Friday, May 21, 2010

Know Your LGBT History - Tongues Untied










I WAS going to feature an episode of All in the Family but then I got a special request for this afternoon's feature, Tongues Untied (1989).

And as luck would have it, I'm glad I received this request because Tongues Untied will be one of the movies at tomorrow night's lgbt of color film festival which will be held at the University of South Carolina tomorrow night as a part of the SC Black Pride Young, (Gay) Gifted, and Black Mini Film Festival.

Tongues Untied is an excellent film by the late Marlon Riggs, an African-American gay man and filmmaker. From Wikipedia:

 . . . Tongues Untied seeks, in its author's words to, "...shatter the nation's brutalising silence on matters of sexual and racial difference." The film blends documentary footage with personal account and fiction in an attempt to depict the specificity of black gay identity. The "silence" referred to throughout the film is that of black gay men, who are unable to express themselves because of the prejudices of white and black heterosexual society.

The narrative structure of Tongues Untied is both interesting and unconventional. Besides including documentary footage detailing North American black gay culture,  (Marlon) Riggs also tells of his own experiences as a gay man. These include the realising of his sexual identity and of coping with the deaths of many of his friends to AIDS. Other elements within the film include footage of the civil rights movement and clips of Eddie Murphy performing a homophobic stand-up routine.

At the time of its release, the film was considered controversial because of its frank portrayal of gay sexuality. Presidential candidate Pat Buchanan cited Tongues Untied as an example of how President Bush was using taxpayer's money to fund "pornographic art". In his defense, Riggs stated that, "Implicit in the much overworked rhetoric of community standards is the assumption of only one central community (patriarchal, heterosexual and usually white) and only one overarching cultural standard ditto."

In all honesty, it's a damn good film. As an lgbt of color, I know how difficult it is to see images of myself on television and the silver screen. I don't like it when lgbts of color are either ignored or made into a one-dimensional caricatures.

Tongues United and Postwoman will be featured tomorrow night (Saturday) at the University of South Carolina campus, 911 Pickens Street, 112 Sloan College.

The event starts at 7 p.m.

Admission is free but donations are accepted.

The Young, (Gay) Gifted, and Black Mini Film Festival is sponsored by South Carolina Black Pride.

SC Black Pride will be hosting our fifth annual celebration on June 24 - 27. For more information, go here.

Past Know Your LGBT History postings

Know Your LGBT History - The Celluloid Closet

Know Your LGBT History - Querelle

Know Your LGBT History - Theatre of Blood

Know Your LGBT History - Strange Fruit

Know Your LGBT History - Designing Women

Know Your LGBT History - The Children's Hour

Know Your LGBT History - Sylvester

Know Your LGBT History - Once Bitten

Know Your LGBT History - The Boys in the Band

Know Your LGBT History - Christopher Morley, the crossdressing assassin

Know Your LGBT History - Midnight Cowboy

Know Your LGBT History - Dracula's Daughter

Know Your LGBT History - Blacula

Know Your LGBT History - 3 Strikes

Know Your LGBT History - Paris Is Burning

Know Your LGBT History - The Women

Know your LGBT History - Soul Plane

Know Your LGBT History - The Player's Club

Special Know Your LGBT History - Fame

Know Your LGBT History - Welcome Home, Bobby

Know Your LGBT History - Barney Miller

Know your lgbt history - The Jerry Springer Show

Know your lgbt history - Martin Lawrence and that 'gay guy' on his show

Know your lgbt history - The Ricki Lake Show

Know your lgbt history - Which Way Is Up

Know your lgbt history - Gays in Primetime Soaps

Know your lgbt history - Boys Beware

Know your lgbt history - The Boondocks

Know your lgbt history - Mannequin

Know your lgbt history - The Warriors

Know Your LGBT History - New York Undercover

Know Your LGBT History - Low Down Dirty Shame

Know Your LGBT History - Fortune and Men's Eyes

Know your lgbt history - California Suite

Know your lgbt history - Taxi (Elaine's Strange Triangle)

Know your lgbt history - Come Back Charleston Blue

Know your lgbt history - James Bond goes gay

Know your lgbt history - Windows

Know your lgbt history - To Wong Foo and Priscilla

Know your lgbt history - Blazing Saddles

Know your lgbt history - Sanford and Son

Know your lgbt history - In Living Color

Know your lgbt history - Cleopatra Jones and her lesbian drug lords

Know your lgbt history - Norman, Is That You?

Know your lgbt history - The 'Exotic' Adrian Street

Know your lgbt history - The Choirboys

Know your lgbt history - Eddie Murphy

Know your lgbt history - The Killing of Sister George

Know your lgbt history - Hanna-Barbera cartoons pushes the 'gay agenda

'Know your lgbt history - Cruising

Know your lgbt history - Foxy Brown and Cleopatra Jones

Know your lgbt history - I Got Da Hook Up

Know your lgbt history - Fright Night

Know your lgbt history - Flowers of Evil

The Jeffersons and the transgender community    

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Rekers scandal continues to undermine religious right lies and other Friday midday news briefs

Parents for Democracy in Education group questions queer curriculum in high schools - Want a view of how much damage the Rekers scandal caused the religious right? Check out this article from Canada.

This man is a dean. At a law school. Parents send kids to him to learn. About law. - I am constantly amazed by Jeremy Hooper's ability to stand close to the religious right and dissect their lies.

Franken bill would protect gay students - Way to go, Al Franken!

Cities across the USA to observe Harvey Milk Day - Happy Harvey Milk Day!

Oz ’Family Values’ Office Holder Resigns After Being Filmed Leaving Bath House - Holy @$! Is Australia having it's own George Rekers scandal?

Lesbian who sued over prom date transfers schools - Constance, never forget that you stood up for yourself and those who couldn't stand up. You created steps for those to come after you to climb up on.


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Chely Wright tells the truth- don't be ashamed of your God-given lgbt orientation



Chely Wright is one of my new heroes. In her interview with Oprah Winfrey, the country singer lays it down like it should be about her lgbt orientation. We need more voices being open and out about this sort of thing, particularly for the sake of the children.

Regardless of how any of us feel regarding the nuances of the fight for lgbt equality, one thing we MUST ALL agree on is that we should never be ashamed to be as God has made us. Period.

I love this clip, especially the story about the soldiers who continued to support her. Also, it also shows where Wright's courage came from. Her father is an amazing man. He reminds me of my late father.



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