True Crime and Justice

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DVD Gay & Lesbian Documentaries

One Nation Under God -- Gary and Michael were two founders of Exodus, a ministry devoted to "curing" gays. Religious men, they felt that a gay lifestyle was incompatible with the teachings of the Bible, so they promoted heterosexuality. But despite leading heterosexual lives, the two men realized they were in love with each other. Interviews with the current head of Exodus, ex-gays, teachers in the ministry, psychologists, and ex-ex-gays, with archival footage from 1950s and '60s psychologists is a bizarre and fascinating look into "curing" homosexuality. It shows the absurd lengths that straight religious and medical people have gone in their efforts to change gays and lesbians. Funny, sad, outrageous, and though-provoking, this acclaimed documentary exposes the twisted ideology underlying extreme religious right groups.

Research indicates 31% of gay youth were threatened or injured at school. These experiences have a devastating impact on the educational success and mental health of youth. Anti-gay prejudice affects straight youth, too. For every gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth being harassed, 4 straight students were harassed because they were perceived as being gay or lesbian. "What Does Gay Mean?" is a new anti-bullying program designed to improve understanding and respect for gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender (GLBT) youth. Centered on an free downloadable educational booklet, "What Does Gay Mean?" How to Talk with Kids About Sexual Orientation and Prejudice, the program encourages parents and others to communicate and share values of respect with their children.

The Jaundiced Eye -- the decade long trials and emotional traumas incurred by a gay Michigan man, Stephen Matthews, and his straight father, Melvin Matthews, who were wrongfully accused by Stephen's ex-girlfriend and her homophobic boyfriend of molesting Stephen's son. Despite the fact that there was no physical evidence (although accusations included the torturous use of a machete), both Stephen and Melvin Matthews were sentenced to 35 years in jail. A chlamydia test which swayed the jury, was later revealed to give false positive results and lacks forensic value for use in sexual abuse cases.

Brandon Teena Murder -- Brandon Teena, whose birth name was Teena Brandon, from Lincoln, Nebraska moved to nearby Humboldt in 1993, after beginning to live as a man in preparation for sex-change surgery. Brandon passed as a man, but was discovered to be biologically and legally female by local police during an arrest on a misdemeanor charge 2 weeks prior to the murder. Police released this information to the local newspaper, the Falls City Journal. One week later, on Christmas Day 1993, Brandon was raped and assaulted at a Christmas party by 2 men, identified to police as Nissen and Lotter. They threatened to kill him if he reported the incident. Charges of rape and assault were not filed against them until after Brandon's slaying. Tammy Brandon called Richardson County sheriff Charles B. Laux 4 days before the slaying to ask why Lotter and Nissen had not been arrested. John Lotter was convicted of 3 counts of 1st degree murder for the deaths of :Brandon Teena:, Lisa Lambert, and Philip DeVine was sentenced to death. Lotter's accomplice, Marvin Thomas Nissen, cut a deal for life in prison.

The Brandon Teena Story Brandon Teena was a handsome boy who had tremendous success with women because he always seemed to know exactly what they wanted. Perhaps it helped that Brandon Teena was born Teena Brandon, a young woman who desperately wanted to be a man. But Brandon lived in a small Midwestern town, where his sexual identity crisis wasn't tolerated, inciting two so-called friends to brutally murder him and two other innocents. This true story, which was the basis for the feature film Boys Don't Cry , is recounted in the award-winning (Best Documentary at both the Vancouver and Berlin film festivals) documentary. This insightful film is both fascinating and horrifying, as we are treated to news footage and interviews with Brandon's family, friends, former girlfriends, as well as the two men who are in jail (one on death row) for the rape and later murder of Brandon. Throughout the film, the viewer's disgust grows as recordings of Brandon with the police department of Falls City, Nebraska, are played; when Brandon reports his rape, the questioning is turned around on him, making him the guilty party for his sexuality. Ignorance and hatred abound in the small town, although many of his ex-girlfriends are surprisingly sympathetic. While there is nothing graphic in this film, it is unexpectedly difficult to watch at moments; the drama, however, is gripping and the message an important one to hear. --Jenny Brown The DVD includes a chapter search and written bios about the filmmakers, a list of resources and a "Where Are They Now" guide.

All She Wanted by Aphrodite Jones Teena Brandon, a woman who passed herself off as a man and had passionate affairs with young women--until she was murdered. Jones's access to Teena's family, girlfriends, enemies, and convicted killers make this a riveting tale of sexual betrayal and murder.

Life And Death Of Teena Brandon, The-American Justice -- When Teena Brandon's body was found with two others in a Nebraska farmhouse in 1993, the world took notice, for this drifter had been living as a man. Even more shocking--she had reported being raped the week before by two acquaintances! Watch the investigation, trial, and social repercussions of the basis for the film "Boys Don't Cry."

Matt Shepard encountered Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney in the Fireside Bar; he left with them, they drove him in a pickup truck to the edge of town. Henderson tied him to a fence, McKinney beat him with a .357 Magnum. They took his shoes and wallet intending to rob his apartment but instead returned to town and got into a fight with 2 other young men, Jeremy Herrera and Emiliano Morales. McKinney clubbed Morales on the head with the same gun, still covered in Matt's blood. Herrera retaliated by striking McKinney's head with a heavy stick. Police picked up Henderson, after being released that night, Henderson, his girlfriend, Chastity Pasley, McKinney, his girlfriend, Kristen Price, began to hatched false alibis, Matt remained tied to the fence.

The Laramie Project

American Justice - Matthew Shepard - Death in the High Desert -- The story of the sadistic torture and murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard in Wyoming in October 1998. Two small-time criminals kidnapped Shepard, beat him ferociously, lashed him to a fence in frigid temperatures, and left him there for 18 hours before he was discovered. The case sparked a national debate about the need for hate crime legislation.

FRONTLINE examines anti-gay attitudes, fears,and hatred through the story of the life and death of Billy Jack Gaither, who was murdered because he was gay. This report probes the mix of gay acceptance and contempt, gay tolerance and prejudice that exists within many Americans about homosexuals and lesbians. The program includes a homophobia quiz, research on the roots of homophobia,what fuels anti-gay bashers,and the scientific research into possible biological and genetic determinants for homosexuality.

Fred C. Martinez Jr. was a 16-year-old Navajo boy who thought of himself as female. His friends adored him. Had he been a female, one teacher said, he'd have been the most popular girl in town. They also feared what a violent world might have in store for someone like him.

On February 19, 1999, in Sylacauga, Alabama, computer programmer Billy Jack Gaither, 39, was brutally beaten with an ax handle. His throat was cut, and his body was set on fire. One of his convicted killers, Steven Mullins, testified he killed Gaither because he was "queer." Why have gays become the target of such brutality? What is the source of this kind of hatred?

"Assault on Gay America" explores whether there are possible links between the forces that drove Billy Jack's killers and the forces that fuel homophobia in the general law-abiding public.

Rifle, Colorado -- February 2001, Kyle Skyock, 16, said 4 other teens beat him unconscious and left him face down alongside US 6. Skyock said he was attacked because he was gay, while police believe otherwise.

On May 27, 1993 in Yokosuka, Japan, Airman Apprentice Terry M. Helvey was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Allen Schindler in a public restroom in Sasebo, Japan. Schindler who was homosexual, was so badly beaten that the Navy pathologist described his injuries as "more consistent with a high- speed automobile accident or lo-speed airplane crash. " Schindler's liver "contained holes that allowed him (the pathologist) to see straight through it. " What follows is the testimony of Airman Charles E. Vins, Helvey's companion in the murder who was released after 3 months in confinement in return for his testimony. The same day as the verdict, Senator Sam Nunn voiced opposition to a proposal that would allow gay soldiers to be open about their sexuality off base. He feared it would provide them a "safe haven" from military life.-The

"To be physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight" - this is the Boy Scout pledge. Since 1910, millions of boys have joined. But today, if you are openly gay, you can't. Witness how one remarkable 12-year-old Boy Scout named Steven Cozza launches a grassroots campaign to overturn the Boy Scouts' anti-gay policy. "Scouting for All" is the movement built by Cozza with the help of a longtime Scout leader, community members and his own parents. Moving from Petaluma, California to the Supreme Court, the film chronicles a modern interpretation of the scouting ideals of courage and honor.

Killing Mobilizes Netizens - The Community United Against Violence, a counseling organization, estimates that 7-9% of gay men and lesbians are subjected to violence each year because of their sexual orientation. Most of those incidents don't inspire public outrage. Wired.com

Psychologists call for assault on hate crimes -- Hate crimes demand unique legal, psychological and policy responses -- Hate crimes constitute a unique class of violence against a person's identity. Four distinct motives underlie hate crimes based on sexual orientation. Hate crimes are motivated by self-defense, where perpetrators interpret the victim's actions as a sexual proposition; ideology, perpetrators view themselves as enforcers of social norms that deem homosexuality unacceptable; thrill seeking, perpetrators commit assaults to alleviate boredom; and peer dynamics, where perpetrators aim to prove their toughness and heterosexuality to friends.

Community United Against Violence (CUAV) is a 20-year old multicultural organization working to end violence against and within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) communities. We believe that in order for homophobia & heterosexism to end, we must fight all forms of oppression, including racism, sexism, ageism, classism and ableism. CUAV offers a 24-hour confidential, multilingual Support line, free counseling, legal advocacy, and emergency assistance (hotel, food, and transportation vouchers) to survivors of domestic violence, hate violence, and sexual assault. CUAV uses education as a violence prevention tool through the speakers bureau, the youth program, and the domestic violence prevention program.

Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) promoting fair, accurate, and inclusive representation of individuals and events in all media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. GLAAD

Anti-Gay Violence: Off the New York Times' Agenda - The New York Times no longer prints the word "gay" only in quotation marks, but it still has a long way to go to represent gay and lesbian reality. On the issue of gay-bashing, Times coverage has shown a pattern of neglect and distortion. Fair.org

Explores cases of death sentenced female offenders to determine what effect the offender's lesbianism had in the capital punishment process.

1992 testimony on proposed changes to the Regulations of the State Board of Education, 22 PA code was given in to the PA Board of Education.

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Copyright Kari Sable Burns 1994-2006

The Harvey Milk 4 - Pack Box Set (Times of Harvey Milk / Common Threads / Where Are We / Paragraph 175)

Film Music - Ms. Soffel ~ The Times of Harvey Milk ~ Never Cry Wolf

The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk Harvey Milk--a gay political organizer who became the first openly gay city supervisor in San Francisco and was then assassinated (along with liberal mayor George Moscone)--was the obvious choice for such a book. And Randy Shilts--a young reporter who had risen up through the gay press to become the first openly gay reporter with a gay "beat" in the American mainstream press--was the perfect person to write it. While his later works such as And the Band Played On and Conduct Unbecoming were based on hard-hitting, fact-driven reportage, Shilts's tone in The Mayor of Castro Street is softer, more focused on the narrative of Harvey Milk's political rise from running a small business on Castro Street, to organizing local gay men and lesbians around grass-roots issues, to winning an elected office. But in many ways this is also a forceful and engaging story of the gay rights movement in the second half of the 20th century. Thus, Shilts follows the growth of the Castro as a gay neighborhood and the growth of San Francisco's gay community from a ragtag collection of people who socialized and sexualized together into a vibrant and political force. --Michael Bronski