LGBT flicks lights on for ‘LightsOUT’

What do a former Civil Rights leader, a high school cheerleader, a San Francisco politician and transgender Hawaiians have in common?

Give up? All of these are issues that will be explored in the LightsOUT film series.

On Tuesday, March 24 the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Initiatives, along with the Department of Theatre and Film and the President's Lecture Series on Diversity, will host the first installment of the LightsOUT Film Series, a four-week film series that will show films based on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. 

The series is the LGBT Initiatives first official project since its creation in January and is a way to hopefully to educate students and get them interested in gay and lesbian issues, said Anthony Kapp, project manager for the Office of Dean of Students.

The film series began when Kapp and Tammy Kinsey, an associate professor in the Department of Theatre and Film and a member of the LGBT advisory board, began brainstorming events to raise awareness and generate interest in the office. 

"We chose a film series to start off the year because it's not as threatening as hosting a lecture or other programs that would require more participation," Kapp said. "Films allow students to come and they don't have to participate if they don't want to. This is non-intrusive and is a way to introduce gay and lesbian issues to students on the campus." 

The first film to be shown in the series will be "Milk," directed by Gus Van Sant and starring actor Sean Penn, who recently won an Academy Award for his performance in the film. The film tells the story of Harvey Milk, who was the elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977 and became the country's first openly gay man to be elected into public office.

Other films to be shown in the series include "Ke Kulana He Mahu: Remembering a Sense of Place," a documentary examining homophobia in Hawaii, "Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin" which examines the life of Bayard Rustin, a homosexual and key figure in the Civil Rights Movement and "But I'm a Cheerleader," a film about parents who send their teens to a camp designed to "cure" homosexuality. 

Kapp said he and Kinsey made it a point to select thought-provoking films that were also entertaining and sure to spark discussion. 

"Tammy and I met and talked about films we thought would attract people," he said. "Sean Penn just won an Academy Award for "Milk" so we thought that would be a good way to start off the series. With two mainstream films ("Milk" and "But I'm a Cheerleader"), we hope to draw the crowd. With the other two ("Brother Outsider" and "Ke Kulana He Mahu") we thought we could address some real issues that could be powerful for people."

"Well, arguably the topic of LGBT identity is somewhat controversial for some people," Kinsey said. "We want people to think about the meaning of the films, both culturally and personally, and we want people to explore ideas and respond as engaged viewers. … These films are as important as they are provocative."


Immediately following each film, Kinsey will lead an informal discussion. During the discussion, Kinsey said she and students will discuss the films form and content, the acting and the audience's personal response to the films. She will also provide students with background information on the films and discuss the larger social meanings addressed in the films.

"We often have discussions following film screenings on campus, as people have questions about the work or responses to the work that they wish to share," she said. "It's always great to allow for dialogue, especially where the concepts presented might be very new or somewhat uncomfortable for the audience."

Although all of the films revolve around gay and lesbian issues, Kapp said the event is not limited to LGBT students. In fact, he said he and the film series organizers hope more students who are not associated with the LGBT community will come to the series.

"The goal is that we would attract more than just students who identify with LGBT issues," he said. "We want to attract students who are interested in learning more about the lifestyle. It's only natural that in the beginning we will get a higher turnout from gay and lesbian students, but the purpose it to educate the entire campus and this is open to students, faculty, professors and anyone who wants to come."

Since the Office of LGBT Initiatives opened its doors earlier this year, Kapp said the office has received a warm welcome from students and faculty. The office only has a few events planned for the remainder of the semester, but Kapp said the film series is the first of many informative and exciting events.

"The support for the office has been amazing," he said. "I receive e-mails from the campus and students everyday who are excited about the work we're doing. It's really exciting to host our first major program. This is going to kick-off the office in a big way and will hopefully spark future interest in the projects that we do."



— The LightsOUT film series begins Tuesday, March 24 at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Field House, room 2100. To view a complete list of LGBT events visit UToledo.edu/StudentAffairs/LGBT.html.