this nudges me to ask the question: what sort of culture was John Waters creating in the early 1970s onward?

He was juxtaposing queer culture with that of the prurient, the comedic and the ideas of "trash" and counter-culture to subtly shift the cultural milieu in which he was living and participating. His satire and subversiveness made his content more palatable for the masses which also allowed him to make more mainstream material which still pressed the boundaries while allowing him greater access to audience.