The Freedom to Marry is a powerful documentary film that tells the story of the long fight for marriage equality in the United States. The film explores how three key players in this fight - Evan Wolfson, Mary Bonauto, and April DeBoer - worked tirelessly for years to convince politicians, judges, and the American public that same-sex marriage should be recognized as a basic human right.
The movie begins with a brief historical overview of the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights in America in the decades leading up to the fight for marriage equality. We learn about the Stonewall riots and other seminal events that helped pave the way for the movement that would eventually achieve this crucial goal.
From there, the film focuses on the three individuals who were instrumental in the fight for marriage equality. First up is Evan Wolfson, a Harvard Law School graduate who, in the early 1990s, began working on a legal brief arguing that same-sex couples should have the right to marry. He would spend the next two decades pushing this idea forward, building a coalition of supporters and laying the groundwork for a nationwide movement.
Mary Bonauto is the second key player we meet in the film, and she is perhaps best known for arguing the landmark case that led to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts in 2003. Bonauto is a brilliant lawyer who, like Wolfson, spent years fighting for the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals even in the face of enormous opposition.
Finally, we meet April DeBoer, a nurse from Michigan who, along with her partner Jayne Rowse, became the face of the fight for marriage equality in that state. DeBoer and Rowse had fostered and adopted several children together, but they were unable to marry under Michigan law, which explicitly prohibited same-sex marriage. They sued the state, and their case eventually made its way to the Supreme Court.
Throughout the film, we see how these three individuals worked tirelessly to build a coalition of supporters and to convince the American public that same-sex marriage was a basic right that should be recognized. We see them strategizing with other advocates and scholars, delivering speeches and presentations, and dealing with setbacks and obstacles along the way.
One of the most compelling aspects of the film is its focus on the personal stories of the people involved in the movement for marriage equality. We hear from couples who were unable to marry, from parents and siblings of LGBTQ+ individuals, and from a range of advocates and activists who joined the fight for this crucial issue. These stories help to demonstrate the impact that the fight for marriage equality had on millions of Americans, and the ways in which it changed the course of American history.
Overall, The Freedom to Marry is a powerful and moving tribute to the individuals who fought for and won this crucial human rights battle. The filmmakers do an excellent job of weaving together personal stories, legal arguments, and historical context to create a picture of the fight for marriage equality that is both informative and emotionally resonant. This film is a must-see for anyone interested in LGBTQ+ rights, social justice, and the power of grassroots activism to effect change.
The Freedon To Marry is a 2017 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 26 minutes.
It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.1 and a MetaScore of 67.
