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The Power of Being Seen: Why Pride Matters, And Why I Joined the Meaningful Movies Project by Scout Colmant

by Melinda Raebyne June 26, 2026 0

Billy Eichner’s Bros wasn’t a flawless masterpiece, and I’m usually someone who actively
avoids romantic comedies. Yet, a few years ago, it was the first movie I went to see in person
after the world shut down, and I had to be there on opening night. Sitting in that crowded theater
with a friend, laughing until we cried, I realized I was witnessing a small miracle. As someone
who didn’t come out until my 40s, a mainstream, studio-backed gay rom-com playing at a local
multiplex on a Friday night was something my 1980s teenage self could have never imagined.

That night wasn’t just about entertainment. It was about belonging. For the first time in a major
commercial theater, I saw a reflection of my own community, unfiltered and unapologetic. It
reminded me that visibility in media isn’t a luxury—it is a vital human necessity. When we don’t
see ourselves in the stories our culture tells, we receive a quiet, devastating message: you don’t
exist, or at least, your story doesn’t matter.

This fundamental truth is exactly why I was honored to join the Board of Directors for the
Meaningful Movies Project.

As a professional storyteller, I have spent my career searching for the extraordinary in ordinary
moments, helping audiences connect with narratives that resonate on a deeply human level. But
long before I was shaping brand stories in my advertising career, I was a closeted kid trying to
navigate a world that felt incredibly lonely. Back then, queer representation in media was a
desert. The few LGBTQ+ characters who did make it onto a screen were routinely relegated to
tragic punchlines, cautionary tales, or background decoration. You learned early on to read
between the lines, to look for hidden codes, and to accept the scraps of representation we were
given.
Coming out later in life means carrying a distinct grief for the decades spent on the outside
looking in. It makes you hyper-aware of how deeply media shapes our reality, our empathy, and
our sense of self. When we are denied authentic reflection, it stalls our growth and distances us
from our own communities.

The Meaningful Movies Project stands directly in opposition to that isolation. By using the
power of independent cinema and socially conscious media, we build spaces where marginalized
voices are amplified and where real, human stories shine. We don’t just screen films; we gather
as neighbors to look one another in the eye, discuss difficult realities, and dismantle the walls
that separate us. We create the ultimate form of visibility: a community where everyone is
explicitly seen, heard, and valued.

Pride is a celebration of how far we have come, but it is also an active reminder of the work left
to do. Right now, as diverse stories face renewed pushback and censorship across the country,
defending public spaces for visibility is more urgent than ever. We need platforms that champion
independent film because those are the stories that challenge the status quo and push culture
forward.

Every single one of us deserves to look at a screen—and look around a room—and feel a bone-
deep sense of belonging. I joined this board to ensure that the next generation doesn’t have to
wait until middle age to experience that breakthrough. Through film, conversation, and collective
empathy, we can build a world where no one has to search the shadows just to find a reflection of
themselves.

Written by Scout Colmant, MMP Board Member