Family Fundamentals

Arthur Dong continues to explore homophobia and its consequences in a sequel of sorts to 1997's LICENSED TO KILL, which took a troubling look at hate-driven murders of gay men and the attitudes that facilitate such crimes. Here, Dong takes a look at homophobia of the homegrown variety, specifically the anti-homosexual discourse often heard within fundamentalist Christian families. Dong profiles three conservative religious family relationships, two biological and the third a surrogate father-son bond between a congressman and his protégé. All preach a doctrine of intolerance, and all are distinguished by the fact that each family unit includes at least one ...