But taking the time to talk to these people before building the story creates a rich and authentic film. 

I volunteer for a charity called Just Like Us, the LGBTQ+ young people’s charity, and part of my role is speaking in schools. I regularly tell more than 200 school pupils on a Wednesday morning that being LGBTQ+ is normal, valid and joyous!

We do a question and answer segment, and young people often seem totally unafraid to ask questions that range from how to support a friend who recently came out, to dealing with unsupportive family members, all the way to the humorous: “Can dogs be gay?”

I feel so deeply lucky that I’m able to be a part of spreading positive LGBTQ+ messages in schools, when just 20 years ago that would have been illegal. I will think of Jean and the women she represents during my next talk, and the many more to come.

In Blue Jean, Jean tells her girlfriend during one exchange: “Not everything is political.” Her girlfriend responds: “Of course it is.”

For LGBTQ+ people, sometimes the act of simply existing is made political by others, and it often feels as though our identities are up for debate, even now.

There are a lot of young LGBTQ+ people in my generation who don’t want to watch any more LGBTQ+ pain, and I can understand that. But sometimes a painful story is worth telling. Rights that have been given can be taken away, and it’s crucial to know about, respect and remember the struggles of those who came before us. 

Amy Chiswell is an ambassador for Just Like Us, the LGBT+ young people’s charity. If you’re LGBT+, age 18-25 and living in the UK, you can volunteer for the Ambassador Programme here.