Prayers for Bobby is the story of a mother (Mary Griffith) who does everything within her power to cure her son (Bobby) from his homosexuality.
I got to watch the show last night. It is a very powerful movie and takes you on a roller coaster of emotions. Made even more powerful because its a true story.
I think the impact on me was because of the use of religion in the film. The mother uses her faith as a weapon against her son. Her focus is on the afterlife, making sure that all her family is there. There is no room in heaven for gay people, and she takes it upon herself to help her son in an effort to make him straight. He starts out trying to please his mother and finally fails, gives up and heads off to the gay world.
It’s set in the 1980’s, religion is a powerful force and its so hard for Bobby to break away, there’s a lot of heartache as the movie progresses from the late nights, to the prayers, to the disowning of her son and the the suicide of Bobby.
Bobby had to die for the mother to realise what she had lost. She then goes on to struggle to find peace with her god and can’t. She so wants her son to be in heaven and can’t find a way in her faith to make it so.
As the film winds up we finally see the mother take on the cause of gay people. She becomes an activist.
Alas, it’s all too late.
I’ve said this:
It is no longer acceptable to say fucking horrible things against people because of their race, their sexual orientation or their gender. It is no longer ok to hide behind silly hats, long dresses and dead men on sticks claiming some sort of divine right to be a hate mongering bastard. [SOURCE]
Young people sit in religious services and listen to hatred being spewed from the front, it’s hard to take as you’re growing up and trying to understand what’s happening to you. As the believers continue to say nasty things about gay people, they don’t take into account that a child is listening to their hate speech. They are contributing to the on-going suffering and possible death of their children, and it’s really got to stop.
“Before you echo ‘Amen’ in your home or place of worship, think and remember…a child is listening.”
— Mary Griffith
Spot on, Bruce.
(Love the Llama’s new coat.)
Very powerful movie. Well worth watching if you can.
Glad you like the new coat, its my summer coat and shows all my bulges in the right places.
Yes, I’ve seen the movie, Bruce. It confirmed my opinion of religion – something dangerous, even evil.