Gladys Bentley Broke Boundaries in Music & Fashion

Feb. 29, 2024 – 01:38 – We’re commemorating gender-bending musician and drag king, Gladys Bently, who reigned over the Harlem Renaissance. Gladys Bentley was born in Philadelphia. From age nine she began stealing her brother’s suits, claiming to be more comfortable in boys’ clothing. From feeling restrained, Gladys ran away from home at the age 16 and headed for New York City. Harlem to be exact. There she chased her dreams of being a musician. Despite creating a name for herself and seeing small successes in nightclubs and other venues, Bentley struggled to find mainstream success due to her appearance. Her strides would not go in vain, Bentley was just ahead of her time! Decades later we would see more and more performers bending gender and finding huge success. Mostly in part due to the doors Bentley pushed open. #KeepingBlackHistoryAlive