The 4th Annual Gender Bender Dance [Movie Transcript]

Do you plan to attend the Gender Bender Dance?

Bryan: Of course!

Alex: Yeah... I guess I could go.

Becky: Yeah, definitely. We always go. It's a lot of fun.
Gwen: Every year.
Kat: Yep.

Jimmy: I'm definitely going to the Gender Bender Dance.

Lyndsey: I do.

Megan: I do plan to, it sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun.

Are you going to dress as the opposite gender?

Renny: Me and my girlfriend are going to switch clothes.

Megan: I plan to, I ordered these really awesome rainbow pants that have rainbow stars on them.

Lyndsey: No, unfortunately not. It's right after work and I get off at 9:30 so I'm just gonna head over after work.

DeLue: Yeah, I think I'll dress up.

Alex: I will not be dressing up.
James: ...Any reason why?
Alex: Because I like pants! (laughter)

Bryan: I really want to, I hope I have time to get some stuff together. It should be fun.

Gwen: Yes, of course!
Kat: Yeah, why wouldn't we? 'Cause half the fun is dressing up.
Becky: And we try to one-up ourselves every year.
Gwen: Makes me worry about senior year.
Kat: I know, we really can't top what we have planned for this year.
Gwen: No. (laughter)

Travis: I kind of get freaked out by drag queens.

Jimmy: Um, sort of. I've got a lot of stuff this week, so I'm just gonna wear this little sign here that says, "THESE BE GIRL CLOTHES," with this little Commie Pirate Drag Queen on it.


(Playing ♫ We Are Rockstars ♫ by Does That Offend You, Yeah?)

The GLiTTER Overture [Director's Commentary]

Hey, Everyone! It's James, the director of There Will Be GLiTTER, and I'd like to offer some Behind the Scenes Commentary on the finished product.

I had such a fun time designing the opening credits sequence! I remember, at the big premiere in Joseph Theater, the room was pulsing with electric anticipation: I'm very proud of the steady, stylistic climb throughout the Overture.

Surprisingly, the idea of placing a Rating card at the very beginning was a last-minute decision. I figured, I wanted to warn/prepare the audience in some way; I didn't want anyone to enter the movie cold. This is why each public screening was preceded by a short oral presentation. I'm a big fan of avant garde artwork, so I used a common strategy known as "defamiliarization," by taking conventional images and subverting them. Thus, the completely fabricated F Rating.


Still on the reflexivity kick, the camera countdown draws more attention to the medium. I wanted people to know that this is obviously a movie, which in hindsight, may not have been the best decision because it separates the viewer from the action. Mainly, the purpose of using that stock footage was purely stylistic. From concept to execution, my mission was to prove that documentaries could be just as stylish as narrative-driven features. I guess I'd describe my style as "neo-glam," a term borrowed from the Glam Rock Movement.

Ironically, the opening battlefield shots were actually the second-to-last shots of the entire shoot. They were definitely the easiest ones since they didn't require busy actors. The biggest obstacle was simply trying to not get arrested by the Gettysburg National Park police; after all, I was shooting various monuments without their permission. Whateva', I do what I WANT!


One special effect in particular, the color isolation, commonly referred to as "The Pleasantville Effect," was fun to create even though it was TE-DI-OUS. I added to effect to my arsenal after seeing a tutorial video at FinalCutKing.com. Overall, I am very pleased with the results. Fun Fact: That tracking shot from outside Albaugh House (then known as the ALLiES Theme House) really was my bedroom window.

Perhaps the most ironic thing about this opening sequence is that I CAN'T STAND that Christina Aguilera song--y'know, the one that says you're beautiful even though you're ugly and gay. >.< But even though I hate the original song, it's undeniable that "Beautiful" has become an anthem for the GLBTQ community. Personally, I've always been bitter about the song's success because the song itself was not aimed specifically at the GLBT community; the music video, on the other hand, prominently features a young gay couple. While browsing @ the iTunes Store, I fell in love with the 2009 "Beautiful" remix, retitled "You Are What You Are." I chose this song as the GLiTTER theme because Aguilera re-recorded the song, this time fully aware of the song/video's impact and importance to the GLBT community.


In terms of wardrobe, I was very particular about my outfit. After waiting two months for my sleeveless hoodie to arrive from 10Percent (aka Fabulous Gay HQ), I finally caved in, canceled the order, went to AMAZON and lo and behold, it arrived less than a week later. It was a perfect fit, and I love using the Pleasantville Effect to isolate the hoodie's bright teal trim.

It all ends with an homage to The Wizard Of Oz: the world around me becomes saturated with color as I jog past the Gettysburg College sign. It's definitely my favorite transition in the entire movie, but once again, it was a complex special effect. It may look simple, but that sequence is actually five cropped copies of the jogging sequence layered on top of each other, playing simultaneously. More than two hours were spent in the editing room trying to work out all the kinks in that 5-second segment.

YOU'VE GOTTA BELIEVE IN SOMETHING: I Could Never Date A Politically Apathetic Man (James)

As much as I’d like to say that I’m a moderate, I’m actually a die-hard liberal and registered Democrat. I care deeply about issues like education, welfare programs, social security, alternative energy, women’s reproductive rights, and of course, gay marriage & adoption rights.

In November, I made sure to cast my ballot for Barack Obama. As Media Coordinator for the Gettysburg Students for Barack Obama, I’d been volunteering for his campaign since the Primaries. In what little spare time I had, I donated, canvassed, phone banked, and registered new voters for Obama. And luckily, it all paid off.

I remember when Obama was declared the Projected Winner, we all piled into Jimmy’s bedroom and watched his acceptance speech. And after walking Hannah home a little after midnight, I saw students flocking to Stine Lake for an impromptu rally, so I joined in the chaos.

For four years, I’ve wanted to see ALLiES join the fight for equality by writing letters, protesting, and attending marches. Unfortunately, we’ve remained nonpartisan and haven’t achieved much outside of our college bubble. I think we should’ve wholeheartedly supported a candidate who wasn’t trying to take our rights away.

Even more than gay Republicans, I just can’t understand how anyone could be politically apathetic nowadays. Part of the reason why I typically don’t date non-ALLiES members is because apathetic gays and self-hating gays make me sick to my stomach. I don’t respect them at all. Not only do they not attend meetings but they never show any signs of real support, like coming to one of our many events.

It’s extremely important that my partner be politically active, no matter what his political views are. I could NEVER be with someone who didn’t care about his own future or the future of his country.

I ALWAYS WANTED A SINGLE: I Suck At Choosing Roommates (James)

Freshman year I was randomly matched with Sean, a straight Lacrosse player from Babylon, NY. Surprisingly, he was completely accepting of my sexual orientation and didn't treat me any differently upon finding out... in fact, I think this revelation made him try even harder to come off as open-minded. I felt perfectly comfortable bringing guys back to the bedroom, though he didn't usually bring the girls back.

My Huber Hallmates were EXTREMELY accepting, though I was a bit suspicious of two guys who seemed uncomfortable discussing anything gay-related. Other than that, practically all the girls on my floor had borrowed and passed around my "Queer As Folk: Season One" boxed set. I found it cool that Sean would sometimes watch "QAF" with me, have no idea what was going on, but would let me know that he supported all of it.

I think Sean was a little uncomfortable getting dressed in front of me at first, but then I think he realized that not ALL gay guys were attracted to him, and he stopped being awkward. There were probably brief moments in the year when I did find him physically attractive, but of course, I never acted on any desires I might've had.

My first big mistake occurred during my sophomore year when I roomed with Billy, one of my ex-boyfriends. As I got to know him better as a roommate, I also found out that he was a Log Cabin Republican and possibly, bisexual. At the same time, it was a horrible yet wonderful experience. We had some bitter arguments, but we also had interesting 5-hour conversations.

The entire time we lived together, we never so much as hugged. Even though he and I had been intimate while we were dating (Spring 2006), I still have never seen him with his shirt off... he was slightly overweight and was afraid of offending people with his naked body. I'm the exact opposite; my motto's "Skin to the Wind!" I felt perfectly comfortable (un)dressing with him in the room, but he'd always dress himself in our tiny bathroom, despite how physically uncomfortable I imagine it was.

Since we had broken up over four months prior, I'm confident I wasn't still attracted to him while we bunked together. I felt comfortable bringing dates back to the room to meet Billy, but more often than not, my steady date was one of HIS ex-lovers, so he would usually find a reason to leave the dorm.

My even bigger mistake was rooming with Jinming, an International student, during my junior year. He spoke very little English and never cleaned up after himself. I don't even know if he knew I was gay until he saw me making out and writhing around on the floor with my boyfriend at the time.

I do believe he was straight, though he didn't go out on dates. It didn't really matter since I wasn't remotely attracted to him. I'm not sure how accepting he was of me, because frequently, he spoke Chinese with his friends and on the phone, so I never knew if he was actually mocking or insulting me. I never felt threatened by him, but I was scared by the cloud of mystery surrounding him. The ONLY thing we had in common was that we were both Film Studies majors. That year, I suspect that we had a gay CL, who did a pretty good job, but as far as I know, he has yet to come out.

This year has brought about my best roommate situation. I was placed with Travis, a long-time ALLiES member who was actually the first person I met @ Gettysburg College (on G.I.V. Day). He and are both Black gay men, and No, we have never been romantically involved. At times, I have found him physically attractive, but most of the time, I treat him like my little brother. We're both comfortable (un)dressing in front of each other, and that hasn't been remotely awkward, as far as I know.

I like rooming with Travis because it's fun to talk with someone about crushes, who we're dating, and gay pop culture without him getting grossed out or thinking that I'm perverted.

Living in ALLiES House has been amazing! Although seeing one of my exes on a daily basis drove me insane last semester, now I'm feeling much more at ease here. I feel like everyone in the house respects each other and is completely supportive when anyone's dating.

And although Jai [Schock] isn't an official House Leader, she has been a wonderful "Gay Den Mother" to us all. She's a pro at giving people advice on romantic relationships, as well as dealing with an array of personal problems.

I HAD A HOMOPHOBIC ROOMMATE: She Refused To Watch RENT and Tila Tequila (Tory)

Freshman year I lived with a girl I would consider homophobic. She never said anything specific about why or anything. I've never even heard her say anything negative about homosexuality, but she refused to watch Rent or A Shot at Love just because homosexuality was a topic and gay people were involved. She's still one of my close friends, but needless to say, I will not be bringing her over to Allies house... We did have some tension because of this, but generally I avoiding bringing up the subject since we had a great relationship otherwise.

Sophomore year my roommate was bisexual, but only out to a small number of people on campus, because she thought her teammates would not approve. Since living with her she has come out, and is now living with my Freshman year roommate (as of last week)...so this should be an interesting situation.

SLOWLY BUT SURELY: Conservatives For Marriage Equality (Tory)

My immediate family is huge and very close -- I have 2 sisters, both of which have their own families, which include 8 nieces and nephews. Beyond that, I have around 20 cousins and between my 9 aunts and uncles. But I'm not as close to any of them.

I consider my family to be accepting of homosexuality. They support gay marriage, even though they're extremely conservative. My parents and sisters know that I spend a lot of time at Allies house and that some of my close friends are gay, and it doesn't bother them. It does make them question my own sexuality though. My mom has asked me maybe 3 times in the last few months if I'm a lesbian, as though I can't be straight and spending time at Allies house. The first time she asked with an accusing "You're not GAY, are you?!" then quickly corrected herself with an "it would be totally okay if you were, I'd love you no matter what..." While I know she would love me no matter what, the fact that her immediate reaction is negative tells me a lot about her and her original beliefs. But the fact that she is consciously changing the way she feels and acts makes me proud.

ODD MAN OUT: My Family Doesn't Condone Homosexuality (DeLue)

Ah family. My family is huge and rather estranged. My parents are divorced with my father's side of the family scattered from New York to Louisiana and New Jersey to California. My mother's family is small and living in PA, Montana and Oklahoma. I don't confide much in any of my family and we're not very close.

None of my family is very supportive of the idea of homosexuality. My dad and stepbrother regularly make very childish jokes that I find quite irritating. My mom knows that I recently moved into the Allies house for the second semester, as do my grandparents. Only my grandparents know that I'm the VP of allies now.