Hollywood Erased Lesbian Activist Sally Gearhart: New Documentary ‘Sally!’ Corrects The Record
Deborah Craig’s film has already made waves on the festival circuit, winning Audience Awards for Best Documentary across the country.
Sally Gearhart may not be a household name, but her contributions to LGBTQ+ rights are undeniable. The new documentary Sally! sets the record straight—literally—on her legacy, making clear that Gearhart was a force in her own right.
Not to be confused with Sally, the recent documentary about astronaut Sally Ride, Sally! spotlights the radical lesbian feminist who stood shoulder to shoulder with Harvey Milk in the battle against Proposition 6, the 1978 Briggs Initiative that sought to ban gay and lesbian teachers in California.
Filmmaker Deborah Craig’s documentary showcases Gearhart’s mastery in the 1978 televised debate against State Senator John Briggs. While Milk brought charm and political acumen, Gearhart’s ability to quote scripture right back at the religious right helped dismantle their arguments.
Sally! uses a split-screen to highlight a historical omission: Gus Van Sant’s Oscar-winning film Milk (2008), written by Dustin Lance Black, not only erased Gearhart from the debate scene but also handed her words to Sean Penn’s portrayal of Milk. When Gearhart addressed this erasure, she remarked bluntly: “It happens to women all the time.”
Gearhart did receive some long-overdue recognition in Black’s 2017 miniseries When We Rise, where she was portrayed by Carrie Preston.
Related: Meet the Real Women Featured in “When We Rise”
Born in 1931 in rural Virginia, Gearhart defied societal norms at every turn. She earned a doctorate at 23, taught at conservative Christian colleges in Texas, and ultimately left when it became clear that living openly as a lesbian was incompatible with the institutions she worked for. In the 1970s, she moved to San Francisco, where she became the first openly lesbian professor to receive tenure at a major university, San Francisco State. She was instrumental in launching one of the country’s first women’s and gender studies programs.
But her influence didn’t stop in the classroom. She co-founded a lesbian separatist community in Willits, California, an off-the-grid retreat where women lived and loved freely. Sally! paints a vivid, multifaceted portrait of Gearhart, capturing her passion, resilience, and unwavering spirit. The film also candidly explores the tensions and relationships that shaped her life, including her polyamorous bond with longtime partner Jane Gurko, a fellow academic.
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Craig’s documentary has already made waves on the festival circuit, winning Audience Awards for Best Documentary at the Seattle Queer Film Festival, Out at the Movies in Winston-Salem, and ReelQ in Pittsburgh, among others. Beyond its historical significance, Sally! feels urgent for today’s climate. As Craig told Ms. Magazine, “I really hope that people see Sally not just as, ‘oh, she did these important things in the ’70s and ’80s,’ but as a role model for how to be an activist… and how to fight like hell for something without acrimony for those you disagree with.”
Gearhart died in 2021 at the age of 90, and while she may not have sought the spotlight, this documentary ensures her story won’t be forgotten. With any luck, her unwavering determination to fight for what’s right will spark the same passion in today’s generation. For more info on upcoming screenings, head here.
