Documentary Short | 2026
Odd Man In
PBS’ Independent Lens
Producer | Doc Short for PBS’ Independent Lens
He was the father of gay rights. Then he betrayed the movement.
Coming to PBS’ Independent Lens in 2026
Closeted gay author Edward Sagarin challenged censorship laws and jumpstarted the gay rights movement in the 1950s through his writings and his queer book delivery service, all before abandoning his cause and embracing conversion therapy.
Today, as LGBTQ+ book bans and other assaults on queer rights spread across the U.S., Sagarin’s son Fred, a retired New York City public school teacher, reckons with his father’s complex legacy.