I read the story a while back - it rang so many bells I cried. Although I now live in Germany, I grew up on the Colorado/Wyoming border. I could only afford to be openly gay because anyone who hassled me knew they'd get the shit kicked out of them by my dad, who's still the terror of the area in his 70's...If you've been lucky enough to only know a socially accepted love, or to live in parts of the world where its the love that matters and not the gender, then you just might have trouble figuring out what is so moving about the story.
Am going to see it next week with old school friends and their kids. Ah, one interesting side effect of the film, one of my oldest friends sons came out to his folks at Christmas (we were talking about the upcoming film). The family reaction was great:
Dad (my old friend): Looks at his wife, then at me: Well shucks, you folks were right after 'tall...and (this to older brother who is not one of my favorite people) you keep your mouth shut...after all, you'rE technically a lesbian... (when he didn't "get it" his younger sister leaned over and whispered soto voce that she'd explain later)
Mom: Of course you are dear. More pie, anyone?
Girlfriend of not-so-favorite-brother: Ugh! And you like slept in the same room with (brother)?! (Oh, they so deserve each other)
Younger Sister: It's not about you...
I helped by keeping my mouth shut. Yes, I can. I was chewing anyway, and it is rude to speak with food in your mouth.
In a time when it seems like the 'States is sliding into a faschist theocracy, kinda nice to come back for a visit and see love and tolerance among my childhood friends.
Go see the film, never mind what anybody else thinks of it. The story, whatever you think of the film, reflects reality out here in the west. Mathew Shepard was murdered not ten minutes from where I'm typing this...