Know Your LGBT History - Torch Song Trilogy

Thank you everyone for what you did to make this a very productive week. The anti-NOM talking points went viral and was seen by over 3,000 people. And we still have a long way to go. I want to end today with a positive movie.

I could kick myself for waiting to long to include Torch Song Trilogy in my Know Your LGBT History posts.

Torch Song Trilogy, which was originally a hit Tony-award winning Broadway play (Best Play, Best Actor) which told the story of Jewish drag queen (played by Harvey Firestein) living in New York during the late 1970s/early 1980s. The audience sees his trials and tribulations from losing a lover (Matthew Broderick) to an awful gay bashing, to adopting a child, to his constant struggles with his mother to get her to understand him.

When it was made into a movie in 1988, there were small changes, but the tone of the play stayed the same.

And it is a simple enjoyable movie about self-love and most importantly self-respect.

There are so many good scenes in Torch Song Trilogy. Here are just few of my favorites.

The first one is the musical number done by Firestein and the other drag queens (one being played by the legendary Charles Pierce):




The second one is when Firestein is sparring with his mother (played by Anne Bancroft) at the grave of his father. She can't understand how can Firestein compare the relationship he had with his murdered lover to her marriage. It's a powerful retort he gives her:



And the last one is a collection of scenes between Firestein and Bancroft which should give us all something to think about concerning coming out and trusting people with our lives, especially our parents:




Past Know Your LGBT History Posts:

NOM's lies gets a complete debunking AGAIN and other Friday midday news briefs

Good Things Made To Sound Bad – NOM’s Latest Plea For Discrimination - Apparently NOM's president Brian Brown told so many lies in his letter that I missed some. Zach Ford of Think Progress gives a complete debunking of Brown's mess.

Right Wing Mobilizes Against Adoption And Foster Care By Gay Couples - Bring it on. Even if we lose this round, the venomous hate and lies coming from the religious right will be further exposed.

Planned gay pride picnic in heart of Harlem puts local church leaders in a tizzy - Further proof that lgbt equality isn't an issue of African-Americans vs. whites. The nasty comments coming from the black pastors against their own brothers and sisters is just sad.

Kerry Eleveld: “LGBT Journalists Are More Necessary Than Ever” - You ain't just whistling Dixie, girlfriend.

Big Bird Causes Gay Prom Queens in Virginia, Say Wingnuts - Yep. That's how it happens.

NOM tries to cover its tracks after being caught in a blatant lie

UPDATE - As you can see, NOM has changed the title of the video. For an update on this story, go here.

Last night, I posted an emergency item regarding a letter that National Organization for Marriage Brian Brown posted on NOM's blog. The letter was the typical "we have to do something before the homosexual agenda overcomes us" tripe that folks have come to expect from Brown.

The first item in the letter talked about a recent incident in Oakland, CA where students were taught lessons on gender identity:

Just when you think it can't get any weirder or more disturbing, an Oakland public school decided to teach grade-school children about multiple genders, under the banner of preventing bullying.

Watch that video. Look at the children's faces. And then look at the activist from a group called "Gender Spectrum" who wants to embed in these children's minds the idea that we all have a right to make up our own gender(s).

But when this letter was first posted, Brown originally said:

Just when you think it can't get any weirder or more disturbing, an Oakland grade school decided to teach kindergartners about multiple genders, under the banner of preventing bullying.

Watch that video. Look at the children's faces. And then look at the activist from a group called "Gender Spectrum" who wants to embed in these children's minds the idea that we all have a right to make up our own gender(s).

Not only have the words in Brown's letter have changed, but the video, which was on NOM's blog, is now gone.

And why is that? Because it proves that Brown wasn't originally telling the truth:



At .42 seconds of the video, the announcer says "these fourth graders were told that in nature, things aren't always what they seem."

Now some folks may say "what difference does this make?" It should make a big difference because neither Brown nor NOM acknowledged that the original claim - that these children were kindergartners - was made in error.

Also, the title of the video - Public School Teaches Kindergarteners There Are Multiple Genders Without Parental Consent - has not been changed.

Lastly, that part in the title about the parents not giving consent seems to also be inaccurate.

At 1:45, the announcer said, "the school maintains most parents, teachers, and students had no problem with what was taught."

This statement calls into question the accusation  that parents did not consent for their children to be taught these lessons.

A written Fox News story further calls into question that accusation.  The article quoted Oakland Unified School District spokesman Troy Flint saying that parents were given prior notice and in fact, three families opted their children out of the lesson.

Either through sloppy work or intentional distortion, NOM exploited a very useful and legal lesson regarding respect and tolerance in an Oakland school to demonize the lgbt community. And now, when caught red-handed, the group is trying to slowly maneuver itself out of the potential hole it's in.

Now I ask you.  Can anyone really trust this group to lead a civil and dignified debate on marriage equality in Minnesota or anywhere else for that matter?