outLoud radio's "Glasnost" is one girl's story of coming out to her parents - and her parents' response to a very confusing and unfamiliar situation. The story starts out bluntly, as we hear the teen narrator rehearsing what she'll tell her parents: "Mom, Dad...I'm gay." Soon after, we join her in the kitchen, as she tries to get up the nerve to tell her parents, a situation we've all been in (what teen hasn't freaked out about telling their parents something?). Predictably, our narrator's parents are none too happy at first.
The most rewarding and enjoyable part of the story is watching (or hearing) the parents grow and accept their daughter for who she is. The piece ends by coming full circle - somewhere in the middle, the narrator's mom wistfully dreams about seeing her daughter on her wedding day, happily standing next to a groom in a suit. The big "payoff" for me was at the very end of the piece. The narrator brings her new girl friend home to meet Mom and Dad, who are...thrilled to see their daughter so happy.
"Glasnost" is the type of story that can very easily turn into a cliche, but the narrator and producers skillfully avoid being trite or overly sentimental, and even the most intense moments in the story are told with humor and grace. This piece would fit well in a number of formats, but a magazine-type show about teen relationships or GLBTQ issues would be most effective.
Review of Glasnost
Emily Raymond
Posted on March 12, 2006 at 07:32 AM
outLoud radio's "Glasnost" is one girl's story of coming out to her parents - and her parents' response to a very confusing and unfamiliar situation. The story starts out bluntly, as we hear the teen narrator rehearsing what she'll tell her parents: "Mom, Dad...I'm gay." Soon after, we join her in the kitchen, as she tries to get up the nerve to tell her parents, a situation we've all been in (what teen hasn't freaked out about telling their parents something?). Predictably, our narrator's parents are none too happy at first.
The most rewarding and enjoyable part of the story is watching (or hearing) the parents grow and accept their daughter for who she is. The piece ends by coming full circle - somewhere in the middle, the narrator's mom wistfully dreams about seeing her daughter on her wedding day, happily standing next to a groom in a suit. The big "payoff" for me was at the very end of the piece. The narrator brings her new girl friend home to meet Mom and Dad, who are...thrilled to see their daughter so happy.
"Glasnost" is the type of story that can very easily turn into a cliche, but the narrator and producers skillfully avoid being trite or overly sentimental, and even the most intense moments in the story are told with humor and grace. This piece would fit well in a number of formats, but a magazine-type show about teen relationships or GLBTQ issues would be most effective.