Pre-Hays Code Era (pre-1934)

Pre-Hays Code cinema refers to films made in the USA before the first national censorship board was implemented (although previous and concurrent state-wide and smaller jurisdiction censorship boards existed). These films featured gender exploration and exploitation of actors and actresses (“cross-dressing”) and homoerotic and homosexual scenes, as well as other elements that would be later characterized as morally corrupting and therefore required censorship.