Family Research Council says gay seniors don't deserve a dime

Here's what the conservative group says about the feds funding a mere $250,000 for a national resource center for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender seniors:
"...the real tragedy here--apart from the unnecessary spending--is that, given the risks of homosexual conduct, these people are less likely to live long enough to become senior citizens! Yet once again, the Obama administration is rushing to reward a lifestyle that poses one of the greatest public health risks in America." Read the full article

By the way, Lawrence and Alexandre have found a nursing home where they feel safe holding hands:

Alexandre and Lawrence have been together for 38 years.

Subjects of our doc featured in media about national resource center for LGBT seniors

Jack Reavly and Bob Claunch at their Los Angeles, CA home

Bob and Jack's 52-Year Adventure is our critically acclaimed documentary about two men who met each other in the Army during the McCarthy era, came out to the troops in their unit, and are still together today.

We learned this morning that they are being pictured as examples of gay elders in media coverage about the national resource center created for LGBT seniors. They look great don't they? Congrats guys!

View the Bay Windows article

HHS to Create a National Resource Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Elders

WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced plans to establish the nation`s
first national resource center to assist communities across the country in their
efforts to provide services and supports for older lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) individuals.

See the full article

This is a quantum leap for our new documentary, Gen Silent,
about LGBT elders in so much fear about getting safe care
that they are going back into the closet.
We are turning Gen Silent into a training curriculum for
institutions and caregivers and it
seems to be happening at the perfect time:

See a trailer for Gen Silent
Contact: stu@stumaddux.com, catherine@stumaddux.com

LA Gay and Lesbian Center gets grant for LGBT Elder Services

LA Gay and Lesbian Center receives grant to fund programs for LGBT ...: "Congress discussed the Community Innovations for Aging in Place initiative in ... The Center proposed solutions to moving LGBT seniors from isolation to ...
"

"Trip to Hell and Back" to screen in Alaska

Dear Stu Maddux, Congratulations!

We are thrilled and honored to include your film, "Trip to Hell and Back", as an official selection in the 2009 Anchorage International Film Festival. On behalf of our organization, thank you for supporting our event. Your film will be a great complement to this year's program. look forward to future email conversations and possibly meeting you this December. Please confirm that you received this email. Don't hesitate to contact me about any questions or concerns, travel arrangements, or just to say hello.



Thank you,

Doug Griffin & Laura Baldwin, AIFF

Documentary Co-Programmers

Hard work shooting documentary subjects grave site

Director Stu Maddux and subject KrysAnne Hembrough Dec, 2008

I had a whirlwind, pick up shot trip to Boston last week and my last job was to shoot the grave site of one of my film's subjects, KrysAnne Hembrough.

KrysAnne was a transgendered woman in her early sixties desperate to find someone to care for her as she faced a terminal illness. She passed away last spring and her story is an important part of our documentary, Gen Silent, about LGBT aging issues.

Kevin Hembrough in the 1960's

It was crucial that I find her grave marker. She was a Vietnam veteran and wanted to be buried at a National Cemetery. The hitch was that she wanted to be buried as Staff Sgt. Krysallis Anne Hembrough not by her male name, Kevin. She was still a man when she was in the service.

Director Stu Maddux at Massachusetts National Cemetery October, 2009

I cannot tell you how important this final wish was to her. She spent precious energy getting the Veteran's Administration to permit it. So I owed it to her to haul the gear out from San Francisco to Cape Cod to find out if she got her final wish.

Most moving for me was the phrase below her name
which she called herself often almost as a self-affirmation.

That was it.
I packed up with what will likely be the closing shot for her story.
But as I walked back to the car I discovered a grave marker which moved me even more than Krys Anne's.


My thanks to Associate Producer Catherine Cox for researching the location of Krys Anne's marker and making it so easy to find on such a tight schedule.
Apologies to you, Krys Anne, for not being able to stay longer.