Boulder filmmaker presents her film about the relationship between gay children, their parents and faith.
Over a hundred bodies crammed into the seats, aisles and doorways of the small auditorium in the Boulder Public Library on Sept. 15 to see the preview of a short documentary film called “Anyone and Everyone.”
The documentary, written and directed by Susan Polis Schutz of Boulder, interviewed several families, from a diverse selection of religious backgrounds, about coming to terms with having gay children.
“I wanted to show that homosexuality is normal and suffering is needless,” Schutz said in a speech she gave after the film.
After the preview of the film, a panel consisting of Schutz and two families from the documentary elaborated on their experiences and took questions from the audience.
With homosexuality being at the forefront of moral controversy for years, the families expressed the troubles faced in balancing both a strong faith and a gay child.
Lani Graves, a mother in the panel and a devout Mormon, understands the struggle a parent of faith can have when raising a gay child.
“(Religion) is the root bed for so much homophobia,” Graves said.
Rabbi Tirzah Firestone, also a part of the panel and a spiritual leader of her own Jewish congregation, said she agrees there is a tension between religion and homosexuals and believes the Jewish faith is not always tolerant to gays.
“It’s fair to say that not every Jewish congregation is as welcoming and warm,” Firestone said.
The overall message of the documentary expressed the support needed for gay children from their parents.
“Anyone and everyone can have a gay child,” Schutz said.
Contact Campus Press Writer Sara Fossum at sara.fossum@colorado.edu.
