LOS ANGELES, July 22 ― Steven Canals is working on a new mini-series 81 Words that will look back on the moment when the American Psychiatric Association (APA) first declared that homosexuality was not a disease. FX, which is currently showing the series about transgender characters, Pose, will broadcast the new offering.
“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 and Gittings who risked their careers and reputations to conspire with the GAYPA -– a clandestine group of closeted psychiatrists -– and challenge the American Psychiatric Association's definition of homosexuality”, announces the pitch for the new series in development.
For this latest project, Steven Canals has drawn inspiration from the podcast This American Life and more precisely the episode 81 Words by Alex Spiegel, which was released on January 18, 2002. As well as penning the script, the co-creator of Pose will also act as an executive producer for the series (via his company Story Ave Productions) alongside Alex Spiegel of 20th Century Fox TV.
The mini-series will be broadcast on the American TV channel FX, which is already showing Pose. The date for the start of production for the project has yet to be announced. ― AFP-Relaxnews
