after the issue of the warrants.
The defendants of 'Sex' were tried and convicted. There were no appeals."
Source:
The Censor Marches On, Pg.64
Record no 56