Rebel Dykes 2021
Distributed by Women Make Movies, 115 W. 29th Street, Suite 1200,New York, NY, 10001; 212-925-0606
Produced by Siobhan Fahey
Directed by Harri Shanahan and Siân A. Williams
Streaming, 92 mins
College - General Adult
Gay Liberation; Lesbians; LGBTQIA+
Date Entered: 06/01/2023
Reviewed by Erica Swenson Danowitz, Chat Reference Librarian – Pennsylvania’s Chat with a Librarian (CWAL), Independent Contractor at Hosting Solutions & Library Consulting (HSLC); Retired Professor/Reference Librarian, Delaware County Community CollegeRebel Dykes is a riveting documentary that refers to a group of lesbians living in 1980s London. These individuals considered themselves outlaws and differed from mainstream lesbianism of the time. They appeared unconventional to other lesbian groups as they were often anarchists, punk, and occasionally embraced sado-masochistic sexual practices. Often ostracized by family and others in society these “rebels” created their own families, collectively squatted in abandoned housing units, established S/M clubs including Chain Reaction, and issued publications such as the magazine Quim.
This film offers an interesting glimpse of the rebel lesbian London scene through film footage and interviews with individuals who participated in this scene. The producer of this documentary participated in this group and discusses her involvement. London (and society overall) during this time remained harsh toward individuals considered different or who identified as gay. There were few safe spaces during this era and being noticed could be dangerous. Many interviewees discuss being beaten, slashed, or harassed for their sexual orientation. Years before LGBTQIA+ activism emerged these individuals participated in political demonstrations against Thatcherism and its policies including the 1988 adoption of the anti-gay legislation, Section 28 of the Local Government Act. This act banned the “promotion of homosexuality” and was not repealed until 2003. In 1988 many of the individuals featured in this film bravely protested this legislation at the House of Lords and during a live BBC broadcast.
Although some of the original film footage is occasionally choppy, blurry, or has poor audio quality (improved by the closed captioning), it still succeeds in capturing and presenting life in London during a very different time. It also includes some scenes with animation. Interview participants now in middle age help depict this bygone period and bring a twinge of nostalgia to a time that, although not without problems, still had flashes of a vanished free-spiritedness. Rebel Dykes includes contemporaneous music from bands associated with this movement including The Darlings, Gymslips, Mouth Almighty, Poison Girls, Sister George, and the Well-Oiled Sisters. The soundtrack also includes music by the Israeli composer Ellyott.
This film is available in a variety of formats and licenses. Rebel Dykes has some nudity and is recommended for adult viewers or students at the college level. It could be shown or assigned in academic courses found in such disciplines, as Feminist/Gender Studies, LGBT Studies, and modern British history. As one commentator in the film notes, this story had been untold, but is now documented. It is a noteworthy documentary that resonates today as individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community continue to battle unjust laws and societal prejudices.
Awards:Feature Film Winner, Iris Prize; Best Documentary, MiX 35 Film Festival; Special Jury Mention, Best Documentary Feature, Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival; Best Documentary, Porn Film Festival, Berlin; Best Documentary, GAZE; Best Documentary, Some Prefer Cake Film Festival
Published and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Anyone can use these reviews, so long as they comply with the terms of the license.