Photos and review by Tabitha Webster
“Game Face” is a documentary about the struggles that, well known athletes Terrence Clemens and Fallon Fox, face. It’s both heart wrenching and an awakening about gay and transgender athletes.
On tour with the film, Clemens came to Peninsula College on Feb. 22, and spent the day inspiring PC students and staff.
Clemens arrived ahead of schedule, despite the snow, to share his experience with Dr. Lopez’s Gender and Sexuality class.
Questions were raised in Dr. Lopez’s class on whether Clemen’s friends and family were as supporting as they were in front of the camera.
“That’s what I’m telling you. There was people saying things that they never would have if the camera wasn’t there,” Clemens said.
Both the Rainbow Alliance, PC’s LGBTQ club, and Clemens spoke to the men’s and women’s basketball teams. They spoke to create awareness on the struggles of playing college-level basketball, and the stereotypes following the gay community.
Challenged to prove his skill, the lady Pirates and Clemens went to the gym to see if Clemen’s jump shots were as good as he said.
After a showing of “Game Face” in Maier Hall, he, along with Rainbow Alliance members and founders, spoke on the difficulties they’ve faced and the joys of having support. The evening ended with a message from Rainbow Alliance founder Sarah Robbins: “If you are gay or think you might be, you can always come to me, and I can be whatever support you need.”
Clemens, however, didn’t have that support growing up in Los Angeles, where being out wasn’t in.
“I wouldn’t change my growing up.” Clemen’s said in regards to his sneaking around and hiding his sexuality to his family and the LA community.
It wasn’t until high school, while at a split dance club, one side gay and one side straight, that his secret began to come out. Clemens ran into a girl he went to school with, while standing inbetween the two sides of the club.
After seeing Clemens in the club, the girl told other students she’d caught him at a party in bed with a guy.
Ostracized by his teammates, Clemens returned to Crenshaw, where he’d gone to elementary and junior high school.
After highschool, Clemens got into some trouble, and spent ten months in jail.
When he got out, it was time to buckle down and get serious about basektball again. After some time in training, he made the team at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.
He became tense over time, as he grew closer with his team, and still hadn’t come out as gay.
“I was hiding part of who I was,” Clemens said about his relationships in college.
“Relationships were fake.”
He decided to call a meeting with those close to him, and put his cards on the table. A family he’d gone to church with every Sunday was invited, but refused to show up. Other friends were more supportive of him and the film being made. That meeting is included in “Game Face.”
The movie, directed by Michiel Thomas, starring Clemens, NBA player Jason Collins, and Fallon Fox, who is a transgender women and former Mixed Martial Arts fighter.
When word spread that she was born a man, controversy erupted over the fairness of her fighting women.
Watching the film multiple times was nothing like sitting with Clemens on Feb. 22. His personal commentary throughout the film offered a different insight into the film and it’s supporting subjects.
Clemens will continue to speak wherever he can, with the possibility of boxing in the future.
Fox continues to be an advocate for gay and trans athletes and trans people in the military.
Inspiring is the word I’d use to describe the movie.