Remembering
Credits: Andrea Booher (9/11 photo) & David Dietz (digital art)
In the short story “Remembering a Cool September: Pain, Prejudice, and Patriotism,” Lisa Tillmann chronicles her emotional journey following September 11th, 2001. After weeks of numbness and disconnection, she encounters a display of patriotism by two gay male friends, provoking her to explore what it means to be both patriotic and gay in post-9/11 U.S. culture. At that time, Tillmann’s friends could not serve openly in the military; could be fired for no other reason than being (or being perceived as) gay; and could not even legally have sex in their home state of Florida as well as 13 other states. The 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden prompts Tillmann to revisit “Remembering” through film, asking: what should we remember about September 11th? What lasting lessons about inclusion and marginalization does 9/11 teach?
To view the film in its entirety, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51Zhi6RU0BU&t=28s