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rivers_bend at 02:59pm on 15/03/2009 under blah blah, blast from the past, days out, family
rivers_bend at 02:59pm on 15/03/2009 under blah blah, blast from the past, days out, familyI went with my dad last night to see The Laramie Project at one of the high schools on the peninsula. We also staffed the PFLAG table in the lobby before and after the play and during intermissions.
The students were amazing, including the one who broke his leg last weekend and missed the first few performances because he was in the hospital, but was back on stage last night (and a few nights before) acting from his wheelchair. Rather than retelling the story, it's more a dramatic reenactment of some of the hundreds of interviews the producing theater troupe conducted in Laramie in the year or so following the murder of Matthew Shepard. It humanizes the story in a wonderful way. I was moved to tears many times.
Several people came up and thanked us for being there, and many of the actors came up afterwards and thanked us and checked to make sure we had seen the play and not been stuck behind the table all night. We gave away several pieces of literature to staff from other schools and a few to parents and there was one girl who kept coming back and snagging one pamphlet at a time before sloping off. When she finally made eye contact, we chatted to her for a bit and told her to feel free to take one of everything. Another girl came up and cheerfully greeted us, saying, "I represent the 'B' in all those letters," and snagged a business card.
I couldn't help but be struck with how much has changed in the 20 years since I was their age, and yet, as they ran around screaming and hugging each other after the play was over, it was like yesterday that I was 16, and everything in the tiny orbit of my universe was the most important thing ever, and we'd had an amazing closing night, gotten a standing ovation, and there was a cast party to go to, and I was crazy-beautiful and amazing.
It made me miss those days. And then I remembered the complete lack of GSAs, the utterly tedious schoolwork that I hated, stupid boring classes, acne, pegged jeans, hairspray, and Paula Abdul on MTV, and decided I'll take now.
The students were amazing, including the one who broke his leg last weekend and missed the first few performances because he was in the hospital, but was back on stage last night (and a few nights before) acting from his wheelchair. Rather than retelling the story, it's more a dramatic reenactment of some of the hundreds of interviews the producing theater troupe conducted in Laramie in the year or so following the murder of Matthew Shepard. It humanizes the story in a wonderful way. I was moved to tears many times.
Several people came up and thanked us for being there, and many of the actors came up afterwards and thanked us and checked to make sure we had seen the play and not been stuck behind the table all night. We gave away several pieces of literature to staff from other schools and a few to parents and there was one girl who kept coming back and snagging one pamphlet at a time before sloping off. When she finally made eye contact, we chatted to her for a bit and told her to feel free to take one of everything. Another girl came up and cheerfully greeted us, saying, "I represent the 'B' in all those letters," and snagged a business card.
I couldn't help but be struck with how much has changed in the 20 years since I was their age, and yet, as they ran around screaming and hugging each other after the play was over, it was like yesterday that I was 16, and everything in the tiny orbit of my universe was the most important thing ever, and we'd had an amazing closing night, gotten a standing ovation, and there was a cast party to go to, and I was crazy-beautiful and amazing.
It made me miss those days. And then I remembered the complete lack of GSAs, the utterly tedious schoolwork that I hated, stupid boring classes, acne, pegged jeans, hairspray, and Paula Abdul on MTV, and decided I'll take now.
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♥
I still shudder when I think of that animated cat she danced with.
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My dad was telling me last night that when he started going into classrooms (only college at the time) in 1992, when they asked, "How many of you know or think you might know someone who is gay?" only about three people out of 30 would raise their hands. Now they go to high school classrooms too, and when they ask that question, only about three people aren't raising their hands. That's an average of 25 people in every classroom who is less likely to go out gay bashing or spitting hate. And even if that doesn't mean not likely, it's a start.
bah. you've got me on my soapbox. It's my dearest dream, though. That during my lifetime no one queer will have to fear losing their family or their job or their life if they come out.
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The work you and your family put into PFLAG and other important groups is so beautiful and inspiring. ♥
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*hugs you* thank you, sweetie. Really it is mostly them. They were late-blooming hippies, and like to have a cause. Not that they aren't utterly sincere about it, of course, just that it would be something if it weren't this, I expect :)