Homosexuality was still illegal in the U.S. and most of Europe, and mainstream society was a long way from accepting same-sex relationships and gender nonconformance. 

But the progressive atmosphere of the late 19-teens and "Roaring 20s" did offer unprecedented tolerance and opportunities for LGBTQ+ people. Cities like New York and Berlin harbored vibrant queer subcultures in which they could express themselves and find community.

Some of the earliest advocacy and research on sexuality and gender identity were also happening at this time. A notable example is German doctor Magnus Hirchfeld - who argued that non-straight sexualities were a part of natural human variance - and the revoluntionary Institute for Sexual Research in Berlin (founded in 1919), which provided some of the first medical transition options for trans people.

Further Reading: Explore queer culture in Jazz Age New York or hear about breaking gender norms in the 1926 song "Masculine Women, Feminine Men." Learn about Magnus Hirschfeld and the Institute for Sexual Research or see lesbian magazines from 1920s Berlin.

Further Reading: Learn more about persecution of LGBTQ+ people in Nazi Germany and modern reclamation of the pink triangle 

For many of the characters in Indecent who fall in love with God of Vengeance - in some cases, risking everything to perform it - part of the reason is arguably that they see or are able to explore aspects of their own identities through the play. Seeing ourselves represented in fiction is especially important for LGBTQ+ people, because it's often how we first find community or even realize that others like us exist. And although we've come a long way since 1923, the need to defend that visibility remains as relevant as ever. 

Further Reading: Get involved with these local LGBTQ+ community resources, or learn about current legislation affecting the queer community