This week sees the online screening of Broken Heart Land a powerful documentary essentially about LGBTQ Rights but is also very much about a culture of prejudice, bigotry and sheer hatred that still prevails in so many parts of our country. It is a portrait of a town divided along the right/left fault-line that has come to dominate our politics with such disastrous and often fatal consequences.
In 2010 the local city council of Norman, Oklahoma held a Meeting support of a proposal for LGBTQ History Month. In a very heated and at times nasty debate some community members made highly controversial statements equating being gay with the spread of diseases such as HIV and AIDS.
One week later Zack Harrington a local gay 19 year old killed himself with a gunshot to the head in his family’s ranch in Norman. Soon after his death his parents discovered Zack’s private diary in which he talks about his fears and struggles of dealing with his sexuality all alone and by himself. It totally shocked then, both conservative Republicans and military veterans, and they are forced to reconcile their own social and political beliefs with their son’s death..
In the aftermath the Harringtons start to question and shed the labels that defined them acknowledge their guilt that it took the loss of Zack to do this.
This excellent film by Jeremy Stulberg and Randy Stulberg based on its heart breaking story follows Nancy Harrington as she becomes involved in a local group of mothers advocating against homophobia as she is galvanized into turning her very private life into a very public one fighting for the rights of LGBTQ youth in particular.
There are many parallels to the story of Judy and Dennis Shepard who became the biggest advocates for our community after their gay son Matthew was murdered. This tragic event propelled them to devote their lives to ensure that this never happened to any other families ever again
The timing of the screening couldn’t be more perfect for as we may take this as judgement of the bitterly divided city of Norman, it does reflect other towns up and down the country right now who are painfully now coping with their own prejudices and bigotry.
P.S. Broken Heart Land is streaming on World Channel HERE
Labels: 2020, bigotry, documentary, homophobia
