Before Homosexuals - Educational Outreach Campaign
Project by John Scagliotti
John Scagliotti
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“Oh my God, we have history! Or Herstory! No it’s Ourstory! At last, hidden no longer! Back from the mists of time and ages of antiquity! Ancient gay love and lives!” - Movies Over the Rainbow review of the film, Before Homosexuals.
“Oh my God, we have history! Or Herstory! No it’s Ourstory! At last, hidden no longer! Back from the mists of time and ages of antiquity! Ancient gay love and lives!” - Movies Over the Rainbow review of the film, Before Homosexuals.
in partnership with
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Story
Mission Statement
Before Homosexuals is a feature-length documentary film about LGBT history, art, and poetry from 2000BC until 1900AD, demonstrating the significant role LGBT people have had throughout human history. Placing this film in 2000 educational institutions will increase LGBT representation and inclusion.About The Project
Before Homosexuals takes the viewer on a wondrous tour of same-sex desire from ancient times to Victorian crimes. Emmy Award-winning filmmaker John Scagliotti guides us in this expedition of erotic history, poetry and visual art in this point-of-view documentary.
He explores how the sexual revolution of the 1960s and the growth of LGBT political power in the 1990s cleared the path for artists and scholars to re-discover pre-20th century same-sex desires. Weaving dozens of expert interviews with art and poetry, he revels in lesbian love spells from ancient Rome, homoerotic verses of Michelangelo, censored chapters of the Kamasutra, Native American two-spirit rituals and more.
You might ask, “why make a prequel to a film released in 1985?” Because of homophobia, discrimination, censorship, and anti-gay forces, it was impossible to find same-sex history. Even the National Archives in Washington DC didn’t have a category covering the immense topic of homosexuality.
It was the gay revolution of the 1990s that changed the world, and it allowed us to begin reclaiming and recording that lost history. In the 1990s every single institution was impacted by the LGBT movement, especially in the academic world of archives and museums. Though the history we present in this film is amazing, the story of how we were able to do so is also a very important part of the film.
In his over 40 years of LGBT media experience, Scagliotti has produced a number of now classic documentaries, such as Before Stonewall, After Stonewall, and Dangerous Living. In addition to filmmaking, Scagliotti created the first LGBT radio show in 1973 (The Lavender Hour) and the first ever gay and lesbian television series on PBS called In The Life. In 2010 Scagliotti began the first ever LGBT film festival cruise program called Pride of the Ocean. Recently he received an honorary doctorate from Marlboro College in recognition of his service to the LGBT and allied community.
Incentives
$10
Social Media Shout Out
We'll post a personalized thank-you image on BEFORE HOMOSEXUAL's social media accounts, because you are FABULOUS!
Claimed: 2 of 100
$23
Queer Cowboys by Chris Packard
The Nineteenth Century, Walt Whitman, and other gay male pioneers round out the end of the film, "Before Homosexuals", and this very book was used in researching the film.
Claimed: 0 of 1
$25
Pride of the Ocean Shorts & Bikinis DVD
Just in time for the holidays! Our sister company, Pride of the Ocean's first DVD compilation of short films.
Claimed: 6 of 50
$29
The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde by Neil McKenna
Neil McKenna appears towards the end of our film and recites the very moving letter that Oscar Wilde wrote from his prison cell to his love, Bosie Douglas.
Neil explores their relationship and the tragic end of Oscar Wilde's life in his very informative and entertaining biography, which served as a great inspiration for the film, "Before Homosexuals".
Claimed: 0 of 1
$30
Collected Poems of C.P. Cavafy
You can own one of the actual books used in the making of the film Before Homosexuals!
CP Cavafy figures prominently in the film Before Homsexuals, with his poem "Brigade of Pleasure" ending the film, and the memorable quote, "One day, someone made just like me, is sure to appear and act freely."
Your donation represents the price paid by the film to acquire the book, plus a $25 contribution to our Seed&Spark campaign.
Thank you for your support!
Claimed: 0 of 1
$35
Warren Cup - Every Fragment Counts Mug Series
EVERY FRAGMENT COUNTS MUG SERIES - As Bernadette Brooten says in "Before Homosexuals,"
"It depends upon each fragment being saved." With your contribution, you will receive a stylish coffee mug, printed with one of five different historical LGBT artworks used in the film.
As Maria Margaronis says in the film, "The Warren Cup is a silver drinking cup, made in the first century common era, by a Greek craftsman, In Rome for a Roman patron. The cup itself has lovely silver relief carvings, relief work on both sides, showing sex between two men."
Claimed: 2 of 10
$35
Sisterhood Cirte - Every Fragment Counts Mug Series
EVERY FRAGMENT COUNTS MUG SERIES - As Bernadette Brooten says in "Before Homosexuals,"
"It depends upon each fragment being saved." With your contribution, you will receive a stylish coffee mug, printed with one of five different historical LGBT artworks used in the film.
As Janet Afary says in the film, "In Shiran in society there are two types of marriage: formal and temporary. A temporary marriage is called a cierte. We’ve found now there were also same-sex cierte. These were called “brotherhood cirte” and “sisterhood cirte.” This mug depicts a frame from the animated sisterhood cirte, designed by our own motion graphics artist, David (Cubby) Hall.
Claimed: 0 of 10
$35
Fab Jesus - Every Fragment Counts Mug Series
EVERY FRAGMENT COUNTS MUG SERIES - As Bernadette Brooten says in "Before Homosexuals,"
"It depends upon each fragment being saved." With your contribution, you will receive a stylish coffee mug, printed with one of five different historical LGBT artworks used in the film.
"Fab Jesus" is the name we gave an untitled and uncredited mosaic we discovered in the Aquila cemetery in Italy where Karl Heinrich Ulrichs is buried and where a scene in "Before Homosexuals" was filmed.
Claimed: 0 of 10
$35
Logo - Every Fragment Counts Mug Series
EVERY FRAGMENT COUNTS MUG SERIES - As Bernadette Brooten says in "Before Homosexuals,"
"It depends upon each fragment being saved." With your contribution, you will receive a stylish coffee mug, printed with one of five different historical LGBT artworks used in the film.
With the Logo mug, you can be reminded of the Before Homsexuals film every morning as you have your coffee or tea in our mug with the opening motion graphics displayed in the film, which were designed by our motion graphics artist David (Cubby) Hall, inspired from ancient Greek pottery.
Claimed: 0 of 10
$40
Boy-Wives and Female Husbands
You can own a piece of history; one of the books used in the making of the film, "Before Homosexuals". Learn something new while helping us recoup our research costs.
"Before Homosexuals" not only includes a substantial chapter on Africa, but spans the globe and spans history, covering not just Europe, but also Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
Claimed: 0 of 1
$40
Out Traveler Hawaii
You can own one of the actual books used in the making of the film Before Homosexuals!
Indigenous cultures, including Hawaiian culture, are an integral chapter in Before Homosexuals. This book was purchased by the film for a field expedition to Hawaii, where native Hawaiian culture was studied and footage for the film was shot on location.
Your donation represents the price paid by the film to acquire the book, plus a $25 contribution to our Seed&Spark campaign.
Thank you for your support!
Claimed: 0 of 1
$47
Bisexuality in the Ancient World
Own one of the actual books used to make the film, "Before Homosexuals", while learning about how the silent letter in LGBT was more accepted in the ancient world than it is today!
Bisexuality in the Ancient World by Eva Cantarella is a fascinating read with some gorgeous illustrations of ancient art, some of which appear in the film, including the Paestum frescoes, appearing on the book's cover.
Claimed: 0 of 1
$50
Eroticism in Pompeii
Bought in the gift shop in Pompeii during the final European filming trip, from which many scenes in the film arose, this beautifully illustrated book contain many high resolution photographs of frescoes from the baths and brothels of Pompeii.
Claimed: 0 of 1
$50
Limited Edition "Before Homosexuals" t-shirt
One of our many fabulous premiums is a limited edition "Before Homosexuals" t-shirt. They come in S, M, L, XL, 2XL sizes. Aren’t they neat?
On the front, you will see our lovely “Before Homosexuals” logo, and on the back is a quote from one of our interviewees, Bernadette Brooten. “Without preserving this, our lives are totally wiped out… it depends upon each fragment of information being saved…”
Claimed: 1 of 5
$75
One of a Kind Film Prop - Hidden Things Poem by C.P. Cavafy
Delivered just in time for the holidays, the original prop used in the C.P. Cavafy dream sequence in the film, mounted on foamcore, and ideal for framing, to remind you that, "...someone else made just like me is certain to appear and act freely."
Claimed: 0 of 1
$78
The Riddle of "Man-Manly" Love by Karl Heinrich Ulrichs
The book's translator, Michael Lombardi-Nash, is interviewed in the film about the life of Karl Heinrich Ulrichs.
Written by the first person to publicly "come out" as a homosexual, Karl Heinrich Ulrichs is a central character in "Before Homosexuals" and scenes were filmed at his birthday celebration at his gravesite in Aquila, Italy.
Claimed: 0 of 3
$150
One of a Kind Barbara Gittings poster
One of a kind 24"x 36"Barbara Gittings poster from the 1999 After Stonewall publicity campaign, memorializing her now iconic statement, "I was in a room with twelve other lesbians for the first time in my life and oh what a thrill it was."
Claimed: 0 of 1
$150
One of a Kind Audre Lorde Poster
One of a kind 24"x 36"Audre Lorde poster from the 1999 After Stonewall publicity campaign, memorializing her now iconic statement, "Everything we do has got to contribute to the struggle, because everything they do is grinding us into dust. And we will not be ground!"
Sold Out!
$150
One of a Kind Dorothy Allison & Rita Mae Brown Poster
One of a kind 24"x 36"Dorothy Allison & Rita Mae Brown poster from the 1999 After Stonewall publicity campaign, memorializing their now iconic statements:
"The Women I came from weren't victims, they kicked butt! So I'm going to kick some too, you little Yankee girls. Let me show you how this works." - Rita Mae Brown
"I was not a monster, I was not alone, and I had the possibility of preventing what happened to me from happening to other people." - Dorothy Allison
Claimed: 0 of 1
$150
One of a Kind Larry Kramer Poster
One of a kind 24"x 36"Larry Kramer poster from the 1999 After Stonewall publicity campaign, memorializing his now iconic statement, "We're all going to go crazy, living this epidemic every minute, while the rest of the world goes on out there, all around us, as if nothing is happening..." - Larry Kramer
Sold Out!
$7,500
Gilbert Baker Signed Limited Edition Signed Rainbow Flag
Signed by the artist, Gilbert Baker, who passed away earlier this year, this rainbow flag is made of separate pieces of colored fabric sewn together, instead of silk screened onto a single piece of fabric. A real collector's item!
Sold Out!
-
Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$10
Social Media Shout Out
We'll post a personalized thank-you image on BEFORE HOMOSEXUAL's social media accounts, because you are FABULOUS!
Claimed: 2 of 100
$23
Queer Cowboys by Chris Packard
The Nineteenth Century, Walt Whitman, and other gay male pioneers round out the end of the film, "Before Homosexuals", and this very book was used in researching the film.
Claimed: 0 of 1
$25
Pride of the Ocean Shorts & Bikinis DVD
Just in time for the holidays! Our sister company, Pride of the Ocean's first DVD compilation of short films.
Claimed: 6 of 50
$29
The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde by Neil McKenna
Neil McKenna appears towards the end of our film and recites the very moving letter that Oscar Wilde wrote from his prison cell to his love, Bosie Douglas.
Neil explores their relationship and the tragic end of Oscar Wilde's life in his very informative and entertaining biography, which served as a great inspiration for the film, "Before Homosexuals".
Claimed: 0 of 1
$30
Collected Poems of C.P. Cavafy
You can own one of the actual books used in the making of the film Before Homosexuals!
CP Cavafy figures prominently in the film Before Homsexuals, with his poem "Brigade of Pleasure" ending the film, and the memorable quote, "One day, someone made just like me, is sure to appear and act freely."
Your donation represents the price paid by the film to acquire the book, plus a $25 contribution to our Seed&Spark campaign.
Thank you for your support!
Claimed: 0 of 1
$35
Warren Cup - Every Fragment Counts Mug Series
EVERY FRAGMENT COUNTS MUG SERIES - As Bernadette Brooten says in "Before Homosexuals,"
"It depends upon each fragment being saved." With your contribution, you will receive a stylish coffee mug, printed with one of five different historical LGBT artworks used in the film.
As Maria Margaronis says in the film, "The Warren Cup is a silver drinking cup, made in the first century common era, by a Greek craftsman, In Rome for a Roman patron. The cup itself has lovely silver relief carvings, relief work on both sides, showing sex between two men."
Claimed: 2 of 10
$35
Sisterhood Cirte - Every Fragment Counts Mug Series
EVERY FRAGMENT COUNTS MUG SERIES - As Bernadette Brooten says in "Before Homosexuals,"
"It depends upon each fragment being saved." With your contribution, you will receive a stylish coffee mug, printed with one of five different historical LGBT artworks used in the film.
As Janet Afary says in the film, "In Shiran in society there are two types of marriage: formal and temporary. A temporary marriage is called a cierte. We’ve found now there were also same-sex cierte. These were called “brotherhood cirte” and “sisterhood cirte.” This mug depicts a frame from the animated sisterhood cirte, designed by our own motion graphics artist, David (Cubby) Hall.
Claimed: 0 of 10
$35
Fab Jesus - Every Fragment Counts Mug Series
EVERY FRAGMENT COUNTS MUG SERIES - As Bernadette Brooten says in "Before Homosexuals,"
"It depends upon each fragment being saved." With your contribution, you will receive a stylish coffee mug, printed with one of five different historical LGBT artworks used in the film.
"Fab Jesus" is the name we gave an untitled and uncredited mosaic we discovered in the Aquila cemetery in Italy where Karl Heinrich Ulrichs is buried and where a scene in "Before Homosexuals" was filmed.
Claimed: 0 of 10
$35
Logo - Every Fragment Counts Mug Series
EVERY FRAGMENT COUNTS MUG SERIES - As Bernadette Brooten says in "Before Homosexuals,"
"It depends upon each fragment being saved." With your contribution, you will receive a stylish coffee mug, printed with one of five different historical LGBT artworks used in the film.
With the Logo mug, you can be reminded of the Before Homsexuals film every morning as you have your coffee or tea in our mug with the opening motion graphics displayed in the film, which were designed by our motion graphics artist David (Cubby) Hall, inspired from ancient Greek pottery.
Claimed: 0 of 10
$40
Boy-Wives and Female Husbands
You can own a piece of history; one of the books used in the making of the film, "Before Homosexuals". Learn something new while helping us recoup our research costs.
"Before Homosexuals" not only includes a substantial chapter on Africa, but spans the globe and spans history, covering not just Europe, but also Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
Claimed: 0 of 1
$40
Out Traveler Hawaii
You can own one of the actual books used in the making of the film Before Homosexuals!
Indigenous cultures, including Hawaiian culture, are an integral chapter in Before Homosexuals. This book was purchased by the film for a field expedition to Hawaii, where native Hawaiian culture was studied and footage for the film was shot on location.
Your donation represents the price paid by the film to acquire the book, plus a $25 contribution to our Seed&Spark campaign.
Thank you for your support!
Claimed: 0 of 1
$47
Bisexuality in the Ancient World
Own one of the actual books used to make the film, "Before Homosexuals", while learning about how the silent letter in LGBT was more accepted in the ancient world than it is today!
Bisexuality in the Ancient World by Eva Cantarella is a fascinating read with some gorgeous illustrations of ancient art, some of which appear in the film, including the Paestum frescoes, appearing on the book's cover.
Claimed: 0 of 1
$50
Eroticism in Pompeii
Bought in the gift shop in Pompeii during the final European filming trip, from which many scenes in the film arose, this beautifully illustrated book contain many high resolution photographs of frescoes from the baths and brothels of Pompeii.
Claimed: 0 of 1
$50
Limited Edition "Before Homosexuals" t-shirt
One of our many fabulous premiums is a limited edition "Before Homosexuals" t-shirt. They come in S, M, L, XL, 2XL sizes. Aren’t they neat?
On the front, you will see our lovely “Before Homosexuals” logo, and on the back is a quote from one of our interviewees, Bernadette Brooten. “Without preserving this, our lives are totally wiped out… it depends upon each fragment of information being saved…”
Claimed: 1 of 5
$75
One of a Kind Film Prop - Hidden Things Poem by C.P. Cavafy
Delivered just in time for the holidays, the original prop used in the C.P. Cavafy dream sequence in the film, mounted on foamcore, and ideal for framing, to remind you that, "...someone else made just like me is certain to appear and act freely."
Claimed: 0 of 1
$78
The Riddle of "Man-Manly" Love by Karl Heinrich Ulrichs
The book's translator, Michael Lombardi-Nash, is interviewed in the film about the life of Karl Heinrich Ulrichs.
Written by the first person to publicly "come out" as a homosexual, Karl Heinrich Ulrichs is a central character in "Before Homosexuals" and scenes were filmed at his birthday celebration at his gravesite in Aquila, Italy.
Claimed: 0 of 3
$150
One of a Kind Barbara Gittings poster
One of a kind 24"x 36"Barbara Gittings poster from the 1999 After Stonewall publicity campaign, memorializing her now iconic statement, "I was in a room with twelve other lesbians for the first time in my life and oh what a thrill it was."
Claimed: 0 of 1
$150
One of a Kind Audre Lorde Poster
One of a kind 24"x 36"Audre Lorde poster from the 1999 After Stonewall publicity campaign, memorializing her now iconic statement, "Everything we do has got to contribute to the struggle, because everything they do is grinding us into dust. And we will not be ground!"
Sold Out!
$150
One of a Kind Dorothy Allison & Rita Mae Brown Poster
One of a kind 24"x 36"Dorothy Allison & Rita Mae Brown poster from the 1999 After Stonewall publicity campaign, memorializing their now iconic statements:
"The Women I came from weren't victims, they kicked butt! So I'm going to kick some too, you little Yankee girls. Let me show you how this works." - Rita Mae Brown
"I was not a monster, I was not alone, and I had the possibility of preventing what happened to me from happening to other people." - Dorothy Allison
Claimed: 0 of 1
$150
One of a Kind Larry Kramer Poster
One of a kind 24"x 36"Larry Kramer poster from the 1999 After Stonewall publicity campaign, memorializing his now iconic statement, "We're all going to go crazy, living this epidemic every minute, while the rest of the world goes on out there, all around us, as if nothing is happening..." - Larry Kramer
Sold Out!
$7,500
Gilbert Baker Signed Limited Edition Signed Rainbow Flag
Signed by the artist, Gilbert Baker, who passed away earlier this year, this rainbow flag is made of separate pieces of colored fabric sewn together, instead of silk screened onto a single piece of fabric. A real collector's item!
Sold Out!
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
- John Scagliotti (Director/Producer)
John Scagliotti has produced many now-classic documentaries, such as BEFORE STONEWALL, AFTER STONEWALL, and DANGEROUS LIVING. He also created the first LGBT radio show (THE LAVENDER HOUR, 1973) and television series on PBS (IN THE LIFE, 1991 to 2012). In recognition of his service to the LGBT community, he received an honorary doctorate from Marlboro College, VT. - Betsy Kalin (Producer/Co-Writer)
In 2004, her feature length documentary, Hearts Cracked Open, premiered to great acclaim at the San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and has gone on to win several awards. Her film, Roof, premiered at New York City’s MoMA as part of New Directors/New Films and is a part of the Short Shorts compilation released by Picture This! Entertainment. In 1997, Betsy formed Itchy Bee Productions and her experimental and documentary shorts have screened at festivals worldwide. She also wrote and directed the lesbian biography series, LesBios, for web broadcast. She is currently producing and directing the feature-length, East L.A. Interchange and the short documentary, Chained!. - Christopher Dawes (Co-Producer/Editor)
A multimedia producer at the New York Gay and Lesbian Center where he produced more than 30 mini-documentaries for the online newsmagazine and filmed over 17 live events. He was also an Assistant Editor at In the Life TV. His recent short film Long Nights Journey into Day was selected to be shown at CineSlam, Vermont’s Shorts Fest. - David M. Hall (Co-Producer/Editor)
David has produced many short films and animations including ST. SEBASTIAN: PROTECTOR OF BEARDS, BUG, FAMILY PORTRAIT which have shown in Chicago, New York and in festivals such as the VT Bear Film Festival. Since earning a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he is excited to be working on his first feature-length project, Before Homosexuals: The Prequel to Before Stonewall. - Don DiNicola (Music Composer)
Don DiNicola has over 15 years of experience in film and television as a composer and music supervisor and has developed a substantial, multi-tiered music publishing company that handles an extensive broadcast music catalog. He has written music for PBS, A&E, TLC, Discovery, CNBC, Style, Sundance and HBO networks. He has worked on Emmy award winning shows; “Suicide Bombers/Cult Of Death”, and “The Art Of Failure; Chuck Connelly Not For Sale” (both as Music Supervisor) and most recently the Emmy Award Winning “Baring It All” (as composer). Don also produces and directs original media content. His feature directorial debut, “Nowhere Now; The Ballad Of Joshua Tree” enjoyed a vibrant life on the international film festival circuit before being picked up for a one year run on PBS affiliate KCET in Los Angeles. His mixed-media short film, “Karma Cats; The Chintamani Stone” has spent the last 2 years screening at film festivals internationally. Don is also a founding faculty member of Vermont College Of Fine Arts. - Matt Bucy (Digital Colorist/Additional Cinematography)
Matt Bucy is a filmmaker and cinematographer most recently recognized in American Cinematographer for his lighting and camera work on the award-winning recreation of 1960s TV, “Star Trek Continues (YouTube).” His experimental film, “Of Oz the Wizard (Vimeo),” a re-edit of the MGM classic, went semi-viral in early 2016, after favorable reviews in the LA Times, on Buzzfeed, Vox, Dangerous Minds and others. As an architect/developer, he has played a central role in the revitalization of his home town, White River Junction, Vermont, including the founding of a local film festival. - JoAnn Wypijewski (Senior Researcher/Narration Writer)
An independent writer and previous editor of The Nation magazine. She is the president of the board, program director and co-founder, of Kopkind, a summer residency and public education project for political journalists, activists and filmmakers.
- John Scagliotti (Director/Producer)
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