This “Concerned Citizen” project
was one that definitely tested our wits and patience. We two girls were not
deterred, however, from documenting a truly wonderful individual who has been
working hard to make a difference in the BYU community. Homophobia runs rampant in much of Utah and is especially prevalent within Provo. James is one of the leaders of a Provo based group called Understanding Same Gender Attraction (USGA). James
has been striving for the last few months to help the community learn about the
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender issue. We wanted to talk to James about his involvement and what it means to be
an advocate for understanding in Provo. This is a young man who is openly gay, Mormon
and a BYU student and is not afraid to identify with any of those groups.
Because of this, he wants to help others understand what it is to be gay at
BYU. He believes that understanding is the key to including these individuals
who feel shunned because of their personal preferences.
We open with James Price walking into frame in front of the Provo Library. Dani Shay's "Superheroes" plays in the background to notify the audience that the person who is about to speak is trying to do good in the world. Our video goes on to include footage that was taken from a past USGA meeting that James had conducted. Shots from Dani Shay's performance were also included to illustrate how James has helped organize events to bring more awareness to the LGBT community. We decided to show bits of the “Homosexuality in the Media” presentation
where James led discussions as well. Both of these are great examples of the community that James cares so much
about. His efforts to build it up are greatly appreciated. We talked in class
about the need for a connection to be made; a connection between the material
and the subject. James creates a gracious support system for those people who
don’t feel connected with their environment. The point of the group is not to
advocate for one lifestyle or another, but to simply help others understand why
they feel the way they do. It is not a place to simply find like-minded people,
but to help cultivate relationships between straight and LGBT audiences. Our
documentary was not meant to be inflammatory in any way; as a matter of fact we
want just the opposite. Instead of fanning the proverbial Gay Flames, we wanted
to help curb the burning damage. Just as James is trying to facilitate open
dialogues over the issue, we wanted to bring awareness to both LGBT and
Straight people each other’s feelings.
This
week’s reading was a fascinating take on “The Right to Culture” by Arlene
Goldbard in her essay, Human Rights and
Culture. There is a portion about intellectual maturity vs. emotional
maturity and how the only way our emotional maturity can keep up with our
intellectual, in this information age, is to experience art, music, theatre,
and culture to further connect us with the people around. In our documentary,
we noted that the songs by Dani Shay were magnetic and James' words unifying. They brought these people
in the USGA closer as they internalized the words and identified with them. The
camaraderie in the room seemed to swell. That emotional connective tissue is
what allows all these different groups of people to maneuver as a working body.
Our documentary is only a small glimpse into James’ emotional investment with
the group. He is hard working and incredibly helpful to the many members of
this group, even in the face of the social backlash and homophobia surrounding
him. James continues to spread a message of love and tolerance to all who will listen. It’s because of people like him
that we can begin to build our own culture.
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