I'm Coming Out!

 

As some of you might have noticed, we have been talking to some sweet Ladies from DIVA mag and from CBC Canada...(Hi girls!)

One question that was common to both interviews was the question of why.

 

Why Jemma? I mean..how would you answer that if the person on the other end of the line is paying a horrendous amount of money for that phone call?Meaning: Limit yourself to a few sentences!!!

 

Why? Why all the trouble, all the work, all the love? And why ,of all things, this obscure little soap on German television?

 

Because I don't have the feeling I'm watching a gay show.

 

I'm not a Lesbian watching two Lesbian teenagers fall in love..but it's just me--and it's just them..and it's just love--and it's just difficult.

It's difficult because of issues that I know all too well...

 

Like Coming Out!

 

Now Emma, who has dealt in terms of "Normal" and who didn't even want to be "Special"..shy, dorky Emma...Emma who has screamed at an unfaithful Jenny, that she "even meant to come out" for her. Emma who doesn't know what or who she is. Emma...puppy Emma. Emma who is everything, that Jenny is not, proves, that she has the heart of a Lion, and gets up in front of the whole school and kisses her girlfriend. Perfect cliffhanger.

 

But now, let me get back to why I love this show:

Emma sings and dances..and my heart beats double time with hers in her anxiety. But it doesn't do so, because I'm afraid, that Jenny will split  up with her if she doesn't...even though that storyline would have been soap opera standard...She doesn't do so, because she feels threatened or blackmailed by anyone,either..but because she has had an epiphany about cherishing the things one loves, and she gets up on that pile of books and kisses Jenny because she wants to - out of the bottom of her heart. She gives everyone an opportunity to go ahead and point a finger at her and say: Lesbo! and Dyke! and everything Bodo mentioned to her earlier..but she does it anyways..because this is important to her..something that needs to be done.. Jenny has awakened a part of herself, that cannot be denied any longer. Like a giant wave that comes rushing in to shore to carry her out into the ocean (it's a Rilke allusion, by the way,at least I think it is..).

 

Coming Out is about making yourself very, very vulnerable..about making something very private very public, and giving people the opportunity to form an opinion about you based on things that are absolutely none of their business. You give people an opportunity to hate you, to despise you and to loathe you.To recognize you as "not normal" and to mark you.

 

It's a tricky, tricky business..and yet, I must tell you, that, even though I'm not from London, I'm from glorious and fantastic Berlin, I have met and even loved a few people who did not manage to face up to this challenge. Why should one anyways? What is the purpose in life? Now, I'm not getting overly philosophical here, Emma has just had a near death experience involving the accident, so go all Timo on me:

Tell me, what is the purpose of life?

 

To live unharmed and unscathed? Or to live boldly and truthfully? Maybe even happily? A life full of love?

 

With all the markings and the burden, and what not that I just mentioned, those about to come out usually forget what there is to gain.

Love by another, maybe..but also love for yourself. Above all, love for yourself. And therefore to come out doesn't necessarily mean standing up on a pile of books in front of a whole school, but to look in the mirror, and say it to yourself. Be truthful,and admit to yourself:

I am gay.

And learn to be proud of who you are. It's a long and a hard process. And one of the hardest things any of us will ever do or have ever done.

 

Now, why I love thie show?

 

It's all summed up in the first minutes of episdoe 177. Emma...lovely, dorky, sweet Emma faces about every single one of her demons...and the whole school applauds her. It wasn't about her being gay, but about her being brave. And about them being sweet together. Well, that and their fabulous singing and dancing and making out. And damn it...that scene was just so wonderful, and positive. After watching ten years of secret lesbian relationships and kisses on TV, that always, somehow implied that it was "wrong" or "different" to fall in love with another girl, I almost cried when everyone kept applauding Jenny and Emma and remarking on what a beautiful couple they were.

 

And to top it all off, like it wasn't the most gay positive show in the universe, or in an effort to really make me cry, Hand aufs Herz featured Jemma in their fake online Pestalozzi School Blog The "Lozzy Flur Funk" as "The New Dream Couple".(Translation is attached to the end of this blog. But read on first ;) )

 

If that isn't worth a celebration, I don't know what is!

 

Now, that's my cue, to be getting back to the more unserious bussiness of this medium!

 

A little over a week ago, I hopscotched over to Hamburg to report from the soap awards. That was a twofold experience to put it mildly, you'll find out more about it here. What I noticed however, or believed to be noticing, was that the girls (Kasia and Lucy) were looking for you. Now, they're working like crazy, on their set at the end of nowhere and probably don't get as much feedback as one would think (Franciska Friede described it to us a little bit).

 

So, we from Jemmainternational decided to step it up a bit and get interactive. Help you guys show Lucy and Kasia and the Hand aufs Herz people that you're out there and a bit of who you are. It's super nice for us  to be hearing so much from you, but I think they need to hear from you, too! They need to hear from you more! They just need to see and hear you!

 

To celebrate Emma's Coming Out, and to show some presence, we're initiating a "Send Emma a Coming Out Card" Campaign. Honestly, I think there are not enough opportunities seized for that particular occasion, and I have no problem sending a fictional character a congratulory card. Nope, none at all. It's a good opportunity to say Hi! and Thanks! at the same time! (Without having to pour your heart out into a letter or an email!) You'll find the necessary info here.

 

Ahaand, you don't like letters or cards in this digital age, who sends letters nowadays anyways(?)...and yet want to say Hi! or Jemma! in person, Juno is eagerly awaiting your submissions for a video that features..You!  You'll find more info here.  Let's flashmob them! We're totally good at this! Well practiced!

 

Also Juno put up Number four of the Jemma Starter Kit for you. Not a mission impossible at all. You can find it here -> 'Evolution Kit'

 

Now, last but not least..(is anyone still even reading this?) I'd like to thank our gorgeous and fantastic translatresses from all over. Do yourself the favor and watch the episodes on the Hand aufs Herz site over and over...because they will be gone after a week! And it's testphase time after all. Despite that, girls from all over, got into our crazy ship and sailed through the week with numerous translations of the full episodes! Isn't t that just absolutely awesome?

 

I can only say, you girls rock! It's such a pleasure, to be sailing with all of you!

amidola

 

 P.S.: Happy Pride, wherever you are! And take the links to the Mail and Video campaign and spread them to all your Jemmafriends.

Attachment:

 

Lozzi- Flur Funk - English

Jenny + Emma = Dream Couple

Dear Lozzys,
after the performance of the STAG there was a surprising picture and outing of a new couple of our school yesterday - Jenny and Emma kissed in front of the whole school. The two of them seemed completely over the moon and in love, so that one can only be happy for them despite some of the superficial remarks of some students they were getting.

So it's no surprise that the two of them are topic number one across the hallways and already are being talked about as the new dream couple of the school. We're happy for them, or what do you think?
Your lozzy.de-Team