by JACQUELINE SCOTT
Inter Lifestyles Reporter

In 1999, Kim Q. Hall and Sandie L. Gravett, both of the Department of Philosophy and Religion, founded Appalachian State University’s annual Queer Film Series.

This year marks the series’ ninth year.

“Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students wanted a film series at the university that made visible their lives and experiences, and they were concerned about the invisibility of non-pathologized LGBT experience in all other film series on campus,” Hall said.

The films address gender, race, class and national diversity within queer communities.  They are shown every Monday in October and the first Monday of November at 7 p.m. in Belk Library & Information Commons room 114.

The word “queer” was chosen as the title of the series as opposed to “gay and lesbian” as a result of theoretical considerations in the emerging interdisciplinary fields of LGBT Studies and Queer Theory, associate professor of English Jill R. Ehnenn said.

Ehnenn is the co-organizer and discussion co-facilitator with Hall.

This year, David Orvis of the English department also joins the team to research and screen films, find quest speakers where applicable and lead discussion after each film.

Attendance at the queer film series has had to accommodate the growing attendance numbers by a change in venues.

Initially, Ehnenn said there were about 50 people per night in 2000.

Numbers have increased to 75 to 125 people in 2006.

“We see the queer film series as an opportunity to educate people in a community where there are no LGBT bookstores, cafes, bars or newspapers, and where LGBT themed films rarely come to the local movie theatres,” Hall said.

“In addition, we try to choose films that compliment course content in LGBT-themed courses when those courses are offered.”

Ehnenn said studies estimate one in 10 people are gay, but much more than 90 percent of films are about straight experience. 

“Sure, there are lots of gay characters in secondary roles, especially comic ones, but when you go to the movies you just don’t often get to see an action adventure film with a trans hero,” she said. “Or a romantic drama that seriously explores a relationship between two men or two women.”

“So when a good queer film comes along, it’s an important event—self-affirming, maybe educational, maybe just plain fun,” Ehnenn said. “For LGBT people and their friends and family, visibility in the movies is very exciting, always new and fresh.”

Films will be followed by discussion and are free and open to students and the public, not just LGBT individuals.

“I think we’re taking steps, but still have a ways to go, before we live in a more just world where diversity is respected instead of feared,” Ehnenn said. “Some people are so rigid - they seem to need to believe there’s

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