Sigourney Weaver: Parents Thank Me for Prayers for Bobby

Back in January I did some posts on the made for television movie on the Lifetime channel "Prayers for Bobby" starring Sigourney Weaver and based on a true story of a woman - Mary Griffin - whose refusal to accept her son's sexual orientation played a large role in her son's suicide. Only after the loss of her son did Griffin wake up and realize that her religious beliefs were wrong and that the Christianist myth that gays can change their sexual orientation is just that, a myth. The movie was excellent - I described it as a must see movie - and extremely moving because it put a spotlight on the religious based lies and nonsense that continues to take the lives of LGBT Americans almost daily. Weaver has shared the positive feed back that she has received since the movie's premier in January. For those who have not seen the movie, you owe it to yourselves to go rent the movie. Here are some highlights from The Advocate:

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Actress Sigourney Weaver said she has been "very heartened" by fans of her film Prayers for Bobby, for which she earned an Emmy nomination. "A lot of parents come up to me on the street and say how much they appreciate the film," Weaver, 59, told E! Online.

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In the TV movie Weaver played Mary Griffith, the Bible-toting mother of a gay son named Bobby who after years of persecution committed suicide. After his death Griffith became an advocate for gay rights. The film is based on the Griffiths' true story.

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[I]t is still hard to see whether the film, which premiered in January 2009 on Lifetime, changed the way that gays are viewed in a society where Proposition 8, which repealed same-sex marriage rights in California, reflects the will of the majority. "I was very disheartened because I love the movie and I do think it will do some good," Weaver said, "but when I read that the poll numbers in California hadn't changed at all since the referendum, I was just shocked."

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I again applaud Weaver for taking on the role and believe that she did a superb job. Hopefully, some hearts and minds were opened because of it. As the parent of three children, I truly cannot fathom the mindset of religious extremists who will disown their own children or even drive them to suicide. There is NOTHING that my children could ever do that would cause me to treat them in such a manner.