The Moment of Truth

Did you, like Bobby, develop your taste for rugged men while watching Grizzly Adams as a kid? Or maybe, like Chris, you dreamt of being Ariel from The Little Mermaid. No matter what moment marked the start of your gay awakening, it's likely echoed in one of the 16 stories, representing a wide spectrum of ages and backgrounds, in the documentary When I Knew (debuting on Cinemax June 25 and DVD June 26).

Inspired by Robert Trachtenberg's book of the same name, filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato asked subjects the simple question "When did you know you were gay?" Their answers range from the humorous (Jon, at age 10, became obsessed with the "sexy agony" of the man on the Doan's pill box) to the heartbraking (Brandon, after losing his virginity to his college girlfriend, cried because he realized the extent to which he had to let a lie take over his life).

In so many instances, those moments led to a period of secrets and hiding. But amidst this month's parades and celebrations, it's good to remember that it's those moments that mark the first steps on the road to pride.


When I Knew will premiere on Cinemax June 25 at 7:30PM. It will be released on DVD June 26 from HBO Video.