LGBT Author Sarah Pearlman "Mother Talk"

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with author Sarah Pearlman about her new book “Mother-Talk: Conversations with Mothers of Lesbian Daughters and FTM Transgender Children.” Sarah Pearlman is a well-known author on lesbian and transgender issues. Her book is a collection of stories of twenty four mothers, twelve who found out a daughter was a lesbian and twelve who learned that their daughter intended to transition to male. This groundbreaking book takes the reader into the lives of these women as they express their struggle of coming to terms with their daughters’ sexual orientations. We talked to Sarah about her fascinating new book and crucial issues facing our LGBT community.

When asked if she wrote “Mother-Talk: Conversations with Mothers of Lesbian Daughters and FTM Transgender Children” as an educational tool, Pearlman stated, “How I thought about the book was really for parents. The focus is on mothers. I think that also for people that do family therapy programs it would be helpful because a lot of families go into counseling to understand. So the better clinicians understand what the issues are, the more really responsive and helpful they’re going to be to parents. I think that my book can have training purposes for people in psychology but I wrote it really with mothers in mind. Also for daughters it’s helpful for lesbians and female to male transgenders to understand their own mothers and what they go through because coming to terms with and accepting is not immediate. It takes time and a lot has to do with fears for their children.”

Sarah Pearlman is a pioneer in this area of expertise and was selected by the American Psychological Association Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues as the recipient of the 2011 Award for Distinguished Professional Contribution. Pearlman served for many years as an Associate Professor in the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology at the University of Hartford and is now Associate Professor Emeritus. Sarah lives in Boston and is active in LGBT elder organizations. She's currently on tour with her book published by Demeter Press. She will be speaking at Booksmith in Brookline, Massachusetts on Wednesday August 22nd at 7 pm, the Rotary Club in New Britain, Connecticut on Thursday September 13th at noon, PFLAG in Worcester, Massachusetts on Wednesday September 19th and Fayerweather Street School in Cambridge Massachusetts on Thursday September 27th.
For More Info: demeterpress.org/mothertalk

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Gay Activist Actor Dan Butler Speaks OUT

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with actor, writer, director and producer Dan Butler. Dan is probably best known as “Bulldog” from the television series “Frasier.” We talked to him about his new short film PEARL which is about when a midwestern poet (Dan Butler) brings news of his mother’s death to an elderly relative (Frances Sternhagen, SEX IN THE CITY, THE CLOSER), the visit takes an unsettling turn. The film adapted from the poem of the same name by former US poet laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Ted Kooser is currently playing in film festivals. Dan has been very active with LGBT Teen suicide prevention and in 1995 was the National Coming Out Day spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign. We talked to Dan about his reaction to recent celebrities coming out in Hollywood and more.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Butler stated, “I think sometimes it’s the way you live your life. I’ve been politically active in the past with the Human Rights Campaign and Act Up. Right when the Trevor Crisis Line formed I worked the lines for Trevor and The Suicide Prevention Center in Los Angeles for about six years. So now I think it’s by example. I believe in that Gandhi quote, “Live your life as if the changes you hope happen, have already occurred.”

During the run of “Frasier” was when Butler came out publicly as a gay man. He did so dramatically starring in a one-man play that he wrote, "The Only Thing Worse You Could Have Told Me” that earned rave reviews when it opened in Los Angeles in 1994 and then Butler took it to New York the following year where it received critical acclaim including Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk nominations. In 2006, Dan produced, co-wrote, co-directed and starred in the faux documentary “Karl Rove, I Love You” which the Huffington Post called “hilarious and unsettling – a political Blair Witch Project.” Acting credits include major roles On and Off-Broadway and at repertory companies across the US as well as numerous television shows including “House,” “Monk,” “From the Earth to the Moon,” and “Prayers for Bobby.” Film credits include: “Crazy, Stupid Love,” “Enemy of the State,” “Fixing Frank,” “Chronic Town," and “Silence of the Lambs.”

Dan Butler lives in Vermont with his husband Richard Waterhouse who produced PEARL and with whom he’s formed 2nd Act Productions.

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Gay Activist Shane Bitney Crone Speaks OUT

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Shane Bitney Crone. In the Spring Shane posted a video on YouTube entitled, “It Could Happen to You.” It was about the accidental death of his life partner Tom Bridegroom and what happened in the aftermath because they weren’t married even though marriage was their dream. The video went viral with over 2.7 million visitors and more than 50,000 people posted comments. The video had such an overwhelming positive response that they’re making a film, BRIDEGROOM: AN AMERICAN LOVE STORY. Producers Linda Bloodworth-Thomason (Designing Women, The Man From Hope) and Linda Burstyn (Emmy Winning writer/producer for Nightline with Ted Koppel) have signed on to make a feature length documentary about their story. They need our help to raise funds on the crowd funding site, KICKSTARTER. They’ve reached their $300,000 goal but they still need to raise as much as they possibly can by their July 19th deadline.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Shane stated, “I’m completely committed to this. I never really saw this happening for my future. I didn’t see myself being like an activist but after losing Tom it just really opened my eyes and it inspired me to do whatever I can to help the LGBT community. Right now how I can help is by sharing my story. I want to do whatever I can and if by sharing my story is what helps bring equality to everyone sooner then that’s what I’m going to do.”

When Tom Bridegroom died, his homophobic parents brought him back to Indiana for burial and barred Shane from attending his funeral. BRIDEGROOM is more than a tragic love story. This film will represent every single person who has ever been ostracized and condemned for being who they are and loving who they love. Shane and Tom were never able to marry because it was and is illegal in California. This film will provide a rare and powerful opportunity to open people’s hearts and minds on this very important human rights issue. We need your help to spread the word and drive people to their KICKSTARTER page to raise the funds to make this film. Their ambitious goal is to have BRIDEGROOM completed and in theaters by the election. As Shane said, “We can’t change the past, but with your help, we can create a more equal future.”
To Contribute: kickstarter.com/bridegroom

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Gay Filmmaker Icons & Allies Speak OUT

In this exclusive audio montage Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson, host of OUTTAKE VOICES™, talks with celebrities at the 14th Provincetown International Film Festival. First we chatted with Director John Waters, HAIRSPRAY, SERIAL MOM, who presented The 2012 Filmmaker on the Edge Award to legendary Producer/Director Roger Corman, whose films PIT AND THE PENDULUM, THE TRIP and THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS are just a few of his cult classics. Then we talked with Corman about being honored at the PIFF, his films and LGBT issues. Next we chatted with Actor Screenwriter Craig Chester, SWOON, ADAM & STEVE, who presented Actor Parker Posey, PRICE CHECK, PARTY GIRL, BEST IN SHOW, with The Excellence In Acting Award. Chester is Posey’s gay husband of twenty years and had a lot of insight about Posey. Chester is currently working on a biopic on Actor Montgomery Clift and developing some projects at SHOWTIME. We also talked about how independent filmmakers are finding new life in television and his spin on LGBT issues facing our community. Parker Posey talked about accepting her award and her spin on gay marriage and the LGBTQ bullying epidemic.
Documentary filmmaker Kirby Dick, THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED and OUTRAGE, received The Faith Hubley Career Achievement Award. Kirby is an Academy and Emmy Award nominated documentary director whose most recent film, THE INVISIBLE WAR, is a groundbreaking investigation into the epidemic of rape within the US armed forces and the cover up that exists. The film won the Audience Award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Kirby talked about his new film, the independent film community and LGBT issues. We concluded our audio montage with Producer Christine Vachon, FAR FROM HEAVEN, BOYS DON’T CRY, about the future of Queer Cinema and LGBT Equality. We talked about her upcoming films that includes KILL YOUR DARLINGS, which stars Daniel Radcliffe as a young Allen Ginsberg. Christine has had enormous success as an independent filmmaker. When asked how she continues to succeed in this difficult market Vachon stated, “You know really I think the secret to my success is that I’m not very self-reflective. So along with that besides being reasonably shallow is you know I just don’t sweat stuff that much.”

This was our sixth year covering the festival for OUTTAKE VOICES™. The Provincetown Film Society, Inc. (PFS) is the year-round organization and home of the fourteen year old Provincetown International Film Festival and the Whaler's Wharf Cinema. PFS is dedicated to showcasing new achievements in independent film and honoring the work of acclaimed and emerging directors, producers and actors. This is achieved through its 5-day Festival in June as well as its year-round theater operation, the Whaler's Wharf Cinema. PFS is equally devoted to expanding the audience for independent film and to serving the Provincetown and Outer Cape community by filling the void for annual film programming and reflecting the community's rich diversity in selected films and honorees. An integral part of PFS's mission is to contribute to the economic and creative vitality of America's oldest art colony.
For More Info & Tix: ptownfilmfest.org

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