In the 1970s & 80s, a group of lesbian youth in Albuquerque, New Mexico had a particular way of finding each other and others like themselves: a secret whistle. It was used to find friends in a crowd, to find out if other young women were also lesbians, and as a friendly nod to groups of lesbians passing by at the mall or the State Fair. Most importantly, it was a lifeline to community for many young queer people growing up and coming out during that time. Several decades later, a Latinx trans man returns to Albuquerque in a search for the origin of the whistle he learned as a teenager. As he interviews his peers and elders, their stories — both humorous and heartbreaking — reveal the many codes that kept them safe, and the community they found along the way.
Preceded by Were You Gay in High School?
2020. 13 m. Niki Ang. Frameline Distribution. US. English. Rated .
Two queer women recall their awkward, closeted high school days of kissing boys and crushing on straight girls.
Read a special note for Pride Month from Series Curator Adrienne Frank on the JBFC Blog.
