Gay in middle America. One town's struggle with religion and bigotry

Description

An excellent sociological case study, this ABC News program examines the plight of Michael Shackelford, a 17-year-old homosexual struggling for acceptance in small-town Oklahoma. The video outlines the development of Shackelford's situation: his early awareness of his sexual orientation, his inability to conform and placate his mother, the attention he receives in a Washington Post article, and the subsequent media abuse he and his church endure as a result. Complex and surprising in its observations-especially those concerning Shackelford's Bible Belt community-the program sheds light on America's increasingly troublesome cultural divisions.

Runtime

22 min

Subjects

Genre

Date of Publication

[2006], c2005

Database

Films on Demand

Direct Link