Last night at the bar where I tend, I had a very interesting conversation with a regular about the idea of gender. As I start school next week, I will be minoring in Sociology, emphasizing gender studies. She asked how I got interested in gender studies (somewhat unique for a straight male), and a lot of it has to do with the ideological evolution from my upbringing to my maturing to my current status. I grew up in a religion hostile to all but traditional gender roles, and I remember distinctly coming across a movie in Blockbuster called Latter Days, about a Mormon missionary who is in the closet, but comes to terms with his sexuality while preaching. I watched it years later, and it's quite good. LGBT film is so important, and as acceptance grows, we see more such themed movies in the mainstream. (My personal recommendation: A Single Man, one of the most beautiful post-love stories I have ever seen, gay or straight [because that designation really shouldn't matter anyway when we're talking about love].)
This October, Louisville's celebration of the genre hits its third year with the LGBT Film Festival. Last year was a blast, with great films (check out Cloudburst, seriously, my highest recommendation from last year's batch), a celebrity appearance from Chely Wright, and the presence of other actors and filmmakers. Tonight, Thursday, the LGBT Film Fest hosts its Reveal Party at Chill Bar, where the lineup for this year's festival will be released, trailers will be screened, and other news and updates will be shared.
It all starts at 7:00 – and get there early: the first fifty people get entered into a drawing to win a buy one get one free festival pass. Chill Bar is located at 1117 Bardstown Road. Information about all things LGBT Film Fest can be found at the official website, the Facebook page, or the Facebook event page for tonight's party.
Image: Facebook event page
