Hello friends, supporters, activists and interested parties -

My name is Thomas Gibson, the director of a documentary currently in development titled End of the Rainbow. My production partners – Tom Bellos and Sherry Harris – and I have produced programs for various networks all over the world. Through my many travels abroad, I have encountered wide-ranging culture differences from nation to nation; each of them has broadened my horizons, some of them have shaken me to my core. Through my long stay in South Africa, I learned about an ongoing practice called “Corrective Rape” that left me so shocked that I had no choice but to do something about it.

WHAT IS “CORRECTIVE RAPE” AND WHY DID WE DECIDE TO WORK ON THIS TOPIC?

In South Africa and other lands, conformity is not merely a suggestion -- it may be the only thing that keeps you alive. Corrective Rape involves the terrifying and lewd practice of raping lesbians, or women suspected of being so, in order to attempt to “right” their homosexuality, and switch them to being heterosexual. Through our research of this violent cultural phenomenon, our entire production team realized that we could no longer idly watch this happen from the sidelines. We decided to make a difference with our next project.

End Of The Rainbow is an electric, true-to-life documentary on the practice that has become known as corrective rape - investigating the true, but shocking movement to “cure” women of their homosexual orientation.  Through our film we will put a spotlight on this topic for the world to finally see this tragic practice. With your support, we will provide universities, colleges and libraries across the world a film that will be a learning tool to help educate people about the effect these atrocities have on many lives.

This pervasive custom has long been hidden from the eyes of most in the world, leaving these women in trepidation and for many to die in vain. In many instances, the women are murdered; all of them are scarred for life. The practice is so prevalent throughout the country that many women are fearful for their lives and will not venture out alone at night. Because violence against women is so common, they are legally allowed to run stoplights. In general terms, the legal system has turned a blind eye toward many cases because of what many believe to be cultural intolerance of the gay and lesbian community. 

COULD YOU IMAGINE A SOCIETY SO VIOLENT TOWARD WOMEN THAT THEY’RE LEGALLY ALLOWED TO RUN RED STOPLIGHTS?

I lived in both Los Angeles and a suburb of Johannesburg (Parkhurst), South Africa from 2007 to 2011.  During that time, I became very acquainted with the homophobic undercurrent in the African nation.  So, I started talking to women who had become victims of corrective rape.  I saw and heard shocking tales from women in all parts of the country.

I will reveal in the feature-length documentary End of the Rainbow how the corrective rape of lesbians has become increasingly common. It is practiced in several nations, including Thailand, Ecuador, Jamaica, El Salvador and Zimbabwe, but nowhere is it as prevalent as in South Africa, where the term originated (although instances of corrective rape have even been reported even in Canada and the United States).

HELP STOP THE WAR ON WOMEN’S BODIES

This evocative film will also shed light on specific cases, including the life and demise of Eudy Simelane. Eudy was a vocal equal rights activist, a midfielder on South Africa’s women’s national soccer team, and was one of the first South African women to live openly as a lesbian. Despite her notoriety, in 2008, Eudy was gang-raped, tortured and brutally murdered in her hometown of Kwa-Thema in South Africa. After a lengthy in-depth investigation and trial, two of her four accused assailants were ultimately convicted. Although the case raised awareness of the prevalent problem, a larger cultural and sociological disconnect still exists and has even reinforced the views held by some perpetrators and their supporters. Currently, reported cases are still often swept under the rug.

End of the Rainbow will include in-depth interviews with victims who have experienced the horrific ordeal known as corrective rape and lived to tell about it, delving into cases in South Africa, Thailand, El Salvador, and Jamaica. Statistics show on a weekly basis more than 10 lesbians are either raped or gang-raped in Cape Town, South Africa alone. End Of The Rainbow will also focus on the betrayal of family members and close associates of the victims. In many corrective rape cases, the violent act is given approval by members of the woman’s family, or the local community at large.

We will also give attention to the charities and organizations set up to help abused women handle the physical and emotional complications stemming from these attacks. One such charity, Luleki Sizwe, will provide an insiders look into what is and what isn’t being done to help lesbian women that have been raped.

THE IMPACT

·  Your participation will help raise awareness to end a practice that has done harm to women throughout Africa and other countries that have experienced this form of hatred.

·  The producers of this film collectively have more than 40 years experience producing bold, insightful and revealing documentary films. We have international production and distribution experience and contacts within the respective countries that will allow us access and an insider’s view to a growing problem. We’ll be able to bring this horrifying problem to the forefront on a wide scale.

·  By helping us complete the film, you will be instrumental in helping the world become more tolerant and less violent towards others who happen to be different.

THE FILMMAKERS

Funds raised through this IndieGoGo campaign will help the production team complete the film and share the story with the world. Here’s a little background info on us:

I’m Thomas Gibson, the President of Lapdog Entertainment, and I’ve been a documentary filmmaker for over 15 years.  My first documentary Bloody Island earned numerous awards and the attention of E! True Hollywood Stories, who hired me as a producer for the series. I later went on to direct Letter to the President, an award-winning political documentary collaboration with Quincy Jones III and Russell Simmons; and Kiss and Tail: The Hollywood Jump-off, which aired on Showtime Networks.  In addition, I have written, produced and directed numerous music documentaries that have been distributed worldwide. I have won awards for my independent documentaries including a NAACP Award. The programs have aired on Showtime, E! Networks, Fuse, BET, STARZ, Channel 4, SABC South Africa and Australia XYZ. 

My producing partner Tom Bellos has been writing and producing top-rated television series for NBC, FOX, VH1, E! Networks, Discovery, TLC, History, and more, for over a decade. His TV production credits in nonfiction and documentary series include E! True Hollywood Story, The Apprentice, Monster House, VH1 News Presents: Michael Jackson's Secret Childhood, The History of the Joke, and the Dr. Phil show, among others. In 2010, Tom segued into feature film producing with the indie release Ricky, winning Best Comedy at the 2011 Beverly Hills Film, TV and New Media Festival. Bellos is a graduate of the University of Missouri-St. Louis and is an active member of the Producers Guild of America.

YOU CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE!

We hope you feel the same urgency that we do in telling this story. Please contribute to our efforts. Of course, there are perks for your contributions; but, more importantly, you can help make a positive change by participating. In addition, you can help get others involved by forwarding our link on social media platforms. We want to get the word out, so please tell your friends about our project.

Take action…and thanks for your support.

Respectfully,

Thomas Gibson