‘Hawaii Family Portraits’ offers an intimate glimpse into our LGBTQ community

HONOLULU—Last month’s passage of HB 444 through the State Legislature was no doubt celebrated by champions of civil rights here in Hawaii.  But the fight is not over yet.  Thirty-one legislators voted yes, 20 voted against it, and 34 votes are required to override a veto. There is no word yet as to whether Gov. Linda Lingle will veto the bill, and she has until July 6 to decide, so the pressure is on for supporters of the bill to make their voices heard.

“Hawaii Family Portraits,” an artistic glimpse into the lives of the varied LGBTQ families in Oahu, is currently on display Chaminade University’s Sullivan Library. The portraits were distributed to Hawaii lawmakers in a photo book just weeks before the historic passage of the civil unions bill.

The award-winning exhibit is the brainchild of Equality Hawaii Foundation and local photographer Mike Ang, made possible by generous grants from Gill Foundation and Hawaii People’s Fund. It features strikingly elegant portraits interwoven with enlarged copies of articles surrounding the recent struggle to grant civil unions between any two consenting adults in Hawaii. 

Equality Hawaii’s Treasurer Donald Bentz described the ongoing project as a team effort. The inspiration was the traveling national exhibit “Love Makes a Family,” which has had a powerful educational impact on people’s definition of “family,” he explained. In fact, Equality Hawaii initially entertained simply importing that exhibit and then realized that were enough families here in Hawaii to justify developing their own show.  Like “Love Makes a Family,” “Hawaii Family Portraits” seeks to challenge and change damaging myths and stereotypes about LGBTQ people and their families, while representing the specific blend of ethnic and cultural realities unique to Hawaii. 

However, despite the politically charged and very timely subject matter, the appeal of exhibit itself transcends political appeal. In keeping with the tradition of portraits, the photographs are at once stately and intimate. They represent the myriad “faces” of 21st century families in Hawaii, bringing a genuine humanity to the subject that is sometimes lost in the press.

The search for participating families began with Equality Hawaii board members’ social circle, and then expanded through outreach to various community groups. The families selected ultimately represented a culturally and gender-diverse cross section of four major types, which in turn inform the show’s thematic organization: LGBTQ parents, parents with LGBTQ children, LGBTQ couples, and extended ohana.

Most of the families were photographed at home, though a few chose other favorite locations. Ang was given complete creative control of the process and expressed his gratitude for this freedom. He said it helped him to achieve the nuances that made the body of work so successful. For example, Ang chose to shoot his subjects in black-and-white and explained this choice as his “desire to allow the emotions of the subjects come through” rather than competing with colorful surroundings, which can create bias on the part of the viewer.

Ang had one hour to meet and photograph each family.  In every case, he had never met the family previously.  Ang said he enjoyed working with the families, hearing their stories, and documenting their unique triumphs and challenges in what he described as a “50/50 collaboration between client and creator.”

Ang made lasting connections with some of the families and all of them will receive a copy of their portraits. He said he hopes the families find some solace in the photographs.

Looking at the images, the viewer experiences a complex range of emotions. Sometimes, the first glance yields a disarming sense of familiarity. The palpable sense, warmth, pride, and joy radiating from the photographs recalls our own most cherished family portraits. Then one reads the text, providing a window into their daily realities, and the urgency for societal change comes to the forefront.

This sensation was particularly pronounced for me when looking at the portrait of Melissa Gosland, Britt Bailey, and their daughter, Tatum (pictured). I was immediately drawn to the familiar domestic scene of reading a book to a young child; I have a daughter exactly the same age as Tatum. It was upon closer inspection that I realized I had met this family at a birthday party for one of my daughters’ friends. I do not know them well but we had enjoyed a lengthy conversation. Seeing this photo and reading their story has made me feel better acquainted with them. This was a situation where a vague sense of familiarity preceded my actual recognition of familiarity. Other times, the first impression might be “otherness” that eventually yields to empathy by finding common ground in their stories, whether it be a family’s struggle to cope with sickness, substance abuse, or looking out for one’s children’s best interests.

What makes this show so successful is how powerful the portraits are from both a formal and a thematic standpoint. The strong and uncluttered compositions invite the viewer to notice the subtle expressions and mannerisms that define and connect us as human beings. What these families all share is the sense that their enduring love for each other helps them to overcome discrimination, denial of rights, rejection, and persecution.

The Portraits project will continue this weekend when Ang flies to Kauai to capture more families and college students on camera. There are also plans for future Maui and Hawaii Island trips, as well additional Oahu appointments, to help further round out the collection. 

The current show at Chaminade will be on display through the end of May. Summer hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Friday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and closed Sundays. 

To park, simply find a “visitor” spot; no need to secure a parking pass because of summer break. If you are unable to make it to Chaminade, a selection of the photographs are also on display downtown at Cafe Che Pasta (1001 Bishop St.) during regular business hours. The collection can also be viewed online at http://www.hawaiifamilyportraits.org and will continue to travel around Honolulu during the coming months. Stay current by visiting http://www.equalityhawaii.org/events.html.