Your Thoughts

The film was absolutely beautiful. It’s like, even though I know discrimination exists, I’m still shocked every time I see it. Watching the extras, the interview with people on the streets, I remember the words piercing my insides like knives, when the man said he would kick any of his children out if they were to come out as gay. He claimed ‘love’ for them. When he went even further as to discriminate against race as well, I was sickened to have a reminder that people still think like this. I can’t believe that woman as well with the radio station. She’s all for families, but she doesn’t see that by promoting discrimination, which she does, it tears families apart! Also if marriage was so precious, why can people get married drunk in vegas? They don’t even blink an eye at that! No they come after gays who they think want special rights? It turns out special, is to be treated with the same respect and not have to face death threats for being yourself, as well as wanting to marry the person you love and adopted kids nobody else wants. It’s really sad. I want to adopt kids as well today, thankfully I live in Canada, where I can have a family without having to worry about not being able to get married or adopt. But even here there is still discrimination that needs fixing. I’m really so tired of all the hate, but I’m glad to see small towns like this one are coming through and slowly changing. Lets just hope the crazy people like that radio station chick come to their senses or just constantly face failure in their ideals, because we don’t want what she wants. Ugly family values is what she has. The kind I would never allow inside my house. The kind I would never raise children with. I really just hope that she doesn’t have any children! I really do!

I was raised in the South, spent a few years in the Midwest, then out to Southern California for nearly 20 years and finally back to the Midwest again - in short, I’ve lived all over, and I’m as about as heterosexual as you can get!

With that said, here’s my two cents: I have never met a gay person yet (and I’ve known several as friends and just mere acquaintences) who have told me that they would choose to bring this life experience/existence upon themselves.  Sure, most accept themselves for who they are, but think about it - it is a hard way of life (in terms of how others choose to treat them).  I don’t think I will ever be convinced that it is a “lifestyle choice.”  I think people are who they are - period.

I’ll admit: I have been uncomfortable around transgendered people, but I think its because I don’t understand it, nor do I think I ever will identify with them, but it doesn’t mean I should treat them with less dignity than any other person.

I admire the courage and tenacity of the people in this film.  I only hope that I would have that same level of courage to endure and be true to myself.

Your film does cause one to reflect on one’s own behavior and prejudice. I consider myself a progressive African-American but the film caused me to doubt my attitudes about homosexuality and the bigotry against gays and lesbians.

Mistreatment of another human being is wrong (Treat another as you would want to be treated). But, I have not taken a strong stance against the bigotry. I will do better.

Thanks.
Richard James
Billtown Film Festival founder

Just finished watching your movie!  Amazing and brave.  Thank you for being you.  I was born and raised in Oil City.  I moved to Pittsburgh for 9 years and just recently returned to Franklin, bought a house and now my husband, son and I are resettled back home!  While living in the Big City of Pittsburgh (comparatively speaking) my husband and I learned a lot about other people, cultures, and just diversity in general.  I met a lot of gay people, and became close friends with some.  When my husband and I got married at Heckathorn United Methodist church my bridesmaids dresses were designed by my gay friend Tony!  As I was walking down the aisle all I could think was “that Tony was probably the first gay person to walk into that church!  Pretty messed up.  I also had a lot of black friends attend the wedding and I began wondering about that too.  Regardless.  I now have to find a way to raise our son to love everyone just as they are like his father and I do in this small minded and ignorant town…..any advice would be helpful.

Thank you for making this film!!
Sincerely,
A fan….Jacki

Wow I never know that in some parts of the county that it was that bad. I wish I had a voice like that when I was in school. I would of changed everything. At my school we use to have a gay straight alliance club. After the first semester no one would show up, it just became an empty club because of the discrimination. I really wish now that I had a voice and I could change that. All I got to say is way to go and what an awesome job everyone in your small town has done and thank you it has opened my eyes.

All I can say is WOW!!!!  I’m feeling a vast amount of emotions right now.  Just watched this and am just blown away.  More than anything, this filled me with such a sense of pride.  And yet, it made me realize there’s still such a way to go. 
My partner and I have been together for 20 years.  We live in, what I used to consider, a small town in Colorado.  A bit over a hundred thousand population.  But it’s starting to look larger by comparison.  Our little town, in the last few years, is starting to deal with this subject.  We now have a small pride festival in August and the last couple of years, we’ve had a parade(of sorts).  It’s nothing like the big cities, but the fact that we have one is a big deal.  No protestors that I’ve seen. 
My partner, Rod, and I are very open in our community.  Our neighbors, our jobs, our families all know about us.  Having both grown up in faith based households, we decided recently that we would go back to church.  We chose a major denominational church to attend.  The denomination is dealing with the issue of gays, but until we started attending this particular church, this group hadn’t.  But surprisingly, they have been wonderful.  They’ve gotten to know us as people, not the monsters they’ve heard about for so long.  We are now members and are actively participating.  Are they open and affirming?  I’d say they’re working on it. 
We are doing what we can in our community to show people that we are just like they are.  But we so want to do more.  Thank you for this film and the inspiration it’s given me.

i am an 18 year old that came out last year and i went through alot of what cj went through i would cry at night i stayed very secluded from my peers who made fun of me calling me a faggot a butt pirate and honestly i just tryed to ignore them but i cryed alot and got into many fights with my peers. as i watched this i thought i was looking at my twin i am still in high school i am a senior now but my school on the other hand was forced to do something when i had recieved a death thraight on my e mail i brought it straight to my principal and forced him to do something this movie is absolutly amazingmy gay aunt sent it to me and i loved watching it the second i was done i really wanted to try to get in touch with you guys it really opened up my mind of the effect of small towns because of all the abuse i recieved i meet my boyfriend of ten months and now we walk hand in hand down the halls of my school and we get made fun of all the time but i relized that were happy i didnt really care what they thought i am happy with my self i think this is really gonna open up peoples minds i thank you so much and cj be who you are you are cute and adorable i hope you find someone that really makes you happy your friend in new jersey

I grew up in a place just like this! I know you hear that all of the time.

It’s a beautiful place in MI.  MI is so green and lush, no mountains but with an amazing amount of water. 

I didn’t have a sexuality exactly when I was growing up.  But I was a fat, very smart, girl who was never asked out but I had friends, sort of.  One was a boy that eventually told me that he’d had a sexual encounter with an older boy and thought he might be gay.  He could never have come out in the community that we lived in though he fell in love with another boy and told him, of course Randy was then shunned.  Randy tried so hard to be hetero-.  He finally moved away and fell in love and lived in Phoenix for years.  His partner ended up dying of AIDS and then Randy was diagnosed and he went hom to his parents to die. 

I knew one other boy (now man) who was gay in my HS but I don’t think that anyone else knew, they kept it that well hidden.

These two boys wouldn’t have been tolerated in that community.  They still wouldn’t be tolerated in that community.  There are NO people of color, any color from anywhere, living in that community still.  I know what small town communities are like and they are scary.  I believe that I was depressed until the age of 22. 

Thank you for fighting the good fight.  We are taught that if one is good, doesn’t lie, respects others, and works hard then all good things will follow; that’s a lie that some kids find out much too young.

Thank you so much for producing this. It has showed me that there shouldn’t be anything holding me back from being who I am. The stories were touching, and pulls at the heart strings. I hope that one day they will not see our life as just an agenda, but as an opportunity to learn, grow, and accept difference everywhere. Good luck with everything. Thank you again, for representing. You have my support.

Wow, I cried, for the mother for the child.  I am a bi-sexual mother of three.  I live in your hometown, the one in the film.  I have so much I want to say…. I just can’t right now.  As word gets spread around, my children are no longer invited to friends houses, events their friends have are hidden from us.  School teachers are strained when talking to me, and people I have known my entire life, for 35 years will not talk to me.  I had an old church member whom I have known and loved m entire life run from me at a grocery store.  I have cried more as a mother watching who I am affect my children than I ever did as a child struggling to figure out what was different with me.  Even my husband who claims to be open minded (and is for this area) says it is OK for women to be gay, but it is just wrong for men.  Nothing I say will change his mind.  I cry so much, and no one understands, no one.  Thank You for showing me there are people who understand, even if I will never have someone near me who does.  I hope someday you will be in this library talking, I will give you a big hug, I promise!