Documentary screening at Tacoma's Main Library captures the narratives of LGBTQ young people

Put This On The {Map}, a video documentary project capturing the narratives of LGBTQ young people in Washington State will be shown at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 16 at the downtown Main Library's Olympic Room (1102Tacoma Avenue South).  The free screening, sponsored by the Tacoma Public Library in partnership with the Tacoma Rainbow Center, will be followed by a discussion with the film's directors / producers Megan Kennedy and Sid Jordan Peterson (courtesy of Humanities Washington's Speakers Bureau). The film is appropriate for teens and adults.

Research indicates that queer and transgender young people are more than four times as likely to have attempted suicide in the past year than their peers, as well as face an increased risk of harassment at school, drug and alcohol use, and of being the victims of physical violence. Queer and transgender youth are also over-represented in the juvenile justice system and in systems of state care, where policies and practices often don’t meet the most basic safeguards. Educators, health providers, service organizations, and state agencies often lack confidence and competency to help or to address structural issues related to gender and sexuality.

From stories of getting beat-up in a schoolyard to being picked up as a runaway, viewers learn that LGBTQ youth exercise courage daily. In an open and welcoming atmosphere, the film provides audiences with a local look at critical issues and examines the changing dynamics of gender and sexuality in Washington.

About the filmmakers.
Sid Jordan is a Canadian-American documentary filmmaker with a background in human rights law, organizational development, and community organizing. Utilizing media to generate dialogue about contemporary issues, Sid’s work seeks to create an essential link between art, education, and community wellness. Sid has trained on topics of gender and sexual diversity  for government agencies, community organizations, hospitals, cultural centers, corporate groups, and centers of faith.

Megan M. Kennedy, M.A., L.M.H.C., is a youth and family therapist and Sexual Minority Mental Health Specialist positioned at Youth Eastside Services (Bellevue, WA). Kennedy provides consultation and in-depth training around youth gender and sexuality nationally. As a media-maker, therapist and educator, Kennedy has presented at universities, government agencies, hospitals, community organizations, cultural centers, and centers of faith.

More information: www.tacomapubliclibrary.org or telephone the library at 253.292.2001