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at_signFYI for anyone who's interested: the play "8" premiered in Los Angeles today and is now available to watch online; here's a link, skipping the pre-show show and starting at the 30-minute mark in the full two-hour video.
My thoughts:
Lot of good acting there -- I couldn't decide who I liked best, though I'm leaning towards Jane Lynch's delightfully over-the-top odiousness. A bit disappointed by how limited George Takei's part was, honestly, but he sure made effective use of his time in the spotlight. I was also a bit disappointed that we didn't get any of the ruling, just the case itself, though I understand why -- the scene in the courtroom is what the proponents managed to keep from getting out, so that's what they wanted to show. Wish the cast had been off script. (Takei was, but he had so few lines....) Excellent job compressing the whole trial into a watchable format while making sure to show most of the critical portions; could've had more on the animus question but I get the sense the target audience is not in need of convincing on the merits of the case.
It was surprisingly entertaining, especially given that I've been so depressed over just thinking about Prop. 8 lately. Not sure why this didn't trigger more of that, but I'm not questioning a positive development.
Was going through old photos today -- school project, have to summarize my life in 5-10 photographs -- and found when I participated in the Human Rights Campaign's Coming Out Project in 2007. I put it in the middle. I'm not trying to stealth any more. It feels wrong. Besides, someone told me recently how impressed he was with my courage, and I thought, that's nice and I appreciate that, but it's not really courage, is it? It's about wanting to be connected to people, really connected without feeling like a sneak, and the contentment of being completely honest. It's about the experience of being on fire for Truth and Justice and all those other names for God, and being hungry for having that kind of passion, that level of meaning, in my life again.
I've thought, time and again, that if there's a divine plan for how humanity works, then the reason everyone is different must be so we can teach each other empathy and seeing the big picture. And ourselves, really; I shudder to think what I would've been like if I hadn't been queer, how arrogant and privilege-unaware I would be. So I choose to believe that God made me this way so that I, and the people around me, would have a better chance to see past the superficial to our common humanity; being out is a calling for me, a holy mission, an act of submission to God's will, every time I say the words.
It turns out, incidentally, that this view -- which I came up with prior to studying Islam -- has a basis in the Qur'an. Surah 49:13: "O mankind! We have created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well-acquainted (with all things)." (Abdullah Yusuf Ali's translation.) Proof texting: it can even support genderqueer identity!
My thoughts:
Lot of good acting there -- I couldn't decide who I liked best, though I'm leaning towards Jane Lynch's delightfully over-the-top odiousness. A bit disappointed by how limited George Takei's part was, honestly, but he sure made effective use of his time in the spotlight. I was also a bit disappointed that we didn't get any of the ruling, just the case itself, though I understand why -- the scene in the courtroom is what the proponents managed to keep from getting out, so that's what they wanted to show. Wish the cast had been off script. (Takei was, but he had so few lines....) Excellent job compressing the whole trial into a watchable format while making sure to show most of the critical portions; could've had more on the animus question but I get the sense the target audience is not in need of convincing on the merits of the case.
It was surprisingly entertaining, especially given that I've been so depressed over just thinking about Prop. 8 lately. Not sure why this didn't trigger more of that, but I'm not questioning a positive development.
Was going through old photos today -- school project, have to summarize my life in 5-10 photographs -- and found when I participated in the Human Rights Campaign's Coming Out Project in 2007. I put it in the middle. I'm not trying to stealth any more. It feels wrong. Besides, someone told me recently how impressed he was with my courage, and I thought, that's nice and I appreciate that, but it's not really courage, is it? It's about wanting to be connected to people, really connected without feeling like a sneak, and the contentment of being completely honest. It's about the experience of being on fire for Truth and Justice and all those other names for God, and being hungry for having that kind of passion, that level of meaning, in my life again.
I've thought, time and again, that if there's a divine plan for how humanity works, then the reason everyone is different must be so we can teach each other empathy and seeing the big picture. And ourselves, really; I shudder to think what I would've been like if I hadn't been queer, how arrogant and privilege-unaware I would be. So I choose to believe that God made me this way so that I, and the people around me, would have a better chance to see past the superficial to our common humanity; being out is a calling for me, a holy mission, an act of submission to God's will, every time I say the words.
It turns out, incidentally, that this view -- which I came up with prior to studying Islam -- has a basis in the Qur'an. Surah 49:13: "O mankind! We have created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well-acquainted (with all things)." (Abdullah Yusuf Ali's translation.) Proof texting: it can even support genderqueer identity!
