OUTTAKE VOICES™ (Interviews)

“Gen Silent” The Movie

Stu Maddux, Producer/Director, talks about his upcoming film “Gen Silent” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson. This new groundbreaking documentary puts a face on what experts in the film call an epidemic: gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender seniors so afraid of being subject to discrimination, or worse, in long-term/health care that many go back into the closet. Their surprising decisions are captured through intimate access to their day-to-day lives over the course of a year in Boston, Massachusetts. When asked what he would like to see accomplished in the Obama administration for our LGBT civil rights, Maddux stated, “From my perspective working and interviewing LGBT seniors and their spouses, it’s all about DOMA. It’s all about the Defense of Marriage Act. The Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) are doing that case to repeal section three of DOMA which defines marriage between a man and a woman. Well here’s what’s going on. People are not getting survival benefits and I am seeing couples who I know have been together in different films I have produced who are survivors, who are devastated by not having social security benefits come in. There are a lot of things that are very important on an emotional level, but on a survival level that’s the issue right now for LGBT folks, especially seniors. It's those survival benefits.” Stu Maddux's award-winning documentaries include “Bob and Jack's 52-Year Adventure” and “Trip to Hell and Back”. His work has been televised internationally on Showtime, BBC and The Learning Channel. “Gen Silent” will have its WORLD PREMIERE at the Boston LGBT Film Festival this May. For More Info: LGBT Aging Project For More Info: Gen Silent

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Gay Black History Month

Black Gay Activists Andrea Shorter and Edwin Seth Brown talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson in celebration of Black History Month. Andrea Shorter is the Deputy Marriage and Coalitions Director for Equality California. She is passionate about engaging communities of color in dialogue about gay marriage. When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Shorter stated, “Well given the fact that I’m LGBT, that’s who I am. I’m Afro-American, I’m lesbian and in many respects it’s a labor of not only love on my part but also I’m part of the struggle too. I want the next generation of young black lesbians and other lesbians of color to not have to live in a world where we are grappling over whether or not we can marry the person we love.” Edwin Seth Brown is Ambassador to Germany for the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA). He began his career in the arts as a modern dancer where he acquired his love for travel. He shares his experiences of growing up black and gay in urban Los Angeles in the 50’s and 60’s. “In my community being black was very difficult. I’m in my late fifties now. When I grew up as a black person you couldn’t be gay in the community because the church was very non-accepting of same-sex practices. There was such a feeling that you had to be a man just sometimes to get down the street because I grew up in South Central Los Angeles and you had to be a very strong personality not to have somebody trying to push themselves on you or bullying you. I'm lucky, I have a strong personality.” Brown is also very outspoken about the HIV/AIDS epidemic among people of color and an advocate of HIV/AIDS prevention and education.

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Gay Black & HIV/AIDS Update

Gary Daffin, Executive Director of the Multicultural AIDS Coalition, talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson to get his spin on where we are in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. MAC is the largest and oldest agency in New England focused exclusively on HIV in communities of color, working in partnership with a wide range of faith and community based organizations. Daffin who is openly gay and black states that the reason his organization is successful working with the Black Christian faith community is based on mutual respect. When asked how we can find a common thread between the LGBT community and communities of color to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Daffin stated, “I think HIV/AIDS is an area where the community of color and the black community and the gay community work very well together. Particularly, if you take the example of people living with HIV, I think that we would all do better to see how well people who come from very different backgrounds, who are dealing with the disease personally, how well they work together in creating programs and advocating, find it easy to put aside differences." Gary Daffin also serves as Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus (MGLPC), the state’s oldest legislative advocacy organization. MGLPC played a key role in the effort to secure marriage equality in the Commonwealth and works continuously on issues such as transgender civil rights, bullying, funding for LGBT youth and elder programs. He is a past recipient of Fenway Community Health’s Gerry Studds Visibility Award and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s William A. Hinton Award for promoting the health of minority communities. For More Info: mac-boston.org

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“Word is Out” The Movie

Nancy Adair, one of the film directors of “Word is Out”, the 1977 groundbreaking gay iconic documentary that is being revived in a restored print and re-released globally, talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson. When asked how “Word is Out” is being received in 2010, Adair stated, “We wondered if it would be seen as just an historic document or whether it would still continue to help people and be relevant today. I think that it does both in a way. It’s a little bit dated in that the music is from the 1970’s, you know people’s clothing is a little different and so on but it is still extremely relevant. It makes people feel really good about themselves. As much as it would seem easier to come out of the closet in areas like Boston, the Bay Area and LA and so on, in small towns like the one I live in, it’s still very difficult for young people. We’re still completely inundated by heterosexual images. It’s not easy for gay and lesbians in rural areas to come out and feel good about themselves. No one has made a film like this with its scope, with its diversities, so it’s still a very powerful statement and I think it will always be, because we made it for gays. But I don’t think in the end that it’s only for gay people. Heterosexuals really love the film because it’s about self actualization, self love and empowerment. So it’s relevant for all people.” Soon after the original opening of “Word is Out”, the book of the same title was released compiled by Nancy and her mother Casey. Nancy lives in Willits in Northern California, where she is a yoga teacher and artist. For More Info: wordisoutmovie.com

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