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London premiere of The Homophobia Project

26th January 2010

Imagine a world where everyone is lesbian or gay. All children are brought up by same sex couples and are conceived through artificial insemination. Despite 1 in 9 secondary school students 'questioning' their sexuality being hetero is still often viewed as something dirty or wrong. Many young people are bullied at school because they are thought to be heterosexual and 'hetero' is used as a word to mean pathetic or stupid. - How would it feel to live in this world?

Revolutionary youth arts training company Peer Productions are proud to announce the London premiere of their extraordinary feature film for secondary schools - The Homophobia Project.  The film will be screened at The Drill Hall Theatre at 11.30am on Saturday 6^th February as part of the Schools Out Conference.   

Woking based Peer Productions is a youth arts company who specialise in peer education through theatre and film.  Each year they train a team of talented young people (aged 16 – 24 years) as actors and peer educators enabling them to deliver a series of arts projects in the community.  The Homophobia Project began in 2007 when co-artistic director Nina Lemon and a small team of peer educators ran an empowering drama course for Surrey teenagers who identify and lesbian, gay or bisexual.  

“The assumption is made that homophobia is a thing of the past, “ says Nina, “and that with the end of Section 28 in 2003,  young LGBT people can live in a more permissive and tolerant society.  Sadly our experience showed us that this is not the case and many young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people still live in fear and experience abuse in our schools.”

Based on true accounts of homophobic bullying and oppression, Peer Productions created a play which toured to secondary schools.  The response was overwhelming so in 2008, with a grant from Media Box, the company began the epic process of adapting play into a film.  The film tells the story of Janet and John, two heterosexuals growing up in a lesbian and gay world.  In total over 200 young people, including volunteers from a local secondary school, were involved in making the film which, together with a comprehensive teacher’s pack, is now available for secondary school teachers to use in their PSHE lessons.

“This film can be a vital weapon in fighting homophobia in schools, “ says the films director Jason Orbaum, “It is made by young people, with young people, for young people and it’s high production values are a testimony to what can be achieved by this generation.  We hope that schools nationwide will buy the DVD and teacher’s pack and that we can help to make schools a safer place for young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.”

The film is being screened as part of the Schools Out annual conference which will also include a chance to see Brief Encounters: the first theatre-in-education play on trans issues, a panel discussion on how children's charities can meet the needs of LGBT young people, LGBT young people from the South West telling it like it is and news of the new equality framework being piloted by LGBT Youth North West and Schools OUT - another tool to help schools and youth stetting be LGBT friendly and safe! Delegates can book by calling the Drill Hall on 020 7307 5060.  Registration at 9.30am (film screens at 11.30am).

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