Educational Media Reviews Online

Filmmaker Yoruba Richen’s award-winning feature-length documentary presents an engaging look at the many voices rallying for and against same-sex marriage equality for the African American LBGT community. In 2008, California’s Proposition 8 narrowly passes to eliminate the rights of same-sex marriage equality. Four years later, Maryland passes into law same-sex marriage equality. This decision incites an immediate backlash from numerous organizations to include the Black Church, Maryland’s Marriage Alliance, and other related coalitions who appeal the law. Thus, Richen’s film focuses primarily on community activism to uphold Maryland’s decision, to campaign in favor of Referendum 6, and more importantly, to open up dialogue about gay and civil rights in the Black community.

What is great about this documentary are the numerous voices from friends, family, activists, and pastors. One of many pro-supporters, to include lesbian Bishop Yvette Flunder, is Sharon Lettman-Hicks of the National Black Justice Coalition. Her position is that same-sex marriage equality for African Americans is “the unfinished business of black people being free.” In opposition are several religious groups, to include the Mormon and Catholic Church, who pour millions of dollars into the Black Church to aggressively campaign and persuade African Americans to vote against same-sex equality. One federal court document from the National Organization for Marriage lays out its strategy to “drive a wedge between gays and black…to develop a media campaign around their objections as a civil right, and to provoke the gay marriage base into responding by denouncing these spokesmen and women as bigots.”

Unfortunately, homophobia remains a taboo subject within the African American community. For an even larger majority, the fight for same-sex marriage is not a high priority given the current state of the economy. As one pastor points out, “the African American community is not a monolithic group.” People have free-will to do the right thing. Hopefully, this film will serve as a conversational piece to calm some of the fears and hysteria against LBGT unions, as well as teach others that the face of a loving and traditional family is changing in the 21st century.

The music is excellent, and filmmaking is well done. Additional commentary provided by Irene Huskens, Captain, Prince George’s County, Police Department; Pastor Derek McCoy, Maryland Marriage Alliance; Phil Burress, Citizens for Community Values; Reverend Dr. K.Z. Smith, Bishop Eddie Long, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church among others.

Awards

• AFI Docs Audience Award, 2013
• Philly Q Fest Audience Award, 2013
• Frameline37 Audience Award, 2013
• Urbanworld Film Festival Best Documentary, 2013