'Second Class Citizens,' Planned Gay Rights Movement Documentary, Clip Goes Viral (VIDEO)

Filmmaker Ryan James Yezak has launched an effort to raise funding for "Second Class Citizens," his planned documentary about the gay rights movement -- and based on a trailer's near-instant popularity in the blogosphere, the eventual feature-length film could be a smash hit.

The seven-minute clip blends historical footage with more recent news reports on gay teen suicides, marriage equality and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," along with snippets of Ellen Degeneres, Lady Gaga and "Modern Family."

"I want to make a documentary that encompasses all areas in which we are discriminated against," Yezak notes. "There is far too much hate directed towards our community and I want to capture that hate on camera. In addition, I want to explore where this hate comes from, why it continues to exist, and what we must do to get rid of it."

Yezak is seeking $50,000 dollars through crowd-funding to make the film, which has a total budget of $150,000.

To donate, please click here.

Comments

[Michael P Mitchell]

11:12 PM on 02/06/2012

I have some gay friends. I do not mind them as long as they do not touch me in that way. I used to have a very close friend who was gay and he was fun to be around with. He was like a father to me. I totally agree that gay people have rights, just like anyone else. They have feelings, just like anyone else does.

To the Christian fanatics, you should be asking God why gays exist!! You always preach that God created everything so God is the one you should ask!! Sorry that I had to take that route. I have never used God first in any of my comments, except for this one time. If you Christian fanatics claim that God LOVES everyone, it would also mean that he loves gay people as well!!

[USA90815]

08:14 PM on 01/28/2012

Second Class no more. Wake up America.

[Scott Wehler]

08:19 AM on 01/21/2012

This makes me tear up when I watch it because it's so true. Thank you very much for making it.

[Zriv123]

07:49 PM on 01/29/2012

I'll admit it... I cried.

[orion02]

10:28 PM on 01/20/2012

This clip gave me goose bumps. I havn't been this moved in quite a long time.

[nobody special]

07:38 PM on 01/20/2012

Wow. Feels like they're telling my life story in 6 minutes.

[Futuretrophywife]

03:32 PM on 01/20/2012

I wanted to cry ....... but being moved by a lgbt advocacy video wouldn't be "straight"

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the breathtaking and gorgeous Lady Gaga...... But having a crush on another girl wouldn't be "straight"

When I hear the "F" word at school (and not the fun "F" word) I clench my fists so tightly It leves tiny little crecents on my palms...... but standing up to homophobia wouldn't be "srtaight"

I am Bisexual..... those words have not yet passes my lips..... the tearstained lips of a closet case

[ideamaker]

02:30 PM on 01/21/2012

I'm proud to be your first fan.....

[ideamaker]

02:43 PM on 01/21/2012

I'm proud to be your first fan.....and hopefully, one day, you can be anyone's "trophy wife".

[newgirl1234]

01:58 PM on 01/20/2012

this video brought tears to my eyes. Being a straight female, I cannot personally say that I suffer this injustice. But I have friends that are near and dear to me who do... I hope this documentary gets made and that we finally open our eyes to acceptance. How dare anyone say that they are superior, or that being gay is wrong. It is never wrong to love.

[gdcforjustice]

08:49 AM on 01/20/2012

I find it interesting on how gays will destroy their "traditional marriage". Your Republican front runner, had how many wives? THe divorice rate for hetro's is 50%. But thats our fault! (the gays). The divorice rate is the highest in the deeply RELIGIOUS (lol) BIBLE BELT! But thats our fault! If any of you were serious, ban divorice, protect "traditional marriage". OH, its the gays fault, for all the hetro men beating their wives, neglecting to support their children, for trophy wives, serial adultry! Lets blame the gays, and not claim resposibility for something you destroyed long ago. Oh and FKLB, the millions upon millions of HETROSEXUAL AFRICANS, were not born with AIDS. Thats what they get, for choosing to be HETROSEXUAL.......RIGHT!

[LintLass]

09:29 PM on 01/20/2012

And of course the bigots find a 'Christian' excuse to elect him preseident anyway, while denying rights to all LGBT people on discredited claims we're 'not as moral.'

[fklb]

07:46 PM on 01/19/2012

The video mentions a ban on gay men donating blood...I worked in a welfare office and one of our clients received benefits due to a medical condition. The young man had AIDS. When I photocopied his driver's license for his file I noticed that he was an organ donor. I respectfully asked him to update his driver's license, but there was no follow through and I don't know if he ever did.
Regardless of whether he was "born gay" he certainly wasn't born with AIDS.
Extremely sad situation.

[Wendy Kroy]

01:00 PM on 01/21/2012

His organ donor status is precisely none of your business.

He's not answerable to some office clerk about his private affairs.

You should have been fired on the spot for talking to him that way.

[shirleyn48]

12:22 PM on 01/19/2012

THIS ISN'T ABOUT RIGHTS! Gay's can have all the rights they need with Civil Unions. It'a about gays wanting to change the definition of traditional marriage. We must put children first and over 90% are heterosexual so gay marriage would confuse them and cause needless experimentation. Give gay marriage a separate name like "gay marriage" or "rainbow marriage" and people will be happier to compromise. Many gays are bigoted against all religions and that isn't right either.

[Samnchgo]

01:30 PM on 01/19/2012

Shirley, civil unions don't carry the same rights as marriage. Under federal law, there are over 1,000 benefits which are prescribed to married people which are denied to those with civil unions. DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act prohibits the Federal Govt from recognizing any gay marriage or civil union. So civil unions are not the same.

Children first? This is always the argument put forth, but the facts don't support it. Explaining or allowing tolerance of gays doesn't increase experimentation or cause confusion. Children's minds are a lot more logical in many ways than they are given credit for. Besides, the overwhelming majority of child molesters are heterosexual (something in the neighborhood of 80%). Should we ban heterosexuality then?

Traditional marriage: until 1200 AD marriage wasn't recognized in the Church -- it was considered and earthly affair that wouldnt be recognized in heaven. Even then, it was still a transference of property (the woman being the property). Kings Solomon and David both had multiple wives. Bigamy wasn't declared illegal in the US until 1862. So you see, the definition of marriage has evolved greatly throughout history. By "traditional marriage" do you mean that women are property with no rights?

Yes, many gays have rejected religion; many haven't. But how would you feel if religion's message to you had been that you are evil, going to hell, sick, perverted, etc.? And, there are a lot of heterosexuals who don't buy into religion either -- that's not just a gay thing.

[Yeah-Me]

01:27 AM on 01/20/2012

F&F'd...

[MarionRavenwood]

01:45 PM on 01/19/2012

Shirley,

Let's also make sure that heterosexuals who are on their 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. marriage have separate names for those marriages too, since they aren't traditional either. (Just so kids don't get confused and are forced to engage in needless experimentation.)

[JenniferWest]

02:11 PM on 01/19/2012

Exactly right!

[LukeOlaf]

11:56 PM on 01/19/2012

Preach! :)

[gdcforjustice]

08:27 AM on 01/19/2012

We are just asking for the same rights, and to be left alone! Not everyone is going to like us! We do have the right to exist. I was bullied in High School, learned karate, started a club, then kicked some bxtt. I was never bulled again, and straight boys don't want their axxex kicked by a homosexual. They will never get a date, just bullied themselves, LOL. SOMEDAY, the truth will be revealed where AIDS really came from. Do the math everyone. First cases of AIDS started in 1979/80. Subtract 8 years(incubation period), and you get the Nixion Administration and their Bio-warfare division. They had to make White America safe from the Blacks and the Gays. Their "War on Cancer", we were the cancer. I have funny feeling Watergate was more that what they were telling us. He got caught and ratted on! The truth would of mean millions of lawsuits that would bankrupt this ...GREAT LAND OF FREEDOM. AIDS paranoia? Yeah sure, just look at all the horrible things this country has done, slavery, segragation, Jim Crow laws, Legal lynchings, un-lawful profit gaining wars, condoning gay bullying. Hate monger: Fred Phelps, Pat Robertson, Rick Santorum. Some have called for a out-right GAY GENOCIDE, in their presidential runs. Its 1933 Germany all over again.

[Samnchgo]

01:44 PM on 01/19/2012

Shirley, Please provide a statistic/fact for "most promiscuous people on earth." You can't. Because for every promiscuous gay you can put up, I can show you a heterosexual just as promiscuous.

AIDS spread in many communities. Not just gay. (The African American community has also been badly devastated -- are you saying we should outlaw black people?) Contrary to your hidden implication, God doesn't punish people with disease.

To say "Gays are Christianp­hobes and Bigots against All religions" is to paint with a very broad brush. If that were true there wouldn't be Catholic, Mormon, etc gay groups. There wouldn't be gay Christian churches (and there are).

"We have religious freedom in this country and Traditiona­l marriage should be left alone!" The RIGHT to marry isn't the same as the RITE of marriage. The right to marry is conferred by the state (the marriage license) -- not a church. The rite of marriage is the actual ceremony in a church. Various churches have different rules on marriage -- divorced people can't be married in a Catholic or Mormon church, for example. No one is saying by allowing gay marriage churches are going to be forced to perform the rite of marriage if it violates their teachings. As you say, we have "religious freedom," that means we have freedom from religion -- which means we don't live in a theocracy. If your church hates gay people, fine. That's your (sad) choice. The rest of us don't have to live by your

[WCWinner]

01:53 PM on 01/19/2012

Excuse me--are we forgetting about Africa?

[gdcforjustice]

08:03 AM on 01/19/2012

Keep fighting, the hetros are cowards!

[Mindbullet]

11:56 AM on 01/19/2012

wrongheaded comment. I don't need an ally like you.

[Celt Glen]

10:06 PM on 01/19/2012

Really? I do.

[SteveHansen]

09:13 PM on 01/18/2012

In Florida, my husband and I are still waiting for the legal right to be married in the state where we own our home and have our professional licenses. We cannot move. Yet, the state where we live considers us to be legal strangers to each other, even after more than 20 years.

[Celt Glen]

10:07 PM on 01/19/2012

I pity FL., always have. You all will never have Rights, never. Come on up to the PNW life is better here.

[rickhfx]

08:44 PM on 01/23/2012

As a legally married gay Canadian couple, when we winter in Florida, our second home, we are not even considered family by Florida law. But Florida loves to get our tax dollars.

[Ioan Lightoller]

09:39 PM on 01/24/2012

Fanned and faved."Love" how we're good enough to pay taxes but not good enough to marry.

My husband and I hope and pray that maybe we can get a residence visa in Canada. She'll be working on the American side so he won't be a worry to Canadian workers. We just want to get away from all this fascist stuff.

[Diana Scrimger]

02:49 PM on 01/18/2012

The movie that I am talking about does exist and it won 8 Academy Awards! The movie is now considered a classic. The movie is eve shown on Turner Classic Movies. Guess the movie that I am referring to!

[Ioan Lightoller]

09:40 PM on 01/24/2012

I don't know and frankly, I don't care.

[Balancement]

10:36 PM on 01/18/2012

Flagged once.