In West Virginia, the LGBT community remains hidden far too often. The stories of individuals facing employment discrimination as they work hard to earn a living, of couples struggling to take care of one another because they’re denied the freedom to marry, have been left untold for far too long.

The team at Fairness West Virginia is committed to telling these stories and bringing visibility to LGBT people in the Mountain State. That’s why they launched “Faces of Fairness” Film Tour. We connected with the team at Fairness WV to learn more about this exciting project.

Equality Federation: What did the “Faces of Fairness” Film Tour entail?
Fairness West Virginia: The tour highlights the original short film and photography exhibit, “Faces of Fairness” which features West Virginians who identify as LGBT and who speak openly about their experiences in the Mountain State. Other programming included special guest speakers, educational information, and group discussions on the many issues that face LGBT West Virginians such as: second-parent adoption rights, medical benefits, hospital visitation rights, employment and housing discrimination, advocacy and political representation, transgender rights and protections, marriage equality, and bullying.

EF: How did Fairness West Virginia come up with the idea to hold the “Faces of Fairness” Film Tour this past summer?
FWV: We started filming stories of LGBT West Virginians in the summer of 2012 and launched our first “Faces of Fairness” video in December of that year. The "Faces of Fairness" project received several thousand YouTube views and an outpouring of support from across the nation. We saw first hand that video production was a great tool for encouraging activism, so we knew it was time to take the film on the road to both large and small communities across the state.

West Virginia's 1.8 million citizens live, in most cases, in very rural communities. This means that reaching out across the state and building an online platform where stories of the LGBT community could be showcased was and remains a cornerstone of the work we do at Fairness West Virginia.

Today, we are really reaping the rewards of this work as our newest video “Faces of Fairness: A Case for Marriage” received more than 5,000 views in its first five days on YouTube.

EF: How were you able to gather LGBT West Virginians to participate in the film?
FWV: We are very lucky in that the LGBT community in the Mountain State is very interconnected and community-minded. Most of the participants in the film are active in both their local communities and in the statewide LGBT community.

The “Faces of Fairness” film is groundbreaking in that it’s the first time this type of project has ever been taken on in West Virginia, and everyone was excited to participate and work toward serious change in our state.

Since making the first film, we have created two additional "Faces of Fairness" follow up films, “Faces of Fairness: Employment and Housing Non-Discrimination,” which explores the critical need for workplace and housing protections for LGBT West Virginians, and most recently, “Faces of Fairness: A Case For Marriage,” which tells the story of a same-sex couple living in Huntington who are fighting for the freedom to marry in West Virginia.

EF: What other programs besides the film screening were provided at the events?
FWV: At its core, the "Faces of Fairness" project is about increasing the visibility of the LGBT community in West Virginia. The participants in the film were photographed as well as interviewed so that their stories could be told in multiple platforms. The result was an accompanying photography exhibit that displays the larger-than-life portraits and short biographies of the participants.

In addition to the film screening, Fairness provided panel discussions with local noteworthy community speakers and film participants. Lastly, we included guided group discussion in the tour programming to provide a forum for film tour attendees to tell their own stories about their experiences being LGBT in West Virginia.

EF: How many cities did it stop in? How many people attended the events?
FWV: The "Faces of Fairness" Film Tour stopped in 12 cities and towns across the Mountain State. During the seven week tour of West Virginia, we traversed the state. From the northern panhandle to the southern coal fields, from the Ohio River to the Potomac River, we drove over 3,500 miles from our location in West Virginia’s capital to reach as many supporters as possible. 

Nearly 400 West Virginians attended film screenings, and thousands more watched the video online. The impact of the tour went beyond screenings, prompting the mayor in Shepherdstown to declare our event day to be “Fairness West Virginia Institute Day.”

EF: What was the overall outcome of the film tour? How did the attendees respond?
FWV: We received an overwhelmingly positive response from supporters and allies as well as an overall increase in volunteer interest. After the conclusion of the tour, we heard from many supporters that they were sharing the film online with their friends and family as well as with their local representatives. Frequently, supporters and allies credit the film as a tool to open hearts and minds to the real lives of LGBT West Virginians. Over and over again, video production is proving to be an effective educational tool that can also inspire.

EF: How does this fit into the overall work being done at Fairness West Virginia?
FWV: We know that "Faces of Fairness" has worked to strengthen our educational efforts here in the state. We have incredible momentum in West Virginia for LGBT civil rights.

Due to the tireless effort of our supporters and volunteers, both US Senators from West Virginia voted for the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Also this fall, a federal lawsuit was filed by three families to secure the freedom to marry in West Virginia.

We have a lot of strong in-state leadership that wants to see an Employment and Housing Non-Discrimination Act passed here in West Virginia. The LGBT community in West Virginia is ready to effect serious change. These are all victories for Fairness West Virginia and the more than 57,000 LGBT West Virginians who live, love, and work in the Mountain State.

You can watch videos from the “Faces of Fairness” Film Tour here.

Thank you to the team at Fairness West Virginia for working to increase the visibility of the LGBT community in their state!