Documentary which has 26 gay men and lesbian discussing growing up gay and how they dealt with it. Some of the stories are horrific--one man was institutionalized and given shock treatment to "cure" him! Another women lost custody of all her children when she started to live with her lesbian lover. That never happens today. Still--this isn't all doom and gloom. All of them made it clear that they went through hell--but they made it and weren't backing down.
For 1978 it was a groundbreaker. I think all the 26 people were very courageous to do this. This came out when I was a closeted high school student. I couldn't see it (it was R rated and I was only 16 and looked 12!) and missed it when it played on PBS a year later. Finally--after 30 YEARS--I finally saw it. Yes it's dated and has plenty of dull spots but I was never really bored. Also this film tries to show all nationalities--there are white, black, Asian and American Indian participants. There was also a shot of an interracial couple which must have been shocking in 1978. It's tame by todays standards (it would get a PG-13 easy) but is still compelling. I think everyone should see this--ESPECIALLY GLBT youth. Some of them take for granted what us older people went through. A 10 all the way.
For 1978 it was a groundbreaker. I think all the 26 people were very courageous to do this. This came out when I was a closeted high school student. I couldn't see it (it was R rated and I was only 16 and looked 12!) and missed it when it played on PBS a year later. Finally--after 30 YEARS--I finally saw it. Yes it's dated and has plenty of dull spots but I was never really bored. Also this film tries to show all nationalities--there are white, black, Asian and American Indian participants. There was also a shot of an interracial couple which must have been shocking in 1978. It's tame by todays standards (it would get a PG-13 easy) but is still compelling. I think everyone should see this--ESPECIALLY GLBT youth. Some of them take for granted what us older people went through. A 10 all the way.