LGBT Discrimination

LGBT DISCRIMINATION PROJECT NO: 0774 - EET WRITTEN BY: ADAM YOUNG YPC: EMILY TYSON LEAD FIXER: TONY STEGGLES

07436 265934 adam@fixers.org.uk

Cast Of Characters ACT I Chris:

A young man who is nervous about coming out to his father.

Dean:

Chris' boyfriend, who has agreed to be with Chris whilst he tells his father that he's gay.

ACT II

Angela:

A young woman who is not comfortable in her own body and has made the decision to become Transgender.

Becci:

A lifelong friend of Angela's who is about to learn the news that Angela wants to be Transgender.

ACT III

Eddie:

A gay teenager, who is giving a speech and statement to the audience about being homosexual and how he strongly believes in equality.

Fallon:

A female member of the audience who is busy heckling Eddie at the start of the performance and helps reinforce his point before the final statement.

Scene: ACT I

Chris and Dean's living room - a simply sofa and typical living style environment.

Scene: ACT II A park bench out in a standard outdoor park area.

Scene: ACT III The stage itself - no major additions necessary.

Time All acts take place during the day.

ACT I SCENE 1 SETTING:

A standard living room scene - a sofa in the middle of the stage facing the audience. Maybe a few accessories to dress the setting, such as a floor lamp, coffee table etc.

AT RISE:

CHRIS is sat on the sofa, looking like an absolute nervous wreck.

DEAN is looking into a mirror, adjusting his clothing - top collar button for example.

DEAN doesn't take his eyes off of his own reflection as he straightens himself out.

DEAN

I think you're wrong, Chris.

CHRIS is staring ahead engaging in conversation but something is on his mind...

CHRIS Well, I think you're wrong, Dean.

DEAN You're entitled to your opinion.

CHRIS But your opinion doesn't make you right.

Turning around, DEAN puts on a ridiculous and cartoon-like singing performance as he makes his way over to CHRIS. DEAN (sings - mockingly) I would do anything for love! But I won't do that!

He jumps on CHRIS and puts him in a playful headlock, rubbing his knuckles against his scalp.

CHRIS Get off!

I-1-2 DEAN Admit it.

You're wrong.

CHRIS

I'm not telling you again.

CHRIS aggressively forces DEAN off of him. He's completely amused by the whole thing - CHRIS isn't having any of it.

Hey now, steady on.

DEAN You know what happened last time, remember?

CHRIS I'm not getting into another wrestling match over stupid XFactor.

He chose to sing Meatloaf.

DEAN Good lord.

CHRIS And we chose to watch X-Factor and now look at us, arguing about who should have won. What have we become?

DEAN sits back on the sofa and relaxes.

We were being gents.

DEAN Kelly wanted to watch it.

CHRIS I'm laying down the law next time.

DEAN Because your Meatloaf singer didn't get through?

CHRIS Jesus.

Leave it.

DEAN Or because you lost a tenner to me?

CHRIS I was rooting for the guy.

DEAN You bet on the wrong horse, lad.

CHRIS Well, that's the least of my worries right now.

DEAN knows what that means. He plays the teasing down and gets kind of serious...

I-1-3 DEAN When does your dad get here?

Keep your head, mate.

CHRIS An hour he said, that was half an hour ago, so...

DEAN Nervous?

CHRIS What do you think?

DEAN Have you thought about what you're going to say to him?

CHRIS Sort of. I'm betting as soon as he steps through the door, my mind will go blank from panic mode.

DEAN Can't you just say it harsh and simple? (brash voice) 'Get a grip, dad! It's the twenty-first century! -'

- No.

No.

CHRIS (cutting him off) That'll be a disaster.

Come on.

DEAN Let's do a try-out performance.

DEAN hops to his feet lively.

CHRIS

A what?

DEAN A try-out performance. I'll pretend to be your dad, I've just arrived and you're about to break the big news to me. Ready?

CHRIS Oh this is just stupid.

What's the harm?

DEAN Give it a try. Alright, ready?

Go!

DEAN clears his throat and then stands with a 'macho man' posture.

DEAN (puts on over-the-top father impression) Ah! Son! Son! My glorious, first-born, manly-man, heterosexual son! How fares my only heir on this fine day?

I-1-4 CHRIS Can we take this a little more seriously, please?

DEAN Alright, alright, alright. (back to father impression) So! What's the new big news? Have you proposed to a beautiful woman?

CHRIS Dad? DEAN Son? CHRIS I'm... (pauses) I'm gay...

DEAN leaps back like Bugs Bunny, shaking his head and making all kinds of strange noises as he says: DEAN (over-the-top father impression) What?! My son?! My heir?! Gay?! A lover of the same gender?!

Preposterous! Outrageous! I am so disappointed in you! No son of mine will enjoy the intimate company of another man! I curse you! I damn you to the depths of hell!

CHRIS Dean!

Breaking into laughter, DEAN composes himself.

DEAN (laughing) Oh come on, that was kind of funny.

CHRIS Save it for later, I'm bricking it right now.

Taking a deep breath, DEAN calms down.

DEAN Okay, okay.

Serious mode now.

CHRIS No, we're not doing it again. To be honest, that's probably not far off what I'm expecting him to actually do.

I-1-5 DEAN (sings) I will do anything for love. tell dad.

But I won't tell dad.

No, I won't

CHRIS You're a wonderful comedian, you know that?

Dropping back onto the sofa, DEAN crosses his legs and shrugs.

DEAN Eh, so he flips out at you. Then what? He'll disown you.

He'll get aggressive. He'll be disappointed. He'll cry. He'll be devastated.

My dad isn't like your dad.

CHRIS Your parents took it well.

DEAN leans forward and matches CHRIS' posture so he can talk to him eye-to-eye.

DEAN Yes, this is true. But I was freaking out the exact same way that you are now. I sat on it for a month, trying to get my words together and wonder how to tell them. But you know what occurred to me?

CHRIS What occurred to you, Dean?

DEAN It doesn't matter! I mean, whether or not they take it well won't change a thing about who I am. I know I have my friends and the ones I care about who will always support me no matter what. I'm a part of a huge community, where each individual of said community has gone through the very same ordeal that you're going through right now. I know it isn't easy. It's your family at the end of the day. But, we are who are, Chris ol' boy.

He places a reassuring hands on CHRIS' back.

CHRIS I know what you're saying, Dean - but...

DEAN But you're worried about the consequences. Stop. It's easier said than done, but here you need to be selfish for a minute you've got a weight holding you down, for better or for worse, coming out to your family is going to release that weight.

I'll be here for you, Chris. Our friends will be here for you.

I'm not going anywhere and neither is anybody else.

I-1-6 CHRIS Thanks.

DEAN You were there for me. We're in this together. Your dad has no choice in the matter, you're gay and that's the end of it.

Nothing else about you has changed. He hasn't failed you. And you haven't failed him. You were born gay. You didn't decide to be gay. You're still an awesome guy. Knowing your dad, he'll see beyond that - if not now, he will eventually.

CHRIS I'm still nervous, Dean.

DEAN Trust me. And remember... (sings again) I would do anything for love! So I'm going to tell dad! if it makes him mad!

You've got this.

END OF ACT I

Even

ACT II SCENE 1 SETTING:

An outdoor park bench - a simple sit down spot that you would find on any daytime walk.

AT RISE:

Much like the last scenario, BECCI and ANGELA are sat on either end of the bench. BECCI is thinking about random nonsense. ANGELA is thinking about something more life-changing.

Both women sit there silently. ANGELA staring into the blue, BECCI stares off into the distance canopy of trees.

BECCI It's funny. How we all love the sound of birds singing and yet...the birds are only singing because they want to get laid.

It's funny how we perceive things, isn't it? (nudges Angela) Isn't it?

ANGELA snaps back to reality with a jolt.

What?

Yeah.

ANGELA (distracted) Yeah. Birds are funny.

Everything alright?

I know, Becci.

BECCI Been a bit quiet today.

Sorry.

ANGELA Just been thinking.

BECCI

About...?

ANGELA Stuff.

BECCI Like...?

ANGELA (hesitant) Just...'stuff', alright? Just stuff.

BECCI Ah, you know that I'm too nosey to not take that for an answer, Angela. Come on. What kind of stuff?

II-1-8 ANGELA I...erm, yeah...you know, I would rather not talk about it.

BECCI Has something bad happened?

No, no, no.

Then what?

ANGELA Nothing like that.

BECCI It's clearly bothering you.

ANGELA

It's kinda private BECCI - It must be pretty private for you to not want to share it.

Okay, look.

ANGELA If I tell you, will you promise -

BECCI (in unison with Angela) -'Not to tell anyone', blahdity-blah-blah. Like the time I didn't tell everyone about your chronic tummy problem. Like the time I didn't tell everyone about your lifelong crush on ANGELA (cutting her off) - Alright, alright, alright. You made your point.

BECCI You know that I will take it to my grave, Angela. me, woman. How can I be of help?

Level with

ANGELA Okay, here it is. You remember back in primary school, where at the end of every lunch break, after playing in the playground, they would make us line up before going back inside?

BECCI Uh-huh.

ANGELA And they would file us in two lines, right?

BECCI Sure, yeah.

Boys and girls.

ANGELA Right. We would stand in the girls line, and I would look across at the boys' line. I would feel...drawn to that line.

BECCI Because you fancied one of the boys?

II-1-9 ANGELA No, not because I fancied one of the boys. the boys.

I wanted to join

BECCI kind of staggers with that one, trying to make sense out of ANGELA's words.

BECCI (prolonged pronunciation) O-kay.

ANGELA And you used to pick on me for wanting to play with boys' toys all the time.

Course, but I know better now. girls or boys toys.

BECCI Nothing wrong with playing with

ANGELA But I wasn't playing with them because they more fun, per se.

More of a case that I felt like I had to fulfill how I felt inside by conforming to what other boys do.

BECCI I...think I know what you're getting at.

ANGELA You do?

BECCI But, I can't quite put my finger on it.

ANGELA I want to go through a transition, Becci.

BECCI Like a...detox or something?

ANGELA No, no. I want...okay, I can't sugarcoat this for you. a sex change, Becci. I want to be a man.

I want

BECCI stares at ANGELA for a moment, processing what she just said. She calmly looks away and ponders...

Let me take a moment here.

I know. It's heavy. share it.

BECCI Wow.

ANGELA I'm sorry. I told you I didn't want to

II-1-10 BECCI You want to be a man?

ANGELA Yes. BECCI Why do you want to be a man?

ANGELA I just told you.

BECCI You were drawn to the male crowd and wanted to participate with the male crowd because...?

ANGELA Because I felt like I always belonged with them. It's hard to explain and I can see why it's hard to understand, the simplest way I can put it is that I don't feel as though what's on the outside matches how I feel on the inside. You know what I mean?

BECCI I think I do.

ANGELA So I've been thinking about it for a long time now, and I think the only way I can get beyond all of it is by changing the outside to match how I feel on the inside.

BECCI Is it really necessary? I mean, this is your body we're talking about, Angela. It's not like a change of clothes or anything.

I know.

ANGELA Like I said, I've thought about it long and hard.

BECCI And it's what you really want to do?

ANGELA It's what I really want to do. So...I can understand why you wouldn't want to stay friends That sets BECCI off - no way is she turning her back on her best friend.

She sits up with conviction in every word.

BECCI - Whoa, now. That'll never happen. We've been friends since nursery, I'm not going to abandon you because you wanted a sex change! What do you take me for?

Sorry.

ANGELA I'm just expecting everyone to be freaked out by it.

II-1-11 You're healthy and living.

Whatever you need, okay?

BECCI That's all I concern myself with.

ANGELA

Thanks, Becci.

BECCI What are friends for? Got to look out for one's sister...erm, I mean 'brother' or...I don't know what you prefer ANGELA - It's fine. It's fine. Well, next up on the list is telling everyone else. Mum. Dad. BECCI We've got this.

One step at a time.

BECCI opens up her arms for an embrace.

BECCI I say this calls for a hug, don't you?

ANGELA I say you're right.

ANGELA falls into BECCI's arms and they hug silently for a moment. Then BECCI can't help but say...

BECCI And you know I'm bound to ask questions about how it works ANGELA - One step at a time.

BECCI Okay.

Okay.

END OF ACT II

ACT III SCENE 1 SETTING:

This is a simple stage set-up. No requirement for props or furniture.

Just a spotlight for the character of EDDIE. As for FALLON - she'll be sat among the audience members, ready to shout from her seat.

AT RISE:

EDDIE steps onto the stage, casual clothing and laid back presence.

Taking a moment, EDDIE observes the audience.

EDDIE

Hello, everyone.

'Hopefully' the audience will shout their greetings back. If not, the actor should persuade the audience to do so.

FALLON (w/ audience) Hi! EDDIE My name's Eddie.

FALLON (w/ audience) Hi, Eddie!

EDDIE I'm a teenager.

FALLON You don't say.

EDDIE And I'm gay.

FALLON Ha! EDDIE looks irritated by the heckling but he continues...

EDDIE I have always been gay.

FALLON Ha!

III-1-13 EDDIE I came out about a year ago.

FALLON Bum boy.

Trying to ignore the comment, EDDIE goes on.

EDDIE My family and friends have been great and understanding.

FALLON Bum boy!

EDDIE And my life has carried on as usual FALLON Bum boy!

As FALLON continues to shout out, EDDIE cuts her off with...

EDDIE - and shut.

Up! Silence.

EDDIE (to FALLON) Seriously. What's wrong with you? Have you never seen a gay person before? I'm trying to tell my story here, everyone else is listening and you're just behaving like a total moron.

FALLON I don't like gays.

EDDIE Why?

What did I do wrong?

It's just...wrong. women. It's sick.

FALLON Men kissing other men.

Women kissing other

EDDIE You think two people loving each other is sick?

FALLON Two people of the same gender, yes! It's always been between a man and a woman.

EDDIE Yeah and we always used to perform human sacrifice and have no form of human rights whatsoever. You think we should be going backwards instead of forwards?

III-1-14 FALLON It's not natural.

It'll never happen.

EDDIE Wow. Do you study history at all? You don't have to be a genius to know about the times when people with different coloured skin couldn't use the same toilet as a white person? Or sit on the same bus seats? How ridiculous did that seem looking back on it now? Or how about when women weren't allowed to vote or work the jobs that women work today? That's crazy, isn't it? (pause) Well, whose to say in another ten or twenty years, a later generation will look back on all of this homophobia and antigay behaviour as something that was completely cruel and ridiculous?

FALLON What about kids then?

EDDIE What about kids?

FALLON If they have gay parents, won't they turn out to be gay too?

EDDIE Do you have any idea how stupid that sounds?

FALLON Why does it sound stupid?

EDDIE Because my parents are straight and I'm gay. Like a friend of mine, his mum is gay, but he's straight. Your parents sexual preference doesn't affect the child - it just doesn't work that way.

FALLON I just don't agree with it.

As FALLON talks, EDDIE pinches the bridge of his nose - clearly keeping his frustration under control.

EDDIE (looking back up) Look, we can argue about this all day long. I don't care if you accept homosexuality - it would just make this world a little nicer to live in if everyone just got along and judged by that person's character rather than what gender they're attracted to, what race or creed they belong to, age, gender and everything in between. I like to think that maybe deep down, you're not such a bad person and you simply just don't fully understand how sexual orientation works or maybe you just don't want to, I don't know.

(MORE)

III-1-15 EDDIE (CONT'D) Point is, we're a part of the world and we're playing our part just like everyone else and you know what the most amazing thing about it is...?

FALLON What...?

EDDIE It doesn't affect you. How do you know that the person next to you or behind or someone you know very well isn't gay? (to the audience) Think about someone you really care about and imagine they told you that they were gay. What has changed about them other than the fact that they told you that they're homosexual? They're not going to bite you and change you, like a vampire or a zombie.

Just be cool to each other, that's all we ask. (back to FALLON) Can I carry on from where I left off?

FALLON Yeah, sure.

EDDIE Okay. (back to the audience) Hi, everyone. I'm Eddie. I'm a teenager and I'm gay. I came out about a year ago and my friends and family have been extremely supportive. Life has carried on as usual and I don't bother people with my homosexuality and I just ask for people to just let me be who I am, let me get on with my life. We are who we are. We can't change who we are. Judge people by their character and how they treat others. Life is a lot more relaxed and enjoyable if you just let go of all your hate and negative energy towards those who are different from you. I'm here today to encourage everyone to accept themselves for who they are, to encourage everyone to get along with one another and enjoy life a little more.

Thank you.

EDDIE steps up, closer to the edge of the stage and acknowledges the entire audience.

EDDIE Let's try something here. Everyone turn to the the person on your left and shake their hand and smile.

Allowing the audience to do so, EDDIE moves on.

EDDIE Now turn to the right and do the same thing.

Same again - allow the audience to follow the instruction.

III-1-16 EDDIE Okay, now I want the front row to turn around to the people behind them and wave...

Allow the wave to happen and then...

EDDIE Now I want the next row to wave to the people behind them, keep it going, from row to row...

Let the audience carry out 'The Wave', wait for them all to compose themselves before continuing.

EDDIE The way I see it, with all the nasty in the world, I think if we all made to one another, life would just be a a little more fun. But I can't make down to you guys.

and awful chaos going on a little effort to be decent little less stressful and you do that. It's all

He pauses and reintroduces himself - looking across the audience.

EDDIE My name is Eddie. I'm a teenager and I'm gay and thank you for the taking the time to watch this performance. Have an amazing day!

Final words...

EDDIE Take care of yourselves and take care of someone else. you.

END OF ACT III

Thank