Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s message, on screen and in life: ‘It’s OK’
'Modern Family' star picks up award, debuts short film about what Drag Story Hour is really about
More than 100 “Drag Story Hours” were targeted with protests, threats and violence in the 12 months ending in May 2023, according to a report by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. Actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson (“Modern Family”) thinks that’s simply a case of moral panic spurred on by anti-gay misinformation.
“Drag Story Hour is just someone coming in and reading a book about being inclusive to kids,” he said. Ferguson was in Denver on Thursday representing not one but two films. One as an actor – “All that We Love” is about two friends (Margaret Cho) going through varying experiences with grief.
The other as a producer – a 10-minute film called “It’s OK,” which simply and quietly two young brothers and their mother as they attend their first Drag Story Hour.
“It’s almost a field piece,” said Ferguson. “We basically go in, we see this experience through their eyes and we see how simple and innocent it is.”
Afterward, Ferguson became the third recipient of Denver Film 2024 CinemaQ LaBahn Ikon Film Award, which celebrates cinematic excellence within the LGBTQ community. “We’re celebrating prominent LGBTQ entertainers who really give back to their community, who make a difference and who help us with equal rights,” said film producer Will LaBahn, namesake of the Ikon Award.
And Ferguson has a message to those in any marginalized community who are feeling unsafe in the wake of Tuesday’s election.
“Our history has shown that we’ve been through really tough times and prevailed. It’s always a few steps backward before making big strides forward,” Ferguson said, citing advances and setbacks for gay marriage in California and other states. On Tuesday, voters in California and Colorado prevented same-sex marriage bans. “So there are silver linings that have happened,” he said. Sarah McBride is now the first transgender person in Congress. Those are big things to be celebrated.
“I know this election was a big disappointment. But when we look back at history, there have been big disappointments and big victories. So this is just the ebb and flow of it all.”
