‘Spectrum 10’ Ends with “Paris Is Burning”

The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) will close the curtains on its tenth annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) film festival, Painting the Spectrum 10, with the 1990, classic American documentary, Paris Is Burning.

Filmed in the mid-to-late 1980s and directed by Jennie Livingston, it chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender communities involved in it. Many members of the ball culture community consider Paris Is Burning to be an invaluable documentary of the end of the "Golden Age" of New York City drag balls, as well as a thoughtful exploration of race, class, gender, and sexuality in America. The film explores the elaborately-structured ball competitions in which contestants, adhering to a very specific category or theme, must "walk" (much like a fashion model's runway) and subsequently be judged on criteria including the "realness" of their drag, the beauty of their clothing and their dancing ability. 

After screening the film, there will be a few, special, guest performances to celebrate the milestone of Painting the Spectrum – the only LGBT film festival in the English-speaking Caribbean – ending its tenth annual run. And as customary, the festival ends with the traditional ‘painting the spectrum’ where attendees are invited to paint a huge, cloth banner with their personal messages and signs showing love, support and solidarity for LGBT Guyanese.

The festival culminates this Sunday, June 29, 2014, at the Dutch Bottle Café located at 10 North Road, Bourda, in Georgetown at 18:00 hrs. There is no charge for admission, but the event is intended for mature audiences. Persons must be 18 years and over in order to attend.

‘Spectrum 10’ Ends with “Paris Is Burning”

The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) will close the curtains on its tenth annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) film festival, Painting the Spectrum 10, with the 1990, classic American documentary, Paris Is Burning.

Filmed in the mid-to-late 1980s and directed by Jennie Livingston, it chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender communities involved in it. Many members of the ball culture community consider Paris Is Burning to be an invaluable documentary of the end of the "Golden Age" of New York City drag balls, as well as a thoughtful exploration of race, class, gender, and sexuality in America. The film explores the elaborately-structured ball competitions in which contestants, adhering to a very specific category or theme, must "walk" (much like a fashion model's runway) and subsequently be judged on criteria including the "realness" of their drag, the beauty of their clothing and their dancing ability. 

After screening the film, there will be a few, special, guest performances to celebrate the milestone of Painting the Spectrum – the only LGBT film festival in the English-speaking Caribbean – ending its tenth annual run. And as customary, the festival ends with the traditional ‘painting the spectrum’ where attendees are invited to paint a huge, cloth banner with their personal messages and signs showing love, support and solidarity for LGBT Guyanese.

The festival culminates this Sunday, June 29, 2014, at the Dutch Bottle Café located at 10 North Road, Bourda, in Georgetown at 18:00 hrs. There is no charge for admission, but the event is intended for mature audiences. Persons must be 18 years and over in order to attend.

‘Spectrum 10’ Ends with “Paris Is Burning”

The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) will close the curtains on its tenth annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) film festival, Painting the Spectrum 10, with the 1990, classic American documentary, Paris Is Burning.

Filmed in the mid-to-late 1980s and directed by Jennie Livingston, it chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender communities involved in it. Many members of the ball culture community consider Paris Is Burning to be an invaluable documentary of the end of the "Golden Age" of New York City drag balls, as well as a thoughtful exploration of race, class, gender, and sexuality in America. The film explores the elaborately-structured ball competitions in which contestants, adhering to a very specific category or theme, must "walk" (much like a fashion model's runway) and subsequently be judged on criteria including the "realness" of their drag, the beauty of their clothing and their dancing ability. 

After screening the film, there will be a few, special, guest performances to celebrate the milestone of Painting the Spectrum – the only LGBT film festival in the English-speaking Caribbean – ending its tenth annual run. And as customary, the festival ends with the traditional ‘painting the spectrum’ where attendees are invited to paint a huge, cloth banner with their personal messages and signs showing love, support and solidarity for LGBT Guyanese.

The festival culminates this Sunday, June 29, 2014, at the Dutch Bottle Café located at 10 North Road, Bourda, in Georgetown at 18:00 hrs. There is no charge for admission, but the event is intended for mature audiences. Persons must be 18 years and over in order to attend.

Psychologist, Swami and Reverend Plead for Societal Acceptance of LGBT Persons; Dr. Harding calls for repeal anti-LGBT laws to save lives

On Tuesday, June 17, psychologist Dr. Faith Harding; Director of AYUPSA: National Center for Suicide Prevention, Swami Aksharananda, and Executive Director of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), Rev. Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth, formed a very insightful panel discussing religious, societal and cultural influences on the mental health outcomes of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Guyanese. 

Panelists (L to R): Rev. Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth, Swami Aksharananda and Dr. Faith Harding participating in the panel discussion. 

The expert panel was the special event of the tenth annual LGBT Film Festival hosted by the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), dubbed Painting the Spectrum 10. The discussion followed the feature film for the evening titled “And the Unclaimed,” a documentary which chronicles the events surrounding the suicide of two young girls in West Bengal, India. The story reveals their love affair and non-acceptance by the village community and families, which perhaps pushed them towards the end of the road – committing suicide.

Though set in India, numerous facets of the film relate to Guyanese society, it ignited a very stimulating and interactive discussion between the panel and the audience. Much of the discussion focused on the impact of religion on the expression of sexuality orientation and gender identity; the possible push factors to suicide in LGBT Guyanese, with a particular focus on family and societal rejection or non-acceptance and the differences between Christian and Hindu theology as it relates to homosexuality and transgenderism.

Dr. Harding spoke about her experiences as a professional psycho-therapist, as she encounters many LGBT Guyanese in her clinical practice, some of who have attempted or contemplated suicide. A large percentage of her LGBT clients have struggled with depression often leading them to contemplate suicide, she noted. “It is painful to see how torn and broken members of the LGBT community are” said Dr. Harding.

She noted that like in the film, numerous LGBT Guyanese deal with personal turmoil, rejection, fear, anxiety and depression on a daily basis. Daily, LGBT Guyanese struggle with self-acceptance and the right to just live equally and co-exist peacefully in society. 

Dr. Harding was asked, if she were the President of Guyana, whether she would assent to a bill decriminalising LGBT activities. Dr. Harding responded confidently that she would assent, “because it is a basic human right and I cannot deny basic human rights. It would be irresponsible of me as a leader to not do something about an issue that claims so many young lives,” Dr. Harding pleaded.  

Dr. Faith Harding speaking at the panel on mental health issues affecting LGBT Guyanese.

Swami Aksharananda shared that in Hindu mythology that are already exposed to all these extremes and differences. “Images and concepts exist and are accepted without taboo and question. From that background the issues do not present too much of a challenge or questioning for the Hindu community,” he stated.

Although there isn’t much resistance towards homosexuality in the Hindu religion, Swami Aksharananda still believes that there is a need for much more conversations about LGBT issues, their daily struggles and mental health issues that can arise from societal exclusion.

While a prominent pastor feels LGBT people should be on an island by themselves, there are others like Reverend Sheerattan-Bisnauth who are more progressive in their faith and theology, reading the scriptures with a lens for liberation and justice. 

Reverend Sheerattan-Bisnauth noted that many of the religious leaders who are opposed to homosexuality are of the mistaken belief that sexual difference causes a breakdown in families, without understanding the numerous types of family structure that exist. “Many of them are caught up with hetero-normative views of families,” the Presbyterian cleric noted.

She noted that there needs to be a space for more healthy discussions about mental health issues affecting LGBT Guyanese and that GRPA is committed to continuing the discourse in collaboration with SASOD and other stakeholders in the country.

Caribbean Films Dominate Spectrum 10 Next Week: Films from Guyana and Jamaica to Screen

Painting the Spectrum 10: SASOD's 10th annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) film festival continues next week with films focusing on homophobic and transphobic violence and discrimination, and resilience and resistance of LGBT people in the Caribbean.

On Tuesday, June 24, two films will be shown. “Sade’s Story,” a SASOD-produced documentary short, chronicles the experiences of transgender Guyanese fashion designer, Sade Richardson, in her own words. She shares her story about her daily struggles with transphobic violence and discrimination in Guyana. She was denied many jobs because of who she is, a proud transgender woman. She was verbally and physically abused for expressing herself. Sade’s Story is one about rising above oppression and authentically living your dreams to the fullest. 

Painting the Spectrum 10 then takes you from Guyana to Jamaica with the “Abominable Crime.” The Abominable Crime is a documentary that explores the culture of homophobia in Jamaica through the eyes of gay Jamaicans who are forced to choose between their homeland and their lives after their sexual orientations are exposed. This is a story about a mother's love for her child and an activist's love for his country - and the stakes are life and death.

The festival continues on Thursday, June 26, which is Spectrum Night. The Night opens with another documentary short produced by SASOD, Jessica’s Journey.  The film highlights experiences of discrimination, violence and the struggle for acceptance by a Guyanese trans-woman who

eventually left for the United Kingdom because she did not feel safe in Guyana.

Spectrum 10 then screens its feature film and hosts its world premiere. “Antiman” tells the story of a young boy must prove his masculinity to his father while he pines for a young man in the homophobic Guyanese countryside. Antiman is a film about self-discovery and masculinity. Anil, an introverted young boy is pressured by his abusive father, Max; to become a skillful cricket player the way he himself was years before.  Although skilled in the game, Anil refuses to play and takes refuge is his love for Dano, an older boy in the village.  In order to attend the local masquerade and see the boy he pines for, Anil must win the Cricket tournament.

The Spectrum Night opens its stage for singing, dancing, music and poetry. Everyone is encouraged to come out and showcase their talents to celebrate sexual and gender diversity.

The film festival continues every Tuesday and Thursday in June and closes Sunday, June 29, at the Dutch Bottle Café, 10 North Road (between Light and Cummings Streets), Bourda, in Georgetown. Show time is 6 pm each night.

There is no charge for admission to attend the film festival. All firms are intended for mature audiences. Person must be 18 years and over to attend.

Suicide and Violence Headline Spectrum 10 Next Week: Films from India, Guyana and Jamaica to Screen

SASOD's 10^th annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) film festival, Painting the Spectrum 10 continues next week with films focusing on mental health, homophobic violence and transphobic abuse from Guyana, Jamaica and India.

On Tuesday, June 17, “And the Unclaimed” will be screened. “And the Unclaimed” chronicles the events surrounding the suicide of two young girls in Nandigram, one of the interior villages in West Bengal, India. As the story unfolds the story of their love affair, and non-acceptance of the village community, as well as their families, became evident. To deal with such ‘abnormality’, one of the girls was married off in a hurry, which perhaps pushed them towards the end of the road – committing suicide. But their death did not end societal non-acceptance, even after death their dead bodies lay unclaimed in the police morgue for several days. The last letter by one of the girls tells the story of love and loathing; it also asked that their parents cremate them together, which did not happen. Their unclaimed bodies were disposed of by the police, unattained, uncared for.

The screening of “And the Unclaimed” will be followed by a panel discussion of Guyanese experts on mental health and suicide prevention discussing these issues in the context of homophobia and transphobia in Guyana, and this affects LGBT people’s mental health.

And then on Thursday, June 19, a documentary short produced by SASOD, titled “Selina’s Voice,” and a documentary set in Jamaica called “Taboo Yardies” will be screened.

In “Selina’s Voice,” this Guyanese trans-woman recounts suffering a violent attack at a bar on the East Coast of Demerara, Guyana. Selina survived multiple stab wounds, and lives to share her story with the world. She is now publicly advocates for the human rights of LGBT people.

“Taboo Yardies” is a feature-length documentary that captures the violence against LGBT people in Jamaica and the many violations of their human rights; as well as the socio-economics, socio-political, mental health and the intergenerational trans-Atlantic transmission of homophobia. “Taboo Yardies” provides a unique visual experience of how violence is generated on one side of the Atlantic, and is perpetrated, preserved and re-enacted on the other (in the US).

The film festival continues every Tuesday and Thursday in June and closes Sunday, June 29, at the Dutch Bottle Café, 10 North Road (between Light and Cummings Streets), Bourda, in Georgetown. Show time is 6pm each night.

There is no charge for admission to attend the film festival. All firms are intended for mature audiences. Person must be 18 years and over to attend.