E i i l i it I Change some Things Film documents thigh school attitudes in four decades i ; BY JULIA F. KIMBALL E‘ en people are given the chance to give V voice to their experi- ence it is very powerful,” said gradu- ate sociology student and documen- 5’ tary filmmaker Joanna Jeffery. “They 5 had plenty to say.” And say it they did in Lockers and Closets, clearly speak- ‘ ing for many as the film garnered a ‘ standing ovation at its close. The five high school gradu- ates in the film, whose experience spanned four decades, responded to . questions formulated by Jeffery. ' Created for her final project, the film gives voice to the experiences of GLBTQ youth in high school over generations. On the academic side, Jeffery looked for trends in the litera- ture that reflected how lgbtq high school youth were being talked about in each decade, and those trends informed her questions. Although she went into the project with a frame- work, her subjects answered most of herlquestions while just talking about their high school experiences. And what resulted was a Compelling documentary film, which balanees pain with humor, age and experience with youthful wisdom, and showcases the human struggle of lgbtq youth in high school that has Spanned generations and is changing over time, The subjects in the film 5P0ke of being in the closet. “The Object becomes keeping people from J getting to know you said the 1997 graduate. They spoke of the chal- lenges of their particular decade: in the 398, Said the ’86 graduate, AIDS §’a5J1lSt starting and made coming out angerous — “if had AIDS.” you were gay, you “ _ They spoke of their hopes, t°°‘ Illlst want people to realize that 15-year-old lesbians have the same 15-year-old girl longings that straight girls do,” the 2000 graduate said. They talked about policies. The ’76 graduate said there were no protective or anti-harassment policies when she was in school, but the ’0l graduate said that in his school, harassment and violence against lgbtq students were listed as hate crimes, and everyone knew where to go to get things taken care of. The film elicited a strong positive response, with the laughter of recognition peppering the audience. Jeffery said that in the week following the showing she’s received an over- whelming amount of great feedback. Ultimately, the message of the film was that though the schools of the 2000 and 2001 graduates were more open, accepting, and equipped to handle the needs of lgbtq students, there is still hate, there is still isola- tion, and there is still a trail to blaze. Jeffery hopes that her film will have a part in the trailblazing by educating social workers, counselors, and educa- tors at the K-12, college, and graduate levels. She plans to develop training materials to accompany the film. V For information on Lockers to Closets Contact Joanna Jeffery at j]‘efi’ery@uvm.edu. Julia F. Kimball is a recent graduate in communications and just moved to Vermont. Tamoxifen“ is a breast cancer treatment/ prevention drug that women take on an average of 4-5 years. We know it’ s helpful for the breast. But how does it affect the brain? Please join us at the University of Vermont College of Medicine for a short~terrn research study funded by the ' ' smAging. We are s<:<:-l.'~1(.,l:~.\‘~\ ,6‘! _..., . \ A ii,-’=_. 1 MM Sarah Harrington, a realtor dedicated to our community! 0 Mountain Pride Media - Board Member ’99, ’0O 0 Pride Committee - Silent Auction ’98, ’99, ’00 - Rainbow Business Association - President ’98 - RU12 — Annual Dinner — Silent Auction Co-Chair ‘O3 - Samara Foundation — Board Member ‘04 Call Sarah if you’re buying or selling your home. RE/M 553 Roosevelt Highway. Colchester, VT 05446 655-3333 X30 North Professionals hm mm n i.uq....m|, mm: ...: Oyunkd