Ahead of the Curve

Ahead of the Curve is about a bold woman who started a wildly impactful lesbian magazine. The film includes wonderful 90s nostalgia and a thoughtful exploration of the future of lesbian visibility. I crave stories like this - women charting their own path and carving out space to make this world more inclusive!

Ahead of the Curve (2020) was directed by Jen Rainin and Rivkah Beth Medow.

Franco Stevens is a lesbian woman who had the courage to begin publishing an openly lesbian magazine in 1990.

Previously, lesbian publications were small and more-or-less under the radar. Stevens and her team put the word "lesbian" on the cover of the magazine. Either it would work, or it wouldn't. It worked.

The movie is full of detail about the struggles, the highs, and the lows of Curve magazine. It also shows us Franco's physical problems, which she meets with courage but also realism.

We saw this movie at Rochester's excellent ImageOut LGBTQ Film Festival. The film has a solid IMDb rating of 7.4. I thought it was even better than that, and rated it 9.

Those are a few of the adjectives that describe this wonderful walk down memory lane. Curve founder Frances Stevens explores the glossy past of the world's No. 1 selling lesbian magazine as well as what it means to be a lesbian today. Does the community still need Curve? From thoughtful discussions with diverse, multi-generational activists and celebrities, Frances finds her answer. The film is full of fun archival footage as well. Jen Rainin is a masterful director and writer. Oh, and interviews with Melissa Etheridge, Suzanne Westenhoefer, Lea DeLaria, and more. "Ahead of the Curve" is the perfect way to kick off Pride Month. Enjoy!

I love this film so much! We live in an unincorporated area in the So Cal high desert. I moved down from Oakland, my partner moved down from Valencia Street in SF. We love it here, but miss lesbian culture. Watching this film reminded me of how important it is to connect with others in our lesbian community. I especially loved learning the history of Curve Magazine, which was such important work at a critical time in LGBTQ history, giving visibility and voice to lesbians. The film is fast moving, rich with historical info, and is a great 'human interest' story for all audiences. Much love and many thanks to Franco Stevens for founding Curve Magazine, and gratitude to all who supported the magazine through the years. Thanks also to Jen, Rivkah and the whole film crew for producing this film and documenting this history.

This documentary is a heartwarming glimpse into the pages of queer herstory. A must-watch for queers, dykes, lesbians, and our allies! I loved getting CURVE magazines growing up, and now I know the inspirational story behind its creation. #VisibilityMatters.