The Daily Targum - University
http://www.dailytargum.com
Issue: 4/4/05
LBGT, heterosexuals learn from gay-marriage film screening
By Agatha E. Rubins
When asked by a male student how to cure his straight friend of homophobia, film producer and director Michael Hall responded, "Kiss him."
In conjunction with April - better known as "Gaypril" - gay, lesbian, bisexual and heterosexual students gathered at the Cook Campus Center to clear up various issues such as homophobia and to generate sexualit awareness and acceptance at "Prejudice is Foolish," the 35th annual Gaypril kickoff celebration, last Friday evening.
The Straight and Gay Alliance of Cook College sponsored the festival and prepared for the event five months in advance by scheduling a film screening as well as a discussion of Hall's "Will and Right: Religion, Politics and Gay Marriage," which touched upon various gay rights.
"We [decided] to show a movie about marriage equality at the start and also have the producer [and] director of the film there to answer questions about the film," said SAGA President Chris Bylone, a Cook College junior. "We need to talk about marriage equality up front and in person. This topic is so hot right now. We can't sit back and just let the pot boil over. This will help foster more discussion on why marriage equality is needed in our country."
Hall said the 32-minute documentary broaches issues like gay marriage, religion and politics and their effects on society.
The film includes clips from the Gay Rights March across the Brooklyn Bridge May 23, 2004 and a street protest of gay marriage by church members from Topeka, Kan., that believe the Sept. 11 attacks were caused by those appealing for gay rights.
"This film is [about] how it affects not just gay people, but the people around them," Hall said. "It's [about] real people, with real problems and real lives that are affected by things that people in government do.
"When I started the film, [President George W. Bush] had just made a speech supporting the amendment that they had in Colorado to ban gay marriage and I was like, that's pretty [messed] up. I mean, they can't make an amendment to take rights away from somebody."
"When it comes down to the president; to me that's where it became my problem," Hall said. "By telling people that they can't get married, where you segregate them...that's someone else's thing. If they want to get married, it doesn't concern me. But, [didn't] civil rights end that? And the Constitution, that's supposed to be like how we are famous, that's how we are supposed to make this country great. And what makes our country great is not that we can banish people and hold them down socially. That's not cool."
Livingston College first-year student Klintong Jaramilo pointed out the film had a positive effect on the gay and straight communities because it cleared up common stereotypes through various stories and facts.
"It was interesting. I never saw anything about gay marriage, I always heard comments on the television," Jaramilo said. "It was really scary how some people are so closed and naïve. It really opened my mind and [made me think] about when I am going to get married. You know, I want to have the right like a heterosexual couple has."
"For straight people, [the film helps] them to understand that a gay couple loves each other just as a heterosexual couple does," Jaramilo said. "It would help them destroy some of the stereotypes that the gay community has. You know, some of the stereotypes that we are very promiscuous."
Cook College first-year student Chingdian Lin agreed with Jaramilo that heterosexuals would benefit from attending the Gaypril kickoff and advocated to those who did not attend the commencement to come to future events this month.
"Well, I think [people] should just be open to everything," Lin said. "Everything is a learning experience from different perspectives. This probably will help [heterosexuals] to understand why a lot of people are fighting for gay marriage - why a lot of people are fighting for gay rights. Sometimes people just don't care about what won't affect them."
While only approximately 40 people showed up to the event, Bylone said he was not fazed and is in fact excited to see what the future holds for SAGA and the gay, lesbian and bisexual community.
"I think tonight went very well," Bylone said. "I'm not basing it on numbers at all - it's quality. I think this is really the start at Rutgers to really talk about marriage equality, and we need to have more conversations about this.
"SAGA, the Straight and Gay Alliance, this is what we are here to do. We're here to bridge the gap between the straight community and the queer community. And this is really the first step to do that, and we are going to work on it for the months and years to come."