Queer Geography: Mapping Our Identities

Carrie, a 17-year-old African-American lesbian, wishes her “gay life was part of [her] school life,” while 20-year-old O'Shen, a lesbian of mixed race, points out that with more support from adults, especially in educating their children (her peers), her earlier life might have been more tolerable. Along with two other gay/bisexual youths, Carrie and O'Shen are heard here in quick sound bites as Queer Geography explores their coming out stories, experiences in school, and reactions to their sexuality, ultimately suggesting that it's better to be honest and out than to hide one's identity, even if that means contending with prejudice or persecution. Unfortunately, the program looks and sounds precisely like what it is: a high school project, which might have merited a B+ in class but does not belong in general or academic distribution, especially with a $150 price tag. The interviews are sometimes unintelligible due to low levels or background noise, the camerawork is decidedly amateur, and the content is both unorganized and lacking a useful summation. Not a necessary purchase. Aud: H, P. (E. Gieschen)