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From: rob@ptsfa.UUCP (Rob Bernardo)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: What, no comments on "Consenting Adult"?
Message-ID: <472@ptsfa.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 9-Feb-85 13:23:06 EST
Article-I.D.: ptsfa.472
Posted: Sat Feb  9 13:23:06 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 13-Feb-85 02:33:26 EST
References: <1308@bbncca.ARPA>
Organization: Pacific Bell, San Francisco
Lines: 43


 /Steve Dyer
 {decvax,linus,ima,ihnp4}!bbncca!sdyer
 sdyer@bbnccv.ARPA

wrote:

> ...						 if this movie purports
> to present what is reality for most gay young people (and let's face it:
> TV movies aren't serious art, they are latter-day miracle plays), it would
> have been much more realistic to show him investigating his local campus
> rap group, maybe reading some local gay newspapers, to establish a better
> self-definition before coming out to his parents.
> 
> Anyone else care to comment?

Yeah, you're right - it was not such a great movie, but with the exception
of that somewhat sleazy pick-up scene, I think it would have an overall
good effect (politically) on the tv audience.

I don't think this movie is about what it was like for the son,
but rather for the mom; it was almost all from her point of view.
Furthermore, I think one of the intents of those
who made the tv movie (not the book) was to present the issue of accepting
one's children, because after the movie on a local tv news broadcase in 
San Francisco, there was a brief interview with Marlo Thomas who said that
(for her) the movie was not only about accepting homosexuality, but about
accepting one's children's choices in like.

What amazed me about the movie was the realistic portrayal about each family
member's reactions -- the differences between what happened in the movie
and what happened to me when I came out to my parents are a matter of
quantity, not of quality. My dad stayed home from work for a few days
and cried and whined around the house and argued with me. My mom was
much more communicative and wanting to find out more information. I had come
out to my sister months before and she had quickly accepted my sexuality.
Because of the somewhat universal reactions parents go through, I  think
that the movie will have a beneficial effect on parents of young gays.
-- 


Rob Bernardo, Pacific Bell, San Francisco, California
{ihnp4,ucbvax,cbosgd,decwrl,amd70,fortune,zehntel}!dual!ptsfa!rob