Experiential Learning Component - Blues Artist Review: Gladys Alberta Bentley Gladys Alberta Bentley, who also went by her stage name, Bobbie Minton, was a Harlem Renaissance Blues artist. She was one of the most successful and famous Black women in the United States during her time. She pushed social and gender norms, often expressing her sexuality on stage through cross-dressing, and was a pioneer for her race. It was clear to her family that she was different from a young age; she would often wear her younger brothers’ suits to school. Her parents took her to many doctors in hopes of “curing” her, despite struggling financially, because her behavior did not align with the gender norms for women and was probably leaning to one of the most…show more content… Bentley also ended up owning a Park Avenue apartment with servants. However, her popularity started to wane once Prohibition was repealed and public tolerance of homosexuality gradually decreased. Her popularity went back up during World War II because many gay bars opened up on the West Coast. Towards the end of her life, she did however change major parts of her lifestyle. She appeared in public wearing a dress, declaring, “I am woman again.” She also married a man, after having female lovers throughout her life, though they did eventually divorce. She dedicated her last years to Christ before dying of the flu at age 52. As someone who can sympathize with the LGBTQ+ community in more ways than one, I can understand to a certain extent how difficult it must have been for Bentley to grow to become a person who can so boldly declare her identity to an unaccepting society. Her own family did not accept her identity, so she was faced with obstacles from the start. Seeing her life’s story about how she became so successful despite the state of the world back then is so inspiring. Something of note is that, unlike the other queer Blues female artists, she would not hesitate to flaunt her
