This short film follows Blue, a non-binary teen struggling to come out to their parents. Blue's father is a locally elected conservative official who, with the support of Blue's mother, is preparing to endorse an anti-LGBTQIA+ bill. With the help of their friend, they find the courage to tell their parents their pronouns and that they would like to be called Blue moving forward. This announcement shocked their parents; however, in the end, their parents decided not to vote for the bill.
[gentle, slow music]
[Ash speaking] No, you gotta say something. I can't believe you haven't said a word to them yet.
[Blue speaking] I mean, you out of all people should know how hard this is.
[Ash speaking] This doesn't affect you only anymore. It affects all of us. You have to be true to yourself. Tell them, say something. You're Blue, and your pronouns are they/them/theirs.
[Blue speaking] [breath exhaling] My name's Blue, and my pronouns are they/them/theirs.
[Ash speaking] Again!
[Blue speaking] My name's Blue, and my pronouns are they/them/theirs.
[Ash speaking] One more time, but put some emphasis on it.
[Blue speaking] My name is Blue, and my pronouns are they/them/theirs.
[Ash speaking] Yes, honey! Perfect.
[Newspaper rustles]
[Father speaking] Listen to this. State Senator Chapman is one of the leading voices in support of this anti-LGBTQ bill. Conservatives are confident they have the numbers for the vote. [father and mother laughing] The conservatives are confident.
[Blue speaking to self] I've got to say something.
[Blue speaking] Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you.
[Mother speaking] I know you're not wearing that. Your dress is hanging up on the door,
[Blue speaking] But I want to.
[Mother speaking] No, Joanna, you can't go there looking like a tomboy. Today's your dad's big day, the media will be there. We have to look presentable, like the Obamas. [mother and father laughing]. Oh, anyway. What did you wanna tell us?
[Blue speaking] Oh.
[Blue speaking to self] I can do this. My new name is Blue, and my preferred pronouns are they/them/theirs.
[Blue speaking] That I'm taking an AP history class.
[Blue speaking to self] I'm such a coward.
[Mother speaking] That's my girl.
[Blue speaking to self] I'm not a girl, or a boy.
[Mother speaking] Go change. We're leaving soon.
[gentle, slow music]
[Blue speaking to self] I am dressed for my own funeral.
[door knocking and footsteps tapping]
[Mother speaking] Hmm, let's put a little makeup on your face.
[Blue speaking] No, Mom.
[Mother speaking] Oh, it's just a touch of makeup. It's not gonna hurt you. Do it for the cameras. Do it for your Dad. It's his special day.
[Makeup case rattling]
[Mother speaking] Oh, you have pretty eyes. They're just like my eyes. Look at those lashes. People would kill for those. Now the lipstick. You ready? Oh yeah, this one.
[Mother making kissing sounds]
[Mother speaking] Okay. A little powder [mother laughing] Look at that. I should have been a makeup artist. Sometimes I forget how pretty you could be. Let me see what your dad's doing.
[Makeup case rattling]
[gentle music])
[Mother speaking] Look at her.
[Father speaking] You look like a princess.
[Mother singing] Isn't she lovely… Isn't she wonderful
[Mother speaking] Isn't she precious? This is the Joanna I want to see more often.
[Blue speaking to self] Joanna is dead.
[Mother speaking] Let me take a photo.
[Blue speaking] No.
[Mother speaking] Yes, yes, yes. I wanna capture this. Are you still practicing that speech? How many times are you gonna go over this?
[Father speaking] Well, I feel it's missing something. I need to make sure that my constituents are aware of why I'm supporting this L-G, whatever it is. The LGBT Bill.
[Blue speaking] LGBTQIA+.
[Father speaking] Okay. That's it. The L-G-B-T-Q bill. I need my constituents to understand why I'm strongly supporting it.
[Mother speaking] Well, you don't have to worry about your constituents. That large donation you made to the Church of Solomon. Pastor Smith has mobilized all the members. They've been going door to door. You're good. Come November, you're going to have the biggest votes.
[Father speaking] Okay, here it is [clears throat] I stand here before you to proudly cast my vote for this bill. This bill will protect the sanctity of marriage. I am a man of God, and I'll go with God's word. In the Bible, God said marriage...
{Blue speaking to self] He doesn't even go to church.
[Father continuing speech] Not a woman and a woman, or a man and a man. After all, God said Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve [mother and father laughing]. God decides who is a man and who is a woman. We don't get to decide. We can't just wake up one day and decide that we are male. Can a chicken decide one day that it's now an eagle?
Mother speaking] Ooh.
[Father speaking] No!
[Mother speaking] Ooh, I like that. Amen [mother and father laughing] I do.
[Father continuing speech] As your state senator, I promised my constituents to stand for them and their values. I will proudly cast my vote for this bill.
[Mother speaking] [hands clapping] It's good. It's good.
[Father speaking] Joanna, what do you think?
[gentle, slow music]
[Blue speaking] It was okay.
[Blue speaking to self] Lies. It was all horrible.
[Father speaking] Just okay?
[Blue speaking] I mean, it was good, I guess.
[Father speaking] [clearing throat] Well, we have to leave. If we leave any later, the traffic will be insane. Vote's in a few hours.
[Mother speaking] Okay. [footsteps tapping]
[Traffic humming]
[Father speaking] What's wrong?
[Blue speaking] I can't let you do this.
[Father speaking] Do what?
[Blue speaking] Dad? Your vote.
[Father speaking] What about my vote?
[Blue speaking] Dad, this bill you support is against people like me. If you vote for this bill, you vote against me and my humanity.
[Mother speaking] Joanna, what are you talking about?
[Blue speaking] I am part of the LGBTQ+ community. I'm non-binary. My chosen name is Blue. My pronouns are they/them/theirs.
[Mother speaking] Oh Lord, Blue? What kind of name is that? Next you're gonna say Yellow. We named you after your grandmother, a proud Afro-Latino woman. Ugh. Don't tell me you're one of these crazy teenagers who keep changing their pronouns, and why are you doing this today of all days? Why?
[Blue speaking] Dad, if you vote for this bill, it will be an assault towards people like me.
[Father speaking] You don't know what you're talking about. You're too young.
[Blue speaking] I'm 17. I know who I am, and what I am. I am non-binary. I don't feel like I'm male nor female.
[Mother speaking] Oh my God, non-binary? This is crazy talk. You're either born male or female, period.
[Blue speaking] This is about what you want. Not what I want. I felt suffocated. I want a say in my own life. You guys are ignoring it my whole life. I don't like dresses, you still make me wear them. You guys choose it for me. I don't choose it for myself.
[Mother speaking] Watch your mouth.
[Blue speaking] No, I watch my mouth my whole life. I watch it to where I feel suffocated. I can't breathe anymore. Dad, if you do this, if you cast this vote, it will kill me. Would you rather have a dead child than a happy one?
[Mother speaking] And where do you think you're going, young lady? Joanna?
[Blue speaking] I'm not answering to Joanna anymore. My name's Blue. My pronouns are they/them/theirs [footsteps tapping]
[Gentle music]
[Blue speaking] Hey, Ash? Yeah. Yeah, I told 'em. Yeah. Come meet me by the park. I'll definitely tell you more about it. Okay.
[Phone buzzing]
[Mother speaking] It's Congressman Rollins. You've got to say something to them.
[gentle music]
[Mother sighs]
[Phone buzzing]
[Mother speaking] It's Pastor Smith. Are you going to answer it?
[phone thuds and footsteps tapping]
[gentle music]
[Ash speaking] Look, at least you finally did it. It was about damn time. How do you feel?
[Blue speaking] I mean, I feel lighter, like I could fly.
[Ash speaking] Are you worried?
[Blue speaking] Well, I'll probably be living on the streets from now on, but I'll definitely be happier.
[Ash speaking] Look, you're my fam. You can crash in my place while you figure things out. You know my mom and pops are cool.
[birds singing]
[Ash speaking] Damn, yo. Kimmy just sent me this, look. The conservative anti-LGBTQ bill is now considered dead on arrival. According to some political insiders, the state senator has committed political suicide with this decision, but this is a victory for the LGBTQ community who had fought and lobbied against this bill for months. Look at me. You did this.
[Blue speaking] I did that!
[hands slapping]
[gentle music]
[Ash speaking] All right, let's go.
[Blue speaking] Okay. (gentle music)
[Uplifting music and film credits]
[music fades]