A BRIGHTER LENS

This week, we chat with Whitney Skauge, director of the short documentary The Beauty President, premiering at SXSW this week. The Beauty President asks the question, “If a bad actor can be president, why not a good drag queen?” In 1992, Joan Jett Blakk made a historic bid for the White House as an openly queer write-in candidate. Today, Terence Smith, the man behind the persona, reflects back on his place in gay rights history at the height of the AIDS crisis. By making this film, Whitney’s vision is to fill in one of the many gaps in the oral history of queer America. Though popular history has often swept the triumphs of gay heroes under the rug, documentary film helps us bring these incredible stories back into the light of day. As a black queer person, Whiney understands how imperative it is to share perspectives from underrepresented communities. Whitney Skauge is an award-winning filmmaker dedicated to diverse storytelling and representation. Their films act as an extension of social and political activism with hopes of helping audiences understand themselves and the world around them better. Having worked at Breakwater Studios, Women In Film, Sundance Institute, and the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, their career has demonstrated a consistent commitment to the art of independent filmmaking. They received their B.F.A. in Digital Filmmaking from the University of Montana. We loved chatting with Whitney about the perseverance needed to make the film, the process, and what they hope people will come away with after watching the film. Enjoy!