Woman Vision - All God's Children

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All God's Children
A Discussion Guide
written by Sylvia Rhue, Ph.D. and Linda Alband

Download in *.pdf format

INTENDED AUDIENCE - 12 years old and up
ESTIMATED TIME - Pre-view Discussion, 5-10 minutes
Setup and video screening, 30 minutes
Post-viewing discussion, 20-40 minutes

MATERIALS NEEDED - All God's Children video Cassette and Discussion Guide, TV and VCR, optional handouts

All God's Children Study Guide

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
Pertinent Issues for Discussion
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHURCH IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN LIFE
PERSECUTION, STEREOTYPES & THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
Gays & Lesbians and The Civil Rights Movement
Connecting the Dots: Oppression and Discrimination
Stereotypes & Similarities: African Americans & Homosexuals
OTHER TOPICS OF INTEREST
Proof-Texting: Homosexuality & Religious Beliefs
HIV/AIDS Prevention Issues
Why are Gay Rights Necessary?
Why are Gay Rights Important to Heterosexual Americans?
Attacks on Gay Rights
Equal Rights vs. Special Rights
DISCUSSION GUIDELINES
Questions You May Want to Explore with the Group
APPENDIX
Definition of Terms
What Sexologists Currently Know about Sexuality and Sexual Orientation
Prominent Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People of African Descent
Suggested Reading Materials
Other Video Resources
Some Organizational Resources

Introduction

All God's Children is an award-winning documentary short that vividly illustrates the human toll exacted upon our society because of the unspoken stigmatization and alienation of lesbians and gay men. In the film, prominent religious, political and community leaders join activists and family members in a call for spiritual reconciliation, and a commitment to equal rights and social justice for all people. The film's many voices provide a political, religious and social analysis of sexual orientation within the context of our traditional values of freedom, inclusion, and the Christian love ethic. All God's Children was produced to open hearts and minds to the benefit of diversity, "Which is after all," Senator Carol Moseley-Braun states in All God's Children, "a strength and not a weakness."

All God's Children was produced to facilitate discussions on sexual orientation; inclusion and marginalization; tolerance and intolerance; and the impact of religious or spiritual beliefs on these issues. It is appropriate for classroom usage in Black/Lesbian-Gay/Multicultural Studies, American Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, Ethnomusicology, Psychology, Human Sexuality, Theology and Religion Studies, as well as in Residence Life Programs, Student Programs and Teacher/Staff/Administration Diversity training. It was designed to facilitate discussions on topics such as:

homophobia and heterosexism
race equity
AIDS and the role of the church
social justice
lesbian, gay and bisexual people in history
constructs of heterosexism and heterosexual privilege
sexual orientation
cultural diversity
familial and community ties spiritual issues among gay people

This viewing or discussion guide is intended to facilitate exercises and discussions that, in conjunction with the video screening, offer lessons in diversity and in gay, lesbian, and bisexual issues. This discussion guide provides a framework upon which to base discussions, but is by no means a complete guide for discussion and teaching about lesbian/gay issues. In the Appendix we have provided a list of recommended resources for those who wish to delve further into the issues touched upon in All God's Children.

All God's Children was produced to foster greater tolerance for and understanding of the issues that gay men and lesbians of African descent face in this society. After watching and discussing All God's Children, the audience should have a deeper understanding of the following issues:

the existence and visibility of gay and lesbian people
understandings of terms like "gay", "lesbian", "homosexual", heterosexual" and "straight"
the suffering afflicted by and associated with name-calling, rejection and all prejudicial treatment
the stigma associated with having a gay or lesbian child or being labeled gay or lesbian
the inter-relatedness of all forms of discrimination and bigotry
the depths of support for lesbians and gay men within African American families and communities, and among African American clergy, intellectuals, and political leaders

Note: For the purpose of this discussion guide, the word "gay" is often used in the collective sense to mean gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals, rights and issues.

Down the complete Study Guide in *.pdf format HERE.

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