Monica Davidson is a 3rd generation fag hag, a straight female friend to the gay man. At last count, around fifty of Monica's lifetime friends are gay men. Why? Is it genetic? Monica's grandmother Dorothy is friends with openly gay Keithy in the 1950s in a time when homosexuality was a crime. When Monica's mother Pat is a younger woman in the 1970s, she befriends Bobby and her weekends are spent at the local gay bar. Now, Monica's teenage daughters march in the Gay Mardi Gras parade and argue for marriage equality with their school friends. In Handbag, Monica tells the very personal story of her own family and friends, and the iconic relationship between gay men and straight women. As a testimony to her quest, she also creates the ultimate moving tribute to the relationship - a float for the famous Sydney Gay Mardi Gras parade. Through Handbag, Monica will explore gay history, the role of women in a world of men, and friendship through thick, thin and sequins.—Monica Davidson
Handbag is a documentary feature film about the unsung story of the fag hag, and her role as a gay activist, told through four generations of Australian women.
The term 'handbag' refers to the unique friendship between gay men and straight women. Monica Davidson, writer and director of Handbag, is a devoted handbag and self-declared 'fag hag'. It runs in the family - her grandmother was a 'beard', her mother a disco diva and AIDS volunteer, and her three kids are all part of the GLBTQI rainbow.
Monica is fascinated by the largely unsung history of the 'fag hag' as gay activist, even though straight women have been allies and protectors for their gay friends for generations. The friendship itself is simultaneously renowned in pop culture and yet often misunderstood in real life, which is embodied in the hideous use of the term 'hag'. Monica dives into academic research to find out the roots of the 'fag hag' friendship, and interviews people on the street about the stereotype of the fag has as the fat and sexless hanger-on. She even speculates about FagHagZilla, a mythological monster that destroys fun-loving gay men with a single stomp.
Monica decides to embark on a personal crusade to find out more about the women who have always stood beside their gay friends through thick, thin and sequins. During a visit to the USA and the San Francisco Pride festival, she meets more unacknowledged straight heroines of the gay community, who are quietly providing love, support and allegiance without any expectation of recognition or reward. Monica realizes the unsung power of the straight ally, and vows to bring that unnoticed support to the fore - even just for one night.
On her return to Australia, Monica and her posse carve out a moment in the spotlight for straight women and their gay friends by creating a giant moving Handbag float for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade. It is the first Fag Hag float in the long history of the parade.
Using history, dance sequences, pathos and a huge helping of humor, Handbag explains the remarkable women who have stood side-by-side with their gay friends, activists who have often been ignored and even shamed by the community they support, still staunch devotees to the end.
Finally, the untold story of the fag hag, told by the women themselvesand created by an almost entirely female crew.One of the first docs in Australia with an all-female crew, cast and story line.
