“Aggressive” is a term chosen by a group of lesbians of color that might otherwise be mislabeled (or overlooked completely) by both mainstream heterosexual and gay cultures. In his documentary, director Daniel Peddle not only puts them in the spotlight but also provides a forum for the women to define themselves.

Peddle, a writer and fashion industry casting director who specialized in "real people” fashion models, met his subjects in New York in 1999 and documented their lives for five years. His film captures the women--Tiffany, Octavia, Flo, Kisha, Marquise, and Raji--growing up, coming to terms with their sometimes shifting gender identities, joining the military, facing illness and jail time, and finding success despite the disapproval of their families and the world at large.

The film is a compelling look at how they face marginalization with humor, bravado and courage.

Almost all of the women survived childhood years in which their masculine appearance and behavior was reviled both at home and in school. Tiffany recalls dropping out of school after facing non-stop harassment by a teacher (“What kind of name is Tiffany for a boy?”). She later pursued her GED through the Hetrick-Martin Institute, the oldest and largest non-profit agency created to serve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth.  With both parents dead, Tiffany is on her own and proud that she has “never been in the closet.” 

Flo’s story includes childhood pictures of her dressed as a boy by a mother who would abandon her, only to return in Flo’s adult years and express both disapproval of and disgust with of her daughter’s lesbianism and ultra-butch appearance.

The way in which the mothers understand their daughters’ sexuality is complex. Both Raji and Octavia’s mothers claim to “accept” their daughters, but both wish their girls were heterosexual.  In fact, Octavia’s mother says thinks there is still hope, “I know that’s not her. She’s got a lot of boyfriends coming up. I know that’s not my daughter.” 

The deflection and denial surrounding the families approach to the women’s sexuality is not particularly uncommon, and it’s been the subject of many films about queer identity. But it does offer insight into the personalities of the women of the film, particularly the necessity for their self-reliance. 

While some of the Aggressives are self-confirmed players, most of them talk at length about their desire for meaningful, long-term relationships. Some of the most fascinating moments in the film are discussions of gender and desire with their girlfriends. 

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