Desert Pride Newsletter
"I Can't Marry You" Promises To Be a Powerful Film Event

The Desert Pride Center is proud to have been chosen as one of thirty gay centers around the country that will play host to the screening of the film, I Can't Marry You, directed and produced by Catherine Gray, a passionate spokeswoman for the gay marriage cause. Gray will be present at a benefit screening of the film to be held at the Camelot Theatre at 7:30 pm on April 22. Her film profiles the lives of 20 gay and lesbian couples who have been together from 10 to 55 years. "I just think it's amazing that these people have been together as long as they have without being married," says the filmmaker. "That's a real testimony to their love and their commitment." "I started this before this was even a big issue, and people kind of thought, 'This isn't going to happen. Are you crazy? That's really left field. And the next thing they knew, a year later, it's on the cover of Newsweek and part of the presidential debate. It's a real issue today."

Through personal contacts, press releases, and the Internet, Gray located 20 gay and lesbian couples in long-term relationships that form the heart of the film. She also interviewed gay activists - including civil rights attorney Evan Wolfson, one of the most visible advocates for same-sex marriage. The film's narrator is Ellen's morn, Betty DeGeneres, who Gray met while working to launch a gay cable channel in Florida.

"My feeling was that if we could educate our own community, and we could educate non-gay people as to really how bad this discrimination is, how this really is a civil right that only gay Americans don't have, then they would understand why it's so important to make this happen. I think there are a lot of gay people out there going, 'Oh, we don't really need that,' or 'That's really a straight thing.* It has nothing to do with anything except that it's their legal rightsand benefits and protections like any other American, and to not have that is just blatant discrimination. Not to say that they have to exercise it, but to say that you don't even want it is just absolutely ridiculous.To me, that just says well then you don't understand what it is you're not getting."

" I Can't Marry You" addresses the 1,049 federal rights, benefits and protections that are not available to same-sex couples because of their inability to legally marry, and the current challenges to that ban."It's funny, they talk about, 'We don't want to give special rights,' and yet they'll give us special rights like domestic partnerships," Gray says. "We wouldn't need all those special rights if we had marriage,"

The goal of the fundraiser is to raise money to help fund the educational process on the topic of gay marriage as well as funds for the Desert Pride Center. A portion of the funds will go toward sending copies of the film to every member of the U.S. Congress and Senate, as well as to purchase national television airtime to educate larger audiences.

In addition to the film, the event features opening comments from comedian Danny Williams honoring all gay couples in the audience and featuring selected Valley couples that have been in relationships of 5 to 55 years and a post-film Q&A session with Catherine Gray.

A pre-film wine and hors d'oeuvre reception is planned at 6:30 pm on the second level reception area of the Camelot to honor local gay and lesbian couples in long-term relationships. Tickets for the reception are $10 or complimentary for $100 ticket holders. Event ticket prices at S25, $50 and $100 vary according to seating and special gift offerings.

Tickets are only available at the Desert Pride Center on a limited basis for this one-night performance. This is a must see film and event that you won't want to miss! Plan to bring your family and friends to the "I Can't Marry You " fundraiser on April 22. Tickets are limited and selling quickly, so drop by the Center today or order by phone using MasterCard or Visa at (760) 327-2313.

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