The Story
2023 has seen more anti-LGBTQ+ legislation than any other year in recent history. According to the Human Rights Campaign - the largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group in the United States - there have been over 520 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in state legislatures (a record), over 220 bills specifically targeting transgender and non-binary people (also a record), and 70 anti-LGBTQ+ laws enacted in state legislatures (unfortunately also a record). Those 70 bills ban gender affirming care, allow for the misgendering of transgender students, target drag performances, and censor school curriculum, among other things.
As we head towards the 2024 presidential election, it’s our belief that we will continue to see attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, as conservative candidates seek to cement an electoral majority. We do not believe things will get easier for the LGBTQ+ community soon, but that the path to finding self-love and acceptance will become steeper. We believe that we need this documentary now more than ever because it’s a matter of saving lives. The opposite of hate is love, and the opposite of homophobia and transphobia is Pride. We hope you’ll be proud.
To grow up LGBTQ+ in the United States, one quickly learns what hate looks and feels like. Messages of being less-than and different are often communicated in ways both subtle and overt, appearing in pop culture, religion, politics – even the homes we grow up in. To grow up LGBTQ+ is often a lesson in how to hide.
However, our authentic selves yearn for recognition. Our authentic selves yearn for what many call Pride.
You Must Be Proud is a feature-length documentary that tells the story of how LGBTQ+ people find self-acceptance and self-love at a time when homophobia and transphobia are on the rise. To tell this story, the project’s narrative will be anchored by three Pride organizations in New York, NY, Provincetown, MA and Montgomery, AL.
For many communities, Pride started as a protest against inequality and a demanding of rights. More recently, Pride has become a celebration of our personal and collective gains to live as our authentic selves, often acting as the gateway into the LGBTQ+ community, and the start of many people’s personal journey to self-love.
Set against the backdrop of event planning, we’ll get to know the individuals responsible for creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people to be their authentic selves. Through this character-driven approach to storytelling, we’ll learn about the organizer’s challenges and triumphs - both professional and personal - and see how their work in social justice ripples out to change the broader LGBTQ+ community one event at a time.