Some of the identifiers in the acronym LGBTQ were not as widely used in the first half of the 20th century as they are today, so Frida Kahlo may not have considered herself bisexual, queer, or questioning her gender identity, for example. However, she was in many ways ahead of her time regarding her sexuality. She was forthcoming about her attraction to either sex, and while she was married to Mexican artist Diego Rivera, Kahlo reportedly explored relationships with such luminaries as Costa Rican-born Mexican singer Chavela Vargas, American-born French performer Josephine Baker, and American artist Georgia O’Keeffe. At times Kahlo also dressed in men’s suits and, after her divorce from Rivera, cut her hair short (see: Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair [1940]), an unusual practice in early-20th-century Mexico. The seeming ease with which she carried her rejection of gender restrictions continues to inspire artists in the 21st century.
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