Generation Q (Queens only LGBT youth drop-in center) is collaborating with the Queens division of the Commission on Human Rights; our program has been asked to create a short educational film exploring homophobia and sexism which will be incorporated into the Commission's educational work. 
 
We are also a critical part of a New York City network of service providers and educators working with the City Council and the Chancellor to design mandatory "diversity" curriculum for all New Yory City students.  After a 5 year long struggle to bring such discussions and lessons into classrooms, we're really excited for to be part of such momentous growth in and of our educational system, from advocacy to implimentation. 
 
We're working on developing short skits to be videotaped and presented to students to begin and direct honest and effective conversations about homophobia.  We need a filmmaker--someone who can record/edit these skits and make them look good!  Can you, or someone you know, help us out? We need to get this done by the end of next month.  

Generation Q of the Queens Community House Educational homophobia skits and video Project/skit script outlines - Work-in-progress, January, 2010

Objective:
To create skits that effectively engage students (5th-12th grade) in a creative, meaningful, age-appropriate, and honest exploration of homophobia, gender and sex.  

General information:
Generation Q (Gen Q) of the QCH is Queens’ only drop-in center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Allied (LGBTQA) youth.  The program has a strong, longstanding, and successful youth-led, arts-based activist component.  Gen Q’s current activist project is the development off a series of brief and evocative educational skits to be performed live and recorded for video screenings. The premise of all of the skits is that the common sexual orientation expected of and in society is “turned around”: being heterosexual is now the social and political equivalent of homosexuality.  These skits are deliberately comical.   There are 3 in total.  Each is approximately 2 minutes long.  Additionally, the video will include a one minute “commercial” which sells the idea of “acceptance.”  The cast is made up of Generation Q participants.

Skit 1:  “Coming Out”
Much to his fathers’ dismay and disbelief, a high school student comes out to his family as heterosexual during dinner.  Although they are initially angry and upset (“Is it something *we* did? Why are you doing this to us?  Was it all that basketball and football?!”)  they ultimately accept him—to a certain degree (“You’ll always be our kid no matter what….but don’t bring that around the home; we don’t want to hear about it.  And no more sports.”)  

Skit 2: “That’s So Straight”
The Gay, Lesbian, Straight Educational Network (GLSEN) regularly tracks and reports the prevalence and deleterious effects of homophobic name-calling in our schools.  In fact, the average student hears “that’s so gay” 25 times a day in a plethora of contexts.   In this skit, we listen in on 4 high school kids students engaged in regular banter as they leave school…and it’s so straight.

Skit 3: “No Hetero”
Common slang among teens, particularly boys, is the expression “no homo.”  In this skit, 4 teens—two straight, two lesbian and gay-- stand side by side in the gym locker room and talk about gender, not liking straight/LGBT people, and what it feels like to be hated and bullied.

Deadline: Skits must be filmed and edited by the end of February, 2010

There will be a forthcoming classroom guide to accompany the video, including age-appropriate discussion questions and activities.

For more information about these skits, educational workshops, or Generation Q/Queens Community House programming, please contact Generation Q director Marisa Ragonese at (718) 204-5955 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .