Contents:
GAY DIRECTOR ADAM KALRON PICTS HOMOPHOBIA THE SWIMMG WORLD WH ‘THE SWIMMER’
“Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party” (HULU, Kanopy, and AppleTV) tak place entirely durg the tle character’s (out gay Philly native Cole Doman) 17th birthday pool party. One tenr scene the pool has Henry lookg wh sire at his straight bt iend Gabe (Joe Keery), while Logan (Daniel Kyri), a gay teenager, is lookg at Henry wh the same shy sire. Back the days before out gay athlet, there was a need for queer men and women to create a safe space and prove — through petn — that they were, as one terviewee says, “About abily, not sexualy.
” The film addrs the “fay” the gay and lbian athlet formed at a time when beg out at work uld get you fired. “Light the Water” revels the mararie of s members, who created the “Pk Flamgo, ” a drag tradn at the Gay Gam, and were empowered by beg a gay team wng at straight meets. The documentary ends by prentg the team’s recent history, which clus straight swimmers, as well as the weddg of two gay members.