Educational Media Reviews Online

For decades our country has dealt with a myriad of issues on civil and human rights. The discussion alone of these issues has brought about sweeping social change, often times followed by legislative and regulatory/policy changes as methods of enforcement to alter our engrained social processes. This video focuses on another issue of civil rights – the right to marry. Content of the video focuses around Ellen Wade and Maureen Brodoff, who challenge the state of Massachusetts’ right to deny them the ability to marry. It follows their case up through the state supreme court which affirms their right to marry under the state constitution, and shows additional efforts by the state’s governor and legislative body to stop implementation of the court ruling. Final portions follow the issue through the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention where actions are taken to categorically define marriage in the state as only between a man and a woman. Although this begins a process, it is not timely enough to prevent the implementation of the court’s ruling and the marriage of Ellen and Maureen and hundreds of same sex couples. Despite the focus on Ellen and Maureen, the producers of the video have tried to provide balance in their presentation of the issue. As the battle unfolds throughout the story, the perspectives of both pro-gay marriage and anti-gay marriage forces are shown - each in its own way somewhat dogmatic in their beliefs and approaches to the issue. This video would function as an excellent teaching tool for individuals to ponder how each of our belief systems develop and how to best use that insight in a shrinking world.