Tales of the City started out as a seven-book series by Armistead Maupin before turning into a TV miniseries that first premiered in 1993. It was followed by two more TV installments in 1998 and 2001. Armistead said he wanted to write stories about San Franciscans, both queer and not, “who find logical family with each other under the loving eye of their transgender landlady.”
For Pride Month 2019, Tales of the City came back with a 10-episode miniseries on Netflix. It features the original cast (Laura Linney as Mary Ann Singleton, Olympia Dukakis as Anna Madrigal, and Paul Gross as Brian Hawkins), as well as new faces. It’s also still set in the safe haven that is 28 Barbary Lane.
Just like the very first episode in 1993, the Netflix series starts out with Mary Ann arriving to San Francisco and deciding she wants to stay with her adoptive family. Only this time, she comes back after 23 years for Anna’s 90th birthday, and also tries to reconnect with old friends, her ex-husband Brian, and her adopted daughter, Shawna Hawkins (Ellen Page).
Apart from that, Mary Ann also gets familiar with the progressive world her daughter and her peers live in now. Tales of the City tells several stories on the experiences of women and the LGBTQ+ community—from the typical relationship problems, to discovering if they’re into guys, women, or both.
One scene that stood out was when Mary Ann visited Body Politic, a burlesque bar and safe space for LGBTQ+ people where Shawna works. Its employees, who are mostly queer, also promote feminism and political correctness.
During an onstage strip show, Mary Ann asked Shawna, “How is this feminist?” She further questioned how female strippers would consider themselves feminists when they are showing their bodies to men. She then proceeds to get up on stage to perform and show everyone her perception of feminism from her time—wearing a bridal veil and singing “Come to My Window.”
It’s a valid question to ask when you don’t understand how sex work and feminism could coincide. Bustle noted that this ideal was created thanks to the sex-positive movement. Stripping also gives many women power over their own bodies while performing.
Mary Ann is what many would describe as a second-wave feminist. As IndieWire would note, this was a reflection of the kind of feminism Armistead Maupin was exposed to while writing the book in the ’70s. According to Ohio Humanities, second-wave feminism was around during the ’60s until the ’80s. It mainly focused on issues of discrimination and inequality among women, especially with the archaic belief that they are just for childbearing and homemaking. Betty Friedan also hypothesized “women are victims of false beliefs requiring them to find identity in their lives through husbands and children. This causes women to lose their own identities in that of their family.”
With that in mind, you could understand why Mary Ann left her family to pursue an acting career in another state. And also why she’s confused by modern-day intersectional feminism.
In Tales of the City, Body Politic welcomes all forms of performances from all walks of life. Aside from the female strip show, some episodes also show musical acts with interpretative dancers and even a bearded drag queen doing a tease show—it’s a safe place where everyone has an equal shot to entertain patrons.
In Tales of the City, Body Politic welcomes all forms of performances from all walks of life. Aside from the female strip show, some episodes also show musical acts with interpretative dancers and even a bearded drag queen doing a tease show—it’s a safe place where everyone has an equal shot to entertain patrons.
Apart from the activities in the burlesque bar, you could see throughout the series how every character would take control of their narratives. Those in the LGBTQ+ community weren’t defined by heterosexual characters, nor were they merely pawns for comedic relief. If you want a series that gives perspective on the different faces of identity and equality, this is it.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
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