Starting out PRIDE Month REALLY Proud ... of "Out of the Box"

It's been a busy June the First here in LaLa Land. Morning was spent down at L.A. City Hall with our Mayor and City Council launching "LGBT Heritage Month" -- giving awards to youth participants in the LGBT creative writing contest, listening to some of the history of L.A.'s role in the Gay Pride Movement and applauding our City Council voting unanimously to support SB1172 which would make California the first state to ban "reparative therapy" for LGBT minors. (see also: I LOVE L.A.!)

MEANWHILE the other big June 1st news was the release of "Voices of Witness: Out of the Box" -- the documentary project giving voice to the witness of transgender Episcopalians that I watched being shot in the Learning Center-turned-studio at All Saints Church and being edited in my study-turned-edit bay here at home.

It. Is. Brilliant. And I'm not just saying that because my wife produced it and our filmmaker friend Douglas Hunter directed and edited it. Seriously. It. Is. Brilliant.

Here's just ONE of the email "reviews" I got from the folks we sent it to preview just before release:

Fiercely, beautifully, compelling. Enlightening and comforting to ALL of us, even us heteros, who need to courageously live into our true selves, whoever that is and wherever that takes us.

Here's from the press release Integrity sent out for the launch:

Integrity marks the beginning of Pride Month with the June 1st release of "Voices of Witness: Out of the Box" – the groundbreaking documentary giving voice to the witness of transgender people of faith. Courageously inviting the viewer into their journeys, the film is ultimately a celebration of hope and the power of God's love to transcend even seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Produced by Integrity’s Communication Director (and my wife!) Louise Brooks, the film is being offered as a gift to the Episcopal Church as a resource for both teaching and transformation.

"Gender identity and gender expression are issues that can easily be misunderstood and cannot be wrapped up in a neat little box. So the goal of “Out of the Box” was to answer some of the most frequently asked questions and we have been blessed by a truly amazing cloud of witnesses who shared their stories and their lives with us. It has been a privilege to work with them to take this project from a dream to a reality as we offer their voices of witness to the church and to the world.” -- Louise Brooks, Executive Producer

"I believe God is calling us into this conversation now,” said New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson, one of the voices featured in the project. “It is an opportunity to get to understand another part of God's never-ending diversity and another way to live into our baptismal calling to love all God's children."

The third in the Voices of Witness series, “Out of the Box” was released on the IntegriTV YouTube Channel today. It will also be distributed to every bishop and deputation prior to the 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church along with a study guide written by the Rev. Gary Hall.

So now ... without further ado ... I give you (Proudly!) "Voices of Witness: Out of the Box:"



[PS -- Be sure to go check out the comments on the YouTube page.]