Review of Small Town Gay Bar (2007) by Brian M — 23 Oct 2008

This isn't as depressing as the title would suggest, but conversely, it isn't as raunchy as one might hope. We have to wait until 35min to get the segment this film was required to include: montage of partying shots set to "I Wanna Take You to a Gay Bar".

Set throughout Northern Mississippi, this documentary examines gay life in the Southern Bible Belt of USA. The biggest question I have (which this film should have asked all of its subjects) has still not been asked: why the hell are these queers stickin around these shit places? Nearly everyone interviewed gets to bitch about widespread discrimination, but not a single one explains why they've decided to remain living in this oppressive environment. Seriously, not one person goes on about "Well, I still love it down here, raised here, my family's here," etc. But we do get the other side: Phelps discussing how "fags ruined the community" was his original "inspiration" for his widespread hate campaign. I wasn't aware that Phelps was broadcasting license plates of people who were "spotted at a gay establishment", but I'm not surprised by any of his tactics or beliefs as I've seen the American Family Association site before (and the Phelps freaks themselves at Decadence).

I think this film crew was not aggressive or planned enough with their interviews, and the result is an uninspired mashing of interviews. Perhaps important for the tiny gay community in Mississippi (all 100 of 'em) but I really can't see the relevance to gay culture in larger cities such as New Orleans where I live. Gay bashing ain't goin' nowhere, and there will always be a need for a community to aid people with "coming out", but the irking questions I had, like "how do queer people specifically deal and cope in pressure based small communities?" and "why the fuck don't they just leave?" were barely answered (the second question not at all).