A private screening of FAIRNESS — a short documentary in support of a local nondiscrimination ordinance — was viewed for the first time by approximately 60 people Wednesday night.
The documentary went public Wednesday night after the private screening.
Throughout cinematographer Alex Clark’s 31-minute film, the City of Owensboro is portrayed through both visual and vocal perspectives. Clark interviewed dozens of people who expressed their desire for a nondiscrimination ordinance in Daviess County. Individuals ranged from business owners to healthcare workers, musicians and local leaders, such as Rosemary Conder.
Clark — a straight, married man — said he was inspired to make the documentary after discussions about implementing a local nondiscrimination ordinance started making headlines.
As Clark reached out to members of the LGBTQ community and learned their stories, he said he truly began to understand the importance of establishing a nondiscrimination ordinance in Daviess County.
“I love Owensboro, and I want to see Owensboro do better, and that means being supportive of different lifestyles,” he said. “I think that’s a really good thing for Owensboro and will help this city grow.”
Most everyone who was interviewed for the documentary said the same thing, but stories varied from person to person. People talked about their experiences with local discrimination, the lack of young people who want to move back to Daviess County because of outdated belief systems, the lack of companies who want to start industries in towns with a Kentucky Equality Index score of 18 out of 100 — Owensboro’s current score — and other issues the LGBTQ community faces.
The opposers Clark reached out to would not interview for the documentary. However, Clark did include clips from Fiscal Court meetings wherein County Commissioner George Wathen asked the public to stop pushing for a nondiscrimination ordinance that wasn’t going to happen.
