The Little will screen Gay Pioneers (Glenn Holsten, U.S. 2004, 30 min.) followed by Shoulders To Stand On: The LGBT History of Rochester (Kevin J. Indovino, U.S. 2014, 90 min.)

Join the Gay Alliance for a free screening of two films about the history of the LGBTQ community. The first film, Gay Pioneers is the story of the first organized annual "homosexual" civil rights demonstrations held in Philadelphia, New York and Washington, D.C. from 1965-69. When few would publicly identify themselves as gay, these brave pioneers challenged pervasive homophobia. This inspiring documentary braids interviews with the early gay and lesbian activists, archival footage and FBI reports. The second film is Shoulders to Stand On, a documentary produced by the Gay Alliance, that tells the history of the gay community in Rochester through interviews, photos, and stories. It begins by exploring a not-so-distant past: before Stonewall and before the birth of the Gay Movement. A group discussion will follow the films. Joining the discussion will be panelists: Evelyn Bailey, executive producer of Shoulders to Stand On; Scott Fearing, Executive Director, Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley; and members of Rochester SAGE, the LGBTQ Elders group.

[source: Little Theatre e-mail, 2015-Jul-15]