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WATCH: What It's Like to Be LGBT in Colombia

WATCH: What It's Like to Be LGBT in Colombia

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Discover what coming out and fending off homophobia looks like for LGBT Columbians in these clips.

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Two new clips from a French documentary film called The World According to Homophobes aim to shine a light on the experience of LGBT Colombians.

In the first clip, Colombians speak openly and honestly about their struggles coming out and being accepted by friends and family members. A young woman tearfully reflects on her mother and aunt telling her she need an exorcism, and threatening to throw the cat her girlfriend gave her out the window.

One young man recounts enduring "ex-gay therapy" at the age of 15, describing how his mother took him to a Christian doctor, who played gay porn on a screen while electrodes were attached to the then-teenager's genitals.

"If you had any type of reaction watching these types of films, they launched a shock," he recalls. "It wasn't anything brutal. But it was a kind of treatment to teach you not to be like that."

The World According to Homophobes, produced by Emmanuelle Schick Garcia, "is filmed in four countries, exploring the perceived gender roles, superstitions, and sexual experiences of a variety of homophobes seeking to uncover the role shame plays in shaping a homophobic view of sex," according to a press release announcing the film.

While Garcia was filming in Colombia, the crew worked with the local LGBT community and La Casita de Godot in an effort to capture the authentic experiences of a community struggling for visibility in a country that is moving toward acceptance of same-sex unions, but still facing staggering rates of anti-LGBT discrimination, violence, and youth suicide rates.

The second clip features the same Colombians featured in the first segment, this time reading homophobic tweets and responding to them.

"I have nothing against gay people, but if I'm in public and I see two men hold hands or some shit I want to vomit," a young gay man reads from a tweet.

"If you want to be respected, respect me," the young man replies. "I deserve the same respect as you and any other person in the world.

Watch both clips below, and learn more about the film at its Facebook or IndieGogo pages.

Ser LGBT en Colombia - To Be LGBT in Colombia from JPS Films on Vimeo.

Tweets homofobicos leidos por LGBT de Colombia from JPS Films on Vimeo.

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Sunnivie Brydum

Sunnivie is the managing editor of The Advocate, and an award-winning journalist whose passion is covering the politics of equality and elevating the unheard stories of our community. Originally from Colorado, she and her spouse now live in Los Angeles, along with their three fur-children: dogs Luna and Cassie Doodle, and "Meow Button" Tilly.
Sunnivie is the managing editor of The Advocate, and an award-winning journalist whose passion is covering the politics of equality and elevating the unheard stories of our community. Originally from Colorado, she and her spouse now live in Los Angeles, along with their three fur-children: dogs Luna and Cassie Doodle, and "Meow Button" Tilly.