Texas Tech University Office of LGBTQIA and Women’s & Gender Studies proudly presents a film series, Queer Reels, Real Topics for the fall and spring semesters. Serving as an extension of the classroom, this film series merges education with entertainment about the LGBT+ community.
Films of all genres serve an important community function by affirming lives, making the invisible, visible, and educating others about the stories and histories of people. Recognizing the diversity of identities and perspectives within the LGBT+ community, the films chosen for this year's series include identity, community, prejudice, normalcy, etc.
During the fall Semester, five films will be shown on the Texas Tech University campus in the Student Union Building. All films are FREE, and open to all students and the community. Each film will be accompanied by reviewed film notes and followed by a commentary and analysis discussion.
On November 30, the fifth film in the series, The Last One: Unfolding the AIDS Memorial Quilt (2014) will be shown in the SUB Escondido Theatre, at 6:30 p.m
The Last One presents an updated history of the AIDS epidemic in America through the story of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The film traces how what at first was labeled a "gay disease" now disproportionately impacts the African American community, including women and youth.
In the 1980s, as AIDS ravaged the gay community in the U.S., the AIDS Quilt was born as a tool to help promote understanding and treatment. Through the intensely personal stories of those involved with the Quilt, including founder Cleve Jones, The Last One examines how stigma, discrimination, and the lack of access to care exacerbated a disease that now infects over 1 million Americans, with nearly 50,000 new cases every year.
The film follows the path of the Quilt on tour, visiting a variety of communities and people, including a high school where a young African American woman born with AIDS speaks out to fight stigma in her community. Through her story and others the film explores the issues fueling HIV infections among youth today. The lineup continues in the Spring;
- February 13, 7:00 p.m. in the SUB Lubbock Room, Keep the Lights On (2012)
- March 20, 7:00 p.m. in the SUB Lubbock Room, Training Rules (2012)
- April 10, 7:00 p.m. in the SUB Lubbock Room, Tennessee Queer (2012)
For more information and to check out the spring lineup, visit the Office of LGBTQIA web site at; lgbtqia.ttu.edu
CONTACT: Jody Randall, Director, Office of LGBTQIA or Tricia Earl, Unit Supervisor, Women's & Gender Studies
