The decision to write this story and share it with the world was not made lightly. We knew there would be push back and ridicule because of the content, including in some cases from our own family and friends. The idea of homosexuality leading to depression and suicide is treated as taboo in the black community. Specifically, black women remain the highest diagnosed yet least treated for depression and often are expected to simply “get over it.” The biggest judgement coming in the form of their family and community of faith. LGBTQ people of color are 1.8 times more likely to experience sexual and/or physical violence than non people of color. It is because of these reasons that we felt compelled to tell this story.
16 Minutes is a short film that puts the viewer in the passenger seat with a young, black closeted woman as she relives the critical events in her life that led her to make the decision to commit suicide. The viewer is taken on an emotional journey of love, disappointment, betrayal and defeat as this young woman discovers love for the first time with another woman then has to contend with a stark christian family who disowns her for her choice. We watch as she tries to deny who she is and live the life her parents deem fit which only serves to cause her even more pain. She sees no other way out but to take her own life.
This is such an important story to tell because it's all to common in the black community for women to carry the burden of everything and show no signs of weakness. Suicide is not an open topic of discussion in the black community and while being gay is far more acceptable these days there is still a huge stigma in the black church regarding homosexuality.
We hope you join us in producing this film, so that we can showcase it in festivals across the country and bring awareness to such an important issue.
If you are unable to give, we ask that you simply share the Indiegogo link on your social media. You never know who in your online community could be impacted by this story...
Thanks so much for being a part of this journey with us.
XO
RowdyGunnshy Productions
(Traci & Cherhonda)