Laurel Hester documentary chosen for Sundance

It was November of last year that an email landed in my in box from a New Jersey man by the name of Dane Wells. Back then I still contributed to a blog called The Big Gay Picture which Dane found through Google. He wrote to ask for my help in fighting for the rights of a dying New Jersey police office named Laurel Hester. Despite having faithfully served the city of Ocean County, New Jersey for more than twenty years the Republican freeholders (think councilmen) of Ocean County were denying Laurel the right to leave her pension to her partner Stacie Andree (that's Laurel on the left). Without that pension, Stacie would be forced to sell the home she shared with Laurel after she died. Dane, a self-described straight, white male, Republican wasn't going to let that happen. Despite the fact that he and Laurel had only resumed their friendship after a twenty year lapse and shortly before Laurel fell ill with cancer, Dane put aside his own life to fight the freeholders for Laurel's rights. Part of that was contacting The Big Gay Picture which allowed me the privilege of participating in the push to get Laurel equal treatment. We covered Laurel's plight extensively, leading eventually to nation, even worldwide, coverage. Every week the pressure built on Ocean County as thousands of emails and letters deluged city hall. We even arranged to have hundreds of copies of Laurel's favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird, sent to the freeholders to inspire them to do the right thing. That's them in the picture. Notice anything in particular about them? Other towns and counties in New Jersey were inspired by Laurel's story to change their own laws. It's no small stretch to say that Laurel's case helped show the New Jersey Supreme Court the importance of treating same-sex couples equally under the law. A few months before Laurel died, the freeholders finally relented and Laurel died knowing Stacie would be taken care of. I can't tell you what a privilege it was to not only get to know Dane, but Laurel and Stacie as well. Not once during her ordeal did Laurel grow bitter or angry or self-pitying, at least publicly. And even when it looked like she would die without winning her case, she felt proud knowing her story had reached so many and had changed so many minds. I'm thrilled Cynthia Wade's Freeheld, the movie documenting Laurel's life was chosen out of the thousands of documentaries submitted to Sundance. I'm going to get to see it when it premieres and, with any luck, I'll finally get to meet Dane and Stacie in person.