Yesterday it was the NUKU puppet theatre and museum in the Old City. Silly me, I forgot my camera, because they have REALLY COOL stuff in there! They currently have a production going on of a Japanese puppetry play from the 1700s, and are building the puppets (and gargoyles! Did I mention I have a gargoyle that I won in a white elephant party as a doorstop...and that I actually bought him at a thrift store for said party and then did my best to win him?) for a vampire play. I am so going to that!
And today was the kickoff of Pärnu America Days. It was my first trip to Pärnu (though I expect the first of several over the coming two weeks). The Ambassador spoke to students and teachers at the local library to kick off the event, which includes films, a teepee in the center of town, a car show, pumpkin carving and lots of other stuff. It is organized by a local American, and we support the event. It is pretty awesome.
And the town is really beautiful, or what little I got to see of it. I hope to see more. But what got me right off the bat was that as you cross the Pärnu River into Pärnu, they have a monument of five flags of the city. But they had taken down the center one and replaced it with the American flag.
After the event, we drove quickly back to Tallinn to present a screening of Boys Don't Cry, the 1999 movie starring Hilary Swank based on the true story of Brandon Teena, a female-to-male transexual who was raped and murdered. I think the movie touched a lot of people there tonight (there were 50 or more in attendance), many of whom thanked me and some of whom left the theatre with tears in their eyes.
I used my introduction of the event to say a bit about my own background as the victim of bullying, and about the It Gets Better project aimed at combating teen suicide by the victims of bullying. I said that while the stories of teens who take their lives as a response to bullying and the story of a young man who was murdered are not identical, both stem from a lack of societal acceptance of LGBT people.
Because it does get better, and I think the most powerful story I can tell to illustrate that is my own.
4 comments:
diggerordiplomat, let me start off by saying I'm sorry you have the creeping crud! Get well soon!
I emailed you several years ago asking you questions about the Foreign Service and decided it was my dream job and career I wanted shortly after (and in part because of) our correspondence. I doubt you remember, but even after all these years I still read your blog.
I am now a junior in college majoring in International Studies: Global Studies and Nat'l Security; and next Wednesday a Senior FSO is coming to talk (right before my Japanese and History of the UN midterms! Achk!) and I am so excited. Perhaps one day I can be a Foreign Service Officer! :D
Anyway, I'd like to thank your for not only showing me as a teen that it can get better - by just having your blog, but also posting things about It Gets Better and LGBT awareness. Does your job afford you such opportunities to have a screening of Boys Don't Cry, or is this an "extra-curricular"?
Thank you so much for blogging, your story really is evidence that it does get better and it gives me hope. I just wanted to pop in and say that I am still grateful for it, and it's still good reading, after all these years. :D :D :D
diggerordiplomat, let me start off by saying I'm sorry you have the creeping crud! Get well soon!
I emailed you several years ago asking you questions about the Foreign Service and decided it was my dream job and career I wanted shortly after (and in part because of) our correspondence. I doubt you remember, but even after all these years I still read your blog.
I am now a junior in college majoring in International Studies: Global Studies and Nat'l Security; and next Wednesday a Senior FSO is coming to talk (right before my Japanese and History of the UN midterms! Achk!) and I am so excited. Perhaps one day I can be a Foreign Service Officer! :D
Anyway, I'd like to thank your for not only showing me as a teen that it can get better - by just having your blog, but also posting things about It Gets Better and LGBT awareness. Does your job afford you such opportunities to have a screening of Boys Don't Cry, or is this an "extra-curricular"?
Thank you so much for blogging, your story really is evidence that it does get better and it gives me hope. I just wanted to pop in and say that I am still grateful for it, and it's still good reading, after all these years. :D :D :D
I am glad you are still pursuing your dream to be an FSO, because it is a pretty cool job! And, no, this was not extra-curricular. This was an official embassy screening. As part of coming out month, we will also do some screenings at the local LGBT center. And this last June, we gave a grant to Baltic Pride for their events and our Ambassador and DCM spoke at them! How cool is that!
Hope you enjoyed Parnu. M and I spent a lovely weekend there when we were living in Helsinki. There is a nice Scandic Hotel right on the beach with the balconies facing the Baltic. We used to vacation in Parnu every summer when I was little so I have quite a few fond memories of this quaint small town. Hope you are feeling better. Tim
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