Posted on 11/20/2003 7:46:32 AM PST by Grig
A new series of public service announcements hopes to show the real problems with gay marriage -- the same day-to day-hardships that affect traditional couples.
Produced by same-sex marriage advocates Kevin Bourassa and Joe Varnell in partnership with Zig, a Toronto advertising agency, the television and radio spots focus on the "iconic" relationship moments that affect all couples, regardless of sexual orientation.
"They wanted to highlight the normalcy of two people in love," said Mr. Bourassa, who married his partner on Jan. 14, 2001. "We wanted to show same-sex couples in scenarios that are similar to anything opposite-sex couples experience."
One spot, called Blanket, explores the scourge of a greedy bedmate. A man is shown shivering in the dark while another figure is buried under a mountain of duvet. When the pajama-clad man pulls the blankets back to his side, the hog is shown to be another man.
"You know what's wrong with gay marriage?" the voice-over inquires. "The same things that are wrong with straight ones. Support gay marriage."
The message comes from equalmarriage.ca, a Web site founded by Mr. Bourassa and Mr. Varnell as part of their advocacy for gay marriage, and PFLAG, the charitable organization of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.
Another message, Bedroom, features Stratford actor Jennifer Gould sitting on a bed berating an invisible spouse for possessing a wandering eye.
When the focus of her anger and insecurity emerges from the darkness, it is another woman.
All of the actors donated their time free, as did the advertising agency and production crews that produced the spots.
More than 100 people were involved in the commercials, which will be aired across Canada this week, but none was more eager to participate than Roz Michaels.
The Toronto actress appears in Parents, a lighthearted spot that begins with two upper-class women arguing over the seating plan for their children's upcoming union. The camera jumps to the kitchen, where their engaged sons eavesdrop on their soon-to-be mothers-in-law.
Ms. Michaels heard about the public service announcements through her agent and begged for an audition.
Eleven years ago, her 21-year-old son, Bruce, killed himself by jumping into the Grand Canyon, burdened by the secret of his sexual orientation. None of Bruce's family knew he was gay; they learned of his struggle in a note he left behind.
"He really believed that he would not be accepted in the world," Ms. Michaels said yesterday.
She would have loved him unconditionally, but realizes acceptance for homosexuality has become more mainstream in the years following her son's death.
Since Bruce's death she has become a vocal advocate for gay rights and hopes the messages will cause people to rethink their perception of sexual orientation.
"I was never smart enough when I gave my sons their sexual education to mention homosexuality," she said. "Because of my own upbringing I didn't bring it up. I was stupid and look where it got me."
The public service announcements are intended to move people "from tolerance to acceptance" -- a message that writer Hayes Steinberg pitched to his bosses at Zig.
The agency is negotiating with networks to air the public service announcements, which will be followed by a print campaign.
"We're hoping it promotes open, positive dialogue about why legalized same-sex marriage is the right thing to do," said Andy Macaulay, the chief executive of Zig. "People don't want to be preached to on a subject, they want to have an opinion shared with them that they can choose to adopt or not. And we're respectful of their indecision."
sagrell@nationalpost.com
Coming soon to the USA.
Show the "the normalcy of two people in love". Two queers that is. It's normal? Eh? So why not show it? What's the big deal?
There may be some unintended consequences here. Gay marriage is somewhat tolerable in the concept stage only(as long as you don't really think about it). However when it's reality is brought to light, it seem to produce revulsion in the majority of folks. Regularly showing 'normal' gay married men holding hands and kissing in public, for instance, will just highlight the perversion. How many reacted with 'My! Isn't that wedding dress just lovely!' when Denis Rodman showed up in it?* Some of the home improvement shows are hard to watch when a his & his couple is featured. I don't think these guys have accurately accounted for the 'barf' quotient.
* Rodman is used for illustration purposes. The author does not consider him a fair representative of the gay community......or the human race, for that matter.
Yet another way to be serviced by the Establishment.
Have to change the subject eh? OK. If I did follow your suggestion and depicted a male and female doing what they do it would be a NATURAL event. And one that has resulted in billions of humans. In contrast, two queer men having anal sex has never resulted in the birth of a new human. It has resulted in HIV/AIDS and other STD's, but no humans have been reported along with these "results".
Nature didn't design the human fecal exhaust pipes for penile input and obviously that part of the male anatomy ain't making babies. A putrid mess maybe. But no babies.
How about showing 2 men having a baby? Can't be done, can it. Marriage is 1 man and 1 woman for the sole purpose of child rearing. Simple as that.
There you go again......
The subject is marital rights for queers. And what I posted was not "smut". But please feel free to point out anything "obscene" that I posted.
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