A new image of the the American woman in 1924..... brought to you by Maybelline.

    1924 Vogue cover, with a beautifully made-up face.

Illustration of "IT GIRL"  Clara Bow.

MGM, formed in 1924, becoming the dominant studio during Hollywood's Golden Age and influencing images of girls around the world. 

Maybelline's Illustration of Vamp, Louise Brooks.

Tom Lyle Williams, contributed to the Hollywood Star System by featuring Stars in Maybelline ads, in movie and fashion magazines, newspapers and radio shows.

MabelMa Williams, with her brother-in-law, Chester Arthur Haines, at his wedding to her sister Eva, in 1924.  

Mabel may have put  the "M" in Maybelline, but, she had no interest in being just another "It Girl," or "Vamp."  She was a traditional, 32 year old, Southern Lady, waiting for her man to come along.  

Unbeknownst to her, Chester Randolph Hewes, was living in Chicago and working at Montgomery Wards, in the automotive, advertising department.

At the time Chester, was involved with an English girl he'd met in England, while in the Navy, during
WW l.  He had said goodbye to her and her family after his stint was over, headed back to the US, got a job and was busy working.  When all of a sudden, Connie, her mother and several grown brothers showed up on his doorstep.

He told her he did not want to marry her, but being a gentleman, arranged for an apartment for the family and  jobs for her brothers.  After awhile she realized Chester, just wasn't that into her, so, packed up her family and sadly, headed back to England.

Mabel met Chester, through his sister Bonnie when he came to pick up Bonnie at a bridal shower given at the home of Chester's then girlfriend.  Mabel was also a guest and after Chester met her, he told a friend, Mabel was the girl he was going to marry.

(Story by Chet and Mabel's daughter, Shirley Hughes, who recently passed away at 95 years of age.)

Maybelline, once known as "The Wonder Company"... "The Little Company that Could"

Tom Lyle Williams at 19 years of age in 1915.

By 1929 Tom Lyle Williams was spending $200,000 a year in advertising, with Maybelline ads appearing in forty popular magazines as well as Sunday newspaper supplements and specialized journals such as Theatre and Photoplay. Between 1915 and 1929, he’d spent over a million dollars to advertise Maybelline. His little eye beautifier now had wide distribution in the United States and Canada.  Everywhere you went, close-up photos of eyes darkened with Maybelline projected a provocative--but no longer sinful--eroticism.

Tom Lyle Williams in 1929,
from an article in a trade magazine.

In fact Tom Lyle had just launched his 1929 “Springtime is Maybelline Time!” campaign, featuring an idealized lovely young miss looking up adoringly at her man through starry eyes. The offers to vendors pitched display cartons, each holding a half-dozen eye makeup containers, and urged druggists to try product placement by the soda fountain, “forcing extra sales.” Tom Lyle felt that the ad would assure continued prosperity for the company, meaning he could afford to leave Maybelline in the hands of his brother Noel while he and Emery headed out to California for a few days.

On October 29, 1929, a news flash announced that the Dow industrial average had fallen almost twenty-three percent, and the stock market had lost a total of sixteen billion dollars in value in a month. Sixteen billion dollars.

Tom Lyle knew the stock market crash would be devastating for the country in general, and would certainly ruin many companies. Although Maybelline, as a family-owned business, was not directly affected by the Wall Street disaster, there was no question that the aftermath would be devastating. Who would choose to buy eye cosmetics over food for the family?


The prosperity and opulence of the Roaring Twenties were gone, disappearing along with the vamps who had loaded up with Maybelline’s seventy-five-cent product. In order to keep his company alive in the years to come, Tom Lyle knew he would have to find ways to keep his product in the public eye, yet at a price women could afford. The flashy, flapper look was quickly devolving to a more demure look fit for austere times.


Despite the national situation, he felt good about the future. In fact, when Noel showed him a story in The Wall Street Journal about a brand-new skyscraper being constructed over the old Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York--the Empire State Building, the tallest structure in the world--Tom Lyle took it as a sign that the bad economy would be only a temporary dip in the road.


He was rarely so wrong. When Emery suggested an ad tie-in to the Empire State Building--Things Are Looking Up, featuring young women with gorgeous eyes gazing up at a new skyscraper--Tom Lyle backed it enthusiastically...until it became clear that for most of the country, things were looking very much down. They abandoned the new ad campaign as the market continued to decline, wages plummeted, and credit dried up. When industrial production also collapsed, many businesses went with it.


But not Maybelline. Although innovative and widespread advertising was responsible for a lot of the company's success over the years, it was not the whole story. So was constant innovation in the lab, and that spring, thanks to the introduction of an improved waterproof eye makeup, total sales rose to $750,000--at a time when most businesses were struggling simply to keep their wallowing businesses afloat.

“Once you become a star, you are always a star!” Maybelline Girl, Mae Murray, rose to fame during the silent film era and was known as "The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips" and "The Gardenia of the Screen"

"One of the many Beautiful Stage and Screen Stars who wear and highly recommend Maybelline Beauty Aids''.

May Murray appeared in this Maybelline ad while starring with Rudolph Valentino in The Delicious Little Devil in 1919. 

Purchase this Comedy/The Delicious Little Devil (1919) DVD

The Delicious Little Devil is a silent film drama/comedy produced by Universal Film Manufacturing Company in 1919 stars Mae Murray and features a "pre-star" Rudolph Valentino. Purchase the card at Silent Cinema Inc. lobby card

Mae Murray: The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips (Screen Classics) (Hardcover) The real-life silent screen queen of the 20s was defined, not only by her screen allure, but also by her fabrications, her fictions, her pretenses, her litigiousness and her decidedly odd behavior.

she was once "The Merry Widow," or a hardworking professional silent screen actress who got lost in her own publicity.

Mae Murray could not let go of the fantasy that Hollywood had and it destroyed any hope of her leading a normal life out of the spotlight.

 Murray's life could be the model for Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard.  She was a Ziegfeld Girl, a successful dancer and a successful Silent Film movie queen. 

Click on the video and enjoy Maybelline's beautiful

Movie Legend, Mae Murray.

Why is it that so many of these Silent Film Stars lives in so tragically? Mae Murray's sad ending.

When the Talkies took over many turned to Alcohol and died young like Mary Eaton.

Thank you for following the Maybelline Book Blog.

Je'Taun M. Taylor Maybellne's first African American Face. Celebrating Black History Month, a tribute to a beautiful Lady, who should never be forgotten

Je'Taun M. Taylor ; Maiden name Je T'Aime Mason (origin of French word Je T'Aime, meaning "I Love You".) 

She was born and raised in Chicago, IL at Cook County Hospital on August 8, 1923. Je'Taun was a very gorgeous, respectable, talented lady with a beautiful soul that shined through her heart of Gold. Her ample wittiness, and extremely broad sense of humor is what made her one of a kind. Je'Taun was all about succeeding and conquering your dreams.

 

Her vivacious spirit, and distinguished determination is what led to her success, but her strong faith, willingness to give, and readiness to learn is what grounded her foundation and legacy. In the late 1930's Je'Taun attended cosmetology school as well as receiving a certificate in Real Estate, while also venturing off into her own endeavors intending to capitalize off of her business ventures.

 

Some of those ventures included modeling. She also enjoyed altering and modeling clothes. During that time period it was very hard, especially as a woman, to be recognized, considered, or even taken serious due to not only the societies cliche' about how they portrayed women at the time, but as well as characteristic's as simple as the color of her skin. She had to fight for what she wanted. She often stated that she had to be unique in an indifferent world, she had to make a difference, do something that made a statement, and make her mark in this world. She always talked about the promise land...I'm guessing it refers to all the sacred and anointed blessings God has promised each and every one of us.

 We all have our own unique gifts and talents that He only gave to us. While doing so she also made all her loved ones a believer of Christ, with a hopeful future. She grew up in a Christian home. Her grandmother, Ruth Brown, was a Christian Science Minister. Je'Taun carried her grandmothers strong christian faith on through many generations. She gave everyone she came into contact with hope, chance, encouragement, wisdom, and unconditional love just as God does.

 While yet building her modeling career, She had her first child Janice Jackson in 1941. Soon after starting her career, she gained a promising future in modeling with the well known makeup company Maybelline. She was ecstatic to form such a promising future doing exactly what she had wanted to do. She took great joy in modeling for Maybelline. Her career continued to advance with Maybelline, as well as the few business ventures she did with Christian Dior.

Let us never forget this spectacular Lady!!!

Maybelline Story Author lost her home in the LAGUNA BEACH FIRESTORM, October 27, 1993

www.GirlBehindTheFence.com for more information

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As fierce wildfires fueled by 70 mph Santa Ana winds swept through the Laguna Canyon and hurtled towards their neighborhoods, people found themselves literally racing to escape the 200-feet-high flames. When it was over, the fire had claimed 366 homes. 

Excerpt from my, 1993, Diary, unedited. Post - Oct 27.

I laid there, in my boiling hot room, and sorted out my day. The first thing I had to do was call Barbara - my neighbor across the street - and see if she put the copy of my William Morris book contract, in my mailbox... so I could take it to school, and go over it.  My Attorney had faxed it to her husband Mark's office and he was nice enough to bring it home for me.

I knew it was going to be a difficult day, because of the heat, and my back was still killing me.  My face too, was dry, itchy and pealing, because I'd just had another deep face peal, and  couldn't wear make-up again today. I wished I could stay home and hide, but I had to get the contract figured out and faxed back to David by the end of the day.  This time, I was determined... nothing would stand in the way, of me writing my book.

Before Georgia left the house for school, she turned on the T.V., and I heard the reporter say, Orange County was on fire.  I'd heard this before, but was never alarmed.....I figured we were safe here Laguna, tucked away from the rest of the county in a Lagoon..... but when I got up, and looked out the window, I was stunned by the amount of smoke in the air and how the sun looked like it had turned to blood.

Than I noticed Mark and Barbara's roofer's, working at 7:00 a.m., and worried about the hot tar blowing in my windows. I knew I couldn't stay in the house with the windows shut all day.  The heat would kill me.

The Santa Ana winds were out of control, blowing 90 miles an hour, or so it seemed, by the look of the palm trees swaying in the wind. I forced myself to get dressed, and get out of the town as soon as possible until it blew over.

Before I left, I called Barbara and told her the roofer's had an actual fire going on her roof, but figured they must know what they were doing, so didn't worry too much about it.  We talked about the brand new Black Cherokee Jeep, she'd just gotten, and I remarked on how spoiled she was, having a rich husband, who buys her anything she wants.

"Oh, I know," she agreed, "isn't it terrible, how spoiled we both are," she laughed, throwing it right back to me.

"Well, I suppose you're right," I said, "I'm very lucky too, after all I  get to spend the day doing aerobics, Yoga and Tie Chi, than study my contract while eating lunch."

We both laughed, knowing that few people had a lifestyle as comfortable and as fun as ours.

"What do you think about the fires," I asked her, needing some reassurance before I headed out of town.

"I'm worried, of course," she confessed, "but it looks like they're pretty far North, don't you think?," she said.

"You're right," I said, "but doesn't it look like the end of the world? I've just got to get out of here."

"I'm so sorry," she said, "about the roof.  They were supposed to be done a week ago, but you know contractors, you can't depend of them."

"It's okay," I said, "I need to get to school anyway.  I've missed the last two days of exercise classes, because my back went out."

"Well, good luck with the book contract," she said, "I'm excited for you.  I know the project is going to be great, how can it miss, the story is phenomenal"

"Thanks Barb," I said, "and thank Mark for bringing the fax home."

I got off the phone and called David next to tell him everything was on schedule and that I'd call him in the afternoon when I got home. Than I threw on some old cotton shorts, a crummy t-shirt without shoulder pads, and some tennis shoes. The house looked neat, and clean.  Everything was in order.  My manuscript, family pictures, and letters, all filed in boxes and stored under my desk next to the door. I walked out the front door and down the old red brick steps to my car, than hesitated for one second, wondering if I should bring the pictures with me to decide which one's would be best for the book. Than thought, "no, leave them, they're safer in the house and I wouldn't want to take any chances of losing them."

I pulled the car out of the garage, locked it tightly with the new pad lock I just bought and backed it out of the driveway.  Before I drove off down the hill, I looked back to admire the new paint job, and landscaping.  It was just darling and I was proud I'd restored it to it's rightful position in the neighborhood, after years of neglect during my long divorce. I dreamed about the day I could finally build a second story on it and have a perfect view.

As I drove through Laguna Canyon, at 11:15 a.m., I noticed police cars, than saw the police putting yellow cones in the highway, to stop traffic from coming into town, it concerned me, but not enough to turn around and go home.   

How strange, I thought, as I sped past them. I looked in my rear view mirror and vowed not to worry, I'll be home at 5:30, I said to myself, and everything will be fine.

While I got on on the 405 freeway, heading South.....
Georgia was dressing for P.E. and going out to play soft ball on the field, when she looked up at the sky towards our house, and noticed it was blue and purple, with scarlet clouds... too eerie to be beautiful, and yet amazingly hypnotic, she thought. The other kids were singing, "it's the end of the world as we know it"... even though, at that point they really didn't know a thing.  There was a scary tension in the air, but the P.E. coach kept everyone playing outside, in the horrible heat.

By lunch, it was clear there was a problem and out in the distance Georgia, could see a cloud of black smoke slowly getting bigger and bigger, right over the town. Reports of a fire in Emerald Bay, a few miles North, began to filter across the campus, and though nothing was confirmed until she got to her 5th period class..... she knew it wasn't good.

Finally the word came that Laguna was on fire......but not to panic.

Short history of Maybelline Founder Tom Lyle Williams and the Maybelline Company

The Maybelline Story" written by Sharrie Williams is a historical narrative of Maybelline, one of the most iconic beauty brands in the world. The book explores the brand's humble beginnings and its rise to become one of the most well-known and successful makeup companies in the world.

The book covers the life of the founder, Tom Lyle Williams, and his journey to creating Maybelline, as well as the innovations, challenges, and triumphs the brand went through. Additionally, the book tells the story of how Maybelline became a trailblazer for the beauty industry and its impact on the society and culture.

In the 1920s, the cosmetic industry experienced significant growth as women's fashion and social norms were changing. The 1920s were known as the "Roaring Twenties" and were a time of great social and cultural change, particularly for women. During this decade, women began to wear shorter skirts, bob their hair, and apply makeup to their faces as a way of expressing their newfound freedom and individuality.

Maybelline was founded by my great uncle, Tom Lyle Williams in 1915. The brand originally sold a mascara product called "Maybelline Cake Mascara," which was a combination of petroleum jelly and coal dust. The mascara was applied with a brush, and Tom Lyle, named the product after his sister Mabel. Maybelline was one of the first companies to market makeup specifically to women, and it advertised its products as a way for women to enhance their natural beauty. 

In the 1930s, Tom Lyle continued to expand the company's product line and increase its visibility. He added new items  and advertised heavily in magazines. The company continued to be one of the first companies that marketed makeup specifically to women.

Maybelline was a successful brand in the 1930s, thanks to its innovative marketing techniques, and the continued popularity of its mascaras and other makeup products.

In the 1940s, Maybelline continued to grow in popularity as a makeup brand, thanks in part to its innovative marketing strategies. Tom Lyle continued to advertise heavily in magazines, and also expanded the company's product line.

During World War II, many consumer goods were hard to come by, and this affected Maybelline as well. Tom Lyle had to get creative with his supply chain and he did so by rationing and repackaging the available products.

During this time the company was also affected by the war effort, some of their staff went to fight in the war, this affected the productivity and the ability to advertise and market the products as heavily as before. Despite these difficulties, Maybelline managed to maintain its position as a popular makeup brand.

After the war, with the economy recovering and a return to normalcy, Maybelline resumed its growth and by the end of the 1940s, it was one of the leading makeup brands in the United States.

In the 1950s, Maybelline continued to be a popular and successful makeup brand as Tom Lyle, continued to expand its product offerings and improve its advertising and marketing strategies. The company added more shades and options to the existing products and by the late 50s he began to target specific audiences like African American customers.

Maybelline also began to invest more in television advertising, as the medium gained popularity in the 1950s. The company sponsored TV shows and created commercials that featured models and actresses wearing Maybelline products. This helped to increase the brand's visibility and reach a wider audience.

Overall, the 1950s were a period of continued growth and success for Maybelline, thanks to its effective advertising and marketing strategies, and its expanding product line.

In 1968, Tom Lyle, sold  Maybelline to Plough Inc. and was no longer actively involved in its operations.

Plough Inc. continued to advertise heavily on television and invest in new product developments. The company came out with new mascara, eyeliner, and lipsticks, as well as new shades of eyeshadows and other items, in order to keep up with changing fashion and beauty trends.

The company also continued to expand internationally in the 1970s. Maybelline products were exported to even more countries, which helped to increase the brand's visibility and reach a wider audience.

Maybelline had also grown into a big corporation by then and was purchased by a large pharmaceutical company called Schering-Plough. This gave the company a deeper financial pockets and resources to invest in further growth and expansion.

Overall, the 1970s were a period of continued growth and success for Maybelline, as the brand continued to be one of the most popular and well-known makeup brands in the world, despite the founder, Tom Lyle Williams stepping down and no longer being involved in the company 

1980s, Tom Lyle Williams, the founder of Maybelline, had passed away and was no longer involved with the company. By that time Maybelline had been a publicly traded company and was owned by different corporation and was operated by a new management team.

Throughout the decade, Maybelline continued to be a popular and successful brand. The company continued to advertise heavily on television and invested in new product developments. The company came out with new mascaras, eyeliners, lipsticks, as well as new shades of eye shadows and other items, in order to keep up with changing fashion and beauty trends.

In the 1980s, Maybelline also expanded its product line to include a wider range of makeup products, including foundation, concealer, and powder, which helped the company appeal to an even wider range of customers.

The Maybelline Story expands on the personal stories of the people behind the Maybelline Brand. It reads like a Novel, but, alas is an exciting true Story.

Struggle being Gay in Hollywood during the last 100 years

Gay Life in in Hollywood 1920s through 2022.

Sharrie Williams, Author of the Maybelline Story.

During the 1920s, also known as the "Roaring Twenties," there was a significant cultural shift in the United States and many other parts of the world. This was a time of great social and political change, and the gay community was no exception.

While homosexuality was still stigmatized and criminalized in many places during the 1920s, there were also some significant developments for the gay community. In particular, the 1920s saw the emergence of a visible and organized gay subculture in major cities such as New York, Paris, and Berlin.

In the United States, the 1920s marked the beginning of the "Harlem Renaissance," a period of great artistic and cultural flowering among African Americans in Harlem, New York. This was also a time of increased visibility and acceptance for the gay community in Harlem, as many LGBTQ+ people found a sense of belonging and support within the Harlem Renaissance's artistic and intellectual circles.

Despite this increased visibility and acceptance, however, homosexuality was still largely taboo and criminalized during the 1920s. Many LGBTQ+ people lived their lives in secret, and those who were open about their sexual orientation or gender identity often faced discrimination and persecution.

Overall, the 1920s were a time of great change and cultural upheaval for the LGBTQ+ community, with both challenges and opportunities.

Gay life in 1930s Hollywood 

Tom Lyle Williams Christmas of 1967. Shortly after selling the Maybelline Co. To Plough Inc.

Life for gay people in 1930s Hollywood was likely very difficult, as homosexuality was not widely accepted or understood at the time. Many gay people in Hollywood during this period likely had to keep their sexual orientation hidden in order to protect their careers and personal lives. There were no openly gay celebrities in Hollywood during the 1930s, and it was common for gay people in the entertainment industry to be closeted for fear of being ostracized or discriminated against. This often meant leading a double life, as many gay people in Hollywood during this time were forced to marry people of the opposite sex in order to maintain the appearance of conformity.

Hollywood in the 1940s was a difficult place for gay men and women. The film industry was extremely homophobic, and many people in the industry remained in the closet for fear of being ostracized or losing their careers. It was a time when homosexuality was heavily stigmatized and discriminated against, and there was a great deal of fear and misunderstanding about it. Many gay people in Hollywood lived secret lives and kept their sexuality hidden from the public. It was not uncommon for studios to insist that actors and actresses hide their homosexuality or face blacklisting. Despite the difficulties, there were a few openly gay people in Hollywood during this time, including actresses Tallulah Bankhead and Alla Nazimova, and actor William Haines.

Conditions for gay people in Hollywood did not improve significantly in the 1950s. Homophobia and discrimination were still widespread, and many gay people in the film industry continued to hide their sexuality for fear of losing their careers. In the 1950s, the Hollywood blacklist was in effect, and many people in the film industry were accused of being communists or having communist sympathies. This blacklist also targeted gay people, and many were blacklisted or forced to leave the industry because of their sexuality. Despite the challenges, there were a few openly gay people in Hollywood during this time, including actors Rock Hudson and Montgomery Clift, and director James Whale.

 The 1960s were a time of significant social and cultural change, and this included greater acceptance of homosexuality. However, gay people in the United States still faced a great deal of discrimination and legal challenges. Homosexuality was classified as a mental illness by the American Psychiatric Association until 1973, and many states had laws that criminalized homosexuality. In Hollywood, gay people were still largely closeted, and there was a great deal of fear and stigma surrounding homosexuality in the film industry. Despite these challenges, the 1960s were also a time of growing visibility and activism for the gay rights movement. The Stonewall riots in 1969, in which gay people fought back against police harassment at a gay bar in New York City, are widely considered to be the beginning of the modern gay rights movement.

The 1970s were a time of significant social and cultural change, and this was especially true in Hollywood. While the film industry has always been home to a diverse range of people, the 1970s saw the emergence of a visible and influential gay community in Hollywood.

During this time, many gay actors, writers, and other industry professionals were able to be more open about their sexual orientation than ever before. This was due in part to the increasing acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in mainstream society, as well as to the efforts of gay rights activists who worked to promote visibility and acceptance.

However, it was still a difficult time for many LGBTQ+ people in Hollywood and beyond. Homosexuality was only fully legalized in the United States in 2003, and many gay people faced discrimination, marginalization, and even violence.

Despite these challenges, the gay community in Hollywood played a vital role in shaping the cultural landscape of the 1970s and beyond. Through their work in film, television, and other media, they helped to bring LGBTQ+ issues to the forefront of public consciousness and worked to create a more inclusive and accepting society.

The 1980s were a time of significant change for the gay community in Hollywood and beyond. While the 1970s had seen the emergence of a visible and influential gay community in the film industry, the 1980s saw the continuation of this trend and the growth of a more vocal and activist gay community.

During this time, many gay actors, writers, and other industry professionals were able to be more open about their sexual orientation than ever before, and there were a number of high-profile individuals who came out publicly during this decade. This increased visibility helped to promote greater understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people, and many gay rights organizations were founded or gained greater prominence during this time.

However, the 1980s were also a time of significant challenges for the gay community. The HIV/AIDS crisis, which began in the 1970s, continued to have a devastating impact on the gay community, and many people lost their lives to the disease. In addition, LGBTQ+ people continued to face discrimination, marginalization, and violence, and there were several instances of violent attacks against gay individuals during this decade.

Despite these challenges, the gay community in Hollywood continued to thrive and make a significant impact on the cultural landscape of the 1980s. Through their work in film, television, and other media, they helped to bring LGBTQ+ issues to the forefront of public consciousness and worked to create a more inclusive and accepting society.

The 1990s were a time of significant change for the gay community in Hollywood and beyond. While the 1980s had seen the continuation of the trend of increased visibility and activism among LGBTQ+ people, the 1990s saw the further growth of a more vocal and politically active gay community.

During this time, many gay actors, writers, and other industry professionals were able to be more open about their sexual orientation than ever before, and there were a number of high-profile individuals who came out publicly during this decade. This increased visibility helped to promote greater understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people, and many gay rights organizations continued to work towards equality and acceptance.

In addition, the 1990s saw a number of significant legal and political victories for the gay community. The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which had prohibited openly gay individuals from serving in the military, was repealed in 2011, and the Defense of Marriage Act, which had defined marriage as between a man and a woman, was struck down in 2015.

Despite these victories, the gay community in Hollywood and beyond continued to face significant challenges. The HIV/AIDS crisis, which had had a devastating impact on the community in the 1980s, continued to be a major issue, and LGBTQ+ people continued to face discrimination and violence.

Overall, the 1990s were a time of significant progress for the gay community in Hollywood and beyond, as they worked towards greater acceptance and equality

The 2000s were a time of significant progress for the gay community in Hollywood and beyond. While the 1990s had seen the growth of a more vocal and politically active gay community, the 2000s saw the continuation of this trend and the further advancement of LGBTQ+ rights.

Hollywood Gay life in the 21 Century 

During this time, many gay actors, writers, and other industry professionals were able to be more open about their sexual orientation than ever before, and there were a number of high-profile individuals who came out publicly during this decade. This increased visibility helped to promote greater understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people, and many gay rights organizations continued to work towards equality and acceptance.

In addition, the 2000s saw a number of significant legal and political victories for the gay community. The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which had prohibited openly gay individuals from serving in the military, was repealed in 2011, and the Defense of Marriage Act, which had defined marriage as between a man and a woman, was struck down in 2015. These and other victories helped to create a more inclusive and equal society for LGBTQ+ people.

Despite these victories, the gay community in Hollywood and beyond continued to face challenges. LGBTQ+ people continued to experience discrimination and violence, and the HIV/AIDS crisis remained a significant issue.

Overall, the 2000s were a time of significant progress for the gay community in Hollywood and beyond, as they worked towards greater acceptance and equality.