Mama Bears

Mama Bears (2022) was directed by Daresha Kyi. It's a documentary about Christian parents who struggle with the fact that their children are LGBTQ.

We all know--from movies and from life--that many Evangelical Christians struggle when they learn that their children are LGBTQ. Often the children are rejected. That could mean sending them for "conversion therapy," or literally rejected--forcing them to leave the home.

The children themselves struggle when their sexual orientation isn't tolerated within the church. They want to be Christians, but they are trapped when their religion excludes them. Often that means that they leave the church. Loving parents must choose between their faith and their children.

Mama Bears is an organization of people who are evangelical Christians, but refuse to give up their faith or reject their children. The organization works to promote Christian love and acceptance over Christian hate and rejection.

It takes bravery to be a Mama Bear, and the vignettes and interviews that we see in the film make that clear. The group tries to bridge the gap between their faith and their love for their children who are LGBTQ.

I had never hear of Mama Bears, and was very glad to have seen this movie. Not only do I admire the members, but I admire director Kyi for making this powerful and useful film.

We saw this movie as part of Rochester's wonderful ImageOut LGBTQ Film Festival. The movie has a solid IMDb rating of 7.7. I thought that it was even better than that, and rated it 9.

It's a wonderful work, a wonderful art. If the populace, all at once, watched this film together, then the world would instantly be made better, kinder.

My wife & I were lucky enough to see Mama Bears at the Traverse City Film Festival last evening. What a wonderful & enlightening documentary that shows the bravery of Christian parents who find their children are LGBTQ in some fashion. Mama Bears is a "network of groups, websites, special projects & resources dedicated to supporting, educating and empowering parents of LGBTQ kids and the LGBTQ community". This fascinating film follows professing Christian parents or LGBQT individuals who struggle with a faith which often condemns their children and themselves. For all of them, their faith is very important but the reality of their own or their child's biology cannot be denied. As one parent said, when science and faith are contradictory then one needs to re-examine both to find the truth.

To me, the most fascinating and educational individual in the film is Kai Shappley who was born as a male but told her mother Kimberly at the age of 2 1/2 that she was a girl. With incredible wisdom, Kimberly allowed her to express her femaleness and by the time we see her she is a beautiful, intelligent and not-so-little-in-wisdom girl going to grade school in Texas. The travails of Kai and her mother as the deal with Texas's bathroom bills etc. Is heartbreaking, even thought they ultimately come out victorious. Of course the Gov. Abbott of Texas is still trying to make living in Texas near impossible for trans children.

Another admirable person followed by the film is Sara Cunningham, the Christian mother of a gay son. She started Free Mom Hugs, an organization that does just what its name says at Gay Pride parades and other events across the nation. Jesus said the world would know Christians by their love and these people exemplify those words.

DIrector Daresha Kyi was present for the Q&A and said the film would eventually be shown on PBS's Independent Lens so the general public can see it. She is goin g to screen the film in churches hoping to broaden their congregants views and help to find acceptance and love. And she is hopeful (but not very optimistic) that even Texas Governor Abbott will view it.

We do not all have the blessing to know the journey of individuals that are usually rejected by the church, and the journey of their parents. This documentary gives us the best opportunity to have a glimpse into the lives of real people and their experiences. Whether you agree or disagree with the topics presented here, the film does a great job at presenting us with realities, with the struggles and difficulties most people miss to lead us to self reflection whether you are a person of faith or not. The weaving of the stories and the topic is brilliant and real. This is a movie all faith leaders should watch and also all individuals that are influenced by any faith.