Thursday, January 24, 2008

Thank You

Over the last few days, I noticed a lot of the gay blogs were completely reeling over the news of Heath Ledger's death. I was not going to write about it, everything has already been said and to be honest I felt a little anger at the thought he took his own life. That may not be true now and if anything comes from this sad news, I at least hope we find out that this was not the case, I think it would come a little easier if we find that this event was just part of life taking a sudden sad turn.

Still I could not help wonder why I and a lot of other gay blog writers feel this loss. I for one, am a person who does not follow movie or music stars of any sort. I actually could not name most of the people we see in movies now. I never watch award shows because really I don't care, cure cancer, AIDS or stop child hunger and I am going to watch you get the award. I did not really follow this man's career and to tell you the truth I have not watch Broke Back Mountain yet. This makes me wonder why I feel the loss and I think I understand now.

I want to say thank you Heath, thank you for being one of the many people who bravely took part in the Broke Back project. Thank you for possibly putting your career on the line, just to say that 'I' count as a person, that my relationships are valid, that shoving me into the closet will only cause everyone around me harm. Thank you for showing the world that we love, just like them, that what they do to us is hateful and for causing thousands of open minded people, to begin supporting us. I am sure it would have been easier not to have taken that role, maybe it was even a little scary in how the public would react to you after, it shows you were a person of courage and acting was more of an art to you, the way it should be. I think Broke Back was a turning point, society still has a long way to go for gay people but we will probably all agree there was a positive shift after this movie. Life can be hard enough for us and the more allies we have the better, I think that is one of the reasons we feel this loss. By being in this movie, it is as if he was saying, I have no problem with gay people, with gay relationships, by being in this movie he was standing up for the world to see he supports us. Now that support is gone, that allie is gone, a friend to us is gone. In your brief time on this earth Heath you have touched thousands in a positive way that maybe even you, did not fully understand, for that I want to say, thank you.

7 comments:

Steve said...

His death has moved me as well. How come you have not watched BBM ? Please watch it soon, I am sure you will be moved by it, I remember the impact it had on me!

Sooo-this-is-me said...

I have not watched it because there are too many things in common with the country connection and I am afraid I will be a wreck after watching it. I also made a promise to watch it with someone first but now I have decided to watch it sometime this week.

Steven

Birdie said...

If this movie decks you like it did me, go here to talk with like-minded people:

http://www.davecullen.com/forum/index.php?topic=23626.930

Very loving, supportive group of people from all over the world.

Birdie

Patrick said...

You might enjoy reading the short story first, and it's easily found on the internet. It's a quick read, and makes the accomplishment of the movie all the more impressive, because Proulx, her fellow screen writer whose name presently escapes me, and Ang Lee managed to take twenty-five pages (and maybe five lines of dialogue) and create an amazing two hour movie that was totally in keeping with the spirit and tone of the story. Larry McMurtry, that was the screen-writer's name, I think.

I'm not truly country, nonetheless I felt a deep resonance with this movie that was unlike any other I had seen. I did feel like MY story was being told somehow.

john said...

May he rest in peace.
Well written buddy!!

Wayne said...

Did you know he did this movie because of an uncle who came out to him late in life.
Such a sad thing his young death.

Sooo-this-is-me said...

Thanks Birdie, I will check it out. Still have not watched it yet, maybe I will write about it if I am really moved by it.

Patrick, okay buddy I will look for it on line and read it first. I think I would be able to handle watching it better since I have started dealing with being gay, although now that Heath is dead, I may find it extra sad.

Thank you John, I guess that is why we all hurt from this loss, he was a friend to the gay community.

Wayne, no I did not know that about his uncle. Yes very sad, especially when we lose a young person.