Film screening addresses GLBT issues outside western culture

Students and the Bloomington public are invited to a free film screening and discussion that will spotlight gays and lesbians in the international community. The event is at 7 p.m. today in Woodburn Hall Room 101.\nGay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services will screen the film released in 2003, "Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World."\nSenior Will O'Berry, GLBTSSS student outreach coordinator, organized the event. He said the documentary portrays GLBT people around the world but avoids Europe and North America in an effort to show nonWestern views. He said the film shows the president of Namibia condemning homosexuality and children in Honduras being tortured by police because their mother is a lesbian.\nGLBTSSS Coordinator Doug Bauder said although not all international students relate to GLBT issues in the same way, the severity of the response to homosexuality in some cultures makes some feel threatened.\nO'Berry said the film encourages discussion on ethnicity and race in addition to sexuality issues, and viewers from all backgrounds can benefit from learning more.\n"We think of the Western world as being so developed with GLBT issues, but we're also a homophobic society in some ways," he said. "We're not perfect by any means"