Licensed to Kill 2 An Educational Tool DVD Contents 3 Themes 4 Education 5 Religion 5 Stereotypes 6 Anti-Gay Behavior 7 Gay Cruising Areas 9 Sexual Encounters 10 Homosexual Panic 10 Hate Crimes Legislation 11 Police 11 Filmmakers’ Experiences 12 Profiles 13 Donald Aldrich 14 Corey Burley 15 Raymond Childs 16 TABLE OF CONTENTS William Cross 17 (Sgt.) Kenneth Jr. French 18 Jay Johnson 19 Jeffrey Swinford 20 Additional Interviews on DVD 21 Bibliography EXCERPTS23 AIDS Stigma 23 Childhood Sexual Abuse 23 Gay Cruising Areas 23 Hate Crimes: Gay/Lesbian 23 Hate Crimes: General 24 Heterosexism, Homophobia, & Sexism 24 Media 24 The Military 24 SAMPLESociety & Politics 25 Religion 25 Youth & Education Workshops 25 Organizations 26 Anti-Violence Programs 28 Appendix 1 Glossary 30 Appendix 2 Essay 32 Appendix 3 Film Credits 34 Photo Captions & Credits 35 Licensed to Kill Study Guide sample page. © 2004 DeepFocus Productions, Inc. Licensed to Kill: An Educational Tool Introduction Moderators are encouraged to first take a look at the Licensed to Kill probes the lives of men whose contempt table of contents for both this manual and the DVD (if for homosexuals led them to murder. The film examines you are using the DVD version of Licensed to Kill). the social, political, and cultural environments of these Moderators should then view the film and the DVD men and asks whether society had given them a “license supplements along with this guide to choose areas that to kill” homosexuals. best suit viewers’ needs. Keep in mind that this booklet was written to serve diverse audiences and not all Licensed to Kill focuses specifically on stories about men subject areas may apply to your specific situation. and may seem relevant only to the male experience. However, the film’s very specificity makes it especially While watching Licensed to Kill, you may want to pause effective as a starting point from which to launch more occasionally to take notes or to refer back to this guide if general discussions. A main goal of the film is to raise necessary. DVD users will find it convenient to skip from questions about societal gender roles and cultural one chapter to another in order to identify certain heterosexism. The stories recounted in Licensed to Kill sections that may be particularly meaningful or to bypass offer examples of how gender and sexuality norms are sections that may not be applicable. enforced with violence or the threat of violence. Moreover, the film challenges viewers to consider how While there is no substitute for the emotional impact of societal prejudices manifest themselves in the actions of watching a film uninterrupted, don’t feel that you must individuals. show the entire film to your group. Schedule permitting, you may find it more practical to break up the film and The filmmaker acknowledges that resources focused on show it in two or more sessions. The DVD format allows anti-lesbian/bisexual/transgendered violence are needed you to quickly access different sections as you see fit, but hopes that Licensed to Kill will stimulate discussions and you can always replay or introduce new sequences on these topics as well. during your group’s discussion to help illustrate a TOOL AN EDUCATIONAL particular point. You might want to show just segments, or present selections from the DVD supplements, or 2 Audience Preparation both. Most importantly, free feel to customize a program Licensed to Kill is an uncompromising film. The filmmaker that best serves your audience. was himself a gay bashing victim and set out to produce a brutally honest examination of violence. For some This study guide is divided into the following main sections: audience members, the graphic photos, the use of profanity, and the hard-hitting stories of the killers may beEXCERPTS• THEMES: Ten subsections, organized by theme, draw disturbing. Moderators are advised to introduce the film attention to particular examples from the film and accordingly, depending on viewers’ needs; conversely, suggest possible discussion topics and related the filmmaker believes that watching the film without an research projects. advisory may result in a powerful exposure to the situations depicted. In any case, moderators should be • PROFILES: Each of the seven men featured in prepared for a range of reactions to the film: silence, Licensed to Kill are profiled here. Suggestions for outrage, grief, surprise, and in some cases, sympathy, discussing each case are offered, along with LICENSED TO KILL compassion, or empathy for the murderers. references to selected “Themes” when applicable. Also, profiles of three additional men that are only in How to Use Licensed to Kill the additional features section of the DVD version are included. and This Guide SAMPLE • BIBLIOGRAPHY: Reference books, journals, and other publications are grouped topically in twelve Note: DVD references pertain only to the DVD version subsections. of Licensed to Kill. If you are using a VHS version and would like to upgrade it to the DVD format, please • ORGANIZATIONS: A compilation of national and local contact DeepFocus Productions, Inc. for information agencies that center on and illuminate the issues put about the VHS/DVD exchange program. forward in Licensed to Kill. • ANTI-VIOLENCE PROGRAMS: A list of agencies Films can be an effective tool to help present information, nationwide that focuses specifically on issues of encourage people to take interest in an issue, provide a violence that affect the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, starting point for people to exchange views, and to transgender) community. create an opportunity for personal reflection. This guide is • GLOSSARY: A list of terms related to the LGBT designed to facilitate these and other purposes in a community, including potentially problematic terms and variety of settings, such as classrooms, libraries, phrases. community dialogues, religious institutions, diversity training, conferences, and youth groups. • ESSAY: An essay on anti-gay violence by award- winning journalist, Chris Bull. Licensed to Kill Study Guide sample page. © 2004 DeepFocus Productions, Inc. Education about homosexuality occurs in many different ways. Licensed to Kill 1 seeks to explore the contexts in which knowledge about homosexuality is disseminated and how this process affects personal attitudes regarding the topic. Corey Burley suggests: “I don’t think a person just grows up bad...You eventually gets that way from being around somebody that is like that.” (DVD chapter 7) Jeffrey Swinford remembers learning about homosexuality in junior high school. An eighth grade science class assignment required him to report on a subject of which he disapproved. The school librarian recommended he look up homosexuality in the encyclopedia. Swinford also recalls reading about homosexuality in the Bible. (DVD chapter 3) Suggested Activities: • Discuss how the issue of homosexuality has been treated — or ignored — at your present and/or past school(s). How did a teacher respond to incidents such as name-calling and anti-gay comments in the classroom? Discuss how these examples contribute to the understanding of homosexuality. • Research political campaigns in specific local school board elections where the issue of homosexuality played a role. Discuss whether or not the educational system has a role in teaching about homosexuality. Include an examination of the relationship between religion and public school policies. • Recall your first introductions to homosexuality and how these first lessons influenced your feelings about THEMES the topic. Probe the accuracy of these first lessons. 5 Religion can play a significant role in the formation of attitudes toward 2 homosexuality. Jay Johnson cites hisEXCERPTS particular religious upbringing as a main influence on his feelings about his own homosexual orientation. (DVD chapter 8) Suggested Activities: • Research religious references to homosexuality and compare how different organized religions treat the LICENSED TO KILL subject. For related research on this topic see Arthur Dong’s film, Family Fundamentals (www.deepfocusproductions.com); or see excerpts in “Other Titles: Family Fundamentals” in the DVD Additional Features section. • Reflect upon your own experience with religion and discuss how homosexuality is treated. If applicable, compare yourSAMPLE own beliefs about homosexuality with the stated doctrines of your religion. How does your religion deal with members whose beliefs contravene doctrine? • Examine how religion has historically been used as a justification for violence, whether over homosexuality or other issues such as abortion. Include an analysis of why some religions especially focus on the condemnation of homosexuality while downplaying other aspects of society that are similarly banned. • Distinguish religious beliefs from religious politics. • Explore different ways in which people disagree with moral and religious beliefs other than their own, e.g., divorce, polygamy, adultery, and dietary restrictions. Does the same level of demonization and violence exist in acknowledging these differences as does with the disagreement over homosexuality? Analyze the comparisons. Licensed to Kill Study Guide sample page. © 2004 DeepFocus Productions, Inc. Hate crimes legislation became a topic of national debate as a result of 8 the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming. Suggested Activities: • Find out whether or not your state has a “hate crime sentence enhancement law” — a law that provides the possibility of increasing