Those interviewed begin by giving brief personal accounts
of growing up, relating early experiences in discovering who they were in a
world that seemed to hate just that. It’s interesting because all of these
people attained positions in government. And that’s really what sets this
documentary apart from other documentaries regarding homosexuality. These men
and women had the same issues as other gay people while growing up, and they
talk about their childhood struggles, their fears, the taunting and abuse they
suffered. But just by their current positions within the government, they
should be an inspiration to gay youth who might be suffering now. These are folks
who are mayors, senators, representatives, Supreme Court justices, secretaries
of state and so on.
They then ease into talking about the idea of running for
office, many saying they didn’t think it possible. Toni Atkins (California
State Assembly Member), for example, says: “I’d
never intended to run for office. I didn’t think it was possible. I just didn’t
think America was about me.” And Bonnie Dumanis (District Attorney, San
Diego) says, “I always thought being gay
was going to be a barrier to whatever I chose, and I was certainly in the
closet for a long, long time.”
There are a lot of people interviewed, which is both a
strength and weakness of this film. It’s a strength in that it shows the large
number of gay people who have achieved these positions, which is wonderful. But
it’s a weakness, as the film doesn’t delve too far into any one particular
story during the first half. During the second half of the film, several of the
subjects interviewed receive more focus.
Some talk about how they were forced out of the closet by
stories in the press. Barney Frank (U.S. Representative, MA) talks about how he
tried to be privately gay and publicly not gay. Karla Drenner (State
Representative, GA) tells an incredible anecdote about applying for high-level clearance
and being asked if she were homosexual. Her answer is wonderful: “Not at this moment.” There are a lot of
positive stories, such as that regarding Alex Wan (City Councilman, Atlanta),
who was accepted by his family and who ran as an openly gay candidate,
receiving overwhelming support from his community.
The score to this film at times is a distraction. Kate
Brown (Secretary Of State, OR) tells an interesting anecdote about her first
job, but the serious dramatic music overpowers rather than underscores what
she’s saying.
As I indicated, the film is made up almost entirely of
interviews. But there is some news footage approximately two thirds of the way
through regarding Dick Armey calling Barney Frank “Barney Fag.” We’re treated to Armey’s explanation: “I mispronounced the name of my friend and
colleague Barney Frank in a way that sounds like a slur.” And yes, the film
gives us Barney Frank’s reaction: “Armey
said that, he clearly meant to say it.” Frank makes a great point – that
Armey had to answer to it, whereas ten years earlier he likely wouldn’t have
had to. “The fact that he felt compelled
to lie about it was an indication that we had made progress.”
The film really does ultimately have a positive message
for gay youth, who should be inspired by the people interviewed in this film.
And, as David Cicilline (U.S. Representative, RI) says: “It matters a lot for openly gay and lesbian candidates to run for
office, because just running for office really does help to change people’s
hearts and minds. It can help a community have conversations that they
otherwise wouldn’t have.”
I would have liked more on their perspectives regarding
specific recent anti-gay legislation, and how they handle it. And it would have
been good to have a bit more news footage to break up the interviews (I wanted
to know just where that opening footage in the church came from, and the film
never returns to it). By the way, there are no interviews from those with
opposing viewpoints, just a few shots of those morons with the signs about God
hating gay people.
Breaking Through
was directed by Cindy L. Abel.
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