| Straightlaced, which features
unscripted high school youth from around the country speaking
candidly about harmful pressures caused by rigid gender roles and
homophobia, is surprisingly uplifting and entertaining. From girls
who dumb down so they don’t intimidate boys, to boys who are
sexually active just to prove they aren’t gay, to non‐conforming
teens who face relentless bullying, the students in
Straightlaced show how gender expectations are having
unhealthy and often dangerous impact on the lives of today’s teens.
“No matter where we filmed, students jumped at
the opportunity to speak their mind about this very taboo subject,”
says Chasnoff. “It was shocking to hear that the same
pressures that led to the murder of Lawrence King in Oxnard, CA in
2008 are being intensely felt by all students, all day, every day.”
In early screenings, students have given
Straightlaced two major thumbs up. “I want EVERYONE to
see this film,” one 11th grader at Oceana High School in
Pacifica commented. “It could really make them think about what’s
really going on in schools and in the whole country.”
“Thank you, Thank you. Thank you,” said
another. “This film makes me feel honored to be me.” |
