Worst LGBT films

[East]

I think that most people have objections to Brokeback Mountain because it didn't have a happy ending, or the movie's setting was too before your time.

I can't tell you how many guys I've talked to who would be the same age of the characters of Jack and Ennis now (if they were real, and still alive), and say when they saw this movie it was if they were watching their pasts flash before them.

The movie is set in 1963, and most gay men in 1963 didn't have healthy out relationships like we know now.

I joined a Brokeback forum (similar to this one) in 2005, not long after the movie was released, and (unlike this forum) have been holding regular gatherings, we've even been called "The Brokies", a play on Star Trek fans (Trekkies). I wish I could post pics here from the gatherings (sometimes as high as 85 people or more) but they are posted in a "members only" section on the BBM forum, so I don't have the right to share them.

At these gatherings, I can't tell you how many of these older guys talked to me, and confirmed that their lives were just like real-life versions of Jack & Ennis, because there was no other choice.

The most heartbreaking story was 'Paul' and "Billy". I met Paul at one of the gatherings, 70 years old, and long married. As a juvenile he was arrested and sent to a youth-prison, and there he met Billy. The two became a couple right away, and all the other guys in with them knew it. Paul was released before Billy, and forbidden to maintain contact. After two years, Paul couldn't take it anymore, and looked for and found Billy, who was now engaged.

They spent the day together with Billy's fiancé, and went their separate ways. Billy was arrested 5 years later, and his wife called Paul to ask if he wanted to see Billy. He went, and it was the last time they saw each other, but Paul thought of him every day for the next twenty years. Paul also got married, and raised a family, and pushed all thoughts of Billy away.

50 years later, he saw Brokeback Mountain, and it all came flooding back. He began a search for Billy, only to find out he had passed away. Paul found Billy's widow, who told him that she knew about the two of them for years, and that she had something for Paul, and envelope her late husband asked her to give Paul if he should come around. Paul got the letter, and there was a small note inside.

Paul

The sweetest days of my life were spent with you.
Go find some grassy place again.
Lay you down and close your eyes.
I'll meet you there.

Billy


Men like Jack and Ennis lived that way not because they were cowards or damaged, but because they felt (or actually had) no other choice. I know, I've met their real life counterparts.

A number of the posts/poems and other comments that were posted were compiled into a book and published. "Beyond Brokeback: The Impact of a Film." It sold out its printing, and was sold in a number of gay bookstores.

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Brokeback-T...Descending

There was even a "Beyond Brokeback" stage show based on our book, videos of it can be found on YouTube, it's played in a number of states.

You may not like the film, but that doesn't change the fact that was an accurate portrayal for some gay men, and it touched them like no other.

I do appreciate what you are saying here very much and I understand that the movie reflects the real lives so many of us lived....

The problem personally I had is that at least some of these same types of guys are the ones who I felt the most discrimination from when I was young...and I am 57 now. The tried to force their shame and guilt and fear on me and judged me and people like me a lot because we didn't hide ourselves away. Their thinking....we should keep our mouths shut or we would "ruin everything". I felt more discrimination from some of them than I did from straight people. They would tell the straight people how "bad" we were.... completely sympathizing with the people who oppressed us because they knew their place and we didn't.

I would have loved to hear one of them own that. I can easily forgive anyone who owns their shit.