Jamaican web series tackles cultural taboos with gay Christian character
Is there hierarchy in sin? That’s the central question of Fabian Barracks’ “True Colours” which premiered in September 2022.
Tackling poignantly the tension that exists between homosexuality and Christianity, Barracks’ web series tells the story of a Christian family whose members are grappling with various indiscretions that threaten to tear the unit apart.
Pivotal to the plot is a closeted character who takes his faith seriously but struggles to keep his sexual desires at bay.
According to Barracks, recognising the role that religious faith plays in an individual’s life is very important.
However, he noted that faith sometimes conflicts with other aspects of a person’s identity, such as sexual orientation; and as more men and women choose alternative lifestyles, there is no escaping conversations on the subject matter.
“True Colours challenges us to reconsider our bigotries, it doesn’t force us to accept people of alternative lifestyle choices but asks us to exercise empathy and tolerance especially within the church and school communities,” said Barracks.
“I wanted to explore how sin is perceived, namely how homosexuality strikes us as somehow more sinful than say, lying, adultery or greed and really force people to question how we came about ranking these sins, particularly those in the religious community,” Barracks added.
Barracks noted that the current conversations within the religious community tend to focus on gay sex and serves to isolate the individual from their faith, causing much more suffering.
“Through the use of the various characters within the series, who are all deeply flawed, I try to move away from the ‘Gay vs Christian’ debate,” Barracks said.
“The protagonist, Kyle, as well as the other characters, who portray similar struggles did not choose to be this way, however suffered the greatest penalties, including perpetual depression and suicide ideation,” Barracks explained.
True Colours is a six-part series that was funded by the Equality for All Foundation through the assistance of the European Union.
