‘81 Words’ Gay Rights Activism Limited Series From ‘Pose’ Co-Creator Steven Canals In Works At FX

Denise Petski
·2 min read

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FX has put in development 81 Words, a limited series about gay rights pioneers Frank Kameny and Barbara Gittings, from Pose co-creator Steven Canals, Pal Pictures and 20th Century Fox TV.

Written by Canals, 81 Words is based on Alix Spiegel’s award-winning This American Life episode, “81 Words” and soon-to-be-released PBS documentary Cured, directed by Bennett Singer & Patrick Sammon.

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Until 1974, the medical establishment considered gay people sexually deviant and diagnosed them as mentally ill. 81 Words tells the true story of gay activists Kameny an Gittings who risked their career and reputation to conspire with the GAYPA – a clandestine group of closeted psychiatrists – and challenge the American Psychiatric Association’s definition of homosexuality.

Canals executive produces via his Story Ave. Productions banner with Pal Pictures’ Elisabeth Seldes and Neri Tannenbaum. Spiegel, Singer and Sammon will serve as producers on the project. 20th Century Fox TV is the studio.

Canals is co-creator and executive producer, with Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, of the Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated and Peabody Award-winning drama series Pose. The series, named one of the Best TV Programs of the Year by the American Film Institute in 2018 and 2019, will return for its third season in 2021. Canals was a Staff Writer on Freeform’s Dead of Summer and made his TV directorial debut with the eighth episode of the second season of Pose titled “Revelations.” He’s repped by Epicenter and Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson.

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